#more appreciation for this man he is wonderful | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

tsuyalovebot · 6 hours ago

Text

collared.

pairing: xia yi zhou / caleb x reader (love and deepspace)

cws: MDNI and ageless blogs will be blocked. suggestive. caleb is kind of unhinged, lowkey kind of condescending while teasing. mc=reader. casual touches (knee, thigh, face). reader uses makeup. he puts his thumb in your mouth. pet names (pipsqueak, pretty). basically caleb-typical warnings.

wc: 2.1k (this was supposed to be a drabble. help.)

author's note: he occupies my brain too much. pussy inspection piece coming soon just trust .｡.:*☆

Caleb's a patient man. That's what he likes to think. Despite the amount of times he's had to expound on his cruelty and dichotomy as Farspace Colonel, he likes to think it hasn't truly changed him from his observational nature. That he's still the same boy in some sense. To watch and give commentary, grinning lazily and all.

You're really, really testing him though.

"Caleb," you repeat his name, annoyance in your tone. "You're not listening."

"I am, though?" He muses, stirring the pot of fragrant, ginger chicken congee with one hand. He looks at you, who's seated on the countertop beside the stove, kicking your legs out while watching him cook.

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh. You doubtin' me, pipsqueak? I'll have you know, I scored very, very high on the fleet's physical assessment on training our senses." Caleb teases, turning back to the pot. He takes the bowl of shredded chicken, adding it into the congee and stirring while you pout.

"You're hearing me, but you're not listening. What was I talking about, huh?" You insist with a frown. You've got his clothes on—a fact that's kind of, sort of itching at his brain in some way, shape, or form. He tries to not think about it. You're only in them because you spilled your drink on your dress earlier. And, who would he be to not offer you a change of clothes?

Prior to this, he'd given you a shirt and pants in your size. Said he bought them for you whenever you'd come over to Skyhaven and his place. Much to his surprise however, while you appreciated his kindness (even though you also called him weird), you still padded off to his room to steal his clothes. Which is why you're here now, in some graphic t-shirt that's a size or three too big on you and shorts.

Caleb is a patient man. He repeats this to himself like a mantra. Maybe he could gaslight himself into believing this.

"You were telling me about one of your colleagues from the Association. How he was impeding you from doing your patrol because he kept flirting, right?"

You blink, mollified. He finds your slackened expression cute, smiling as he lowers the heat on the stove. The congee bubbles, the fragrance potent. "Hmm. I should take a picture of you."

Just as he pulls out his phone to feign snapping a shot, you swat at his hand. He laughs, shaking his head at your antics.

"Okay, so you were listening," you admit. Sheepish, a faint flush to your cheeks.

He nods with a little smile. "Yep. You gonna keep going?"

"Mm. So, as I was saying—"

You're really cute sometimes. He wonders if you know that too, because there's been so many instances of him wanting to squish your face in his palms. Feel the soft pudge against his hands, drag the rough skin of his fingers over your eyelids and the cartilage of your ears, the bone of your nose bridge like one would admire a caricature beyond their comprehension.

There's something novel in seeing you come over. It feels like old times, when he'd just departed from Josephine's place and you'd come over to his place and loiter. You'd grin as you raided his house of snacks, declaring this and that as yours. Obviously, those were yours. Why do you think he always seemed to be restocked in your favorite snacks when you'd come over?

But it's more than simple visits now. You've begun incorporating yourself into his house. It's becoming a home now, with every hairtie he finds on the carpet or tube of lipgloss left in the bathroom. You've begun leaving your clothes for him to wash, which he doesn't really mind. How could he, when he gets to run his fingers over the cloth you've worn and marvel at its softness despite the washed out color—how it's probably been with you and seen you in worse states than he ever has in your entire life?

You left your eyelash curler once and complained over the phone how your makeup bag keeps eating your stuff. When he said you'd left it at his place, you decided the best possible solution wasn't to swing by one day and take it during a regular visit. You resolved to stay for a week in Skyhaven with him since so much of your stuff was with him.

"I can just use my vacation now and let the Association know I'm on leave," you had said, your voice carried through the speaker. "Do you guys have that at the fleet? Vacations? You should take yours, as well."

Caleb had been bulldozing through reports at the time, lifting a page of some lackluster maintenance report on a couple of vessels. It didn't even look properly done—seemed he had a lot of work to do if he wanted to correct the conduct of the other fleets.

But, with the most playful and assuring tone ever, he had replied with, "Oh, we got those too. I'll use mine. That way, we can spend it together, yeah?"

Funny, how paid vacation was not, in fact, a thing.

Now, he's here with you and he could get used to this. His space being yours, yours being his. A mutualism, reciprocity built on benefit and comfort. It doesn't hold the same familiarity of the past with regards to atmosphere, but it's changed. New, developed on this blossoming relationship of seeking answers but also caring so deeply for each other.

"Caleb," you say his name with such disdain it snaps him out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"You're not listening, again." You're scowling when he tears his gaze from the pot of congee. He reaches over and smooths out the little furrow of your brow and you let him. He smiles a bit.

"I am, I promise."

You shake your head. "No, you're not."

You reach over and pull on his dog tag. Hard. It surprises him, and he stumbles closer to your form. He looks at you, eyes wide.

You rarely initiated physical contact with him. Sometimes, he'd be blessed to have you jump on his back the way you always did. Maybe even feel grateful to feel your knuckles brush his wrist when reaching for utensils at the dinner table. But there's always a barrier, some sorr of invisible force that polarizes your forms and keeps you away from one another.

Yet here you aware, scowling so harshly he thought he made a grave misdeed that went beyond zoning out. Your finger looped into his necklace, demanding his attention. You're like a petulant child with your cheeks puffed up like this. It brings him back.

But it doesn't really bring back that signature brotherly attitude of his. Something else licks at the base of his spine. Something a bit darker, more subtle but nevertheless present.

Caleb can't help himself, smiling. A bit too giddy, slightly cheeky. You probably catch sight of it—you know him too well—and it probably aggravates you further, so you tug him again, by that necklace.

"Ah-ah," Caleb tuts, lifting his hand to gently wrap around your wrist. "Careful. You might break it."

Watching how your eyes flit down to the sight of his fingers winding around your skin, feeling the way your breaths stall at the sight. Hmm? He smiles a bit wider. He files away that knowledge for later.

Caleb relents at your tugs, though. Really, how could he ever deny you? Like an obedient dog, he moves, turning the stove off with one hand and snaking his way to be between your knees. His free hand placing itself on the countertop outside your knee, giving you his undivided attention.

You're a bit shy now despite getting what you wanted. Blinking at him like a deer caught in headlights as you hold onto the chain with your index finger. He could bite you, sink his teeth into your shoulder, and you would probably let him. Maybe even slip that neckline a bit lower for easier access, card your fingers through his hair.

You're spoiled rotten, and he wouldn't have you any other way. The product of his affections, the consequence of his actions.

"C'mon. I'm sorry for not actively responding, yeah?" Caleb coos, leaning in and subtly watching the flush color your skin. Careful to say actively responding, not listening. "You know I tend to focus too much when cooking. You got my attention now, though. Wanna keep going?"

You open your mouth, then close it again. He places his hand on your bare knee, watching in real time as you bluescreen, gaze darting.

Ah, he muses, his supposed patience waning. You make this too easy.

"Oh, I get it now. It wasn't that, was it? You just needed a bit of Caleb's attention, didn't you?" He drags his hand up, lets it hold your thigh. Gives it an experimental squeeze and observes your expression flicker between something akin to delight and mortification.

Maybe the mortification comes with him cornering you like this, even though you started. Or maybe you're coming to terms with the fact that you need him like he needs you. He'd hope that's the case. God, he'd love it if that were the case.

You stammer over your next words. Doesn't matter, he didn't hear it. Not over the sound of something like wedding bells in his head as he leaned in further. Deducting the space between you two, further enraptured by how all your thoughts seem to fizzle out at his proximity. His other hand, still holding your wrist, drops down to the counter.

"My attention is always yours, you know that, right?" He rubs his thumb into the softness of your inner thigh, tilting his head with a boyish smirk. It's playing at the corner of his mouth, and he has to stop himself from pouncing when you look at his lips too. "You don't gotta be rude, tugging me around. Have some manners."

And, like clockwork, his other hand comes up. In time with the gentle, swooping motions of his thumb on your thigh, he holds your chin. Lets you tilt your head up a bit, moves your head side to side lightly. He tests your pliancy and is pleased with his findings. You're slack, clay in his palms and he finds that he doesn't need to put you on a spinning plate to mold you.

Then, he tilts his head and narrows his eyes. Like a switch being flipped.

"Ah," he prompts, and presses his thumb against your lower lip. You're so good, so pliant as you open your mouth, letting him hook his thumb into your jaw. Presses it flat onto your tongue and lets you taste the slight spiciness of the diced ginger he handled earlier.

Delight sparks in his stomach as you remain perfectly still, save for the wobble of your lips. As if you didn't know to keep your mouth open or seal your lips around his thumb. He wouldn't particularly mind if you sucked—that should be for another time, though.

Caleb examines you like a mortician would a cadaver, his eyes dark. A piece of him satiating his appetite with the display before him. His digit in your mouth, your eyes a bit foggy as you breathe through your nose. In the palm of his hands, in his house, in his clutches.

You aren't the least bit resistant to his advances. If anything, you seem to welcome it, closing your eyes and letting your eyelashes flutter aganst your cheek when you open them to watch him too.

"You know I'm always listening to you. Always. Use your words like I taught you the next time you want my attention, hmm?" He leans in, smiling. Deceptively innocuous, saccharine with falsetto concern in a cheery tone. But he knows you see the desire lurking beneath the surface. Stewing in the cauldron of his gaze.

"Don't gotta be a brat to ask. Be good. Nod if you understand."

You nod, placated, dropping your finger from his necklace. Caleb smiles, pleased as he leans in and presses a kiss to your forehead. He feels the tension dissolve as quickly as it came.

He beams after, releasing you. His thumb leaves your mouth, hands off your face and thigh before returning to the congee. He ignores your pointed gaze toward him.

Caleb's a patient man. He'll wait, wait, wait, and wait some more. Doesn't make any difference to him, not when you're sitting pretty, waiting with him at his side. He'll wait, even as he watches you roll your tongue around in your closed mouth, like you're trying to taste him on your tongue.

"Now, keep talkin', pretty. I wanna hear how you kicked that guy's ass."

#𐙚 ; bǎo bèi.#mimi.writes #love and deepspace #love and deepspace x reader #lnd x reader #lnds x reader #love and deepspace caleb #love and deepspace caleb x reader #caleb x reader #caleb smut #lnd caleb #lnds caleb #lnds caleb x reader #xia yizhou #xia yizhou x reader

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the-booty-crusader · 14 hours ago

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BinggeYuan streamer x video game fic

There’s a rumor going around the gaming community. It sounds a bit like one of those old creepypastas, although without a punchline.

You see, in the hyper popular cultivation-based MMORPG called “Proud Immortal Demon Way”, there’s an encounter that can happen at any time, that is different from any other encounter in the game.

It can only happen once to a player in a lifetime; strangely enough it does not even repeat when a player switches accounts and locations.

The encounter is generally only a few seconds long, and with how rarely it’s encountered, there’s only a scant few pieces of proof that it’s even real.

To most players in the game, this encounter is a fun easter egg to be seen once, ask about online, get validation that many others have experienced the same and then wonder about it from time to time.

For one streamer, the encounter would change his life as he knew it.

—

A few months before the first encounter…

“Thanks for the gifted subs, BouncingPlum! Always appreciated.” said Peerless Cucumber, an up-and-coming gaming streamer who’d garnered a fairly large following of Chinese, American and most importantly, Chinese-American viewers. Shen Yuan, being a second generation Chinese in an immigrant family was a slight young man due to complications with his health, but his personality was feisty, temperamental and passionate, if his viewers were to be believed.

Specifically about his favorite game, Proud Immortal Demon Way.

He streamed a few times a week, with his over 4500 followers usually being fairly consistent viewers.

In these streams, Peerless Cucumber would show off crazy character builds, new monsters and herbs that were added or discovered and locations that opened up.

“Oh, this is the cave of the Roaring Eye Toad! I’ve mentioned it before. When you first encounter it,” Shen Yuan starts, walking up to the gigantic toad in the back of the half-flooded cave, “It looks like a regular toad. But when it attacks…”

The toad played an attack animation, revealing that the creature’s gigantic mouth was, in fact, a gigantic eyeball that immediately locked onto Shen Yuan. Where a regular toad’s eyes should be, two smaller mouths opened up with long tongues whipping around it.

It looked a bit odd, but really, that’s why Shen Yuan liked the creatures in this game. They were so cool, and a bit weird and sometimes silly.

Oh, Shen Yuan spent as much time complaining about the game as he did praising it. The mechanics were more often than not contrived or weird and most of the time ended up being weirdly lewd! Why did each piece of clothing come with three submodels that could be triggered when coming in contact with slicing weapons or acid?! Was it necessary to destroy players’ clothes when attacked?!

That was the reason why almost every other player in PIDW was walking around in a female avatar. They just wanted to see the clothes get ripped off of their characters. Bah!

Not to mention the erotic animations and voice lines! The female player characters were absolutely horrendous in that regard, always moaning and panting and every voice line seems to be a sexual innuendo.

Truly a hateable game.

It had a saving grace, however. The worldbuilding was absolutely phenomenal. The animals had logical reasons for existing and the biomes were interesting and believable, in a fantastical way. Their designs were like nothing Shen Yuan had seen before in other games. Not to mention there were potions and items with effects that other games usually didn’t bother with, usually in interesting ways. Although he could certainly do without the papapa-mechanics.

Anyways, lore! There were so many sects and villages and countries with their own history, and there were two distinct realms that you could visit with their own ecosystems and history that were at war! It made for great PVP fodder, of course, but the real treat was the events that furthered the plotline.

Shen Yuan’s eyes fell on a message in the Twitch chat, asking about the new lore added in a recent update. He immediately pushed up his glasses and started to explain, ignoring the few comments calling him out for looking like some geek from an anime.

“Well, the newest dungeon is an ancient palace that seems to have been owned by an Emperor many centuries ago. Apparently he was a half-demon who worked to unify the worlds, causing immense destruction and deaths in the process.” Shen Yuan rattled off, skipping over the part where the man apparently had over three thousand wives. “He was like a protagonist all on his own! I haven’t been able to get all the lore from the palace yet, but we can try tackling it today to find more lore. We’d be some of the first.” he said smugly, and the rest of that stream was dedicated to exploring the huge new palace and finding loot, scrolls and books that described the history of the place and its inhabitants. The palace was way too big to explore in a single stream, of course, what with the literal thousands of harem members’ rooms.

The place looked abandoned and oddly realistic compared to the other locations revealed in-game so far.

After six hours of endless explorations, Peerless Cucumber ended his stream.

He immediately went onto the forums to discuss his findings, only to see a few new threads speaking of a new random encounter. Excited, Shen Yuan clicked the threads, only to be met by what seemed like vague, creepypasta-esque descriptions of an encounter. Apparently, multiple people had experienced it, but no footage had been caught yet. Finding new, fresh-off the press content like this was Shen Yuan’s absolute favorite; he thrived off of the feeling of discovery. He immediately opened the threads in multiple tabs over his two screens to cross-reference, opening his notebooks to get every piece of information he could out of this encounter.

The encounter was described pretty consistently as follows.

While doing regular activities within the game, the player would suddenly hear a deep, ominous voice echoing over their sound system, sounding almost like someone was whispering in their ear. English-speaking players claimed it might be saying something like “Sister” or “sizzling” or “system”, although none sounded quite right from the mixed responses in the comments.

The atmosphere in the game would turn dark and ominous, and the players even felt something eerie, themselves.

This is where accounts of the occurrence started to vary the most. Some people claimed to see a glitchy, red thundering rend in space appear like a knife ripped a hole into spacetime. The cut would then open up into a ragged hole, from which a blurry dark figure crackling with red energy would rush at their character. Other people claimed a red lightning bolt zapped towards their characters from off-screen, and one person even claimed they were struck by the red lightning from above.

In every case, however, their characters ended up somehow incapacitated; either held against the ground or held up by the neck in a chokehold by a mysterious man.

The man was taller than any playable character in the game so far, with a muscular yet lithe build. His hair was dark and curly and he had a glowing red huadian on his forehead to match his glowing eyes.

The man would seem to inspect their characters, in a way that almost seemed too real, having detailed expressions and micromovements that would usually be skipped for such encounters.

Then the character would be killed in a single move, sometimes with a loud crack of a snapped neck, sometimes with a single slash of the ominous red-and-black blade the mysterious man would sometimes pull out. Shen Yuan noted the sword was usually only mentioned by people who had seen the man step out of a portal.

Apparently the strange new character had multiple voice lines as lots of people claimed to have heard something different when the man killed their character. Lots of players complained about the fact all the voice lines were in Chinese, but the Chinese community rejoiced in having their culture represented more in game.

Shen Yuan snorted a little at that. It’s a fucking cultivation game, it’s ALL Chinese representation, ah!

“Tch, another empty husk.” reported one player translated from Chinese, while another claimed they heard, “These things are everywhere.”. Another claimed the man didn’t speak at all.

The next moment is where the whole thing got a little bit scary, and perhaps a bit meta.

The man would then turn to face the player. Not the dead player character, but the actual player’s screen, staring right at them. Some people even claimed the man’s eyes followed their movements, but that would be insane; Proud Immortal Demon Way had no access to webcams.

Strangely enough, in this next part everyone who spoke Chinese seemed to agree on the exact wording used.

“No, you’re not him.” the man would say, before disappearing as suddenly as he had appeared, the atmosphere returning to normal.

People were a little mad about this unskippable encounter that would and could instantly kill their character, but luckily this game was very forgiving when it came to death, allowing a player to return to their body with minimal effort and only a small fee of gold.

While Shen Yuan was about to type a response asking for screenshots, another reply was posted where someone had shaky phone footage of their screen where their character was actively getting murdered by this NPC. The player babbled in Spanish as their character got killed and discarded and the strange new character turned to the camera, too blurry to be seen properly.

Shen Yuan felt a chill up his spine when the eyes turned towards the camera, and he felt like they stared right through his screen at him.

But that was silly.

However, something that wasn’t in any of the text descriptions of the encounter happened in the video.

“I’ll find you, Shizun.” said the mysterious man in fluent and noble-sounding Mandarin, and Shen Yuan felt goosebumps rising on his arms. That felt strangely personal.

The strangest thing about the whole encounter, however, was that the character did not match the artstyle of the rest of the game. PIDW was a very painterly-looking game with slightly exaggerated features and organic shapes, while this man looked… Real. Strangely so. It added a whole new layer of mystery into the whole situation.

The discussion continued fervently in the thread, and Shen Yuan participated merrily.

He was a known figure within the gaming community, so his input was both valued and sometimes ridiculed. After all, his theories on these threads came with as much criticisms and harsh words as they did praise and adulation.

PeerlessCucumber (posted at 01:21 AM):

This encounter certainly is interesting, if a bit cliche. Very “Ben Drowned”-inspired, I would say. The only way this could be more overdone is if there was blood raining from the skies when the guy appears and he jumpscares the player after killing their characters!

Maybe it’s retribution for all your characters looking like they came from an XXX-rated donghua, ha!

Have we figured out what triggered it yet? Some people were farming, a few were in the middle of a dungeon and there was even one person that was just logging out. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it! And what’s with the artstyle, huh? Can’t the devs be arsed to keep to their own game design?!”

Shen Yuan typed out a few more paragraphs of theories before posting it. Then he yawned, looking at the clock and seeing it was past 2 am. He could look into it more during his next stream.

–

He didn’t end up encountering the strange man in that stream, or the next, or the next. He didn’t end up getting the encounter for weeks. He was a little miffed at first, going through the motions and exploring the new lore and palace. He found overgrown gardens, a throne room and even a dungeon with a lake that held a pickling pot on a platform in the center, with only a partial skeleton remaining inside to hint at its intended purpose. He found that last one unsettling and gruesome yet morbidly fascinating.

He heard about people encountering the strange NPC from time to time, but eventually he mostly forgot about it as no new information came out.

That is until one night he saw a new thread on the forums about the NPC, claiming the mysterious man seemed to be getting more aggressive. The character, now nicknamed “The Rogue Emperor” due to his first appearance coinciding with the new palace dungeon and his royal-looking robes, used to talk to his victims sometimes, referring to someone called “Shizun”. People were starting to consider whether the mysterious man could be a bug or a rogue AI, though nobody put much stock into these theories. It was true that the NPC’s behavior changed over time, however.

Nowadays there was nearly no dialogue, just an annoyed growl here and there. The man would look at the player’s screen for a distance and leave, angrily. Attempts to follow the character were unsuccessful as, inevitably, another red crackling portal would be opened with the man’s sword and he would vanish through it.

People online were, of course, theorizing about an upcoming event that this whole encounter thing was a build-up for. Perhaps the man was a new raid boss and he would be found inside a hidden room in that recently-released palace, some suggested. Others thought it might be a rogue artificial intelligence, although they were laughed out of any forums they posted in.

Regardless of the reason behind it, Shen Yuan was a bit disappointed that, to this day, he had still not encountered the elusive Rogue Emperor for himself. He made sure he was always recording when he played PIDW, in case he did encounter the character. He did not want to miss it, although he would prefer to have the event happen while he was streaming.

Lo and behold, whatever gods might exist hear Shen Yuan’s silly little request as he was an hour into his usual Saturday stream— one of his busiest in a while as a new questline was revealed that would give more information about the palace— when suddenly, his screen took on a darker, more reddish hue.

It took him a moment to recognize the oddity, wondering at first if he’d had a curse placed on him like his viewers sometimes did as a prank, if only to get PeerlessCucumber started on one of his famous rants.

It was when he saw the slight visual glitching in the game that he realized exactly what was going on and he immediately got excited.

“Oh my— guys, guys, it’s happening, it’s happening!” he said excitedly, pointing at his screen with a big smile. His chat always lagged a few seconds behind like every other streamer’s, so it took a few moments for them to catch up.

By then, the red sparking lightning had started and by the time chat caught up, Shen Yuan’s character was being choked out.

Shen Yuan knew his facecam was shaking from his excited movements but he didn’t care, it was finally his turn!

He started describing how the encounter would go as he watched the tall, muscular character snap his own character’s neck (eh, it would take like two hours to regain his previous prestige, it’s fine) and drop the lifeless body to the ground.

Immediately, the man’s red glowing eyes locked onto Shen Yuan’s.

Shen Yuan happily described how, next up, the tall man would sigh or grunt about how the player was not who he was looking for and— and….

The character was approaching?

He looked… honestly, the character looked out of place. Shen Yuan had a good computer, sure, but PIDW had a more fantastical and slightly anime-like art style than could be fully realistic.

This man, this character looked photo-realistic. Shen Yuan wasn’t sure if anyone had ever gotten such a clear close-up of the man who had, apparently, broken his usual script and continued to approach, eyes intent and locked onto Shen Yuan’s.

“This is… wait, guys, this is different.” he finally said. Maybe he somehow broke its programming?

His screen flashed a black frame and when it came back on, the man was in front of the user interface.

Shen Yuan was vaguely aware of his chat going insane for a few moments as the character continued to approach before it, and most everything else on Shen Yuan’s screen completely froze save for the Rogue Emperor who was now practically right up against the screen.

And Shen Yuan wasn’t gay (or at least, he didn’t think he was), but this man, photorealistic as he was, was the most gorgeous man Shen Yuan had ever laid eyes on. Long, curved lashes framed luminescent red eyes. A sharp jawline that would make Henry Cavill jealous and long, curly dark brown hair framing a face that looked like it was carved by angels, with perfect, soft-looking, kissable lips— but like, platonically.

Shen Yuan also didn’t recall the Rogue Emperor having his cleavage on display like that but that was neither here nor there. Shen Yuan just thought the piece of jade jangling around between those pillows was interesting, okay?!

His face wasn’t red, it wasn’t.

The man leaned forward, to the point where if the screen were a window, his breath would be fogging it up.

Shen Yuan watched in a daze as the man then put his hand on the edge of the screen like it was the most natural thing and the man’s previously intense glare slowly twisted into a satisfied, smug and downright unsettling grin, exposing sharp cannes that Shen Yuan did not find sexy at all, no siree. He was so straight.

A voice that sounded way too close to be coming from his speakers startled Shen Yuan as the man suddenly spoke.

“Found you, Shizun.”

The stream ended with a single freeze frame of what looked like a robes arm with black claws reaching from off-screen towards PeerlessCucumber, the man looking absolutely horrified.

That was the last time anyone heard from PeerlessCucumber in a little over a year.

—

A year later, on a random Saturday in early March, PeerlessCucumber posted on his social media that he would do an impromptu stream in a few hours to hopefully lay to rest some of the more insane theories that had cropped up about his disappearance in the past year.

This caused a much bigger stir than any other of Shen Yuan’s previous streaming notifications as the name PeerlessCucumber had grown to be an internet phenomenon. A cute streamer with a fiery personality that was absolutely obsessed with the game and passionate about streaming, suddenly disappeared after encountering a niche event in his favorite game, after which some straight-up creepypasta crap took place.

Most people thought the whole thing was a publicity stunt.

Those people were often refuted by the fact that PeerlessCucumber had, in fact, disappeared after the whole debacle, so doing a publicity stunt only to not take advantage of it sounded stupid in that regard. Those people were often, in return, reminded of the spike in active players in PIDW after PeerlessCucumber’s thought-to-be-final stream, and thought the whole thing was set up by the game’s creators to get more interest in their game.

There were even some fringe opinions that the guy in the game had somehow abducted Shen Yuan which were usually considered crack ideas.

That is, until the young, sickly third son of the extremely wealthy Shen family was reported missing, who bore an uncanny resemblance to PeerlessCucumber. No, they actually looked exactly the same.

The plot thickens, because why would someone that rich take a sponsorship from PIDW to participate in this event and then stop streaming?

Nothing was adding up.

Especially when, a few weeks or so later, the Shens retracted their missing person’s report, claiming Shen Yuan was located. He never came into the public eye again though.

Multiple people made hours-long video essays on the subject positing their own theories and ideas on the matter, boosting the general populace’s awareness of the situations to untold levels.

The theories went from a murder plot to Shen Yuan deciding streaming wasn’t for him and trying to go out with a bang, to alien abduction.

So when PeerlessCucumber turned on his stream, he was surprised that, rather than his usual 800 or so viewers, he had closer to 150k viewers.

Needless to say, he seemed a bit nervous.

He adjusted his camera slightly, first and foremost, once the “Stream will start soon!” splash-screen was replaced with full-screen camera footage of Shen Yuan himself.

His hair was longer, now, worn in a loose ponytail. He wore a loose robe with what looked like a shirt underneath and it was the first time he’d been on camera without dark bags under his eyes.

He cleared his throat.

“Uh, hi! Long time no see.” he started, sounding as cheerful as he always had during his streams.

“So, apparently, there’s been some… ah… confusion about my last stream. Which is understandable given how it went and. Uh. Yeah! I’m here to let you all know that I’m fine! Some personal things came up and I’ve just been really occupied with those. I also went abroad for a while which is why I’ve been out of the public eye and— oh, dear. You don’t need to donate, guys, I don’t know if I’ll be able to start streaming regularly again after this but—” Shen Yuan babbled, realizing he should probably have typed up a rough draft of what he wanted to say beforehand.

It didn’t help that he still got flustered at a flirty Superchat splayed across his screen, telling him how pretty he was with his longer hair.

Shen Yuan’s face reddened, spluttering as he tried to regain his train of thought when the sound of a door being opened slightly more forcefully than was natural interrupted him and a large, red and black shape came into the edge of the camera’s view.

Some people felt a sense of dread, thinking this could totally be Shen Yuan’s kidnapper… only to see how Shen Yuan’s face softened at the new person’s entrance.

“Binghe, I told you I can do it myself.” he said softly, more gentle than anything his usual viewers had ever heard him sound before.

A deep voice came from off-screen, just barely on the edge of inaudible because of the microphone’s settings.

“You— oh. Thanks.” Said the slight young man as he was handed a plate of, honestly, professionally made gourmet sandwiches. “I’ll eat these afterwards, it’s rude to eat while streaming.”

The voice mumbled something off-screen again and PeerlessCucumber rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, I’ll introduce you in a bit, I still have to get to— oh!”

Before he could protest, Shen Yuan was being picked up off his chair by the barely visible man who immediately plopped down on the chair, finally revealing himself.

The chat freaked out when they saw the man properly.

Shen Yuan cheerfully introduced his new husband, Luo Binghe, whom he met through the game Proud Immortal Demon Way and who he’d gotten married to in late January. Luo Binghe remained quiet until a Superchat popped up, lamenting the loss of one of the most eligible bachelors ever to this random guy.

A dangerous smirk made his way onto the large man’s face as he nuzzled into Shen Yuan’s hair. “Shizun, Shizun, this one needs your help with the remote again. Will you please come help this Binghe?” he whined, and Shen Yuan looked fond but exasperated.

“Again? I’ve explained to you how to use it so many times… all right.” he said, leaning into the nuzzling. “As you all can see,” he said, turning back to the camera, “I am happy, healthy and safe. I don’t think I’ll be going back to streaming after this but thanks for sticking around! Uh. Yeah. See ya!” he said, and as he leaned forward to shut off the camera, Luo Binghe leaned forward with him, burying his face in Shen Yuan’s neck to leave a stream of sensual kisses.

Shen Yuan protested audibly, although more in a “Not in front of the camera!” sort of way rather than anything that implied he was unhappy with the affection itself.

The last frame was of Shen Yuan with an embarrassed but happy face and Luo Binghe, his head half buried in Shen Yuan’s neck, one glowing red eye glaring at the camera smugly.

Needless to say, this did not at all stop the flow of theories that would’ve been considered crazy in any other situation.

Not that Shen Yuan or Binghe cared. They were happy together.

#includes art #svsss #bingqiu #bingyuan #binggeyuan #scum villain #streamer au #streamer shen yuan #shen yuan #luo binghe #luo bingge #original luo binghe #fanfic #art #fanart #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #ao3fic

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orleans-jester · 1 day ago

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Better than her dreams.

It was high praise, but she meant it.

“And you absolutely did help,” Maddy nodded to her husband. He had gotten a good start, and honestly, given him, it seemed a bit incredible that he had thought about the details such as warm clothing. Though maybe not super surprising, since he had lived on the streets during cold snaps. “And I appreciate it, baby.”

Christmases in Paris - how life had changed for them so much over the last couple of years. No more waking up in the morning in her pure white bedroom and knowing exactly what she was going to get because her parents, especially her father, had no real imagination and would just get her whatever she asked for. Which in a way was nice but it didn’t make Christmas exciting. And no more did she have to sit there and watch Pierre go through the presents that he got from all of his lovers, all smug, forgetting who was who, being disgusting. Tredging through the family dinners which were usually made by a private chef because Esmeralda was too busy ‘being merry’ to cook. She much pregerred their more low-key Christmas mornings in extravagant places. Getting gifts that were thought about, considered by cherished friends. Being surprised by her husband every year with his own amazing gifts. And spending it with their own daughter. Their flesh and blood, who would never grow up with the Christmas’s that ‘Agnes’ had. No Ma’am.

It was this kind of excitement, this kind of change that made her all the more grateful for Bastien. From the outside looking in, it might have seemed like she had changed his life more than he had with her. He didn’t have to worry about being homeless or finding a meal. He could do whatever he wanted. But he had changed her for the better in so many ways, and it was that conviction that she had put into those words, swear and all.

“What can I say, you bring the spirit out of me,” She giggled. No, she didn’t swear that much but when she was feeling passionate like this, she threw caution to the wind. She wouldn’t even be mad if it was one of the words that Frankie would pick up. He had the spirit in him too, yelling that they were in love and she repeated it like a wolf howl. “I love this man!”

You and everyone else. That made Maddy blush, that Delta had yelled down, but it was true, wasn’t it? Everyone was in love. Delta and Frank. Maddy and Bastien. Thomas and Valerie. There were a lot of couples at that Halloween party. And even those that didn’t have the romantic love, Willem and Figaro. There was still love all around. She couldn’t stop smiling. Not for an instant.

“Damn right we do,” She agreed with her husband, nuzzling her nose against his as it started to get pink from the chill in the air.

She made herself a snow angel, even raising her arms carefully and pressing her hands into the snow to try to make a line above her head, for a halo. It reminded her of Halloween, many years ago, when she had been truly reckless for the first time in her life, gone out as an angel, and did basically everything her father had told her never to do. Partied with strangers. Took weird pills. Got put into the drunk tank. And she had enjoyed the hell out of it.

“Oh, that’s brilliant,” She said, with wide eyes as Bastien just kept coming up with good idea after good idea. “We can tie a rope to a tube, use it to push her around in the snow, she’d love that, wouldn’t you?” She turned her head to look over at her little snow angel beside her which Bastien was helping her make. It may have been cold outside, but inside, she was melting.

“That’s our angel,” She agreed, taking hold of Bastien’s hand to get up and look at their work. Three angels, side by side. “I wonder if there’s a way to make snow reapers,” She hummed, knowing that Bastien would probably love that idea. And then she got excited again. “We can build one! We can make snowmen, snow-women, snow reapers, all of it, a whole family like ours!”

Then she looked into his blue eyes more seriously. “I don’t know how you managed to get all of this done-” And by that she meant somehow convince Elsa to do this for him, and convince Frank and Delta to let it happen on their land. “- but you’re absolutely magic baby. This has been my favourite year ever.”

Better than her dreams ever made it seem?

"Wow. I did do good." Oh boy was he smiling then. She couldn't have said anything better to have boosting this man's confidence. He'd never forget those words.

"I was trying to help." He definitely didn't think of all the details, but he tried. Maddy had already listed out items he did not pack. She was still going to have to work her wonders, but he gave it a kick start. "I knew I should have left it to you. At least you have to do less." That's how he saw it, trying to relieve her of some of the burden.

Maddy had this way of sounding French, Parrie. Parrie. "Yes, Parrie!" Bastien got excited. She sounded native and elite romantic not like an American putting on airs for fun. Even her voice was beautiful.

"Mine too." He'd agree after she helped him up out of his snow angel. It wasn't warped at all.

Then she took him by both hands and, "W-w-woah." His voice stuttered from the cold he wasn't accustomed to, but it might as well have been from shock. "You don't cuss a lot. So, you're really trying to make sure I know you mean it." Even that felt extra sexy somehow. Who knew the snow was going to bring that out in her? Not Bastien. He stood in awe of her emphasis.

"I fucking love you too." Then he yelled out, "We're both fucking in love!" He yelled it at the top of his lungs like he was on a rooftop and not at the bottom a snowbank.

He'd hear Delta yell down from the top of her tower, "You and everyone else!"

This only made him laugh all the more, so happy in the moment. "But we count the most." He said to Maddy knowing they were damn special, or Delta and Frank wouldn't let them live there.

He started to look around for something to use as a sled when Maddy kerplopped down for her own snow angel. Her nose was already pinking.

"What about the beach stuff? The inner tubes or little rafts?"

Then the moment Maddy thought of showing Frankie how to make a snow angel Bastien bent down to his knees to lie her down in the white fluff. She'd lay there clueless not knowing what was going on. Then Papa Bear would reach down and move her arms up and down and legs up and down. Each action made the little toddler giggle.

"I'm drawing a halo over hers." He used his index finger to draw an oval over her head in the snow. "Now she's really our angel. See?"

He went over to reach for Maddy's hand to help her up from her own after picking the toddler up to show their handiwork.

#MaddyxBastien

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respectthepetty · 1 day ago

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The Heart Killers' Colors? - Ep. 9

I'm ignoring a lot in this episode like Kant being considered a daddy because I have my own color agenda, and I cannot let the actual story get in the way of me and my dreams!

But Red Rascal Bison has a red rosary, and as a Catholic who is obsessed with color coding, I think this is specifically for me. I am now convinced that someone at GMMTV is reading my diary, and to whomever that is, I LOVE YOU!

I also still believe that Style is a Red Rascal as well.

But since he is wearing his Black Brooder Fadel's clothing, I'll come back to that argument later.

Because Style decides to thwart my color-coded agenda and picks green to wear instead of red! Come on, my dude!

This is not the first time he has worn green (which I think is Kant's actual color), but now he is also wearing stripes . . . so is someone going to jail? No! Let me erase that thought! Nobody is going to jail. This is not HIStory 3: Trapped.

But I got red eventually! Just not how I wanted it.

I can only trust Black Brooder Fadel because Kant and Bison are living "Livin’ la vida loca" in *squints* gray and purple. What the heck?!

All that matters is Black Brooder Fadel is light as the heavens themselves as he is confronted with the simple fact that he cannot bring himself to kill nor see his little angel of a man harmed.

And Style is covered in Fadel's black as if Fadel himself gave Style his color to live.

But before I can dig deeper into that, I want to take a second to appreciate that Keen has always worn glasses, so @doestheqlcharacterkeeptheglasses, I think we have a chance that Keen might keep his glasses because they certainly aren't helping him shoot.

Also, I need to stand in my truth — I actually trust this woman. I'm a horrible judge of character when it comes to women (my dating history is the perfect example of this), but I trust Mother and I think she hired Fadel's last boyfriend rather than killed him. I'm an optimist who likes 'em a little crazy. What can I say?

I mentioned this before when Fadel and Bison were shown with their parents, but I like that Fadel has always been a Black Brooder (my man is consistent!), but Bison was more brown before he was red, and Keen was neutral.

Mother is probably the devil, but all of her sons weren't as settled in their colors until years into the game.

So I know why Fadel went fully into the darkness, but I wondered why Bison went red. Perhaps he didn't turn red until he decided to rebel.

But back to my consistent Black Brooder! He is quickly coming to terms with the fact that he is willing to give Style the shirt off his back (which he has several times, literally, as he has given Style his clothes to wear and he took his shirt off to stop Style's arm from bleeding), so Kant telling him to go to the beach as a ploy to see Style while Fadel is shirtless is the exact visual I need to make my point!

Fadel started lightening up with his ex but with Style, Fadel has put on white. For Style, the man who loves to show off his body, Fadel has given him his clothing.

And Fadel has only turned red twice.

~for love~

But Fadel is not alone in his love! Style is willing to go into the darkness for Fadel. Style is willing to submerge himself in Fadel's darkness. Style is willing to travel to the darkest of depths for Fadel. No matter how many Style + dark examples I come up with, the case remains, Style sees exactly who Fadel is and doesn't turn away.

So I'm glad his Red Rascal brother and Green Guy brother-in-law can witness this monumental event of Fadel accepting love (because Kant is a Green Guy because that is green on his body or even yellow but NOT blue so I'm not effing with that Blue Boy nonsense no más!)

Because a Black Brooder needs an angel to save him from himself every now and then, and Fadel has that perfect balance in Style.

Keen could have that type of love too but he is too busy being jealous because men have trash priorities.

Like trying to get his man to heal from his trauma of almost drowning after his parents died in a plane crash instead of worrying about the police officer who is probably after both of them now.

But Fadel is look too fine in that *striped* black shirt for me to care about anything else including Style wearing blue (possibly because he has officially tamed his man and not because people are going to jail)!

And Bison is looking all bad reppin' New Mexico (I see you, prim!)

So the men can float off into the sunset with my consistent Black Brooder wearing black, and Style, who I think is a Red Rascal, wearing red.

While Bison wears what I think is his man's green color and Kant, once again, disappointing me by never sticking to the damn color agenda!

Kant stays sitting at the kids' table with these two.

My enemies

#the heart killers #the colors mean things #color coded boys in love #episode nine #What is Kant's color #this man is playing games!#Fadel should've punched him more just for me #I'm not even mad at him as a character #but the colors are irking me!#I only trust Fadel #AND THAT RED ROSARY!

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larryfanfiction · 16 hours ago

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Silver Fox Louis AU

🩶 Gray hair is our forever by beardyboyzx @beardyboyzx (1k, G)

Harry put his lips together and his smile became bashful, one hand coming back in Louis' hair to caress it lovingly. He had seen Louis' first gray hair. His boyfriend was growing older and Harry was there to see it happening. "You've got one gray hair," he said, voice wet but full of wonder, as if that hair was made out of pure silver. "Your first gray hair."

🩶 HOT TO GO! by allwaswell16 @allwaswell16 (2k, T)

When Harry does something weird at the barricade, he leaves Louis’ show devastated and hoping he can somehow make things right. Or the accidental pervert fic

🩶 I'll Still Feel the Same Around You by crinkle-eyed-boo @crinkle-eyed-boo (2k, E)

He finds himself wishing that the bedsheet would slip down a few more inches so he could get a good look at Harry’s perfectly pert– Louis’ breath hitches as his cock stirs, suddenly very interested in this train of thought. Oh. Oh. The answer to all of Louis’ troubles is so fucking obvious he can’t believe he didn’t think of it until now. Nothing puts him to sleep like a good orgasm. Louis finds the cure for his insomnia in the form of his husband.

🩶 Figure This Out by haztobegood @haztobegood (2k, E)

Louis is everything Harry could have imagined when he’d typed “silver fox enthusiast” into his Grindr profile. Too bad he's probably scared Louis off by giving him too many expensive gifts.

🩶 The Referral by disgruntledkittenface @disgruntledkittenface (5k, E)

Louis has noticed that since he turned fifty, his sex drive has started to slow down. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for his younger boyfriend Harry. A problem solver by nature, Louis wants to do something special for Harry, to show him how much he appreciates him even after ten years together. When he suggests getting a referral for a sex worker to give Harry what he hasn’t been lately, it doesn’t take long for Harry to agree. And then they meet Tom.

🩶 'Sup by MediaWhore @mediawhorefics (7k, G)

Gemma really wants her little brother to sign up for a dating app and get back in the game after a messy divorce. Harry thinks he’s way too old to swipe. They compromise to devastatingly embarrassing results. Meanwhile, all Louis wants is to finish the play he’s been commissioned to write, but one of the regulars at his local coffee shop keeps distracting him. ft. older larry, pushy gemma, harry being a disaster gay and silver fox louis.

🩶 Someone to Fly Home To by kingsofeverything @kingsofeverything (35k, E)

Louis. 55 year old pilot who wants someone to fly home to. Harry swipes right. Or Louis and Harry’s marriage ended more than a decade ago, but fate keeps bringing them back together.

🩶 That's What I'm Here For by taggiecb @taggiecb (46k, E)

Louis Tomlinson is a dairy farmer on a tiny farm in eastern Canada. His wife of nearly thirty years has left him and his children are all grown up and out of the house. Louis needs help running his business but has no idea where to even start looking. Luckily for him his children know just the man for the job.

🩶 The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by kingsofeverything @kingsofeverything (109k, E)

Louis’ life is steady and calm, moored by his marriage, and tied to his hometown, but after a chance encounter with another man, it’ll never be the same.

🩶 You Make Lovin' Fun by homosociallyyours @homosociallyyours (110k, E)

Harry is a 28 year old travel writer at a gay magazine who gets the assignment to go a lesbian cruise. She figures it's a nice chance to have some fun in the sun, but she's not expecting much else-- even if her partner and best friend are both encouraging her to hook up with someone while she's there. When she locks eyes with a gorgeous silver fox from across the room, she starts to think she could've been wrong. There are lots of things standing in the way of anything real happening with her and Louis, but that doesn't stop them from falling for one another. True love isn't always easy, but they do make lovin' fun.

#larryfanfiction #silverfoxlouis #older larry #masterpost #ma

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jujumin-translates · 2 days ago

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[A3!] Tsuzuru Minagi | [SR] Bright Star of Blooming | My performance memories ~Tsuzuru~

Sakuya: Ah, I guess we’ve got a bit more time before we go on.

Chikage: We must’ve gotten into our costumes and makeup faster than expected.

Tsuzuru: That’s thanks to Yuki and Azami. Well, why don’t we just take it easy until it’s showtime then?

Chikage: That reminds me, aren’t your younger brothers coming today, Tsuzuru?

Tsuzuru: Yep, all seven of them.

Sakuya: I’m really glad Tooru-kun’s coming to watch!

*Knock on door and door opens*

Izumi: Are you guys free for a moment?

Tsuzuru: We are, but what’s up?

Izumi: Just wait a second. …Alright, you can come in.

Tooru: Umm, excuse me…

Tsuzuru: Tooru!?

Tooru: Ah, Tsuzuru-nii-san.

Izumi: I saw him in the lobby, so I thought I’d bring him back here.

Tsuzuru: So that’s why. Thanks for that.

Tooru: Hello, I’m Tooru Minagi. Thank you so much for saving a seat for me today.

Chikage: You’re welcome.

Sakuya: We hope you have fun today!

Tooru: I will, I’m really looking forward to it.

Tsuzuru: Now that I think about it, you’ve never really talked with Chikage-san before, have you, Tooru?

Tsuzuru: I’m sure you already know, but this is Chikage Utsuki-san. He’s part of Spring Troupe like me.

Chikage: It’s nice to meet you.

Tooru: I-It’s nice to meet you too.

Tooru: Your atmosphere is completely different from Takasugi’s, Chikage-san. You seem like such a calm and mature man…!

Chikage: Is that so? Thank you.

Tooru: Even the way you reply is so smart and mature…

Tsuzuru: Well, Takasugi is just a role he’s playing.

Izumi: Hehe, it’s probably pretty surprising to go from seeing Takasugi to meeting the regular Chikage-san.

Sakuya: Takasugi does leave quite the impression!

Tsuzuru: Well, you can’t deny that.

Tooru: Um, Chikage-san, you’re wearing glasses now, but you usually wear glasses too, right?

Chikage: I do.

Tooru: I wear glasses too, so I’m glad we have something in common. Are your regular glasses like the ones you’re wearing now…?

Chikage: My usual glasses are roughly the same as these ones, but the frames are a bit thinner.

Tooru: I see… I wonder if I should get a pair of round glasses with thin frames, too.

Tsuzuru: Wait, do you want new glasses…?

Chikage: But just because these glasses look good on me, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll look good on you. The glasses you have now suit you very nicely.

Tooru: Really? Then I’ll keep the glasses I have now!

Tsuzuru: (Phew, thank God…)

Tooru: Ah, it’s almost time, so I’ll head back now. I’m looking forward to the talk show.

Izumi: I’ll bring you back to the lobby.

Tsuzuru: Thanks for taking care of Tooru, Director.

Izumi: Yeah, just leave him to me.

*Door closes*

Tsuzuru: Ugh, I really thought he was about to go on about wanting new glasses… Thank you so much, Chikage-san.

Chikage: I only said that because I really do think the glasses he has now suit him.

Sakuya: Ah, it’s almost time for us to go on.

Tsuzuru: Guess you’re right.

Chikage: Alright, let’s go.

Sakuya: Yeah!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: …I guess I put some of my own experiences into Literary Impasse.

Tsuzuru: And at that time, the characters from some of the scripts I had written… came to visit me.

Tsuzuru: Well, when I say they came to see me, it’s more like they were talking to me in my head, but…

Sakuya: How did it make you feel having them talk to you?

Tsuzuru: I was honestly just happy that they came to see me, and I appreciated their words of encouragement.

Tsuzuru: Have you guys ever met characters before? Like, have you ever interacted with one of your own roles in a dream or during rehearsals…?

Sakuya: Ah, I’ve had something like that happen before!

Sakuya: It doesn’t happen every time, but… It happens a lot when I want to understand one of my roles better while I’m reading a script.

Sakuya: I meet and talk with my roles so I can understand them better!

Chikage: Huh, so you’ve experienced it too.

Sakuya: You haven’t, Chikage-san?

Chikage: I can’t say I have.

Chikage: Even so, it’s a very Tsuzuru-like thing to write a script by interacting with the characters he’s written so far.

Tsuzuru: Haha, I guess you’re right. Whenever I think of new stories, I’m helped by the characters I’ve worked so hard to create.

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

Izumi: Alright, how about we take the picture here, Tsuzuru-kun?

Tsuzuru: I’ve gotta do a heart pose, right?

Izumi: Yep, you should do a heart pose as a sign of your appreciation. Any kind of heart is fine, so just make whatever heart you can come up with, Tsuzuru-kun.

Tsuzuru: A heart that I come with… No matter how many times I do it, I’m never gonna get used to how embarrassing it is to do a heart pose.

Chikage: I think that’s a likable quality of yours, Tsuzuru.

Sakuya: I think so too!

Tsuzuru: Being praised like that is kinda embarrassing too…

Tsuzuru: Alright, I’ve decided on a pose. It’s kinda basic, but here.

Izumi: Yeah, I think that’s good. Okay, I’ll take the picture now!

*Camera clicks*

Izumi: What do you think?

Tsuzuru: Thank you. Do you think the heart is too standard…?

Chikage: That’s what makes it so you, don’t you think?

Sakuya: It matches with the kinda shy smile you have!

Izumi: Yeah, I think the fans will be really happy with it!

Tsuzuru: …I never thought I’d get so much praise just for doing a normal heart.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Dream starts*

Tsuzuru: …?

Tsuzuru: Is this… Tsurumatsu’s house? What the hell am I doing here!?

Tsuzuru: (Damnit, someone’s coming…!)

Tsurumatsu: Hm? Who are you?

Tsuzuru: Ah, umm…

Tsurumatsu: Did Tomohisa let you in or something…?

Tsuzuru: Ah, yeah! I’m actually an acquaintance of his and he let me in when we met up earlier!

Tsuzuru: (That should be an explanation that’s believable enough.)

Tsuzuru: By the way, Tomohisa… went out shopping.

Tsurumatsu: Of course, he just goes on ahead and lets a stranger into my house before going off on his own while I’m in the middle of writing…

Tsuzuru: (So he was writing just now…)

Tsurumatsu: Good lord, I’m really not getting anywhere with this…

Tsuzuru: Sorry about that…

Tsuzuru: Um, actually, I’m a writer too, and… I really like your work.

Tsurumatsu: I see, so you’re a writer as well.

Tsurumatsu: Thank you for reading my work.

Tsuzuru: It’s nothing, I truly just love reading them.

Tsuzuru: But yeah, sometimes you just can’t make any progress… I really am sorry for coming when you’re in the middle of that.

Tsurumatsu: What do you do when that sort of thing happens?

Tsuzuru: Hmm, well… When I get stuck, sometimes I try having conversations with the characters in my works.

Tsuzuru: And somehow, weirdly enough, that seems to help me make progress.

Tsurumatsu: I see, having conversations with your characters, huh? I’ve never done that sort of thing before.

Tsurumatsu: That’s a new perspective for me… I’ll give it a try right away.

Tsuzuru: Yeah, I hope it helps.

*Dream ends*

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: …?

Tsuzuru: Ahh, that must’ve just been a dream… I felt almost real, somehow.

Tsuzuru: (Did I dream about Tsurumatsu because of the screening party…?)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: (Maybe it’s just because of my dream about Tsurumatsu, but I kinda wanna write a script. I wonder if that’s why I feel like I’m seeing everything so clearly too…)

Izumi: Oh, good morning, Tsuzuru-kun. You’re up early.

Tsuzuru: Good morning. I just sorta woke up on my own. Do you want me to help you make breakfast?

Izumi: Could you help me crack the eggs then?

Tsuzuru: You’ve got it.

Izumi: Ah, right. I want to discuss the next script with you, so do you have some time this afternoon?

Tsuzuru: Of course!

Izumi: Haha, you’re sure chipper.

Tsuzuru: I guess I’m just kinda in the mood to write right now.

Izumi: Well then, that’s great. I’m looking forward to this afternoon.

Tsuzuru: Likewise.

Tsuzuru: (I’m looking forward to seeing what kinda script I’m gonna get to write next.)

#a3!#a3! translation #tsuzuru minagi #sakuya sakuma #chikage utsuki #// chikage and tooru interacting is so goddamn cute man

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storges-oranges · 1 day ago

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hi clem! i really like your writing so far and i was wondering if i could request smth for touchstarved 👀 recently i’ve been wondering what vere would be like with the sweetest fucking spouse/partner u have ever met. like they might be more angelic then kuras 💀 (honestly i wonder abt all the li’s)

Hey hi hello! Thanks for the kind words! Really appreciate them! I had alot of fun with this but idk if this is what you had in mind, they're mostly a bit angsty , but I hope you like it!

🌸It's hard to imagine Vere with a sweet partner, unless they're rather strong willed. Which you would have to be to deal with him in general. I think the best possibility would be what Dracula and Lisa from castlevania have. Even then, I imagine it would take an eternity for him to come around.

The start of such a relationship would be rocky for sure. I think he would take such a personality as a challenge. He's seen wanna be mother Theresas before, and he knows their resolve crumbles at the slighest hint of danger or when they realize helping the fallen in a place like Eridia takes more than half thought out platitudes.

He would expect you to be the same and pull the usual antics; cornering you in alleyways, baring his fangs or his bloodsoaked claws ect... And turn around each and everytime expecting the looks of fear, disgust before he could proudly prove to you that your own deeply held convictions are a lie. Oh how delicious would the look in your eyes be.

Imho the best way to react to those antics is either indifference or mild annoyence. Why? Well for one it's not like he can go on a killing spree without the permission of the senobium(except for feeding, but I'll consider that a separate thing for the sake of this lxhdhsb), so his displays of violence were mostly confined to dangerous soulless wandering the alleyways. And two because it pisses him off. What? You're not gonna call him an unredeemable abomination? Well that's just not fair. How is he supposed to have his fun now?

His disappointment annoyance morphs into curiosity, then derision. You're not the Wretched creature that runs the clinic in lowtown, you're far easier to kill. Surely you know that right? No one takes those silly little values seriously. If you want to break your curse you'll have to grow a spine.

Yeah sorry, but it would take him a while, years maybe, to fully accept that part of who you are.

When he does though, I think he would develop a bit of a protective streak. He'll never stop pestering you about helping people who clearly wouldn't spit on you of you were on fire, but the remarks would grow less biting and more affectionate.

You might even convince him to do an act of charity here and there but that's where he stops. Having someone who genuinely cares is... nice.

It's a nice thing, and he doesn't have alot of those.

🌸I cannot write this man as anything other than a toxic menace so; Leander resents that part of you. To be precise, he resents that it's not just for him. Part of him is touched by your gentleness and perhaps he tells himself that keeping you under his thumb is the easiest way to preserve your light. But he cannot help the burning pit of envy in his stomach whenever he sees you share thay same light with others. Not that he ever shows it. If Leander has any say in how things turn out, you'll never know the extent of his obsession or how short a leash he wants to keep you on. It's all manipulate mansplain manslaughter with this guy. Some people who have been particularly greedy for your time find opportunities they'd never dream of and are never heard of again.... Weird.

He's not above intentionally getting hurt and then running to you for pampering. Loves it when you fuss over him, loves the hint of worry in your voice as you chastize him for being so careless. Loves loves loves loves LOVES the way you touch him so gently. As if he could break under the lightest touch. As if you could break him. And its so earnest its adorable. Might hiss in faux pain just to have you cup his cheek and murmur "sorry". How kind. How cute.

He's never letting anyone else have you.

🌸Ais would also, much like Vere, be skeptical about your mother Theresa vibes. But he wouldn't be too much of an ass about it. I think the aspect he would crave most from such a partner would be total recognition and acceptance.

The sea spring is a curse in and of itself, so many souls sharing too few bodies and its easy for your own consciousness to be lost in a see of others. And it, in turn, can lead to a loss of autonomy (and identity) thats difficult to deal with. Ais understands that better than anyone, and he strives to give that sense of autonomy to others where he can. Thats why Vere likes him so much imo. It would make sense thats its something Ais himself would appreciate in return.

An angel to him then, would be someone who can tell him where the hivemind ends and where Ais begins. And then love the complicated, temperamental, monster-who-came-from-the-shroud Ais. He is not so different from the soulless, and being seen but rejected might be worse.

To get clarity on who he is, to have his identity redefined and given to him without being encroached upon and on top of it all loved? That would be true companionship. The end to his isolation.

Also not above getting hurt and asking to be pampered. It says in his bio that he likes bar fights. I like to think that it's beacuse it silences the cacophony in his head and the pain reminds him its his body. That he is in still in there, mostly because he feels the pain more than the rest of them.

Being pampered by you serves the same purpose. You love him. You are taking care of him. No other mind is the recipient of this love. He knows he is alive because he can feel the touch of his beloved.

To quote one of my favorite books "The God of small things" by Arundhati Roy:

[...] her body existed only where he touched her. The rest of her was smoke.

The parts of Ais's body that you leave untouched are smoke.

As for the " This is the skin of a killer Bella" duo, well.

🌸Mhin cannot have feelings for you because such a kind person is a beautiful, fragile thing. They have destroyed many beautiful, fragile things. They won't let you be on that list.

It will take a very long time until they somewhat trust that having you around is not a death sentence for you. But a key aspect of being in Mhins life as a lover is figuring out how to reassure them because they are afraid.

What if whatever solution you came up with fails?What if their curse has some other terrible aspect they didn't know about because they haven't been this close to anyone since it befell them? What if your curse and theirs interacted and something happened to you? What if -

You might tease them for being a worry wort, despite their cool and moody exterior chastizing you will take their mind off the anxiety for a second. Tasking woth sharing the food at the local soup kitchen would also help.

Truth is, they would feel a bit embarrassed by their own single mindedness. You are so much weaker than them, but here you are, doing everything you can to help others, even at the detriment of your own quest for a cure. And they..... are doing what, exactly? Loitering by the Senobiums gates?

Be careful not to let their mind wander too long, lest their self deprecating nature take the upper hand.

🌸Kuras hates himself too much to let himself be happy as well. He believes that he doesn't deserve half of what you give him, even before you guys get together.

And I don't think you guys get together before a long long while. I think that you would dane around it. You would help around the clinic, offer food to the residents of lowtown ect..... And that work would bring you together.

At this point in his life Kuras is likely at the end of his rope so he would be to let you linger around him. Let these budding feelings grow and take root.

He can ignore the voice in his head that calls him unworthy as long as there is plausible deniability. Fingers brushing as he passes you your favourite coffee mug.Your breath on his cheek when he bends down so you can whisper something in his ear. Your knees bumping under the table in the cramped space of the clinics kitchenette. Your hand in his as he helps you navigate the crowded streets of lowtown.

It's almost enough, which means there is restraint, which means there is pain. So it's ok. He's not indulging. He knows he doesn't have the right to and he is not.

The problem, of course is that there is pain on both sides. Of course you wouldn't let his reasoning fly. Of course you don't believe he is a corrupt existence. Of course you love a Wretched being like him.

And of course he can't let you ruin yourself like that for him.

I will be upfront dear reader, you will love him for decades before Kuras lets himself love you back. Your insistance will win him over evantually, but centuries of guilt won't magically disappear. Certainly not when Kuras feels you are too good for him.

It is with Kuras that I most clearly see a mariage happening. The years you do get are pure marital bliss and Kuras's only regret is that he lost so much time with you being stubborn.

That a being as short-lived as you could be so kind will mark him forever.

#Whatever you do DONT think about Kuras and hoziers cover of crawling back to you #Especially in the context of a Mhin x Kuras x Mc love triangle #rare Ais appearance on this blog everybody clap #i had wayyyyyyyy too much fun for this thank u anon xkhsbshxksn #tangerine madness #mystery mail💌#touchstarved game

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messingwithmoony · 20 hours ago

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I know you're mostly marauders, but I was wondering what your tope ten characters from the main gen and top ten characters from the next gen would be?

Main gen like golden trio?

Top ten (number 1 fav -> 10 least fav)

1) would it be really cheeky if i said remus lupin (as DADA teacher Professor Lupin) hahah. I've loved him since I was a little kid, he took care of everyone so well 🥹

2) Sirius Black Post Azkaban - this man was so insane and I'm here for it. Also the fact he escaped Azkaban using his animagus form is so smart and honestly? Iconic.

3) Luna Lovegood

Her character stuck to me for a long time (and still does now.) As an autistic person, I found solace in Luna as she seemed to stay happy even when the people around her constantly called her Loony. I wish that I had that kind of strength.

4) Hermione Granger

I've always loved her, may be stereotypical but honestly? I dont really care hahah. She is so much more than smart, I mean, this girl set up whole bloody campaigns to help the house-elves (even if executed a bit poorly..) She cares so deeply about her friends and that is lovely to me

5) Ronald Weasley (Specifically Book Ron)

He is just so funny in the books, but like Hermione, he cares so deeply about his friends, always defending them (like the "Unfortunately for you, pal, I'm also a Prefect!" When Seamus was being a git

6) The Weasley Twins

They're just too funny not to be put here - their firework show was always so fun to watch. But also, if theyre able to make all of these pranks, they're evidently smart (they just don't use it for the right purposes hahah) I want to know what happened to George after Fred's death though.

7) Cedric Diggory

I really respected Cedric's character - he tried getting his friends to remove their Potter Stinks badges, but also when Harry saves him in the maze, he's determined to let them both win at the same time (which kills my poor boy☹️)

8) Minerva McGonagall

MINNIEEEEEE my girl I love you - she's actually so fucking funny and no one appreciates that like I do hahah. "I've always wanted to use that spell" GIRL was too calm about the impending doom of Hogwarts.

10) Neville Longbottom

The love I have for this man is immense. He may not have been good at magic, but he cared so deeply about everyone around him and helped everyone when he could 💚💚

You may notice that Harry isnt on here. I love harry, bu I feel like I'd be regarded as having "stereotypical" favourites if he was on here - as he is the main character. I do love him though, and he'd probably come after Ron in this list.

The next gen is the kids that they have, right? Unfortunately I dont know too much about them to give you a proper detailed list like you deserve. I havent read The Cursed Child since it came out and I was rather young so probably didn't read it in detail and appreciate it at the time. I may find and re-read it once I've finished AGGGTM - Just pop another ask in in about a month or so :)

#marauders #remus lupin #sirius black #wolfstar #remus john lupin #sirius orion black #james potter #regulus black #james fleamont potter #tumblr milestone #messingwithmoony

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serenastark-official · 3 days ago

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🧙‍♂️✨ The Do’s and Don’ts of Being Friends with Stephen Strange: A Survival Guide by Serena Stark ✨🧙‍♂️ Pt. 1

Alright, I’m here to help all of you navigate the wild experience that is being friends with Stephen Cedric Vincent Strange, the guy who can open portals to alternate dimensions but still can’t pronounce "penguin" correctly. (Looking at you, Doc. 👀)

✅DO’s

Do accept that he’s basically a walking thesaurus.

When Stephen opens his mouth, prepare to hear words that make you feel dumb. Words like “epistemology,” “prestidigitation,” and “probabilistic thaumaturgy.” If you don’t know what half of those mean, don’t worry. Just nod and smile, and occasionally drop “That’s fascinating, Doc” like you're actually listening.

Do accept that he will judge your life choices.

You know how some people are passive-aggressive? Well, Stephen is aggressively passive. He’ll “casually” mention that you could probably fix your whole life with a little “focus” and “discipline” while giving you a judgmental side-eye. Thanks, Doc, I’m already working on it. Maybe don’t tell him about your Netflix binge—he’ll probably lecture you on “wasting time” or something equally annoying.

Do appreciate His Style.

Stephen's wardrobe is 90% cloaks, and honestly, he pulls it off. The man can be the most powerful sorcerer in the multiverse and still manage to look like he’s one step away from a Hogwarts graduation ceremony. Compliment his cloak. Always. It’s the only thing keeping his ego from imploding, and let’s face it, that thing is his most prized possession.

Do enjoy his random facts about everything.

No, seriously. Stephen Strange is basically a walking encyclopedia, but way more intense. He’ll casually mention facts about the history of magical realms, obscure creatures, or the properties of enchanted mushrooms, and you’ll wonder, “How does he know so much about mushrooms?!” But hey, it's better than the usual small talk, right? Just nod and say, "That's interesting, Doc," even if you’re still wondering about the mushroom thing.

Do pretend you understand magic (for his ego’s sake).

When Strange starts talking about spells or mystical rituals, just toss in a “Yeah, totally. That makes sense.” Maybe even throw in a “I think I can feel the magic now,” and watch him glow with pride. Deep down, we both know you have no idea what the hell he’s talking about, but this is the best form of flattery. No one tell him I still use Google to figure out half of what he says.

Do accept that you will never, ever win an argument.

Stephen is the king of "I told you so" moments. He’s been alive for centuries (or at least it feels that way), so he will outwit you, out-reason you, and out-snark you into oblivion. Don’t even bother trying to argue your point. Your best bet is just to nod and say, “Yeah, sure, Doc, you were right,” even if you know you weren’t wrong. It’s easier this way.

Do be ready to call him out when he’s wrong.

Even a Sorcerer has to take accountability. You might not have magical powers, but you’ve got that Stark wit and some serious confidence, so when he pulls a "Stephen Strange" moment—like when he tries to explain why he is always right—don’t hesitate to put him in his place. You’ll gain mad respect.

Do prepare for spontaneous philosophical debates about existence.

Somehow, Stephen will always find a way to turn your casual conversation into a deep dive about the nature of reality, the universe, and how everything is interconnected—even the way your coffee tastes. Just roll with it. You didn’t plan on spending the next 45 minutes contemplating the meaning of life while looking at a cup of coffee, but here we are.

Do embrace the unexpected trips to the Sanctum Sanctorum.

Being friends with Stephen means you might end up in the Sanctum Sanctorum at odd hours. And not just the “let’s grab some coffee and chat” kind of visit—oh no, sometimes you’ll be swept into dimension-bending, reality-altering escapades with absolutely zero notice.

Do learn the art of nodding and pretending you understand the mystic mumbo-jumbo.

Let’s face it, half the time you’re going to be completely out of your depth when Stephen talks about magic, alternate dimensions, or cosmic phenomena. But don’t panic—just nod, repeat a key word you might have understood, and when in doubt, throw in an “I knew that!” Stephen will never know that you have no idea what’s going on. After all, he’s a wizard, not a mind reader. Probably.

Do accept that he's secretly proud of you (sometimes).

Deep down, Stephen is actually quite proud of you when you manage to hold your own in a conversation about magical chaos or dimensional anomalies. It’s rare to get an actual compliment, but when you do, it’s like a momentous occasion. Think of it as winning a gold medal in a very niche event. But if he ever says, “You did well,” it’s like the highest form of praise he’ll give you, and you’ll feel like you’ve just achieved enlightenment.

Do remind him to eat... occasionally.

As busy as he is, Stephen somehow forgets to eat. So, when you're hanging out, throw a snack his way and remind him that the human body still needs food—no matter how much magic he’s conjuring. If you’re lucky, he’ll mutter something about “taking care of himself,” but hey, at least he ate.

DON'Ts

#marvel #serena stark #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #marvel mcu #iron gal #mcu rp #marvel rp #serena stark speaks #serena stark 101 #do's and don'ts #do's #dr strange #doctor strange

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manygeese · 1 day ago

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In which Jason knows he’s being illogical, tries very hard not to be illogical, and is told he is loved.

@puzzled-pegasus

~*~

Jason wasn’t jealous.

Okay, maybe he was a little jealous.

…alright, so he was more than a little jealous.

All he knew was this: Leo was wonderful, Leo was his boyfriend, and Leo loved him. A lot. “An obnoxious amount, really,” Leo had joked during their last Valentine’s Day date. “It’s getting out of hand.”

This fact was something Jason took extreme pride in. Every time he got to introduce Leo to somebody or vice versa, he got a little thrill when the words “this is my boyfriend” were spoken. Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, hero of Olympus, savior of Rome, slayer of the Titan Krios, toppler of the Black Throne of Kronos, and boyfriend of Leo Valdez had something of a ring to it.

One of the duties that came with this highly esteemed position was distribution of hugs, kisses, cuddles, so on and so forth. He treated it like the honor it was—every night, he held Leo tight and pressed kisses to whichever places were available to him and every morning, he woke him up with a gentle call of his name and a few lingering touches. When Leo came home after work, he swept him up in a hug and silently delighted that he had the privilege to comfort and love Leo in the way he did.

Another fact he knew: Leo would never cheat on him. It went without saying, really. Jason had caught too many loving glances shot his way when Leo thought he wasn’t looking, heard too many “I love you”s whispered into his ear in the night, felt too many times a warm hand carding slowly through his hair to believe that about Leo.

So why on the Olympians’ green Earth was he getting envious of Festus, of all things?

Leo had offered to be something of a chauffeur for the holidays, proposing that he and Festus bring all their friends up to Camp Half-Blood for the Christmas celebration. Jason, being a weak, weak man, agreed happily.

Only one day into the trip and they found themselves in the parking lot of a run down motel. They, as well as Percy and Annabeth, had gotten out of finals early that morning and set out around noon. Hazel and Frank said they’d visit later that month, but the Saturnalia feast was coming up, so they couldn’t leave just yet.

At the end of the day, they had gotten to the panhandle of Oklahoma, planning to pick up Piper the next morning. Percy and Annabeth had already paid for a room, and Jason had taken care of his and Leo’s, but his boyfriend insisted on saying goodnight to Festus and, well, who was Jason to refuse?

So he watched as Leo threw his arms around Festus’ neck and gave him a big hug. And as the dragon gently headbutted Leo in the chest. And as he playfully blew fire onto Leo’s hair.

A small part of Jason itched to be the one Leo did those things to (minus the fire part, as he did not particularly want to burn his hair off), or the one Leo went to for those things, but he quickly squashed it down. Leo loved Festus, and Jason loved whatever Leo did.

“Who’s a good boy?” Leo giggled, and Jason had to suppress the urge to proclaim it was him who was the good boy. Leo laughed brightly as Festus let out a few clicks and whirrs, and he hugged the dragon’s muzzle. “You are! Yes, you are!”

He pressed a kiss to Festus’ snout. “Aw, such a sweetheart, aren’t you? You’re my favorite boy,” he whispered gently, laying his head down on the metal of his nose and closing his eyes in soft appreciation. “I love you so much. I hope you have the sweetest dreams, you big ol’ softie.” Festus nuzzled into Leo’s winter jacket with an affectionate puff of smoke. Jason rocked back and forth on his heels, feeling distinctly like he had walked in on something—like watching a newlywed couple get a little too into the “you may kiss the bride” part of the wedding.

“Uh, Leo,” Jason piped up cautiously, leaving his sentence hanging in the frigid air.

Leo’s eyes snapped open and he raised an eyebrow.

He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and kept his eyes on the paved ground. “Can we go inside soon?”

“Sure,” Leo chirped, “just gimme one more second. God, he’s so warm.” He heaved a content sigh and melted into the plating of Festus’ head as well as he could. Jason scratched the back of his neck as he wished his internal temperature was enough to keep his boyfriend nice and cozy. “Okay. M’ready to go.”

Jason laced his fingers with Leo’s as soon as he came within range. Leo grinned and pecked his cheek, and Jason felt himself relax into an attention-craving mess. He shoved his nose into Leo’s hair conspicuously as he waved goodnight to Festus. When the last syllable left his mouth, Jason began hurrying him towards the motel entrance.

A fond snicker escaped Leo as they entered the lobby and ambled to the stairway. “What’s bugging you so much, hon? You’re getting all clingy. More than usual, I mean.”

“Clingy? I’m not being clingy. Who said I was being clingy?” Jason asked as he casually buried half his face in Leo’s curls. They smelled like green apple conditioner.

Leo emitted an entertained yet skeptical hum and played along, letting Jason tug him along and up the steps to the second floor balcony, coming to a stop in front of the door to the room they booked. Leo plucked Jason’s wallet from his inside coat pocket and picked out the motel keycard.

Jason had scarcely closed the door before Leo jumped onto the bed, kicked off his shoes, and shimmied his way into a reclined position against the headboard. He spread his arms out like he was looking for a hug. “Come here, baby,” he beckoned, leaning back on the pillows.

With a badly suppressed whine, Jason collapsed into Leo’s embrace. He shoved his head into the spot where Leo’s neck met his shoulder, seeing nothing except his boyfriend’s warm skin and a hint of his shirt’s collar. Squeezing his eyes shut, he breathed in carefully, deliberately, and searched blindly for Leo’s hands with both of his.

One of Leo’s hands made its way into Jason’s hair before he could grab it, but he managed to get the other one and hold it tight. “Anything you wanna tell me?” Leo cooed.

Jason felt his face heat up and pushed his nose further into his boyfriend’s heated skin. He shook his head stiltedly.

“Did I do something?” Leo persisted.

“No! Gods, no,” Jason huffed as he shot up into a sitting position to look Leo in the eyes. “Well, I’m not mad at you, if that’s what you mean.”

Leo’s eyebrows rose. “So I did do something?”

Jason tensed. “Mmh. Only technically.”

“Only technically?” Leo echoed, frowning. “Wait, did you, like, have a dream where I cheated on you or something?”

“No, no, nuh uh.”

As Jason emphatically denied the accusation, Leo’s frown deepened. “Then what did you mean?”

Jason lowered his body back onto the bed, burying his head in the sheets like an ostrich in the sand.

“C’mon, work with me, Superman.”

“It’s stupid,” he mumbled.

“Aw, no, angel, don’t talk like that. I won’t be mad.”

Jason gazed up at Leo with wide eyes. “You promise?”

“‘Course I do.”

Through gritted teeth, Jason confessed. “I… I got jealous.”

“Of what?”

“Of Festus…” he admitted into Leo’s shirt.

“What was that?”

“I was jealous of Festus…”

A sharp bark of laughter fell out of Leo’s mouth. It continued in a breathless stream of giggles until Jason fixed him with a look, a mix of confusion and offense. In a series of deep breaths and stifled snorts, he regained his composure enough to scratch behind Jason’s ears. “I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry, it just took me by surprise,” he lilted with a leftover hint of humor. “Why are you jealous of Festus?”

Jason grunted, clutching the pillowcase in one hand and Leo’s palm in the other, trying to get the words out in a way that wouldn’t make Leo think he was an insecure puddle of neediness. “You were all…” He grunted again, releasing the pillow from his death grip to gesture vaguely as if that would make his thoughts abundantly clear.

Leo stared intently at his hand as it waved about. “Uh, distant?”

“Eh,” Jason supplied. “It wasn’t your fault. Just ignore that part. It was more that I wanted, um…” Jason took a moment to savor the feeling of patient fingers carding through his hair before continuing. “…that I wanted to be the one who, the… um, sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Leo said simply. “The one who…?”

“…who got to help you like that. Yeah. Who kept you warm, and, and made you happy. I wanted to be your… uh, your…”

There was a distinct amusement in the way Leo beamed down at him. “My favorite boy?”

“Yes,” Jason concluded, a traitorous blush sprouting on his face.

Leo giggled and moved the hand in Jason’s hair down to his jaw, gently stroking his cheek. “Oh, honey, you already are.”

“Then why—”

“Festus isn’t my boyfriend, for starters.”

“Oh.” Jason blinked. “Yeah.”

Upon seeing Jason’s somewhat vacant look, Leo added, “I love you and Festus in different ways, if that makes any sense.”

“Oh.” Jason scrunched up his nose. “I dunno.”

“How about this: I love Festus like Hazel loves Arion, or like Percy loves Blackjack. And I love you… god, I can’t even begin to describe how I love you.” Leo smiled tenderly as he urged Jason to come closer. Though he was already trying to practice nuclear fusion with his boyfriend, Jason was happy to oblige. “I couldn’t explain it without sounding like a dork, but you—you’re the only person I could love like this. Does that make sense?”

Jason looked up at Leo with a gooey grin. “Mhm.”

Leo returned it happily. “Good. Now, what was that about keeping me warm and making me happy from before?”

“Uh,” he stammered, “you… you were hugging Festus, and you said he was warm, and I wanted to do that for you. So I could, um, provide for you. Be good for you. Yeah.”

“You wanted to be warm so I could hug you and be warm?” He felt Leo squeeze his hand rhythmically. Jason mumbled an affirmative and watched Leo’s smile grow. “That’s just about the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me.”

“I’ve said sweeter things,” Jason protested.

Leo snorted. “Yeah, and I love you for it, but you’re telling me you didn’t wanna be warm for yourself, but so I would hug you?”

“So that I could make you warm. So I could share it with you,” he clarified.

“That just makes it more sweet, I’m afraid. You’re gonna have a hard time beating that one.”

“Aw, shucks.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Leo’s hand came up his neck to cradle his head, pressing a kiss to his scalp. A quiet settled over them like a blanket, the shaking of the heater the only sound permeating the motel room’s stuffy air. The sheets were scratchy and not exactly comfortable, but Jason was content to stay wrapped up in them as long as Leo was there.

He breathed in the silence through his nose, and out of his mouth came the words, “I want you to be happy.”

Leo closed his eyes and relaxed completely against the pillows. “Yeah?” The touch of a calloused hand graced the apple of Jason’s cheek.

“Yes. I… I want to be the one who makes you happy. I want to be enough for you.”

“You are,” Leo comforted. “You’re more than enough. Is that why you were jealous of Festus? You wanted to be the one to give me those things?”

He nodded. “I know it’s silly, he’s a dragon, and I can’t be a dragon.”

“And I don’t want you to be a dragon,” Leo said through a laugh. “I want you to be Jason. Because Jason may not be able to breathe fire, but he can give damn good hugs. And he’s the gentlest, most caring guy I’ve ever met. Besides, I already have a dragon. I need—” he shifted the hand at the nape of Jason’s neck to his jaw, lifting his face by the chin—“Jason.”

Jason melted, shifting so he covered practically all of Leo and plastering himself to his body. “I can be Jason for you.”

#leo valdez #jason grace #valgrace #heroes of olympus #percy jackson and the olympians #heroes of olympus fanfic #hoo fanfic #fanfic

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