#make peace with yourself and who you are now. not who you want to be or a hypothetical version of yourself

[dipperpepper77]

Arranged Marriage AU LADS Men

Dipper's Delusions

TAGS: Fluff, AFAB reader, children, men who yearn... ARE MEN WHO EARN.

Intro: Your kingdom reeked of smoke and burnt produce. The heat was so palpable that it seemed to stick to everyone's skin. Leaving yours to always be damp with soft sweat. The war was taking far too long to end. Your parents, the king and queen, opting for more drastic measures. Securing your hand to a foreign kingdom could provide aid and stability to your tiny kingdom. You weren't one for dramatics. Only nodding hesitantly as the documents were filled and signed over. Whilst, you didn't want to marry out of convenience... you also didn't want to see your people starve or succumb to the war.

The resources and power of the foreign kingdom would be enough to end the war and establish your own as one of the greats. One to not be messed with. Your people could now live in peace for your sacrifice. It would help that he was easy on the eyes.

It wasn't hard to convince him for your hand. He knew you. From prior balls were you didn't even spare him a passing glance. Now it was relatively the same. You still didn't grant him a passing glance in your shared castle. But, oh... how he longed for you. You were completely unaware of his sentiments for you. However, you'd soon find out.

Sea god Rafayel: You picked at your food with the gold plated fork. Your lips parting to make a comment but stopping halfway. Rafayel cleared his throat, "something's on your mind. Say it". You gave a curt nod before speaking "I thought it would be highly inappropriate to eat one's own kind". He let out an amused laugh. "Seafood? It's the circle of life, my dear. Eat or be eaten. Humans truly know nothing.. do they?" You shook your head a bit. Feeling more comfortable to take a bite of the seafood. It was rich and buttery. Light with the slight taste of the ocean. His hand grazed yours, picking it up in his soft delicate palm. "May I?" You nod. He places kisses to your knuckles. You felt a burning feeling in your throat. A lump forming as he nuzzled against your hand. "You don't need to feel the same... just know one thing. You will always have a place in my heart."

You found yourself easing into Rafayel. Gradually picking up with his steps. Finding yourself nuzzled in his embrace as he showed you his art pieces. More often than not you just found that... you couldn't be apart from him. His head laid on your lap as you fixed up his hair. You held golden shears as you cut small bits of his violet strands. "Raf... I think I'll do this wrong." He only smiled up at you. "You could never do wrong in my eyes. I trust you." He bit back a smirk. "Besides, If I look awful I'll tell everyone it's because my dear wife is possessive."

The kingdom was pushing for an heir after the anniversary of your marriage. You sat on the bed. The lump crawling back into your throat. You loved Rafayel. But, you were afraid. What if he changed? What if all he was doing was wooing you for an heir?

Rafayel kissed behind your ear. "Listen to me. We go at your pace.. okay?" You nod gently. Breathing out gently. "I'm scared.." His gaze softened. Looking at you like you were a wet trembling animal he needed to protect. He pushed a strand of hair out of your face. "Have I ever told you... you always happen to be the most beautiful woman in the room?" He got up. Extending his hand for you to take. He lead you to the garden. You looked at it in awe. You. Paintings full of your face. Painted in a way that showed you how utterly devoted he was.

(Skip forward) Rafayel was a proud dad of twins. One girl and one boy. Both had your hair and his face. Oh, how he doted on them. Kissing their cheeks constantly. The kingdom was quick to choose the boy as the heir. Leading to constant protests from a moody Rafayel. "No. Whoever shows they are ready for the throne gets it." He will NOT back down when it comes to showing equality to your children.

Crown of Light Xavier: A man beyond his age. When you heard of him at first, you thought he was an old man. But, when you saw him... it was another story. He was beautiful. You averted your gaze away from him. The side of your face seemed to be cradled by the candlelight. He smiled softly. "Do you like the light?" Your eyebrows furrowed but you decided to indulge him with a soft nod. His palm extended, a bead of light appeared only to transform to a bunny.

As soon as the precious moment occurred, it seemed to fleet just as fast. News of the kingdom awaiting an heir seemed to strike Xavier down. He hardly spoke to you. Leaving you to go into the bed chambers and sleeping. Dozing off as if he didn't have a wife.

You sat on the plush cushion of the couch. Embroidering a pillow for your future children if your husband just got out of his bed chambers for once. Then, you saw him standing at the doorway. His face looking like he mourned you. You spoke softly, "what troubles you so much?" He shuddered before he took a seat next to you. Whatever he was about to say seemed to be rehearsed. "I.. can... I can not give you children." Your eyebrows furrowed. "Can't or will not?" He shook his head gently. "Will not."

The castle has been tense ever since. You hardly spoke to him. It was the casual difference of him saying will not rather than could not. You sat on the silk bed in your bed chambers. Looking at nothing in particular. Rather, you were deep in thought about how you even got into this situation. Xavier walked into the room, blowing the soft flames of the candles that illuminated your room. You were about to protest... but, his hand rose. "Just... let me speak okay?" You nodded quietly. "It's not that I do not want children with you. It's more that I... I'm scared. Terrified actually. What if I'm not a good father? What if I don't last long enough to see them into adulthood.. I... I can't". Your hand went to the small of his back. Truly the most reassuring thing you could've done. He smiled softly. Using his evol to make a little light show for you as an apology. Light illuminated the room, forming intricate shapes.

You two had triplets on the first go. Poor Xavier's heart nearly dropped. But, he was making the most of it. Two little girls with golden strands and your eyes. The boy inheriting your hair and his blue eyes. King Xavier was reduced to a restless father. His girls pulling at his locks while the boy nestled in his chest... he wouldn't have it any other way.

Ice King Zayne: "I'd like to formally introduce my-". He walked away before you could even finish your sentence. Your eyes widened. What? He was the one who rushed your union. So why was he pushing you away? Did he think you lower than him?

You avoided him like a plague and so did he. The ice of his evol was not the only thing making this castle so... frigid. You ended up developing a routine: wake up, finish up royal tasks, meet with your ladies in waiting, eat in the empty dining table, and go to bed. 150 steps to your bed chambers. So you started counting again and again. 150 exact. What a mundane and boring life.

Today was no different. 150 steps to leave your room and to the dining table. But, this time you saw Zayne eating. You took your seat and ate in silence. The day was pretty pleasant afterwards. 150 steps to the chambers... 1...2...3. You only counted to 50 until you felt a hand grab your wrist and tug you somewhere else. Your mind was on autopilot. 150... 151? 180 steps to Zayne's chambers. Wait.. why are you in his chambers? He helped you out of your robe. His gaze appreciative of the silk white nightgown you wore. You looked up at him baffled. But, he just tugged you into bed with him. You were spooned into his embrace. Back hitting his muscular chest.

You were weak. How else do you explain just sleeping comfortably? He nuzzled his face into your neck. "I'm... not one for affection. I really tried... I just find being away from you is unbearable." What you didn't know is that he was a mess around you. The times he rushed away from you... he was hiding in the corner of the room blushing like a fool. He was not good at being vulnerable at all. But, he will try for you.

Twin girls appeared in his arms. Both having your face, your hair, your mannerisms. His genes didn't seem to even fight it. He thanked all the wishing he did. These little girls thawed the rest of his frigid heart that you couldn't reach. He would always carry snacks hidden under his heavy crown. Chocolate for the eldest twin, strawberry jam packets for the other, and whatever you craved. All with a faint blush whenever he was around you.

Dragon Sylus: You signed up for a marriage… not this. You were stuck in the tower being guarded by a damn dragon? You knew his name was Sylus. Knew he was also the king of the kingdom. Knew he preferred to be alone and recluse in the tower. Knew he hated humans. But, also knew he had to endure to keep the kingdom out of ruins.

He clung to you. His strong voice squeaking out. What happened to this strong dragon? “M-may.. I hold on to your ribbon?” You nod. His long fingers twirled around the ribbon that laid behind your dress. The one that held your waist. His black nails scratching lightly on it. “Pretty.”

You woke up more often than not in his arms. He always asked before he touched you. Not wanting to scare you off. His finger tips were ash black. His nails pointed and sharp. The noir color fading past his knuckle to reveal pale skin. Your fingers reached his horns earning you a soft groan. “They’re sensitive, my belle.” You took your hands off. He looked at you with almost worry. His nail dragging on your soft cheek. “Do I.. scare you?” You shot up. Wanting to protest. He shook his head. Getting up and leaving the room.

You found him mopping by a small nest that could only fit you and him if you squeezed. Maybe he made it so he could envelop you whole? That’s how he felt he could protect you. Your hand petted his hair. Asking.. begging to talk. He looked up at you. “I don’t want to scare you. It’s hard enough to ask you to have heirs with me. They’d be half dragon and half human.. I can’t ask you to create monsters.” You shook your head. Explaining you didn’t find him repulsive. But, his hand found yours again. “D-don’t.. not for my sake. I’d do anything for you. My horns? I’ll shave them down. Look more human. I’ll cut the claws.. the fangs too. Anything. Please.. I don’t wish to frighten you.” When you finally got him to see reason, he slept soundly on your chest.

He was the best girl dad. His little girl had your hair and his crimson eyes. She had the most fierce personality anyone had ever seen. More importantly… she had her dad wrapped around her finger. He’d always make her a nest. Always laugh whenever she started showing her dragon side. You two would take her to the gardens so she could enjoy the sun.

God of War Caleb: Strategically, this was a match made in heaven. His kingdom was one that never lost a battle. The soldiers were all top quality and ruthless when it came to protecting the crown. But, you grew up with Caleb. The powerful king was the same person who’d fuss over your dress, fix your ribbons, put your shoes on for you. His reward? You hardly acknowledged him as a romantic prospect. Hardly batting an eye to him at the balls.

How long would it take for him to snap? Not long actually.. you’re his wife now. His queen. You were blissfully unaware to his romantic sentiments. Usually giving him the same polite nod as always. Caleb… was a good and dear friend. Until tonight.

His hand snaked to the small of your back. Keeping you pressed against him. His cheek rubbed against yours. His voice… soft. Almost melodic. “Am I not enough? I’m yours… so humbly yours. My heart..” He placed your hand on his warm chest. Your fingertips feeling his steady and strong heartbeat. “This… it beats for you.” You could only swallow hard. Your eyes flickering with recognition. You truly loved him.

He followed you around like a lost puppy. Making countless excuses as for why he needed to be in your line of sight. No one understood how this man crumbled to a pathetic fool over you. But, they weren’t crazy enough to question him. A single utter of your name had his intention. If it was a negative comment? The person would rather be dead and gone than face Caleb’s wrath. Come hell or high water, that man would go to war for your dignity.

Caleb had his heir. A boy who looked exactly like him. A carbon copy down to his pout. He adored the boy.. absolutely. But, mentally cursed himself because he wished he looked a bit more like you. He also cursed himself because his son is EXACTLY like him. Caleb would follow you around for affection or praise, only to get knocked by his son. His son was equally possessive and jealous over your time. A chaotic but loving home is what I can best describe it as.

[ilovolderman]

The Secret Notes

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: Bucky leaves little notes for you.

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: humor, fluff, secret dating, cute doodles

A/N: this can be read as a standalone even though it's part of a series called "You Said What". It doesn't necessarily follow a specific order, but if you want to check out the other parts, here they are: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5. thanks for reading, i hope you like it :)

It all started one afternoon when you fell asleep on the couch, a book slipping from your hand. Bucky passed by and found you there, peaceful and unaware. Smiling to himself, he gently picked up the book and noticed the page you’d been reading.

With a quiet laugh, he scribbled a note on a scrap of paper:

“You stopped here. Heroine’s rule: naps first, saving the world later. - B”

He slid the note inside the book, marking the page, and placed it on the table beside you. As he left, he couldn’t help but smile at the idea of you finding it when you woke up.

The next day, you found the note in your book, and you couldn’t help but smile. It was silly, but it made your heart warm. You had to reply, of course.

Taking a fresh piece of paper, you wrote:

“A nap is a hero’s secret weapon, Bucky. Thanks for the reminder. If I do end up saving the world today, I’ll be sure to credit you. - Y/N”

You tucked the note inside his jacket pocket, hoping he’d get a good laugh when he found it. It felt so simple, so small, but the thought of sharing little moments like this with him made everything else seem a little brighter.

It wasn’t long before the notes became a daily exchange. They started off funny—sometimes quoting ridiculous lines from movies, or making playful jokes about the Avengers’ absurdly weird missions. You would find them in your locker, under your coffee mug, or tucked inside your boots. They never failed to make you smile.

Even now, after months together, he still took the time to leave you notes and little reminders.

After a particularly brutal mission, you found another note tucked into the pocket of your jacket. You nearly missed it in the rush to get ready for a debriefing. But when you unfolded it, you found it written on a torn piece of notebook paper, and a doodle of a sleeping cat at the bottom.

“You’re allowed to rest, you know. I’ll guard your coffee while you nap.”

You smiled before you could stop yourself, warmth blooming in your chest. It had been a rough couple of days—bruised ribs, no sleep. The note felt like a soft exhale in the middle of chaos.

Unfortunately, you weren’t the only one in the hallway.

“Whatcha got there?”

You spun around to see Sam squinting at the piece of paper now very obviously in your hand. And before you could shove it back into your pocket, the man had already snatched it like he was intercepting a rogue football.

“Sam, come on—”

He blinked and read it once. Then again. Then a third time.

 ““You’re allowed to rest, you know. I’ll guard your coffee while you nap”...and there’s a little cat at the bottom. Why is there a cat?! WHO DRAWS CATS?!”

You stared at him, trying very hard not to look like someone caught hiding a secret. “You done?”

“Oh, I’m so not done,” Sam said, holding the note like it was radioactive. “This is a nap-themed love letter, Y/N.”

You rolled your eyes. “It’s just a...friendly reminder.”

“With a doodle,” he said, as if that was damning evidence in a court of law. “Who writes you sweet notes about coffee and naps after a mission? That’s like—domestic.”

“Maybe I wrote it to myself,” you tried.

“You’re not a cat doodler. I know your vibe. You don’t doodle.”

You grabbed for the note. He dodged you.

“Sam—give it.”

“I will not. I’m onto something here.”

Just then, Bucky strolled around the corner with a cup of coffee in hand and a granola bar between his teeth, looking way too casual.

Sam froze.

You froze.

Bucky stopped mid-chew, immediately sensing the chaos in the air. “…Did I miss something?”

Sam, eyes narrowed like a detective in a sitcom, turned slowly toward him.

“Barnes.”

Bucky blinked. “Wilson.”

Sam raised the note like it was a badge. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you?”

Bucky looked at the paper. Then at you. Then back to Sam.

There was a half-second pause.

And then Bucky shrugged. “Cute cat.”

You choked on a laugh and immediately turned it into a cough.

Sam squinted. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got? ‘Cute cat’?”

Bucky popped the last of the granola bar into his mouth, completely unfazed. “You’re getting worked up over a doodle.”

Sam pointed at both of you, eyes wide with dramatic betrayal. “Okay, I don’t know what is going on, but something is going on. I feel it in my soul.”

You patted him on the shoulder. “Maybe you just need a nap.”

“I—NO! No, you don’t get to use the nap line on me! That’s part of the conspiracy!”

Sam was already walking away. “I’ll guard your coffee, Wilson,” Bucky called over his shoulder, deadpan.

The hallway finally settled into silence after Sam’s echoing footsteps disappeared around the corner. You let out a small laugh, shaking your head in disbelief.

Bucky lingered beside you, coffee in hand. His eyes flicked toward you, and the smallest smile curved at the corner of his lips.

“So… cat doodles are suspicious now?”

You laughed under your breath. “Apparently. Next time, maybe draw a dragon or something. Keep him guessing.”

“Well,” he said, voice low and amused. “That could’ve gone worse.”

You glanced down at the note in your hand, then back at him. “I mean... he didn’t accuse you of writing love sonnets. So, yeah—definitely could’ve been worse.”

Bucky huffed a laugh, leaning casually against the wall. “Should I stop? The notes, I mean. I didn’t mean to... cause a scene.”

You looked up at him, warmth already blooming in your chest. “No. Don’t stop.”

His brow quirked slightly, curious. “No?”

“They’re one of the best parts of my day,” you said honestly, your voice soft. “They make the hard days easier, and the quiet ones feel full. I’d rather risk a hundred Sam-level interrogations than miss even one of them.”

A grin pulled at Bucky’s mouth, slow and sweet. “Yeah?”

You gave him a playful nudge. “Even if Sam tries to launch a full-scale investigation.”

Bucky let out a quiet laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Let him. He doesn’t scare me.”

Then, softer, with that familiar gentleness he always saved just for you, he added, “I’ll keep leaving them, then. Every note, every doodle... they’re little pieces of me. And you’re the only one I want finding them.”

Your smile widened, heart fluttering in that helpless, happy kind of way.

“I guess that makes you my favorite mystery author,” you said lightly.

Bucky leaned in, his shoulder brushing yours. “Only for you, doll.”

You reached into your jacket pocket and pulled out a folded note—you’d planned to tuck it under his pillow later, but something made you decide to give it to him right now. You held it out to him, your smile a little shy.

He opened it slowly. Inside, your handwriting was a little messier than usual, but still clearly yours.

“You’ve got a way of making everything seem a little brighter, even when it’s a rough day. I’m lucky for it.”

Bucky looked up at you, lips parted just slightly. For a long second, he said nothing.

And then he stepped closer, closing the small space between you. His hand brushed yours, slow and warm, and he laced your fingers together.

“You’re gonna destroy me with these notes,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

You leaned into him, heart full and beating a little too fast. “Guess we’re even.”

Bucky pressed a kiss to your forehead—gentle, lingering, like a promise he never needed to say out loud. Then he tucked your note carefully into the inside pocket of his jacket, where all the best ones lived.

“Don’t tell Sam,” you whispered with a smile.

Meanwhile in the kitchen...

Sam sat at the table, muttering to himself with a pen tucked behind his ear and a spiral notebook open in front of him. On the top of the page in large, underlined letters:

Case #109: WHO THE HELL IS Y/N DATING???

Underneath it were four bullet points:

suspicious nap note

Bucky is too chill

cat doodle = code??

is Steve somehow involved???

This was war now.

And you and Bucky? You were winning.

taglist: @svtbpbts @cupids-mf-arrow @whitewolfluvr @cece2608 @yehfitoormera @yesiamthatwierd @poodleofstardust @poodleofstardust

next part

[lacedwithsuguru]

❦ pt. five — pt. four here

it’s been three months since you’ve last spoken to your olderbrothersbestfriend!sukuna.

it didn’t take long for you to get over him and his confusion. you knew you didn’t need that kind of energy in your life and truthfully, you’ve felt a hell of a lot more free.

his reputation that you’d always been aware of held true—sukuna was a dick and he spent his free-time inside way too many girls. see, if you had pursued that, who’s to tell that you wouldn’t contract some sort of std had you gone a step further with him? you were frankly better off.

but, there was something a little off about him, something off about his character. sukuna was a guy who enjoyed taking up space, never one to apologize for it. yet, maybe it was out of respect for you, or maybe it was sukuna just being petty out of spite—but he has been going to so much trouble to avoid you.

he doesn’t spend the night at your place at all anymore, having your brother meet him at his apartment instead. your brother didn’t seem too shocked at the change, nor did he bring it up to you, so obviously sukuna has kept his mouth shut about your previous interactions.

the reason for that was obvious. the jerk didn't want his head on a spit.

anytime you’d see him in passing, his eyes would flicker to you and he would make himself scarce.

you weren’t complaining, though. ever since, you’d been enjoying your peace. but a part of you enjoyed seeing him the slightest bit uneasy around you.

everytime you saw him, his eyes would always widen slightly before returning to his unreadable, flat expression. just a sliver of recognition and worry that never went unnoticed by you. you had to stop your lip from quirking into a mocking grin.

“c’monnnnn,” shoko drawled out, tugging your limbs from your bed. you sighed, pulling your sheet up and over your head in an attempt to hermit yourself from her.

“i’m not going,” you whined, gripping the fabric and drawing it back to drape yourself.

“so what if he’s there? it’s not like a third of the campus won’t be in attendance,” she insisted, dragging her hands over her face.

you scrunched your brows, turning back at her and scowling. “that’s not my issue, sho.”

“oh really?” she quirked, unimpressed as she crossed her arms. “humor me, then. what exactly is stopping you from going?”

your mood soured immediately.

shoko was attempting to convince you to attend this nights frat party—hosted by one of the most well-known frats on campus. a frat that sukuna used to be a part of before he opted for his own apartment, yet he was still in good graces with everyone there.

practically assuring his attendance tonight.

“leave me alone,” you grumbled, stuffing your face in your pillow.

“i’ll be damned if i’m leaving you alone in your apartment while everyone’s celebrating the end to that hellish mid-terms week. plus, i can phone my emergency.”

slowly, you rose from your bed and met her gaze with a hardened, annoyed stare. “emergency? really? FOR THIS?”

the two of you had a couple emergency options you had stored away where you could force one another to do what the other wanted as long as it was manageable. of course, this was more than manageable as it was just a party but the thought of it truly made your blood simmer.

and now here you were, sporting a brown babydoll tank and white jean shorts with your hair neatly done, standing outside the frat. it’d been quite some time since you’ve gone out as you’d been cramming since the semester started with a heavy workload.

a part of you thought that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to let go tonight. you deserved this. and so what if you ran into sukun-. no. you weren’t going to think about him tonight. you might not even see him tonight so why worry yourself?

an arm slung across your shoulder, squeezing your bicep. you peered up to see utahime grinning at you.

“i am SO ready to get incredibly drunk,” she giggled, to which her girlfriend ruffled her hair.

“and i am so ready to take care of you,” shoko whispered, kissing utahime’s cheek.

“get a room,” you groaned, rolling your shoulders and tossing them a teasing frown. they only chuckled and headed up the steps.

the fallen leaves and grass crunched under your sneakers as you padded up the stone stairs and shuffled past a couple people into the bustling brick beauty.

defeaning trap music filled your ears with the smell of sweat and booze. a keg was set up beside the stairs, a jock doing a handstand with the hose in his mouth as some drunk students chanted “chug chug chug” and he coolly complied.

you scoffed, somewhat impressed, as you turned away and watched shoko and utahime shove their way into a pool game.

“over here!” yelled utahime, beckoning you with a wave of her hand.

you dismissed it, cupping your mouth to shout back at her. “lemme get a drink first!”

she nodded and focused on her girlfriend who was already not-so-subtly pinning her from behind to guide her movements with the stick, an obvious blush painting the shorter girls cheeks.

your phone vibrated as you manuvered your way towards the kitchen, pulling it out from your back pocket, the screen illuminating your face.

it was your brother, asking if you were attending the party. you furrowed your brows and typed back a reply to let him know you were already there and his name popped up on your screen, an incoming phone call.

confusion painted your expression as you accepted the call brought the device to your ear. “what’s up?” you spoke, doing your best to speak straight into the speaker.

you had to plug your other ear to even pick up on what he was saying. he explained to you that he wasn’t going to be able to make it to the party since he was stuck at work and you asked why that was exactly your issue. he scoffed and told you that he was supposed to watch over sukuna for the night because he was worried for him.

the mention of his name brought a bitter taste to your mouth. “why’re you worried about him?” you poked, doing the best to mask your irritation.

“he’s been off these past couple of months. getting insanely drunk and sleeping on the street.” your brother replied.

not like that’s something he isn’t used to, you thought, but bit your tongue for the sake of peace.

“alright, and what do i have to do with this?” you asked, though you had some semblance of an idea as to where this was going.

“need you to check up on him, make sure he gets home safe.”

after gritting your teeth and wrapping up the phone call, you hung up and slid your phone back into your pocket. you’d be an asshole, not as bad as sukuna, but an asshole regardless to ignore your brothers request.

especially since it was coming from a good place.

you weren’t doing this out of the good of your own heart. that part was caged away from sukuna a while back and you knew it.

it was only for your brother who couldn’t make it down and watch after his sleazy best friend.

speaking of, what is up with sukuna? getting drunk to the point he couldn’t get back to his apartment? that sounded incredibly out of character for him.

the prospect of him going through something flickered in your mind, but you quickly shook it off. why should you even care in the first place?

one job tonight. babysit the one and only ryomen sukuna.

you stepped into the kitchen, eyes scanning your surroundings and making note that he wasn’t there. you nodded briskly, grabbing a plastic solo cup and ladling some of the punch in before taking a swig.

spiked. of course it is.

you set the full cup down, knowing you needed to be clear-minded tonight despite your want of getting insanely intoxicated, but that was a complaint to your brother for another time.

slipping past the drunk bodies jumping up and down, you strode past the pool table to see utahime and shoko making out against a nearby wall. they barely lasted a round before they got all over each other.

tapping the brunettes shoulder, she turned around and smiled, looking already somewhat drunk.

“what happened to being designated driver?” you questioned, a grin on your lips as you crossed your arms over your chest.

“oh, i’m sober. s’my girlfriend that’s got me like this,” she beamed, leaning down to peck another kiss on utahimes lips. the purple-haired girl pushed her girlfriend back, frowning.

“she’s drunk,” utahime replied flatly, though there was a lilt of humor as she scanned shoko’s face. “looks like im in charge.”

“ah, well. you two have fun. use protection. i’ll be heading out early, i’m on babysitting duty,” you spoke sarcastically, waving your hands in annoyance.

shokos brows furrowed, resting her head atop utahimes. “babysitting…?”

“i’ll tell you tomorrow. text me when you guys are leaving, alright?”

the two girls exchanged a glance, before nodding. “and you better text us when you get back home!” utahime has always been one for mom duty.

a tired smile made its way to your face before you left them to their bubble of privacy.

making your way past the crowd of drunken, sweaty bodies wearing way too many neon accessories while sober was a feat you should be applauded for. truly, parties were murky when you weren’t intoxicated so the frustration bubbling beneath your skin only intensified as time went on.

your eyes continued to scan the sea of revelers, coming up fruitless each time you couldn’t spot sukuna.

shoko wasn’t kidding. a third of the campus must’ve made their way here by now. you checked the time and it was nearing midnight, meaning that this crowd wasn’t going to be dying down anytime soon.

padding over to the living room, you pushed a couple that was all over each other out of your way before stepping in.

with wide orbs darting across the room, you spotted a familiar mess of salmon-colored hair.

an incredulous laugh left your lips.

there he was. in all his glory. making out with a girl you somewhat recognized. her name was hana, a cheerleader and sister of a well-known sorority on campus.

his grey sweats were manspread as she straddled him, cupping his cheeks and practically shoving her tongue down his throat.

the burly man’s hands were nothing short of scandalous, groping the flesh of her ass as she grinded down onto him.

“‘needs help,’ my ass,” you bit through teeth clamped, turning on your heel. your anger was at an all-time high, a feeling that’s been absent to you for months now.

but before you could exit the area, you heard a loud slap! echo, the room drawing quiet.

“disgusting asshole!” a girl cried out, and you swung your head in that direction.

hana, who was just making out with sukuna, was pushing off of him, grabbing her things and storming in your direction. she stopped beside you, her cheeks flushed and her chest heaving. “go get your man,” she whispered angrily, before stomping out.

the entire room stilled, eyes darting between the door and sukuna, obviously missing hana's last comment.

the main offender was still on the couch, hunched over with his head in his hands, nearly ripping the hair from his scalp.

this was your chance. you could escape and let your brother know that he was perfectly fine.

but no.

luck wasn't in your cards. when was it ever? because the man in question tossed his head back in annoyance, exhaustion coiled in his face, and making eye contact with you.

the two of you stilled in an awkward and heated stare, acknowledging each other's presence.

you averted your gaze after a few excruciating seconds, settling it on a potted plant to your side. your fidgeted with your fingernails, a show of your obvious nerves.

should you make a break for it now? or would that be weird seeing as you would basically be running from him. no... you can't do that. but your only other option was actually going up to him and making conversation. about what? that was completely unbeknownst to you.

"hey," sukuna called out, peering over you as you spun to meet his gaze. he had dark bags beneath his eyes, his hair somewhat unkempt but didn't diminish his looks.

there was a flush along his cheeks and the crown of his ears were tinged a heated red. he was probably somewhat drunk. he took a step towards you and you unconsciously shuffled backwards, his eyes darting to your footwork and stilling.

fumbling with the hem of your top, you pursed your lips. "hi."

the high-strung tension between the two of you was damn near suffocating but you didn't know how to cut it.

to your rescue, sukuna rubbed the nape of his neck with his palm and sighed. "you heard that," he said, without the inquisitive nature and more like a fact.

"kinda hard to miss," you teased, tilting your head and scanning him. he was sporting a black wife-beater, decorative stripes of ink sprawled across his biceps and shoulders.

the unspoken dissonance from months ago still hung in the air.

"you alright?" you posed, feeling unsure as how to continue this stifling conversation.

"yeah, just some girl," he exhaled, eyes fixed on the floor as flexed his fingers.

you nodded in annoyance. his casual dismissal of women was just in his nature. "right. just some girl," you spoke flatly and his eyes flickered to yours, darting between your right and left as he searched for answers he couldn't place while you remembered why you were even here in the first place. "hold on."

his mind worked to undo your comment and he grimaced at his word choice. how does he explain how every girl was now 'just some girl' ever since that day in the kitchen? every girl but you.

puling your phone from your pocket, your thumbs tapped away against the screen. sukuna allowed you to do whatever you needed, standing over you quietly.

you texted your brother, letting him know you found sukuna and he immediately sent a thumbs up, making you question the phone policy as his job.

"that's that," you said, slipping the device back into your pocket.

"well, i think i'm gonna head out. this place has got shit for drinks and the bar down the street-."

"i'm on babysitting duty," you interrupted, clasping your hands in front of you and staring up at him.

his eyebrows scrunched, cocking his head slightly. "what?"

"my brother said i'm in charge of you for the evening," you sarcastically beamed.

"...really?"

"yup!"

a scowl made it's way across his expression as he dragged a hand over his cheek before rubbing his twitching jaw. the frustration was evident.

you awaited his outburst, telling you that he's a grown man and fine on his own to which you'd curse him out smoothly and leave him to deal with his own shit and possibly make something out of your evening... but it didn't come.

he simply nodded, his lips pursed as he turned on his heel and grabbed his zip-up from a stool and making his way out of the room.

his formidable figure had no issue maneuvering through the crowd, as nearly everyone stepped out of his way and his line of sight was well over their heads.

you took this chance to trail him and easily make your way out, earning a few stares from the partyers.

as you stepped into the night, the chill of the night nipped at your bare skin. shuffling down the steps, you muttered curses to yourself for not bringing a hoodie to change into.

sukuna peered over his shoulder to witness your inner turmoil. his crimson orbs flickered down your figure and scoffed at your... lack of clothing, to say. how could you not cover up when it's freezing out?

"here," he said, holding his zip-up towards you.

you glanced up, eyes darting between the fabric he was holding and his solemn expression.

"yeah, no," you laughed mockingly and turning away, watching your breath condensate in the air before dissipating. as if you would do him the favor of holding onto the fabric he obviously didn't want to carry, his bare skin nearly covered in a layer of perspiration. "i'd rather die."

staring at you wide-eyed, sukuna dropped his outstretched hand after a couple of moments and nodded. the wrenching feeling of rejection washed over him, a feeling that was all too unfamiliar to him.

before you, sukuna had never entertained the idea of insignificant feelings. it was all too mundane for him. at the end of the day, he didn't care too much if he wronged someone.

it was easier to pretend like nothing and pray the other person wouldn't whine about, or he simply pretended the person didn't exist. either option never weighed on him too heavily.

he was also not the kind to ever apologize.

yet, the idea of you being upset with him had only managed to gut him after all this time. he'd attempted to drown him himself in intoxicants, which proved fruitless.

pretending you didn't exist wasn't all that helpful, either. even when you weren't physically around, your presence lingered every fucking place he turned. he'd randomly smell your shampoo lingering in the air which would throw him off, the mention of your fucking major would make him dizzy, and even names that sounded remotely like yours would make him flinch.

which is why, he'd rehearsed an apology to you for weeks now in hopes that one day, you'd accept it.

he didn't understand why he was feeling like this, but the hope that it might go away stuffed that corroded hole in his chest temporarily.

"you okay?"

"what?" sukuna replied irritated, head swiveling towards you, making you notice the slight slur of his words now.

for a few minutes now, he'd been muttering to himself with sweat beading along his forehead, his eyes fixed on the sidewalk. you had to muster up the courage to ask him, but you ultimately regret it.

"nothing, jeez," you scoffed, crossing your arms.

sukuna's hand was trembling in his pocket, fingers flexing and unflexing every couple of seconds. "sorry," he muttered. "didn't mean to..." he trailed off, his shoulder's slumping.

"yeah, alright." at this point, you've become so detached and used to his random tantrums so you didn't want to entertain this. but it didn't go without battering your self-esteem, making you want to slither away from this entire ordeal.

sukuna took notice of the change in your demeanor as well, his fists balling up and wanting to jump into traffic. "wait," he said, halting and turning to you.

you came to a stop a few feet ahead, glancing past your shoulder and turning around. "what is it?"

he stared at you, almost in what looked to be awe, before shaking his head and you could see the way his shoulders flexed, the way he balled the zip-up in his hand. what had him so uptight?

"i'm sorry," he shot out, eyes trained on the ground.

"...w-what?" you didn't know if you were hearing this right. was the one and only ryomen sukuna apologizing to you right now?

"i'm sorry, pea. i fucked up like crazy with you. the shit that happened a couple months back, i-in the kitchen... i shouldn't have said you're not worth it," he rambled, words on his tongue burning him. "you're more than fucking worth it and i was an idiot for hurting you like that, i realized it too late..."

you swallowed hard, the gulp nearly audibly, as you attempted to digest everything he just said. the guy you'd been adamant on hating for three months has finally got the balls to try to fix things? seriously?

he took a step towards you, then a step back as if he'd regretted entering your space. a heavy silence hung between the two of you, your head downcast as your mind raced and sukuna's eyes fixed on your figure.

"y-you don't have to respond. honestly, i'm not here for your forgiveness," he said after a couple minutes, the air smothering.

you gave it a couple of moments of thought before meeting his gaze. "okay."

sukuna flinched hearing your voice. "...okay?"

"okay," you repeated, pinching your bicep. "you're an asshole, you're a dick, and you're selfish."

his heart stammered and tore hearing you say those things. "and...?"

you laughed humorlessly. "and my point is, that is who you are. i don't think you'll ever change or grow out of it. so i'm just saying okay. it's not forgiveness, and i'm sure as hell not forgetting it. i'm just... saying okay."

"okay," he parroted, nodding his head in acceptance before you saw a smile tug at his lips that looked unlike him. "i can do okay."

"okay then."

the walk back to your apartment was nothing short of freezing and uncomfortable. he offered his zip-up again, to which you denied, then offered just walking back to his place, but for the sake of the cold, both of your exhaustion's, and the accessibility of it, you allowed him to crash on the couch.

he filed through your brother's clothes in his bedroom while you showered and slipped into your bedroom, allowing yourself space away from his overwhelming presence.

after changing into your pajama's, you couldn't help but stare at your ceiling in utter shock, wondering what in the fuck had happened today.

no, this doesn't change anything. the guy just looked miserable and whatever is weighing on him has gotta be taking a toll on him.

plus, it's not like you let him off the hook, right? there was no way in hell you were letting this guy walk over you and use you. if he wanted to be in your life, he had to respect you.

that was your unwavering resolve.

❦ m.list > pt. six

tags (open): @samoankpoper21 @nina-from-317 @l0v3m3-p13as3 @kunasthiast @poopooindamouf @sukubusss @actuallynarii @teenbreakup @linaaeatsfamilies @funicidals @weeezeerrss @uncertainlyours @for-hearthand-home @bnbaochauuu @beomgyusonlywife @federicaakira @joh-ahae @entumtum @ravenpumpkin1

[neeeooon]

my life will be yours if you make a fic about sae with a foreign reader, they met at some random cafe where he was because he wanted some peace and quiet, and he just so happened to see reader, who’s a bit clumsy and accidentally spilled their coffee on him, and so they offered to clean it for him (or buy him the same one.) somehow, he seems so enchanted by reader that he just wordlessly nods, even though he could buy like 10 copies of the same (expensive) sweater he was wearing right now, and he just kind of follows reader around like a lost puppy, and reader finds it super adorable!! he just buys whatever the reader wants, even if they just look at it for one split second, and he’s already checking it out and swiping his card :)) aaaarghfhf i love sae he’s such a cutie +_+

accidental love at first sight

itoshi sae x foreigner!reader. fluff fluff fluff

the meeting went to shit quicker than expected, and after hearing two dozen grown men shouting over each other for several minutes, sae was in desperate need of some peace and quiet.

with the strap of his shoulder bag tight in a fist, sae stepped into the first empty cafe he saw. he’d been back in japan for less than two days and was already sick of it. he wanted nothing more than to hop on a plane to anywhere but there.

he rolled the sleeves of his loewe knit cardigan up to his elbows as he ordered. personally, he thought the sweater was hideous. it’d been a gift from his company back in spain, and his manager insisted on having him wear it to the meeting as a sign of wealth and respect.

sae took his number from the cashier and found one of the empty tables to set his things at. a sigh naturally left his lips as he fell into the booth, not caring if the wood did nothing to cushion his landing. he was exhausted, mentally and physically, and wanted nothing more than to drink his coffee and return to his hotel.

it didn't take nearly as long as it did in spain for him to receive his drink, and sae stood to grab a napkin.

peace and quiet. what a joke.

not two seconds after he stood, a body slammed directly into him, knocking the coffee out of his hand and sending the hot liquid down the front of his cream sweater. sae kept his face neutrally blank, but the breath he let out trembled around the edges.

"oh no, i'm so sorry!" a voice shouted in panicked, broken japanese. when sae opened his eyes, he knew right away that you were visiting from out of town, like him.

your face was pale as you wiped napkins over his chest, pushing the dark coffee further into the expensive fabric. your rambling continued in a language sae didn't speak, and before you could embarrass either of them any further, he clasped a hand over your wrist to bring your nervous scrubbing to a stop.

"i'm clumsy," you scolded yourself, fists balling the napkins now soaked through with coffee. "i will buy you a new drink." you weren't asking, and sae didn't know if you were being assertive or if it was the slight language barrier. no matter the reasoning, he found himself nodding along wordlessly.

"i will buy your sweater, too," you offered while approaching the cashier, but when sae told you the price, you flashed a large, nervous grin. "i will clean your sweater. sorry, i said buy by mistake."

sae didn't know what it was about you, but your words brought a small smile to his lips. he couldn't help but be utter enchated by you as you ordered and paid for his replacement drink before informally asking (more like demanding) for his number. "for the, uh, sweater!"

"we can go now," sae surprised himself by offering, but the way your face brightened made him glad he suggested it. "alright! i have no plans. let's go!"

☆ ☕️

sae hardly remembered offering you his number, but he couldn't forget the feel of your fingers against his palm as you plucked the scrap of paper from his hand.

that was two weeks ago. sae often lost interest in things in two minutes. however, two whole weeks later, and he still jumped anytime his phone made a noise, chest aching at the thought that it could be you. most of the time it was, as you loved texting him about your day and wishing him luck at work.

you: Are you busy today? I would love to see you before my flight home!

sae: not busy. i'll pick you up and we can go shopping

you: Alright! I will be ready to leave in twenty minutes 😄

he couldn’t say no to you. not that he wanted to; sae would follow you anywhere, buy you anything. he learned, after you took his number while beaming up at him, that he would do anything to make you smile like that again.

even if it meant hurting his wallet for the next few hours.

“what do you think of this one? i feel like it is too sweet on me.” you brought your freshly spritzed wrist to his nose, where sae inhaled the scent of peach blossoms. definitely sweet, but he liked it on you.

“do you want it?”

you hummed and took another sniff. “it’s not too sweet..?”

sae nudged your wrist with his finger. “i like it on you.”

“then i will buy it!”

sae followed you around the outlet with no intentions of letting you pay for anything. anytime you tried, he’d give the cashier a death glare and slip his black card across the counter when they lied and said yours wasn’t compatible with their foreign system.

it got so bad that you had to ask sae to stop trying to buy everything you looked at. “i don’t need a solid gold chess set, really! please put the card away.”

though he had terrible financial responsibility, sae followed you around like a lost puppy, and you found that utterly adorable. “i will miss you when i fly back home. are we friends? can i text you?”

“yes,” sae answered without hesitation. his face remained blank, but you noticed the very tips of his ears were slightly flushed and smiled big at him. “to both.”

“then i will text you! and maybe i will return so you can take me on a real date!”

more than just the tips of sae’s ears turned pink when you leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “until then, friend!”

an: the friend zone is temporary they def hold hands and kiss in cafes

[bucketbueckers]

HIIIII SEXY

if ur taking requests can i request smth angsty for paige ? i was thinking maybe if you could do something based on ilyis by gracie abrams where reader is in love w paige but doesnt think paige will ever like her back cause paige is always flirting w azzi and then paige comes over and acts all flirty with reader and reader blows up at her and is storms out and paige forces her to admit her feelings cause all along paige liked her but she didn’t know if reader liked gworls 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

and it ends happily PLEASEEEE I BEG

I LOVE YOU, I’M SORRY

pairing: paige bueckers x fem!reader

content: language, teensy bit of angst, girls who hate communicating, reader might be a lil mean but we ball

wc: 2.4k

synopsis: You’ve been in love with Paige Bueckers for years, just another one of the countless moths drawn to her flame. You’d made your peace with only being her friend long ago, but it’s not until a well-timed blow up at Ted’s makes you realize it was mutual all along.

notes: as requested and in honor of finishing my last fuck ass exam 🫶 thank you sm for the request and im hoping i did this justice for you anon!! im sorry its a lil short 😓 but as always i hope y'all enjoy 🫶

Ted’s was supposed to be a welcome distraction to cap off a hectic week. Between two back-to-back away games, constant traveling, terrible naps on bumpy bus rides home, and homework that just seemed to keep piling up, you were ready to unwind and tackle the next week with a clearer mind. However, you couldn’t seem to relax, and the jealousy blooming in your chest like hemlock as you stared at Paige and Azzi whispering to each other wasn’t doing you any favors, either.

The team had invited you out with them, intent on celebrating another regular season conference win. You’re one of their graduate assistants, having served as the team manager for a few years before the position opened up, although you’d built incredible friendships with the girls over the years. Well – most of them, seeing as your brain and your heart couldn’t quite agree on how you felt for Paige. Her freshman year was your first year as team manager and she went out of her way to make you feel welcomed, greeting you every day at practice and inviting you out to team get-togethers.

At first, you’d kept it together. You were strictly friends, not even considering anything else. By Paige’s sophomore year – your junior year – you’d realized that she was beautiful. Like, a dangerous beautiful where you’d find yourself staring at her, even when she wasn’t doing anything more than watching film on her iPad. During her junior year, you were finally able to put a name to your confusing feelings and discovered that you were falling for her – hard – somewhere in between ACL recovery and her corny jokes. You realized it was love at the end of her junior year when you told her that Coach agreed to bring you on as a graduate assistant and she almost broke your spine hugging you. Now, nearly a year and a half into your Master’s program, you’re still hopelessly in love with Paige Bueckers and dreading the day the NCAA tournament begins – because the end of the season means the end of you and her. Because she’ll be on the first plane to Dallas and you wouldn’t have gotten the chance to find your courage and confess to her.

Ted’s was supposed to be a distraction. But it’s not, because the drink you’re sipping on makes your throat burn every time you swallow, and all you can think about is how you and Paige are a ticking time bomb that’s set to explode in April, and all you see is Paige looking at another girl that’s not you, and all you feel is the sickening mix of jealousy and shame that courses through your veins – jealous because all you want is Paige; shame because she’s your friend and you hate the way she makes you feel. You hate that your love makes you a little insecure and you hate that it feels like she’s choosing someone else over you.

Jana, who’s sitting next to you, throws an almost absentminded arm over your shoulder, pulling you out of your thoughts and back into whatever conversation they’re having at the table. KK is yapping and you barely catch the gist of it – something about Coach making them run suicides and how the new protein powder she’s trying gave her a tummy ache, but the heat of Paige’s gaze on you makes you glance over at her. Her brows are furrowed, eyes hardened as she stares at Jana’s arm around your shoulders like it’s personally offended her.

What confuses you even more is how Azzi notices. She sighs, an exasperated sort of noise, and stands – not without flicking Paige harshly on her forehead and muttering something about “Talk to her” as she slides her way out of the booth and towards the bathroom. Paige’s cheeks are a little red as she rubs her head forlornly. You’d probably laugh if you weren’t feeling so green.

You go to take another sip of your drink, needing to occupy your hands and your mouth if you wanted to appear somewhat put together tonight, but you frown when you realize you’re empty. Catching Jana’s attention, you motion to your cup and she nods, removing her arm and allowing you to make your way to the bar.

You don’t think too hard about your drink order as you rifle through your clutch for your card. What you do think hard about is the all too familiar voice saying, “I got you. Can I get another Shirley, please?” as Paige slides her card across the bar, her free hand finding your wrist like it’s the easiest thing in the world.

“Paige,” you deadpan, an amused annoyance lacing your tone. “I can get my own drink.”

She grins ineffably at you, but there’s an uncharacteristic hesitation in her eyes. It’s almost enough to make you forget why you’ve been so off all night. “Doesn’t mean you should,” she retorts.

“Oh?” you ask. “You making decisions for me now?”

Paige shrugs coyly. Her hand trails from your wrist to your waist, tangling in your belt loops – not pushing or pulling. Just holding. The touch makes you freeze. You and Paige had always been close. She was a touchy person, but never in public like this. “Just the important ones,” she murmurs. “So I know you’re taken care of.”

You blink at her, mouth suddenly dry. The sound of glasses scraping against the hardwood counter startles you. Paige thanks the bartender as she retreats, leaving the both of you alone at the edge of the bar, and you reach for your drink to occupy your hands as your mind spins. As unsure as you are about Paige returning your feelings, you’re not dumb. You’ve been flirted with before, been around Paige enough to know what her flirting looks like. The gentle confidence in her voice, the way her eye contact is so intense that strangely, it forces you to focus on her because otherwise, you’re sure that she’d find something she didn’t like if you couldn’t face her. The physical contact and the way she’s leaning into you. She’s flirting with you. Under any other circumstance, you’d probably be jumping for joy, but not now.

From the corner of your eye, you spot Azzi making her way back to the table. You make direct eye contact with her. She glances down, taking in your proximity, and she smiles at you. It sobers you up instantly.

“What the fuck are we doing?” you ask Paige, setting your drink back down on the bar and yanking her hand off of you. She blinks, her jaw falling slightly and confusion twisting her brows. “What are you doing? What, Azzi walks away, so you go and find someone else to keep you entertained? The one person who would run back to you anyway?”

“I – what?” Paige asks, hurt lacing her tone. She reaches out for you again but you take a step back, your thighs hitting the stool behind you. “I don’t understand what you mean. What does Azzi–”

You don’t realize you’re tearing up until you register the burn in your throat and the way your eyes sting. “You flirt with Azzi in front of my face all night. She leaves, and you wanna follow me up here, talking about taking care of me? You wanna touch me and buy my drink, ignore this weird push and pull thing we have, and then walk away like it means nothing to you?”

When she doesn’t say anything, you laugh despite the hurt swelling in your chest. “Sometimes you can be such a dick.” You wipe your eyes, trying not to lose your mind when your thumb comes back smudged with mascara. At the heart of it, sure, you’re sad, but the most pressing emotion is anger. You’d rather not be a choice at all than be a second choice.

The both of you pause, just staring at each other, until guilt and realization blooms simultaneously on Paige’s face. She murmurs your name, her voice cracking a little like what you’ve just said has changed her life, but you don’t let her reach out for you as you turn on your heel and walk out.

You know you can’t leave – Aubrey drove you and you’re not built for walking home at midnight. You lean against the railing, your head in your hands, knowing that Paige will likely be on her way. The two of you weren’t one for arguments. On the rare occasions you got carried away, apologies were swift. Guilt of your own bubbles in your stomach – you blew up for no reason, allowing your emotions to get out of hand. Now, you know that you and Paige will have to have another difficult conversation, and you’re not even sure if she’ll still want to be your friend afterwards. This is something you might not be able to come back from.

You feel her next to you before you see her. She leans against the railing, giving you space, and it’s in this devastating little moment that your anger comes back. It’s muted, not directed at her, but at yourself. You’re angry because as much as you want to be angry with her, you’re not, and all you really want is her. It’s selfish – you’d hurt her feelings in the bar, barely thirty feet away from your friends, but your body doesn’t care about that.

She breaks the silence to ask you, unsurprisingly, “Do you like me?”

There’s a million responses on the tip of your tongue. You consider sarcasm, but you feel as though the weight of this conversation needs something a little more genuine. Maybe genuine communication could have saved the both of you from feeling like this. No more cop outs, is what you tell yourself, so you exhale and admit, “I love you.”

You’re not sure what you’re holding your breath for. Maybe rejection. A small part of you holds out for Paige’s agreement. You’re unprepared for the way her arm wraps around your shoulders, pulling you into her body, and despite the shock, you sink into her anyways, your head falling onto her chest. It feels like acceptance, like forgiveness. “I didn’t know you liked girls,” Paige confesses, sounding a little sheepish.

At that, you groan, resisting an eye roll. “I literally have a pride flag in my Instagram bio,” you mumble. “You want my coming out in writing too? ‘Dear Paige, I’m gay. I’d apologize but you probably should have known anyway. Love, me.’”

“You’re annoying,” she huffs, but you can hear the amusement in her voice anyway. She tightens her hold on you. “I probably…should have done that a little better. At the bar. Don’t want you thinking it meant nothing to me. It does. And I just–” Paige trails off a little, looking for the right words. “I was really scared. I’ve always been worried about doing too much, scaring you off, and losing you forever. I thought…maybe I could drop hints and let you figure out what you wanted, but I never stopped to think about how that would feel from your end. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too,” you say. “For calling you a dick and making those accusations. I was scared and I let it consume me.”

You can feel the tentative smile Paige presses to your temple. “Truce?” she asks, and you nod, your fingers tangling in her shirt as you finally let the tension in your body dissolve. “For the record…there’s nothin’ going on with me and Azzi. She’s been telling me to ask you out for years. She was the first person I told when I thought I was in love with you.”

You pull back a little, meeting her eyes. The earnestness and honesty is clear as day, but you refuse to get your hopes up. “You love me?” you ask, not only to clarify, but also because this is something you’ve spent countless hours thinking about, wondering if it was even possible. To have it so close within reach…you need to be sure.

Paige, in typical Paige fashion, smiles crookedly at you and says, “You want that in writing, too?” She clears her throat dramatically. ‘To my favorite grad assistant, I’m in love with you. I’d apologize, but–”

“You are so fucking annoying,” you seethe, but there’s no real malice in your voice, your smile far too wide to be anything but over the moon. You’d thought about this moment a hundred times – how you’d respond to Paige confessing, or even how your own confession would sound. You’d never planned for it to happen this way. Maybe it was something that was supposed to be a spur of the moment thing. Maybe something out of a rom-com involving rain. Never an argument like this. The realization was never something dramatic with some cinematic soundtrack in the background. It was simple, almost like something clicks into place quietly. It’s messy, but it’s yours. And that’s enough for you. “So what happens now?”

Paige hums, leaning against the railing as her thumb brushes against your jaw gently. “Well…you can let me buy you another drink. Maybe split some fries. And, I don’t know if this is something you’d be interested in…but maybe you could be mine, too?”

You raise a brow, resting your hands over her shoulders. “Oh, really? Is that everything you want?”

Paige grins at you, her eyes flicking down momentarily before finding yours again. Her expression softens. “Not everything,” she admits. “But I’m trying to do this right. I wouldn’t want to assume.”

You roll your eyes, not missing the subtle tease in her words. When her hands drop to your waist, finding your belt loops again, you don’t freeze up. If anything, you melt into her. “Whatever you’re thinking…I don’t think it’s that much of an assumption.”

“Yeah?” she echoes. “‘Cause I’m still thinking about the fries.”

Huffing, you cup her cheeks in your hands, her skin warm against your palms, and you stand on the tips of your toes as you lean in to kiss her. She laughs, although she responds with a mix of softness and eagerness that makes you want more. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted and more, but you pace yourselves, taking it slow and sinking into the feeling.

When you part, Paige brushes her lips across your temple, her arms tightening around you like she can’t believe she has you. And, maybe, the truth is you’ve always been a little bit of hers, just like she’s always been a little bit of yours. That is all you could ever need.

[moonlitenha]

two babies. [jake]

PAIRINGS: sulky husband!jake! x loving wife!reader

GENRE: fluff, domestic, dad!jake, post-baby sweetness, light jealousy, cheesy romance

WORD COUNT: ~2k

SYNOPSIS: jake’s always been soft for his girls—his wife, his daughter, his whole world. but when the spotlight shifts just a little too much from him to their growing toddler, jake gets clingy, sulky, and hilariously jealous. between cupcake-smeared birthdays, sleepy cuddles, and kindergarten meltdowns, jake just wants to be reminded that he’s still your baby, too.

⸻

The clock blinked 7:13 p.m. in soft green digits as you folded tiny pastel onesies into neat stacks on the bed.

Your fingers moved on instinct—snap, fold, smooth—while your ears stayed trained for the little sounds of a two-year-old girl in the next room, babbling to herself as her plush bunny helped her organize building blocks.

Everything was calm. Organized. Peaceful.

Until the door creaked open, and you felt it; the quiet, dramatic energy of a full-grown man sulking.

“Sweetheart,” Jake said, voice already whiny as he padded into the room in his socks.

“You’ve been ignoring me all day.”

You didn’t even look up.

“Jakey, I’ve been wiping apple puree off the walls since 7 a.m.”

He flopped onto the bed beside you, full body weight, face smushed into the fresh pile of folded baby clothes.

“She threw it at me, you know. I suffered too.”

“You were the one who made airplane noises and then flew the spoon into her nose.”

“She laughed!” he protested, rolling over to look at you with wide eyes.

“I made our daughter laugh! I deserve a trophy.”

You reached over and patted his cheek.

“Your trophy is on diaper duty for the rest of the week.”

Jake let out a gasp. “Sweetheart, no. Not the diapers. Please, anything but the poop bombs.”

You smirked as you shook out another onesie.

“You’re being dramatic.”

He leaned his head on your shoulder, voice a pitiful whisper.

“Because I miss you.”

That one got you.

His hair was a fluffy mess, the kind that happened when he’d been running around with your daughter, and his eyes were soft but exaggeratedly sad, like a kicked puppy.

“I’m right here, Jakey.”

“But you’re not,” he said, pouting.

“You’ve been with her all day. You tuck her in and sing her lullabies and kiss her cheeks like she’s the love of your life.”

“She is the love of my life,” you teased.

Jake looked scandalized. “You’re married to me!”

“And yet here you are, competing with a toddler.”

“I’m not competing,” he sulked, curling his arms around your waist like a koala.

“I just want some attention. Like, five minutes of uninterrupted cuddling. Is that too much to ask?”

“You had me to yourself for years before she came along, Jake.”

“And I want you forever, even now,” he mumbled, burying his face in your side.

“I didn’t realize I’d have to fight for your heart against a baby who can’t even pronounce my name properly.”

You laughed, brushing your fingers through his hair

“She says ‘Dake’ and it’s adorable.”

Jake tilted his head up, expression deadpan.

“She says ‘Dake’ and gets a kiss. I say ‘Sweetheart’ and I get told to fold burp cloths.”

“Oh, poor my love,” you cooed dramatically.

“Did the mean mommy make you do chores?”

Jake nodded solemnly.

“I didn’t sign up for this. I wanted kisses and snuggles and domestic fluff. Not stepping on Legos and dodging banana chunks.”

You set the last onesie aside and turned to face him

“Jake, you chose this life.”

“I chose you,” he corrected, poking your cheek.

“And you came with a bonus baby. Who, by the way, is a menace. A cute menace, but still.”

You grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead.

“Well, technically, she’s your copy-paste.”

Jake beamed for a second.

“She is, isn’t she? My tiny clone.”

Then his pout returned.

“And you still love her more than me.”

“Who said I don’t love both my babies equally?” you said, nuzzling his nose.

“One needs bedtime stories and sippy cups, and the other needs cuddles and constant validation.”

He blinked. “…Wait. Am I the second baby?”

You gave him your best innocent look.

“You said it. Not me.”

Jake groaned, collapsing into your lap.

“This is emotional bullying.”

You laughed and carded your fingers through his hair again, knowing it calmed him instantly.

“You’re my needy little guy, aren’t you?”

He mumbled something against your thigh that sounded suspiciously like,

“I love being babied by you.”

“Speak up, Jakey.”

“I said,” he raised his head and looked at you with big eyes,

“I like when you take care of me too.”

Your heart gave a soft squeeze.

“Oh, love. I’ll always take care of you.”

“I mean like… snacks in bed. Head pats. Back rubs. You used to spoil me.”

“You didn’t have sticky fingers grabbing at your snacks before,” you teased, but the affection in your voice gave you away.

“Besides, you’re still my baby.”

Jake perked up instantly. “Say that again.”

“My baby.”

He leaned closer. “Again.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled.

“You’re my first baby, Jake. Before diapers and tantrums and animated sing-alongs… there was you.”

His grin turned boyish.

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

“Seriously?” you scoffed. “That fixed your entire sulky little mood?”

He nodded proudly.

“Words of affirmation, my love. Works every time.”

You kissed his cheek.

“Well, if you keep being cute, I might just reward you with a whole fifteen minutes of undivided mommy-wife attention.”

He gasped like he’d just won the lottery.

“You spoil me, sweetheart.”

You tapped his nose.

“You’re lucky I love you so much.”

“I’m your favorite husband, right?”

“You’re my only husband.”

“Exactly,” he grinned, shifting to pull you down into the bed with him.

“Let’s cuddle before she wakes up and demands you sing the ‘twinkle cheese’ song again.”

“You mean Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?”

“No, she sings about cheese. I swear it.”

You giggled as Jake wrapped himself around you like a giant blanket, head tucked into your shoulder.

You smelled a hint of baby shampoo in his hair from earlier bathtime—a clear sign he’d let your daughter dump half the bottle on his head.

“Thanks for being such a good dad, Jake.”

His voice came muffled from your neck.

“Thanks for being the best of everything, sexy mama.”

You chuckled. The room fell into soft quiet. The folded clothes waited in neat piles.

The baby monitor glowed faintly on the nightstand, and from it came a tiny, sleepy hum—your daughter humming herself to sleep.

Jake whispered,

“She’s got your voice, you know.”

You smiled.

“She’s got your whole face.”

“I’m glad,” he said.

“But even if we have a dozen kids someday, I still want you to myself sometimes. Just me and you.”

You kissed his temple.

“You’ll always have me. Even when I’m chasing crayons and sippy cups and changing diapers—you’ll still be my Jakey.”

“And you’ll still be my everything,” he murmured.

You sighed softly, relaxing into the warmth of his arms.

“Two babies. One who throws her food, and one who throws tantrums when he doesn’t get kisses.”

Jake chuckled.

“Hey, I’m at least potty trained.”

“Barely.”

“Sweetheart!”

You laughed out loud, smothering it against his chest as he squeaked in protest and buried his face into your hair.

“You love me too much to insult me,” he muttered.

“I love you enough to tease you.”

He smiled. “Good. Tease me, kiss me, tuck me in. I’ll never get tired of being loved by you.”

You snuggled closer, heart full.

“Well then, lucky for you, I’ve got a lifetime’s worth to give.”

⸻

The living room still smelled faintly of frosting and balloons.

Jake kicked his shoes off at the door, one hand clutching a pink plastic goody bag leftover from the party, the other hand carrying a sleeping two-year-old—no, three-year-old now—against his chest.

He could still feel her tiny fingers curled in his hoodie, face tucked against him, hair smelling like vanilla cupcakes and sunshine.

You turned from the kitchen, hair messy from the day, smile sleepy and full of love.

“Jake, she’s out?”

Jake nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. “Yeah. Fell asleep mid-sentence.”

You laughed quietly and tiptoed over, brushing the baby hairs from your daughter’s forehead.

“Our big girl.”

Jake’s chest squeezed painfully tight.

Big girl.

Wasn’t she just learning how to crawl yesterday? Saying her first garbled “Da-da” and making his heart stop with the weight of it?

Now she was running and laughing and singing—getting taller, heavier in his arms, growing so fast he could barely keep up.

“She was so happy today,” you whispered, helping guide her into his arms more securely.

“Thanks for organizing the balloon arch, by the way. She kept pointing at it like it was the eighth wonder of the world.”

Jake smiled, but it felt wobbly. “Anything for my girls.”

You kissed his shoulder, soft and lingering.

“You’re the best, my love.”

Carefully, he carried his daughter to her room, feeling every single step like a countdown ticking louder in his heart.

He tucked her into bed, pulled the softest blanket up to her chin, and kissed her forehead, lingering a second longer than usual.

Then he stood there, hands in his pockets, staring at her sleeping form like he might miss something if he blinked.

You slid your hand into his. “Jake.”

He looked down at you. And when he spoke, his voice cracked a little.

“She’s not a baby anymore.”

You squeezed his hand.

“She’s always gonna be our baby.”

He shook his head, voice thick.

“It’s too fast. One second she’s learning how to say ‘juice’ and the next she’s singing full songs and bossing me around.”

You chuckled softly. “She gets the bossiness from you.”

Jake smiled, but his eyes stayed fixed on the little girl in the bed, cheeks rosy, hands curled around her bunny.

“She’s gonna grow up,” he whispered.

“She’s gonna go to school and make friends and… and I’m not ready, baby. I want to keep her small forever.”

You leaned your head against his arm, voice quiet but sure.

“You’ll always be her favorite, Jake. No matter how big she gets.”

Jake finally tore his eyes away and looked at you—the love of his life, standing there barefoot in sweats, looking at him like he hung the stars.

He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve you, didn’t deserve her. But God, he would spend the rest of his life trying to.

Without a word, he scooped you into his arms, carrying you bridal-style out of the room like it was nothing.

You squeaked. “Jake! She’s sleeping!”

He whispered, “Shh, you’ll wake our tiny boss.”

You muffled a laugh against his chest, and he carried you straight to your shared bedroom, plopping you gently onto the bed before crawling in after you like a starved man.

“Need to hold you,” he muttered, yanking you against his chest. “Need to hold my whole world.”

You melted into him immediately, running your fingers through his hair, pressing kisses wherever you could reach.

“Still feeling emotional, my love?”

Jake nodded into your neck.

“I’m gonna be the scariest dad at her high school.”

You laughed, threading your fingers with his. “You already give suspicious looks to random dads at the playground.”

“They get too close when pushing her on the swings, baby. I have to be ready.”

You shook your head fondly.

“Our poor girl. She’s gonna have you, the golden retriever dad, and me, the one bribing her with cookies.”

“She’s gonna have the best parents ever,” Jake corrected, pulling back just enough to look into your eyes.

“Because she’s got you. You’re her whole heart. Just like you’re mine.”

Your face softened, eyes glassy under the lamplight. “Jakey.”

“I mean it,” he whispered, kissing the corner of your mouth.

“Watching you with her… it’s everything I ever wanted. I could live a thousand lifetimes and I’d still choose you. You’re my best thing.”

You smiled so big it almost broke his heart.

“You’re mine too, my love.”

He kissed you properly then—slow and sweet and grateful.

The kind of kiss that said thank you for giving me this life. The kind of kiss that said I’ll love you forever, no matter how much changes. The kind of kiss that said I’ll always be your Jakey.

When you finally pulled away, Jake tucked you under his chin, feeling you breathe against him, safe and steady.

He closed his eyes, feeling peace settle heavy and warm in his chest.

Two girls. Two hearts. His whole universe.

And he would spend the rest of his life protecting both of you with everything he had.

⸻

You weren’t even fully in the classroom when Jake leaned down and whispered,

“Why does this place smell like betrayal?”

You blinked.

“Jake. It’s a kindergarten classroom. It smells like glue and goldfish crackers.”

Jake narrowed his eyes at the crayon-labeled cubbies and bulletin boards. “This is where they take her from us.”

“She’s not going to the army. She’s learning how to read.”

“Same thing,” he muttered. “Both involve uniforms and tears.”

You rolled your eyes and took his hand, lacing your fingers together.

“Just be normal. Please.”

“I am being normal,” he said, tugging you protectively closer.

“I’m being a completely reasonable father who’s attending a totally irrational event where strangers think they can raise our daughter better than we can.”

“She’s not being raised by strangers, she’s learning the alphabet.”

“I can teach her the alphabet!” he said indignantly. “A is for Appa, B is for Back off, C is for Clingy husband whose wife isn’t taking him seriously—”

You squeezed his hand. “Jake. Breathe.”

He took a dramatic inhale. And then promptly glared at the kindergarten teacher who knelt in front of your daughter and said,

“Hi, sweetheart! What’s your name?”

Jake froze.

His eye twitched.

You knew that look.

“Oh no,” you whispered. “Jake. Don’t.”

He turned, eyes wide. “Did she just call her sweetheart?”

“Yes, Jake, it’s a nice thing—”

“I call her sweetheart.”

“Lots of people call kids—”

“She’s my sweetheart!”

“She’s five.”

“She’s mine.”

“She’s also herself, Jake.”

Jake gave you a wounded look.

“You’re defending the woman who’s trying to steal my child’s affection.”

You choked on a laugh. “She asked her favorite color.”

Jake crossed his arms and sulked like a toddler.

Your daughter, meanwhile, was happily showing the teacher her sparkly light-up shoes and describing how she helped you bake cookies the night before.

Jake watched the interaction suspiciously. “She’s so trusting. Too pure. They’re gonna corrupt her.”

“She’s making friends, not joining a gang.”

He squinted at the other kids.

“That one looks shady. Look at his shoes.”

“They’re Velcro.”

“Exactly.”

You pulled Jake down into the tiny chairs in the back of the classroom and leaned into his shoulder, laughing softly. “You’re impossible.”

He leaned his head against yours.

“You love it.”

You kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

Jake brightened immediately, smile blooming like sunshine. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

“One more time.”

“My love, I love you,” you whispered dramatically.

“Good,” he said, grinning.

“Now remind our daughter before she signs a legally binding friendship with that suspicious Velcro boy.”

You threw your head back and laughed so hard the teacher turned around and smiled.

Jake gave her a two-finger wave. It might’ve looked polite, but you knew it screamed my wife and daughter are off limits.

Later, when the orientation ended and you walked out hand in hand, Jake scooped your daughter up and kissed her head.

“She’s really going to grow up now, huh?” he whispered. You nodded, heart aching in the sweetest way

“Yeah.”

Jake sighed. “I hope kindergarten is ready. Because her dad is not.”

⸻

author’s note: i feel like jake would be a good husband.. and a dad.. yeah..

[temis-de-leon]

Pick me boys and MC - Part 1

Characters: Lucifer, Mammon and Levi (x gn!reader, separately)

Pick me girl variant

Main Masterlist

CW: pick me boy behaviour, but Mammon's part has a literal stalker lmao (I got carried away). Jealousy, possesiveness, mentions of marriage, a bit of violence. Mostly fluff, but also cringe

@gayideatraschan not what you offered initially, but you did inspired this <3

.

Lucifer

Look handsome and don’t drift away.

Those were the only two requests you had asked from him when you turned the last corner of the hallway and the banquet hall’s doors appeared right before your eyes. There was a high school reunion waiting on the other side and, although you’d never admit how nervous you were out loud, he could still hear the violent pounding of your heart and the shakiness in your breath.

Thankfully, one of the requests was always accomplished without being asked to. Sadly, you were the one who drifted away from his grasp as soon as those rusty metal doors closed after you; one moment he was holding your hand and the next someone was calling your name and making you say hi to everyone willing to recognise you.

It’s not like he’d ever blame you, obviously; especially when you had spent that last week stressing over what to wear, who would be at the party and what to say to them in order to satisfy their curiosity while literally hiding your demons and still giving yourself some credit for your merits. In the end, all you’d decided to tell was that you had been studying Human Relations at a private academy and were now an apprentice under the tutelage of a prestigious scholar. Of course, it was all too vague, but the truth was far too complicated to explain and your audience seemed satisfied with your answers.

But it was now your turn to listen to your former friends, and even some acquaintances, which Lucifer perfectly understood, still, damned it if he wanted at least to know where you were!

The melody of your laugh and your voice teased him, floating in the air and merging with the rest of the noise without giving any clear directions of your exact location. Unfortunately, although superior, your magic was also fused with weaker power sources in the large room; probably green or divination witches, which were incredibly common in modern times.

A long half-hour passed before he finally surrendered and let fate reunite you both again.

You deserved to enjoy your time with your past peers, anyway.

So there he was, mindlessly wandering amongst the crowd with a plastic cup of watered-down wine in his hand. It somehow tasted sour and expired, but there was nothing better at the table and he wouldn’t be the one bringing his own bottle to a gathering where he didn’t know anyone. A couple of strangers had stopped him a few times, sure, but conversations were short and strict; Lucifer never told more than he needed and he never wandered away from what you’d previously agreed upon.

His brother had been your supervisor at the academy and soon you became friends with the whole family, ultimately forming a relationship with him by the end of your first year.

Cute and simple.

Shouldn’t have caused any trouble.

And yet.

And yet.

What he was hearing wasn’t a voice. It was a whine. A pitiful moan. A pathetic show of affection that fell on deaf ears and forced a familiar sadistic smirk out of him.

Behind him, protected by a circle of reluctant listeners, a weasel-looking man hunched over his drink with a pout and a frown. He gestured wildly, shamelessly looking at you with longing and at Lucifer with envy; even when his back was turned, he could tell. Plus, the jealousy and resentment in his words did nothing to keep him discreet.

“I just don’t understand” he was saying, his rant resembling more a childish tantrum than an unwanted opinion. “I mean, they’re so cool and carefree and he looks so boring! They should totally be dating someone else”

“I don’t know, man” answered someone else, clearly trying to keep the peace. “They seem pretty happy to m-…”

“That’s what he wants you to think!” the weasel interrupted them. The others’ chuckles and sighs only seemed to add fuel to the fire. “Yeah, sure, MC’s entitled to date whoever they think it’s best, but he doesn’t love them! It’s obvious! Look, they’re miserable”

Something in the sour speech, Lucifer wasn’t sure of exactly what, irked him the wrong way. He could feel the familiar tingling in his back and his head, hidden limbs begging to be released along with his magic in a demonstration of power, but he liked to think he had always been good at staying calm until the time was due.

And also, it was your moment.

Thankfully, by some sort of miracle, the crowd slowly parted before him and started to form small groups. You were in one of them, talking lively to a pregnant woman. He could see a blush in your cheeks from where he was, the nervous jerk in your movements when the other human pointed at your hand obvious to his trained eyes.

Of course, the Ring of Light.

His chest puffed slightly when you spread your fingers and let the lady gasp in delight. Made out of gold and a small diamond, it probably looked like a wedding or an engagement ring for anyone who didn’t know what it truly was.

“Yeah, dude, they’re crying and everything”

The small group behind him laughed, finally giving him a reason to turn around.

Lucifer was surprised to see the weasel man so quiet, actually expecting him to stomp his feet if his reddened face and bulging eyes were any indication, but quickly pushed down his expectations when he saw him walking in your direction. For what, he wasn’t sure. To be your knight in shining armour? As if you needed one to begin with.

His movements were quick and elegant as he hurried towards the human to stop his heroic stride, but there was nothing graceful in his grasp when he closed his hand over the weasel’s shoulder.

He winced at the pain but kept looking at Lucifer’s dark eyes with fragile self-assurance.

Lucifer snickered, amused.

Cute.

“You don’t deserve MC” he said with a deeper pout, as if Lucifer towering over him and making him bend with the force of his hand was just a slight inconvenience.

He had to give him points for trying, that he had to admit, but his patience was wavering and he really didn’t want to make a scene.

“They don’t deserve you” he finally said, spitting the last word with distaste. Then, he cleaned his hand on the other man’s inappropriate graphic t-shirt and turned around to walk straight towards you.

His smile was calculated, innocence and charm pouring out of him while he shook your friend’s hand, but he knew you knew better.

Good luck getting away from him now.

Mammon

Your stare was fierce, murderous even, but it was difficult not to act bitter when he had been promised a date downtown only to be betrayed by his own partner and the worst older brother in existence.

Falling from the heavens? A mere warning.

Forced to work on club activities for extra credit? Actual divine punishment.

Sure, maybe he had skipped class too many times and perhaps his grades were plummeting at an embarrassing speed, but what else could he do when, even after all those years, Levi was still so careless about his figurines’ safety and a new pawn shop had opened right next to the House of Lamentation? He hadn’t seen so many coins and bills in his hands ever since he sold Asmo’s bath towels to his fans during Valentine’s Day! And that was for sure something else…

Honestly, why couldn’t anyone see that the true one at fault was the owner of the establishment? Mammon was, sadly and simply, a victim of circumstances.

And you? You were a damn traitor. It didn’t matter that you were wearing that cute outfit he bought for you on your birthday or that your jewellery matched his; at the end of the day, your words were empty and he should’ve known as soon as you kissed him good morning earlier.

It was so obvious! Why else would you be awake so early on a Saturday morning?

And why was RAD open on a Saturday to begin with??

He sighed again, louder that time, and made sure to avoid your eyes when you turned to glare at him with an even deeper frown. Before he could think about it though, you apologised to the sad-looking incubus goggling at you and marched straight in Mammon’s direction.

His body tensed and he felt himself shrink, but he made an effort to keep ignoring you as you sat on your heels and grabbed both of his knees to create more space.

“Baby” you cooed sweetly.

He knew better than to trust the welcoming tone.

“Ya better be here to apologise, MC”

He closed his eyes showing an indignant expression, even turning his back on you and crossing his arms over his chest to really drive the point home. Hopefully, you’ll feel guilty enough to regret your actions, kiss him a couple of times and take him out of school for the promised date.

Luck was not on his side that day.

“You wish”

“Oh, c’mon!”

Mammon’s interruption came out as a whine as he let himself sink deeper into the couch before, not even a second later, sitting up straight to point an accusatory finger at you. Your gaze seemed innocent, but he knew you enough to accurately guess how much you were enjoying his suffering.

“We were supposed to be out there shoppin’, not here watchin’ pictures of… yourself!”

“Why, I thought you liked watching my pictures”

You spoke in a low voice, yet he still understood you. Warmth quickly rushed to his face and his hands didn’t waste a moment in covering your mouth, but he could feel your smile under his skin.

“Doncha say those things in the open like that, idiot! Besides, ya know the pictures I like are in my room… These are just super creepy!”

Behind you, the incubus you had been previously talking to was listening with little to no discretion, standing in the middle of the room and talking to no one despite the endless activity surrounding you. His body was slightly turned in your direction, but his eyes were stuck to the floor.

Mammon squirmed in his seat at the shameless eavesdropping. A wave of irritation spread through his body and an uncomfortable weight sat in the pit of his stomach.

“They are… weird” you admitted, getting up only to sit on his leg. Had you been the only ones in the study room he would’ve melted instantly, but there were too many demons around and one of them was seriously getting on his nerves. As if sensing his discomfort, you cradled his face to force eye contact, clearly annoyed at his attitude but also slightly regretful. “But this is my fan club, Mammon. What did you expect they had on the walls? Honestly, I’m surprised you’re not more excited; you know, since you’re so… obsessed with me and everything”

“I am… What-! Obsessed??”

“You’re in love with me, Mammon”

Thankfully, you were merciful enough to sing your teasing in the lowest tone possible, right next to his ear so no one else could hear. Still, he covered up your mouth again like you were shouting profanities.

Laughing cheerfully at his bashfulness, you gave him a quick peck on the cheek and got up.

“We’re almost done here. Act like you’re doing something and then I’ll take you to Majolish and the cinema or wherever else you like. My treat!”

He perked up at your words, immediately jumping away from the couch before walking towards one of the tables. Your giggles followed him with each movement, but he was too stoked to mind.

Finally! Finally, you were getting out of there!

However, he couldn’t help but feel a bit annoyed at the situation.

Lucifer, no doubt showing the loving and caring personality that gave him his infamous reputation, knew what he was doing when he made Mammon reach his required semester credits by going to your fan club.

Since it was relatively new, most of their activities revolved around investigating you; your habits, your hobbies, what you liked and disliked, food, school subjects, clothes…  They had newspaper cuts with your interviews, fliers and tickets for events that involved you and, of course, pictures. Taken from your Devilgram account, from the newspaper, from the brothers’ Devilgram accounts and your friends’, but also from real life. Pictures taken behind your back in the Cafeteria and even in class.

It was creepy. It irked him and sent a shiver up his spine.

Compared to the pictures in his walls, taken with that plastic junk you’d bought on the human internet for less than the average minimal wage, the images scattered around the surface of the table in front of him looked like a stalker’s love letter. While Mammon got to wake up every day to your immortalized smile and the priceless memories you’ve made together, the lead photographer in your fan club was clearly hidden behind bushes on at least half of his creations; there were leaf-shaped shadows on the corners of the photos and some of the angles were off, coming from the ground and making a certain part of your body stand out more than the rest.

And look, he knew what his brothers would say- What anyone would say if he complained about this weirdo, but this went way beyond what he felt for you as his partner. The newspaper and the Devilgram stalking, he could understand from a bunch of losers, but the rest? Following you on your way home? Eavesdropping private conversations?

He turned around, searching for the incubus that was becoming too comfortable for his own good, and found him standing right behind you while you talked to some of the other members.

Too close, head tilted down, shamelessly staring where no one but Mammon was supposed to look.

He didn’t realise he was walking until he got there.

Something hot and electric rushed through his body, making the ends of his hair stand out. He felt like an animal ready to pounce, like one of his crows defending their territory, chest puffed out and feathers ruffled.

But it wasn’t the moment, nor the place.

The only reason he was there was because he’d borrowed some toys from Levi, and Lucifer was a miserable demon who couldn’t see anyone around him being happy without convulsing. If Mammon dared to show any sign of ill behaviour while on this… glorified detention, there was no way he’d get out of the staircase and the familiar burn of the rope around his body for a long while.

And he wanted you to have a good time with him, dammit. A date where the both of you could go around town spending some money and, hopefully, kiss a little at the very end.

But he wouldn’t have any of it if he beat some nobody to a bloody pulp.

Ugh.

What a hassle.

“Hey”

A faint touch in his middle section caught his attention. Your hand, dancing over the skin of his clothed hip-bone, brought a teasing chill with its touch. Mammon looked at you with a raised brow. Despite the way you hugged his waist to bring him closer to your embrace, which was nothing short of caring, your eyes were narrowed and filled with suspicion.

“We’ll leave in a minute, okay?” you murmured under your breath, just for him to hear.

However, the weirdo seemed too interested in what you wanted to say. His silhouette moved in the corner of Mammon’s eyes, leaning forward in an effort to capture the meaning of your words, and ultimately managing to trip over his own foot and fall over your back. Unsurprisingly, and as sweet and understanding as always, you just smiled politely and watched as he blushed and stammered some half-assed apologies. The rest of the group only giggled at his clumsiness.

Mammon seethed.

He took a deep breath and stepped away from your side, raising both hands above his head and stretching as much as his body allowed him to. His bones cracked and the hem of his shirt rose up, bringing your eyes to the exposed skin in his tummy.

“All this hard work got you tired?” you chuckled, playfully bumping your hip with his.

He fought the urge to squeeze it, and instead let his arms fall to clasp the incubus nape. The slap echoed across the room, and the noise lowered down almost immediately. His fingers curled around sweaty skin.

“Oh, I’m exhausted, MC” he teased back, sharp nails sinking and making the incubus squirm.

Like clockwork, your gaze changed into one of concern and focused in the weirdo’s direction. You opened your mouth, clearly wanting to ask what was going on, but nothing came out, and Mammon took the opportunity to side hug the demon beside him and forcefully drag him to the doorway.

“Wh-…” he muttered, frantically looking around as Mammon pushed him to the hallway. “Where are we going?”

“Mammon…!”

“I’m taking interest in the club” he shrugged, sporting an unusual innocent voice.

“Mammon” you repeated, sterner that time.

In any other occasion, your crossed arms and your flaring nostrils would’ve had an effect on him, but that day was different.

That day, he had been lied to and bamboozled, forced to stay in a classroom full of needy puppies when he could’ve spent a perfect Saturday dragging you by the hand from one store to another. He was dressed up, looking more handsome than ever, and you looked like a dream, yet the one under his arm was the creepy photographer from your fan club and not you.

No. Today your ire was not enough.

Hiding a smirk behind slender fingers, Mammon winked at you and finally stepped away before closing the door. He knew he’d pay for it in the long run, but he tended to enjoy punishment as long as it came from you.

People called him a masochist for a reason, right?

“What are we doing here?”

Mammon turned, his face expressionless, and stared at the incubus in complete silence. Although the incubus was trying to sound nonchalant and casual, the tremor in his voice was painfully evident and he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking. Noticing how interested the Avatar of Greed himself seemed in them, he eventually put them in the pockets of his uniform.

Big mistake.

No way to get rid of Mammon if his hands were tucked away.

So, without losing his stone-cold composure, and faster than the incubus would’ve ever processed, he grabbed his throat and pushed. Pushed, pushed and pushed until all he could feel was muscle, tendons, bones and the cold stone behind them both. It was a miracle that the lower demon didn’t choke when he tried to gulp down his nerves.

It was gratifying, in a sense, feeling the panic coming out of his pores as he pathetically tried to scatter away, kicking his legs and scratching Mammon’s arms.

“You think you’re so smart, doncha?” he murmured, grip seemingly effortless despite lifting the other demon in the air a couple of inches. “Going after my MC, taking pictures and sharing them with the class… Being so good at hiding, you could’ve done so much more, but you stayed there. Why?”

He stayed silent for a couple of seconds, not really expecting an answer. Although the incubus could open his mouth and let out some sounds, there was nearly no air in his lungs to form a sentence.

Still, giving him the illusion of choice was entertaining.

“Thought you could learn enough to make them fall for you?” he ended up saying in the end, already knowing the answer. That time, however, he didn’t wait for anything to happen. He could feel the embarrassed heat from his cheeks. “Just how pathetic are ya, huh?”

He retreated.

The thud of the body falling to the ground wasn’t as satisfying as he hoped it’d be, but seeing the incubus grimacing in pain and blushing with shame did bring some amusement. His teary eyes were the cherry on top.

“You act like a child” he sobbed, glaring at Mammon with defiance despite the pathetic state he was in. “I was studying them, so what? I understand them now. I’d treat them better; make them feel better. Someone like them has to be with someone that gets them. And there’s no one like me…”

His coughs interrupted his little monologue.

Mammon crouched as the other demon cleaned his mouth with a sleeve and fanned himself with a hand, still hot and flustered from almost being suffocated to death.

A part of him, the one with poisoned spines and sharp fangs, wanted to finish the job and come back to you after everything was done. The other part, soft and pliant, yearned for a long deserved date with no hard feelings and no fighting between you.

Still silent, but now smiling, Mammon gently grabbed the demon’s chin and slightly lifted to bring it forward.

“What are you doing?” he asked, horror rooted deep in his voice.

Mammon pursed his lips and tilted his head, teasingly, but there was no humour in his tone when he talked.

“Making sure I don’t forget who you are”

Leviathan

Until he met you, Levi thought there was nothing in the three realms that could compare to the beautiful complexity of what the 2D media offered, less alone be better. The fluid motions in animation, the range of emotions displayed with the simple stroke of a pen, voice actors reaching their limits in an effort to show what the character was feeling… And that was only the technical part. If he started talking about the possible plots, the character developments or the values and lessons thought through anime and manga, then he wouldn’t go to bed for days and he would talk himself to death.

Everything outside of his room was just so… fake. Playing pretend all of the time and rejecting individuality for the sake of fitting in. The same thing everywhere, over and over and over again, predictable and devoid of meaning. Why would anyone settle for that?

However, even someone as strict as him could accept when some specific things were occasionally similarly enjoyable to his lifestyle.

For example, ever since he became your friend, and eventually your boyfriend (thank Lord Diavolo this is inner dialogue, because he would’ve never been able to say that out loud), Levi came to discover that said beautiful complexity was even more beautiful when you were there experiencing it with him.

Daily marathons and gaming sessions became common in your couple activities repertoire. You also exchanged books on the occasion to share opinions, but there was something about sitting in the same room without constantly interacting that made your relationship feel intimate and cared for. He wasn’t talking to you, but you were still absentmindedly playing with his hand while absorbing what you were seeing on the screen; and you were talking to yourself as you brutally decimated the final boss in his newest RPG, but his tail was comfortably wrapped around your leg.

Not needing to repeatedly reassure the existence of your relationship was far more comforting than he could ever put into words.

Today was just further evidence to prove his point.

Hours had passed since dinner ended, yet you both were still awake, eyes glued to different screens in his gaming setup as your characters separately covered the terrain, slayed enemies and healed the rest of the team. He’d chivalrously given you the chair, opting himself for the bean bag, and although his back was killing him and he’d had a sore neck in the morning, there was no way he would let you be so uncomfortable in his presence. Sure, you’d offered to sit on his lap while he sat on the chair, but of course he’d rejected it!! That was too much!!

Anyways…

Back to game.

Normally, you liked to keep your sessions private, especially when you played choice-based games, but this time was different. This time was your first with his online friends: kind strangers he’d met over the years who understood him better than anyone in his own family. Some were other, lower demons, and some were humans who had no idea of who or what he was, yet treated him with the same comradery as an old childhood friend would.

The idea of you meeting them and potentially befriending them as well made him giddy. So giddy, in fact, that he had long gone abandoned his screen to focus on yours.

And you were incredible at it, blending perfectly with his group and working like greased machinery even on survival mode. You knew how to use your character and which were your favourite weapons, annihilating every monster that came in contact with merciless brutality and the tiniest of teasing miles.

He felt like his heart was about to burst from excitement.

And his friends thought so well of you too!

@/mym0mm4demedothis: Make sure to shoot him again MC, I think he still can breathe lmao

@/pigeonsRDgvmnt: Damn, I didn’t even have to grab the controller for this 0-0

@/omegakitten4display: Can you suffocate me?

That last one unnerved him a little bit, but he was well aware of this particular user’s sense of humour; nothing worth worrying or being jealous of. Besides, you’d made sure to kiss him on the cheek extra loud right next to his microphone for everyone to hear and tease him about, so he really didn’t have any reasons to complain.

Except… Well…

Did he, though?

You weren’t especially annoyed about It, but he could see it was slowly getting on your nerves, judging by the way you occasionally rolled your eyes and clicked your tongue. Still, playing hero for you when you were ignoring the problem so gracefully didn’t sit right with him, so Levi stayed silent and let his head rest on your shoulder while he watched you play.

@/grinninManIac: try support next time, mc, itll be easier :)

@/mym0mm4demedothis: Boy, shut up and improve your aim

@/grinninManIac: just offering advice

This wasn’t one of his friends, but rather a friend of a friend of a friend who didn’t have anyone to play with that night. He’d sent countless messages to the groupchat asking for their friendship codes, and at one point you’d felt so much pity for him that your human nature had flourished and your compassion made you immediately offer your code first, pushing the others to do the same.

Levi was sure you were regretting that now, though.

But what did he expect? If you were nice and good to even the scummiest of scum on earth, Mammon, then everyone else was prone to be treated just as sympathetically.

@/TheOvineGOAT: thanks, but I’m good with my main

The response was instant.

@/grinninManIac: r u sure? i can teach you how to use the others

@/TheOvineGOAT: Lev can do that just fine

@/grinninManIac: u can depend on other people, u know ;)

You paused, staring blankly at the screen before quietly turning off your mic and forcing out a gag. Levi was so offended on your behalf that he couldn’t even laugh at your exaggerated disgust.

He opened his mouth, ready to shoot back and defend your superior abilities in the game, but you eagerly took your index finger and shushed him with it. The warmth of your skin and the intimacy of the contact dragged a tiny whimper out of him.

Thankfully, though, the microphone didn’t capture it.

@/mym0mm4demedothis: Teach them?? Do you even know how to play??

@/grinninManIac: i’ll have you know that ive been playin for more than a year, every day, the whole day :)

@/grinninManIac: you could call me an expert haha ;))

@/pigeonsRDgvmnt: How about you put that controller down…  -_-‘

@/omegakitten4display: Suffocate

@/TheOvineGOAT: No need :3

Levi shook his head in disbelief and slight embarrassment. He had been so focused on the conversation that he hadn’t seen what you were doing on the screen: sneaking under the enemies’ radar, stealth mission style, and placing yourself behind the newcomer in his friend group.

Your friend group.

Silently, with a smile so wide it could brighten his days forever, you powered up your ulti and blasted your teammate without mercy, loot falling to the ground and a small penalization for enemy fire appearing in the corner.

A couple of seconds passed in silence where no one in the call talked.

Then, and rather uncontrollably, everyone started laughing. Loud and shamelessly, like a pack of hyenas. No one noticed the new guy leaving the call under all the noise.

@/grinninManIac: u didn’t have to b such a bitch about it >:(

Surprisingly, you just rolled your eyes at the written message before blocking the user. If the crass word bothered you, it didn’t show on your face, and Levi couldn’t do more than stare in awe and blush uncontrollably as you focused on the game again and got ready to forget the whole incident.

His friends continued laughing for a while, applauding your lack of hesitation, and it didn’t take too much before they started teasing him for his sudden silence.

But what could he say?

You leave him speechless.

.

.

Taglist: @simpdeaether @sleepy-gamer-mom @deadflycomputerlogs @mysstical-siren @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf @hello-gloomy @the-sassiest-toaster @hero-nii-blog @yourlocalyin @elaemae @eliciria @darkflowerav @ilovecandys2010 @ollieoven @kingofspadesdelusion @whimsybloom @mia4gotcookiez

[velaris-fic-repository]

What the Tide Brings In (Part 6)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

“This is a bad idea.”

“Oh please, what are they going to do? Kill me?”

Azriel made a noncommittal face, more of an upset feline expression than anything else.

“Come off it. I’ve already seen this gorgeous and peaceful city in the heart of the big, bad Night Court,” you comically emphasized the weight of the previous words before moving on.

“You’re supposed to be the scariest one. And lo and behold, you’re naught but a big softy.” You reached over during the moonlit walk the two of you were taking to boop your finger on the tip of his nose. A wise choice? No, but he didn’t retaliate or move away. Victory.

“I’m not a softy,” Azriel protested, lightly swatting at your hand leaning in for another assault upon his nose.

“Mhmm.”

“I’m not!” His voice got louder in emphasis as his wings extended momentarily, puffing himself up to look broader and more intimidating. Too bad you’ve already seen the heart of him. His childish response didn’t help either.

“Whatever you say, shadowsinger.” You surveyed him then said, more seriously, “Are you sure you’re alright introducing me? We don’t have to if you don’t want.”

You were incredibly interested to meet his family, the quartet you’ve heard so much yet so little about. It truthfully had nothing to do with their stations as leaders of the Night Court. These people were important to Azriel, and you wanted to meet them. But, if he wasn’t ready to share them with you, that was fine.

Unbeknownst to you, it had more to do with Azriel not wanting to share you with them.

He sighed in soft defeat. “No, no. They want to meet you too. Honestly, if we don’t do this now I’m sure they’ll find ways to orchestrate an accidental bumping into you.”

His shadows - who had slowly started seeping into the world until it felt like they’d always been there - shifted on his shoulders, reaching out towards you until one twined around your finger.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” you chuckled, playing with a shadow for a bit until it disappeared with the rest of its ilk.

“Busybodies, the lot of them.”

You snickered, “isn’t being a busybody, your entire job?”

Azriel looked at you, surprising you by snorting back, a small smile unsuccessfully suppressed. The laugh was undignified, boyish. His hazel eyes glittered in a way that twisted your heart.

“Unfortunately,” he sighed wistfully, “they’re going to love you.”

While your magic connected you to the wind and you lived by it on any ship you’ve ever sailed on, you have never been fully at the mercy of it. You always had the waves and current or the ground beneath you as a secondary element.

Sailing was in your blood. A free feeling that you had fought against your fear for and happily had returned to you. There was still a hollow, dread soaked feeling in your stomach when you spent too much time remembering the fateful expedition that brought you to Velaris, but you could step on a deck without fear and finally feel the sea breeze on your face again.

Flying was something else entirely, as you found out. Nothing but air currents whipping around you as you floated high above the glittering jewel that was Velaris.

A soft, “wow,” escaped you as you took it all in. Azriel’s low chuckle was right next to your ear, making it very hard for you to keep your reactions to yourself.

“I thought you would like it.”

“It’s amazing.”

“Better than sailing?” He teased as you felt his wingbeats and momentum start to slow down, the mountain House of Wind coming into view.

“You wish,” you teased back, earning you another laugh as the two of you landed.

You had another comment on the tip of your tongue, stalled by a male voice saying, “Finally, I thought you’d never get here! We’re starving!”

“Welcome,” Azriel quipped, shifting slightly into the quieter version of himself from when you met him. He was still at ease though, if not a little tense in the shoulders. Peaceful, just different, and maybe a touch nervous for this evening for obvious reasons.

You found yourself shocked to notice the little details, knowing exactly what each little piece meant. Then you remembered that golden little thread in your chest, still feeling nothing from the other side. He always seemed a little more relaxed when it was just the two of you.

You really had to stop looking at that. The bond would reveal itself to him in time, if he chose to accept it. His friendship was plenty, you thought. If you were deluding yourself, that was between you and The Cauldron. It’s not like you’ve lost sleep over it or anything. (Sure).

Introductions were easily made as dinner appeared before you all on the table. You had taken the seat next to Azriel, of course, but it was a humorous little race between Mor and Cassian for the other seat beside you. Ultimately, Mor won out, leaving Cassian to sit mildly uncomfortably next to Amren, Rhysand on her other side by Azriel.

“So this is the female we’ve heard so much about” Rhysand teased, a grumble elicited from Azriel.

You smiled though, “A pleasure to meet you all. You have a lovely home and city, if you don’t mind me saying, High Lord.”

“Rhys is fine,” he insisted, “and thank you. Your love of the harbor is very well known.”

“I meant the whole thing, but yes,” you chuckled, “the harbor is my favorite.”

Rhys grinned at you, violet eyes twinkling in that star like quality they seemed to have. “Azriel tells me you used to be a pirate?”

“Yup!” You said, “Hat and everything. Though I did lose the hat somewhere along the way.”

The conversation drifted by easily like this, you answering questions, offering questions of your own. Amren was curious about the finest thing your crew had ever stolen.

“We preferred to think of ourselves as privateers of the people. We didn’t really steal pretty things for ourselves, mostly food, clothes and money for fae who needed them more than those who hoarded them. That being said, we did have a few less than altruistic excursions.”

“Tell us more, please,” Mor said excitedly beside you.

“I think I’ll keep some of those stories to myself. Can’t give all my good ones away at the beginning, right?”

Azriel’s lips twitched up into a smirk, only causing your smile to grow brighter.

“You’re from Summer, you said?” Mor asked.

“Yes.”

“We have an interesting relationship with that court.”

“Please do elaborate,” you snickered.

Mor laughed with you, “Cassian got himself banned for life for knocking down a building in Adriata.”

You stilled, eyes flicking up to Cassian who shifted in his seat.

“That was you?” You asked, eyes still wide.

“…yeah.”

The whole table was silent, fearful, Azriel most of all. You’d never talked about that with him. He’d never thought to ask about it. What if you had people who had lived or worked out of that building. He’s sure it had been rebuilt but obviously it was a significant event if the ban had not been lifted. None of the Inner Circle was really sure what the extent of the damage was as Nostros had not given them a detailed reporting when it happened.

Azriel, not for the first time in knowing you but definitely the most serious case, had absolutely no idea how you would react to this information. All he could do was wait and hope he didn’t have to intervene in the next few heartbeats.

You raised a hand to your mouth, eyes still wide on Cassian and just sat there for a moment. Power thrummed throughout the room, every member present waiting to unleash something if the situation turned south.

But then, they heard a small snort. Followed immediately by a crescendo of laughter, louder and louder until your hand left your mouth and they all saw the blinding smile on your face.

Azriel was bewildered but found a smile on his own face in response to yours, as if your joy was his.

“You’re not… mad or something?” Cassian said tentatively.

“Are you kidding?” You asked between laughs, “That was one of the best weeks of our career!”

“Really?”

You finally tamed your laughter, smile still blinding like the Summer sun. “You have never seen a group of self-righteous nobles turn such a shade of purple! It was amazing!”

Rhys, happy to not have a brawl in his dining room, sent you an amused but authoritative expression. “It was an Inter-court incident.”

You leveled a roguish expression back at him, “No one got hurt! And I raise you, High Lord, as a Summer and Adriata native, those nobles were pricks preying on their people and they deserved whatever money and belongings they lost.”

Azriel snorted while Cassian joined you in your humorous hysterics, the whole table falling back into its easy rhythm from before.

Unsure what prompted it, Azriel reached over and grabbed your hand, squeezing it once. Oddly, he couldn’t bring himself to let go of it.

You pointed with your other hand at Cassian, “I think you and I are going to be friends.” He grinned, nodding.

“Do you ever miss Summer?” Cassian asked with a smirk, “and you don’t have to kiss our asses about it.”

“The scenery? Yeah. The people? No. I think I’d be hunted down if I went back, they hate me over there. Or at least those I’m charge do.” You paused, looking over at Azriel with a soft smile, “I’ve never felt more welcomed than I’ve been here.”

“Glad to hear our Spymaster has made a new resident feel at home,” Rhys said, clearly a brotherly barb tossed Azriel’s way. In answer, Azriel huffed, but said nothing, rubbing his thumb over your hand.

“Do you mind me asking about your family?” Mor asked. You smiled and shook your head.

“We weren’t really all that close. They didn’t approve of my swashbuckling, wild child behavior and then my chosen career path. So, we hadn’t been in contact for a while.” Mor and you shared a sympathetic look, your familial relationships not the same, but featuring echoes of some of what the other experienced.

You continued, “I suppose, like you guys, I found family other places.”

“In your crew?” Amren prompted.

“Yeah,” you answered and then stopped. For the first time since being here, you thought about them. Really stopped and thought about them. Maybe you had been mentally avoiding the topic to protect yourself, to keep the darkness at the edges of your mind at bay. There had been a lot of distractions to put between yourself and those names, those faces. No such distraction existed now, not when asked directly about them.

Sorley’s strong arms. Aviva’s smile. Auri’s boisterous laugh. Petra’s kind, wise eyes.

All of them battered and lost to the depths. Just you now. All alone.

What did you have that they didn’t? Why were you still here when they didn’t make it? Did you really deserve survival more than them?

Azriel watched your face fall, a darkness he had seen before settling back into you. He rubbed his thumb over your knuckles again to soothe you. He looked up, locking eyes with Rhys. There was a surprised and sorrowful look on his face as he looked between you and Azriel. It was all Azriel needed to know that his brother had seen inside your head. It didn’t appear like a fun place to be right now.

Azriel waited for Rhys to share mentally with him what he had seen. He wasn’t asking for the whole story, Az would never want to breach your privacy. But, he’d have been lying if he said he wouldn’t have at least liked a comment from Rhys, to give him an inkling of what you were dealing with. Rhys would never infringe on the privacy of a friend using his abilities, but if someone needed help… But he didn’t.

Rhys swallowed and cleared his throat, breaking you from the treacherous depths of your mind that he had seen. Someone would have to teach you about shielding but that would be a conversation for a different time. No one else could save you from the darkness of your own mind, but he could offer you a distraction at least while you figured it out or worked up the courage to ask for help. You were important to Azriel, that made you important to everyone else at that table.

“Your reputation around the ships really does precede you,” Rhys started.

“Thank you,” you said, returning to yourself.

“Our current Harbormaster is very old, even for us. He’s expressed interest in retiring from his duties. You seem more than qualified for the job, and you have the respect of everyone who’s stepped foot in the port. Not an insignificant feat for only being here a few months.”

You smirked, “What are you suggesting, Rhysand?”

A smile wormed onto Rhys’s face, “How would you feel about taking over as Harbormaster of Velaris.”

“I didn’t realize this was a business meeting,” you joked, “had I known I would have dressed better.”

Azriel, glad at least to see you smiling again, said with a fond eye roll, “no you wouldn’t have. You’re still a pirate in your bones.”

“Damn straight I am! But,” you said, bowing your head slightly in Rhys’s direction, “I promise everything I do will be above board should you put me in this position.”

Rhys smiled, looking down at your hand still held in Azriel’s, “I have no doubt. And if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”

“Welcome to the family,” Cassian joked, “Azzie doesn’t make new friends often.”

“Guess I’m special,” you said, theatrically putting on airs to the humor of everyone assembled.

As laughter filtered back into the table, Azriel’s hand did not stray from yours, his attention almost solely on you all evening.

Special indeed, he mused.

I’ve had this done for a minute life just had me forgetting about it, hope you enjoyed! I think there are two or three of these left depending on how I split it up! Let me know what you think and as always if ya wanna join the taglist, just say so!

Series Taglist: @rcarbo1 @shylahstarzz @tele86 @bubybubsters @willowpains @breemitch15 @96jnie @polli05927 @starsidesigh @i-am-infinite @ashjade19 @lilah-asteria

[mirai-lunar]

3am.

Stories with some of the Invincible Variants. Fem! Reader (And reader actually likes her variant here).

Includes: Sinister Mark, Omni Mark, Mohawk Mark, Veil Mark (Shiesty Mark), No Goggles Mark

Word Count: ~3.2k

Warnings: Dark Themes, Violence, Suggestive Themes

Sinister Mark

♥︎

The area around you wasn’t pretty to say the least.

He was on one of his rampages, destroying everything he saw on site.

You sat on a large piece of rubble as you waited.

On occasion you would look over your mini ledge to the world below, watching a few civilians scream and run for their lives. 

Once the destruction died down, that was when you heard a cape blow in the wind. He was now floating behind you as he spoke.

“Get up. We’re leaving.”

You turned around and pulled yourself up, slipping your phone in an empty back pocket. For a split second, your eyes looked into his goggles. You then looked past him, and pointed to a person in the distance.

“That person is dying,” you calmly stated. “You should probably finish them off.” 

In an instant, that person’s head was severed. 

He then returned back to you with a cold smile on his face, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“You’re an odd one,” he mused.  

He knew what he was. He had no idea what you were. 

The two of you met a few days ago. He had approached you, but before he could snap that pretty neck of yours, you had smiled softly at him. In the midst of all the chaos, you smiled. 

It wasn’t a deranged smile. Just a calm one.  

“I know,” you said, that same smile once again on your face. He lifted you into his arms before taking off into the night sky. Stars shimmered above your head, and you watched the world speed past you. Normally flights with him were quiet, but this time…

“Tell me your name,” he stated. You happily responded. 

“My name is Y/n.”  

He frowned. There was that damn smile again. Why the fuck were you so happy? 

“Can…Can I ask you your name?” You said. 

“I never said you couldn’t. It’s Mark.”

“Oh…That’s a nice name-”

“What the hell is your problem?” He asked. Nothing he did bothered you. He could be splitting a person into parts and you wouldn’t even flinch. It was as if you enjoyed his presence. 

“I’m sorry,” you murmured. Your expression was now saddened. “I didn’t mean to make you upset-”

“You didn’t. Just answer my question.”

“Oh...Well, you saved me Mark. And I wanted to thank you for that.”

“I never saved you.”

“A building you collapsed killed someone I knew,” you explained. “That was one of the best days of my life.” 

He raised a brow. You were glad someone you knew was dead?

“…”

The rest of the flight back was silent. Once he arrived at your home and set you down, you thanked him. He frowned in response. 

“You can stay tonight if you’d like,” you told him. “Or if you want something to eat, I can warm up some leftovers. Would you like to stay?”

Your eyes were so bright, so hopeful-

“No,” he flatly said. “It’s 3am. Go to sleep.”

He then took off into the sky. 

You remained in place for a bit, before ultimately deciding that he was right. As you made your way inside your home, you changed into some sleepwear, climbed into bed, and closed your eyes for some much needed sleep. 

That is, until some time later you heard movement.

You didn’t know how long you were asleep, or how much time had passed. But when you felt the weight shift in your bed, your eyes shot open. Fear overtook you for a split second, until you felt a back press gently up against yours.

You calmed, recognizing who it was.

He didn’t say anything, but just him being here made your heart flutter. You rolled over to face his back, and then moved as close to him as possible. As your face rested against his warm skin, you spoke softly.

“Goodnight Mark. Thanks for staying…” 

You didn’t get a response.

Omni‎ Mark

♥︎

He was suspended in midair, his gaze focused on the starry night above. It was always so peaceful during these times.

But he needed to stay vigilant. Just in case.

Which is why at 3am, he was floating in the sky above your home. You had noticed his absence, and also made your way outside. 

“Mark? Is everything okay?”

He looked down, and to his surprise you weren’t on the ground, but halfway on the roof of your home. Your legs were dangling off the side of the building, but you eventually pulled the rest of your body up.

He sighed before moving down to speak to you. 

“You know that wasn’t safe, Y/n.”

“Oh, I’m sorry…” you murmured. “I should probably get down then.”

To his surprise (yet again), you didn’t bother to climb down, but instead leaped off the roof. The fall was too far for his liking, so before gravity could even pull you down, he had caught you. You laughed, and his neutral expression was now a small smile. 

“When you said you were getting down, I assumed you meant the way you came,” he stated. You smiled back at him.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it. Are you okay? You’ve been staring at the sky more often. Are you missing home?” 

He descended to the ground, before making his way back into the house. He still had you in his arms. 

“No, I hated my home.” 

“..Oh…” You hadn’t expected that answer. “Well, what about your dad? In this world he was a hero until…that day he turned evil. How was your dad in your world?”

“I killed my father.” 

Okay, you did not expect that response either. He killed his father, but he dresses like him? That’s a lot to unpack. As he made his way through the kitchen and towards your room, you grew silent. 

“I…I see,” you murmured. “I don’t know the circumstances, but I’m really sorry to hear that Mark.”

He paused to look down at you for a second. 

“Don’t be. What’s done is done.”

As he set you down in your room, you climbed into bed, curling up in blankets. 

“Was there anything you loved back home?” You asked him. In all honesty, you were worried. He seemed to hate a lot of things. 

He considered your words before responding. 

“I loved you.”

Oh… that’s right. There was a variant of you in his world. You were curious about what happened to her, but the silence that followed after he responded was concerning.

The last thing you wanted was to resurface some unpleasant memories. You needed to lighten the quickly darkening mood. 

“Aww, that’s sweet,” you said. “I don’t personally know the Mark in my world. But… I do know you. And I love you.”

That brought a smile back to his face. 

“I love you too,” He said. You leaned into his touch as his hand rested against your face. “It’s late. You should get some rest.”

“Alright, but only if you do too.” Your eyes adjusted as he turned off the lights. You then rolled on your side to face away from him. “Get out of the suit and join me. I want to cuddle you.” 

It didn’t take long for him to comply. Once you felt the weight on your bed shift, you waited a few moments, before rolling over to face him. You then wrapped your arms around his waist, and gently pressed your lips against his. He returned both the loving gestures. Once you two pulled apart, you rested your head against his chest. 

“Remind me to kiss you a lot more in the morning,” you murmured. He chuckled as you continued. “Goodnight Mark....”

He pressed a kiss against your forehead before responding. 

“Goodnight.” 

Mohawk Mark

♥︎

“Hey, wake up.”

Your eyes shot open. 

As you sat up in bed, your mind quickly raced. It was dark, and you couldn’t see your surroundings. But you could make out an outline of him. 

He was in bed next to you, a hand behind his head as he rested casually on his back. His other hand had shaken you awake. 

“You were flailing like a fish out of water,” he stated. “Let me guess, another nightmare?”

Your hand reached for the lamp on your nightstand. A soft glow now illuminated the room, and you rubbed your forehead in an attempt to calm your nerves. He waited a bit before speaking.

“Really didn’t expect this to be an everyday thing.” He sounded more amused than worried. When you wiped a stray tear from your face, he propped his head up on one hand. “Aww, Baby… Was it that bad?”

“The last thing I need right now is you making fun of me,” you told him. He now sat up in bed, before leaning over your shoulder.  

“I’m not. Whatever you’re dreaming about shouldn’t bother you.” He leaned in close to your ear. “Especially when you have me…” 

“I guess you’re right,” you murmured. Your hand gently caressed his face as you looked over your shoulder. “You’re much worse than my nightmares.”

You were immediately snatched down into bed. 

“I was joking!!” You exclaimed in-between laughter. You barely had time to react when his lips pressed roughly against your skin. You tried to get away from him, and you almost did, but he had grabbed one of your legs in the process of your little escape. As he dragged you back towards him, you pleaded. “Okay! I’m sorry- H-Hey!!”

You felt hands squeeze your butt, and you shot him a glare. That’s one place he’s always grabbing.

“You’re too much, you know that?” You told him. As your hands wrapped around his midsection, he smiled in response.

“You seem to handle me pretty well.” He leaned towards you, and the two of you shared a quick kiss. “And hey, you should be thanking me. At least I took your mind off things.” 

Both of your eyebrows raised. You had completely forgotten about the nightmare. 

“Yeah…I guess you’re right…” you murmured. While you considered his words, he climbed off you, and settled back into bed. A yawn left his lips.

“As much as I love messing with you, I’m fucking tired,” he murmured out. “Try to get some sleep.”

“What if I have another nightmare?” You asked him. He sighed. 

“Just wake me up. I’m sure I’ll think of something to take your mind off it.”

That sounded comforting. 

You checked the time on your phone. 3am. 

“Alright then,” you said. You reached over to turn off the light before settling down in bed. As you moved closer and rested your face against his chest, one of his arms wrapped around your back. 

You leaned your head up before pressing a kiss against his face. 

“Goodnight Mark. I love you.”

He was already snoring. 

You furrowed your brows, a hint of frustration on your face. He was always like this. Out in 3 seconds.

A sigh left your lips, and your face once again rested on his chest. 

Why you loved him, you had no idea. 

Veil Mark (Shiesty Mark)

♥︎

He was peacefully asleep in bed, an arm dangling off the side as he snored softly. 

You were standing directly next to him.  

Your eyes narrowed, before lifting your weapon of choice in hand. You had already warned him multiple times that you would do this. 

It was too late for apologies now. 

You slammed the pillow as hard as you could across the back of his head, causing him to jolt awake. Before he could process what was happening, you continued to wail on him. 

“Stop! Stealing! The blankets!” You exclaimed in-between each hit. You then burst into laughter. “I’m freezing over here!!” 

It was his turn to laugh now. 

“Ah fuck.” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry about that.”

“Every night I go through this, and every night you say the same thing,” you told him. The pillow fell from your hand as you moved away to switch the light on. “At this rate, I’ll have to start sleeping on the couch. At least I won’t freeze to death there.”

“Maybe, but you’ll also be left pretty lonely,” he explained. “Let’s figure this out tonight, or I’ll take the couch.”

He untangled himself from multiple blankets he had stolen from you, and you grabbed a fluffy one, before wrapping it around your neck.

“How about I wear one like a cape?” You said. “You can just tie it around my neck and…”

Your mouth stopped moving, a horrible realization flashing through your mind. You imagined him pulling the end of the blanket in his sleep, and you choking to death by it being tightly secured around your neck.

“...Actually, never mind. No capes,” you flatly said. He laughed. 

“You were so sure of yourself five seconds ago.” He then examined all the blankets on the bed. “We have three small blankets. Why don’t we just get a fucking big one?”

“....That makes sense,” you murmured. “So when you inevitably try to steal it, there should still be a lot more of it left on my side. Actually…” 

You made your way out the room, dug through a closet in the hallway, and returned back with a large blanket that dragged along the floor.

“We can try this one. It’s old, but should work.”

“Alright then.”

You settled back into bed, and he threw the large blanket over the two of you. You wrapped yourself in the blanket once, before your eyes shot open, realizing your mistake. 

“Oh. I forgot to turn off the-” In an instant the room was dark. “-lights. Thanks... Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

You were warm, and the sleep was peaceful.

Until 3 am. 

You felt him roll himself in the blanket not once, but twice. You furrowed your brows, the amount of blanket on your side significantly decreasing. 

“Oh for the love of-” You tried to hold onto the rest of the blanket for dear life, but you were no match for his strength. It was a losing tug-of-war. Once the blanket was once again stolen from you, you were seeing red. 

No way he slept through all this. He had to be doing this on purpose.

“Mark!!!” You reached for the pillow underneath your head to slap him with it, but to your horror one of his arms had wrapped around your waist, before he started his little spin again. You were dragged towards him as you clawed at the bed. “MARK!” 

He rolled you on top of him first, and then he rolled again, you now on the side of him. Your heart was racing.

If he rolled one more time, you would be under him. And he could crush you. 

Thankfully, he didn’t move anymore, opting to just snuggle up to you instead. You could hear his light snore.

“How in the world are you still asleep?” You whispered. 

He didn’t respond, and you eventually sighed, dropping your head in defeat.

A bit of loose blanket was all you could grab before closing your eyes. 

You would complain later. But at least now you were warm.

No Goggles Mark

♥︎

A cold breeze had woken you up. 

Your hand reached over the bed as you spoke with a groggy voice.

“Mark… You left the window open…Mark?” 

You pulled yourself up, noticing that his side of the bed was empty. Rain poured heavily just outside the window, and you had an idea where he was currently at. 

As you climbed out of bed and stuck your head out the open window, you were pelted with cold, fast-falling rain. Your ears caught a voice in the distance. 

“Woohoo! This is awesome!!” 

It was him. He was currently zooming through the sky, and his excitement had echoed throughout the air. You smiled. 

“He seems to be having fun.” Your eyes turned behind you to check the clock on the wall. “At 3am, no less.”

You then pulled down the window to shut it, but for some odd reason the movement halted. As the window abruptly opened again you nearly screamed.

“Hi Y/n!!” It was him. He had stopped the window from closing from the outside. 

“Mark!? How did you get here so fast!? I literally just saw you in the sky.” 

He laughed as he made his way inside. Water dripped from his suit, and his hair.

“Hey, do you wanna go outside with me?” He asked you. You laughed.

“Right now?! But it’s raining!”

“Aww, but it’s so much more fun with you!”

You sighed. 

“Alright then. We can splash in the water or something.”

Before you even spin around to grab your rain jacket, he had already grabbed you, and made his way out the window again. You shut your eyes and held onto him as the world sped around you. Once he came to a complete halt, you took a second to catch your breath. 

“That was-”

You were then immediately submerged in cool water and your body tensed up. He brought you back to the surface, and the two of you now floated in a lake. 

“Mark! I meant splash in a puddle! Not a whole ocean!!” You splashed water in his direction, and he laughed before splashing water back at you. 

“This is a lake actually! It was the nearest body of water.” 

You two kept laughing and splashing water at each other. 

“Mark! No fair! Stop hitting my leg!” You said in a playful manner. He gave you a confused look.

“I’m... not hitting your leg-”

“Seriously Mark!” You swam a bit away from him. When you felt something bump into your leg again, you went silent, realization hitting you. 

Wait, if he wasn’t touching your leg, then something else was. 

“S-something’s in the water!!” You exclaimed. He immediately grabbed hold of you before lifting you into the air. As the two of you hovered just above the water, his eyes looked down to examine its depths. 

“Hmm, the water’s pretty dark here so…Oh.”

“What is it?!” You were too scared to look. He laughed. 

“I have no idea what that is,” he admitted. “It looks like some sort of creature. And it’s pretty big.”

The way he casually described what was just bumping into you made your blood run cold.  

“Take me home Mark! I think I’ve had enough fun for one night!!”

He made sure the flight back was fast. Once you calmed your racing heart, the two of you showered before eventually settling back into bed. You held onto him, and he cuddled you to calm you down. 

“You just love to attract danger for some reason~” He teased you. You pouted. 

“I attract danger?? You brought me there!!” 

“I know, but that creature only seemed interested in you~” 

“You are not helping Mark.”

He held you closer before his lips pressed against yours. You returned his sweet gesture, and once you two pulled apart, he rested his chin on the top of your head.

“Don’t be scared," he told you. "I can get rid of it tomorrow if you'd like."

You sighed. 

“No, it’s alright. We intruded, just... leave it be,” you murmured. Sleep was already beginning to overtake you. “Goodnight Mark. I love you.”

He smiled. 

“I love you too.” 

~

If you squint, some of these could pass as fluff lol. Ngl, this took longer than expected to write rip.

[peachdues]

Hi there! Im new to tumblr so im so sorry if I do this wrong but do you think one day you could write a story about sanemi getting a tsugoku who’s almost the same age as him (20) and then after many arguements they eventually grow ti enjoy each others company and then fall in love😼 (again im so sorry if I did this wrong im new to tumblr)

Bestie, you’ve pretty much described part of the plot of my OG fic, Wind + Moon, which you can start reading here! But in case you want a little more, have a taste of some future interactions between these dorks 🤍

“Get up.”

You kept your gaze trained pointedly at the sky overhead. “No.”

Though you could not see his face, a sharp exhale told you exactly how quickly he was losing his cool. “Not askin’.”

“Not listening.”

A shadow crossed over your face, blocking out the watery expanse of the sky that hung overhead. Above you, Shinazugawa glowered, his lip curled. “If this is you quitting, then do me a favor and get your ass off my gravel. You’re ruinin’ the scenery.”

You followed the path of a cloud as it drifted lazily by overhead. How quiet and tranquil it would, to be a cloud; no responsibilities, no painful memories. Just an endless sky to explore, until the wind inevitably came and chased it away.

Wind had a tendency to do that. Ruin things.

“And you’re disrupting my peace.”

Silence followed, and for a moment, you thought yourself triumphant. Finally, Shinazugawa would fuck off, maybe go destroy another part of his estate in his anger, but he would leave you be, until you decided to peel yourself off the training ground.

Gravel crunched under tight, irritated steps, growing fainter and fainter until the sound faded entirely. You smirked to yourself, and your eyes fluttered shut against the warmth of the sun overhead. Finally, peace and quiet —-

“Hey.”

And there it was again: the source of your irritation.

Truly, he must have been a glutton for punishment. Exhaling forcefully through your nose, you readied a thousand insults, ones certain to make him cast you out of his tutelage forever, but before you could open your mouth, water pounded down on you from high above.

It was cold; frigid. It stung at your skin and flooded your nostrils, choking the air off in your throat. Instinctively, you bolted upright, coughing and sputtering and so thoroughly soaked, that the sun’s warm rays felt weak against the chill rapidly settling into your bones.

Chest heaving and eyes wild, you turned your gaze up. “What the fuck?”

Above you, Shinazugawa flung a now-emptied bucket to the side. In his right hand sat another. A bit of its icy contents sloshed over its lip as he lifted it high over head.

Your eyes widened at the threat.

Shinazugawa’s glare was nearly as menacing as the twisted snarl of his mouth. “Get the fuck up.”

[mocchiixxx]

🍒 Words of Ruin Series #| 1: Choi Seungcheol | Scoups

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Realistic Idol Life, Fluff (at the end)

Warnings: Raised voice, emotional hurt, crying, regret, comfort

Summary: As the leader of SEVENTEEN, Seungcheol has always carried the weight of everyone’s well-being on his shoulders. But sometimes, even the strongest fall under pressure. After a long day filled with meetings, rehearsals, and no time to breathe, he snaps, unintentionally lashing out at the one person who never asks anything of him but love and support. You. The guilt eats away at him the moment your hurt expression registers in his heart. Can he fix what he broke in just a few seconds?

💌🍒💌

The clock blinked 1:47 AM.

You sat quietly on the couch in Seungcheol’s apartment, waiting, as you usually did. His schedules had been packed to the brim this week; back-to-back dance practices, variety filming, an overseas call with the label, and now, recording. You understood. You always understood.

The door slammed open with a gust of cold air and a worn-out S.Coups stepping inside, shoulders sagging beneath the weight of exhaustion. You quickly stood up, walking over to greet him with a gentle smile.

“Hey, I made some late dinner. Just in case you were hungry—”

“I’m not hungry!” he snapped suddenly, out of nowhere, voice harsher than thunder.

You froze, spoon halfway in your hand.

“I told you not to wait for me! Why do you keep doing this?” he continued, dropping his bag on the floor with a frustrated groan.

“I can't deal with this right now, okay?”

You stood there, silent. Your lips quivered a little, not because you were angry, but because that voice was so unlike the Seungcheol you knew. The one who kissed your forehead before leaving. The one who always said thank you when you made him coffee. The one who always told you he was okay, even when he wasn’t.

“…I just wanted to make sure you eat,” you murmured.

That was when he saw it. The way your eyes shimmered with tears you were trying to hold back. The way your shoulders curled inward, as if protecting yourself from the very person you loved.

“I’m sorry…” you added, stepping back slightly.

And that was the moment it hit him.

“No,” he whispered. “No, no, Y/N— wait.”

You turned around, but he reached for your wrist gently, pulling you back to face him.

“I didn’t mean that. God, I didn’t mean any of that,” his voice trembled. “I just— today’s been hell and I didn’t sleep and I think I messed up the choreo and Hybe’s been calling nonstop and—”

He stopped, realizing his excuses didn’t matter right now. Not when you looked so broken over something he did.

“I yelled at you. You, of all people. You always wait for me, even when I don’t deserve it. You never complain. You love me so well and all I do is throw my stress at you. I’m so sorry.”

You finally looked up at him, tears slipping down your cheeks now. His heart shattered.

“I don’t want to be another burden,” you whispered.

“You’re not, baby, you'll never be a burden to me.” he said immediately, pulling you into a hug so tight it almost hurt. “You’re my peace. And I just ruined it. Please, please forgive me.”

You didn't respond right away, only clutching the back of his shirt as you let yourself cry into his chest.

And he stood there, arms around you, rocking you slightly. Whispering apologies. Whispering how much he loved you.

“I’ll do better,” he said after a while. “I promise I’ll never let stress make me forget how much you mean to me again.”

You finally looked up, wiping your tears. “Then come eat something. You can’t fix anything on an empty stomach.”

He smiled softly. “Only if you sit with me.”

You nodded, and as he intertwined his fingers with yours, you knew— this wasn’t perfect. But it was real. And he meant every word.

Taglist: @foxiesgf24 @viacb97

A/N: Yo! I'm back with a new series, it's been awhile hasn't it? I'd been busy practicing for our final performance and still am but I manage to write some one-shot so expect an update this following days. Oh, and I'm open for request, if you have any. I'm open to ideas from you guys. Have a great day!🫶

[livingmybestfakelife]

Concrete Rose

After recovering from camera flashes burning your eyes and the pack of people screaming your ears off. You had yourself a well needed glass of champagne that was offered to you by one of the waiters. Your manager Jerry, the slime ball that he is, had guided you through the private room of the Winifred Hotel to greet the other guests. You all had just gotten back from the Los Angeles premiere of your new picture, and now you’re at the after party that you honestly didn’t want to be attending. But it would be in bad taste to not be here when the studio had paid big bucks to make it happen. Oh well, next month your contract will expire and hopefully with your record of bringing in box office success, they’ll let you negotiate fewer movie deals.

But that was just wishful thinking. These people were greedy and wanted every dime out of their stars at all costs. Which is why when you begin to show signs of not being able to handle the long film hours, they instructed Jerry to put you on some Benzedrine, which you quickly became addicted to, so to mellow you out and make sure you slept you were also put on Veronal. Your body began to get even more sick from being on it, but you also felt drained from being off of it. You didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. Hollywood isn’t the most sympathetic place, especially not to an actor. So you swallowed down your feelings and decided that the show must go on.

After being talked to death by all of the sycophants and hanger ons. You walked towards your table, but before you could sit down you heard a familiar voice fill the room.

“There’s my girl!”

You turn around to see Stack in one of his favorite suits and hat. His huge and charismatic smile stays on his face as he walks towards you and engulfs you into a warm tight hug. His cologne is sure to stick to your dress which you don’t mind, you missed the comfort of him being in your presence. He and Smoke were a constant cloud hanging over you your entire life. In both a good and bad way. Good in a way that you had protection, guidance and support when your folks were working or you were out and about outside of their watchful eyes. And bad whenever you wanted independence, to think for yourself and make your own decisions. No one ever asked them to be what they were to you, they didn’t have to, it’s what they assigned themselves to do.

Their mother and yours had a girlhood bond that never died, even when the twins’s mother’s passed away. Your mama kept her memory alive. It was so strong that the adoration they shared with one another was the same type their children inherited with each other. They had gotten pregnant within the same year, the twins being born seven months earlier than you. You’d think it was seven years earlier with how overprotective they were, as if you were a baby who need the big kids to watch over you like a hawk. People who didn’t know y’all would’ve thought you were siblings with how close you were, but no, they were just a pair of misfits who didn’t play about you.

“Stack? Whatcha doing here? I thought you were still in Chicago”

“Yes well we’re on vacation….why aren’t you happy to see us?”

“Of course I am just wasn’t expecting you”

Smoke stepped up from behind Stack and hugged you as well. Though his was less suffocating. His eyes lingered around your face and the rest of your body as if he was checking for any abnormalities. He was satisfied that you were physically in one piece, but something still bothered his spirit, he could see it in your eyes that you weren’t in any emotional peace. It was one of the things that you hated about him, that he was so observant and could read you so well. Sure, Stack would notice some things, he wasn’t an idiot, but you and Smoke held a different type of bond that Stack couldn’t get from you. And he preferred it that way, he was always the one who reminded you to come to him whenever something was wrong, that he’d handle it if it was something very serious. He felt some guilt that he felt like he was hiding things from Stack, but once you two began talking and tuned out the world, he forgot all about how his little brother would feel.

“Hey Stack, why don’t you go get yourself something to eat”

Stack sucked his teeth, he didn’t like how he was being pushed away.

“Man we just started talking, what’s the rush?”

“Just for a minute, you’ll get your chance”

“Yeah whatever, hey don’t go too far, I’ll be right back”

Once he was out of the way, Smoke lifted his arm so that you can snake yours around his and you two walked to your table. He pulled your seat out and you gracefully sat down like you were taught to do in the etiquette classes that the studio had you attend early into your career. He pushed your chair in and sat next to you. You waited for him to bombard you with the questions you were expecting. He picked at the table cloth that was draped over the round table, he didn’t care for this environment, he despised it just as much as you did. It was too stiff for his liking, he knew that he and his brother were being judged the second they walked through the hotel doors, unfortunately for everyone else they weren’t intimidated by the stares and whispers, they weren’t there to impress anyone, their only mission tonight was to check on their friend and to find out if the information they heard through the grapevine was true.

“Jerry been doing right by you?”

You nod and took a sip of your champagne, he knew that by you avoiding his eyes you were lying, it’s like you forgotten that he knew you like the back of his hand.

“He been drugging you?”

You cough from your drink going down the wrong pipe, you never got used to him not mincing his words, he got straight to the point every time, refusing to sugar coat things, it was a waste of time.

“Where the hell did you hear that from?”

“It’s true ain’t it?”

You sigh and place your drink down.

“If you mean making sure I take my medicine as scheduled then yes”

“That ain’t no medicine you should be taking and you know it, ain’t even prescribed by a respectable doctor”

“Smoke please, you wouldn’t understand”

“I understand that you’re being used as a circus animal, hopped up on bullshit you don’t need!”

“Keep your voice down”

“I don’t give a shit if these muthafuckas hear me! Let em!”

“Elijah please!”

He silences himself from his rant when you call him by his real name. He knew you were serious when you called him and Stack by the names their mama’s gave them, the look in your eyes hurt him, he didn’t enjoy when you looked like you were disgusted by him, you were supposed to be happy to see him, to feel safe and wanted, now it’s like you didn’t even want to know he existed, it broke his heart.

“Look I….I just didn’t like what I heard, that’s all, okay….hey look here”

He gently grabbed your chin and moved your head back to look at him. Only you could humble him like this, knock him from his high horse and shut him up. It wasn’t his intention to upset you or make you feel ashamed from your problem, Lord knows he was far from perfect himself and had his own ways of self medicating. But he wanted more than that for you, you were still sweet Little YN, the one Stack would hate being left out of playing with when y’all were youngin’s. He would do anything in his power to make sure you kept whatever innocence you had left in you.

“It’s just a little pick me up, it’s nothing, I can quit anytime I want”

He took you by the arm and placed you on his lap, when you cuddled up in his arms he saw the tears beginning to spill from your gorgeous eyes, the ones you got from your dear mother. He reached up and wiped them away and kissed your temple.

“We’re leaving okay. We’re gonna get you out of here”

“Wait, no we can’t I have to stay, Mr. Burnell-“

“Fuck Burnell, I’ll deal with him later, him and Jerry are gonna pay”

It was useless to argue with him anymore about this. The twins already heard the dirt, even while all the way in Chicago, the juicy details of what went down in Hollywood was nationwide, if not universal. And one of the eyes and ears they had working in the studio informed them that while things were fine the first few years of you being here, things soon turned how they typically did for pretty young starlets like yourself. You were overworked and overwhelmed and occasionally propositioned for inappropriate favors. The latter you managed to avoid actually having to be forced to go through with by this informant of theirs being one of the higher ups who had enough power to step in and prevent it from going any further than that. The letters, phone calls and occasional visits from Smoke and Stack wasn’t enough to shield you from the wolves that stalked around you every single day. It was time to come in and take matters into their own hands. They never wanted you in this industry in the first place, trying hard to convince you to work for them as their secretary in their “office” while in Chicago, but you wanted to live out your dream in the entertainment industry, so they finally gave in, a decision they’d regret for the rest of their lives.

You nodded and he helped you stand up and held the small of your back while guiding you out of the party. You keeping a kind face and excused yourself from the party, claiming exhaustion, which wasn’t too far from the truth. He kept you close to his side while you two made your trip to the elevator and while it took you to your room to the sixth floor. He unlocked the door with the key you gave him, but then he suddenly stopped you from walking any further. He felt as though something wasn’t right, his former war instincts kicking in when he smelled gun powder in the air. He told you to stay in the hallway while he pulled out his own piece and rushed inside, closing the door behind him. You were confused, you told yourself he was being paranoid, you weren’t close enough to the door to smell anything and you were too into your own head to feel the danger in the atmosphere, so you waited, and let Smoke have his little moment of overprotectiveness.

———————————————————————————

Smoke has his gun trained in front of him as he walked down the hallway that was in the entrance of the door. Once he turned the corner, what he saw in front of him wasn’t something he was expecting, at least not yet.

Laid out in a pool of his own blood was Jerry, the tall, lanky man was now even more paler than he naturally was. He was as dead as a dog, that much was obvious. He walked closer to the corpse and looked around to see who else could’ve been here, this wasn’t self inflicted, someone had took him out.

“Ay! Whoever is here come on out now!”

Soon some heavy footsteps walked out of the bathroom to his right. He spun in the direction and kept his gun pointed, out walked Stack with his sleeves rolled up and wiping his now bruised hands with one of the bath towels. Smoke put his gun back in his holster and stepped towards him.

“Stack what the fuck did you do?”

“I took out the trash”

“Dammit Stack! Why the fuck did you do that huh?! Ain’t no telling who could’ve heard them shots going off”

“Relax, I timed it with the fireworks”

“Man what the fuck?! Fuck! Fuck! Stack!”

“Ay man, calm your ass down, he’s out of the picture like we agreed to remember? Quit acting like you didn’t want his ass dead too”

“Of course I did but-“

“But what? Huh? He’s gone like we wanted. Riiight?”

“Stack you killed him in a public building”

“You acting like I wouldn’t know how to clean up after myself”

“St-“

“Or that you weren’t planning on doing it yourself”

He paused at his brother’s words. What he said and the way he looked him showed him that Stack knew something that he thought he kept well to himself and one of the mafiosos that he planned this out with.

“What? You thought I wouldn’t find out? Come on my nigga surely you don’t think I’m that stupid, that I play so much that I wouldn’t pay attention to your moves, that I wouldn’t know that those errands you had me do was a distraction to make sure I was out of the room while you and Ignatius planned out how to drop Jerry off of the face of the Earth? You think I’m stupid?”

He shook his head but Stack wouldn’t let him insult him anymore with whatever lie he was about to cook up. He had enough of the secrets and being pushed aside.

“You’ve been doing this shit to me ever since we were kids Smoke. You stuck me with the job to be the comedian that would keep her laughing, distract her from whatever bullshit life had thrown at us. All while you snuck off with her and let her tell you her deepest darkest secrets, let you kiss her, hold her….be her first time”

Smoke’s face gave himself away. Once again another secret that he thought was kept between you both, was one that Stack had known about all along.

“Yeah, didn’t think I knew about that shit huh? Muthafucka I saw the tail end of it, it was obvious when you were buttoning up the back of her dress that you had just got done making her a woman”

He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head.

“Stack, look, what YN and me have ain’t got nothing to do with you alright, it wasn’t on purpose and it wasn’t to hurt you”

“Nigga shut up, I don’t wanna hear nothing else from you tonight. Just call up Ignatius to help me with this”

Smoke gave up trying to reason with him, nothing he could say could mend the pain he caused him, even though it wasn’t on purpose, you and Smoke really did have more chemistry with one another when came to matters of the heart. Stack was your heart but Smoke was your soul.

Before he could attend to his request, the door opened and closed and soon you walked around the corner and your mouth trembled looking at Jerry’s dead body. You looked at the twins who cursed themselves that you had to see this. Thought you were no stranger to violence, having grown up in neighborhood that was its own version of the Wild West, you never actually saw a dead body in person outside of a funeral, it was surreal to you.

“Baby doll, I had to do it, he was gonna kill me first”

Stack had managed to convince you that Jerry had gotten upset at them coming back to Los Angeles after hearing how he was contributing to your excessive drug use. That when Jerry caught him packing your bags, he came in cussing up a storm and demanded he leave. And when he refused, Jerry had came at him with a knife and that’s when he shot him. The crime scene looked convincing enough, the knife wasn’t too far away from Jerry’s corpse and your bags were halfway packed. You had no reason to believe he was lying, and it’s not like Jerry wouldn’t have eventually been killed by someone else anyway, having more enemies besides the infamous Smoke Stack Twins. You nodded and walked over to Stack and hugged him, he once again held you tight and kissed your bare shoulder, all while Smoke watched on. Stack had grown tired of his big brother being the one who took on majority of the credit of protecting you, being the one you took more seriously when it came to your well being, tonight he held the title of your hero.

“Hey listen to me okay, I want you to back downstairs and get yourself something to eat, if anyone asks, say you wanted to put something on your stomach before going to bed, once I come back down to get you all of this will be cleaned up and we’ll go over our cover story alright?”

You nod and kiss his cheek. Smoke watches as you rush out of the room before turning back around. He couldn’t think of anything to say to him right now, his nerves still bad about everything, all he could do was nod and go to the phone and had the operator connect him to Ignatius’s house.

“Hey, you’re late for the card game, you coming or what?”

“Nah I’m coming, be there soon”

They both hang up and an awkward silence clouds the room.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Would you have taken me seriously? Or just think I’d treat her like the other women who’d entertain me around town?”

“YN ain’t that kind of girl, Stack”

“You think I don’t know that? I would’ve never played with her!”

“I know that”

“Then how come you never backed off? You know me well enough to know I felt”

“Because I didn’t want her to look at any other man the way she looks at me”

“Not even me?”

He looks away. That was all the answer he needed. After that night things would go back to normal, the three of you would leave Los Angeles after Smoke had bought you out of your contract. It was back to Chicago for all of you, the twins would continue with their business with Al Capone and you would become the secretary they wanted you to be. But the tension between the brothers would continue to hang in the air, you would remain oblivious to it, but the twins would always be reminded of it every time they looked at one another.

tags:

@rolemodelshit

@uzumaki-rebellion

@childishgambinaax

[jakezzgirlz]

love love love Jake who knows he's being manipulative, trying to coax you into a quickie because he just wants you so bad, knowing damn well it won't be quick, but also knowing you couldn't say no to him when he gives you that look. Or when he tells you how he just wants to have fun with his pretty girlfriend, how's that a bad thing :((

ೀ TOOK ME 5 FUCKING DAYS IM SO SORRY :c i also kinda went off track... PLEASE INTERACT IF YOU ENJOY!!

ᝰ.ᐟwarnings ¡ DARK THEMES, coercion, verrrryy bad jakey, manipulation, painful sex, cervix fucking, possesive jake, jake is an insecure asshole, quickies uhhhh idk

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

He doesn't understand why you just cant be there for him when he needs you? He's always been there for you when you need to relieve some stress so why cant you be a good girlfriend and help him out? You'd guys would fuck like bunnies before but now you can barely spare 10 more minutes? Thoughts flood his head- maybe your not attracted to him anymore, or worse- maybe your seeing someone else. The thoughts plagued his mind even when he pushed them away because he cant stand the fact of you being with anyone else.

His fear of losing you warped into control, all because the idea of losing you was far more terrifying than the guilt of keeping you close by any means. Finding any way to claim you just to reassure himself that 'your not going''. You never even realized how you depend on jake. His voice calmed the noise in your head, and his presence was a kind of safety you couldn’t recreate on your own, jake knew you needed him, how much you depend and trust him. So he decides to use that to his advantage.

He'd disguise it as love, he’d isolate you gently, starting with casual comments like, "I just don’t think your friends really get you the way I do,” or "You always seem drained after seeing them—maybe you should take a break." Over time, you'd find yourself spending more time with just him, because it felt easier, safer. He’d play the role of your protector, framing himself as the only one who truly understood you, making you doubt your own judgment. When you were upset or anxious, not feeling energized enough for sex, just needing to rest. He’d flip it—“After everything I’ve done for you, and this is how you treat me?”— So you'd give in, letting him use your body no matter how sore or painful your core feels from his cock plunging deep, and filling you up with cum again and again.

Begging you before you leave to work for a quickie with his pleading eyes promising that he'll be quick. But behind those eyes is the need to claim you as his, to have you go outside with your pussy stuffed with cum-his cum.

Trying to talk to jake nowadays just turns to sex. Bringing up how you feel isolated and he will look at you crazy before he shrugs it off and kneels between your legs kissing you through your panties. Even when your pussy's still spasming and leaking out his cum- he'll make you miss the first half of your friends birthday party just to shove his cock down your throat... won't let you wash away the mascara that's running down your face.

At first, he might frame sex as a way to feel closer, saying things like, “I just want to be close to you. Isn’t that normal?” But soon, the choice would start to disappear. He’d push you past your comfort zone, brushing off hesitation with, “Why are you acting like this? Don’t you trust me?” or “You’re my girlfriend—you should want this too.” If you tried to set boundaries, he’d act wounded, withdrawn, or angry, forcing you to carry the emotional weight of “rejecting” him. Over time, sex would stop feeling like affection and start feeling like obligation—something she gave to keep the peace, to avoid conflict, or to prove her love. No longer taking his time with you, no more sweet words- just his cock bruising your insides-stretching you beyond belief, just his hands holding your head while he face fucks you. Looking at you with his beautiful brown eyes because he knows-you can't say no to him.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

likes, comments and reblogs appreciated !

[uarmygguk]

NO ONE, BUT YOU ⋆ 전정국

. . . . KISS ME, dangerous. been so lost without you all around me . . .

pairing, jungkook x model f!reader tags/warnings, little suggestive/allusion to smut, fwb2l, not too plot heavy js vibes lol note, slightly edited version of one of my drafts while i work on other longer wips <3 taglist, @ggukivrse @bangatanily | click here to join taglist! love diaries music rec, "Shirt"— SZA

feedback is appreciated! xx

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

"Hold my hand in secret and kiss me when no one's looking."

Eyes skimming around the sky now felt like a burden, you just wanted to give up and collapse, finally, onto the couch or the ground would even do— for how you felt like a human wrapped in a cyclone, world feeling dizzy as fuck.

There behind, as the only source of light apart from the moon ablaze —an otherwise fluttering sight to drink in, if it weren't for the current scenario— lay your phone, chats blowing up like gushing water following a drought.

Him, Jungkook, is your best friend but with benefits. A mutual help was what you agreed upon but eventually it became really hard for your heart to continue to bottle up the feelings growing in, with each touch, each caress and each contact. Skin to skin.

Walking up towards the little table across the balcony, you pick up your phone, scanning the texts you just received from Jungkook. How he portrayed all the words, you couldn't believe he was feeling so. 

Reciprocated. 

Your love was bound back in all means from his fucking heart. Jeon Jungkook's heart. 

Days ago, you were shattered by what he asked for, after you had your timbers shivering and knees clamping in all seriousness of the confession he presented before you.

Everything seemed to wash into your mind all at once, making things twice as hard. Tossing the gadget away, landing safe on the couch, his chat was still open. You took yourself into your well-kept bedroom, for a cup of water so that every piece of information, each adversity and ecstasy would sink in thoroughly.

"Hold my hand in secret and kiss me when no one's looking."

These couple of words echoed to and fro inside your tight heart, remembering when this was part of the "contract" / help you were lending to each other. He needed you, but was scared of society. A shit ton of insecurities ate him up alive each time, when he thought about how he'll be judged to be "using" you, the daughter of a revered model in South Korea. 

But all you know is, you love him for good. You'd never regret being his friend and now, someone he loves. Society has clamped a huge pressuring weight on each one’s shoulder. Sometimes it is the constant nagging to remain perfect. Sometimes it's how you're not perfect / likable. 

You don't give two hoots about the media, your "famous" family and your friends who go blind at shiny things. You'd gave no fucks about big and bold in the community. If you got the chance now, like right now, it'll be you on one knee with an imperfectly perfect paper ring, proposing to someone who already has your heart wrapped around in his strong fists. 

"Oh, Jeon. You make me fucking crazy." You whisper, now, admiring the sky feels less a burden, that heart of yours somehow eased into peace.

She flipped, landed and spun in circles every time he touched you. Everytime his fingers came in contact with the one tiny tattoo resting on top of the skin right next to your sternum. Everytime he kissed you there and traced it with his tongue.

Funny how you address your heart as if it was a person, right? It is. Now, she has safely landed upon something, hilarious much, again how she found peace, her world in the chaos.

"Can I take her for a ride then?" You jumped at the sudden cameo of a familiar raspy voice. Yes. That's it. It's the very voice you longed to hear, even after all the confusion and frustration. 

"Jungkook.." Oh. So you've been thinking out loud. Not embarrassing at all.

"Are you gonna let me in or should I stay hanging on your balcony?" He tightens the grip around the railing, trying to stay intact.

"Shit, sorry." You finally move, grabbing his wrists, surely not helping much as he pulls up and jumps over, hands landing taut around your waist as soon as he's on ground-level.

His eyes roam around yours, spewing a thousand words through its gaze.

And her. Your heart.

She was absolutely down. Damn much.

Toppling over and crash landing in the walls trying to break out and finally run into his heart.

"Calm down you stupid little organ. I'm not affected. No, not one bit." 

You ironically smiled at him, as he raised a brow at you. Amusement written across his annoyingly good looking face.

"Stop."

"You're making me feel, Han." He spat, fierce and quiet.

"Stop this, or I might lose myself. And I'm fucking not taking myself back. Ever."

You exhaled, the anxiety slowly waving goodbye. He's playing.

"Is that so? Then hold my hand and make me yours as the world witnesses us, Jungkook. I know for a fact that nothing can change now. It’s now, or never." Both of you were deprived. It's been days since you saw him after the controversy that arose along with a few pictures of you spending time with him, all around social media.

It immediately sent your mind to overdrive, already seeing an end to the 6 month long arrangement.

But more than that, the years long friendship you shared with this man standing in front of you.

However, his eyes swam over yours, alerting you that he doesn't give a fuck. None about the media, none about your background.

He scoffs, leaning in. "The problem is,," 

He does that, for the first time in ages. He holds your chin to face him, like he used to do, back then. Now there's different emotions mixed in, with all the lust.

Love. 

"If I kissed you, now and here, I'd not be able to stop. Don't fucking expect me to."

And there, his lips fall on yours, like a missing puzzle, skin hot against each other as he eventually picks you up in the process, and puts you down, towering over once again.

The gates of hell opened once more, as he pressed open mouthed kisses next to the v-line of your body-con, on the tattoo.

He wanted your body, pressed up against his heart.  Your hands, spreading his thoughts. Gripping your love, hope and desires, cupping them with nothing but passion. Fire. You felt his soul breathing heavily against your collarbones. You felt him nibble all the un uttered thoughts onto your ears. His hopes, naked on your skin. You needed each other. In a way unexplainable for eternities to come.

[m-jelly]

Hi Jelly! Can i request reader x levi angst?

It's ok if you don't want to make it.🩷 (I'll be happy if u notice me)

(Canon world)

Reader is actually Erwin's little sister(you decide their age gap^^)!! Levi met reader when the sc went after him in the underground and he actually fell in love with her in the first sight. As years goes by Levi's feelings are strong now, he loves reader so much. (she actually look like erwin a lot). After Erwin's death the reader started to change a lot and levi helped her out. Reader was starting back on track of her life, but eventually the rumbling started and she sacrificed herself to the sc. (you decide the ending)

I'm sorry if it's too long😭, I've been a silent fan of your works since pandemic and this is my first request to you which , I'm kinda nervous ahhh. Have a good day Jelly!! I hope both of your pillows are cold both side and don't stress yourself so much, you're too glorious to be stressed 😤🫶

You are a sweet little jellytot <3

Field of flowers

Levi x fem reader

Canon world, angst, emotional pain, becoming a couple, reuniting, fluff, romance, happy ending.

The love between you and Levi was always unspoken, never admitted out loud. When the rumbling happens, it looks like the end is near. You race off and fight knowing that the chance of you dying is likely. When the war is over and his heart is full of pain, Levi doesn't know what to do with himself. After moving rooms at the hospital to heal, he sees a familiar face he didn't think he'd see again.

"You don't have to do this," Levi muttered, his heart stinging. "Please don't do this, too many people have died already."

You smiled sadly. "I want to do this."

"There has to be another way."

You cupped the side of Levi's face. "Thank you for everything you did for me."

"I..."

You released him. "Come on, Levi, smile for me. Where's that handsome smile I adore?"

He looked away from you. "Sorry."

"We'll meet again in a field of flowers on a sunny day."

He perked up a bit. "Promise?"

You hummed a laugh. "Sure." You released a long shaky sigh. "Once more into battle." You gripped your blades. "Kind of exciting."

Levi smiled a little. "Always the optimistic."

You grinned as tears ran down your cheeks. "Ah, there's that smile I adore! Thanks, Levi."

That sweet bright smile you always held meant the world to him, because it was always for him. Levi was thankful that the last thing he saw of you that day was your bright cute smile. As Levi went into his final battle, he kept thinking about your smile.

Even though he felt like the pain of his wounds was going to break him, you were always on his mind. He hoped and prayed you were alive and okay somewhere. He dreamed of seeing you again. Levi lived a life with no regrets, but he regretted so much not confessing to you what was deep in his heart.

Levi had never been in love before, he didn't understand it much and heard how it had made people act and feel. He'd watched scouts fall in love. He'd seen how Mikasa and Eren were. Levi knew he was in love with you, you were everything to him and he wished you were right by his side. He wanted to plan for the future.

Healing in the hospital was hard for him, he was left with visions of those he lost and regrets linked to you. Soon the pain left him and an emptiness was left behind, the only thing that perked him up was seeing the cadets working on a better future.

"Captain?"

He blinked a few times before looking over at the nurse. "Yes?"

She smiled softly. "I know you've had this room by yourself, but we have a new patient who's going into recovery. She'll be sharing a room with you, is that okay?"

Levi nodded. "Sure."

"Don't worry, she's a sweet thing. She's a soldier too, so maybe you might know her."

"Maybe." He picked up his book and read a few pages as the bed was wheeled in. He tried not to listen in to them chatting with the patient, but he hoped the talking would end soon so he could have peace and quiet.

"Levi?"

His eyes widened at the familiar gentle voice. He slowly looked over at the bed next to him to see you sitting up in bed wrapped up in bandages to protect burns. Tears filled his eyes, he felt like he was dreaming, he had to be dreaming for you to be alive and right next to him.

"It is you!"

There was that bright cute smile of yours. Even though you were badly wounded, you were still able to smile so perfectly for him. He was speechless, he didn't know what to say to you and it made you laugh cutely. All Levi could do was blush hard as tears ran down his cheeks.

You carefully slipped out of bed and limped over to him. "I know it's not a field of flowers I promised." You looked around the room and pointed to the vase on his table. "There's the flower I guess." You looked out the window and hummed. "I guess that's a field out there?"

Levi reached over and held your hand before softly saying your name. "I love you."

You felt your cheeks heat up at those words you longed for. You locked eyes with Levi as your heart raced. "Levi, do you mean it?"

"I do. I should have said it to you sooner."

You sat on his bed and smiled. "I..." You rubbed your tears and laughed. "I love you too." You tapped your forehead against his shoulder. "I thought this day would never come." You squeezed his hand. "I'm glad it did."

"Me too." He called your name. "May I kiss you?"

You lifted your head as you softly whined. "Please do."

He cupped your face with his right hand. He hesitated for a moment before capturing your lips in a gentle kiss. Butterflies fluttered inside of you both, your hearts throbbing with happiness. He bit your lip a little and shyly flicked his tongue against you, he worried you'd reject him, but you parted your lips and accepted a passionate kiss.

You pulled back and panted a moment. "Mm."

Levi cleared his throat. "I hope that wasn't disappointing."

You hummed a laugh. "It was better than I dreamed of. You're incredible."

"You're the incredible one." He shook his head. "I can't believe you're alive."

"I can't either. It might seem weird or silly, but I swear I saw Erwin when I was close to death. He protected me, that or I imagined things."

Levi pulled you closer. "I saw them all too, every single one of them when it was over. I think you saw Erwin."

You released a long sigh. "One last goodbye."

"Yeah." He squeezed you. "So, we're healing buddies now."

"Yeah, mine are all burns."

"I've fucked up my leg...do you still love me?"

You locked eyes with Levi. "Always. Do you still love me with all my scars?"

He smiled. "Absolutely."

@ladycheesington @levisbrat25 @nyxiieluna @li-anne @galactict3a @youre-ackermine @thebobaprincess @2moth-anon2 @cypidity @nbinairyn @bts-spnlvr12 @darkstarlight82 @emilyyyy-08 @levistealeaf @pelicanpizza @hideandgopeep @notgoodforlife @demonic-bird @searriously @dreamerofthewest @abiatackerman @minminroie

[mtcloudsworld]

OKAY I HAD A DREAM

Where like reader is an important person in the community like the person who takes care of children outdoors and every thing right? NOW image the reader losing her passion for it until she meets Jason (who’s stuffed in a dumpster side why not🤷🏽‍♀️) and she takes him home and cleans his wounds

Good nightttt (drink water dawg dehydration is not sexy)

Okay listen.... hehhehhehhehheh.

Taking care of kids is like, a lot.

It's really a lot.

No seriously it's LITERALLY way too much. 😭

But you?

You're not heartless no?

You'll take them, feed them, clothed them-- do the bare minimum, do what any and every parent/guardian should do and then some.

Lately it's been rough though. It's been draining the living shit out of you. People don't know how you do it but they commend you for having such a heart for it. It's nothing really, it's just you doing the right thing. Who's gonna care for them if nobody else does?

And because you like to get shit done the way you want and how you want it-- very independent. There are times where your just.. lagging a little? It's starting to feel like a job now rather than just doing it out of human decency. The passion? It just hasn't been there anymore.

And it's not the kids, no.

It's the fact that you're doing it all by yourself, and you know deep down inside you need help.

But you don't want to let go. You've built this orphanage from the ground up. Memories of joy and love was hard to give away, when you've all grown attached. I mean they call you mama for crying out loud😭

It's like you're on the fence about it and you feel guilty for feeling that way but it's true.

So, like I said before taking care of kids is a fucking full time job, paid or not, you gotta go through the steps to make sure everyone is good. Are you good? Because babygirl you're tired, and you're this 🤏🏾 close to crashing out and it's not looking cute baby, not one bit.

Luckily you have some people in your circle who sees the obvious right?

They see you're not your usual, right?

So a break.

You just need time to yourself.

You need a years worth of a vacation really but is that even ideal? No not really. You've been known to be a working hard sista who never liked to be seen as lazy, who always wanted to give give give to the community and help others.

So, vacation it is.

Vacation is what you need right?

Most suggested you travel outside of Gotham. Go somewhere far far away for awhile.

But how could you? Have you seen them prices lately? Shit is kinda expensive nowadays ya feel me? 😂

Nonetheless, you're gonna try to stay home and not do much. You're gonna try to relax or whatever.

Fast forward, five months in, you're living in your peace. Taking care of yourself. Doing what you want. You call the oraphange every now and then just to check in on everyone but no hasn't really seen much of you.

And just when you were getting comfortable, feeling kid free. Something happens, something wild yet not beyond your character happens.

You found yourself standing before a dumpster side watching as a pair of legs dangle from outside of the smelly object.

You were just out at a nearby coffee shop getting a cinnamon roll (because you were just randomly craving something sweet and they were the only place open) when you just so happened to hear someone call for help out of the very dark suspicious alleyway, and as you got closer you just see little legs, dangling.

You gasp, "oh my gosh!" You run over to the dumpster and start helping them out.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Removing the trash and debris, you're able to finally see them.

He nods. Light skin, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes.

Your frown grows deeper when you see all these bumps and bruises all over his skin, some scratches here and there-- clearly he's been abused and you're afraid he's gone through much worse.

"Who did this to you?" You ask, "Are your parents or guardians around?"

Stoic and voiceless, he looks down at himself, where your hands were located-- wrapped around his tiny torso, he stood still in his grasp feeling slightly bothered but also realizing that they were gentle. He also realized your voice was soft with concern. You smelled nice and looked perfect, almost as if nothing could really harm you, you also look familiar but couldn't quite put a name to you.

Knelt before him, your eyes scanned between his, in hopes he'd give you a response. But he doesn't, instead he just stands there and observes you curiously.

You sigh, already knowing he wasn't gonna say a word from the way he was looking at you.

You have a kid.

You have a kid. In your house.

You have a kid in your house after you distinctly promised not to take care of anybody else.

But you're not heartless! You weren't just gonna leave him out there like that! What if something happened to him? It'd eat you alive knowing you could've done something to prevent it.

And so you sat there, at the table beside him watching carefully as he rushed to eat his food, making a mess in the process.

"Hey, hey, hey, slow down. There's plenty okay? No need to rush, just enjoy it yeah?"

Poor thing, he's hungry. Whoever was responsible for this has clearly been starving and abusing the kid for sometime now

You groan, running your hands over your face. You stand to your feet going back into your guest room to find the first aid kit and something for him to wear.

After he gets done eating, you give him privacy to clean himself. Proceeding to get dress before coming back to you, proceeding to care and dress his wounds.

"We'll go out tomorrow and find you some clothes and toiletries. I doubt you'd want to smell like me for much longer." You say halfheartedly, giving him one last bandage before pulling away.

You ushered him into the guest room he was previously in and tucks him into bed for good measure. Telling him you're not that far if he needs anything. He just nods and buries himself in the covers.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months.

He moved with caution and watched your every move. He was very quiet unless spoken to. Trust wasn't there yet but eventually he opened up to you little by little.

Let's just say it took awhile for him to say anything to you. For him to tell you his name was Jason, for him to tell you his likes and dislikes, for you to understand his family wasn't really there for him. For you to understand that he doesn't ever want to leave your side.

Soon, he finds out who you are. The face of the community, the one who built the orphanage not that far from you. He finds out that there were other kids like him who came from the same background as him.

And as you stood back and watched him interact with other kids, it made your heart swell. To see this boy who was (and still is) so introverted, wouldn't go to anybody for anything, was slowly starting to open up.

It made you realize right then and there you were to just building this orphanage for kids to stay in. You built this place for kids to feel loved and safe. To feel like they have a home. To make them understand they are not alone in this world. They have every right to feel secure, happy, to feel... wanted. That nothing is their fault. That they're not the cause of other people's problems. They're innocent.

And so little by little you started to feel like yourself again but more refreshed and uplifted, now that you have a management team of your own is able to work things out smoothly, you manage more than just one orphanage in the city.

And Jason? Well...

You've adopted him as your kid now ☺️

Goodnight anon (Lol I'm drinking water as we speak. Gotta keep the body hydrated ya know?)

- ☁️