#like 'stop smiling you're supposed to be in anguish'

[epickiya722]

Spoiler alert for my recent chapter for His Following, but my favorite part is Yuji being all "nice" and talking to Sukuna and Sukuna is just creeped out by it.

[coldilikeit]

Isekai reader x Batfam (Neglected au)

Female reader

Prologue- Dead mom

______________________________

You woke up as a baby, daughter of a waitress and some unknown guy, your grandmother (mom's mom) kept telling you that you were weighing her daughter's life down, whatever, that old hag died a few months after you were born

It was bad enough that you were born poor, it's the fact that you were born poor in GOTHAM

Fake Mom was a waitress and she worked with a catering job, at one of her jobs, at a charity gala with some rich people, she had sex with a rich dude there, she didn't know she was pregnant and you were a surprise

But it didn't matter, you were hers and she loved you, she didn't have much to give you because you were poor, but what little thing she had, she gave to you

That meant nothing to you, she wasn't your actual mom, your real mom had a nice crib for you to sleep in, not some moldy probably a 4th hand one, your real mom took time off her work to properly take care of you, not put you in a baby carrier and bring you to jobs like cashier, janitress and other stuff

She wasn't your actual mom.

You didn't care, you're not supposed to care.

You were merely 6 months old, at your crib, you were trying to sleep, key word. Try, but your fake mom's cries were too loud, you didn't understand her anguish, it was just a fever, you've had fevers before, why is your fake mom freaking out about your fever now

"I'm so sorry my baby... Mommy can't afford to buy the medicine-" she stops as she hears your heavy breathing, you are struggling to breathe "mommy is very selfish... If I gave you to your dad, he could get you the medicine, maybe you wouldn't get sick at all- but that would mean you are away from mommy- I'm really sorry baby.... I'll work harder"

She took a wet cloth and placed it on your forehead, she hung her head low and cried

You thought she was being dramatic, all this crying for a fever?

______________________________

Now you're 6, you don't know if fake mommy is stupid or what but there's no light and the electric fan stopped spinning, there was only one fan in your apartment, did she forget to pay the electric bill or... Did you guys not have enough money, you can't ask her that because fake mommy is at work, who leaves a 6 year old at home!?

If fake mommy can't pay, you'll do something about it, you were not going to spend a hot night without a fan, you go to explore and you grab some wild flowers off the streets and tie them with long leaves, then you sell

You forgot to leave a note.

When you get home, there's cops, your fake mom is crying and she sees you, she runs to hug "God! (Name) Where did- did you go, I- was so worried!" She cried and sobbed, the cops went away after some time

You hand her 12 dollars "I sold flowers, 2 dollars a bouquet, the lights went out, so I sold, we don't have any money to pay right?"

Your fake mom smiles at you, "my thoughtful baby... Mommy just forgot to pay because... Mommy enrolled you in school!" She said excitedly,You raised your eyebrows "how much money do we have? Won't we go bankrupt?"

But your fake mom is crazy because she just laughs and hugs you

You hated being poor, being poor means you get bullied, it means you can't buy the stuff you want, it means using stuff someone else already used, it means your lunch would also be your dinner

You hated it

Because it also meant being looked down on, being the smartest kid in class (ofc) means nothing if your school bag had holes and patched up, it meant sometimes you'll see other kids your age buy something you wanted

It didn't matter, you could make do, you avoided being bullied and actually became popular by showing off, you landed bottle flips, you could do a handstand, needless to say, you were definitely invited to birthday parties, plus you were smart and well-behaved, parents and teachers love you, it didn't matter if you brought a present or not, all that matters is your presence

And when your birthday rolled around, the kids got used to the fact you were too poor to hold a birthday party, that didn't matter to them, to those kids and parents, you were the kindest person they've ever met, so they gave you presents, at first you tried to refuse (because you were ashamed you couldn't give them anything that's not handmade to their parties) but they insisted

Your fake mom was always busy, with so many jobs, she couldn't attend all award ceremonies and PTC's

You just won for the best science project in the fair (despite having the least resources), you were fine with fake mom not being able to attend the award ceremony, she was out cleaning someone's house after all

"where is her mom?"

"I don't know, but that poor kid, she's so sweet and smart, I feel bad that she has a mother like that"

"I heard (Name)'s mother got pregnant with (Name) while she was at college, thank God that (Name) won't end up like her, how could such a talented girl end up with a mother like that? She couldn't even attend her own daughter's award ceremony"

"the mom is probably off somewhere sucking someone's dick, if she gets pregnant again, I hope the kid takes after (Name)"

"(Name)! Sweetheart! Mommy's here! Oh sorry I'm late, I was at work" you fake mom smiles as she runs at you, she looks at your blue ribbon and hugs you "You're so smart baby! Mommy is so proud"

______________________________

You're 8 and you earn 5 dollars for every lawn you cut grass for, some of the people even give you snacks! You're already an entrepreneur! You smile to yourself, you weren't going to be like your fake mom, you were going to be rich, so maybe you and fake mom can get out of the cockroach infested house and fake mom won't work for an awful manager who hits on her and she won't clean toilets just so the both of you have something to eat

You come home with 40 dollars, you plan to give 30 to your fake mom for the bills and you keep 10 as a reward, but when you open the door your met with a bang

A bang from a party popper "Happy birthday my sweetheart!" Fake mom says

You look at the cake and decorations, you sigh, the money out in this could have been used for groceries

Your fake mom seemed to read your mind "Oh hush my baby, it's only once a year! Plus this is nothing to what you do for my birthday!"

That's a lie, your fake mommy is lying, your birthday decorations for her were handmade by you and her cake was just a muffin because you couldn't afford something more expensive, your birthdays were much more grander than hers

You give her the 30 dollars, you try to give her, but it seemed to make her sad, he smile wore off

Did you do something? Shouldn't she be happy? You were providing and helping!

"I'm sorry you think you have to do this my baby... You should be playing outside- not- not working, I want you to be a kid! Don't work anymore okay?"

But you're not a kid okay! You're reincarnated! And your previous life was much better than now!

So your fake mom should just let you help! Because you're trying to make things easier for her, why won't she let you help!?

But you keep it all to yourself and you and your fake mommy celebrate your fake birthday

______________________________

You're 10, and your fake mom seems... Weaker?? Is that how you put it? Her eye bags seem darker and her skin looks paler, you don't like this look from her, your fake mom is a pretty woman, who would have married good if it weren't for you, nevermind

You don't want your fake mom getting ugly, so every 9:00 pm you crash into her work place and you don't care if she still needs to keep on working and her shift ends at 9:30, your fake mom needs sleep! Someone else can cover for her

It's her birthday when she starts coughing, she starts coughing bad. The sounds were coarse and harsh, it hurt to even hear the coughs, you didn't want to know how it felt like

She grabs a tissue and coughs into it, you're sure you saw blood

Usually you're a master of minding their own business, but this time you rummage, you rummage through your mom's fake mom's room, and you find it, doctor appointments, medical certificates (when did she even go to the hospital!?), fake mom is sick, really sick, why didn't she tell you???

When your fake mom gets home, you show her what you found, instead of confronting you she acts like it's nothing, you get mad, of course you do, why wouldn't you?

"Mom are you crazy? Why didn't you tell me? The bill is huge? And why would you keep on working!? Did you forget what a sick person does? They rest!" You cry yell

She just smiled at you??? Is this woman crazy? "What was I supposed to do? Sweetheart, these things are for me okay? Don't worry about it, I'll be fine... Did you do your homework? If you haven't I can help you"

"I did... Mom?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to pull me out of school" you say

"what why? Are you being bullied? You can tell me"

"No I'm not! If you pull me out of school, instead of worrying about my tuition, you could just pay for your medical bills and actually buy yourself some medicine and get better!"

Fake mom turns silent "You don't have to do that"

"it's the only way! We can't afford both my school and your hospital bills! Mom! Your health is much more important than some certificates! And while I'm out of school I can work as well, even though I get paid a little, money is still money I can give to you-"

"NO! A mother's job is to provide for their kids and your my kid! You don't have to go to work, you don't have to stop going to school, you don't have to think about whether you'll be able to eat tommorow and the day after that, you're a kid! You're my baby! Stop worrying about me and instead, worry about boys you like or girls you like, worry about— I want you to be a kid"

You clench your fists "How can I be!?!? You think I don't hear you!? You come home when I'm supposedly asleep so you can cry about not being able to give a better life, I can hear you! I hear everything! You hate that your manager flirts with you! You hate that the mother's at school talks about you! You hate that I'm the only kid in school who can't afford a birthday party!, I'm trying to help! I can bring in money! I tutor, I babysit, I mow lawns, I can do more if I'm out of school!" At this point you're crying

Fake mom has never yelled at you, never. Whenever you get mad she hugs you and kisses you forehead, why is she yelling at you, you just want what's best for her

______________________________

You didn't care, after school you took on more jobs, you even started doing your classmate's homework and homework from higher and lower grades for money

Fake mom's medicine... It was expensive, that didn't matter, you'll work harder, you were so tired

You started selling bread for a family bakery who felt bad for you, that kind of money doesn't come up in thin air

But you were going to try

And you did, you really did, you did whatever you could

You and fake mom had another argument when you found out she got life insurance and placed you as the sole beneficiary

Fake mom's illness got so bad that she had to quit her jobs because she didn't have the strength to even walk, the amount of blood that comes out every time she coughs kept increasing

You stopped going to school to work more, you started to sweep and mop up for local grocery stores, the owner being a dad of one of your classmates

You knew your mom wouldn't approve, so you fed her with fake science fairs, fake school plays you had to practice for so she wouldn't get suspicious why you returned home late

"Don't stay out so late sweetheart, the riddler just escaped Arkham" your fake mom would warn you with a hint of love in her voice

If you could just make it work, even for half of the money you need, maybe you could put a down payment, and they'd give you the medicine and you'll pay them back later

So why wasn't your fake mom waking up?

You got home, after grueling hours of painting fences, you plan to tell your fake mom that you were just painting some backdrops for a school play

"Mommy?" You call out, you expect your fake mom to be either watching on a broken down TV or probably sewing some of your clothes with holes on them

It's eerie quiet, a quiet you don't like "Mama?" You see her in a chair, asleep and eyes closed

Is she that tired? "Mommy, do you want noodles? I'll make some?"

....

.........

"Mommy?"

You shake her body trying to wake her

Nothing.

"Mommy?"

Your heart drops "No... No. No. No. No. No. No... No!" You keep shaking and shaking her but nothing, it was then you notice her lips have gone horrifyingly pale

"no.. this- this- help! Someone help us please!" You yell trying to call your neighbors, someone, anyone!

______________________________

"I'm sorry kid, Your mom's gone, we'll try to find any other relatives you have" the police officer looks at you with pity

"I don't have any relatives left" you say

You're not going to cry, why would you? She wasn't your real mom, she- she....

Fuck, now you're crying, you're doing what you said you wouldn't do

The officer knelt to you and hugged you "We'll find you another loving family, one that will buy you toys and-"

"I don't want another loving family! I want my mommy! I want my mom" you cry

"it's okay... Everything is going to be okay" he pats your back

After a few days at the orphanage, the news came, everyone was shocked, a few staff who got attached to you were happy you'll be with someone who could provide, a few staff who also got attached to you angry that he abandoned such a sweet girl, a DNA match to the one and only Bruce Wayne, that man is your father.

You stand In front of doors a hundred times bigger than you, you see him- no you see them.

The infamous Wayne family, all in their glory

"Father, will it stay with us permanently" Damian asks

Dick the older one laughed and responded "Unfortunately for her, she will stay here"

Holy shit, you think

Holy shit.

Is this? No it can't be...

You refuse to believe you reincarnated in a Batfam x neglected reader story- surely not-

Welcome Reader! To the Neglected AU!

Prologue: dead mom- finished

Progress:100%

Chapter 1: "I wished I stayed at the orphanage"- start!

Progress: 0%

The screen appears In front of you

"Fuck" you whisper

______________________________

Alr so technically this is the prologue, "yes" won Soo...

Also goodbye mom

My ass wrote this with a fever, while playing chess with my cousin, I'm built diff like that

Also I won, if you want pics of the chessboard and the thermometer I'll provide🔥

[sultrydxrling]

PLANT PEOPLE/FREE USE SOCIETY/X/AFAB! READER <3

This odd plant creature kidnapped you yesterday.

He made you walk through the forest barefoot and naked; your limbs being held together tightly by green, vine-like tentacles.

The leaves and twigs around you bore small cuts and scrapes across your sensitive skin. The creature didn't seem to care for the first hour or so, but he must've grown sick of your whimpers because when he extended his hand to the path's sides, the plants around you moved away from the two of you.

He stopped in a clearing and stepped through the vein carefully, then used his vines to carry you in behind him. You were placed back on the ground, but a small vine slipped around your neck and squeezed tightly.

He let go of every other limb and led you through a small archway of trees.

You could see sunlight up ahead and small, white buildings. They looked almost paper-mache-textured, so you assumed they were mud or clay buildings.

Many other plant creatures wandered through a townlike area. Small stone walkways between buildings were visible, and the closer you looked, you began to see naked humans, like yourself, walking alongside them.

the creature leading you seemed to hold you up, fixing your poor posture as he showed you off to the others. Soon, two other, what looked like males smiled smugly at the plant man.

"Look who finally got a pet- Pathetic. The only good thing about it is they're cute-"

"Kill yourself."

He muttered under his breath to the other. They continued to harass him, calling him names and making fun of him for being weak and a late bloomer.

They even pushed him around some before deciding he was no longer entertaining enough. The creature adjusted how he was carrying himself to what he felt was cool and collected.

He took you up and across various paths that laced hills and valleys to the outskirts of the village where he lived. His hut was a little tattered and the walls were too thin, almost letting the breeze sift through the cracks.

He carelessly tossed you onto the bed and you were mentally stuck as adreniline pumped through your arms. You wanted to run, and get away from that place.

But you weren't sure just how dangerous they were. The creature muttered things to himself.

"I'm not pathetic. Humans are."

He wheeled on you and slapped you, causing you to whimper and fall back on the soft moss cushion beneath you. Your eye and cheek stung with the ringing pain from the slap.

"Stupid- pathetic holes, that scream in ungreatful anguish even when kept fed and comfortable."

His eyes darkened as memories likley apeared before them. had he done this before? Or possibly seen it.

He took a deep breath and walked into whatt was supposed to be a kitchen area, a running water pipe with a bowl beneath. He picked up a fruit from a wooden bowl on the counter, and washed it. then, he sliced it inhalf and offered it to you.

You didn't know what it was, but it resembled a dragon fruit. You had seen him cut it open, so you trusted it enough to soothe the aching in your stomach and thirst, quenching the walls of your throat.

You sank your teeth deeply into the meat of the frruit and sighed softly at the quick relief of your thirst. He watched you and raised an eyebrow.

"You're quite hungry aren't you?"

You didn't answer. Of course you were - he'd dragged you through miles of forest.

"Nothing to say? Usually, the humans we collect scream and thrash. Why are you so calm?"

You hadn't figured that out yourself, and you wanted to say that it was because you felt frightened. Regardless of circumstances, this species was clean and lived in a very beautiful area.

His green, velvety skin shone in the light. From where you were, looking closely, his skin was textured similarly to the stem of a weed or flower. The small, soft, white hairs standing out against the dark green.

"What are you looking at? Miss me pushing you around already?"

He practically spat these words and approached you slowly.

"I can change that.~"

<sneak peak, will likley make a full fic of asked to :3>

[bbina]

content warning: smoking & drinking lol

you don't know how long you've been walking around aimlessly inside the convenience store, debating on what you need to fill the void you feel deep inside

for the first time in a long while, you couldn't pin point what you were feeling. is it rage? is it anguish? is it longing? you don't know

after giving it much thought (though you've been going over it the whole time you were on the way to the convenience store), you take a deep breath before grabbing a couple of cans of beer before heading towards the cash register

"a pack of cigarettes too, please" you tell the cashier, putting down the cans of beer on the counter

as your items were being checked out on the cash register, you slowly start to feel a little guilty over your decision on getting a pack of cigarettes. you've made a promise to both karina and giselle that you'd stop smoking a little while ago but here you were, about to start your vice again

"have a nice night" the cashier bows, breaking your train of thought. you gave the cashier a little smile, taking your plastic bag before walking out the store

it was raining. you thought the weather couldn't be more perfect to match what you were feeling

luckily the convenience store had umbrellas on their outdoor tables.

perfect. this was all you need right now

you settled onto one of the tables before unpacking whatever you bought inside. couple of cans of beer, some junk food to snack on and of course, your cigarettes

what better way to express your emotions by pigging out on a rainy friday night alone with your thoughts

. . .ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

the sound of the rain pattering around you felt comforting in a sense. you were merely alone with your own cloudy thoughts as you try to navigate through this heartbreak of yours

you don't even know what time it was. you turned your phone off after posting on your instagram story. not wanting to be bothered for the mean time. for tonight, you just wanted some actual alone time. you forced yourself to head out because if you were in bed right now, you would've been a mess

your ex having a new partner in such short notice shouldn't affect you like this but it's affecting you greater than you expected

there was that feeling again. where it felt like your body was telling you to crave it. maybe you are craving it– no scratch that. you need it

swallowing the lump on your throat, you fish out the little red box you know all too well

you've never felt more alive when you felt the addictive substance fill your lungs for the first time in a long while. with each puff you take, the more you feel the weight on your shoulders are temporarily lifted. at some point, you felt tears prick your eyes as you let yourself be consumed with what you truly feel inside

you are starting to get exhausted of keeping up the act of being okay when you weren't fine at all

“a pretty lady like you shouldn’t be smoking”

a voice speaks up, causing you to jolt and drop your cigarette on the wet ground.

you didn't even realize you had tears running down your face til that voice breaks your deep trance. quickly, you wiped your tears before looking around to find where the voice came from

on your left, you see a man who seemed to be around your age. you couldn't really tell since he had a hat on and the fact he was wearing glasses

you take a good look at the man before spotting a cigarette on his hand

"i could say the same about you" you scoffed, turning back around to get another stick from the cigarette box but something in you stops yourself from doing so

"you're calling me pretty too?" the man jokes, walking up to your table. his hand then rests on the backrest of the chair in front of you, "may i sit with you?"

you nod your head yes. for some reason you didn't feel any sense of danger whatsoever but maybe you were just too caught up in the feels to even realize that you may or may not have invited someone you're not supposed to, to sit with you

the man hums and sits down in front of you. now that the man was up and close and personal, you then recognize who he was.

it was wonbin, in the flesh

your eyes widened upon the realization. oh my fucking god, you thought to yourself. you start to hide your face with your hair, in attempt to hide your identity from wonbin

wonbin takes a hit off his cigarette before raising an eyebrow at your odd behavior. why were you hiding all of a sudden?

"why are you hiding your face?" he asks, making small talk, "it's okay to cry, i don't judge"

you stopped rummaging your hair in attempt to hide your face when you hear his comment. did he just assume you were crying and that's why you were hiding your face from him. you tuck your hair away from your face before answering him all sassily

"i wasn't crying" you deny, "what made you say that? were you watching me?" you sass

wonbin seemed to be flustered by your sudden accusation as he suddenly started choking on his own spit, sending him into a coughing fit

as he was choking in front of you, you could only offer your half empty can of beer. wonbin quickly grabbed the can and gulps down the liquor in attempt to calm himself down

"what the fuck" wonbin grimaces, wiping his mouth with his jacket sleeve, "i wasn't! i just noticed you drinking all alone so i thought you were going through something, damn!"

now it was your turn to be flustered. wonbin didn't mean harm. he was just stating what he witnessed. besides, he wasn't wrong. you are going through something at the moment and that's why you are in fact drinking alone

"actually you know what, yeah you're right. i was crying" you admit, slumping back on the chair "and i am going through something. nice eyes you've got there"

wonbin's mouth falls open in shock. he wasn't expecting to be literally right on the dot. now feels a little embarrassed for pointing out something he shouldn't have

"oh, i'm sorry-" wonbin starts to apologize but you cut him off by shaking your hands in front of him

"no don't apologize. you didn't know" you let out a small laugh, "it's fine"

"are you sure? i didn't mean to be rude. it was just a random speculation and i didn't mean to intrude that way" wonbin rambles, feeling genuinely sorry about it

"i told you it's fine" you wave him off, "anyway enough about me. what about you? what are you doing here on a rainy night?"

now it was your turn to ask him

wonbin purses his lips and thinks for a moment before answering you

"nothing. got a lot in my mind so i just wanted to clear my head" he replies curtly. throwing his now finished cigarette on the ground before stepping on it

you nod, empathizing with him. you too also wanted to clear your head

"guess we're on the same boat here" you chuckle, "love sucks ass"

wonbin's ears perk up at the mention of love before he starts laughing too. "you're abso-fucking-lutely right"

before you know it, you and wonbin started slowly opening up about your recent problems to each other after coming to a realization that you two were in fact going through similar things

wonbin was currently ranting about how unfair his life has been at the moment, you checked your phone for the time and wow it was already almost 5 AM

"oh my god" you say outloud, unknowingly interrupting wonbin. wonbin pauses and waits for you to continue, "i'm so sorry for interrupting but i just realized it's almost 5 AM" you say, showing wonbin your phone

wonbin's eyes widened and checked his own phone. "oh shit we've been talking all night"

you let out a nervous laugh when you read through your notifications that karina, giselle and seunghan bombarded. all saying along the lines of "where are you" "reply"

you are so dead

"i'm really sorry for cutting you off but i think it's time to take my leave. my friends are looking for me" you clasp your hands together as you bow in front of wonbin, apologizing for leaving so abruptly

wonbin only laughs and agrees that it was time to leave as well

"then it looks like it's time for me to take my leave." wonbin starts to stand up but then he holds his hand out, "thanks for listening to me by the way. feels like some weight has been lifted off my shoulders" he smiles genuinely

you take a second to look between his hand and his face before gradually taking in his hand, shaking it

"well, it did seem like we both needed someone to talk to without the feeling of being judged"

wonbin laughs, "agreed."

you take your trash and disposed them properly. before you could bid goodbye, wonbin had already left

you then realized that you two forgot to introduce yourselves but you actually feel a little relieved that you didn't. if anything, being strangers to one another that had a heart to heart talk just seemed surreal and needed in that moment.

like what were the odds of you two meeting each other at this random convenience store because of a shared common factor which was love?

you don't know why, but you had a strange feeling that you'd be seeing him around more soon

alone together ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 . . . love sucks

── taking comfort in the thought that you are together in aloneness through late night talks, heartfelt confessions, and a genuine connection. with your shared experience of recent heartbreaks, you wonder if getting together would be all worth it. in which you find solace in each other's company, that you are alone together.

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꩜ notes .ᐟ FINALLY they met. first written piece in a long ass time, so sorry if i'm a little rusty!

꩜ taglist .ᐟ @onlywonb @rosesfortaro @starwonb1n @wonychu @totheseok @dolloie @hyunjinsnumberonefun @binluvsu @onlyhyunjin @annswwa @wonbinsvlle @hakkkuu @ilovejungwonandhaechan @artstaeh @lecheugo @odxrilove @bunni @saranghoeforanton @nujeskz @nakam00t @kyusqult @nctsshoes2 @revehosh @s9nwoo @daegale @palchokitty @dutifullyannoyingfox @oshakyao @koryutte @b-riize @meowbini @the-swageyama-tobiyolo @winuvs @i03jae @seouci @enhacolor @leehanascent @sweetiejaeyun @dearestjake @cupidslovearrows @sasfransisco

[skelliko]

kazutora hanemiya |°- is it platonic or romantic?

|°- Baji and chifuyu tried to convince kazu that he's actually in love (good timeline)

normally kazutora wouldn't be the one to get so confused over his feelings about another, normally he'd be seeking the opportunity to be able to feel 'love' and the comfort that's supposed to come with it. but right now this feeling that he's getting is the most prominent and confusing feeling he's ever gotten.

this feeling has grown to be more than uncomfortable, it's tightening around his throat so much that he needs to wrap his hand around the base of his neck, feeling his pulse thumping through the thin layer of skin that's in-between the gap of his collar bones. his stomach feels like an empty cave that holds a singular spider making pointless webs that won't be able to catch anything, and his chest seems to always feel some sort of anguishing heat that could also be mistaken for coldness.

he's not in love. is he? if this is the feeling that people get when they start to like someone then he wishes to erase every form of a sappy, love bullshit. this doesn't feel romantic at all, its agonising.

your perfume fills his nostrils but you're no where near by, it's just him alone almost unable to sit through this aching tightness. it's gotten so bad that he feels like he needs to throw up in order to banish this painful feeling. but he's not going to purge, that'd be an obscure decision to make for himself. but him sitting up on his bed with trembling hands makes it seem that maybe its not a bad attempt.

you're his friend, nothing more. sure he feels like he can listen to you forever while finding your rambling cute. and sure he always feels the need to playfully hold your hand which then causes some laughter about the odd movements you both do. and when you both take unexpected pictures here and there of each other; hes always looking back at the photos he's taken of you longer than a minute whilst smiling at them, seeing your captured smile makes him smile. but there's nothing wrong with thinking or feeling that way about a friend, right? yeah, there's nothing wrong with that.

but the thought of you being with someone else puts his stomach through a repetitive feeling of falling, it's as if kazutora is in a constant state of being pushed off a high ledge. you being with someone else spikes his anxiety high and the need of being with you is always there to distract you from any other potential takers that could snatch you up, take, and keep you away from kazu.

---

it wasn't until after a week of this bullshitting that kazutora ended up talking about this odd feeling about you to Baji and chifuyu. chifuyu certainly had the most fun with this little discussion out of the three of them whereas Baji took it a tad bit more seriously knowing that kazutora's feelings shouldn't be taken as a joke.

kazu yapping his heart out about you, mentioning how he feels this and that with you, how it pains him when you're pained and he'd do anything to keep you safe and secure. but also how he feels empty on the inside when thinking about you, how he wishes that time could just stop when your both having a wholesome, heart melting moment because he's afraid that someone will rip kazutora's hand away from your grasp and replace him making neither of your eyes to ever meet again.

"seems like you love her" chifuyu spoke up, he held a little smile and rested his jaw on his palm almost as if he was fascinated when listening to kazu talk about his 'best friend'

"I don't though! I'm just attached to her- or something like that" immediately protesting against the comment whilst waving his hand around at 'whatevet' but opened his mouth again after a second "I think..."

"you think?" chifuyu pestered in hopes of getting kazutora to think more clearly. it's clear that he's yet to understand what he feels right now.

even though Baji became lost in the middle of kazutora's rant cause he kept on going back and forth from feeling happy about you to then feeling almost anguished; the question that was asked next certainly hit kazutora where it pained him the most.

"oi, if you can't tell if it's platonic or more, picture her at her wedding that isn't yours. are you happy for her or do you wish to be the one marrying her?" (idea isnt mine, i got this from a video)

chifuyu looked over at Baji but then immediately moved his eyes over at kazutora to see his reaction "ohhh good one!"

"that's stupid. marriage is a big thing y'know" kazu rolled his eyes over to the side but deep down he was thinking

you at a wedding? he couldn't help but grow angry at the thought of you being off the market for romance. he grew nauseous and sick at just the thought of you being latched onto another person that's not him but he wasn't gonna show that. he doesn't want you to be with someone else but that doesn't mean he wants to date you either, he just wants you all to himself... which thinking back at that now makes it sound really selfish of him. is he even actually capable of romance?

he began to fiddle with the folds of his trousers by his knee whilst sat down on the carpet floor in Baji's room. taking hold of a fold with his pointer finger and thumb and rubbing the fabric together creating some very subtle vibrations against his finger tips as it forcebly brushes against itself. kazutora stayed silent.

"soooo you gonna answer?" - chifuyu

kazu didn't even look up at him, he didn't look up at all since his eyes were just down at this fingers fiddling with his trousers. on the outside he may seem distracted but on the inside he was very much deep in thought, he kept going back and forth on how to verbalise this feeling to then wanting to just shut down, leave and not talk about you or to anyone at all.

but what if the time that he's here, you've already found someone new to talk to, you'll cast Kazutora away and hell never see you again... once that thought popped up he stopped fiddling and it was only then that he made a decision.

"i want her forever. i could love her if it'll mean she stays with me" though as he said this it didn't seem like he was all too happy about it, but he also didn't seem upset by it either. it was as if kazutora found a solution but that said solution seemed to be the only way even tho he hoped there to be more.

"you don't seem too happy about that" baji raising a singular brow

"cause I want to love her but I feel like I'll be unable to"- kazu

"but you just said that you'd love her..." chifuyu mentioned, then silence filled the room for a breif moment, kazutora opened his mouth to speak but before he could make a sound something clicked in Chifuyu's brain "wait don't tell me you're emotionally unavailable! that'd make so much sense but also make things more harder to understand"

"hah?" beyond confused as to what chifuyu is talking about here

"no ignore him tora" Chifuyu looked over at Baji a little offended at the disagreement "you just need a big push, it's clear you want her but i think your not allowing yourself to. your in denial"

"I'm not in 'denial' I know what I feel" kazu protesting even though that's far from the truth,

"and that is?" -baji

silence filled the room again. neither of them have any actual experience with the feeling of love in terms of romance but yet they managed to put kazutora in a corner. because although he's the one who's the closest in getting with or has talked to a girl that makes him flutter; he's the only one who can't understand the feeling of 'love'. it's as if his feelings are behind a blurred window whereas for everyone else it's clear, no matter how hard he squints his eyes to try and see what's behind the window, theres always a possibility that he may think wrongly about the feelings and mix this current feeling for something else. hence why he can't tell if this 'love' is platonic or romantic.

chifuyu broke the silence with a question "would you date her?" to which kazutora responded with a pained and stressed "I don't know" any more of this and he might just get agitated from the amount of strain he has with his emotions

"okay wait let's start off simple" chifuyu waving his hands in front of him to switch up the question. Baji looked over at him a little confused on what he's gonna do or ask but after a few questions in, he understood clearly what game chifuyu is playing.

asking him some basic questions such as, "would you hold her hand?" to which kazu said how you both already do. "would you kiss her?" and with almost no hesitation kazu replied with a yes. "would you text her every day and night?" maybe? it depends "would you tell her that you love her? lets start with platonicly" yes. "would you do something sexual with her" if she's comfortable.

before either chifuyu or Baji could ask another question in hopes of kazu being able to open his mind more, kazutora spoke up and cut their next question off.

these questions went back and forth and over time kazutora knew what Chifuyu was doing, and although some questions seemed to be a little hard to answer at first, he felt almost relieved to answer them because over time he managed to link everything up and be able to unblur the window from before. he finally understood... kinda.

"I'd date her..." but even with saying this out loud it still made his stomach turn, something still wasn't right which made him feel as if something was wrong with what he just claimed, or maybe theres something wrong with him. but he didn't verbalise this feeling.

both Baji and chifuyu smiled at kauz's little statement about wanting to date you, they even exclaimed a few words here and there as if they were proud of him for being able to realise that he generally wants you.

"but I think I'll wait for her to do the first move" kazutora's smile died down a little from before and after stating this their 'little' celebration also died down

"oh c'mon! you went through all this just to not come forward to her?" - chifuyu

"that makes sense" Baji nodding his head but then froze for a second when a thought came up "but what if she never does?" this definitely didn't cause kazu to become relieved, it caused the opposite.

'shit' he thought. there's always that being a possibility. if you never end up making a move on taking the friendship further into it being romantic then he'll never be able to express himself the way he wishes to, he won't be able to cuddle you close to the point where it seems as if your soles would conjoin, he won't be able to feel his face being plastered with your sweet kisses, and he certainly won't be able to call you his.

why is 'love' so frustrating?

"I think you should make your move" Baji suggested making chifuyu to nod his head in agreement. but it only caused kazu to let out a sigh, tired? frustrated? feeling nauseous again? it's all three at the same time.

he knows he can't keep up with this any longer, if for one day he feels fine with you but then the next he feels like he needs to be put in a mental asylum; it'll eventually cause him to break completely, and that's far from what he wants for himself. and then again, what if you love him but only platonicly? even if kazutora secretly is still unsure what he feels, he knows that if you were to make the first move hell agree to whatever words you spew out if it means that you both will get together and be able to do all those comforting, romantic activities.

he buried his face in his hands and mumbled a few curse words to himself which caused Chifuyu and Baji to share an almost apologetic look. "hey, don't beat yourself up! were thinking of the worst case here but what if she's feeling the same way as you" chifuyu spoke up trying to ease some sort of pain, Baji pitched in too "I reckon shes feeling the same way you are"

"forget it, I'll get over her at some point" kazu lifting his head up from his hands and repositioning himself comfortably on the floor. it's like his whole demeanor changed from being all beat up to just brushing it off with a 'whatever' but we all know this is just a facade and he'll eventually break again, hes not that strong in terms of being able to contain his emotions.

 ♡---

as of currently, he's given up on the topic and there's nothing that could make him re-continue the subject. but one day, he'll get his senses knocked back on alert and his eyes will glisten with hearts because his mind had decided that he's sick and tired of this longing feeling which will lead to him confess about his emotions and feelings towards you. it could be months, weeks, days, or of the strain that he has is too much right now it could even be a few hours, but who knows.

if there's one thing that's for sure though, it's that kazutora truly does love her but he's just unfamiliar with the feeling and due to that it's making him freak out. it's like putting a rain forest lizard in a desert and expecting it to immediately adapt, the sudden change in temperature and environment will cause the lizard to be put under too much stress and soon enough it'll flake away into the oblivion. maybe not the best example to use in terms of the end but the beginning is definitely on point.

[kradogsrats]

The last time Lissa cries is in Katolis.

As she rides away, she feels as if she'll weep forever—tears she can't stop flowing down her cheeks, ceaseless and steady—but when she crosses into Del Bar, her face and eyes are dry. Her parents welcome her back into their home. Her siblings and their children turning out to comfort her. Lissa smiles and thanks them, lets them embrace her.

None of them say, I told you so. Not outright, at least. She can tell some of them are thinking it.

Doesn't seem all that broken up about it, does she? Not a single tear.

Shush—let the poor girl be. Not all pains can be wept over right away.

But when her mother falls ill, she doesn't cry like her sisters do. When they bury her—when her father, always mountain-strong, is reduced to gravel in his children's arms—she has no tears to shed.

Nor does she weep for her brother's son—young and bright and brimming with promise—dead the instant his horse throws him, his neck snapped cleanly. He'd planned to marry his sweetheart, in a year or two. There's a funeral instead, the other boy's anguished tears a river of grief.

Lissa still does not cry. No matter the sorrow, her eyes sit in her head like stones, hard and heavy. Dry as bone, even as her throat closes and her chest burns like her heart is on fire.

There are no tears from her even for her second sister's husband, a sailor whose ship never returns from its last journey through the spring storms. Her sister holds her own shattered pieces together for the sake of their small children, and the family rallies to support her with food and chores and company. They cry with her, late into the night—all of them, except for Lissa.

Cold as the heart of Hinterpeak, that one.

You're surprised? She married a mage, she was cursed from the start.

Then she abandoned her children in the snake's den, when she'd had her fill of him and his poison.

I suppose it takes a monster to love a monster.

What could she tell them—that Viren had meant no ill? That she'd been the collateral damage of a miracle, a negligible cost for saving a child from death? That her children were better served by staying with a father who loved them so fiercely than by their broken mother dragging them away?

That when he'd stumbled in half-mad, his face scarred beyond recognition, ranting and raving his demands that she weep to save their son, she had refused? That she'd feared what he might take from her, as if anything she possessed could be worth more than Soren's life?

That when his hand twisted in her hair and the cold glass pressed against her cheek, she cried not for Soren, but for the man she'd loved and the monster he'd become?

That, most of all, she had cried for herself?

She stays quiet, and does not cry.

Her father finally passes, never recovered from her mother's loss, and her brother approaches on behalf of the family. We love you, Lissy, you know that—but we think it would be best if you didn't come to the funeral.

Lissa's heart burns, her throat clenched tight against any protest, and she nods. She leaves that night, vanishing into the mountains. No one comes looking for her.

She settles outside a remote village, in a tiny hut halfway up the mountain, more a hunter's seasonal shelter than a house. She busies herself with survival—tends a garden, hunts and forages. Down in the village, she trades the pelts of what she can trap, and sometimes plays the decrepit, barely-tuned piano in the tavern for coins.

That's where she hears of the great march on Xadia. King Viren of Katolis, leading the united Pentarchy to end the threat of dragons for good.

Lissa returns to the tavern every day after that, desperate for more news—it's barely a week later when she hears he's dead, his army broken by an alliance between the elves of Xadia and those loyal to King Harrow's son. There is no mention of her children in any of the garbled rumors.

It's almost a relief, that she doesn't cry for Viren.

But Soren would be old enough to have joined the Crownguard, just as he'd always wanted. With two kings dead in such quick succession—first King Harrow, and then, somehow, his own father—could she even dare hope he still lives? And Claudia, so fascinated by magic, even when it tore their family apart—had she succumbed to all its dangers? Would Viren have let her walk a different path, if she chose?

She imagines going back, demanding to know what happened to her son and daughter—if Viren remained in a place sufficiently prominent to somehow become king, someone has to know. She imagines seeing them again, being able to run to them and take them in her arms. She imagines crying, then—a decade of stolen tears released in a flood of joy and relief.

Then she imagines their revulsion at the mother who left them, should she be unable to shed a single tear of grief or regret.

Lissa stops going to the tavern. Her heart burns as if its falling to ash.

She doesn't cry.

[smilingangel582]

The chase

Hi guys, I am madly in love with this character. And guess what, this is Naruto and Sasuke'a VA! In Japanese. I seriously wrote this tk fic as they speak in Japanese. Omg! I love them even more. Ps. We need more lee!kinich... I summon it!

Summary: Paimon is convinced Kinich is scary, but Aether thinks otherwise. It was a quiet day in Natalan until Aether started a bet with Paimon to prove her wrong. New discoveries were made, and unsurprisingly, a certain dragon lord commits betrayal.

Warning: Spoilers for the nataln archon quest and Kinich's quest, tickling, cuteness overload, Aether and Kinich are very close, but mind you, it's a platonic relationship (can't ship them yet)

"So you Paimon is supposed to believe that Kinich is actually... uh... a sweetheart?" Paimon crossed her arms in confusion. Floating around as Aether walked through the city of mountains, the scion of the canopy.

Aether shrugs, giving her a confident smirk "Well... he may appear blank but he's very nice and he doesn't hide it... not like a certain wanderer ..."

Paimon guessed Hat guy from Sumeru might have sneezed by that mention.

"But he's so cold and Paimon can't really see the guy smile..." Paimon huffs now, as if its the biggest worries for her, "its frightening how blank Kinich is..."

"What's frightening about me Paimon?"

A soft voice made Paimon shrill in surprise making her gasp and wheeze. Aether mildly turns back with a less-reactive surprised expression at seeing the saurian hunter.

"Hi Kinich,"

Kinich greets them politely, "Traveler, Paimon how do u do?"

Paimon recovering from her shock, groans, "Jeez Paimon almost got a heart attack! Stop sneaking up on us like that... your quiet anyway unlike your pixel-poop-mouth!"

Ajaw snarls, "Who are you calling poop-mouth, tiny ant?"

"Oh and Paimon's bigger than you!"

They continue bickering making Aether sheepishly give Kinich an apologetic look, "Sorry about that..."

"I should be the one to apologise..." kinich replies solemnly, making Aether like this guy more for his awkward informal side.

"Ajaw, do you want another time out?"

Ajaw turns to kinich, his mouth dropping in anguish. "Grrr! Fine, fine! I won't torment the anaemic ant!"

"Hehe" Paimon smirks. "Know your place little dragon lord!"

Aether rolls his eyes, "Paimon... behave"

Paimon pouts, looking sideways, "awww alright im sorry Kinich... and maybe Ajaw"

"Maybe??"

Ignoring Ajaw's short snap, Kinich shakes his head, a hand to his chest. "Don't be Paimon. You're actually a kind companion to the traveller..." he adds deliberately after casting a look at Ajaw, "It makes me jealous"

"Huh? I'm more powerful ya know! Oi! Kinich!"

Aether hears Paimon floating towards Kinich, "Kinich, you don't smile much, do you?"

Kinich slightly astonished responds, "I beg your pardon? I do..."

"When?" Partly challenging and partly curious.

"Like... right now?"

They all stared. Even Kinich seemed uncertain about what he just said. Paimon huffs, mildly irritated, "OK so... laughing? Ever dont that before..."

Ajaw floats around Kinich, his pixel hands patting his shoulder, "Haa hahaa would love to see that embarassing sight."

Kinich shrugs him off, the bandana making him seem like he's angry but he's just frustrated with Ajaw.

"All the more reason why I should not"

Ajaw being slightly pushed away but regains balance in air comes swirling back to him with a cunning sneer, "Uh oh someone's a little defensive... afraid I'll exploit a weakness?"

Aether sense tension, usually he would've stepped in to stop Kinich's discomfort with Ajaw but knowing the topic he was curious where this was going.

Paimon is no better now - contrast to Ajaw's scheming malice - she steps in to prompt Ajaw's hint, "Oooh does this mean he does laugh?"

Kinich folds his arms, somewhat wary where this was going. Yet he failed to notice where Ajaw just disappeared.

"I do, but not all the time -"

"Yeah, just poke him like this, and he'll go gyaaahaahaa!" Ajaw swiftly pokes Kinich around the waist close to the small of his back, making him spasm in shock, gasping, "Oi!"

Silence. Paimon's eyes widened, and so did Aether's. They all exchanged glances. Now Ajaw proudly danced and shook his tail, as if he got the best victory after 500 years.

"Kinich?" Aether smirks, now barely hiding his excitement, "Are you ticklish?"

The saurian hunter now stared, knowing there's no other way to dodge the question. He swiftly seized Ajaw's tail, now activating his grappling hook. He swings off till he disappeared through the clouds.

His flight instincts kicked in. Paimon stared in bewilderment, but she was the only one until Aether began to take the one-sided challenge.

Somewhere by the top of the mountains in Scion of the canopy, Kinich cautiously looked by the trees, hoping he had escaped. He knew now or never... and his experience in running away has been helpful.

"Baa! You coward..." Ajaw scoffed, now teasing, "Were you that scared?"

"It was not fright... I just don't like the thought of showing the traveller such an absurd state" he sternly added "and you're officially in time out"

Ajaw grumbled now, waving his small pixel arms "Grr... whatever, but you know Kinich"

"What?"

"Running away doesn't always help ya... when there's a good seeker"

He frowns, looking somewhat confused by this indirect analogy. "What do you-?"

"Gotcha!" Aether swings by instantly now tackling (not on purpose) Kinich as they both tumbled to the ground.

"J-jeez traveller be careful" Kinich groan, now sounding concerned. "Don't use that hook, so lightly"

Aether chuckles straddling him. "Thanks your a nice guy... now ever heard of the saying "you can run but you can't hide" Kinich?"

Before he could struggle he already felt nimble fingers attacking his sides.

"O-ohokay w-wahait tihihihime ohohout!"

His giggles are soft and yet very childish. Aether stares in wonder... he had heard many sweet voices but hearing Kinich like this is like a dream in Nahida's world.

"Wow.. you're sensitive, Ajaw wasn't lying"

Ajaw smirks "Hehe that was one of the weaknesses that I'm proud of exploiting in him"

"You mean the only one?" Paimon scoffs.

"Ah! Took you long enough useless ant"

"You! You pixel weirdo!" Paimon stomps her foot on the air angrily and begins bickering with Ajaw.

Kinich and Aether... well they have other better matters to attend to.

"So tell me, is this spot worse than this?" His fingers creeping towards his hips making him buck in surprise, grabbing Aether's wrists which didn't help, "Ah! Aether!"

"You said my name! Nice!" He gets his hips and then back to his waist... slipping the jacket down a little bit to access the skin.

"Ahaharchons juhuhuhust stohohohop a mihihinute plehehehehease!" Kinich curls to the side, suddenly his laughter getting louder when Aether targets his ribs with swift unpredictable speed.

"Uh oh ribs? That's not good... especially since your swinging around..." Aether smirks, now tapping and prodding his ribs as Kinich jerks to his back to protect his sides. His long lashes damp with tears.

"And you won't be able to swing comfortable knowing how vulnerable here..." he pinches the highest set ribs with indication "Oh and perhaps under here?" Slipping his fingers right under his arms making Kinich let an (honest to archon) a squeak.

"You're a sweetheart"

"Ihihihi ahahahahappreciahahahate the cohohohompliment buhuhuhut y-yohohohour kihihilling mehehe!" He giggles now. Trying to cover his worst spots as much as he could.

Aether laughed, now pausing a little, instead keeping his wrists pinned on either side of Kinich's head to keep him in anticipation.

"OK ok! Sorry, I always had to break the serious guys in this world."

Kinich groans, slightly huffs of laughter now calming down at the small break.

"Ajaw said Kinich has a weak neck!"

Paimon's sudden outburst on that fact made Kinich shiver. Aether turns to her first then back at him, a very mischievous smile that made Kinich shake his head a little, somewhat pitiful.

"Tch! The mighty dragon lord knows what a whimp he is but he still refuses to die.. bahahawahaha" Ajaw cackles in a sinister tone "Oh laugh to death Kinich!"

Aether rolls his eyes, "we are not killing him, just playing around... like friends"

Kinich's eyes that used to be blank slightly glistened with brightness, "Friends?"

"Yup and friends... make friends happy!" Aether wiggles his fingers right over his collarbone and throat lightly. Kinich knees kicked up in reflex, but they didn't stop Aether's fiery determination to tickle him.

"Ahaha Aetheheheher hehehee cuhuhuhut ihihit out! Hahaha ok ok y-yohohohou won! You won! Ok! Just mehehehercy! Mercy!

After that implore, Aether stopped tearfully laughing as well, falling next to Kinich, eyes bright golden and with bliss, "ohoho man that was so funny... im glad I saw this side of you..."

Kinich's breath was somewhat heavier as he managed to grab his composure swiftly as an amazing athlete "I-I uh... thank you traveler... I guess it wasn't that bad"

Ajaw growls, "Awwww, come on! I bet if you got his armpits more seriously next, he might not say that! Come on, traveler, I'm begging ya! Tickle this guy to death -g-gaaaaaaah curseeeee youuuu!"

Once more he just got confined into a space suddenly gone. Kinich sighs as he puts Ajaw away easily, resting an arm over his hip as he gets up now tired but somewhat... relaxed?

"Hey Kinich..."

He jolts when Aether poked his armpit that was exposed, making him stare in surprise "That's round two the next time we meet? And don't listen to Ajaw... tickling isn't something bad... its what friends do to have fun"

Kinich silently debated this answer... smiling genuinely. Perhaps Mualani was right... friends are amazing.

"Well come by traveler... its much livelier here with you around" Kinich offers, now giving an awkward smile.

"Aww miss me already?" Aether grins, then nudged him, "or the tickles"

"Just... you" he grunts, but looking sideways, with a timid look that seemed to have never appeared until today.

Aether will cherish that moment forever and also his laugh.

[strawberryblue-blog]

Baby blue love —Mason Mount

warning: none

words: +2.5k

summary: being there for Mason at his most difficult time

#sexynote: English is not my first language, maybe there are mistakes.

An exhausted sigh escaped the young man's lips as you walked through the house carrying the laundry basket. From behind you saw his defeated back as his hands covered his face in disappointment.

"Is everything okay?" you asked putting the clothes in the washing machine. Mason sighed again.

"Mason" you called out to him when he didn't respond. From his spot, Mason turned his face slightly to look at you.

His eyes were glazed over and his smile drooped.

He had been like this for a few days, depressed and sad about his departure from the club. But even though you tried to cheer him up, Mason ended up ignoring you and regretting his decisions.

"Mason..." you repeated again as you sat down next to him, your hand stroking his back gently.

"Everyone hates me" he whispered in anguish.

In front of his eyes was his instagram profile, precisely the last video he had posted only a day ago.

"It's not true" you denied waving your hand to comfort him.

"Yes they do, just watch what they say" he noted. A gasp came out of his mouth, he was frustrated, sad and disappointed. "Not even the official confirmation came out and everyone already knows, they hate me."

Yes, it was hard what he was going through and you understood it perfectly.

At least a month ago the rumor that Mason would be leaving Chelsea had been much talked about by fans of the club or those close to it, especially because there was a supposed proposal from Manchester United.

After 18 years at the club of his beginnings, Mason Mount would no longer be a player in blue and it was driving him crazy.

"Stop that" you grumbled when he kept scrolling down the publication, taking his phone out of his hands to turn it off. Your boyfriend snorted stretching his body out on the couch.

Raw silence broached them. Mason wasn't saying a word from that point on and you were leaving him, as you didn't want to pressure him to talk let alone make him feel like he had to explain himself.

"You hate me, don't you?" he asked dejectedly. The question caught you off guard for a moment.

"No," you muttered. "Why would I, Mason?"

"Because I ruined everything."

"That's not true," you denied. You knew perfectly well what this conversation was coming to and you were ready to face it. "For wanting to move on?" you asked. "For wanting to have another chance?"

He lifted his shoulders expressionlessly. You weren't going to lie, the news that Mason would be leaving had affected you more than you thought it would. You had always been a Chelsea fan, thanks to your father, a huge Blues fan. And on one of your many visits to the stadium, you had met Mason at Stamford Bridge when you had volunteered to work one afternoon. The thought of not going to support him at the stadium anymore, not seeing him celebrate with his teammates and family, seeing him ready to play before every game. Nostalgia ran through your mind as you thought of him and wanted to support him every step of the way.

"It's okay, honey" you took him in your arms. Mason sobbed as he felt your warm embrace. "You haven't done anything wrong" you said.

"I've been an idiot these days, I don't understand how you're still here" he said. You could feel the pain in his body, in his voice, in his eyes, in his mood.

Mason had always been a laughing boy, who laughed at everything and cheered everyone up in the worst moments but now he was a kid who had to make an important decision that would be a big step for his career. For his future. And of course you would accompany him, you would be by his side no matter what his decision was.

"Do you think it's okay what I'm doing?" he questioned taking your hands. You had not had this conversation since it had all started, as Mason was a bit shocked and somewhat distant.

"It is. It's the right thing to do because you deserve it" you muttered. "You deserve a team that will take advantage of your talent, respect you and help you grow. You deserve to play in the big leagues and succeed" you said sincerely.

And it hurt. It hurt to see your great love leave his lifelong team, the team that saw him grow and succeed. It hurt to know that he would no longer wear the blue jersey and that you would not go to the game with his jersey to cheer him on. But more than anyone else in the world you wanted Mason to move on and succeed because you knew he was a great player. Young and talented.

His hands grabbed your waist, pulling you close to him to place a soft kiss on your lips. Mason wrapped his arms around your body, pulling you to his chest.

He knew how much you supported him no matter what. Even though he was going to the opposing team or moving out of town. Because you had always supported him since you had known each other, in his bad times and good times, when he needed you and when you were there for him.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, baby" he whispered nuzzling his nose with yours tenderly.

"I love you, Mason."

"Enough to wear a red t-shirt with my name on it?" he asked teasingly.

"No!" you squealed laughing. "You know i hate the color red."

Mason laughed nodding.

"But you don't hate it when I'm wearing it, do you?" he teased again with an amused expression. His lips touched yours delicately as a gasp escaped them as you felt Mason's hands take you from your waist until you sat on his lap.

"Nothing will ever change the love I feel for you, ever since the day I saw you in the rain at Stamford Bridge" he whispered through his smile. "From that day I knew I would love you forever, my baby blue love."

I'm late i know but I'm still not over Mason being gone 😭😭 I miss him so much 💔

[iveriee]

★; CATEGORY; A yandere x reader.

★;PAIRING; Yan!Tom Riddle x GN!Reader

★;SUMMARY; In which;He forces you to go to the Yule Ball with him through the Imperius Curse. (Part one)

★PS; This may contain mentions of abusive and obsessive behaviour and implied violence. I'm aware that the Yule ball takes place only during the Triwizard Tournament, However—This is an AU in which the Yule ball is an Annual occurence on the 22nd of December. I'd also like to say that there will be a sequel to this.

Tom Riddle, idolized by half the Hogwarts population, applauded by teachers for his distinguished talent, and fawned over by girls for his bewitching looks and charisma, had nobody to go to the Yule Ball with. The case not being that no girl fancied him, However being the fact that he had denied every girl that had asked him. He found no appeal in going with them. He frantically wanted to go with you. To his unfortunate anguish, You already had a date and that disheartened him. Through a frenzy of pessimistic envy and camouflaged rage, He had decided that you would be his, whether it meant committing murder or not. He did not care.

Henceforth, on a sulky day in Potions—He approached you, giving you his signature enigmatic yet charming smile. "Would it alright if i sat next to you, [Name]?" He questioned, angling his frame a bit closer than appreciated. "I find that you are the only one with even a primary bit of intellect in this class." He added, making you flush crimson. "Aside from myself, of course."

"Sure, i suppose.." You responded curtly.

His smile only broadened. This, unfortunately,was your boiling point as you could not meet his gaze anymore. Your time in the dungeon went by as meteoric as it came—Feeling ecstatic after class,you curtly walked out only to be stopped. By him. All the other students had already retreated from the dungeon,making it vacant with the exception of you and Tom. Feeling his breath hovering over your shoulder, A sense of dismay surged your senses—What was happening? The reason of your fear was unknown, even to you, Yet something in your mind suggested that you should sprint away. But, what was to worry with him? He couldn't have been any danger to you.

He smirked as if he had won the most prominent victory in the world as he turned you around to face him, caging your frame against the wall. "I assumed there was some common sense in that pretty little head of yours..However, it seems like i was gravely wrong as you proved that by not running, my love." He whispered in you ear, as his hand cupped your face. "Nevertheless, I am not complaining because, now... You're mine." His hands descended from your face to your throat, resulting into suffocation for you. Riddle raised his wand, his smirk transfigured to a grin. "Imperio."

To be continued.

Part 2

[pink-lizard-diaries]

*drops this fic during maintenance and runs off*

Look, I know what it looks like. I KNOW how I tagged it. You're just gonna have to trust me here

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Please, Estinien! I cannot bear to fight you!” The Warrior of Light cried out to him, the surrounding blizzard mirroring the storm in her heart.

The Azure Dragoon growled and clutched at his head. “It is too late. The dread wyrm has all but taken me. You must flee, before I am forced to…”

And suddenly he was upon her, her back pressed to the ground, his lance at her throat. He knelt over her prone form in the Coerthan snow, ready to strike the killing blow. 

“Estinien…” Her hand reached up to caress his cheek beneath his helm, catching a tear that rolled down his face. “I know this is not you. Come back to me.”

“Oh, Anzu…I…I…” The lance fell to the ground beside them, and a moment later he ripped off his helm and cast it aside as well. Finally, finally their mouths met, teeth and tongues clashing in a passionate kiss, their armored bodies pressed as close as could be. His hand slid down the exposed stomach of her drachen mail, drawing more of a shiver from her than the cold ever could, and then one by one, undid the buckles until he was able to reach his fingers into— 

Anzu snapped the book shut, feeling an intense heat gather in her cheeks that she was certain would show on her face. “Kami take me, why does this exist?” she whispered in anguish. Her eyes darted toward a pile of books atop a nearby shelf, and she immediately dug through them, trying to bury the copy of Coerthan Torment she’d been perusing as deep inside it as she possibly could. She could not be seen purchasing this book, but somehow, she had to make certain that no one else would ever be able to read it.

“Searching for anything in particular, miss?” 

Anzu jumped and suppressed a shriek as the elderly Elezen shopkeep appeared behind her. She spun around, letting the books fall where they may, and forced a smile. “I, uh. Only browsing!”

The old woman regarded her with a look of slight confusion until she noticed the pile of books behind Anzu steadily slipping onto the floor. “Dear me, I really should have tided this up ages ago,” she muttered, plodding over and scooping them up one by one.

Before Anzu could stop her, G’raha appeared at her side, both arms occupied with a motley assortment of books and grinning from ear to ear. “Quite an impressive collection they have here!” he gushed. “Have you found anything of interest?”

Anzu grimaced, unable to tear her eyes away from the book pile. “I suppose you could say that.”

G’raha looked at her quizzically. “I’ve found everything I’d like, but if you still need a moment…”

“No,” she mumbled. “I think I’ve had enough of books for one day.”

~*~*~

A little while later, the two of them sat on a bench in The Pillars, munching on some miniature meat pies purchased from a street vendor. The sun had made a rare appearance in Ishgard that afternoon and beamed down upon their faces, warming them just a little in the frosty air.

G’raha finished his lunch with a satisfied sigh and immediately began rummaging through the two bags worth of books he’d just bought. “These ought to keep me occupied for at least another week or two,” he said, taking out a book and leafing through its pages.

Anzu’s eyes widened. “Raha, you bought nearly thirty books!”

He grinned. “I’ve always been a quick reader.” He glanced over at her and tilted his head. “You truly found nothing to interest you in that shop? I thought I caught a glimpse of you reading something quite intensely…”

Anzu tried very hard not to choke on the mouthful she was halfway through swallowing. “I…” She pondered for a moment whether or not to tell him, but…but surely he of all people would sympathize with her. 

“I found…some romance novels,” she said, staring hard at the nearby shrubbery and feeling the blush creep back onto her face. “Written about me. A few paired me with Haurchefant, some with Aymeric, and…a very racy one with Estinien.” Her blush grew more fierce remembering the words on that page. “Honestly, how do these things come to be written in the first place…?”

She finally stole a glance at G’raha, who’d fixed her with an apologetic yet amused smile. “People do love to write about their heroes…in all sorts of ways,” he said. 

“I suppose I should expect it it, given who I am,” Anzu said, frowning slightly. “Although it would be nice if they were heroic instead of…titillating.” 

“So it goes,” G’raha chuckled. “You know, come to think of it…” He leaned his head to the sky, lost in thought. “A few books of that like were in the stash the Ironworks sent with me when I travelled to the First. Tomes of all sorts written about the Warrior of Light, some more outlandish than others. Yes…I think I read one or two, myself.”

Anzu’s meat pie slid from her hands and splatted pathetically on the ground. “You what?!”

Very suddenly realizing what he had just said, G’raha’s eyes went wide as saucers and he spun to face her. “N-not for the reasons you may think,” he sputtered. “It was just to pass the time—purely out of academic curiosity! Had I known…”

Even as the words spilled from his mouth, Anzu found herself burying her face in her hands. Perhaps it was childish of her; since they’d become a couple, she’d grown comfortable with the intimacy between them. But still…

She heard G’raha sigh, felt him gently take her hands in his and lower them so they could see each others’ faces. A look of shame fell over his features. “Pray forgive my careless words,” he said, sounding repentant. “I empathize with your discomfort. Truly, I do.”

His eyes dropped, and she noticed a tinge of red in his cheeks. “What do you mean by that?” she asked.

He cleared his throat just a little. “During my time on the First, I became aware of several novels written about the Crystal Exarch, of varying levels of…frivolity.”

She stared at him, a little blankly at first, as her mind processed this new information. G’raha continued, trying—and failing—to sound completely composed.

“Despite my protestations, the books entered general circulation, and I realized I was fighting a losing battle. I was forced to concede to the will of the people. And doubtless those books still remain on the shelves of the Cabinet of Curiosity to this very day.” The blush bloomed further across his face, and he took a breath. “Should it please you…you have my blessing to seek out any such books the next time you visit the First. ‘Tis only fair.”

She continued to stare at him for a few moments longer, her shame slowly melting away, replaced by a very small sense of impish glee. She pursed her lips in an attempt to hide her smile. “So then,” she started, “do you think there could be any such frivolous books pairing the Crystal Exarch and the Warrior of Darkness? Romantically?” she asked, trying to keep her voice casual.

G'raha was dumbstruck for half a moment as he seemed to realize what she was doing. His eyes darted away and a forced, thin smile appeared on his lips. “By now, I've no doubt there are several.”

“Shall I bring one back with me next time, then?” Anzu asked, a giggle slipping through. “Perhaps we could read it together.”

G'raha finally let out a short laugh himself, his smile warming. “If such is your wish. It may even prove to be quite…entertaining.” His hands squeezed hers, his thumb brushing up and down her wrist, his crimson eyes twinkling.

And quite suddenly, Anzu's blush returned in full.

[foundmywei]

Soukoku Fanfic Recs

Here are my favorite skk fics, I will be updating this as I read. Feel free to rec more in the replies. Enjoy!

(last updated: 05/12/2024)

Masterpost

Do I Get My Worthless Reward Yet? by World_Ender22

canon-divergence

(40,986 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 10/10)

Chuuya has always been certain of two things: he is going to die young, and it will be Corruption that kills him. So when the Boss orders him to use his Corrupted form without an out, he is neither surprised nor distressed. He simply does what he's told. When Dazai learns that the whole thing is a ploy to make him rejoin the Mafia, he plans to beat Mori at his own game... starting with convincing Chuuya to join the Armed Detective Agency. / Soukoku

hide the truth by writingfromtheshadows

canon-divergence

(24,611 words | Not Rated | Chapters: 1/1)

When Chuuya wakes up in the middle of an ongoing fight without any memory of how he got there or what happened to him, he ends up turning to someone saved as 'bandage-waster' in his phone. Somehow, it just feels like the right decision.

Willful Neglect by timeisdancing

canon-divergence

(27,915 words | Mature | Chapters: 10/10)

"Dazai..." Chuuya's voice comes out too tight and small, unlikely to ever reach Dazai. His hand lifts shakily, in some dazed attempt to stop him. There is panic wild and fast in his chest, the beginnings of hyperventilation, his breaths shallow and quick.

Something's wrong, something's wrong—

This hurts too much, it's not supposed to be like this—

His vision is blurring, and his head is taut and aching with the stress and anxiety and so much anguish that he can barely comprehend it.

The last of Dazai's hazy form disappears, far in the distance. _______

Forced into a difficult situation, Dazai has to leave Chuuya behind post-Corruption without his usual thorough check-up. Only, he has no idea just what state Chuuya was in as he was walking away from him that night.

Grief is a good teacher on how to value those you love. When he gets Chuuya back, Dazai uses his lessons well.

I'll Always Come for Chuuya by timeisdancing

PM skk era

(11,550 words | Not Rated | Chapters: 4/4)

A memory comes to him; in the dark as they lay in bed, a small whisper between their faces, a secret moment, Promise Chuuya won't ever use Corruption when I'm not there?

What if you're not there and I have no choice? Chuuya asked.

Chuuya has to wait for me. I don't care what's happening. Chuuya has to wait.

Chuuya stares down at his screen, hidden again behind some debri. There is still no response. His hand tightens around it, tremulous. He had to have seen it by now. Dazai's phone is always in his pocket.

Shit. Does he really not give a damn anymore?

He remembers a small smile, eyes gentle and deep and dark. I'll always come for Chuuya.

Liar.

______

Dazai has been distant with Chuuya these days, seeming to have grown bored of him and has been spending more and more time with Oda Sakunosuke. This sudden rift has consequences, and Chuuya will be the one to bear it.

picking a flower that blooms on the heart for you by burgundytshirt

hanahaki AU

(44,643 words | Mature | Chapters: 9/9)

The question is obvious at this point.

To die, or to ask Dazai for help?

Chuuya is so choked by this question that his breakfast is lodged in his throat, unable to be swallowed.

(Or, Chuuya would much rather die than let Dazai find out he has hanahaki disease.)

it's easy, if it's you by lunarumbra

fake dating AU

(16,500 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

“And then you promised that you’d do anything I asked no matter what it is? We made a contract and everything!” Chuuya produces a laminated scrap of paper decorated with clumsy script and a couple of misspelled words and - yeah, there's no mistaking it. It’s definitely 10 year-old Dazai’s handwriting.

Or: Chuuya needs a date for a wedding in France.

teenage nightmares commit atrocities by forever_wandering

PM skk era

(107,063 words | Mature | Chapters: 22/22)

“Tsushima Shuuji,” Chuuya reads out loud. “A bright, optimistic young man with a pep in his step and a zest for life. Hang on–is this referring to you?” “Unfortunately,” Dazai laments, sighing dramatically. “You just got away with ‘science nerd’ and ‘soccer player,’ but I’m supposed to be an artist! I hate art! It’s useless!” “Shut the fuck up. That’s not the problem here. You? A ‘zest for life?’ Looking forward to each new morning? Hah! Rimbaud would sooner come back to life.” Dazai turns to Chuuya with the barest facsimile of a smile painted over his lips. “I,” he says sweetly, “am going to gut you open like a fish.”

Dazai and Chuuya are seasoned mafiosos at the ripe old age of almost-seventeen. They’ve fought gang wars, interrogated prisoners, and done all manner of unspeakable things. Now, they face their greatest challenge yet: going (undercover) to a real high school. With regular teens (who may or may not be desperately trying to get them to kiss). One thing’s for sure: this school is unprepared for the absolute calamity that is Double Black.

This is how it feels to take a fall by forest_raccoon

canon divergence, temporary MCD

(20,602 words | Mature | Chapters: 9/9)

Gazing down into those blank, empty blue eyes, Dazai felt something shatter inside him. And in the wake of the destruction, the emptiness, he was flooded by sudden, ice-cold clarity. It wasn't okay. But it would be. He would make it okay.

[Or, something unthinkable happens, and Dazai goes more than a little feral in his attempt to reverse it.]

Narrow Staircases by rutu14

time travel

(31,045 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

The last thing Chuuya expects while overseeing a routine shipment is for his sixteen year old self to appear out of thin air.

all my own by halfbloom (diphylleias)

PM skk era

(17,473 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

“A day off?” Chuuya echoes, blinking slowly. ���Yes,” Mori repeats with a chuckle, but it sounds like an order this time. “A day off. Do with it as you please.” And right as Chuuya is opening his mouth to ask why, Mori perks up and says, “Ah, I instructed Dazai-kun to take the day off as well.” He smiles serenely. “So you two may spend it together, if you’d like.” Chuuya’s eye twitches.

In between carnival games and ice cream stands, Chuuya learns a thing or two at seventeen about normalcy, cotton candy, and hand-holding.

Around We Go (And Back Again) by zombiemarker

canon-divergence

(24,247 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 7/7)

Corruption takes a toll, the mafia doesn't care for weakness, and the ADA has a bad habit of picking up traumatized gay orphans.

In which the author beats the shit out of the characters in order to make them happier and healthier later. Also ADA Chuuya.

bite your tongue by soupthatistoohot

canon-divergence

(20,709 words | Teen and Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

The Armed Detective Agency receives a mission to investigate and take down an assassin group that has been targeting high-profile individuals through a very specific method: first, the target is sent into an unwakeable sleep for a week, and second, when they wake up, they are unable to speak. Third and last, they die of a heart attack two weeks later. Ranpo suggests negotiating with the Port Mafia for the aid of executive Chuuya Nakahara, wanting to have Double Black at their disposal. But when Chuuya arrives… he cannot speak. Chuuya Nakahara has been targeted, and supposedly, he has two weeks left until he is killed.

all the holes we had to breathe by airiena

canon universe

(18,220 words | Teen and Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

“...Are you in a hurry or something?” Chuuya inquires, hand instinctively reaching out to wipe at the corner of Dazai’s mouth, successfully getting rid of the crumbs, before he realizes what he’s doing and freezes. “Yeah.” Dazai all but breathes. He is golden, when Chuuya takes in his appearance. He is a golden thing, dimmed, beaten, snuffed out, full of scratches but is still so human and so real despite what he always seems to believe that it makes the redhead want nothing but to take him into his arms and hide him from the heavy, heavy world and soothe all his aches and kiss all his scars— “I’m in a hurry, because I’ve already lost too much time.”

death offers no absolution by Zairielon

canon-divergence

(62,063 words | Mature | Chapters: 10/10)

After so many years in the Port Mafia, Chuuya thought he couldn't be phased by anything - that he had carried out the worst orders that would ever be given to him. Then he sees things he never saw before. He sees horror, cruelty, needless suffering. He sees death in every step he takes. Chuuya is only human, too. Eventually, he breaks. OR, Chuuya leaves the Port Mafia and attempts to escape his bloodstained past.

like a piece of glass by kagshina

PM & present era

(10,554 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 2/2)

The first time it happened, naturally, was after a fight. Chuuya couldn’t even remember what it was exactly that started the fight, only that Dazai said something to piss him off and it had escalated from there.  Somehow, they ended up here—with Dazai saying, “I can kiss better than you.”

Over every extinguished past by tucuxi

canon-divergence

(16,590 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

It’s been a little more than a month since everything almost went to shit, since the Armed Detective Agency and Port Mafia faced off against Dostoyevsky, since Yokohama almost lost its fragile, balanced peace.

And it’s also been just about a month since Ranpo emerged from Poe’s book, all pride and glowing accomplishment for solving 500 murders in a week, and just a passing comment about the other guy losing patience and starting punching people.

--

Chuuya emerges from Poe's book, exhausted, to discover that Dazai has been severely injured. Standing guard in the Agency's infirmary, Yosano, Kunikida, and Chuuya find unexpected common cause in their desire to keep Dazai in one piece despite his best efforts to hide his vulnerabilities from everyone around him.

Snow White and the Huntsman by paranoid_fridge

dead apple aftermath

(1,453 words | General Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

They're alive against all odds, but the fight continues without them. Huddled against a crumbling wall, Chuuya and Dazai find themselves discussing fairytales and their own roles, and (they will later blame adrenaline/near-death experiences/ general after-battle delirium) accidentally confess. Or something like that. The words 'true love' are used, however.

One more time with feelings by Root (Fyki)

PM & present era

(12,584 words | Explicit | Chapters: 6/6)

He didn't say anything, just waiting for Chuuya to keep going. The lack of an angry response at being ignored picked at Dazai's interest, but it was Chuuya's next words that finally made him lift his eyes and properly look at him. "Have you- have you ever kissed someone?" That, Dazai hadn't expected. (Five times Dazai kissed Chuuya and pretended it meant nothing, and one time he kissed him and couldn't deny it meant everything.)

A mission gone wrong - BSD / BNHA Crossover by Unicornfairycat

BSD / BNHA crossover, time travel

(57,458 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 20/20)

The Armed Detective Agency and Port Mafia are asked to investigate "amplified abilities" around Yokohama. After initial complaints, Dazai and Chuuya agree to work together. Their group manages to find the culprit and devises a plan to apprehend them. It's supposed to be foolproof but something goes horribly wrong. Dazai and Chuuya are sucked into an amplified portal which teleports them into the future. Two hundred years.

They land in the middle of a highschool and learn that abilities have become much more common and are now called quirks. As they figure out a way back to their time, they have to act as teachers for the hero course students in class 1-A, in return for U.A. to help them out with housing, I.D. and information gathering.

Silent sorrows / Loud feelings by liuniverse

canon-divergence

(8,406 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

But there was no God of destruction trying to take over him. Chuuya, quietly standing in the agency’s infirmary with his partner’s cold hand in his, came to the crushing realization that he had lost the one person he had always wished to keep close.

Or, a mission requires Dazai to fake his death. He doesn’t think informing Chuuya about it is necessary.

STORM by liuniverse

future fic, aged up characters

(37,258 words | Mature | Chapters: 7/7)

Osamu had thought of countless things he wanted to tell Chuuya once he saw him again, but what ended up leaving his mouth was, "Did you get shorter?"

Chuuya stared at him in silence for a few moments before he let out a sigh, rubbing his temple. "So you're still acting like a child."

Or, after six more years of separation, Osamu and Chuuya find their way back to each other again. Some things have changed, and some have not. One thing is certain, though; Soukoku are going to make their love drama everybody’s problem.

Stay by the_most_happy

canon-divergence

(23,699 words | Mature | Chapters: 1/1)

“Oi, Dazai, what are they saying, anyway? Too many people. It gets confusing.”

The detective smirks.

“They are just discussing the budget for the next mission. Kunikida insists he wants an ice cream, a drone, and a goat.”

From the Port Mafia dungeon to the depths of Meursault, Dazai and Chuuya keep finding each other.

They fall in love all over again — or, maybe, they never stopped.

That’s all.

clear skies by burgundytshirt

canon compliant

(2,860 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

When Chuuya, wounded in combat, bumps into his ex-partner in the streets, he pretends that he’s fine as they banter like usual. Except halfway through tugging at Dazai’s collar, Chuuya suddenly passes out into Dazai’s arms.

I'll Make A Home In Your Gut Because its Somewhere Warm to Sleep by arahabakii

canon universe

(8,959 words | Mature | Chapters: 1/1)

After what felt like a lifetime, Dazai softly said “thank you.” The softness of his voice sent shivers down his spine. “For what?” Chuuya whispers, too afraid that if he spoke too loudly in this moment, it would disappear before his eyes. “For today,” Dazai confesses, brown eyes staring into blue ones, in the hopes that he might drown in them forever. “For just seeing me.” “Do you always thank people by kissing them?” “No,” Dazai whispered with a trembling breath. “Just you.” OR In a moment of weakness and vulnerability, the underworlds deadliest duo after 7 years, find a new sense of solace and comfort in one another.

Replaceable by timeisdancing

canon-divergence

(17,012 words | Not Rated | Chapters: 6/6)

Chuuya is scrabbling frantically at Mori's hands around his throat, his eyes wide. His body glows a faint red, fizzles out like a cough. "You can't even use your powers when you're like this, can you, Chuuya-kun?" "Mori, he is hurt." Dazai's voice rasps with controlled anger. Mori ignores him. "I can't tell where Dazai's plan begins and your stupidity ends, but regardless, such information should have never come out of that mouth of yours. What did you think? That such treachery will be forgiven and you will be made an exception? By the rules of the mafia, you are a traitor." ____ When one of Dazai's plans go too far, it inadvertently leads to Chuuya's death sentence. While in the dungeon cellars together facing the consequences, Dazai takes care of Chuuya and tries to save him.

Run Away With Me by timeisdancing

dark era

(5,306 words | Not Rated | Chapters: 1/1)

He must have knocked. Some time after, the door hauls open. "That's just great," the short redhead in the doorway sighs with disgust, all silken lavender yukata and flat eyes, "Just what I needed after a long flight back home. Shitty Dazai, the last thing I want right now is to see your ugly-ass face, so fuck off out of here." Dazai is staring at Chuuya blankly, and can't remember what made him think he could come here. "Right." His whisper is thin, raspy. Right. Of course. Like a ghost that doesn't know it's dead, he turns around, and he begins to leave just the way he came. "Dazai?" _______ After Odasaku's death, Dazai ends up at Chuuya's door, rain-soaked, dissociated and grieving.

I Was Never Meant to Last by timeisdancing

16 skk

(17,391 words | Mature | Chapters: 1/1)

Dazai ends up in a coma after his most serious suicide attempt yet. He has left three letters, one of them being for Chuuya. Sitting at the bedside of his comatose body, Chuuya tries to understand. ______ Dazai is falling. In the orange glow of sunrise, the waves of his hair are fanning around him, and his dark eye is wide with fear and shock, his hand outstretched towards Chuuya. Chuuya is not even thinking anymore. All he can see is that hand reaching for him as he launches off against the balustrade and falls after him. He uses his ability to make himself heavier, his own drop faster, his hand reaching for Dazai right back. It's only when he catches Dazai in his arms, holding his head tight against his own shoulder and trying to fly back up that he remembers; this won't work. He must have been really out of his mind to have forgotten it at all.

Lessons in Kissing by timeisdancing

18 skk

(8,101 words | Not Rated | Chapters: 1/1)

At eighteen, Chuuya doesn't know how to kiss. Dazai teaches him how. _ "I think you broke my nose," Dazai says faintly, finally letting Chuuya remove his hands. He frowns as Chuuya angles his head a bit to look at it. Dazai presses the back of a quick finger to the underside of his nose, blinking. "I'm bleeding, aren't I? I think I'm bleeding?" Chuuya rolls his eyes, letting him go. "Your nose is fine. It's not bleeding either, so stop bein' so dramatic about it." "Chuuya should kiss it better." "Hah!" Chuuya exclaims, "Shut the hell up, you! This doesn't give ya a free pass to say such bullshit just 'cuz I'm doing this with you!" Dazai is staring ahead, his eyes hazy. "Ugh, yeah. I'm pretty grossed out too now at what I just said. Where were we? Oh, right." He looks back at Chuuya, focused again. "So… this time… go slow, okay? I know you're excited to kiss my pretty face and all but - " "DAZAI!" Chuuya's voice is high and wild, bordering on a screech. He's starting to regret this already. "But you have to make sure you can actually see where my pretty face is instead of just banging into me."

Doll Parts by the_most_happy

post meursault

(8,367 words | Mature | Chapters: 1/1)

“Chuuya, what—?”

Chuuya grasps at Dazai’s bolo tie, fingers shaking and cheeks turning paler by the minute.

“I had nowhere else to go.”

Or: Shot during a mission, Chuuya crawls to the only person he trusts — his traitor ex-partner.

If you refuse to listen I’ll say it twice, love of my life by olympiansally

canon universe

(15,207 words | Mature | Chapters: 1/1)

There’s Atsushi, Dazai’s star pupil. There’s Fyodor, arguably Dazai’s soulmate, a single mind in two bodies. There’s Kunikida, Dazai’s partner. There’s Oda, the reason Dazai wants to live. And then there’s Chuuya. If he asked Dazai to define him, to name his purpose, Chuuya already knows what he would hear. Chuuya is his dog, Chuuya is a slug, Chuuya is a chibi. And sure, maybe he is. But none of that is enough. Or, Chuuya can’t figure out what he means to Dazai exactly, but if he would only listen, he would realize that Dazai has been telling him all along.

the void is loud and wants tuna by mistflowerxuan

canon universe, arahabakitty

(5,028 words | General Audiences | Chapters: 1/1)

Port Mafia Executive Nakahara Chuuya is a formidable man, the strongest ability user and is terrifying on the battlefield. He has been through indescribable horrors and has come out of those battles stronger for it. And so, there is not much in this world that can truly startle him. An eldritch abomination curled up on his chest, vaguely shaped like a cat and purring might do the trick.

The last string to sever by liuniverse

canon universe, time-travel, temporary mcd

(18,430 words | Mature | Chapters: 1/1)

“Chuuya!” he shouted, hopping, begging for a reply, even if it was a mindless howl. But no reply ever came. Chuuya’s movements suddenly halted, his body remaining unmoving in the air for a second before it started moving again, limbs turning and twisting in a way a human body shouldn’t allow. The only sound filling the unbearable silence of the night was that of Chuuya’s bones breaking.

Dazai had never thought about what life would be like without Chuuya; a mission gone wrong forces him to find out. Thankfully, he gets a second chance to fix things.

Two single dads by liuniverse

Not even a minute had passed when the two of them joined the kids in the kitchen, yet they found Chuuya hanging by the ceiling light, one hand casually holding himself up while the other tightly held on to the box of donuts, and Ranpo trying to balance himself on a chair to reach it. “This is also new,” Murase informed Fukuzawa, gaping at the sight. Or, Murase adopts Chuuya when he’s seven and tries to navigate this new journey with the help of his good friend Fukuzawa, fourteen year old Ranpo isn’t against having beef with a child, teenage Chuuya still manages to get a pathetic crush on Dazai and… twenty year old Dazai is really trying to date his coworker, okay? (The life of Murase Chuuya at 7, 15 and 20)

canon-divergence, different first meeting

(27,118 words | Teen And Up Audiences | Chapters: 3/3)

[mysticstarlightduck]

Incorrect Quote Tag Game!

Thank you so much for the ask, @thelovelymachinery (here)! I'll go with some of the cast from Supernova Initiative, Scrapyard Boys and What Lurks In The Hollow for this one let's goooo!

Rules: Use this quote generation to generate quotes for your characters, you can edit the generator to make it fit what kind of quotes you'd prefer and remember to rate the quote.

SCRAPYARD BOYS

Riley: What’s your favorite color? Adahm: Stop asking stupid questions. Ask me something logical and mature. Riley: How many moles of sodium bicarbonate are needed to neutralize 0.8ml of sulfuric acid at STP? Adahm: My favorite color is green. Taylen, eating chips and watching the exchange: (absolute wheezing)

Gwyn: Adrien! This soup is flaccid! Adrien, on the verge of angry tears: LITERALLY WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS MEAN?!

Jordan: Pardon the intrusion, but- Valen: On this moment or just my life in general?

Quince: What, I can’t be in a bad mood? It’s like people think, “Oh, Quince is such a nice person, Quince is so happy-go-lucky! Quince can’t be in a bad mood!” Well, you know what? I CAN be in a bad mood. And right now, I AM in a bad mood.

Saoirse: Adahm doesn’t look very happy. Taylen, shrugs, smiling: That's his happy. He just has a resting bitch face.

Valen: You saved me! Why? Adahm: People would think I murdered you if I didn't. Valen: That's not reassuring. Adahm: It's not supposed to be - I still might kill you. Emily: Let's change the subject!

Kidnapper: I have one of your friends. Damon: Which one? I have seven. Kidnapper: The loud, annoying, rowdy one who never shuts up. Damon: Which one? I have seven. Rhys, distantly: HEY!!!

Adahm: Small creatures are much more vicious because they have a smaller body to bottle up all their emotions. Kiren: Ridiculous. Give me some examples. Max: Wasps? Jordan: Terriers? Adahm: Nah. Taylen.

Valen: Hold the fuck up. Kiren: Excuse me? Valen: I said hold the fuck up. Kiren: [...] ? Valen: I’m the fuck up, hold me back.

Saoirse: It’s the gift that keeps giving! Kay: It’s the flower that keeps blooming! Valen: It’s the boat that keeps sailing! Adahm, feral: It’s the serial killer that keeps stabbing!

SUPERNOVA INITIATIVE

Artemis: It's called cauliflower, not ghost broccoli. Orion, eyes wide: I know what I saw.

Orion: I think I just figured something out. I got to go. Dyma: Aren't you forgetting something? Orion: Uuh...*hesitantly kisses Dyma's forehead before running out.* Dyma: No, pay your bills! Damn, who raised you?

Deimos: We'll talk about this later. Cassie: Fine, I won’t be listening.

Meridian: When life gives you lemonades, make lemons! Life will be all like "whaAttT?" Vesper: Life lessons that schools can't teach you.

Artemis: Heyyy Kye, how’s your… drink?? Kye: What do you mean drink? It’s coffee. Artemis: You sure?? *Mischievously looks to coffee maker* Kye: *Concernedly looks to coffee maker* *Cement sitting beside the coffee maker* Kye:...I’m on my third fucking drink right now, I should be dead. Jack (bursts into the room): How the fuck didn't you TASTE that something was off??! Holy fuck are you okay?! Artemis: *Wheezes like a broken tea kettle*

Ethean: Yo dumbass, get over here. Pax: Okay- Meridian: *gleefully runs past* I’m coming! Pax, sadly: I thought... I was dumbass... Ethean: You're knucklehead

Kidnapper: I have your sibling Orion: What? I don't have a sibling... Kidnapper: ... Then who just called me a lowlife bitch and spit in my face? Orion: Oh my stars, you have Gabi, I'm so sorry. Welp, good luck! Kidnapper: Wait, what -?! (phone call cuts to the kidnapper's anguished screams as Gabi guts them)

Noctus: Look, I hate to say ‘I told you so’— Aleks: No, you don’t. You would marry 'I told you so’ and have a baby with it and buy adjoining burial plots.

Vesper, singing to the tune of I Kissed a Girl: I killed a guy, and I liked it- Cassie, whispering: Should we call the exorcist? Kye, also singing: The taste of his cherry chapstick. Jack, appalled: Yeah, call the exorcist.

Aleks: Do even you know the ABCs of first aid? Orion: A. Bone. Coming out of the skin is very bad.

Pax: Holy shit, Ethean, do you know what this means?! Ethean: Kid, whenever you start doing this, nobody knows what you mean.

Orion: *pitches a plan idea* Dyma, impressed: Huh, there might be something here! Jack, under his breath: Yeah, a lawsuit.

WHAT LURKS IN THE HOLLOW

*In the chip aisle at Walmart, doing a late-night grocery run.* Zach: *Minding their own business, looking for tortilla chips.* Zach: *Finds tortilla chips.* Dylan, to Amy, on the verge of frustrated tears: See, he knows what we're here for. He knows what he's doing. Be more like him. Make a goddamn decision, Amy!

Amy: Christmas lights? Zach: Check. Amy: Thermos of hot cocoa? Indie: Check. Amy: Santa suits? Conner: Check. Amy: Shovel? Christine: Check. Amy: Alibi and bail money? Dylan: Check- wait, WHAT?!

Mayor Whitaker (bloodied knife in hand): Get in the Halloween spirit and make a ghost! Zach (tied up but unimpressed): That’s called murder and I heard somewhere that it was illegal.

Amy: You know, I really wish you’d just admit you made a mistake sometimes. Dylan, angrily stirring his coffee: I prefer it with salt.

Christine: Do you ever want to talk about your emotions, Dylan? Dylan: No. Maeve: I do! Christine: I know, Maeve. Maeve: I’m sad. Christine, sighing: I know, Maeve.

Dylan: COMPANY IS COMING! I WANT THIS PLACE LOOKING LIKE DISNEY ON ICE IN ONE MINUTE! Dylan: AMY IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE YOUR BED THROW IT AWAY IT'S TOO LATE TO MAKE IT NOW! Dylan: ZACH GET RID OF THE COUCHES, WE CAN'T LET PEOPLE KNOW WE S I T ! Zach & Amy, watching in ✨ sheer confusion ✨: .... Dylan, running around: THE CHAIRS NEED TO BE PUSHED IN, THERE CANNOT BE ANY SIGN OF L I V I N G IN THIS HOUSE ---

Zach: Are you drunk? Savvy, words sluggish: Only on the spirit of Christmas! Amy: And the spirit of whisky apparently.

Amy: We need a plan to beat them. Christine: Okay, listen up. First, we fill their shoes with wet cat food. The entire group, appalled: Christine: Judge me all you want, I get results.

Liam: I have a problem. Kev's ghost: Kill it. Liam: Dude, I know you're dead but can you chill for like, two seconds? Kev: No.

Amy: A mosquito tried to bite me and I slapped it and killed it. Amy: And I started thinking. Amy; Like, it was just trying to get food. Amy; What if I went to the fridge and it just slammed the door shut and snapped my neck? Dylan: ... Are you ok?

Conner: What do you have? Ethan: A KNIFE! Conner: NO!

Indie: Have I ever told you that I love you with my whole heart? Erin: For the love of all that is holy, I am not taking you to McDonalds. It’s 2am! Indie: Mean.

Amy: Oh gosh I wish I got more sleep I only got six hours! Christine: Six? I only got three! Zach: You guys got sleep? Dylan, comes stumbling out of his room and grabs a jug of coffee before saying: ... What year is it??

Christine, in the middle of the cursed woods: Operation no more distractions is a go! *not even 10 seconds later* Christine: Oh, look! A butterfly! *it was not, in fact, a butterfly*

Liam: So... This is my full potential? Kev's Ghost: Yes, if you don't change. Liam: So, then it's... Kev's Ghost: All downhill from here, kid. Liam: Like Toby. Kev's Ghost: I do not know what this Toby is. But it sounds disappointing.

Dylan, still in his pajamas: How did you even get in here?! Charlie: Amy's window! Or, as I like to call it, "Charlie's door"! Amy: I’m closing the window.

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart, @ray-writes-n-shit

@writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @finickyfelix

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid,

@thelovelymachinery, @an-indecisive-nerd, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams

@wyked-ao3 and OPEN TAG

[hongcherry]

Hii! I hope you're doing well! Can you please write something based on this? I was thinking about the reader feeling jealous and wanting Jungkook's attention and he finds it cute, but the reader feels even more sad thinking JK is "laughing at their feelings" and not taking them seriously (happy ending, please 😀). I literally love your works and you were the first blog who came to my mind when I had this idea. 💖 English is not my first language and this is my first time requesting, so I'm sorry if there is any mistakes. Tysm in advance, take caree! 💕

my type || jjk

"For some, having a whiny, needy partner may be annoying. For Jungkook, you're just his type."

💗 Pairing: nonIdol!Jungkook x Reader (f)

💗 Rating/Genre/AUs: NC-17; Fluff; established relationship, non idol au

💗 Warnings: Pet names (princess, babe/baby, angel), a lil suggestive at the end if you use your imagination

💗 Word Count: 793

💗 Author's Note: Apologies for how late this is! Tysm for sending in your ask!!! So glad to have you here. I'm very honored that you thought of me first (no one has told me that before omfg 😭) and love my works D: And don't worry about mistakes, there's no judgment on my blog 💜 English is hard 😭 (and you wrote so well!). I hope you enjoy!

bts masterlist | main masterlist

Jungkook’s not supposed to be this invested in the movie.

You had put on a random film as an excuse to cuddle him since he’s been nose-deep in his music. You get it. He has a show he has to prepare for, but he’s been so focused on his performance that he’s been neglecting you.

Jungkook sits with his eyes glued to the TV, enraptured as the main character fights their enemy. His hand was rubbing your side earlier but stopped as his interest grew. You wait patiently for him to continue his light touches, but he never does.

You shift slightly in your spot in hopes to encourage him to pay attention to you. He remains still. You trace his tattoos. He doesn’t spare you a glance.

A small whine leaves your mouth.

“Kookie,” you say, peering at him to see if he looks at you. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to hear you over the screaming from the screen.

After your third attempt, you take matters into your own hands.

You climb into his lap and grab his handsome face.

“Please stop ignoring me, Koo,” you pout.

Jungkook’s gaze slowly moves from the TV behind you to your eyes. His eyes begin to crinkle at your expression.

“Have you been trying to get my attention, Princess?” he asks, hands coming up to massage your hips.

You huff, but it’s not from anger. More from anguish and eagerness. “Yes! For the past like… five minutes!”

Jungkook laughs. “Oh? Sorry, babe. The movie’s almost over, okay? Then I’ll give you what you want.”

Before you can reply, he pulls you closer so you’re forced to hug him. He’s quiet as he goes back to his movie, hands languidly rubbing you. However, like before, they eventually still.

You don’t want to be that needy partner who needs affection 24/7, but you’re starting to feel desperate. You’ve been deprived of his attention for weeks, and now a stupid movie has captured your boyfriend’s focus instead.

To make matters worse, he laughed at you. Laughed! As if he thought this is amusing to him, but you’re not amused.

You’re tempted to get up and leave, announcing something about how if he won’t give you interest then you don’t need to be there, but you’re tired of not getting what you want.

You’ve been wanting his attention for so long, and you’re going to get it.

Now.

You push against his chest as you sit up before cupping his face again. This time, you don’t give him time to say much before you capture his lips with yours.

“Wha-Hmph!”

You press your mouth harder against his when you feel him trying to pull away.

His lips stretch in a wide smile into the kiss, chest vibrating from his silent laughter. Finally, after a few more seconds, you pull away.

“You’re ignoring me,” you state matter-of-factly.

Jungkook laughs again, which causes your frown to deepen.

“And you’re laughing at my feelings! Do you not care that you’re in a relationship?” you whine.

Jungkook’s laughter eases as he becomes serious. “Awh, my poor baby. I’m sorry,” he says softly.

He guides you down to kiss you once more. It’s shorter this time.

“I didn’t mean to ignore you. You know how I get when I’m focused,” he explains. You’re aware it’s easy for him to zero in on whatever he’s doing.

“I know,” you sigh, “but I wish you would find some time for me, too.”

He nods in understanding. “I’ll try better.”

Your lips still linger in a pout as you stare at him.

“You’re so cute,” Jungkook chuckles. “My needy princess.”

“I’m not cute,” you argue with a huff. Sadly, you can’t argue the “needy” part.

“You’re very cute,” he insists. He brings a hand up and rubs your cheek softly.

“I just want you to stop ignoring me.” Your voice is quiet. Sad almost.

Jungkook smiles. “You have my attention. That’s all my baby wants, right? You don’t want me to look at anyone or anything else unless it’s you, hm?”

He sounds a little taunting, a little too cocky, but you don’t care. You don’t care if you’re boosting his silly ego or if you’re being selfish. You deserve to feel loved, and you know Jungkook loves you. He’s just been distracted.

You nod repeatedly.

Jungkook repositions you both on the couch, so you’re laying down. He hovers over you, strong arms resting on either side of your face. His long hair dangles down toward you.

“You can have it all, angel,” he murmurs. “You can have all of me. How does that sound?”

“Sounds like a dream,” you say, hands rising to play with his hair and earning you a cheeky smile from Jungkook.

Thank you again! I need cheeky Jungkook 🫠 im needy, jungkook, we'd be perfect together.

©️hongcherry // DO NOT REPOST OR MODIFY Please consider reblogging if you liked this work to show your support. Feedback/commentary is always welcomed.

[that-ineffable-devil]

I don't know what it is about Neil Gaiman's stories and characters that bring up so many visceral emotions and realizations but Dead Boy Detectives has gripped me in it's skeletal claws.

I'll admit I haven't read the comics--one more thing on my neverending tbr pile--so I came into this show without any preconceptions or foreknowledge of the characters or their histories. And I didn't do any research on the show beforehand a) to avoid spoilers and b) it's Neil Fucking Gaiman what am I gonna do NOT watch!?

Basically, I had no idea what to expect from it. Except that it'd be queer (praise be).

And I gotta tell you, Charles is getting to me. In ways and at depths I never could have expected. And, fuck, it's making me confront some things I didn't realize were affecting me...and some that maybe I did...

Like the anger. Gods, the deep-rooted anger at the injustice and cruelty of the world and the hands you're dealt. The fury of feeling helpless and alone and terrified during the worst experiences of your life. And the self-loathing you feel as you bury that rage for fear of becoming the very monsters that tormented you--unable to express it in even a healthy manner because you can only associate anger with violence. So you bottle it and bury it and hope against hope you can keep it down, but you fear the day you run out of burial ground.

Like the compulsion to act like everything's fine. To mask any negative emotions with a smile and a kind word or a laugh. To never be the reason someone else is in pain. To try so hard to undo the pain done by others. To be the person you needed most who was never there. Maybe you're trying to convince yourself that you're not a monster. Living in constant fear that you really are that monster, and all your goodness and light is a smokescreen to trick truly good people into allowing you to walk amongst them--and that one very bad day they'll all see the truth and your worst fears will be confirmed in their eyes.

Like the almost desperate need to cling to anything or anyone good that comes into your life, because it has happened so rarely and so fleetingly. The fear of taking certain risks with those things and people because any change can be the one that results in losing them. Yet constantly taking risks with yourself and your life (death?), likely boiling down to "If I go first, I don't have to lose them." Because, deep down, you think they could never miss you as much as you'd miss them.

And even specific moments...

Like using the word "rough" to describe abuse, because how else do you reference decades...or in his case, likely at least a decade...of trauma and abuse without upsetting someone? Without letting them know it's still affecting you?

Like equal parts fear and fury welling inside you as you watch something truly horrific happen. Memories wrapping your senses so tightly as that man brutalized his family for no reason. Being both unable to stop it and unable to look away. Desperate to do something about it but completely helpless. Again.

And reliving his trauma, forced to by someone else? Feeling that pain and misery all over again. The heartbreak as friends choose to hurt you for reasons you don't understand. The anguish as your brain tries to protect itself while a parent who's supposed to love you makes you wonder why you exist at all. The terror of being hunted. Not knowing why. Not knowing what you've done to deserve it. Wondering if somehow you do.

And confessing his fear that he's a "bad guy." Wondering if you're really the villain in your story. Fearing that the reason people treated you so cruelly is because they saw the monster within, and thought they could keep it contained and afraid. Fearing that you won't be able to.

And not every day is like this. Not every day has you feeling like you're at the edge of a precipice. Some days are quite good actually, especially if you have even one good person around. But any day could turn out like this.

But you keep on with the smiles and the positive attitude because the monsters can't win. Your monster can't win. And frankly, you don't know how else to deal with it, because no one ever taught you how to. Or maybe you never had the chance to learn. All you know is that it's all you know.

[allmyocsarebritish]

Kiss, Maime, Kill: Chapter 5 - Regret?

Pairing: Alastor X killer! F Reader

Warnings!!!: Graphic description of grief and death, ANGST, sorry not sorry, will make up for it eventually, drug metaphor? Basically just the other chapters warnings on steroids

Wordcount: 0.85k

Why was this so fun to write? Should I be concerned? Maybe- Anyway, finally got to use the art I made in March that inspired this, and it's the last human Al of this story :(((

1933

Louisiana, New Orleans

Something was off. You knew it from the start. But, alas, you played it off, assuming the uneasy feeling had risen from the bitter January chill casting shivers down your spine. Still, you couldn't shake the feeling that you and Alastor weren't the only ones hiding in the woods that night.

Firmly gripping the butcher's knife in your hand, you followed Alastor further into the marshland. People were scared of you. Not the other way around. You were the killer, the one to be feared, the monster lurking in the woods at night. You repeated this to yourself, wondering what the fuck came over you as you flinched at a wind - tousled hedge.

"Are you alright, Cher?" Alastor asked, drawing closer to you. He caressed your cheek with his free hand as you stared into the trees like a deer in the headlights. "My, my, you're shaking, poor dear! Whatever has gotten into you?"

"I- I don't know, Al. Cold weather I suppose."

His gaze trailed over you for a while longer than necessary, eyes narrowing in concern. "Alright, well then, let's not waste another moment."

A rather uncomfortable silence returned as you continued to trek through the forest, which unsettled you further. "Alastor?" You asked, swallowing thickly.

"Yes, my dear?"

"Did you ever think life would turn out like this?"

Alastor quirked an eyebrow. How reminiscent this was of your confession. Did you need affirmation of his affection? Was that what was wrong?

"I found you without looking, and I love you without trying." He told you simply and with a soft smile, turning to continue onwards.

"I love you too, but that isn't what I meant. I meant do you ever.. regret.. what we do?"

He stopped walking and turned to face you once more.

"Regrets won't change anything, you need to find your peace in the present, no matter how imperfect it may be or how much you wish you could change."

"If you're so sure."

~

Lighting a cigarette, you reclined against a tree as Alastor wiped the blood off his face with his palm. The slightly insane look in his usually void eyes scared and enticed you all at once. He was invigorating, truly, better than any drug trip. He dropped the knife at the side of this victim, sending a clatter echoing through the forest. Alerting everything of your presence.

"Do you feel better now, Cher?" He asked you, swiping the splatters off your own face with his thumb.

"Only because you're here." You responded, smiling and drawing him in for a kiss.

"Of course." His lips met yours, a slightly metallic taste hinting at the blood spilt in the thicket of trees, before he pulled back and leant against the tree beside yourself. A long drawn out sigh escaped his lips as he closed his eyes in contentment. You passed him the cigarette, from which he took a long drag before snubbing it out against the rough bark and dropping it to the grass underfoot.

Then, within a split second, your entire universe crashed and burned.

The ringing of the gunshot was deafening, making you wince as the ear splitting squeal ripped through air beside you. Alastor jolted backwards with the aggressive impact, slumping against the tree. His eyes were wide and horrified, glasses cracked and broken on the forest floor.

Red. Blood. Pain. Anguish. This was how they had felt. This was their last moments. This was what you did to their families.

"ALASTOR!" Your bloodcurdling scream resembled that of your victims in their last moments as you dropped to your knees at your husband's side. The tears were hot and stinging. It wasn't supposed to be like this. You weren't supposed to be the ones to feel the blinding agony of loss. But you were, and nothing would change that.

"Alastor, Al, please. Please, Allie." You were begging. Begging for what? You didn't know, and it didn't matter because no amount of reduced screaming on your knees would change this. "Please."

"I hope my absence can give you peace and stability in a way you never could experience with me around, Cher" his voice was hoarse and quiet, clearly straining to speak with the sheer pain he was in. "For all the sins I committed in life, loving you was the sweetest one."

"Fuck, Al, please, no, no," What were you saying? You didn't know. Words were tumbling out with no meaning because all you could focus on was the raw grief coursing through your veins and wracking your body with grief.

"I love you, y/n. If only I could absorb your pain and return it as love."

"I love you, Alastor. I always will. Don't go. Don't leave me Alastor. Please Al. Please" the life faded from his eyes as your shrill voice became hoarser. If you could have cradled him there forever you would have, but you couldn't. Acceptance wasn't fathomable, and maybe it was just your grief speaking, but there was something you knew for sure:

You'd meet again.

One day.

You'd meet again.

Part 6!!

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM BARBIE AS RAPUNZEL *  assorted dialogue from the 2002 film, adjust as necessary

what am i supposed to paint?

what if i don't have any good ideas?

you can create anything you imagine.

what if i hate it?

the woods were whispered to be full of monsters and dragons.

do you hear that? it's my stomach grumbling. i feel weak.

we wouldn't want anyone fainting around here.

one day, i'm going to walk along a beach just like this one and see nothing but open sky for miles and miles.

i'll put your art stuff away.

how was your ride today?

i'll expect my tea in nine minutes.

don't repeat your errors of yesterday.

what about your duties?

did you make the beds? sweep the floors? weed the garden?

it's your job to know.

i wonder where it goes.

something great could be down here.

you don't think there are spiders down there? 'cause i'm not too fond of spiders... or beetles... or snakes. i don't like them either.

oh sure. let's go down anyway.

nobody's been down here in years.

constant as the stars above, always know that you are loved.

why would she lie to me about that?

hurry, get cleaning!

i'm sorry, i was distracted.

will there be anything else?

how are we gonna fix this?

this is my chance. maybe... my only chance.

next time, i'll sit on you.

don't tell me you've been playing here all day.

does he ever smile?

just hold on, i'll get you!

just let go with one hand and reach up!

have we met before?

the only way to end the feud is through force.

i'd better make sure they're okay. i'll be right back.

how did it get so late?

tell me again about the village... and don't leave out a single detail.

the best part was... i met somebody.

and you've seen... how many men before?

this could ruin everything.

did we have a nice little trip today?

after all i've done, after all i've given you, this is how you repay me!

i heard you met someone special.

when i ask a question, i expect an answer.

you can't keep me locked away from the world forever.

when do you think this feud will end?

you're even more beautiful than i remember.

i'm going to be free.

just sounds like something following us.

it was only because of our extraordinary cunning and bravery that we escaped it all.

i hope you're wrong.

they may destroy each other sooner than i thought.

it's better than being a prisoner.

i hoped you might come back here. i realized i don't even know your name.

you're full of surprises.

there's your answer.

i'm not giving up.

you must be pretty important if you are invited to the prince's ball.

watch it with that thing! somebody could get seriously hurt!

any specific plan, or just general pain and anguish?

don't hurt him! it's me you want!

i'd rather read a good book.

she doesn't even know i'm the prince.

i'm waiting for someone.

i'm the one who's going to teach you not to meddle with my plans!

you're gonna let a little thing like that stop you!

i understand it is i who must thank you.

what makes might? it is more than power. it is also courage and loyalty.

you have never swerved in your devotion to your friend, no matter the danger.

it's so beautiful up here!

so again, we meet at a ball.

i came to clean up some loose ends.

you loved me! i know you did!

you could have had so much! you should've loved me!

you don't know what love is!

i forgive you for all those years.

no more hatred, please.

i thought you were gone forever.

all those years i thought i was alone.

i wronged you all these years.

i hope someday you can find it it in your heart to forgive me.