#like really its just the magic of my room

[ganondoodle]

since im really struggeling getting myself to draw (and also feel not great physically)- heres some more notes for the totk rewrite (dungeons specifically... it got long again ...):

(just as a recap for those that havent seen my many ramblings of it before; in this rewrite i rewrote nearly everything, mechanics, gameplay, story etc- theres also no mystery stones and no rauru/sonia, and zelda doesnt travel anywhere and is your permanent companion instead; the abilities of your friends are tied to their personal weapons (more specifically, its charged with their magic after having and using them for years) which they gift to you at the end of each dungeon/after the miniboss of it (doesnt mean they lose it themselves bc they can use another weapon to channel their magic through, its not like botws literaly giving you their ability, you get a supercharged battery AND a permanent special weapon out of it) )

teba and tulin are a team here, one of each channels their magic through the bow, the other through the arrows (havent decided which which but id say teba bow and tulin arrows bc hes kid still but idk) and the ability is different if you use only the bow, only the arrows, or both combined-

their dungeon involves tulin being a little full of himself, stealing tebas bow and rushing in alone, which ends up with him being captured/eaten by a monster, somethign you dont get to see (to increase tension he is just gone) teba is now without his way to channel his magic AND without his best weapon (and also anxious bc its .. his kid that disappeared)- you find the bow and arrows along with some feathers before going into the fight to the miniboss, during which you free tulin from it and fight the rest of it together; tulin has learned his lesson and works together with teba now (also let him be actually scared like a kid would be) and you go on to do the rest of the dungeon during which teba and tulin get used to using their magic together, followed by the boss (i dont have that one down to detail yet, something wormy perhaps) and then they gift you their bow and arrows

yunobo isnt there when you reach the settlement of the gorons (i think i moved it away from death mountain bc its like .. dont repeat that location like that AGAIN man, and death mountain is also largely collapsed, actualyl changing the map and all)- you learn he went to investigate somethign with two others and didnt return, doing so bc he wanted to be helpful and prove that he is not as scared and timid as he used to be-

you enter the dungeon and a little bit into it you find his weapon (now perhaps having been used as a weapon by a regular enemy so its not as much the same as the tebas bows or locked away or soemthing .. oaky i dont have ALL the details yet :/ BUT it is different here bc you get his ability with his weapon right away, you get teba+tulins only at the end) and before what is obviously the miniboss are the two gorons that accompanied yunobo, but they act weird and threaten you (kinda like the guys at the gates of the actual game bc that moment was really creepy, one of the few thigns i thought were cool ... only to be extremely lackluster as they were just mean and not actually agressive ....), saying that you shouldnt disturb the boss (as in, yunobo) and you should give them his weapon since it doesnt belong to you, when you refuse you actually have to fight them until they are knocked out (maybe by zelda, to avoid having you literally kill them, but they do get hurt)

then you get to the room and yunobo is posessed (NOT by a stupid wrestler mask) in a really creepy malice way, after which he regains his senses and he allows you to keep the weapon but he goes back to his hurt companions to get them to safety after you tell him what happened which leaves you to do more of the dungeon without him but he gets back fairly quickly (and also got a new weapon while he was at it)

the boss here i wanted to be the possessed remains of an ancient long dead goron, as the setting for the dungeon being either a lost city (like .. an actual thing that looks like one) or an ancient mine where some accident may have happened you will never be able to learn about (sometimes that is a good thing) which was hijacked by ganondorf literally only bc it was convenient way to try and get your friends killed and thus weaken the enemy forces (instead of .. leading you right to the thing he doesnt want you to get or something .. god totk makes so little sense ...)

so, sidon, i dont have that much detail for yet BUT, the zora dungeon is located in a vast underground cave system (under water), the zora waterworks (bc im mad they put that in jsut to make you press a button once to make a waterfall from a floating goddamn island in tHE AIR-)

at some part of it you encounter weird and glowy looking zoras you cant even recognize as such at first as they are a group of zora that were cut off from all others for centuries and thus changed into very different looking ones, also different language so no easy communication (you were only able to encounter them bc the cataclysm shook the earth and reconnected the cave systems so they could reach further up and you down)

perhaps in this dungeon the main enemies are those different zoras (maybe they were the ones keeping the waterworks active this whole time and its the main reason why the surface zora had their area be as watery and lush- the deep sea zoras keeping it running only bc its their tradition/temple/living space ... now perhaps, the ones that were cut off from the others back in the day might have been the workers doing maintenance but the knowledge of all that was buring by time) when you fight them and ther HP is low they either swim away quickly or curl up into a unique defensive mechanism in which you cant hurt them anymore-

the miniboss i could see as being a fight with their queen (who is creepy looking and much taller than sidon, keeping that trend of royal zoras being way bigger) at the end of which the actual boss of the dungeon (dont know what yet, eel? bc it can shoot out from the dark quickly? or a deep sea kraken?) attacks you both, snatching up both sidon and the queen but since he is so much smaller he can escape its grasp while she gets taken (not without a fight mind you)

after this the other zoras dont attack you anymore and jsut hide immediately- at halfway to defeating the boss the queen is able to free herself and then joins you in the fight, at the end of which sidon tends to her wounds (as he has a healign ability here) making it clear to her that he is not their enemy, once you are outside he gifts you a shield (or spear?) earning you his ability and later the queen and some of the other deep sea zoras can be found at the zora settlements (but only at night as they are sensitive to the sun

(ALTERNATIVELY- i havent decided which version yet, BUT alternative version would be that there is no monster at the zora dungeon, it is "just" those deep sea zoras, the miniboss could be a higher in command deep sea zora and the main boss the queen and the end being either she is that kind of honorable person that respects your strength and thus doesnt attack you further OR you beat her and then sidon heals her again so its clear we dont actually want to harm them, sicne you cant talk to them (language barrier!)- i like this one almost more sicne it shakes up the formula and also, ganondorf has spent so long in his prison beneath the earth he would know these zoras where there and they would clash with the others, no need to always put monsters there, save energy, make them take out each other uwu)

riju; i unfortunately havent gotten much of anything for the gerudos as of yet sicne its a bit harder to figure out (with how i wrote ganondorf here its a bit more tricky, does he go easy on them even though he doesnt want to bc he still has a soft spot for them? does he do it even worse bc he hates how he was abandoned and how they sided with hyrule? does he not influence anything at all there and maybe its jsut something else that is making trouble? still figuring it out)- the only thing i know i really want to be there is a big ol room with redeads/gibdoes(?) you have to sneak through and something waking them up when you are in the middle of it (like the labyrinth in botw where you drop down and get a million guardian laser on you)- and perhaps the boss could be vah naboris that fell into the underground and was overtaken by malice (but like, in pieces and with malice arms and eyes, rly creepy etc)

koga is the other, unexpected ally in the rewrite, his dungeon would be locked until after you did the mid games bossfight against ganondorf (actual him)- its located in the akkala fortress, one part in the upper, now accessible, part the other in the secret shiekah part on the underside, kogas quest would be longer to get to the actual dungeon (still a wip) but i know its locked by a mechanism only he can open/use and you cant get his quest further until you did the midboss;

it does involve learning little bits about him (since im including my hc for him as being an ancient shiekah monk that lived through the persecution of them and is still living bc he did malice experiments on himself), miniboss could be either a shiekah security system (since we didnt have all that much shiekah stuff so far) or perhaps koga himself who briefly turns against you again (bc that would kinda .. track wouldnt it?)- before the actual boss there is a corpse of a shiekah that was stabbed with a hylian spear (implying that they made them lock the door and then killed them anyway)

the boss is a yiga (without arms? or ripping them off durign the fight, and their head was shot through so no face no voice) thats completely overtaken my malice with big wallmaster like hands and all, but still occasionally using old shiekah techniques (perhaps koga is very atpyical silent during it)- just before the boss dies it reaches out to him and koga grabs its hand like a trusted companions ... after it is gone he says something about it having once been an old friend of his

(dont know if would include this directly BUT the though of that it was a shiekah of the same age as him that founded the yiga clan together with him, they were a researcher who did those malice experiments on themself first and it made them overconfident to a point in which they tried to assassinate the king of hyrule of that time all on their own and got killed by the princess (hence the hole in the face), they survived .. more or less but as a stationary unkillable ... thing, was locked away and over time grew to be agressive and it was moved to the akkala underground without koga knowing what had happened to them for all the following centuries)

.......why do these things always get so long ..... well, i hope i can find some sort of motivation soon so its not all wall of texts on my blog qwq'

[bower-quinn]

Dolly

Eddie hasn't thought about her in a long time, had completely forgotten her. But a visit from the past awakens not only old memories but also completely new feelings. From friends to lovers, a story from Eddie's perspective, nicknames, lots of flirting, sexual innuendo, very fluffy, lots of emotions Watch out! There are several chapters.

Monday morning. The worst of all damn days. The air in Hawkins High is like stale dungeon stench, the kind where goblins haven’t cracked a window in three weeks. My fingers drum on the edge of the desk, the rhythm of my thoughts: DnD. Campaign planning. Escape route from reality.

"Okay, so... the paladin blocked the bridge into the Undercity. The party's about to enter the Shadow Realm. I desperately need a new monster. Something unexpected. Maybe a shadow cleric with psychic magic and… oh, maybe a—"

THUMP. Something hits me hard on the head. Probably an empty can of some sticky-ass soda. Hopefully empty, at least. My head jerks up. Of course. Jason Carver. That toothpaste-commercial smile, and underneath it, the kind of guy who probably pulled wings off flies when he was seven. He’s standing over me now with his blonde bro-squad like some particularly dumb final boss.

"Hey Munson, learning new summoning spells?" Jason grins like it’s a brand-new joke. I blink up at him, taking a second not to turn my pens into improvised throwing knives. "Don’t need to. You empty meatheads show up uninvited like herpes. And you’d know a thing or two about that."

His laugh is hollow, like a badly scripted NPC. There’s more coming, obviously. "Maybe you should try a real game sometime, Freak. You know, with real people. On the court, maybe?"

"Hmm, yeah… see, I’m not really into balls and dudes in shorts, you know?"

Some of his buddies crack up. Jason doesn’t. His eyes narrow, but he says nothing. He hates it when you fire back. I smirk inside, but my body is screaming: retreat, this is dangerous. Truth is, I’ve never been all that brave in real life.

When they finally leave – backslaps, dumb jabs, testosterone-thick idiocy – I exhale deeply. I hate them. I hate them with every fiber of my oh-so-black soul. If they had half a brain, they’d realize I only flee this world because they make it so damn unbearable.

Back to the campaign. I pull my crumpled notebook from my backpack. Pages full of scribbles, maps, names, ideas. The club’s counting on me. We play Wednesday. I’ve got two days to build the finale. A dark priest, a cursed temple, an artifact that—

The door opens.

“Take your seats, everyone. We’ve got a new student today,” says Mrs. Harrison, our history teacher, with the voice of a woman who emotionally checked out sometime in ’82. “She was born in Hawkins but lived in Germany for the past few years. Say hi, please.”

I glance up, ready to file this under unnecessary NPC chatter— But then she walks in.

And something inside me holds its breath. Medium-length brown curls. Faded Maiden shirt. Black skinny jeans. Scuffed-up boots. No pink jacket, no cheerleader bow. Her eyes sweep the room—dark, curious, cautious. And then…

Damn. She looks familiar.

I stare. I know I’m staring.

She doesn’t say a word, just gives a quick nod, looks away, and takes the back-right seat— Right next to me.

She sits. Backpack on her lap, eyes down, like she wants to disappear. She looks even more out of place here than I do.

Mrs. Harrison drones on about the Civil War. I only half-listen. My brain splits in two: one side desperately trying to save my campaign. The other wondering why this girl feels so damn familiar.

She glances at me. Our eyes meet. And there it is again. That string inside me, suddenly resonating.

I mutter, “Hey.” She doesn’t answer, but the corner of her mouth twitches.

Maybe—just maybe—this Monday won't totally suck after all.

The hallway at Hawkins High is, as always, horribly ventilated. It reeks of farts, old socks, and perfume that was probably stolen from some sad drugstore. It’s loud, overcrowded, and blanketed in that unspoken hostility, like mist on a cold autumn morning.

A few weeks ago, I made my players wade through a cursed swamp. None of them noticed it was based on this hallway. Shame, really. I was hoping for a few laughs.

I sling my backpack over my shoulder and plop down in my usual cafeteria corner with half a sandwich and zero interest in the American education system. My standard spot. Good vantage point, close to the exit, right by the broken heater vent. Business as usual.

Almost.

Because she's there. The new girl. Sitting alone at a table all the way in the back, where abandoned homework and sad leftovers usually go to die. No tray in front of her. Just a book. Hardcover. Worn. She flips through it like it’s a shield.

I watch her. Not in a Jason-stalks-cheerleaders way. More like… curious. Maybe fascinated. Maybe confused. Maybe all three.

“Yo, Eddie.”

Dustin, of course. Followed by Jeff and Gareth. Our little deluxe outsider squad. “What are you staring at? You look like you just astral projected out of your body.”

I don’t answer. I just keep watching her. She brushes a curl from her face—right as she looks up.

Our eyes meet again. And this time—damn it—she blushes.

Not just a little cheek warmth. No. Full-blown crimson. Like someone cranked the saturation to eleven.

I blink. Wait a minute... why is she blushing?

I was staring. I was the creep. She should be thinking “Oh God, please don’t talk to me.” But she blushes?

She quickly drops her gaze back to the book, sinks deeper into her sweater like she wants to vanish. And I— I keep staring.

“Okay, this is getting creepy, bro,” Gareth says, waving a hand in front of my face.

“Do I know her?” I murmur. More to myself than to them.

“What?” Jeff asks.

I shake my head. “Nothing. Forget it.”

But I can’t forget her. Not anymore.

The rest of the day I drift through classes—History, Math, Bio. It feels like swimming through fog made of chalk and boredom. Only half present, because part of me keeps glancing backward—to her seat.

Always the same: she talks to no one. Not even during forced group work in Bio. No smiles, no nods, nothing. If someone looks at her, she looks away. If someone asks something, she answers short, quiet, with that withdrawn gaze.

Shy. Very shy.

And yet… she has something about her. Not that fake mystery some girls wear like expensive perfume. No. Real reserve. Like someone who's seen too much to open up easily.

I bite my pen and wonder what she’s thinking. And why I even care.

[fifteenth-entity]

So like... gaster is at least a titan if not the angel, right? (THEORY)

[Note that this post needs major cleaning up, and I will be back to fix it up later, since i have not slept whatsoever, thank you for understanding c: For this reason, if anything is unclear, please don't hesitate to ask me to clarify/elaborate.]

Before I start explaining my thought process, I want to explain why I’m saying titan or angel, and not definitively just one of the two: I’m fairly certain that Gaster is at least a titan. However, due to how present he is in the narrative, and how subservient the titans seem to be, contrasting how vocal the Gaster character seems to be and how active he is, I’m inclined to believe that Gaster is the next possible thing in the hierarchy. (I don’t believe he’s the knight, I think it’s pretty damn certain at this point that the knight is Dess, and while the knight has hints of Gaster-like qualities, most everything that’s roaring related has Gaster-like qualities.)

(Some small credits: I got most of my screenshots from https://www.youtube.com/@mistysparkles and https://www.youtube.com/@ShayyTV , and one screenshot was provided by @sajdd on tumblr, who got it from @/pipislover1997 and @/playcentermd on twitter.)

Another thing I need to note: Some of these things are going to be really far-fetched arguments. This is mostly so that I can get this brainworm out of my head otherwise I will never find peace, and I’m not saying it’s the end-all-be-all answer that will solve the mystery of Deltarune: It’s just a theory after all. Anyway, with those two disclaimers, onto the stuff I have to say.

Please direct your attention to these elements of the titan:

On the right, we have the dark fountain coalescing into a new being that will later become the titan. On the left, we have the grey stone casing that the titan will later watch out of. The grey encasing will be important later, but first, I’d like to point out that the stuff that coalesces into the titan has the same texture as the background in the first cutscene of chapter 1, where someone, commonly assumed to be Gaster, directs us on how to create a vessel.

After that, once the titan starts hatching, we have the following:

First, the hand of the titan, that has a hole with an eye in the middle. Then, once Kris starts climbing on the titan, black and white eyes are revealed to be hiding within the grey cast, eyes that ooze some sort of droopy black liquid. Note how all of the elements of the true titan are black and white (aside from the magic they use.)

The knight can also use their eye as a mouth to laugh. Eyes in general appear in a lot of places in Deltarune; while they don’t appear in the dark worlds themselves, they appear in the in between places, like the area leading up to the pure dark fountain and Tenna’s dark world.

That is a place where I would argue another true darkness is, aside from Ralsei’s kingdom’s fountain. I mean there’s no toy equivalent to them, they seem to just… exist in the dark world.

Now. Where have I seen all that before?

Oh, and by the way, when I say that, I do mean all of that. Gaster is hidden within a grey room, and he is primarily black and white, he is droopy and formless, and his eye and mouth are the same slit, that is only sometimes seeing. (Unrelated by also related, he seems to disappear when Frisk touches him; the only thing that banished the titan was someone with a human soul disturbing its appearance. Gaster and the titan seem to react the same way to light, drawing yet another connection). And given that every single major character that we’ve seen thus far in undertale has in some way been referenced in Deltarune (even down to Muffet), and this is the last ‘major mystery’ of the game that remains, I think it’s pretty safe to assume that this mystery man doesn’t correspond to a general concept, but is an actual representation of a character that does/will appear in Deltarune at some point.

However, you will note that during this entire analysis, I’ve been taking the mystery man sprite as to be the definitive appearance of Gaster, and I think I have some evidence that at least strongly connects the mystery man, the titans, and Gaster all together.

Please remember how the casing hiding inside it the true titans’ form was cast in grey. Note also how before the cast formed completely, we have the same texture as the background in the create your character segment as the game, a vessel which in the files is dubbed “goner body”. Obviously, the goners, who talk about Dr. Gaster, are also cast in grey and disappear very similarly to the mystery man. Note however that when you create this grey body, it is called the “vessel”, and Kris is referenced as being a cage in the prophecy. The one responsible for creating the human vessel, in the same circumstances and processes as the titan was created, is Gaster. This possibly suggests that the gaster followers and the goner kid are a vessel for something, and here I would say that they are a vessel for knowledge, and the way they’re drawn and positioned in the game makes them look and feel very stone-like in disposition.

With all the above, I think it’s difficult to disprove that Gaster is, at least, a titan, but now you might also begin to understand why I’m going so far as to suggest he might be the angel.

First of all, he created the vessel in the first chapter, and the stuff used to create the titan has the same texture. It seems a little unlikely to me that a simple titan that needs this much help to collapse a fraction of the world would be capable of creating a stable vessel from scratch, so I’m inclined to believe that Gaster, in this aspect, is at least some sort of higher power than a titan. Another direct reference to Gaster and the angel stem from the him.png file that was uploaded to deltarune . com all those years ago: 

It’s notable to me how this phrase was specifically written in wingdings, since not only is that font usually immediately correlated to Gaster, but this phrase, without Deltarune as context, is already cryptic as it is - there’s no need to encrypt it further with a font like this, unless you want to hint at a deeper connection between the two concepts.

Gaster is also as far as I remember (please correct me if I’m wrong) the only character so far to directly correlate the dark worlds and the roaring to the angel, information that no one else seems keen on sharing or knows. The last thing I have to prove as a connection comes from the bunker.

Now, there’s three symbols on the lock on the bunker: A pine tree (Noelle, Dess, or Carol), a police badge (Undyne or Asgore), and the delta rune. The delta rune is an emblem comprised of three triangles (one darkner, two lightners), and a sphere with wings above them (the angel). Now, a lot of people attribute the symbol as belonging to Toriel, but I think this connection is tentative at best. The only connection Toriel has to the delta rune is the uniform she wears and the fact that she manages the choir of the school, but the delta rune is generally a symbol of worship everywhere. There are so many characters that are directly tied to the delta rune, like Gerson and Alvin, and so many characters that are only loosely connected to the delta rune. The symbol is absolutely everywhere, and Toriel is not the only one to wear a garment like that.

However, there’s only one character that notes that they have a direct connection to the delta rune. At the very end of the credits of chapter 4, the person speaking to us in chapter 1, aka Gaster, starts talking to us about our progress with the story, before dropping this bombshell of a phrase:

Firstly, to get it out of the way, I think Gaster is one of the potential people being alluded to with the third symbol on the lock (there are more candidates, one of which could be Asriel, but this isn’t about him). However, I will say that it’s a little intense to say that the emblem of an entire religion belongs to you. Unless, of course, you are the reason why the religion exists, and you are the one people worship, and you are depicted on said emblem.

With this in mind, I do have some strong inclinations that Gaster is the angel. Is this a definitive theory? Absolutely not, but I do think it has some really strong foundations. With this in mind, I think if I am to take this theory as “canon’ then I can make a pretty strong case about Kris being something of a Darkner instead of a lightner, but that’s another theory for another day. I never make theories. I am never this passionate about my own theories. Deltarune what have you done to me. Toby Fox I am outside your house, come outside.

[gummi-ships]

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance - Traverse Town

[r0semultiverse]

Happy 4/13, here's the Deltritan or Satyr Equivalent to Dragon Ball for their species and civilization.

[catsafari25]

Another question for the Skulduggery Pleasant fandom, because I've just finished reading the Haunted House on Hollow Hill, and I feel like I'm missing something.

Below the cut 'cause this is, y'know, a murder mystery

Do we get two explanations for how the police officer (Dudley) dies? First is that Grody killed him (and is used as an alibi for Grody & how there is more than one killer abroad) and the other is that Terry did it (and he openly admits it) - the second option is clearly the correct one, given the confession, but it just felt odd that there's not even a nod back to the first red herring.

[meowdei]

I change my vision depending on the selfship tbh

[wabblebees]

thought id update to say; i survived opening night!!! and not only that, it went REALLY fucking well, and people seemed to REALLY REALLY like it omfg... god this is so crazy

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

When I lived in Philadelphia I had the most fucked sleep schedule and my sleep scientist roommate told me it would kill me in a way I wouldn't understand (stay up all night sleep from like ten am to four pm) which is honestly terrible but I do miss the delight of staying up all night and watching the sun rise. Being awake when no one else was, at least in my apartment. Doing whatever I wanted in those hours. A person living across from me always woke up at 5am, I could tell because I'd always see their light turn on. That was nice. That was nice.

[scentofpines]

tomorrow is my first presentation in more than 8 years guyysss i'm nervous. but not quite as nervous as i expected to be?? maybe it is the calm before the storm? who knows. if i am not back on here by the early afternoon tomorrow you will know that i turned into a little puddle of sweat and tears in the basement of my uni. if that is going to be the case, i bid you farewell

[dbphantom]

[bloomeng]

This is my official Batfam Magical Girl AU Masterpost (everyone clapped)

(Updated 4/16/25)

I’m going to do a brief overview and then go into more details for those interested.

Bruce being from old money (and apparently being connected to Camelot) inherited a mysterious mineral with unknown properties. In its raw form it’s very unassuming, but when cut like gemstones and added to accessories it can be harnessed into a tool. By altering the mineral into a wearable item it allows the magic within to be channeled. The magic of the mineral connects with its wielder to create an outfit and (typically) a weapon. These outfits do not grant the wearer special abilities outside of the transformation and the weapon, but when worn the wearer is granted (what is basically) hammerspace and a nearly impenetrable outfit. The uniform granted is not something they can alter the appearance of but will change gradually overtime to reflect how the wielder has grown.

This mineral will henceforth be known as Arcanium. It operates on Kryptonite logic in that it’s— allegedly— super rare but also shows up whenever the plot needs it. (I’m aware it shares a name with a card game, but I wanted my Kryptonite spoof)

Martha Wayne unknowingly started the cycle by turning— what she thought was a rare gemstone— into a brooch. She died shortly after having it made and Alfred held onto it in her memory. Like canon Bruce goes on his journey of self-exploration to train. When he comes back he enacts his plan the way he does in Batman: Year One, where he goes out in basically just make-up, and it goes poorly. He wanders his manor trying to formulate a strategy and is drawn to his parent’s room and finds his mother’s brooch. Cue the first magical girl transformation. From there he alters the brooch to fit his bat aesthetic and the Batman Brooch is born.

Dick comes into his life the same way as canon. Bruce takes him in as a ward, Dick tries to track down Zucco on his own, etc. Bruce decides to use the other raw sample of Arcanium to turn into a second magical artifact. He lets Dick pick the theme, and thus the Robin Pendant is born. The rest is history.

(Before I continue I want to warn that I’m making shit up as I go, so some of this is subject to change as I move forward.)

The Robin Pendant is passed down from Robin to Robin. Each Robin got their own unique look while using it. Following canon, Dick and Bruce have their falling out and Dick gives up the Robin Pendant in a moment of anger. In this au I think Dick, not having the pendant to fall back on, tries to lead a vigilante-free life, but of course falls back into it. During a fight he somehow manages to stumble across Arcanium in its raw form. Recognizing it he takes it with him. Like Nightwing: Year One he has his conversation with Superman and decides to become his own hero. Using his knowledge of Arcanium from his years with Bruce he creates his own magical artifact and becomes Nightwing.

This is a good place to interject that I’m not changing any of their hero names. I was asked about it a couple times due to the caption, “Red Bow & Sailor Nightwing” on my Dick and Jason designs. It was just a silly caption, because I didn’t want to simply state “Jason and Dick Magical Girl au.” But being serious, I don’t really see a reason to change their names, with the exception of maybe Red Hood, seeing as I didn’t give him a red hood. My au operates on Sailor Moon logic where despite the lack of masks no one recognizes them, and it’s just vaguely explained by magic. I think it would be funny if Bruce chose to wear a mask anyway because he’s that paranoid, but we’ll see when I actually design him. Anyway point is Red Hood is lacking a red hood, maybe he secretly has a red hood on his jacket or maybe he really does go by Red Bow, I’ll leave that up to interpretation.

Arcanium does not just accidentally appear. At the end of the day it’s still a mineral and it’s not sentient, but the magic has an element of “the wand chooses the user.” It’s not so much a “chosen one thing,” so much as the magic can sense intention. It doesn’t care about the morality of the user, the magic is more seeking a symbiotic connection. (Meaning yes rogues can in fact wield artifacts.) Simply put, it wants a host that will be able to wield it. In its raw form the magic is dormant but it seeks to be… not dormant, so when it finds those who actually have the potential to create an artifact and use it, it reveals itself. It was not a coincidence that Martha had the inclination to have the brooch made, it was not a coincidence that Bruce was drawn to his parent’s room, and it was not a coincidence that Dick found Arcanium in the alleyway.

Each of the Bats have their origin moments with their own magical artifacts. I don’t have the whole timeline down, but I will say there was a lot of drama between Tim and Damian, because Tim was forced to hand over the pendant. Even though he technically relinquished it, emotionally the connection wasn’t severed. No one was sure if the transition would work, but Arcanium responds to whoever needs it more and therefore who will use it more. Like canon, Tim is having an awful time during that era. On top of all of it he’s had his title stripped from him and he can’t even argue because if it wasn’t the right move the pendant wouldn’t have responded to Damian. Dick tries to comfort him by telling him that Arcanium will appear for him when he’s ready, but Tim is furious and impatient. So like a well-adjusted person he decides he’s going to engineer his own magical artifact artificially. It goes as well as his attempt to clone Kon does. It’s not until Tim starts to get back on his feet that Arcanium presents itself to him. My thinking is that while Arcanium finds its users when they need it most, Tim’s case is abnormal. His acquisition of the pendant was unconventional from the start since he showed up and demanded to take on the Robin role. Arcanium is drawn to individuals who will actually use its properties. Tim tends to rely more on his own detective work, which renders the pendant’s properties pretty moot. Especially when he’s going off the deep end, he becomes a hermit meaning a) he wouldn’t really need/use Arcanium’s properties and b) he inadvertently limited his own chances of stumbling across it “in the wild.”

In a similar vein I believe Barbara’s journey is abnormal in that she forged her own Batgirl artifact that operates a little differently than the others, seeing as she made it without Bruce’s influence. After the accident she shelved it, maybe she passed it down to Cass, but eventually she gets it back. She created the Oracle identity without it, and for a long time the Batgirl artifact is something she avoids using, until she gets the idea to combine it with her computer to create a magic computer… sort of. She gets a uniform that is basically connected to the computer.

Going back to Damian needing the Robin Pendant more, its reaction to his acquisition was unique. As I mentioned previously the suits typically provide a weapon, well Damian is the exception. Unlike all the other Robin’s Damian didn’t need more weapons in his life, what he needed was guidance. For the first time the pendant granted Damian a magical animal guardian, which is how he gets Alfred the Cat in this au. Despite being an animal lover Damian is extremely pissed at this development. He wanted dual swords or a scarier animal at least. He can’t formally communicate with Alfred the Cat but he understands him intrinsically, though Alfred the Cat seems to be able to understand human speech somewhat. Only Damian seems to be able to truly understand Alfred the Cat. (Cue the antics of his siblings trying to figure out what the cat means or trying to control him in any capacity.) Besides being an animal, Alfred the Cat is also unique in that he doesn’t dissipate when Damian isn’t in uniform the way that the weapons do. Like the weapons he can be summoned by the pendant, but he seems to have existed prior to the pendant’s creation. (I’m toying with the idea that while in uniform, the cat would also get some sort of uniform.)

Before I get into Duke and his abnormalities, I want to address the Speedsters in this au. It’ll make sense after.

So the Flash. I want to say I don’t know if I will get around to creating full designs for them. I do have plans for Bart and maybe Wally, but I have determined how I want their mechanics to operate in the context of the au. Not all the heroes in this au are “magical girls,” in fact I’ve made the executive decision that you have to be human to wield an artifact. Arcanium may have magic in it, but it doesn’t grant its user magical abilities beyond the uniform itself. The speedsters retain their canon origins, hit by lighting blah blah blah, only with one key difference: they had Arcanium on them when they were hit. Instead of engineering an artifact Arcanium fused with their bodies granting them powers. I want to keep the magic transformation aspect (because it’s not a magical girl au without it), so instead of using a physical artifact as a channel for their powers, it’s instead the act of transforming that serves as a gateway to their speed abilities.

To me it was always important to maintain Batman’s identity of not having super powers and having to rely on engineering, which is why the Batfam have to physically build their artifacts. In a similar way I wanted to retain the integrity of the Flash’s identity of being meta but also still human. Which brings me back to Duke. I know in canon that Duke inherited his abilities, but for the sake of the au I’ve decide that he either had an accident when he was young in which traces of Arcanium fused with him or his parents had it in them and he inherited it from them, but regardless it’s less potent, but operates similar to the Speedsters. For years he couldn’t fully transform or use his powers and it wasn’t until— with Bruce’s guidance— he was able to create an artifact that allowed him to channel his abilities and transform. Even though he is a meta I wanted him to still have some of those Batfam qualities in there.

But what about the Superfam? They’re not human so how do their transformations work? The answer is simple: They’re not “magical girls.” At least not real ones, they’re faking. They’re not human (Kon and Jon are technically half human but they still get their abilities from their Kryptonian DNA), and thus cannot forge a connection with Arcanium. Truthfully I’m about to get silly— even sillier than this au already is— but I have decided that Clark is a fake artifact wielder. I like the idea that Batman has been operating longer than Superman has, so when Clark decided to become a hero in his own right his only example of how to style himself was from the bat themed vigilante, who might as well be a cryptid, operating out of Gotham. Only blurry pictures of him existed, so Clark designed his outfit based on his Kryptonian origins and Batman’s aesthetics. He had no idea about the existence of Arcanium or how it worked. This is also why Kon’s design looks so much like his canon outfit with a few magical girl elements (and definitely not because I think the lines in his canon suit already lend themselves well to a magical girl aesthetic and didn’t want to change much). Later when he gets to know Batman more he learns about the transformations, to which he panics and invents his own transformation using Kryptonian tech (ex: MAWS’s transformation). For years Bruce goes crazy trying to figure out Arcanium’s effects on aliens and if it grants them abilities on top of the ones they’re born with, and if Clark has plans to use it as a weapon, and how he managed to forge the connection in the first place— Clark comes clean as a fake once they reveal their identities to each other.

Side tangent but I find it hilarious that Green Lanterns are— by technicality— already “magical girls,” considering they’re granted magical accessories that give them powers and transform their clothing. Hal is very clear with the JL that he is nothing like Batman and constantly feels the need to assert that he is not a magical artifact wielder. The non-human members of the team still lump them together anyway.

Things I haven’t figured out:

- what each of the batfam’s weapons are

- what each of the magical artifacts are

- what to refer to magical artifact wielders as

Stepping outside the canon(?) lore of the au for a minute, obviously I’m redesigning DC characters using inspiration from a genre, because that’s what “magical girl” is. It’s a genre. This is why I refer to it in quotes and don’t call them magical boys, because I am always referring to it as a genre, which isn’t a gendered thing. However, in universe they wouldn’t call themselves magical anything, the same way the characters of Sailor Moon don’t refer to themselves as magical girls, but rather Sailor Scouts. As of right now I’m sort of just referring to them as artifact wielders, but I feel like Bruce would come up with a better name. On a similar note, throughout this whole thing I’ve been referring to Arcanium in it’s wearable state as an artifact. I don’t know if that’s the best term, but I can’t think of anything better for the generalized form of Arcanium outside of it’s raw state. For now I guess it will be “artifacts” and “artifact wielders.”

- how the wonderfam fits into this

I really can’t think of a reason why Wonder Woman would be a “magical girl” in this au. She was born with abilities, she’s not human, and I can’t see her altering her uniform to match the aesthetic. A transformation would just be a waste of time for her. I could to see maybe Cassie or Donna wanting to match with their respective teams, and perhaps maybe that’s why they would alter their uniforms? All I know is I want see Tim, Kon, Bart and Cassie as a matching “magical girl set.”

Fin… for now.

[I’m just going to put this here preemptively, because I’ve gotten messages about turning my au into fics or tiktok skits. You’re free to use this lore HOWEVER you MUST credit me not just for the designs but for the creation of the lore. I’ve put a lot of time and thought into this and I love that people love it, so I just ask for recognition. If you want to make something that’s inspired by my designs or loosely based on my au, just a simple credit for the inspiration is fine. You’re free to change things this is just how my own au operates. Regardless I would prefer to be tagged so that people can find me but also because I’d love to see other’s work.]

Current designs:

[starmaidengarden]

Hiii!! May I request housewarden finding out their insomniac s/o easily falls asleep when he hugs them, rubs their back or hears his voice? The activities he does its up to you, no need to be what i list, thank youu >v<

— housewarden x gn!reader. no cw/tw. established relationship. dividers: uzmacchiato.

Riddle Rosehearts ༉⋆｡˚

When you admit that you’ve been struggling with insomnia—but mysteriously fall asleep whenever you’re in his arms or hear his voice—Riddle stares at you, wide-eyed. He takes a moment to process what you’ve said. Then he remembers the times you dozed off in the middle of his lengthy rule explanations or the way you clung to him for comfort during naps, finally finding some peace.

His face turns bright red. “If it helps… I suppose I can make an exception,” he replies, flustered yet secretly pleased by the idea. That night, he sits by your bed with a book in hand, reading aloud from a magical theory textbook in his softest voice. You curl into his arms, your breathing gradually evening out with each page turn. He finds himself gently rubbing calming circles on your back, whispering, “Sleep well, my rose…”

Leona Kingscholar ༉⋆｡˚

The first time he discovers it is by accident. You're lying beside him in the botanical gardens, tossing and turning. But the moment he wraps an arm around your waist, and mutters, “Just go to sleep already,” you go still—and then he hears your soft, steady breathing. Leona blinks, confused. “Oi… did you just fall asleep?” He scoffs, but a quiet smirk plays on his lips.

He pretends it’s a hassle. “You’re so needy, herbivore,” he grumbles as he stretches out and makes room for you in his bed later that night. But truthfully, he finds it comforting. He starts wrapping his arms around you instinctively, drawing lazy circles on your back with his finger, his deep, gravelly voice mumbling stories from the Sunset Savanna or simply humming against your ear.

Azul Ashengrotto ༉⋆｡˚

Azul is flustered beyond belief. He fidgets with his glasses, his face a bright red. “My… voice?” he repeats. His insecurities bubble up instantly. Is it pity? Some trick? But when he sees how sincere—and embarrassed—you are, his heart softens.

It’s awkward at first. He’s never seen himself as someone comforting, but he begins tentatively offering to stay while you fall asleep. One evening, you ask him to talk about his latest Mostro Lounge plans, and he starts rambling—only for you to fall asleep against his shoulder. After that, he makes it a nightly habit lying beside you, stroking your back gently, talking about everything from business to the sea.

Kalim Al-Asim ༉⋆｡˚

Kalim lights up. “Really?! Just me hugging you or talking can help you sleep?!” He’s genuinely thrilled. No hesitation. “Then I’ll do it every night!” He starts treating it like a sacred duty. Every night, He’ll drag you to his room with a pile of pillows and blankets, enthusiastically throwing himself into bed next to you, wrapping you up in his arms like a burrito, telling you silly stories about his childhood, humming little desert lullabies, or rubbing your back with his hands as he wishes you the sweetest dreams.

If you're anxious or restless, he’ll rub your back in soothing circles and tell stories about his travels until your eyelids droop. When you fall asleep mid-sentence or smile sleepily as you curl into him, Kalim whispers, “Sleep well, sunshine,” and holds you close, absolutely glowing from understanding that his love helps you rest.

Vil Schoenheit ༉⋆｡˚

When Vil first discovers that your insomnia disappears only when you’re being touched, he pauses mid-movement. You immediately started to fall asleep while he tried a new skincare mask on you. When you quietly confess your insomnia and how only his presence or voice soothes you, he gazes at you with something unreadable—then lets out a slow sigh. “Of all the things to be dependent on…” he mutters, brushing a hand through your hair, “...you choose me.” It sounds haughty, but there's a quiet vulnerability underneath.

He takes it seriously, creating a serene nighttime atmosphere for you. Lavender oil diffusing, silk sheets, his gentle voice discussing skincare or reciting poetry—Vil makes sure your nights are beautiful and restful. He won’t say it aloud, but knowing he brings you peace moves him.

Idia Shroud ༉⋆｡˚

Idia nearly malfunctions the first time he realizes you only fall asleep when he’s talking. You’re lying on his bed, surrounded by neon screens, and he’s nervously explaining the backstory of some obscure anime villain when you fall asleep—while he’s still talking. “D-did I bore you to sleep?!” he frets. But then he sees your peaceful expression.

You later tell him that it’s not boredom—it’s comfort. He blushes harder than he ever has in his life. After that, Idia gets weirdly good at helping you sleep. He sets up mood lighting, plays soft lo-fi playlists, and starts recording rambling voice memos about his favorite games and theories.

Malleus Draconia ༉⋆｡˚

Malleus is incredibly moved. “My presence soothes your mind?” he asks, awed. To be your sanctuary is something that touches his heart deeply. He holds you with reverence, humming ancient lullabies from Briar Valley or simply speaking of his day. The fact that you relax in his arms, trusting him completely, is a treasure he guards fiercely. He’ll be there each night without fail—your guardian in both dreams and wakefulness.

If you're tossing and turning, he wraps you in his arms and gently rubs your back. He’ll speak slowly—each word a gentle stone building your pathway to sleep. He looks down at you, sleeping peacefully in his arms, and whispers to the stars above, “Even in your dreams, you trust me.” He begins taking your rest as a personal responsibility. He will hold you each night, humming low melodies from his homeland, ancient lullabies in a language only the fae know. His voice is deep and resonant—just enough to calm your restless thoughts.

[kalims]

⭒ㅤwhose (not) random kid

premise. crash landing from the future is apparently your kid, not that you know that anyway... in the form of a mixture between you, and your... supposed counterpart, clues are bound to pile up as to whose child this is.

parts. rosehearts, kingscholar, ashengrotto, al asim, schoenheit, shroud, draconia

cont. gender neutral reader, use of 'mada' which is just 'mama' and 'dada' cut in half for our resident shrimp (aka yuu) staggering 6.1k words woah

note. hello, hello! for a while I don't think I can work on azul's part </3 it's gonna be a very busy week for me for the following two weeks (i can say i am already in hell week) for finals so it might be a while before I can pick his part up hehe. in the meanwhile... here's leona ;) if I can commit to a date for azul, you can check out the posting schedule at my pinned since I will be updated it once i do!

as usual, just comment if you also want to be added in the taglist ^^ if those already on want to be removed you can also drop a comment to inform me!

leona

i should take a bite–was a brief thought that swam through your mind just as you turned a corner to another seemingly endless hallway. the floating lanterns, and candles alike light up in a short flash of dim green when you passed, extinguishing completely when you found another hallway.

in your hands was none other than a doom sandwich from the cafeteria, plucked then fought after its other nineteen siblings in the tray. if you had a word it would probably be chaos, you’d think there was a pyramid of golden bars in the cafeteria from the crowd of students outside before the bell.

there was indeed not.

“shehehe! take this, our protege!” were the humble words of a ghost occupant of the main campus, who had apparently come to view you as an underling of theirs. so if slipping the wrapped delicacy into your hands discreetly with a wink was their idea of a ‘good job’ then who were you, honestly to decline?

out of courtesy you wondered whether or not to inform your friends alongside the large crowd in the front of the room but decided against it because you were in the right mind to not dive first into that… mob and lose your beloved gift immediately.

in short, the students of this unfortunate institution were not above using dirty tactics for a single, stupid sandwich that happens to induce a recollection of memories when eaten (alright, you do see the appeal).

you hid it within the inner pockets of your blazer, lacking the nausea you had through the first few times of travelling through the mirrors as you stepped through and found yourself in the warm, humid air of savanaclaw. thankfully, as with all condiments from the cafeteria, the food would always remain warm.

alright. you did feel a bit dizzy but as were such with certain out of the world aliens like yourself. 

“we’re missing a disk, yuu-yuu!” 

you turned your head at the mention of your name, spotting a few savanaclaw students either lying still with varying pants or grabbing a drink at their own magishift field. a few disks were strewn around the dusty ground but you steeled your gaze at the source of your called name.

politely, you waved. this time, you’re not sure why cater’s nickname for you had extended from the upperclassmen of heartslabyul (well, the first years regard you normally anyway.) then to savanaclaw residents. for a dorm with such virile individuals, they’re still teenagers who like to pick on you, albeit less disdainful and more teasing after you’d helped the dorm out.

before, they were just demons to you!

you nudge your chin towards the many lying around. “there’s a lot of disks around, upperclassmen.” you pointed out, the cheetah eared second year doesn’t even spare them a glance like catching your attention were more of his concerns than a not-but lack of disks. “if you’re asking me to carry one to you, they’re really heavy. i’m sure your magic can carry it well anyway.”

buttering egos must be an acquired skill around here.

cheetah only flashes you a toothy grin, two fangs poking out from under his lips. “nah.” he replied with a shake of his head, patting down the towel slung around his shoulders to the perspiring skin of his neck. “want to be our disk? last time got everyone motivated to be the ones to throw you around.”

“no, thank you!” you bowed politely, turning around at record speed.

he snorted.

“bye, yuu-yuu.”

in hindsight no one would ever be sane enough to be a disk after watching a magical shift game considering it might as well just be a blur of color with all of the spells trailing after it. unfortunately, you were more so dragged into the role and reluctantly accepted your fate.

it was not a fun experience! you shivered, keeping your head straight to the entrance of the dorm as you resumed walking and ignored the disappointed hollers behind you. if you can’t see them, they don’t exist.

a breeze brushes through your legs.

the breeze trips you from your stride.

dazed with confusion, you remained stomach against the ground for a moment. what was that? you wondered after your brief startle, moving to push yourself up from the ground. a frown creases the space between your brows when you regained your stand and spotted the brown dust littering your otherwise, clean uniform.

you sighed when you found that it did not only cover your forearms, but also the front of your entire uniform. you might as well be rolling around on the ground to justify the mess on your clothes. 

this place really hates you.

“sorry…”

jumping ten feet from the air (you wish. you’re exaggerating for good measure.) you whipped your head around, searching from the pitched, misty voice that seemed to chime pretty close to your ear.

… must have been the wind.

the wind knocks you to the ground again when you moved forward despite your initial dumbfoundedness.

when you raise your face that once again planted to the ground, you are not greeted by the air you expected but rather than a pair of green eyes that was not familiar in the slightest when you pair their shade of hair alongside the irises.

“i’m sleepy. can we take a nap?” 

you gaped, horrified at the scare. “WHAT IN THE WO–”

‎⎯⎯ . . . ‎

grim on the other hand feels like he’s in heaven.

setting aside cans of tuna’s under your bed felt like a mastermind plan he’s been devising for weeks, there was no way you’d discover the pile below! he chuckled to himself. at last, with you away for the night (he assumes you are, since you’re goin’ over to meet that overgrown cat!). grim is at least thankful for this one time that leona kidnaps you away from him.

with his feast laid out in front of him grim spares a loud cackle that shook him with so much please that warm puffs of smoke slipped through his canine teeth, the blue fire larger with his laughs.

now i can eat! finally! after weeks! he cried in his head.

grim was just about to leap in to tear through the metal can to ravish his meal but instead startled upwards at the sound of a door slamming against the wall he worried the entire building just might come down on him for a second.

dust flew down from the ceiling and floated on the top of the cans. grim’s flames roared brighter in response to his otherwise perfect evening.

myaaahh! it’s just one foot on it. he thinks to himself, dimming at the thought of facing your fury. you sounded angry considering you literally slammed the door despite knowing it would challenge the stability of this… dumpster! his anger doubles down into satisfaction considering he took it upon himself to indulge in this feast up in the attic.

where you, after spotting the state of dust during the first few days, remarked to never step a foot in there again with a sneeze.

grim sneezed, then sniffed. it isn’t his sense of smell that matters now anyway, but his sense of taste!

though that fleeting sniff has him sniffing again, having caught a whiff of some scent that’s not familiar in the slightest. spicy, earthy with no traces of your own unique smell that divides you from the other students grim refers to as ‘nobodies’.

but slightly familiar.

he just about jumps to the ceiling with how shocked he was from the sight of the door leading down from the attic quite literally flew from its hinges to the air, falling heavily down the corner of the space with a wave of sound, and dust that momentarily blinds grim who coughed at the overwhelming amount of particles he had inhaled in the wake,

“ah!” grim yelled in surprise, ears folding back. he shuffled to the other side of the room, body reared back defensively.

he does not know what’s worse, these acts of anger involving the furniture having you as the source or… the savanaclaw dorm  head that had just climbed the steps to the attic with begrudging slowness.

leona wrinkles his nose at the smell, turning his head to the side with a displeased expression plastered on his face. at the very least, the monster is intelligent enough to read that he’s less than in a talking mood. “you,” he all but growled, ascending the steps fully.

“m..me!” grim huffed, trying to look intimidating by the puffing of his chest. “this is private property! my henchman owns this place!”

the lion waves him off. “don’t care. whatever they own is mine, whatever i own is theirs.”

another menacing step from the male has grim blanching and scurrying back. until he feels the dusty expanse of the wall brushing against the tip of his tail comfortably, he at the very least makes sure the flame doesn’t accidentally get the whole building catching on fire. if he didn’t you’d be far scarier than this leona right now.

well… except this leona is the one enticing fear in him right now, not the imagination of you.

what in the world did you do to this guy? he thought frantically. he would have thought leona was immensely content with the fact that you were visiting his dorm like he was every other time. did you fight? why was he even here? did you throw him under the bus?

right. grim might have eaten one of the chilled meat inside the savanaclaw fridge–only finding out it was leona’s right after he spat out the wet piece of paper with his name stuck onto it but…

“you know why i’m here?” leona scowled, not bothering to crouch down to the monster’s height. such an action was below him, that’s why he only peers down through his lashes at grim who confusedly shook his head.

he mocked, voice coming out stuck between a low rumble, and a growl. “your ‘henchman’ owes me now, makin’ me wait all that time and being a no show.”

as if to showcase his irritation, his tail flicked sharply. ears pulled back but twitching at every little sound like he expects to catch yuu in the action of hiding from him or something. grim begs to differ because he has no idea where you were.

it must have shown on his face but leona refused to be in the dark about your whereabouts. “so,” he squinted, flashing a canine tooth. threatening all the well, and of course less than happy. “if you tell me where that herbivore is, maybe i’ll spare you from the storm that’s coming to them.”

more like tell me now or you’re not gonna like what’s gonna happen next! grim cried in his mind.

leona tilted his head, eyes skimming from grim to the surrounding room. “or maybe i can just bring the storm here? this place’ll be nothing but a poor imitation of that scarabia with all the sand i’m gonna leave it in.”

“you can’t destroy ramshackle.” grim protested. “this is my–yuu's home!”

the male waved him off. “i’ll just rebuild it into somethin’ more suitable for them. easy.” briefly distracted after entertaining a thought, leona’s face smoothed down into blankness. “they can just stay with me.”

leona was in for the worst mood in the century when two whole hours after your designated meeting time at his dorm, like usual which you almost always upheld by being there in the first place, sometimes a little late but nonetheless present.

initially one hour was the most he was willing to wait. then leona thought to spare you another gracious hour before he eventually begrudgingly stood from his already comfortable position to the bed to look for you himself. there was no way he was going to pass up on quality sleep.

not that he would’ve tolerated waiting for five more minutes for others, much less an hour then two.

unfortunately. it was just you.

he flicks your forehead twice. “that’s for being two minutes late.”

you frowned at him. 

he shook the memory off before it can fully be the pin in the inflated balloon he currently calls his emotions. he’d flick you more than one twenty times that’s for sure, until the only thing you’d remember was him, even though leona knows his finger would lose the force by the third flick and you’re simply just feeling him poking you.

“anyway,”

“yuu ain’t here. they went to meet you, didn’t they?!”

“that’s right.” his eyes narrowed.

“then it’s not my fault they didn’t show for your attitude!”

leona grinned and stepped a foot forward with a bit more force than necessary, creating a stomp that promptly startles grim. “what did you just say?” he taunted, daring. say it again.

he sidestepped the ball of blue fire that came from grim’s teeth. “i’m telling yuu.” he said off-handedly.

grim panicked, straightening and sitting in a manner that was almost docile. “no!”

the man scoffed at the silence that settles into the air. your little partner was useless when the only thing tying him to this college was you and the audacity to not ensure your safety boggled him so much leona was almost tempted to transfer you over to savanaclaw despite your countless denial.

better to be safe than sorry. he thought. he would rather you be safe than him be sorry.

one glance at grim and of course the yapping he’d been doing the entire time, leona concludes that this little thing wasn’t any better in the where in the seven is yuu department. the only thing he’s irked about is that he went all the way here–that you somehow made him go all the way here.

he pinches the bridge of his nose, turning on his heel and sluggishly descending the steps from the attic. he must be going mad.

grim does not bother to muster up any form of courage to ask where leona was going, he already knew.

he could only think about what was gonna happen to the poor soul called you.

on his way navigating through your sad excuse of a (temporary) home, leona can feel the presence of your many spirit friends staring. to some extent he understands why, he did almost bring the entire dorm down since his arrival and he hasn’t even used a drop of his magic yet.

they can at least be grateful he shut the door on his way out.

leona momentarily thought about simply using a transportation spell to get him to the mirror chamber, from ramshackle to the main campus… it was quite a far destination to go through back to back. maybe he should think about hitting up a mage who excels in mirror transportation.

whoever made the mirror chamber. for your convenience.

wait a minute. why should he be worried about your convenience when you just about stood him up?

leona decides against the spell. it was complicated, and his thoughts was not in the right place to focus on converting his body and mind at the same time. he reckons he might as well be sending himself to somewhere farther with his state of disarray.

all the way to the mirror chamber, his face was etched into a permanent scowl. leona only ever kept your notifications unmuted, so a buzz from his phone has him reaching and opening it immediately.

one new message from chek–

he shuts the phone as his perpetual scowl deepened.

if seeing leona actually roaming the halls and not dozing off somewhere was a surprise, his face was practically a loud sign warning to stay away. that’s exactly what the passing students did, spared a glance, double checked, then steered clear from his way without another attempt at gossip.

they knew he could hear whatever they were saying. not that he cared enough right now.

the strange feeling of getting transported from the mirror chamber back to savanaclaw shortly takes all thoughts from his mind before it returns as he registers the familiar feel of his dorm, soothing but not quite home. home would more so be a person to him than a fleeting thing like a place.

like…

“dorm-leader!” 

“welcome back!”

“what were you up to, dorm leader?”

a chorus from entirely different people sound from the therianthropes likely practicing for a match that was ages away. such was the spirit of savanaclaw students that want to excel in one singular area like magishift when they put their mind to it. leona can atleast say he feels the same.

the long sigh he emitted was a quick sign he was annoyed, a sign that his dorm residents have learned to read over the years. they doubled down from their excitement at seeing him and settled a bit more pliantly.

most probable thing tied to his temper nowadays was probably you.

a lynxes’ ears twitch as he recalled seeing you earlier, talking to cheetah. so why was the dorm leader mad? “leona-senpai.” he started cautiously as the male walked past him, not sparing him a glance but definitely listening.

leona thought lynxes was just greeting him until the other continued. “you here to see yuu-yuu?” 

he stopped in his steps, the slow swing of his tail betraying the nonchalance plastered across his face. from the way he turned his head over a shoulder a little was his own universal gesture of urging someone to continue.

despite a moment of excitement at the prospect of his dorm leader paying attention to him, lynxes relishes it quickly. “yuu was just on their way to the dorm.” he continued as cheetah perked up at the mention of the name. both of them do not think too deeply on the obvious uncoiling of the tenseness from leona.

cheetah nodded along. having resigned to resting by one of the bleachers seeing as he’d been playing for over half an hour. “yeah. the little human dropped by earlier with their scrawny self smelling good.”

at leona’s critical eye, cheetah back tracked. “like food. i’m sure it was for you, leona-senpai.” he huffed, sharing an incredulous look with lynxes. geez…

the only really scary thing about yuu was the fact that you’d managed to wrap their dorm leader around your fingers like it was nothing. you seemed like you weren’t even trying anyways! you were just… there, and it’s like leona’s the one keeping you close even though he was notorious for, well. doing nothing.

“where’s the herbivore?” 

“they were on their way to the dorm.” lynxes replied.

cheetah sighed wistfully. “what a shame, really. was really looking forward to yuu-yuu playing magishift again.”

lynxes snorted. “doubt they can even hold up the weight of the disk alone.”

“i meant as our disk like before, doofus.” cheetah nudged him., lynxes scowled lighty at the name. both of them chorus a farewell to leona who had already started retreating after catching the answer to his question. if you were here, while he was over at your place… was that a waste of time then?

perhaps.

he can’t feel a bit annoyed. at the timing–then at the fact that he feels relieved.

leona only grunts in response, his own unique way of a thank you that eliminated the unnecessary need for words. good thing his dorm residents understands his non-verbal cues at least, more so you.

you had an uncanny ability to detect quite a lot about him since, well… the more time you spent together. you said he was grumpy when he doesn’t do anything–which is insane considering he doesn’t do anything at any given time (you just mean he’s grumpy all the time.) and when he asks, you only mimic the look of ‘his grump’.

a response to you. “i don’t look constipated.”

a response to him. “so you’re saying you look constipated?”

the man stepped into his dorm, a certain haste in his steps that does not drain his energy but makes him feel more alive with each assuming step closer to you as he directs himself into the wide area of savanaclaw to his own room.

he barely registers the murmurs of greeting that fly his way with each dorm mate that spots him roaming the halls. of all students in night raven college, it's his own that are most brave enough to still spare him a greeting even if he seemed not in the mood. of course it is, only his dorm doesn’t have cowards.

not that he’s not in the mood anyway. a few minutes ago, sure. but now? he’s begrudgingly unable to deny the anticipation that threatens to lift his lips.

unfortunately he passes by ruggie who immediately walks backwards with his pace to annoy him surely. “leona-san.” he greets with a grin, resting his hands behind his head and skillfully ignoring the incoming obstacles called people.

thanks to his reputation around, the greetings to leona are also mixed in with a ruggie-senpai, or a ruggie-san if it happened to be a first year.

leona gave ruggie the stink eye. “leave me alone.” he grunts out, impatient as he walked.

ruggie makes a show of letting his eyes drift down to his legs. wider steps. “you’re in a hurry.” he observes slyly. compared to other openly tactical students–ruggie was subtle to himself, never quite revealing any cards until the very last resort. one of the reasons leona kept him close. “didn’t know there was anything exciting in ‘vanaclaw.”

the hyena chuckled to himself, raising his brows at a passing sweaty student who was on the verge of a brawl with another.

“don’t care.” replied leona.

“been gone for a while.” ruggie threw back. “i don’t think i’ve ever seen you mope around in your room for so long, and tail it out.”

by the time leona finally spared him an irritated glance, he was speaking again. “so, did ya find em’?” ruggie didn’t need to be told what form of craft had leona rising from his comfortable coffin and going venturing out. its you, always has to be you somehow. be it in savanaclaw or elsewhere.

“no.” he rolls his eyes, finally opening the door to his room about to turn back and shut the door in ruggie’s face–but that was when he expected to see you pliantly sat on his bed and waiting because you owed him that much.

leona stops. staring at the empty space of his bed. he looked around the room, no sign of you but a whole lot signs of ruggie which wasn’t what he was looking for at all.

so he doesn’t care who’s been snooping despite the shameless animal behind him if it didn’t have anything to do with you.

“you came back, empty-handed?” ruggie quirked a brow, dropping his hands from his hair and tugging at the signature scarf of his dorm around his neck with a glance around. “gee. it's hot in here.”

leona pinched the bridge of your nose. whatever semblance of a good mood he had moments ago was thrown out the window when he found–that you were indeed not here in his room where he expected you to be. where else? you weren’t too buddy-buddy with any other dorm mates besides jack, and jack was in his room when he passed it.

you weren’t there either.

cheetah, and lynxes… he sighed in his mind.

“look for that herbivore in each corner of this dorm.” he sniffed, shaking his head.

leona pauses.

he sniffs again.

a scent of yours invades his nostrils, calming his rising temper to a halt suddenly. he stops, and looks scrutinizingly around the room with key focus. you were in here, somewhere. leona took a step closer to the bed, following the warmer tinges of your smell.

he took a right. it faded slightly so he went back.

by the time he was hunting for you, ruggie curiously took a deep inhale and wrinkled his nose. “ack… now this place smells like yuu-yuu. to think i thought them smelling like you was bad.” 

it was true, the scent was particularly stronger than it should be. had he not noticed? the closer he walked to the bed, the stronger the smell was. with each step it practically swirled around in his head to the point where he could just sleep deeply in comfort, tricked into thinking you were laying right next to him.

like you were next to him,

leona stops by the side of his bed, narrowing his eyes at the crinkle of his sheets.

he stared closely until it seemingly squirmed at his intense stare, shifted a bit to the side like there was someone on it and leona’s hand shot out above the area. surprised to feel a limb, ankle perhaps? fit loosely within the confines of his palm.

“gotcha.” he whispered in triumph, tugging at whatever he had grabbed. it felt like a body, a potion perhaps? it didn’t quite feel like you, leona would know how you feel because he felt you in his soul.

leona, and ruggie stared in startle when the air flickered like translucent mirrors that reflected the light, and warped into something entirely.

“a little kid!” ruggie shouted in alarm, scurrying to leona to take a closer look.

the kid in question was… weird. more specifically, they smelled strangely familiar which was strange in the first place. leona leaned in, to which the kid squirmed when he inhaled deeply from the steady pulse of their adrenaline from their neck.

“who are you?” he all but growled, ruggie grimaced at his tone of voice like he was judging the way leona dealt with kids. surprisingly, unlike the usual intimidated bundle they only look vastly annoyed, like leona was a bother.

safe to say the man picked up on that as well.

they turned their head stubbornly. “you’re ruining my nap time!” they exclaimed–it was official. he was a bother. green met green and leona faltered when a haze of confusing familiarity stared at him right in the eye.

he glances at the pair of ears, a ribbon wrapped just below the fluff of hair at the edge of their tail. they must have sensed it because they huffed at his face.

“jealous?” they said at his stupefied face. “mada gave it to me earlier when i found them.”

he doesn’t know who mada is but they have terrible taste.

“a lion therianthrope.” leona observed.

“obviously.” the kid replied.

the former’s face soured, the latter snickered.

“looks like a baby you, but more sassy.” ruggie quipped.

the room pauses. first of all, leona briefly remembers the scent he was following and quickly determined that while this kid was swarming with your smell, it still wasn’t the strongest in the room. second of all, why?

“oi,” he grunted, rearing back when they swiped at his face at the prolonged proximity. “keep your claws in. you better have a good reason why you’ve been keeping my herbivore from me.”

“mada is mine!” retorted the kid with a distasteful scrunch of their nose as they turned their head away from the man, closing their eyes as if it was giving them a disability to look at him any longer. who was that?

leona’s eye twitched and one glance at ruggie quieted the hyena from an ongoing cackle of glee immediately–though he didn’t seem too prone to stopping considering his alternative was looking away so leona doesn’t see his grin.

contrary to the proud stand of the child’s ears, leona’s own flattens in response and he has to remind himself that he’s above chucking random kids who happen to smell like you out the window. “i don’t know who your mada is but–”

“mada is mada.” they huffed.

“...”

leona was quite forced to drop the little ‘rascal’ or so he thought when they feigned a bite at his arm. they plopped down back onto his bed, body too little so they bounced off a little. then… they scurried from the edge, away from him all the way to the edge and grasped at air.

literally holding onto air, fingers clenched around something.

his eyes sharpened. “what else are you hidin’?” he queried at the kid who boredly stuck out a tongue but hid back when his scowl deepened. to some extent he figured it was you, a quiet dispel incantation in his mind sent a wave of magic and the air flickered again to reveal the suspect of his most eventful day.

yuu. you. whatever

you looked like you just got caught hiding beneath a bench in broad daylight, your eyes drifted to the child and hilariously enough, seemed as though you also wanted to hide behind them. “novu…” you murmured lowly, as if all three therianthropes in the room could not hear you clearly. “you said i have to keep quiet and he won’t find out!”

novu blinked repeatedly. their demeanor falling slightly with the curl of their ears, they seemed strangely docile compared to the half bothered demeanor that was in the face of leona. “papa always finds us when we hide.” they whispered back, pursing their lips. “he’s a cheater interrupting our nap!’

you nodded vehemently. “true, he is.”

ruggie coughed. “wait, wait… about leona being this kid’s… papa or a cheater?”

“...”

“both!” replied novu cheerfully.

this time you seemed to be in jetlag to process the information, staring at novu’s face before it shifted to leona. “huh,” you murmured. they kind of looked alike, from the eyes, to their seeming shared feline traits. “HUH?!”

you sat up immediately, hands shooting to the small shoulders of novu who perked up–instead of being offended by your sudden startle they seemed incredibly pleased and nuzzled into the warmth that seeped from your palms through their top.

“what do you mean papa?” you swallowed. suddenly feeling incredibly nervous, especially with the heavy aura leona is emanating behind you, you really don’t want to turn around and see what kind of expression he’s wearing on his face. 

the urge to shake the kid who had technically kidnapped you from the forbidden thing called crashing leona time then happily insisting it was novu time now. just a few intentional widening of their eyes and you begrudgingly followed them along to leona’s room which was surprisingly devoid of the man himself.

just from the small bits of his, and ruggie’s conversation when they returned you easily concluded he came looking for you.

and… well, you don’t really want him to see you at the moment when you unintentionally-intentionally blew him off.

you meant. it’s fine, right…? you do spend a lot of your time with him, so just a few hours wouldn’t be too bad.

everything is not fine! you screeched in your head. any hopes for respite from these two were promptly thrown out the window when novu’s face soured when they glanced at leona.

“papa doesn’t share you with me, so i have to take you first.” novu said proudly. at this point the hands on their shoulders weren’t enough so they climbed on your legs and slumped against your front, distinctively making a sound of contentment as they relaxed.

befuddled, frazzled, more words relating to perplexed ran through your head as you confusedly wrapped your arms around the little figure and pet the top of their head. novu seemed especially pleased when your fingers neared the fur atop their ears and even rubbed their head against yours in what seemed to be affection.

still shocked to oblivion, as in my soul just left my body you turned your wide eyes to leona who, to your surprise, did not bear a face of grump but a more unsettling blankness that cleared any semblance to emotion really. he stared intently at your head, obviously ignoring the disappointed look ruggie is digging to the side of his.

the hyena–when he caught your gaze also spared you a shake of his head as if he was non-verbally insulting you with an insinuation of something you haven’t even done, or yet to anyway.

you had briefly caught snippets of their exchange during your small interaction with novu, leona growling out an out which left ruggie no chance to deny but concerned enough with the new addition being seen to close the door on his way out.

when leona finally spoke, he furrowed his brows at novu. a flicker of annoyance at the sight of the clear coddling of the little one against you and the fact that you welcomed it. “i don’t have any kids.” he huffed like it was obvious.

novu did not open an eye but spared him a reply. “i don’t know how you and mada made me but you’re my only papa, and they’re my only mada.” despite their previous acts against leona, they were oddly proud of proclaiming themselves as his child.

leona raised a brow. he reluctantly softens, or instinctively you’re not sure.“you’re not from around here, are you?” he quipped. the bed dips under the new weight as he settled down next to you, surprisingly restrained enough not to pluck the kid out of your grasp and take their place.

he leaned back against the pillows, resting the back of his hand on his forehead.

“i’m where i’m supposed to be.” sniffed novu, a lower tilt to their voice trailing off that spoke volumes about their state of consciousness. “with you, and mada.” 

novu nuzzled against you, shifting slightly like they wanted to wriggle out. you retracted your arms to your sides and they sighed deeply when they settled in the middle of the bed, eyes still closed and breathing evening out.

“don’t leave me for so long.” they yawned.

you blinked.

leona kept staring at the ceiling.

why was he so docile?! you were still trying to wrap your mind around it all!

“goodnight.” you muttered dumbly.

you turned your head to point a sharp gaze at leona–who sighs, feeling your stare and grumbled under his breath.

“night.” he rolled his eyes.

the room lapses in silence from a while, bathed in the dawning set of the sun. you considered stealing a blanket from leona’s drawer but decided against it, considering the dorm is still quite humid even at this time of day, if you were at diasomnia you’re sure you’d have frozen to death even with a pile of them on top of you.

you snuck a glance at the elusive novu, their energy burnt out as they fell to a sound sleep, occasionally their ears twitched when your body shifted the slightest bit, reaching out as if you keep you from going.

aw. you kept still.

“is this my future?” you sulked to yourself, sighing as the weight of your shock faded into the air and left you slumping against the bed.

“is it so bad?” leona commented after your remark faded a bit.

you crossed your arms, sneaking a glance at him. “they’re cute.” you referred to novu.

not an answer to his question. leona thought in irritation, you always did have a way with a head made up entirely out of air. then again, his might be as well if he’s taken such a deep liking to you that prevents him from letting go–that in the first place was demented of him, he was not clingy.

leona does not entertain the pictures that his mind conjures to rebuke his denial of fondness in physical form.

sleeping on you, teaching you chess, keeping you close? that was just him collecting pieces to discard.

sure.

“just sleep, you’ve been looking for me all day, right?” 

leona closes his eyes. “i have.”

he’d just have to give you a reason to look forward to seeing a novu again.

‎⎯⎯ . . . ‎

by the time you woke up there was something draped around the bed.

you instinctively patted the space next to you, not feeling the strange feel of novu but the hard plane of leona’s cheek. he does not swat at your hand but spares you an annoyed scowl. you note that he’s… well, a lot closer than he should be even with the missing space of novu between your bodies.

oops. the only thing to pull leona out of a grumpy mood in the morning was a meal. you clearly did not have the current power to do so as you had… fed the doom sandwich to a pouty novu.

thankfully ruggie popped in, barely blinking at your sprawled figures on the bed but more surprised at the missing recent addition. “where’s your lovechild?”

jack’s voice rose from the hallway. “their what?!”

“get out.” leona sneered. “you’re ruinin’ my morning.”

it wasn’t already ruined?! all three of you cried in your minds.

trivia

their unique magic is “from where do you see me?” which you might already guess is being able to conceal themselves in thin air, alongside a thing, or person they have to be directly touching as they’re still young, and inexperienced to properly control their unique magic without a medium.

novu is written to be an equally cheeky 7 year old that happens to take naps very seriously, and not so energetic when deprived of sleep (i’m trying to write all of the children to be generally gender neutral lol but i do have a ‘implied [gender]’ next to their names in the draft lol! as you might guess, alice is feminine… but what about novu?

a second italicized word means that it was novu! for example: ‘must have been the wind’ is really just the wind, whereas: ‘the wind knocks you to the ground’ is the cheeky novu!

cheetah, and lynxes are not their actual names. just called them what they were, which is an actual cheetah, and lynxes therianthrope who both respectively belong in the family of big cats.

unlike alice who was on a clock during their time in the past, novu wished to sleep well and was sent back in time to find you so they can enjoy a lengthy sleep as the future you had not returned home alongside future leona due to a political exchange.

so once they finally fell asleep, they will eventually return.

yuu hid the sandwich and tailed it out of the cafeteria immediately, not wanting to stick around to know that one of the non-humans with crazy senses smells it on them and decides to target them!

ruggie usually doesn’t comment on the weather of savanaclaw but he does say “its hot in here.” because it felt warmer compared to the outside, which didn’t make sense. it was very much due to yuu, and novu in the same room.

magical shift disks are known to be heavy in weight alone, that’s why it's mainly used to direct imbued in magic. yuu did, actually get roped into a game by being a disk which was… an experience.

jack was supposed to be hear but i missed the bullets where i outlined him LOL

writingerror on archive of our own inspired partial parts of this work (as well as me writing once again honestly) which includes the interactions with students to yuu, as well as the.. yuu being a disk part which is a chapter in one of their works!

the reason why leona’s ‘morning’ is not ruined despite him already being bothered first thing is due to you!

🔖: @lostsomewhereinthegarden @staplertwst @rinis-reality @rhyzoma @iamprodigious @irzali-imagines @glitterandgoldfinds @luna-looniesblog @wokasiv @readrecieptoff @miyaswmire @dakissomewhere @yourfavouritecitizen @rei-vii @colombia-chan @ceramic-raven @leitor-sonolento @night-shadowblood-writes2 @ms-shroud @bju3c0re @usernamesarehardtomake @wonderlandcrown @los3rtown

[hanniebaeee]

Touch Me

Felix x fem!reader

Warnings: SMUT 18+ MDNI

Genre: established relationship, fluff, smut

Summary: You and Felix have been dating for a few months now, and you both haven't ventured beyond kissing. And one night, he asks you for something more.

a/n: I had to write one for him.

You and Felix have been dating for just over three months now, but honestly? You still can't stop staring at him like it's the first time. He’s downright mesmerizing - easily the most breathtaking person you've ever known.

Right now, you're curled up together on the couch, two half-drunk glasses of wine sitting on the coffee table. The room hums with that golden, cozy kind of magic - part wine haze, part warm lighting. But also part Felix and the way he’s looking at you like he’s got very specific plans that don’t involve much talking. 

He’s mid-story, waving his hands dramatically about some dance practice mishap, and you’re laughing so hard, nudging his thigh with your socked foot. He’s sprawled out next to you, long legs draped over the cushions, his blonde hair done in a cute bun.

“You're a disaster,” You laugh, and he catches your foot, smirking, and tugs you closer until you’re sitting flush against him. 

“Says the girl who’s been eye-fucking me all night,” he fires back, voice low and playful. His hand lingers on your ankle, sliding up to your calf, and suddenly the air’s thicker.

You roll your eyes, trying to ignore the way your cheeks heat up.

“I HAVE NOT. I’ve been… appreciating your storytelling skills.” You say, shivering a little as he drags his fingers along your skin. 

“Liar,” he murmurs, leaning in.

His lips brush yours, soft at first, wine-sweet and warm. You kiss him back, and it’s like flipping a damn switch, because the kiss deepens, all hungry and messy. Your tongues clash, and your hands find his shoulders while, his slide to your waist.

And before you know it, you’re straddling him, heart pounding erratically. 

“Hi,” he breathes against your mouth, grinning like a fool.

“Hi,” you echo, giggling. 

His hands roam up your back, tugging you closer, and you can feel him - hard and insistent against your thigh.

Ok, so you freeze. This is new territory. You’ve kissed plenty, sure, but this? This is the deep end. Felix pulls back just enough to look at you, eyes dark and hooded.

“Touch me,” he says, voice rough but so damn soft, like he’s asking for a favor. 

You freeze - again. Your hands hover over his chest, fingers twitching like they’ve forgotten how to function.

“I…uh…what?”

“Touch. Me,” he repeats, slower, guiding your hand down his chest, past the buttons of his shirt, toward the waistband of his jeans. “You know you want to. I can see it in your cute panic-face.”

“I’m not panicking!” you squeak, totally panicking.

Your palm’s hovering over the situation in his pants, and it feels like you’re defusing a bomb. Except this bomb’s sexy and smirking at you.

“I just… I’ve never… I mean, we’re new, and I don’t wanna mess this up, and oh my god, what if I’m bad at it?” you stutter. 

He laughs, a deep, throaty sound.

“Babe, you could slap me now, and I’d still be into it. Just…here.”

He takes your hand, pressing it against the very obvious bulge in his pants. And holy hell, he’s hard. Like, really hard. You gasp, and he groans, head tipping back against the couch.

He looks so blissed out, you panic even more. 

“See?” he says, voice strained but teasing. “Not so scary. Just a very enthusiastic Felix junior saying hello.”

“Felix junior? Oh my God, you're ridiculous!” You snort, despite the worry and heat pooling in your gut.

“Only for you,” he quips, giving you a grin. “Now, c’mon, babe. You’re killing me here.”

You bite your lip, the nerves and longing waging a war in your chest. You do want to. God, you want to, so bad. But your hand’s still just… sitting there, like it has lost its function.

He shifts under you, hips rocking up slightly, and you feel him twitch through the denim of his jeans. Your heart literally stops. 

“Okay, seriously,” he says, a little edge creeping into his tone. 

He grabs your wrist, eyes locking with yours, and there’s this wild, desperate glint in them that’s somehow still sweet.

“Are you gonna make me beg? Because I will. I’ll get on my knees if you want. Write you a song even. ‘The Fingers That Won’t Touch My Dick’.”

You burst out laughing, the tension snapping. “Lixie! Are you for real?!”

“Very real and very horny!” he shoots back, grinning despite his frustration. “C’mon, babe. I’m begging here.”

Something about his dramatic plea does it. You fumble with his zipper, clumsy and giggling, and he lets out this exaggerated, “Oh thank GOD,” that makes you laugh harder. 

When you finally touch him, he moans. He is so velvety and hot under your fingers, and you see his head lolling back again.

“Fuck, yes,” he breathes as your fingers wrap around him and he’s putty in your hands. Literally and figuratively - hips bucking, little gasps and whimpers spilling from his lips. He looks at you, all starry-eyed and wrecked, making your heart do a somersault.

“You’re perfect. Knew you’d be.” he praises.

“I’m winging it,” you admit, stroking him nervously, and he laughs, a bright, giddy sound that’s so him, even in the middle of this.

“Wing it harder,” he says, grinning, but there’s a strain in his tone now. His hand covers yours, guiding you, and when you don’t speed up, he whines - whines - and fixes you with those big, pleading eyes.

“Don't be so cruel!” He wails, making it sound as pathetic as possible, and that's all it takes. You give in, wrapping your fingers around him properly, stroking with a little more purpose. And the way he melts - groaning your name, hands gripping your thighs is simply the hottest yet most adorable thing ever.

“There you go,” he mumbles, voice wrecked.

You run your thumb over the soft pink head, tracing over the little slit and he whimpers, bucking his hips into your hand desperately. And it's quiet except for his moans and whines, and the sound of you moving your hand up and down his length.

He kisses again, sloppy and sweet, moaning into your mouth like you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. It’s messy and so damn romantic, and you bite his bottom lip a little too harshly, and that's what it took for him to fall apart, whimpering your name like it’s a prayer. 

You grin as he pants, and he pulls you close, sweaty and grinning, pressing lazy kisses to your jaw.

“You’re amazing,” he murmurs, voice all warm and gooey. “I’m keeping you forever.”

“You’re a dork,” you say, but you’re glowing, warm and giddy in his arms. "But I'd love that."

“I love you,” he says, softly, and you whisper it back against his lips, making him chuckle.

“Now, your turn, or are we ordering food first?”

You shove a pillow in his face, both of you dissolving into laughter. (You definitely don't order food first.) 

Divider: @saradika-graphics

Tags: @moonchild9350 @velvetmoonlght @pixie-felix @sailor--sun @chancloud8 @captainchrisstan @hansmic @emilyywhyy @inlovewithstraykids @my-neurodivergent-world @nightmarenyxx @channie4lifeee143127 @lezleeferguson-120

[satellite-evans]

best friends

Pairing: Lando Norris x reader

Summary: Lando becomes best friends with your daughter after taking care of her when she's sick <3

Word count: 4.6k+

Warnings: fluff

A/N:

English is not my first language, so I apologize if I made any (grammar) mistakes. Feedback, requests, talks, vents, recommendations or just simple questions are always welcome.

Happy reading xxx

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site.

It was one of those rainy mornings when everything seemed to move in slow motion. The sky was a dull shade of gray, and raindrops trickled down the windowpane, blurring the outside world into a watercolor painting. The sound of distant thunder rolled through the air, a reminder that the storm had settled in for the day.

You stood in your living room, fingers wrapped around a warm cup of coffee, the steam curling up into the air like a ghost of comfort. The aroma was rich, but the exhaustion clinging to your bones made it hard to appreciate. You took a slow sip, hoping the caffeine would work some magic, but the fatigue from the sleepless night refused to loosen its grip.

On the couch, your four-year-old daughter, Sophie, was curled up beneath a thick blanket, her tiny form barely stirring. Her usually bright, mischievous eyes were shut tight, her breathing soft but uneven. Her cheeks were flushed with fever, her little hands gripping the edge of the blanket like it was the only thing tethering her to comfort.

You exhaled, rubbing a hand over your face. The night had been long—hours spent checking her temperature, pressing cool cloths to her forehead, whispering reassurances into the dark. She had tossed and turned, whimpering in her sleep, too warm, too restless, too sick to find peace. And now, in the quiet of the morning, you were running on fumes, your body heavy with exhaustion, but there was no choice.

You couldn’t call in sick. Not again.

Your boss had been understanding the last time, but you knew there was only so much flexibility they could offer. And as much as you hated it, bills didn’t pause for feverish nights or exhausted single mothers. You had to push through. That’s what you always did.

Your gaze flickered to the clock. Less than an hour before your meeting.

Your stomach tightened as reality settled in—there was no way you could leave Sophie alone, not like this. The thought of walking out that door while she lay there, weak and vulnerable, made your chest ache with guilt. But what choice did you have?

You chewed your lip, fingers tightening around your phone. There was one person who might be able to help. Someone you weren’t sure you could ask yet.

Lando.

Your relationship was still new, fresh enough that you hesitated before burdening him with something this big. But he had always been kind, always made you feel like you weren’t alone in this, even when you were too scared to believe it. And right now, you needed help.

You took a breath and started typing.

Hey, Lando… Sophie is really sick today, and I have to go to work. I know this might be a lot, but… I don’t know who else to ask. Would you be able to help out for a bit? xxx

Your thumb hovered over the send button for a second, doubt creeping in. Was this too much? Would he feel obligated? Would this change things between you?

But there was no time to second-guess. You pressed send.

The seconds stretched unbearably as you waited for his response. You took another sip of coffee, your throat tight, your mind racing through backup plans—plans you didn’t have. Your gaze drifted back to Sophie, her small frame so fragile, her body lost in the folds of the blanket. She needed you. But she also needed the roof over her head, the food on her plate, the security you worked so hard to provide.

Then, finally, the ping of a message.

Your heart jumped as you unlocked your phone, your breath catching as you read his reply.

Don’t worry, I got you! I’ll take care of her. You’ve got nothing to stress about. I’ll be there in 10 minutes xxx

You let out a sigh of relief, but a small knot still formed in your stomach. The idea of leaving Sophie in someone else’s care, especially someone as new to your life as Lando, felt a little strange. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust him—you did. He had always been kind, patient, and effortlessly good with people. But Sophie wasn’t just anyone. She was your whole world, and handing over even a sliver of responsibility for her well-being wasn’t easy.

Still, you had no choice.

Not long after, a soft knock at the door broke through your anxious thoughts. You took a deep breath before opening it, finding Lando standing there, a concerned but reassuring smile on his face. He looked effortlessly casual in a hoodie and sweats, hands tucked into his pockets as if this was just another normal day.

“Hey,” he greeted, stepping inside. “How’s our little patient doing?”

You led him into the living room, where Sophie woke up and was curled up on the couch, watching TV with tired, glassy eyes. Although she was awake, she barely moved, fully focused on what was happening indient of her. The moment she saw Lando, she peeked up at him before quickly hiding her face in the folds of fabric, too shy to say anything.

You sighed, kneeling beside her and brushing her hair back gently. Her forehead was still too warm beneath your touch. “She’s still really warm,” you murmured, more to yourself than anyone else. Then, turning back to Lando, you handed him a small notepad filled with your rushed, yet meticulous, handwriting. “I wrote down everything you need to know.”

Lando took the notepad, his eyes scanning over it with careful focus as you continued.

“Her medicine is here—one dose every six hours. She won’t eat much when she’s sick, but she loves toast with honey and banana slices or the tomato soup in the fridge. She also only drinks apple juice or water, but try to get her to drink more water.”

Lando nodded, already taking mental notes. “Got it. Medicine, toast with honey and bananas, apple juice, and lots of water.”

You glanced down at Sophie, who remained silent but was clearly listening. “She likes Peppa Pig, but her favorite is Bluey,” you added, lowering your voice like it was a secret just for him.

At that, Lando chuckled. “Ah, a kid with taste. Oscar loves it too. Bluey it is.”

You smiled, appreciating how quickly he was absorbing everything. “She’s really shy at first, but once she warms up, she won’t stop talking.”

He grinned. “Challenge accepted.”

Your expression softened. “She also hates loud noises when she’s sick, so keep things quiet.” You hesitated before adding, “And… just call me if anything happens. Anything at all.”

“I will,” he assured you, his voice steady and certain. “You don’t have to worry. We’re going to be just fine.”

You wanted to believe that, and maybe you did, but leaving still felt wrong.

You turned back to Sophie, kneeling beside her once more. Her tiny frame barely shifted beneath the blanket, but when you smoothed her hair away from her face, she blinked up at you, her watery eyes full of unspoken words.

“I’ll be back soon, sweetheart,” you promised, pressing a gentle kiss to her warm forehead. “Be good for Lando, okay?”

Sophie’s lower lip trembled, and she clutched the blanket tighter. “I want you to stay,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Your heart clenched painfully. You stroked her cheek, trying to fight the wave of guilt rising in your chest. “I know, baby,” you murmured. “I know. But I have to go to work, okay? Lando’s going to stay with you. He’s really nice, remember?”

She didn’t answer right away, her little fingers playing with the edge of the blanket. Then, slowly, she gave a tiny nod. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

Lando crouched beside you, keeping his voice soft and light. “You know, Sophie, I was actually thinking I could use some help today.”

Sophie peeked at him through her lashes, wary but curious.

“You see,” he continued, as if sharing an important secret, “I don’t know the first thing about Bluey. And I heard you’re the expert. Think you can teach me?”

For a moment, there was nothing. But then, finally, Sophie nodded again, just a fraction more certain this time.

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding.

Giving her one last kiss on the forehead, you stood, grabbing your bag and coat. Before heading out the door, you turned to Lando one last time, meeting his gaze with quiet gratitude.

“Thank you,” you said softly, your voice thick with emotion.

His smile was warm, unwavering. “Anytime.”

For the first hour, Sophie was quiet, keeping her distance on the couch while Lando sat nearby. He didn’t push her to talk, didn’t try to force a connection—he simply sat beside her, arms resting casually on his knees, watching Bluey with an easy, relaxed expression.

The sound coming from the TV filled the quiet space between them, the rain outside creating a gentle rhythm against the windows. Every so often, he could feel her eyes on him—brief, cautious glances before she quickly looked away, burying herself deeper into her blanket.

Lando pretended not to notice at first, letting her come to him in her own time. But when he caught another quick peek out of the corner of his eye, he finally spoke, keeping his voice light and playful.

“You know,” he mused, as if sharing a secret, “I have a friend named Bluey.”

Sophie blinked at him, intrigued but skeptical. “You do?” she asked softly, her voice raspy from sleep.

“Yup,” he nodded, a grin tugging at his lips. “She’s blue, just like this Bluey, but she’s actually a little stuffed toy my friend keeps in his car for good luck.”

Sophie’s lips twitched, and then, to Lando’s delight, she giggled—a quiet, sleepy little laugh, but still, a laugh.

“That’s funny,” she murmured, curling further into the blanket.

Lando grinned, feeling the tension between them start to melt away.

A little while later, when Sophie’s tummy let out a small grumble, he took it as his cue.

“Sounds like someone’s ready for a snack,” he teased, standing up and stretching dramatically.

Sophie hesitated before nodding. “Toast,” she mumbled, rubbing at her tired eyes.

“Coming right up, ma’am,” Lando said with a playful salute, making her giggle again.

He moved into the kitchen, following the notes you had left. He spread a thin layer of honey over the warm toast, slicing up a banana just the way you had instructed. As he placed the plate in front of Sophie, he watched with amusement as she immediately picked at the crust first, nibbling at the edges before moving onto the softer center.

He tilted his head, noticing how familiar the habit seemed. Then it hit him.

“You eat your toast like your mommy does,” he remarked casually.

Sophie paused mid-bite, eyes flicking up to him in surprise. “Like mommy?”

Lando nodded. “Yup. First time I saw her do it, I thought maybe she was just being fancy. But now I know—it’s a family thing.”

Sophie seemed to like that answer because she grinned before taking another bite.

A few moments later, she pouted slightly as honey dripped onto her fingers. Lando reached for a wet napkin, handing it to her with an amused smirk.

“Sticky fingers, huh?” he teased.

She nodded solemnly, wiping her hands with small, deliberate movements. “Mommy doesn’t like sticky fingers either.”

Lando chuckled, leaning back into the couch. “You and your mommy are a lot alike, you know?”

At that, Sophie smiled—really smiled this time—and it was the kind of smile that made Lando’s chest feel unexpectedly full. She looked at him for a moment, her tiny body finally relaxing as if she had decided he was safe. Then, with a small yawn, she snuggled deeper into the blanket, inching closer to his side.

Just as her eyelids started to droop, she mumbled sleepily, “Mommy says you has pretty eyes.”

Lando’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, a slow smirk creeping onto his face. “Oh, really?”

Sophie nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “She told her best friend, Louisa. She said they’re ‘so dreamy.’”

Lando chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “Did she now?”

Sophie made a soft noise of agreement, already half-asleep. “She likes you.”

Lando’s heart swelled at her innocent words, warmth spreading through him in a way he hadn’t expected. He glanced down at her peaceful face, looking exactly like you.

Gently, he brushed a stray curl from her forehead and whispered, “I like her too.”

As the day stretched on, Sophie’s initial shyness melted away, replaced by giggles and small moments of trust.

At first, she was cautious—watching Lando out of the corner of her eye as he sat on the floor beside her tiny play area. But with patience and gentle encouragement, he managed to pull her into small activities. They built a pillow fort in the living room, carefully stacking cushions and draping a blanket overhead to create a cozy hideout.

“This is the best castle ever,” Lando announced dramatically, lying on his back inside their creation. “I think we should declare this as The Kingdom of Sophie.”

Sophie giggled, adjusting the stuffed animals she had lined up as “guards” at the fort’s entrance. “And you can be the knight,” she declared.

Lando gasped, clutching his chest. “Me? A knight? That’s a huge responsibility.” He leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper. “Do I get a sword?”

Sophie considered this very seriously before nodding. “But only a soft sword,” she said, picking up a plush toy and handing it to him. “No hitting, just protecting.”

Lando chuckled, accepting the stuffed animal with a solemn nod. “I will guard this kingdom with my life.”

After their castle adventures, Sophie pulled out her collection of books, choosing her favorites and snuggling into Lando’s side as he read to her. She listened intently, her little fingers playing with the hem of his hoodie while he brought each story to life with silly voices and exaggerated expressions.

“You’re funny,” she told him at one point, peeking up at him with a sleepy smile.

“I try to be,” Lando admitted. “But between you and me, I think you’re the funniest one here.”

She giggled again, clearly pleased.

Later in the afternoon, when her energy dipped, they settled at the coffee table for a quiet coloring session. Lando grabbed a handful of crayons while Sophie carefully worked on her masterpiece.

“What are you drawing?” he asked, peering over her shoulder.

Sophie held up the paper proudly, revealing a childlike drawing of three stick figures. One was clearly her, with curly scribbles for hair, another was you, and the last one—labeled “Lando” in wobbly letters—stood right beside you.

Lando’s heart clenched in the best way possible. “Wow,” he said, genuinely touched. “This might be the best drawing I’ve ever seen.”

Sophie beamed. “It’s Mommy and you! And me!”

“I love it,” he told her, nudging her playfully. “You’re a real artist, Soph.”

After a fun-filled afternoon of pillow forts, storybooks, and coloring, Lando noticed Sophie beginning to slow down. Her energy had dipped significantly, her tiny body slumping against the couch as she blinked sluggishly at the TV.

He frowned, reaching out to feel her forehead the way he had seen you do earlier. The warmth against his palm made his stomach twist uncomfortably—she was still running a fever.

“Alright, kiddo,” he murmured, brushing a stray curl away from her face. “Time for a little check-up.”

Sophie groaned, her response muffled by the blanket she had pulled up over her nose. “Noooo.”

Lando chuckled. “Come on, your mom left me very strict instructions to make sure you’re feeling okay. I don’t mess around when it comes to doctor duties.”

Sophie peeked out, her cheeks flushed from the fever. “Are you a real doctor?”

Lando gasped dramatically. “Excuse me? I’ll have you know I am Dr. Lando, and I am very serious about my job.” He reached for the thermometer you had left on the coffee table. “Now, open up, little miss.”

She pouted but obeyed, letting him slip the thermometer under her tongue. Lando sat patiently, watching the numbers climb before it beeped. He pulled it out, checking the screen.

“Not bad, but still warm, Soph,” he murmured, concern flickering in his eyes.

Sophie just hummed sleepily, curling further into her blanket.

Lando glanced at the notepad of instructions you had left, then back at her. “Alright, first order of business—water. Your mom said you have to drink some, and I’d rather not get fired on my first day as a babysitter.”

Sophie groaned but didn’t argue when he grabbed her little cup of water and held it out to her.

“Just a few sips, okay?” he coaxed. “I’ll even let you have a super exclusive VIP sip while sitting in the fort.”

That got her attention. She let out a weak giggle before reaching for the cup with small, clumsy fingers. Lando helped guide it to her lips, watching as she took a few tiny sips before wrinkling her nose.

“Bleh,” she mumbled.

Lando smirked. “Not a water fan, huh?”

She shook her head, but Lando tapped the cup gently. “I get it, but we gotta make sure you don’t turn into a little raisin.”

Sophie giggled at that, taking one more sip before handing the cup back.

“Good job, kiddo,” he praised.

Next came the medicine, which was a slightly tougher battle.

“Noooo,” Sophie whined, pulling the blanket over her head when she saw Lando grabbing the small bottle.

Lando sighed, shaking his head. “C’mon, Soph. Your mom told me you have to take this.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“Okay, what if I take some too?” Lando bargained.

Sophie peeked out, squinting at him. “You don’t have a fever.”

“Yeah, but I feel like I could be getting one,” he said with mock seriousness. “Better to be safe, right?”

She stared at him for a moment, considering his words. “…Okay.”

Lando grinned in victory and poured the correct dose into the little plastic cup. He handed it to her, watching as she took it hesitantly before scrunching her face at the taste.

“Bleh,” she groaned again.

“Yeah, medicine’s the worst,” Lando agreed, setting the cup aside. “But you’re a champ.”

Satisfied that he had followed your instructions, he helped tuck her back into the couch, adjusting the blanket so she was snug and warm.

He sat beside her, ruffling her curls lightly. “Feeling any better?”

Sophie hummed, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “A little.”

“That’s good,” he murmured, watching as she yawned and curled closer to him. He reached for the remote, lowering the TV volume. “Alright, you just rest now, okay? I got you.”

Sophie peeked up at him, blinking slowly, her eyelids heavy with sleep. “Mommy was right,” she whispered, her voice thick with drowsiness.

Lando tilted his head, raising an eyebrow as he tried to hide a small smile. “About what?” he asked softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful moment.

She yawned again, her tiny body curling further into the warmth of the blanket. “You’re nice,” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. “And you’re officially my new best friend.”

A warmth spread through Lando's chest, more than just the gentle feeling of Sophie’s innocent words. He smiled to himself, his fingers brushing a stray curl from her forehead as he whispered, “That’s an honor, kiddo. You’re my new best friend too.” His voice was so soft, so sincere, and Sophie’s breathing soon evened out, signaling that she was finally drifting into a peaceful sleep.

Lando stayed where he was, right by her side. The room was quiet, save for the soft sound of Sophie’s breathing. He glanced around the room, ensuring she was comfortable—making sure the blanket was tucked just right, keeping the environment as calm and secure as possible. He knew how much you’d want this—how much you’d want her to feel safe and loved.

And just as you walked through the door, everything around you seemed still, frozen in a sense of calm that made your heart swell in a way that took you by surprise. The living room was serene. The TV played softly in the background, a nature documentary flickering in the corner, but all your attention was drawn to the sight before you. There, curled up against Lando’s side, was Sophie—utterly content, her tiny hand resting trustingly on his arm. The sight was simple but perfect. She had found comfort in Lando's presence, just like she always found in yours.

You stopped in the doorway for a long moment, frozen by the unexpected tenderness of the scene. Lando moved with such deliberate care, adjusting the blanket around Sophie’s shoulders. He tucked it in gently, making sure she was warm and settled in, completely unaware of how much it all made your heart swell.

It was a moment of quiet beauty, and you couldn’t help but feel a soft rush of emotion rise in your chest.

Lando caught the sound of your footsteps and looked up. His lips curved into a quiet smile, one that spoke volumes without needing words. “Hey,” he whispered, careful not to disturb Sophie. “She did great today.”

You set down your bag, your voice warm with admiration. “Looks like you did too.” Your gaze softened as you looked at them, the scene too peaceful not to melt your heart.

Sophie stirred, the gentle sound of your voice pulling her from the last remnants of sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked a few times before her tired gaze landed on you. Her little voice was still thick with sleep when she murmured, “Mommy…”

You knelt down beside her, brushing a few stray curls from her forehead. “Hey, sweetheart. Did you have a good nap?” you asked softly, your heart full.

Sophie stretched slightly, but stayed nestled against Lando, unwilling to leave the safety of his side. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep as she spoke again, her words slow and deliberate. “Lando’s funny,” she said with a yawn. “And he said Bluey is his friend.”

You chuckled softly, amused by her observations. “Did he take good care of you?” you asked, a teasing smile tugging at your lips.

Sophie nodded, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “Mhm,” she murmured, her voice drowsy but content. “And…” She paused, clearly considering her next words carefully, before her face shifted into a mischievous little smile. “He has dreamy eyes. Just like you said.”

Your whole body locked up, the blood rushing to your cheeks in an instant. Your heart skipped, and your mouth went dry. Your mind raced as you scrambled for a response, but no words came out. Instead, you opened your mouth—then closed it—before finally opening it again, only to find yourself completely lost for words.

Lando, on the other hand, had zero plans of letting this moment pass without teasing you mercilessly.

His smirk spread slowly, his eyes glinting with amusement as he turned to you. “So… dreamy, huh?” he teased, his voice low and full of mischief.

You groaned, immediately burying your face in your hands. “Oh my God, Sophie,” you whined, your voice muffled by your palms. “I’m never speaking in front of her again.”

Lando chuckled, clearly enjoying every second of your embarrassment. “No, no,” he teased, “don’t stop now. I’m very interested in this topic.” His voice was playful, but there was a warmth in it that made you feel as though he wasn't teasing in a hurtful way—just in a way that made everything feel even more genuine.

You shot him a playful glare, your cheeks still burning with heat. “I hate you,” you muttered, but the words came out softer than intended.

Lando reached over and gently took your hand in his, his fingers squeezing yours. The teasing smile faded into something warmer, something more sincere. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, his voice low and tender. “I think it’s adorable.”

You exhaled, still flustered but unable to stop the smile that tugged at the corners of your mouth. It was impossible not to feel a little bit lighter with him beside you.

Lando lifted your hand and pressed a soft, playful kiss to your knuckles. “And just so you know,” he added, his voice dropping to a playful whisper, “I think your eyes are pretty dreamy too.”

Eventually, as much as you secretly didn’t want him to, Lando had to go. It was already getting late, and though Sophie had been asleep earlier, she was now awake and clinging to his hoodie with surprising strength for a four-year-old.

“Nooo,” she whined, her lower lip jutting out in the most dramatic pout. “Don’t go, stay.”

Lando smiled gently, crouching down to her level. “Hey, I’ll come back, okay? I promise.”

Sophie crossed her arms, her little face scrunching up in stubborn defiance. “Pinkie promise?”

Lando grinned, holding out his pinkie. “The strongest pinkie promise ever.”

She eyed him for a moment before looping her tiny pinkie around his. “You have to come back soon.”

“I will,” he assured her. “And next time, we’ll build an even bigger pillow fort.”

Sophie gasped as if that was the greatest thing she had ever heard. “With lights?”

Lando chuckled. “With lights. And a secret entrance. And maybe even some snacks.”

Sophie giggled, finally releasing his hoodie. “Okay… but don’t take too long.”

Lando ruffled her curls. “Deal.”

Sophie then turned to you and grabbed your hand. “Come, Mommy. You have to walk him to the door.”

Lando arched a brow, clearly amused. “Oh, do I get an escort?”

Sophie nodded seriously. “Mommy has to say goodbye properly.”

Your cheeks warmed again, but you didn’t argue, letting Sophie lead the way as the three of you walked to the door.

When you reached it, Sophie turned to Lando. “Bye-bye, Lando.”

He smiled, bending down to give her a quick hug. “Bye, kiddo. Sleep tight, okay?”

Sophie nodded before stepping back, watching intently as if she was expecting something.

Lando turned to you, his expression softening. “Thanks for trusting me with her today.”

You exhaled, offering him a small, genuine smile. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

Lando took a small step closer, tilting his head slightly. “Anytime.”

For a moment, you both just stood there, caught in the quiet, comfortable tension between you.

And then, before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned up and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek.

Lando froze for half a second, his breath hitching ever so slightly—but when you pulled back, his lips stretched into the slowest, most heart-melting smile you had ever seen.

“Was that a thank-you?” he teased, though his voice was lower, warmer.

You laughed softly. “Maybe.”

His eyes flickered between yours, something unspoken passing between you, before he lifted a hand and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers lingered just a little longer than necessary.

“I really like being here,” he admitted quietly.

You swallowed, your heart skipping a beat. “I really like you being here.”

And then, before you could completely process it, Lando leaned in, brushing his lips against yours in a slow, tender kiss.

It was soft and warm, hesitant yet sure, the kind of kiss that left no doubt about where things were heading between you.

When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested lightly against yours, a quiet chuckle escaping him. “So… should I expect Sophie to tell you stuff about me too?”

You groaned, laughing against him. “Oh God, she totally will.”

Lando grinned, pressing one more quick kiss to your lips before pulling back. “Guess that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

From behind you, Sophie giggled. “Mommy likes you sooo much.”

You buried your face in your hands. “Sophie.”

Lando only laughed, giving your hand one last squeeze before stepping outside. “See you soon.”

And as he walked down the path, you stood in the doorway with Sophie, watching him go—your heart already longing for the moment he would come back.