#my OTHER next goal is to actually settle in and make this place feel like home so i can focus on making music again

[lqfiles]

SCORE THAT GOAL! — 21. man up and break it

(wc: 1.701)

“welcome in y/n! make sure to take of your shoes and follow me into the living room. you can hang your jacket up or leave it on the couch if you want.” jaemin blurted out in one go, already moving away from the door he had opened for you only a few seconds ago. appalled, all you could mutter out was a quick ‘hi jaemin’ before following his instructions.

“good to see that you came here safely.” jaemin settled down on the ground next to the coffee table placed in the room, beaming a bright smile your way. you felt awetruck, subconsciously smiling at jaemin. he was a pretty man, you always thought that was the case. “yeah, took me a while but i’m here now.”

“soooo, advertisement?” you took out your laptop and notebook, placing them onto the table before looking back at jaemin and nodding. “i just need you to look at my work and see if i could improve on anything.” jaemin also nodded in return, waiting for you to unpack all your equipment before continuing.

jaemin took out his phone. “would you like to see the work that got me a good grade?” he asked softly, phone still facing him in case you refused. you shook your head in agreement, shuffling closer to him to see his high quality work. you hummed. “you really put a lot of detail into everything, i don’t know if i can do all that..” you groaned, feeling a headache brew in the back of your mind. jaemin chuckled, dragging your laptop his way. “i can show you how i did some of those effects while explaining it at the same time, is that okay with you?”

you sat up more and sent jaemin a small nod. you were grateful that jaemin was willing to help you out on your assignment, you could exaggerate and say you owed him your life but it really did feel like that at the moment. especially with the way his brushed through various techniques and topics so briskly, simplifying it for you too. “is it okay if i get some water?” you whispered, hating that your thirst was breaking the steady process you were working on with jaemin. his kind smile made you feel more at ease, finally standing up and following his given directions.

the kitchen wasn’t that far and was easy to spot. you made your way into the room and went to the cupboard, extracting a glass from it before making your way over to the sink to get some water. “you’re (—).” a voice, all too quiet yet loud enough catch your attention, emerged from behind you. you squealed and almost dropped the cup. turning around, you weren’t sure who you were expecting, but a brown haired boy dressed in an equally brown cardigan who was around your height wasn’t your first thought.

“and you’re the roommate renjun.” you addressed back, remembering the mention of a roommate. the boy who stood in front of you let his gaze wander up and down your figure before nodding. “jisung is upstairs.” he spoke out, moving past you to wash his hands in the sink. you furrowed your brows and turned his way. why would he tell you this, and why was jisung here? “…okay.” was all you managed to respond back.

“i thought you’d want to say hi, apparently you two know each other.” renjun shrugged, moving himself away from the sink and instead to the fridge before rummaging through it. “oh, yeah.. yeah i know him.” you answered back hesitantly. you slowly stepped out of the kitchen, not too sure if this conversation was over but you didn’t care much, it was starting to get awkward.

“did you meet renjun?” jaemin asked as he saw you walk back in with your glass of water. you nodded, looking back into the kitchen. “he’s your roommate?” you didn’t know if you meant it in a positive or negative way, you’d like to believe it was more so out of disbelief. as in, your roommates with someone who seems to be the polar opposite of you? “yeah, renjun and i have been friends for three years now.” jaemin smiled, and you once again looked back at the door you just came out of. maybe opposite attracts?

“actually, i need to ask him something really quickly, can you stay here for a bit?” jaemin abruptly stood up, leaving your work open so you could continue yourself. you let him know that it was alright and went back to sit on the ground jaemin previously sat on. looking through your work, he definitely improved it by a lot. you felt bad, he was doing your coursework for you and all you are paying him back with was a few movie nights. maybe you’ll up your budget for your lunch and buy him some as well.

“hey.” the familiar deep voice that you were still not used to broke the silence you had gotten comfortable in. it made you snap your head up to the side, watching jisung peak his head around the corner of the door. he held a hesitant smile on his face, not sure what to say. you took it as the initiative to wave your hand back at him. “hi jisung.” jisung decided to fully enter the living room, still maintaining close proximity to the door. “what are you doing down here?” you asked.

“renjun kicked me out of his room since jaemin and him are having a private conversation.” jisung rolled his eyes, looking over at your figure seated on the ground. ‘man up and break it’. jeno’s words were practically stuck in jisung’s mind ever since he entered the apartment. he could see where jeno was coming from, they are in the same club, the same year, they even share the same friends. there was no reason for there to be an ‘awkward tension’, like jisung described it. “how long have you been here for?” he asked.

“almost an hour i think?” you checked the time on your phone to confirm your guess. jisung nodded, still leaning against the door. there was a silence that neither of them knew how to break, before jisung swallowed and spoke again. “how’s club practice? are you liking it?” jisung questioned curiously. you thought about it. were you liking it? partially. because of him, but he didn’t need to know that. “it’s alright, i think i’m getting the hang of the game. though i’m not as good as you and jeno are.” you shyly smiled.

“practice makes perfect you know, i’m sure in a few months you’ll be up to par with either one of us.” you could’ve sworn you saw the slightest hint of a smile on his face when you looked back at him. “i guess you’re right… how is sociology?” you decided to ask back, not wanting to take this opportunity of a two sided conversation for granted. jisung thought for a second before answering. “alright too? i’m currently doing my homework in renjun’s room for it.”

as if on cue, both renjun and jaemin had seemingly summoned out of nowhere, entering the room after one another. jaemin held an apologetic smile on his face. “sorry (—), we’ll have to continue this another day since me and renjun have some house stuff to take care of.” jaemin apologised, pouting at you with a genuine expression of guilt. you shook your head. “it’s okay, we already did quite a lot, thank you for your help.” you thanked him, already packing up your stuff.

“and you need to go too.” renjun turned towards jisung, who frowned. “what? but i’m always here.” jisung protested. “well not today, we need both of you out.” renjun rubbed his face. “jisung be a gentleman and take her home, it’s getting dark outside these days.” renjun lastly said before walking back up the stairs. “but-” the sound of a door closing was enough for jisung to realise there was no ‘but’s. jaemin apologised once more before making his way up the stairs himself.

jisung slowly looked over at you who was already staring at him in silence. it took him a few seconds before he let out a sigh. “come on, he’s right. it’s getting late.” jisung sighed before he turned around and took his jacket off the hanger. you were glad his back was facing your way, because that meant he didn’t see the way your jaw had dropped. you shook your head before following him outside, the both of you taking the bus back. jisung’s sudden chatty attitude caught you off guard. he was willingly trying to make conversation with you on the way, breaking the silence every 5 minutes. were you complaining? not one bit.

“i’ll see you next week.” he said, the two of you reaching a point where each could part their own way. you smiled and nodded. “see you next week.” you turned around to walk away, ready to break into a grin.

“oh yeah, (—)?” you heard him call out from behind. you craned your neck to see him hesitate before a small smile formed on his face. “let’s watch where we walk from now on, yeah?”

you went home with the biggest grin on your face.

previous — master list — next

notes ; PROGRESS PROGRESS PROGRESS RAAAAAHHHH

TAGLIST ; @rksbae @222brainrot @severefireangelprune @violetvoo @prdshobi @kikookii @haechansbbg @en-dream @bbxnny-bbxtch @cvpidxo @jaeminslattes @90s-belladonna @softieluvsyou @wenjunblossoms @be0mluver @jeongintwt @myhaechan @love1again @ckline35 @cassie6392 @hibernatinghamster @starboys-gf @rllymark @mfaal @snflwrhaerecs4u @sunflowerbebe07 @ahnneyong @enhalovie @galacticpurpl3 @manooffline @luv4jeno @mikadorbs @1moo7 @ksywoo @ohdudehesflirting @savluvsmingi @finnydraws @invumi @crvzy-fujoshi @peterparkerluvvbot @hrjunluvs @i2kittenz @jisungji @http-peachie @jisyng @sweetcandycum @giaccolo @shotaroswifeyily @sinsgaybutthatsokay @be-my-sunrise @syzavxy @kyusqult @mxlly143 @o-schist @bigjishirt @snuglyjwi @hyunniesvlog @shuaadmirer

[mothric]

FORGOT TO UPDATE. I found a place and got approved to move in the weekend of my birthday! 🙌

I also got covid on my birthday, which forced me to stay in bed for a almost two weeks - but, as of today I've been officially living in my new pad for a week!

it's a shared situation with 4 (!!) other people, which I thought would feel overcrowded, but it really doesn't. everyone gets their own room, one lives in a basement suite and the rest of us are either so introverted or have such active social lives that we barely ever cross paths, which is ideal. I get my own room and my own half bathroom, and the washer and dryer are right outside my door.

not only that, but I am welcomed here as both a queer person and a practicing Anglican - I don't feel like I have to hide either of these aspects of myself, which is a rare treat. also one of my housemates is voluntarily celibate and aspires to be a nun, which is so cool??

the coolest thing is this - before even finding this place, I had seen a cute little apartment complex and was prepared to move forward, but I had an unusually strong sense inside that said "wait." there were no red flags or anything, but I just couldn't shake the feeling. so, hesitantly refraining from saying yes, I looked through the roomsharing sites one more time that night, and this house was the newest listing in my area within budget. I reached out and heard back almost immediately that they wanted to schedule an interview.

when I talked to them in person, they said they'd received so many responses to their listing that it was overwhelming. amid all of those, I was only the second person they'd actually replied to.

my rent here is over $200 less than the apartment I was looking at, and for that I get more space, more privacy, a fireplace, a shed and a garden, and a long-term lease with people I feel relatively safe connecting with. and I'm only a 10 minute drive from work.

all that to say - God has graciously provided much more than I thought to ask for, and I am very, very thankful for your prayers.

prayers appreciated, I was looking forward to moving into a shared house this weekend but it fell through. I moved across the country 6 weeks ago. I turn 30 soon and my goal was to have a place to call mine in time for my birthday. I'm tired and stressed. please pray for a secure living space to open up for me.

[gatorbites-imagines]

Can you write jason todd with ftm reader where he defends him from transphobia in public? I need my big beefy boyfriend to beat up transphobes for me pls. Thanks and happy pride ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Jason Todd x FTM reader

Headcanons

idc what anyone says, gotham knights Jason is beautiful to me

Hallo zusammen. Happy pride. My teacher decided last second to change everything about my next exam, so ive been stressing. So to make myself feel better, here’s some Jason going to pride with his BF.

As much as Gotham is a shithole filled to the gills with crime, its got a large demographic of LGBT. Even the heroes and villains are somewhere on that spectrum, which also means none of them target the local pride parades.

But like any pride parade, there are bigots at the sidelines. Now, Gothamites don’t do stupid well, so most are sent packing before they can even start up with their usual theatrics. Are you gonna yell homophobic slurs at poison ivy? Or when Killer Croc is walking by wearing rainbow streamers?

That doesn’t mean there aren’t stupid that sticks around. They are rarely locals, since even the most hateful locals know not to be dumb enough to cause a ruckus the one place the villains and vigilantes get along and have the same goal.

Not every hero was suited up though, seeing as you and Jason were walking side by side along with everyone else. Jason was wearing a less flashy outfit, mainly because he doesn’t do bright colors too much, but your sexuality and gender were more out in the open.

At least obvious enough for some hateful person to spot that you’re trans. And since you look like an easy target, amongst Gothamites at least, they decide to focus on you with their hateful rhetoric.

Insults weren’t anything new slung around Gotham, a city where you would get called a bad nickname more than your actual name. but it was never focused on something like your gender, your sexuality, or your race. It would be something like the fact that you wore ugly shoes, or that you ate weird.

which was why it catching the attention of more than just your boyfriend when the transphobic slurs get thrown at you. Apparently, you freezing up at the slurs seem like a win to these people, as they start yelling and jeering at you even more.

 Surprisingly it isn’t Jason that throws the first punch. Its some random chick wearing a lesbian flag over her shoulders and purple ladder laced boots. Her punch seems to unleash what everyone had been holding in, not wanting to give these bigots any attention.

Jason gets his own punches in of course, specifically targeting the people that had been yelling slurs at you. And as much as you hate this city sometimes, seeing people from all across the board come together to beat up bigots seems like its as unified as Gotham is ever gonna get.

Some other people wearing pride flags or colors come to check up on you, but you are honestly too busy watching Jason throw a guy with an offensive sign across the pavement.

The other people nod approvingly at your boyfriend. Fun to think Jason, the most Gotham guy you know, gets the approval from the Gotham gays.

When Jason comes back, he’s still jittery, his blood clearly rushing from the confrontation, but a couple of kisses and thank you gets him to settle down for the most part. He ends up more colorful than he would like, being given flower crowns and different lanyards and sashes. But hearing you laugh is enough to make him put up with it.

And if you’re wondering where the heroes were? Well, they just happen to have been busy with something else, even if Red Robin had been sitting on the ledge of a building, wearing his own pride flag the entire time.

You and Jason can both tell he won’t hear the end of this when you guys get home later. At the end of the day, the hateful speech doesn’t weigh too much on you, knowing that not just Jason, but Gotham as a whole, would chew up and spit anyone out who tried it.

[the-modern-typewriter]

Peace, Love and...

The ropes were numerous, and painstakingly knotted to form an intricate spiderweb which stretched between two pillars on the left hand side of the room.

Cai hung in the web’s centre.

The golden thread wound around what felt like every inch of his body, pinning his arms and legs spread-eagled, curling firmly around his torso to hold him as secure and as thoroughly stuck as any good spider’s prey. His toes touched the floor only precariously to help hold him steady.

Every tug, every waver, every twitch of movement caused the small silver bells hooked to the web to chime softly.

The trick was to be as still, as quiet, as possible.

Nonetheless.

The bells chimed.

It had been less than five minutes.

Adam lounged on the sofa not far away, a whip dangling insouciantly from one hand, a book in the other. He was the picture of idle, entirely too lovely, cruelty – something that the Greek’s would have carved and marvelled at.

At the chime, his attention cut up, and his hand lashed out with wicked speed and wickeder precision.

Cai bit down hard on his lip, jolting on instinct at the hot sting of pain on his thigh. The bells chimed again.

Adam grinned, feral. His fingertips caressed the whip’s handle in a way that he had many times caressed the curve of Cai’s skin, his cheek, the bow of his lip. His gaze roamed over Cai like he was considering the next place to strike, in retaliation of that sound.  

“That’s not fair,” Cai gasped. “You have to let me adjust. Nobody holds still when they’re hit!”

“I’m sorry,” Adam replied, “at which point did I promise you fairness? Love, most certainly, war – of a sort, perhaps. But fairness?”

He landed another blow, a third, and then seemed to take pity.

“Fairness,” Adam settled back down, “was never especially on the agenda. Stillness is. You’re the one who wanted to work on being mindful, I am merely supporting you in your goals like a dutiful husband.”

“I suggested we try meditation!”

“My voice is music. I am your guide.”

Adam’s voice had turned dry at the words, and Cai just managed to catch himself before he snorted with laughter. Laughter really wouldn’t help his predicament. He watched the way that Adam’s fingers moved over the whip handle again, quite happily awaiting any opportunity, guessing at that laughter. His stare was fixed on Cai, intent, nowhere near as careless as his posture.

The urge to laugh faded out. He just as quickly wanted to shiver, with a pleased sort of anticipation. He knew that stare.

Cai swallowed. He stilled himself once more, and thought that Adam might have a point. Not about his voice being music, exactly, however partial Cai was to the cadences of his husband’s tone, but…  

“I think I have an idea,” Adam said, with a tone of relenting somewhat, or at least of shifting gears. “Hold still now.” He discarded the book and got up from his seat, crossing the room and returning with a blindfold. He placed it over Cai’s eyes, knotting it tight with deft movements. “There. No distractions.” Adam’s lips were hot, and very distracting, by his ear. “Say thank you.”

“Are you actually planning to top me into meditation?”

“Meditation is just subspace for vanilla people. Hush, that’s an order. Bratting does not equal mindfulness, it makes you too busy thinking how you can beat me. You can’t.”

Cai’s mouth snapped shut.  

Adam didn’t take that particular tone with him very often, but when he did…there really was something about that voice.

“Good,” Adam murmured. “Now…” he heard Adam’s footsteps move back to the sofa. “Listen.”

Cai had lost count of the number of times, of ways, that Adam had tied him up. Sometimes, it was because Cai wanted to feel restrained, other times because Adam wanted the feeling of having someone at his mercy. It was always because of the aesthetic, and, today, it was supposedly because of the calm.

Supposedly.

The act of being bound was calming, the act of being whipped was not. But wasn’t that Adam all over? He had a weakness for irony, the juxtaposition of contrasting elements, for the artistry of it all. It was one of the many things that Cai loved about him; he always managed to do the unexpected in some small way, even after all of their years together.

“Focus on the feeling of the rope,” Adam said, as steady as metronome, low and impossible to ignore. “On your breath, on holding still for me. That’s all I expect from you. Art is seen and not heard.”

Cai focused on the feeling of the rope, on his breath, on the effort it took to hold himself still. The muscles in his calves burned. It was, in its way, actually quite meditative.

The ropes today had been picked because they were silken; strong, but soft upon Cai’s skin. They were easy to focus on.

The point of the calming kind of meditation, at least from Cai’s reading, was to focus one’s body on specific sounds, or objects, or sensations, in order to cultivate a peaceful mind and an enhanced state of concentration. That was what he’d told Adam. Apparently, between his eye rolls, Adam had payed attention.

“You are not going anywhere,” Adam said. “You are safe, I’ve got you.”

There was simply the rope, the chimes, the whip. 

And, as always, there was him.

***

“Cai.”

Adam’s fingers were careful brushing his face, undoing the blindfold, letting the light of the world with all of its distractions seep back in.

“Cai.”

Cai opened his eyes, a little dazed, and certainly peaceful. He had lost track of time or at least stopped counting it. It had taken him a while to figure out how to hold still, to let go of the restless needs of the day and life, but once he was tied up there wasn’t really much a guy could do. Just like Adam said. Listening to his voice, his breath, it had been easy.

Adam stood in front of him, and Cai wasn’t entirely sure when he’d moved. His expression was one of a fond sort of amusement. “Are you still with me?” Adam asked. “Or have you found yogic bliss?”

Cai nodded.

“Oh, so yogic bliss?”

“You’re hilarious,” Cai said, without bite. “I’m with you. Always am.”

“Good,” Adam said, still watching him. A softer smile had crossed his lips. “You went very quiet. Very still.”

“Wasn’t that the point?”

“I didn’t expect it to be that effective - I was planning to torment you mercilessly. It would have been very cathartic.”

Cai simply gave a peaceful sort of hum and Adam laughed, quietly, shaking his head. He’d abandoned the whip, and his seeming initial plans, on the sofa. He reached up to check the ropes around Cai’s hands, going through the practiced motions of making sure Cai still had all the right circulation in his fingers.

“Are you ready to come down?” he asked.

Cai shook his head.

Adam laughed again.

“I suppose I could keep you up there like an exhibition piece.” He stroked his fingers down along Cai’s chest. “You’re rather calming to look at like this. Can’t get into any trouble.”

“I am the height of zen, I never get myself in trouble.”

“Uh-huh. I’m taking you down now. Come here.”

Soon enough, Cai’s feet were firmly planted on the floor once more, and Adam’s arm was wrapped firmly around his torso to hold him secure. The rest of the ropes fell away. Cai led him over to the sofa and they sprawled there for a while.

“So,” Cai said eventually. “If I suggest that we try couple’s yoga…?”

Adam’s fingers wound in his hair, tugging his head back to contort his spine, and kissed Cai’s cheek.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something much more fun.”

It was, to neither of their surprise, much more entertaining.

[lilac-5ky]

Roommates from Hell, pt.1 (Toji x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 1: Stolen Fries taste best

(pic from loving yamada at lvl999, adorable manga, recommend)

Chapter 2 | Story Masterlist | Masterlist

Plot: Out of all the women that come and go in Toji's life, you're the only one he calls his friend. But when he suddenly forces his way into your apartment, the feelings you've kept from him are put to the test.

Setting: Pre Hidden Inventory Arc. Toji and reader are both in their late twenties, no Megumi in picture... yet :p

Themes: Cohabitation, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers

Warning: Slight sexual content minus the actual smut.

A/N at the bottom

“You’re late. Again.”

The small silver bell at the top of the glass door notified you of a man’s arrival, his heavy steps refusing to wipe themselves upon entry, spreading mud all over the now-blotted checkered tiles of the dimly lit diner. You’d been expecting the owner of those shoes for the past six hours, his untimely arrival coming as a bitter aftertaste to an afternoon full of childish joy and mayhem— popped balloons, colorful confetti, and half-eaten pieces of cakes swept into one big pile at the room’s southernmost corner by yours truly.

“I never said I was coming,” the voice retorted, its defiant sound overshadowed by the gruesome screech of a metallic chair. “Not interested in celebrating some brat’s b-day, ‘specially if it ain’t mine.”

“How many helpless children must have spent their birthdays without their no-good father, I wonder,” you wiped your hands against your cherry-red apron, pushing the broom back into place. “If your goal is to repopulate Japan, I’m certain you’ll succeed.”

Hefty fingers mindlessly combed through a head of obsidian black, little spikes forming and then settling back down. “None, as far as I’m concerned,” sarcasm dripped from his tongue.

“Well, I find that hard to believe,” you mumbled under your breath, circling through the room to ensure everything was dealt with: leftovers in the fridge, gift wrappings in the bin, and the large aforementioned pile of garbage waiting to be scooped up. “You’ve known Kenzo since birth. Even if this ain’t your thing, the least you could’ve done was make an appearance. He kept asking about his favorite uncle all night long.”

“Except I’m not his uncle. Don’t mix me in with your sister’s family, I ride solo.”

Sigh.

“My sister’s family might as well be your family, Toji. You know how much Hinata and her kids adore you.”

“Good for them, I suppose.”

Another sigh.

“Can you at least tell me what was so important for you to not even pick the goddamn phone up?”

As if the device had grown sentient, a generic tune began tooting from the back pocket of his sweatpants, eradicating your final hope that it’d simply run out of battery.

Without budging from his seat, Toji twisted an arm around his back to pull his flip-phone out, the silver-tinted lid slamming shut as soon as he’d peered at the caller’s number, his next immediate move being to drown the sound in a glass of leftover Coke, fizzy bubbles playing the device’s final requiem.

You didn’t need to ask to know it was a woman, and he didn’t need to answer that she, whatever the name of his latest conquest was, happened to also be the reason for his being unfashionably late.

It was always like that. He was always like that. He went out with one girl after the other; from women of extreme beauty and poise to mindless bimbos who couldn’t tell tea leaves and coffee beans apart. He’d spend some cash to butter them up with expensive meals at overpriced restaurants, or VIP entrance at the hottest club, or even pay for the name tag on their designer clothes, but come next morning, he was either caught stealing straight out of their pockets or checking whether the tag was still attached to the dress for him to return it to the store—at which point, the vast majority gave up, except for those few poor souls who earnestly believed they could fix him, though they never would.

If there were two things in this world that remained unfaltering and resolute throughout the eons, then that was the earth’s orbiting the sun, and Zen’in Toji’s being the bastard of a man you knew and loved— special intonation of that last part.

It was quite the oxymoron. To know him as an irredeemable scumbag with no intention of changing, and to love him for all he was; a sentence as contradictory and controversial as the man before you. What was there to love? He never gave two shits about the people around him dying, and if he could encourage or partake in their deaths then he certainly would. He gambled every cent of cash in his hands away, and his every attachment ended with the disposal of his used-up condom. He was vulgar, cynical, and brass, and he possessed a great charisma of making people dislike him at first glance. His only saving grace was his good looks and even those he managed to scrape on a daily basis.

So, really, what was there to love about a man whose place fitted best among the pile of garbage in the corner? What was the point in all that?

He never answered your question, and when you realized he wasn’t planning to, you dragged a second chair to his side, propping your elbows first and then your chin over the vinyl backrest, feet landing at each side. You took in his expression— sour and undeniably agitated, with a frown tugging at the scarred corner of his lower lip, and a glare too icy to be meant for the wall of American-styled neon billboards he mercilessly studied. Something definitely bothered him, and as a huff stiffened his chin, the reason became evident enough for you to point at it.

“Woman or work?” you gestured at the blood that dribbled below his ear and down his neck.

He followed your forefinger with his eyes, thumb scrubbing where the gush began. He seemed oblivious to his injury, though it wasn’t as if his becoming aware changed a thing.

“So it is a woman,” you gladly seized the chance to rub salt into his wound, drawing a frustrated grumble from him.“What did you do this time? Stole her car and crashed it into a tree? Blew all her savings on cockfight betting?”

“Horse races,” he had the nerve to correct.

“Or… did you by any chance bring an uncalled ménage à trois to her bed?”

“What kind of man you take me for?” Toji protested.

“A very, very, veeeery bad man,” you smirked, and he returned it. You knew him like the back of your hand. There was no need to pretend otherwise after well over a decade’s worth of friendship.

“If a very bad man is what I am, then why’d ya let me in?” he asked. “A young unprotected woman all by herself in the middle of the night letting such scum in never ends well. Thought you were smarter than this.”

“If I was smarter, then I wouldn’t be calling you my friend, would I?”

His grimace turned into a full-blown devilish grin, the kind that secretly had your heart buzzing against the frail set of bones of your chest. He always looked so dazzling when he smiled, that sometimes you couldn’t find fault in those women wanting to believe in his pretty lies, because you, too, wanted to. You hoped that whatever the price for those smiles was, you would one day be able to afford it and gain ownership of his heart, no matter how wretched or blackened it was.

“You are a real idiot to mix it up with me,” he conceded. “Though, you are a greater idiot for letting that term define us. I bet your nights serving meals at some kiddie place get rather lonely. But I could help. I could make you feel really good, Y/N. So good that you’d risk some prick getting in, lest he is me.”

His tongue poked out his mouth, giving his bottom lip a brief lick while he peered at you through half-lidded eyes. He had this way of turning things sexual in the blink of an eye, selling himself so well that your refusal to buy seemed commendable— despite the unmistakable affection you held for his face. Little did he know how much you longed to push that chair to the side and rip his cocky expression along his black-sleeved shirt off his body, making it so that neither of you had a place to hide from the other.

Now, that’d feel good.

“My nights are fine as they are, thank you very much,” you countered your instincts much to his disappointment. “And if I ever needed myself a helping hand, know that you’d be the last I’d call!” Not as if you’d pick up, anyway, you mentally added.

His gust of interest fizzled out as soon as it surged, your rejection forcing him to rock back and forth between the chair’s legs. He wasn’t interested in continuing this. It was enough for him to take in the dusty pink shading of your ears and smile to himself, knowing you were still the kind of woman affected by his charms. Yes, that certainly was enough, for now.

“I’ll clean you up,” you declared, getting off your spot in haste and strolling through the bar in search of a clean towel.

Once you found it, you let it soak under the faucet and brought it back to him, rubbing against his skin regardless of his petty attempt at gritting his teeth. You placed one hand on his shoulder and another at his jaw, pushing them apart to no avail. Every muscle in his body was stronger than your entire bodily force combined, and he was awfully willing to flex that difference between you, just as he was at letting you straddle his hips and climb all over his body like some sort of feral monkey in heat.

A string of profanities that ranged from “bastard” to “shit-eating-asshole-shithead” poured out your mouth while Toji smirked, and smiled, and grinned, and didn’t even try to stop you from knocking the two of you onto the ground, palms barely managing to stable your head over his face. Your pleated skirt had risen, or rather flipped, over your panties, revealing the strawberry pattern panties you were wearing to his greedy hands as they hiked up your flesh without an ounce of shame.

“Wh-What are you doing?!”

“What do you think I’m doing?” he cooed, burying his calloused fingers under the elastic waistband of your underwear.

You felt him trace the inward of your thighs in languid strokes, the fabric stretching the further his hand dipped— closer, and closer to your now-pulsing core, but never so close as to make actual contact. His hot breath tingled your lips, smelling of nothing in particular, but a sweaty tang of a woman’s deodorant that still lingered in his clothes. Had he fucked her before making it here, you wondered, heart tightening at the thought.

Your legs wiggled shut, unable to fully repel his hand, and for a brief moment, you considered letting him go through with this— whatever this was. Even if you came to be another conquest won, you didn’t care. All you needed was for him to hush all logic from your brain, and fuck you senselessly against the checkered tile floor of the “kiddie food place” you served meals at.

“Toji…” you begged, uncertain what you were begging him for until you felt the warmth in your thighs subside.

“Makin’ sure to preserve your maiden’s dignity,” he said as he fixed your skirt in place. “Wouldn’t want some perv catching sight of your cute little ass, would we?”

His condescending tone made you want to throw a slap across his face and then yours; for thinking that maybe this wasn’t a mistake, that you could really move past the pretense of friendship and aim at what you really sought. But he’d been right once before. You were stupid, stupider than all those girls combined, considering you knew and still wouldn’t mind being dragged down with him one bit.

“Fucking asshole,” you blurted as you pushed yourself off him, dumping the cloth on his smug face.

Your lip quivered as you stepped onto your feet, unable to quite shake the feeling of incompletion from your core, walls pathetically clenching around nothingness. You refused to look at him, lest you caved in a second time, and thus you paced around the booths, stopping before the one window whose blinds didn’t block the magnificent parking lot view. Only a black SUV was left— most likely his newest rental.

Following a beep, you watched the lights flicker white, his reflection in the window lifting the chair back up. You crossed your arms over your chest and waited, your impatience and frustration churning into a dangerous mix within your guts, as the asshole whose name wasn’t worth saying moved past you and walked straight to the door, not a single word or goodbye said.

“What about your phone?” you asked, at last paying him a look of spite.

“I’ll text ya my new number.”

“We both know you won’t.”

He glanced over his shoulder and showed you his pearly white canines, his expression not polished enough to be called a smile. You rolled your eyes in the opposite direction, spotting his old device blinking a variety of different lights, refusing to die just like its bastard of an owner.

“What should I do with this?”

“How the hell should I know?” Toji shrugged. “Get rid of it, or toss it in some burger. I’m sure no one will be able to tell the difference. Later,” the bell chimed as the door collided with the frame, chiming a second time as his head popped in a moment later. “Loved the raspberries.”

“They were strawberries, you scatterbrained swine,” you cursed, but he’d heard none of it. The car was gone, and so was he, and it was for the best that he didn’t get to witness the strawberry-colored shadow that loomed over both your cheeks.

Fanning some of that heat away, you returned to the table, surprised to find a white envelope with the name Kenzo hastily written on the front. Cash. Lots of cash. Enough cash to keep a low-end apartment afloat for at least a couple of months. An excuse and simultaneously the answer to all your previous questions.

“You fucking bastard,” you hummed, the term switching to one of utter endearment.

When the first instance of a wintry breeze came charging at the semi-exposed features of your face—a scarf’s fluff tucked right below your nose— you knew that walking all the way to the location where the unknown ID claiming to be Zen’in Toji ordered you to meet up was probably a bad idea.

For starters, you’d turn into an icicle long before making it back to your workplace. Not to mention you had no foolproof way of guaranteeing the person you were about to meet wasn’t some random impersonating psychopath. But when you finally spotted the yellow curvy “M” upon the rectangular red sign that spelled the fast food chain’s name, you narrowed down the psychopaths to that one cheapskate you happened to know.

Walking into the nearly vacant dining area —only the first two booths near the door occupying a family of four each— you detected him almost immediately. He was the only one seated in his wing. Head slightly tilted to look past the window, golden highlights showering the curve of a nose as it arched into thin eyebrows, calm eyes glinting with subtle emerald, and fingers that absentmindedly tapped away onto one of the two paper-covered trays. He had the decency to wait for you before getting into his food, though that didn’t stop him from munching on the occasional fry.

You tugged the handbag off your shoulder and slowly approached him, hesitating to enter his field of view, if just for a moment. He seemed so peaceful and serene, that if you had the guts, you’d snap a picture of him right then and there and make it into your phone’s wallpaper. But you didn’t. You’d never be able to explain it to him in a non-humiliating way, should he catch you in the act, and so, you shook the notion off and marched in his direction, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

“What’s the point of calling me out here for lunch if we are gonna have burgers?” you dropped your bag at the far end of the table. “Why not eat at our place?”

“I like the fries here better,” he bit onto one as if to affirm his claim, licking the salty essence off his fingers. “You should be glad I got you some, too,” he nodded toward the closed dome-shaped box that lay in front of you. “Nuggets over burgers, right? Didn’t know what toy ya wanted though. Cashier girl told me bunnies are quite popular with girls your age, so I went with that.”

Ignoring, or rather postponing your answer to his outrageous suggestion, you peered through the contents of your meal’s box, spotting the wrapped-in-plastic purple-colored bunny key chain right at the bottom between the small portion of deluxe potatoes and even smaller portion of chicken nuggets that still steamed hot air. You were surprised he remembered everything about your order, down to your preference for milkshake over other beverages, and perhaps you would have shown your gratitude if it wasn’t for that last comment of his gnawing at your pride.

“How old did you tell the cashier I was, again?” you gritted, trying to suppress the toy’s cuteness within your fist.

“Didn’t. Just said it’s for some kid I know. Probably thought it was for my daughter or something.”

A pair of googly eyes popped out from their sockets, the bunny’s head in serious danger of coming right off.

“Stop acting like an old man,” you muttered in embarrassment. “A nine-month head start in life doesn’t make you old enough to be my father.”

“Still older than you, kid,” said Toji, his fingers latching onto his wrapped-up burger. “Now eat up. Didn’t pay ya lunch for it to go cold.”

Annoyed by his remarks, but oh-so terribly starved, you decided to let things slide, the two of you lunching in a period of temporal truce. He went through his burger in big bites, clearing it out before you even finished your portion of nuggets. You mildly wondered why he’d held off if he was this hungry, but didn’t press on the reason behind his invitation until after his tray was half-emptied.

“So… why’d you wanna meet up? Got something to tell me?”

“Mhm, I actually do. How would you like us to be room—Nah, that doesn’t sound too right,” Toji shook his head off, dusting the excess salt off his fingers. “I decided I’m moving in with you.”

“You, what?!?” You shrieked, eyes wide with shock, resembling those of your newly acquired key chain.

“What I just said. I’m moving in,” he repeated as if you hadn’t heard him the first time around. “Got everything right here. I’ll pop by later so you can show me my room.”

You glanced down at what he tapped as “here”, spotting a large black duffel bag that rested on his feet. He wasn’t joking, you panicked. He was being 100% serious about this. Directing your milkshake to your mouth, you took a nervous sip, nearly choking on the plastic straw between your teeth, while Toji kept staring at you, awaiting no answer in particular. After all, he wasn’t asking. He was proclaiming.

“Why would you want that?” you asked once you regained the ability to think rationally. “Weren’t you the one who said you ride solo?”

“Numerous reasons,” he stated, drawing his forefinger forth as if to recount. “For starters, rental prices going up, gas too. Inflation in the market and all that crap. Your place is also closer to work, and” he leaned closer, “wasn’t your neighborhood the one on the news recently? You know, those serial break-and-enter cases? As far as I’m aware, the culprit’s still running loose, could be a cursed spirit or something. You can’t see ‘em, but I can. I’ll keep ya safe. Wouldn’t you want that? Sounds like a fair deal to me, at least.”

The repetitive pattern of a catchy pop song blasting from the speakers served as a backdrop to your thoughts, eyes flickering between the table and his face. He wasn’t exactly wrong about what he said. The girl next door was the robber’s last victim, and from what you’d gathered, it seemed like the ones targeted were exclusively single women in their twenties. Curse or not, that was the intruder’s type, and you just so happened to tick both of those boxes.

From a standpoint of reason, his suggestion sounded fair alright, but this was Toji we were talking about. The man whose name was your first thought in the morning and the final afterthought in the night. The man you were coincidentally in love with.

Living with him would entail being around him a lot more than you could handle. Waking and sleeping and eating in the same house as him, spending your days off together, bickering about bills, take-out, and the TV remote’s ownership, doing things that only couples got to do, and of course, sharing a bathroom, which on its own meant seeing him parade through the cramped little space of your apartment in nothing but a soggy towel, hair slick and teeth beaming as he’d be asking if you’d like to join him in the shower—

You hit the break on these thoughts and pressed your forehead flat against both palms, feeling the heat exuding through your fingers. You were only able to keep this relationship platonic because of the distance he put between you. If he were to suddenly close it, what would come of you? How on earth would you be able to hold back?

“Don’t you want me?”

“Huh?” you bit at the straw again, snapping it in half.

“I said, you hate the idea of living with me that much?”

Toji certainly didn’t mince his words, but the way he was looking at you, brows furrowing and lips quivering into a frown despite the edge in his tone, almost made it seem as if hearing your rejection out loud would hurt him, and because of that, you had no choice, but to shake your head in denial. You wanted this. More than words could express, you wanted to be with him like that, even if you refrained from disclosing that truth.

You wanted him.

“What about your girlfriends? Wouldn’t they be against you living with some woman?”

“Nah, I’m done with that. Done with all of ‘em.”

“But my apartment is too small. I don’t think it’d suit you—”

“I’ll manage,” he cut you off.

“I don’t even have a second bed-”

“We can always share,” he smirked, letting out a light-hearted chuckle as he watched color paint your cheeks. “Couch is fine, too. So, whaddya say, roomie?”

“…Fine,” you conceded, very well knowing you’d come to regret this decision. “But we need to set some ground rules! No trashing the apartment, no throwing your ‘work tools’ all over the place, no smoking, no drinking, no loud music, and no bringing in random women. No starting fights either! You’ll help around and pay half of what’s needed, so no gambling your money away. Those are my terms.”

“You drive a hard bargain, roomie,” Toji said, balancing his chin atop his elbow. “Fine by me. Told you I’m done with half those things anyway, and I don’t mind helping you with anything. I mean that.”

But I could help. I could make you feel really good, Y/N.

His words from that night still lingered in your mind like an unfulfilled promise, and when he phrased it like that, you couldn’t help but be reminded of how good his hands felt that night, creeping all over your skin as if he owned it— as if he owned you.

“G-good!” you said, picking up a fry off his tray and tossing it in your mouth, lest you said something stupid.

“No one taught you stealing other people’s food is rude?” Toji shot you a glare unequal to your crime.

“It’s not stealing if you are done with it!” you protested. “You haven’t touched your fries in over ten minutes now.”

His tongue clicked against his mouth’s roof, producing a series of “tsk” sounds while he shook his head in disapproval. “Didn’t take ya for such a brat, Y/N. Disrespecting me in my face right after we came to an agreement? That’s some bad business ethics.”

You rolled your eyes at his comment, barely keeping yourself from groaning. “I’m so terribly sorry, sir. I shouldn’t have stolen your esteemed fries, sir. Won’t ever happen again, sir. Please allow me to express my profound remorse, sir.”

Although Toji knew you only addressed him as such to get on his nerves, he was still pleased enough to grace with you an unsuspecting smile, seconds before you shoved a ketchup-covered potato against his mouth, smudging the left corner of his lips in a way akin to that of his right corner scar. He blinked, clouds of fury gathering in the bleakness of his eyes and cheeks puffing up, painting the most adorable expression you’d ever seen him wear.

“So cute,” you gushed, unable to suppress a hearty laughter that agitated him even more, red blooming across his cheeks— most likely by the lack of oxygen, you interpreted.

“Fucking brat,” he hissed, dipping the last of his fries in ketchup and then stuffing your mouth with it before you could even react. “I’ll show ya how it’s done!” he declared, your lips puckering against his fingers, condiment spreading all over like lipstick. His other hand forced your head in place, stilling your chin for him to work on his masterpiece, making a much bigger mess out of you than you had made of him.

“Hmphmmph!” you hummed while Toji laughed, a deep sound that reverberated straight from his guts, his eyes glinting along with his teeth in sheer joy that convinced you to give up so as to not spoil his fun. It was rare to see him genuinely happy.

“That should teach ya to behave,” he spat, smugness in every aspect of his features as he pressed his thumb onto his mouth, cleaning the ketchup off with a lick. “But you did address me properly, so you’ve earned the right to choose. Napkin or my lips? Which one?”

Stupefied as you were, you didn’t understand the full context of his question until you felt the sudden warmth of his mouth flutter over your skin, the tip of his tongue sloppily gathering the leftover ketchup off your right cheek. Your jaw popped open, a small gasp escaping as a result of his action.

“Too slow,” Toji whispered, hooded green eyes peering right into yours. “I’ll ask again. Napkin or my lips? What’s it gonna be, doll?”

“N-n-n-napkin!” you must have stuttered at least a thousand times before forming a comprehensible answer. He was so close that if he tilted his head any closer your lips were sure to touch. “P-please get me a napkin.”

“Please?” he chuckled, acting as if was really going to kiss you and then pulling away. “Be right back.”

Even after Toji let go, you could still feel the weight of his thumb holding you down, your eyes zeroing in on his black sweater as he set off for the other side of the room where the napkin and condiments stand was located. You heard a few whispers coming from beside your table, catching three pairs of eyes shooting daggers right at your back.

“Don’t they have a home?” a woman’s voice echoed first.

“Kids these days…” a man added.

“Honey, don’t look at their sinfulness, it’s the devil’s work.” A second woman concluded.

You were on the verge of experiencing a cardiac arrest, and you were pretty darn sure you would have if Toji hadn’t returned with the napkins in time, his hand snatched by yours as you forcefully dragged him out of the place, spelling frantic apologies at whoever was listening.

Once you’d made it outside, you sighed in relief, winter’s viciousness coming as a much-needed slap across your face. You took in a few breaths, letting go of his hand and padding a few steps away from the store’s windows, afraid you were still the focus of their attention. Toji followed, one hand stuffed inside his jeans pocket, while the other held the duffel bag over his shoulder in a lazy manner.

“Can you give me a lift to work?” you managed to ask, dodging his stare even as he stepped to the front.

“I would, but I can’t. Gave the car away.”

“You did what?”

Nothing about your reaction was funny in any shape or form, but he seemed amused enough to break into a soft chuckle, his eyes, too, softening ever so slightly.

“Planning to walk around town like a bloodsucker?” he asked, bringing a napkin to wipe your lips with greater care than you’d think. “How dirty,” he cooed, gently tapping at the center. “Next time, I won’t ask for permission to kiss you, roomie. Let’s go.”

“W-Where?” your voice came out so frail that you doubted he’d heard your question, his bag bouncing over his taut body with every step he took outside the parking lot.

“You asked for a ride, didn’t ya? Come.”

A/N: Launching a new series because I have so many feelings bottled up that I'm in danger of farting hearts and rainbows and shit. Decided to take the time off and write this fic for myself cause I needed it, but then I thought why not share it with the world? First time writing for Jujutsu Kaisen and Toji in particular, so hopefully it's received well!

[batsplat]

just so you know bc I don’t think enough people tell you this but every time I check your blog (a bit compulsively at this point? your compilations and opinions are very enlightening on the general psychology of those crazy motherfuckers and also the uhhhhhhhh other part) and see that you answered another ask I honestly break into the hugest grin and settle down at the next given opportunity to read the newest batssay (batsplat essay) like it’s an academic paper (it is to us sports scholars, I believe)… please never feel the need to cut short your thoughts on any subject. the longer the better! connect all the dots, bat! we are listening!!

thank youuuuu this is so sweet, I know this ask is a little older but trust whenever I get something kind in my inbox I very much read and appreciate it and it very much makes my day. and I love the term batssay. a lot

so I thought it'd be fun to do a follow up post to the casey/jorge/valentino one where I just dumped a bunch of photos with a wee bit of context... for the culture, y'know. and I'm doing this with just casey/valentino, mostly for 2007-09 but with one 2005 photo chucked in as. build-up. for flavour

we know from the #archives that the two of them did have like. a reasonably warm dynamic pre-casey's motogp debut. they'd talked... also at least one race where casey shows up to valentino's podium and chats to vale's crew chief and fellow aussie jb... I think about it often. what did it all mean

casey's first win!!! qatar 2007, very first race with ducati. he'd gotten very close to a win before - in his third ever premier class race at turkey, lost at the final chicane. casey's goals going into that first season with ducat had just been winning a few races... he notes that valentino congratulates him warmly, but reckons it's just because valentino didn't take him seriously as a threat, which. I don't think that quite stacks up with supplementary evidence from the time, but we'll allow it

one of my fave photos for a reason, idc it's sweet. I was trying to figure out when this photo was from through like, normal means of reverse image search, but then instead I had a horrifying moment of 'oh yeah I'm pretty sure I remember that specific presser backdrop is at mugello that year' and. I was right. which. god. anyway yeah mugello 2007 pre-event presser. by this point casey was 21 points clear in the championship standings

more mugello 2007!!! look at casey constantly sipping from his lil cup. this will have been after qualifying, where casey snagged pole. I'd forgotten valentino actually makes front row in qualifying because he makes a typically horrendous start. I'd also forgotten that this race is like. proper good. one of the best that year. slows down eventually but the first ten or so laps are some of the most exciting of the entire alien era

catalunya 2007, which unfortunately I also dated solely through the presser backdrop. idk I just like the vibes of this photo. anyway!! this race is ofc the one where casey won an all timer late race duel against valentino (+ dani). it is after this race that valentino said casey was, and I quote "riding like a god". a seminal moment

the championship is already extremely over by the time they get to estoril, but casey still needs to formally wrap it up: this is his first match point race. depicted here is valentino getting one of his few Ws that season. an account of this event: “valentino was playing table football in the yamaha hospitality and somebody spotted casey outside. so they invited him for a challenge. it was all good fun”

motegi 2007. valentino had managed to put off the inevitable the race before and temporarily stopped casey from sealing the title, taking his last win of the season (cool duel with dani in that one). but motegi... well honestly it's just a bit of a flop all round, nobody's bike is working the way they want it to, casey seals the title with his worst result all season of a sixth place (the horror) and in his autobiography he was kinda like 'well I was very happy but also. meh race' (I paraphrase). but really, who cares, he had his title

bit of a time skip!! after both of them have put their sketch early 2008's behind them, the pair of them had a proper fun fight at catalunya for p2. a continuation of the battle the year before with valentino once again coming from lower down the field, this time he gets the better of casey. still, things are finally looking up at ducati... and the post-catalunya test might be enough to put casey right back in title contention. the above photo is from donington, where casey confirms the progress ducati made by winning his first race of the season after the opener in qatar

still donington, both of them watching each other etc etc. valentino is in a much better place than the year before, given both casey's rough start to the season and how they're both now on the same tyres. but it's not a good sign if casey's hitting his stride... at assen, valentino makes his one mistake of the year and crashes on the first lap, remounting to finish eleventh (he still beats casey's teammate melandri). this puts dani in the championship lead - and with casey's second win in a row, he is now very much closing in

look at them chatting here!! cute imo. this is casey's third win in a row, at the rainy sachsenring. dani crashes out from a few miles in the lead - while casey had stayed sensible and brings it home for a pretty straightforward victory. valentino needed to fight his way through from further down the field and in the end he loses too much time to put any serious pressure on casey, but it's still damage limitation and he retakes the championship lead from dani (who will miss the next race due to an injury sustained in the crash). and yet, momentum really is firmly on casey's side now... and the rest of the calendar does looks like pretty casey-friendly territory. next up, they're headed to a race track where casey had won very comfortably the year before. would he seal his fourth consecutive win at laguna?

now with my sincere apologies to casey stoner, every photo that came out of laguna 2008 is objectively pretty funny. I have limited myself to a mere two podium photos, but lbr there's a full collection. casey had already rejected valentino's handshake in parc fermé - which some might have taken as a social cue to give him some space. whereas valentino, local dickhead, just will not stop yapping at casey on the podium. this is quite possibly as genuinely delighted as he gets after a race, and it's simply a beautiful contrast with casey who is not quite rude enough to actually tell valentino to shut the fuck up - but may be fantasising about pushing valentino off the podium. this, to me. is art

gather around body language experts, we need to have a conversation. this is at the pre-event presser of the race immediately after laguna, aka brno. by this point, casey's less than flattering remarks about valentino's riding at laguna had already been distributed near and far... everyone's been talking about them, people have Opinions. the captions for these photos are all something along the lines of 'stoner extends olive branch to rossi to apologise for his post-race comments after losing laguna'. now, I don't know if he literally is apologising in these actual photos - though of course he did publicly walk back his comments, saying all riders can react badly to losses and that he'd overreacted when he'd said he'd lost respect for valentino. he has since walked back his walking back, doubling down on his criticisms of valentino's comportment at laguna

still, for all the talk that the feud properly started after laguna, it's kind of fun to have the presser immediately after it showing... well, it does look like casey is actively engaging valentino in conversation, right? whether he's apologising or not - this isn't just valentino yapping at him, if anything it's the reverse. laguna had been right before the summer break, so casey had been given a month to cool off... and also be viciously criticised by the press. brutal, isn't it? it's not just the loss that sucks, it's also being excoriated by the press and fans for having the audacity to get mad over it. is all of this just him being forced into pretending to play nice to get the press to leave him alone? were there any genuine regrets over his laguna comments? what ARE the vibes between them like at this time? what story do these photos tell us

casey went on to crash out of this race from the lead, the first time he had done so in the premier class and his first dnf with ducati after their one and a half seasons together. when he crashed, he'd had a fairly comfortable lead over valentino - though valentino was steadily closing in, and the commentators were already rubbing their hands in anticipation of another laguna

the next race is at misano - and casey is struggling with an old hand injury, see the bandages in the photo. the previous year had been the first time valentino had gotten the chance to race at this circuit, so close to his home... but he'd suffered a mechanical dnf, not his first or last in a frustrating season. this year, everything is different - and casey once again crashes out of the lead as valentino takes victory in front of his worshipful home fans

another trip to america, this time for indy: their first time racing at the track. after the double whammy of brno and misano, casey's title charge is essentially over... but you never know, right? indy kinda gives off the vibe of being a good casey track

in the end, the race is extremely wet and very, very windy and is eventually red-flagged. because of how many laps they still have to go, it is initially unclear whether they would restart... at which point first valentino (who was leading), then casey (in fourth) go to dorna ceo ezpeleta to tell him they have less than zero interest in going out in that weather again. a beautiful moment of solidarity - long live the power of unionising, capable of overcoming even the bitterest of feuds. blast the internationale over the footage, I've seen enough. the race is called off and valentino wins his fourth consecutive race

by the time they get to phillip island, valentino has already won the title, courtesy of his fifth consecutive win at motegi - the same circuit casey had won the title at the year before and the home race of valentino's old enemies at honda. a couple of nice photos of jorge congratulating his teammate and casey spraying vale with champagne here. casey, known phillip island goat, would of course finally end valentino's win streak at that circuit, which is where the photos are from. idk they're fun to me, like this is still not that long after laguna. I'm aware being able to chat normally with your coworkers and share a smile with them isn't normally that high a bar, but canonically valentino has been known to completely blank some of his rivals. it's not like casey is particularly cold towards valentino either, eh

case in point. this is from sepang 2008. #TheEstablishment does not want you to know casey and valentino canonically still regularly yapped in pressers post laguna. they won't silence me. sepang was valentino's last win of this season, after a good scrap with dani - and the season is rounded off with a casey victory at valencia

jerez 2009, where valentino gets past casey with a block pass at the final corner on his way to victory. unlike in 2005, he actually manages to not barrel into his rival. this is just a fantastic photo... I don't even have much to say about it. a+ vibes

a lot of the photos from this season were already included in the jorge/valentino/casey post, which reflects how casey wasn't consistently a factor in the same way the other two were. this one's from assen, the race right after catalunya when all three of them were tied on 106 points. very good side eye here, excellent job casey. unfortunately, casey is now in mystery illness territory - and he can't really compete with the two frontrunners in this stretch of the season

this is the first race after casey's return to competition - valentino goes up to casey after qualifying at estoril to congratulate him for his front row grid position. casey would win an early race scrap with valentino in the race itself, eventually finishing second behind jorge and swiftly silencing all the people who had declared him mentally weak and done for in his absence. a race that brought back suspense to that year's championship

phillip island 2009, another important moment in the canon where I've limited myself to just the one photo. casey wins just his second race back - and he also hugs vale pretty warmly in parc fermé. jorge was kind enough to crash in the opening lap, meaning valentino can very much be pleased with a second place here

and at sepang, valentino seals the title, while casey wins another race. casey ended up crashing in the warm-up lap of valencia, apparently due to an issue with the tyre warming? just kinda... the general vibe of his 2009, really. valentino closes off the season with another podium at his least favourite track, while dani takes the win

anyway after that they spent three years getting into increasingly. dumb arguments. like. so dumb. by the end of 2012 you feel you're killing your brain cells by even engaging with this stuff. it's beyond undignified. there's zero competitive justification, but they just couldn't shut up about each other. that being said, they're still capable of doing a small talk with each other even during the dark years, so that's something. maybe one day they'll finally be able to get that dinner and talk about all the good times

[deadmomjokes]

Do you have any adventures of bean to share before you sign off for a bit? good luck with the move!

I wish I had more specific ones, but life is all blurring together at this point so I must settle for Tidbits: Moving Edition

She loves to pack stuff. I have no idea where it's coming from, but holy cow this kid. She's going to be the only reason we're completely packed and ready to go on time. Every morning, she hops in my bed and goes "Can we pack another box?" And any time we're not actively doing something, "Should we pack more boxes?" Her dad whispered to me earlier, understandably dumbfounded, "What is with the packing thing? Why is she so into this?" And she somehow heard it from the next room and merrily hopped in holding the roll of packing tape and said "I dunno, I just really like packing things." So... yeah. She's keeping us on task.

She has Plans for the drive. -First, we need to eat at Subway (she was very excited to learn she can, in fact, have Subway in moderation). -Second, we need to stay at one of the number hotels-- those being National 9, Super 8, and Motel 6. (She is bummed there's no 7 hotel.) -Third, if we successfully get a number hotel for one night, we also need to do a Red Roof Inn some other night. -Fourth, she wants to go inside a gas station and look at the maps. (She means the visitors guides and brochures that truck stops have when they're near-ish to state lines and/or tourist destinations.) -Finally, she wants to borrow my phone to take pictures. Unbeknownst to her, we are getting an old digital camera tuned up and outfitted with a child-proof case so she can have her own camera, because when she starts taking pictures it's an hours-long affair, and I kinda need my phone for GPS purposes. We're presenting her with said camera next weekend when we get the trailer, so hopefully she'll stay occupied while we do the part of packing she can't actually help with. But yeah, she knows how to set realistic, attainable goals, and I honestly think we can make these things happen for her.

She's been obsessively watching that Bluey special every day, and it Concerns me. See, she's generally quite media literate, and knows how to separate fiction from reality, and we had our big group cry about leaving our friends the first time we watched it. But. I am deeply worried that she's under the impression that we'll get all packed and ready to go and then do what Bluey's family did and decide to stay. I desperately hope not, but hoo boy, if that is the case, that's gonna be one heck of a 4-day drive. We've tried bringing it up and talking about it, but we still can't tell what's going on in that little noggin.

She is really, really sad about leaving her friends. I know that's not fun to hear, but honestly, I'm really impressed and proud of the way she's been handling it. She's come up with some great coping mechanisms all on her own: asking if we can get everyone's parents' Facebooks so we can do video calls, asking if we can do a party before she leaves so she can play with her school friends again (both yes, of course), and the one that truly floored me-- she asked if we can find "a new therapy place" when we get to where we're going. My four year old asked if she can go back to therapy, y'all. She's been 'graduated' since before Christmas, but she remembered that it helped when she was feeling anxious all the time and wants to do that again after we move. I just... Holy moly! I am so, SO proud of her for how she's so in tune with herself and her needs.

Her requests for our next housing situation have been few, but very specific. It has to let her get a pet, either a rabbit (maybe two so they can be friends), or a ball python, or both. It needs stairs so she can bumslide down them. It needs a pantry with a shelf she can reach for her snacks. And she'd really prefer if it had hard floors so we can get a fuzzy rug. We don't have it on lock yet (fingers crossed!), but the place that looks most likely meets all of these criteria.

That's all I've got for right now, because I need to go pre-plan what tomorrow morning's packing adventure is going to be so I don't have to think about it two minutes after opening my eyes.

[kichikichiko]

For you, and you only

A/N: I hope you guys enjoy!

This is my first time writing for cyno so his is a bit shorter 😭

Heizou,Kazuha,Kabukimono and Cyno (seperate) x gen neut!reader

Headcanon,fluff,not proofread, Kabukimono is Scaramouche 😭

♡♡♡♡

HEIZOU ▪︎ analytical harmony

He loved solving puzzles and mysteries and you knew that when you started dating him

He'd take you to events that was specifically made for nerds who loved using their brains

You ended up just following him around though as he did all the puzzle solving 😭

Every once in a while though, you would solve a simple puzzle/crack the code/find a clue and he'd praise you like youre the smartest person ever

Proud bf coming through

But when events like that are not available, he'd make puzzle boxes and give it to you

Inside that said box, would be a little paper filled with sweet little nothings, or just a simple "have a good day today love :))"

Must admit, you look forward to getting those puzzles from him

Its that little thing which makes your relationship all the more sweeter

KAZUHA ▪︎ Scarlet Leaves Pursue Wild Waves

Gentle, poetic, a gentleman and handsome, he is truly the package

What more could you ask for anyways?

That man wants to let you know every waking moment that you are deserving of his love

And what other way would be more romantic than giving you weekly haiku's

He's settled on making one every week so he doesnt overwhelm you too much (which isnt true you love how he expresses his love)

And he wants to make a Haiku that truly resonates how he feels towards you

Kazuha only wants the best haiku's given to you

Alwaya puts his all into it

Because you deserve the world <33 (thats him he is world)

Sometimes, when he reads his haiku to you he'd give you a maple leave, or something he saw that gave inspiration for his latest haiku

You kept them all, youve got a shelf full of the trinkets he gave you as he recited his haiku

And placed his haikus in a special box

His goal for writing haiku's was not only to remind you of his love

But to also comfort you when he isnt around

Kazuha is a wanderer, a ronin, his home is in mother nature and he wants to travel

You understood of course, you would join him in some of his journeys when fate calls for it

But if you cant, reading the haikus he gave helps a lot as if he was truly there with you

His love is with you all the time no matter how far apart you both are

CYNO ▪︎ Judicator of Secrets

When you both first started dating and youre upset, Cyno usually freezes up and stares at you

Dont blame him though, he was afraid anything he did would make you even more upset

He never wanted to make you upset ever

You were his lovely partner he only wanted to make you smile and happy

It was really hard, especially with his serious personality

After a few months though, he finally found a way to comfort you

He'd sit down next to you in silence

Then crack up the most downright horrid joke ever with a blank face, looking straight at you

It never fails to make you laugh

He knew you were laughing at the fact that the joke was bad

But to him it didnt matter because he ends up seeing you smile

You were the only one who actually liked his stupid jokes, and listened to him as he explained it in great detail

You made him happy

It was time for him to return the favour

KABUKIMONO ▪︎ Puppet without a heart

He is a puppet, barely understanding human emotions but always trying his best to be just like them

When you both started dating, he felt more human than he ever did

He adores and appreciates you so much

He wants to be able to pay back all you have done for him

He doesnt know how to though, human emotions are complex and beautiful

Just like Kazuha, he wants to give his all when it comes to appreciating you and expressing his love for you

Sometimes, he'd walk by the shore of the beach

And if by some chance he's lucky, he'd find a seashell that reminds him of you

He doesnt pick a random seashell no, he'd collect all he sees as he walked around

And when he thinks he's found enough, he'll pick the prettiest one that reminded him of you

When he gave you a seashell for the first time and explaining in full detail why it reminded him of you

You almost cried, you appreciated it so much you made it as an accessory

He loved that you brought it around

That man started going out more finding more small things that reminded you of him

Half of the time he has his eyes stuck to the ground finding things to give to you

Everyone teases him for it, but Niwa would always defend him

Kuni just wants to see your eyes sparkle and see you smile when he gives you stuff

He wants to be the reason you smile

He'd spend his whole life time finding ways to make you happier than ever

♡♡♡♡

[purplefangirl42]

Wreck My Plans (Part 1)

Summary: Your life seemed planned out and perfect, until you met a certain soldier.

Pairing: Fives/Fem!Reader

A/N: This is part one of a late birthday gift for @baba-fett. It is loosely based on the song "Willow" by Taylor Swift, in honor of Iris' Swiftiehood.

AO3 Link || Part 2 (Coming Soon!) Divider by saradika

Tags/Warnings: Feelings of being unfulfilled, Themes of Infidelity

All your life, you had a big plan for how you wanted things to work out for you. Find the right person, the right job, the right environment. Settle down, maybe have some kids, and just live life to the fullest. With where you stood now, it seemed that you were right on track to meet those goals. A good job, a partner that met all of your criteria, and future opportunities that were almost within your grasp. That all changed when you met a certain soldier.

You had agreed to go out with your friends, to serve as moral support for one that had recently been dumped and was looking for some fun. You had all ended up at the bar called 79’s, which was known to be the place most of the GAR’s clone troopers spent their shore leave. There were many men for your friend to choose from and you could watch silently from the sidelines, cheering them on. As of now, they seemed to be engrossed with a trooper wearing red and white armor, likely one of the men from the Coruscant Guard.

Satisfied that they were fine and happy with their choice, you got up from your seat and headed to the bar. If things didn’t work out, you were sure they’d be able to handle it on their own. Deep down, you knew that you had truly only been invited because they felt bad for you. While it seemed that all of your life plans were falling into place, the happiness it brought you only ran skin deep. Anyone that really knew you could see that you weren’t actually happy, only pretending to be.

You had liked your job for the first year or so, but things had quickly gotten repetitive and it rarely brought you any sense of accomplishment. It was just a way to pay the bills at this point. Even if the rumored promotion that was in store for you was really possible, you didn’t think it would make much of a difference in your day to day life. On top of that, your partner had a more successful career than you and you couldn’t help feeling left behind, even when they were so supportive of your hard work.

Your partner, who had once seemed like a gift from the maker themself, was a whole other problem. You knew they cared for you, but things never seemed to have any passion. What had seemed like perfect chemistry when you met had fizzled out once you settled into a sense of comfort and stability. Although, that was normal, wasn’t it? The so-called ‘honeymoon phase’ wasn’t meant to last forever. You had thought it would last a little longer than it had though.

“A credit for your thoughts?”

The deep voice beside you pulled you out of the recesses of your mind and back to the loud and bright environment of the bar. You looked up from the drink in your hand to see a trooper standing next to you, a drink of his own in his hand. He was handsome, like all of the clones. He wore blue and white armor with some kind of half skirt hanging around his hips. A goatee adorned his chin and there was a number tattooed on his right temple, a five judging by what you could see.

“I’m not sure they’re worth that much,” you said in reply, realizing that you had been rude by not responding. “I was mostly zoning out, so nothing too serious going on up there.”

The man gave you a warm smile and held out his free hand toward you.

“Name’s Fives,” he said. “What’s your name, beautiful?”

The tattoo suddenly made sense. You returned his smile and took the offered hand, shaking it once before pulling away again.

“Nice to meet you, Fives, but I’m taken. If you’re looking for someone to have fun with, I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere.”

Fives’ brow furrowed as he made a confused face in response to your answer.

“Huh, I’ve never met anyone named ‘Taken’ before. And people think we have weird names.”

You laughed softly and shook your head, amused by his horrible joke. He didn’t seem to care that you weren’t available, persisting on being friendly anyways. You relented and told him your name, which got another smile out of him.

“If you’re spoken for, what are you doing here all alone?” he asked. “The taken ones don’t usually come here unless they’re looking for a night of fun.”

“I was here to support my friend, but it looks like they don’t need me anymore,” you said, pointing to said friend, who was dragging the trooper they had been talking to towards the door. “I don’t really have any reason to stick around, so I should probably head home.”

“Stay for one drink?” he asked, his eyes pleading more than his voice did. “I don’t usually get to talk to girls that aren’t immediately trying to jump me.”

You let out a long sigh as you considered his offer. Surely one drink wouldn’t hurt. Would make the evening seem like less of a waste.

“One drink, and then you’re on your own.”

Your promised one drink lasted over an hour. Fives told you stories from his various missions, funny anecdotes from his time on Kamino with his squad, and he never seemed to stop talking about his brother Echo. You simply sat and listened to everything he had to say, occasionally sipping from your drink. The animated way he talked was mesmerizing to you, pulling you in and keeping you interested in everything he was saying. By the time you finally finished your drink, you weren’t sure you wanted this conversation to end.

“I’m sorry I’ve been talking your ear off,” he said apologetically. “You didn’t really have much chance to say anything.”

“That’s fine! I liked listening to all your stories, they were very interesting. I’m afraid that my drink is gone though, so I should probably head home.”

You could see the slightest hint of a pout on his lips and you felt a twinge in your stomach at the sight. He seemed to truly enjoy spending time with you, a sentiment that was mutual if you were being honest. It was getting late, however, and you needed to head home before your partner started to wonder where you were. 

“It was really nice to meet you, Fives,” you said, repeating your words from earlier in the evening. “Maybe we’ll meet again sometime.”

“I certainly hope so,” he said with a grin. “See you around, beautiful.”

You felt your cheeks heat up as he called you beautiful for the second time that evening. While the first time hadn’t really had an effect on you, the time spent together and the consumption of alcohol seemed to have warmed you up to him a bit more. You gathered your things and waved goodbye before exiting the bar.

As you rode in the cab back to your apartment, you found your thoughts drifting back to the man at the bar. His presence, his mannerisms, his smile, his laugh. They had all had a lasting effect on you that you couldn’t quite shake. It was a sensation that you hadn’t felt in a long time and part of you wanted to hold onto that feeling as long as you could. It wasn’t a crime to feel flattered and happy with someone new, especially in a situation as temporary as this evening had been.

When you arrived home, you found the place dark. Your partner was sound asleep in the bed, softly snoring without a care in the world. It seemed your worries about their concern about you were unfounded. It was almost as if they didn’t notice you had been gone for as long as you had been. You got ready for bed and slipped in beside them, listening to the snores as you lay there staring at the ceiling.

Your mind wandered back to your companion for the evening, his handsome face in the forefront of your memory. It was a nice thing to focus on as you felt yourself drifting off to sleep, a smile forming on your lips as you savored the sensations you had enjoyed in Fives’ company. You wondered if you would ever get the chance to see him again, and you sincerely hoped you would.

Nearly a month later, you still hadn’t been able to get Fives out of your head. Every time you saw a clone trooper, your eyes drifted to their face to see if you could find the goatee and five tattoo. None of them were ever him, but you kept looking regardless. Your friend noticed the attention you paid to all the clones you encountered and asked you if you had a thing for them. When you reminded them that you had someone, they simply smirked and shrugged their shoulders. 

“Why does that matter? You’d likely never see him again. Have some fun and pretend it never happened. You could be doing one of them a favor, letting them get some action before they go off to die in the stupid war.”

You didn’t like that way of thinking, and you told your friend so. Even if they didn’t have much time to enjoy themselves, they deserved more than to be used for the entertainment of others. If they wanted to go out and lose themselves in some trooper they never wanted to see again, that was their business, but it wasn’t something you intended to do.

That night when you got home, you were surprised to find your partner waiting for you. They were almost never home before you, working late hours at the office of the Senator they worked with. Their presence in the apartment at this time of day was completely unheard of.

“What’s going on?” you asked, looking around to see if anything was amiss in the apartment. “Is something wrong?”

“I hope not, or this will be quite awkward,” they said, pushing a button on the small remote in their hands.

Soft music began to play and you finally noticed the things that were different. There were flowers in a vase on the counter, small candles burning in various places, and the overall lighting of the room was dim. When your eyes drifted back to them, you saw them sinking down to one knee.

“I had hoped to make this a bit more romantic,” they started. “Take you out for dinner and make a big thing about it, but I thought this would be more your speed.”

You felt your heart rate increase as you realized what was happening. They were proposing. This was a moment that you had been imagining since you were a young girl and had been waiting to happen since you had gotten together. It was everything you had wanted.

So why did it feel so wrong? Why did you want to turn around and run away?

You stared at your partner, your mouth hanging open in disbelief. Things had been so stagnant between you that you had never seen this coming. Had there been signs that you had missed? Had you been so distracted by the thought of a man that probably didn’t even remember your name that you didn’t see what was right in front of you?

“I think the two of us are a great match, and we could do great things together in the future.”

Part of you wanted to stop them before they went any further, but another part of you wanted to latch onto this opportunity and take it before it slipped away. This is what you had wanted for so long, it only made sense that you accept your fate and follow the plan you had laid out so many years ago.

“We don’t need to rush into anything and I’m willing to wait until you’re ready and everything can be as you want, but I want you to know how much you mean to me. I want you to know that I’m committed to you and this relationship.”

These were the words you had been waiting to hear for months. You had been so desperate for them only a month ago, but now they seemed to skim right over you as if they meant nothing. A call of your name broke you out of your thoughts and focused your attention on the person before you.

“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Your lips couldn’t form an answer. Neither acceptance or rejection left your mouth. You simply stood there staring at them. A thousand thoughts blew around inside your mind, pushing you this way and that. You couldn’t make sense of any of them, so you said the first thing that you could grasp.

“I need time to think.”

You could see your partner’s shoulders sink in disappointment at your answer. You didn’t want to hurt them, the sight of their pain sending a knife into your stomach. If they had asked this question a month ago, your answer would have been a loud and confident yes. Now, when you had experienced the thrill of what things should have felt with them, but with someone else, you weren’t sure.

“I’m not saying no,” you clarified, hoping to ease their pain a bit. “This is a serious decision and I want to be sure before I give you my answer. You mean a lot to me and I want to make sure we make the right decision before we jump into anything.”

That answer seemed to have a more positive effect on them and you could see their spirits lift a small amount as they rose from the kneeled position and closed the box with the ring. You had been so lost in your thoughts that you hadn’t even looked at the ring. It could have been the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen and you wouldn’t have known it. 

“I promise that I will think things through,” you said, stepping forward and taking their hands in your own. “You will have your answer before long.”

Meaning what you had promised, you took the steps you needed to come up with the answer to the important question you had been asked. You needed to see if there was a chance to repeat that moment in the bar, to see if that chemistry was indeed there or if you had imagined it. You had asked your friend to look Fives up and they had been able to tell you what unit he served with and through their sources, had learned that the 501st was currently on Coruscant. 

That night, you headed to 79’s to complete your mission. You just had to find Fives and see how things went. If he didn’t remember you or if you didn’t click like you had that first night, you would put the matter to rest. As you made your way in the direction of the bar, a horrible thought crossed your mind.

What if he isn’t even alive anymore?

You knew there were many risks in war and even the most capable soldier could be lost on the battlefield. There was a distinct possibility that Fives was no longer around and all your worrying and searching had been for nothing. The two of you could have simply been two ships passing in the night, crossing paths for a moment, never to meet again.

The moment you crossed the threshold of the bar, your eyes searched the bar for his signature tattoo. You drifted from face to face, all of the identical men blurring together in your desperation. Eventually, you settled on a group in blue and white armor. You searched their faces frantically and found what you were looking for. Standing with another clone with a handprint on the chest plate of his armor, the man you knew to be Echo based on the stories you had heard last time, was Fives.

Just as you found him in the crowd, he turned his gaze in direction and your eyes met across the room. Judging by the surprised raise of his brows, you guessed that he had seen you and recognized you. He lifted his hand to give you a wave, gesturing for you to cross the room to join him. Your heart was in your throat as you pushed through the crowd to his side. Fives smiled at you when you reached him and gestured to you as he spoke to the man beside him.

“This is that girl I was telling you about,” he said. “Isn’t she beautiful?” 

The other clone smiled at you and held out his hand to you. You were so flustered by Fives calling you beautiful again that you nearly missed his attempt to greet you. You learned that it was in fact Echo, just as you had guessed. 

“I think I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Echo said, moving away from you and Fives. “It was nice to meet you.”

Fives nodded at his brother before turning his full attention to you.

“I told you I’d see you again,” he said with a large grin. “I am surprised to see you here again. Another friend in need of moral support?”

“Actually, I came here to find you,” you said. “I wanted to be sure of something before I made a decision that will change my life forever.”

“Oh really? What did you want to be sure of?”

You couldn’t find the words to answer him. You hadn’t had much more of a plan than to simply find him, not having thought any further than that. For once, you didn’t have a plan. Maybe you could just see him and figure out what to do after that. But, here he stood before you and you had no more answers than you had before you arrived.

“I honestly don’t know,” you said. “There was something…last time I saw you, I felt something that I can’t explain. It’s been driving me crazy for the past month and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Fives’ brow furrowed in confusion, which you didn’t blame him for. Nothing you were saying made sense. You never should have done this.

“I thought you were taken?” he asked. “That’s what you told me. Or was that just a line to get me to leave you alone?”

“It’s complicated…”

“How complicated?” he asked before leaning in to whisper in your ear. “I can deal with complicated.”

You met his eyes and could see something dark hiding behind his questioning gaze. Something that you had seen a glimmer of last time, but had ignored. Something dangerous.

“Why don’t we go somewhere we can talk privately?” he said under his breath.

You nodded and followed his lead when he started walking to a hallway that led to a part of the bar that was much quieter than the main area. He led you to a doorway, which you guessed led to a storage room of some sort. After hesitating for a moment, you followed him in and closed the door behind you.

You leaned back against the door and closed your eyes, taking a deep breath. You felt your palms sweating from your nerves, so you wiped them on your pants before clenching them at your sides. The feeling of your nails digging into the skin grounded you enough to open your eyes and face the situation at hand.

When you glanced up at Fives, you saw him leaning against the opposite wall. He met your gaze and in the dim light of the room, you could see his expression twisting into one of concern mixed with curiosity.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?” he said. “And don’t diminish the importance of what you’re thinking about.”

Steeling your nerves, you set your shoulders and looked him in the eyes as you spoke.

“Last time I saw you, I felt a connection between us,” you said. “It was something that I hadn’t felt in a long time and I couldn’t get you out of my mind for the past month.”

You saw a smirk spread across Fives’ face at your words.

“I’ve been known to have that effect on people,” he said before his smirk shifted into a softer smile. “If it helps, the feeling is mutual. I’ve been thinking about you too.”

That didn’t help, despite what he had said. The fact that your feelings hadn’t been one-sided only made this situation harder. 

“I have someone. Someone good, that has been part of my life for a while now. They’re everything I’ve wanted out of life for as long as I can remember. I have so many plans and they are the key to fulfilling them.”

Fives’ eyebrows rose and the smile faded from his face, replaced by a look of annoyance. 

“And why are you telling me this?”

You took a step closer to him, never looking away from him as you moved.

“Because you are throwing a wrench in those plans. I have my goals within my grasp and something is holding me back. A chance that I may never have again, and I don’t want it to slip past me without knowing what things could be like if I had taken it.”

Fives stepped forward from his position against the wall and closed the distance between you a little more. His eyes drifted down your form before lifting to meet your gaze again.

“So take it,” he said softly. “If it scratches that itch and you can move on to everything you planned, I’d be glad to help you along.”

You didn’t need much more encouragement than that. You took one final step forward and threw your body in his direction. Your arms reached up and wrapped around his neck, pulling him down to meet your lips in a kiss that was both sweet and desperate. His hands found purchase on your waist, holding you in place as he returned the kiss with fervor. If you didn’t know any better, you would think he had wanted to do this since laying eyes on you a month ago.

After a few moments, you pulled away slightly and met his gaze again. The dark look from before had expanded, front and center in his eyes rather than hidden and controlled. The guilt you had felt before about using him for your own fulfillment seemed to evaporate at the sight of the desire within him.

What harm could it do? Scratch that itch and move on with your lives. You’d both be better off in the end, knowing that you hadn’t let this pass you by.

A/N: Give this a like, comment, and reblog and let me know what you think!

Tagging: @trixie2023

[lqfiles]

SCORE THAT GOAL! — 12. jeno’s food provider

(wc: 1.3k)

“captain!” you had called for jeno’s attention as you walked onto the field. the coach had just left his side, leaving him with a clipboard, a pen, and a concentrated aura. well, until you broke that concentration. jeno’s head turned around and he sent you a warm smile, inviting you to take a few steps closer. “what are you writing down?”

“it’s the list of the pairs i made, coach approved of most of them and printed them out. said he wanted me to go over them again while he gets himself something..” jeno huffed out, eyes going over the listed names on the paper. “so…” you started. “you and jisung got paired, yes.” jeno confirmed before you could go any further, making you smile in victory. “my angel, how could i ever pay you back.”

“buy me lunch tomorrow? renjun told jaemin he can’t share his with me anymore so i need a new food provider.” jeno answered, placing the clipboard down and crouching afterwards to fix his shoelaces. “you’re a grown man?” you scoffed, your tone held a joking manner and you were glad that jeno let out a laugh himself. “a grown man who was lost his source of lunch food, yeah.” the both of you continued a lighthearted conversation before majority of the club members had made it onto the field.

jeno had instructed you to stand in a line as he silently took an attendance check. you were on the far right end of the line, peeking your head slightly in hopes of catching a glimpse of jisung. you sucked in a breath when you took notice of his side profile all the way on the other side of the field. you couldn’t believe he actually showed up, you’d really be talking to him today.

you took a deep breath in and out. coach had made it back with two grain bars in his hand, handing one to jeno. “okay students, today we will be doing pair activities! it’s all about getting to know one another so don’t get too competitive with your partner. jeno, could you please call out the pairs?” the coach had turned to look at jeno who nodded, taking ahold of the clip board again. “if you’re name is called out, please step forward.”

it felt like eternity before jisung’s name was called out. your heart pounded faster as he took steps forward, standing close to jeno. there were only three people left and you and fidgeted silently, waiting for you name to be called. which it did. “(—)!” jeno had called, looking up from his clipboard to make eye contact with you. you took a few hesitant steps forward before deciding to just hurry up. standing next to jisung, the two of you turned to look at each other.

jisung’s mind stopped working as he stared at you. he thought he was going crazy, convinced that his eyes were deceiving him. but the way his mind almost instantly went to the memory of a few days prior told him that he most likely wasn’t dreaming. you decided to admire the ground instead, feeling slightly uneasy when he wouldn’t stop staring. jeno snapped the both of you out of your thoughts, handing jisung the ball you two had to use.

the two of you silently walked onto the field, exchanging subtle glances that neither of you noticed. while jisung was questioning why the universe wanted him to meet you so badly, you wondered how to break the ice between the both of you. “did you enjoy the drink?” was the first thing your mind could come up with, hoping it would slightly clear up the awkwardness that had settled between you two.

“oh, that drink.” his memories took him back to when he had returned to his apartment with the drink, immediately putting it in his fridge and never touching it again. oh, that drink. the memory made him cringe a bit before he decide to nod his head. “uh, yeah, i enjoyed it.” he responded back, hesitantly. it seemed like that awkwardness wasn’t going to leave anytime soon.

you nodded as well, waiting for coach to instruct everyone around. “let’s start of simple, pass the ball back and forth while introducing yourself to each other.” the coach ordered and everyone complied, ready to get to know their partner. jisung placed the ball down, looking back at you. you weren’t sure if he was waiting for confirmation to kick the ball towards you, but you nodded again regardless.

your predictions on how hard jisung would kick the ball your way had failed you when it instead of stopping, it rolled past you. your eyes followed as the ball continued to roll until you realised you were meant to stop it, jolting out of your state and running after it with embarrassment. “sorry.” you apologised as you made it back to jisung who definitely watched you chase the ball like a fool.

“it’s okay.” he muttered, too low for you to even hear. you kicked the ball his way just like he did and were surprised to see it follow your intended direction. “i guess i’ll start.” you looked up, wondering if he wanted to say something instead but he remained silent. “i’m (—), i’m a graphic design student.” jisung kicked the ball your way, this time you were able to stop it. “and this is my second year here.” you kicked the ball back. “your turn.”

jisung remained silent for a few seconds, kicking the ball your way again. “i’m jisung, i’m a second year sociology student.” he introduced himself, keeping it short. you were convinced he didn’t want to hold any conversation, yet that didn’t stop you from attempting to keep the conversation alive. “is sociology fun?” you kicked the ball his way but instead it flew more to the right completely missing him. he jogged a bit before returning with the ball.

“i guess, sometimes i like it. sometimes i don’t.” he explained, deciding to take a few steps closers to prevent the ball from flying off too much. “i was going to take sociology too, but something about graphic designing sounded more fun.” you lied, but he didn’t have to know that. jisung hummed. he hesitated before speaking again. “i got a friend who does graphic design too, he says he likes it too.”

“is it jaemin?” you questioned and jisung stopped moving, looking back at you dumbfounded. “yeah… that’s him.” he slowly nodded and your eyes widened as you realised you probably sounded like a stalker who knew everything about him. “don’t misunderstand! jaemin is also a friend of mine, he told me how he is friends with almost everyone so i just assumed, haha.” you waved your hands around quickly in an attempt to save yourself. jisung hummed again, seemingly accepting your explanation. and you breathed out a sigh of relief, continuing your match of passing the ball while having small talk with jisung.

at the end of the day, you were glad you got to make your existence somewhat known to jisung, you secretly hoped he would remember your name and that he would start noticing you in college too. as everyone was picking up their stuff, you took one last look at jisung. his face was glistening under the sun while he was busy taking gulps from his bottle. his sharp jawline on display for you to gawk at. you watched as his grazed his fingers through his hair, which you only now seemed to realise was a navy blue colour. it looked good on him.

“are you done staring?” jeno nudged you with a grin. you turned to look at him. “he’s nice to look at.” you shrugged, taking a sip from your own water bottle. you decided to wait for jeno to pack his own stuff up and walk back with him. “don’t forget you owe me free lunch from now on.” he reminded you as you two entered the building. “every day?” you stopped in your tracks for a second, looking at jeno in disbelief. “okay okay, twice a week?” he negotiated and you sighed. “whatever.” you continued walking and jeno cheered, telling you about his favourite meals.

previous — master list — next

notes ; need to quit neglecting the side characters so i had to come up with something for renhyuckmin anyways hiiii :33

TAGLIST ; @rksbae @222brainrot @severefireangelprune @violetvoo @prdshobi @kikookii @haechansbbg @en-dream @bbxnny-bbxtch @cvpidxo @jaeminslattes @90s-belladonna @softieluvsyou @wenjunblossoms @be0mluver @jeongintwt @myhaechan @love1again @ckline35 @cassie6392 @hibernatinghamster @starboys-gf @rllymark @mfaal @snflwrhaerecs4u @sunflowerbebe07 @ahnneyong @enhalovie @galacticpurpl3 @manooffline @luv4jeno @mikadorbs @1moo7 @ksywoo @ohdudehesflirting @savluvsmingi @finnydraws @invumi @crvzy-fujoshi

[homelanderbutbig]

How do you think reader and Homelander met? Because I know it would take an incredible amount of time for Homelander to fully trust reader enough to be vulnerable given the way he grew up

I’m also especially curious to see how HL would react if reader was ever in any kind of serious danger, as well as the aftermath of it

I really really love this AU you’re putting together!!

Lmao, how did you guess that is what my next fic is going to be about? I don't wanna spoil too much of what I'm writing, but the reader is a new employee at the Vought Tower. Nothing too special, just like a desk job. Due to Homelander's size he can't fit through the doors of most other buildings, so in the Tower is the most logical place for him to meet someone. Homelander can hear everyone's heartbeats so he knows how scared the Vought staff are of him, but he notices the new hire isn't. It doesn't take much to pique his interest, just someone to be different than the yes men he is surrounded by. Something so simple as a person genuinely not being afraid takes the edge off his "tough guy" persona, because it's something so rare for him.

All he really wants is to actually make a connection with someone, even though he is hesitant to REALLY make that connection due to his history of sharing his feelings with people he trusted and them just using him for their own goals. (ie. Madelyn and Stormfront)

Now, if the reader was in a situation where they were kidnapped, bound to a chair with a gun pointed at their head, to be used as a hostage kind of situation... Homelander would for sure go berserk. As soon as he noticed the reader was missing, he'd pinpoint the location of their heartbeat and just bulldoze himself into that building. I picture the reader being moreso of a pacifist really against violence, and this calm nature is what they use to help bring down Homelander when he gets worked up. I think if the reader's mouth wasn't gagged, they could convince him to let the kidnappers go, and to just take them to safety. As angry as he would be that some dumb fucks were stupid enough to kidnap you, he doesn't want to upset you and he listens.

NOW... if the reader wasn't able to talk, Homelander would absolutely give in to his dark nature and just massacre them. It wouldn't be until after the dust is settled and he sees the reader crying and scared out of their wits that the reality of what he just did would sink in. He'd be as tearful as the reader is, because he knows he fucked up and terrified them. That's the one thing he doesn't want, is for them to think he is a monster. Even though the reader is the one who just got kidnapped, they'd have to bring Homelander down from a panic attack. Tell him they still love him, reassure him that they understand why he killed those people and that everything will be alright. Their principles of pacifism really would get tested with Homelander, especially with how quickly he flies off the handle.

And thank you very much!! I've still got a lot of silly ideas clinking around in my head with this AU, so hopefully I can keep making more stuff about it. As a token of my appreciation, here's a little WIP I'm drawing with giant Homelander. For a better visualization of how tall he is compared to the reader.

[slocumjoe]

Hello! This is a little out of the blue, but I'm outlining the last third of a big fallout 4 fic (this one, if you're curious), and I'm tying up all the companion character arcs. Its going fairly well... except for Danse.

I've been waffling back and forth about what he'd finally end up deciding to do with himself after being kicked from the Brotherhood. I've had him work with both the Railroad and Minutemen, drifting through their causes. He's helped out Goodneighbor to make amends for his past. Months of drifting and slow healing.

But as we reach the end, I'm not sure where he'll settle in at last. I'd even considered him rejoining as Elder of a reformed Brotherhood but that feels... wrong, after everything he's been through. Some bridges can't be rebuilt after they're burned.

So I thought I'd ask you since you've got a good read on the pulse of his character.

I don't suppose you have any insights to share for me? Thanks ahead of time if you do, and no problem if you don't!

uhmmm okay SO

This depends so strongly on like...what Sole is doing, or how you personally set up your story. I've seen basically one of two scenarios

The gang sticks together

The gang separates and goes back to what they were doing

I HAAAAAATE option 2 I hate it I hate it I hate it. It's not for me.

So, personally, my lil world has the gang all kind of be wanderers who were always trying to find their place in the world. That's a common theme with literally everyone except maybe X6 and Gage bc they're bitches but whatevaaa

Danse has a handful of motivations he can have after Fuckery, but my favorite are

Understanding his own identity as what he assumes is NOT his own identity

Coming to terms with his actions under the bos

Coming to terms with the BoS as a deeply flawed organization

Still continuing his personal goals of protecting the wasteland (though the methods may change)

So, my timeline of post BB danse is as follows;

Danse isolates in LPB until someone comes and fetches him to bring him back to Sanctuary. His plan was to just stay there and figure out what to do next, but his plans very much involved isolation. Sanctuary conflicts with this. At Sanctuary, he volunteers for guard patrol to both continue his mission of protecting people and isolated himself, as having Power Armor means he doesn't need any backup, so he can just go off on his own. So, Danse stays to his patrols and functionally doesn't exist to anyone if he's not traveling with Sole. He begins treating himself as a machine, limiting basic needs. This is also where he worsens his alcoholism and begins dabbling with chems.

His mental health gradually slips into a genuine loss of reality, and the others begin to notice that, hey, Danse keeping to himself is not what we want, actually. Augustijn takes him to Spectacle Island for a vacation and they talk a lot of stuff out.

Once Danse begins the slow climb from Rock Bottom, the game plan (from everyone else, as they know he's not at the point where he can just spring back from everything alone) is to just keep him busy with something. MacCready takes him to the shooting range, Preston talks strategy and history and such, Nick has heart to hearts with him, Cait spars with him, so on, so forth. Much of Danse's After involves the others and their genuine efforts into becoming a community for him.

Eventually, he decides to join the Minutemen proper as a Power Armor technician, though he ends up manning them himself on the battlefield more often than not.

But that's just what I have.

You're asking where he settles.

And that's the thing.

I don't think Danse settles, in most stories.

Danse gets a firsthand look at what can happen if you trust too much in something. Whereas Preston never stopped believing, Danse has his whole reality shaken, and his faith in the Brotherhood very much rattles. In most stories, Danse is more likely to just stick alongside his friends, wherever they go, and not have his loyalty lie with an organization. This could mean he tags along with Nick. Maybe he does join the Minutemen. Most likely, he just moves into Sanctuary and does odd jobs, takes the armor out to defend wherever needs it.

Danse is more likely to end up as a lone wolf than people think. In most cases, it's not good for him, but it's where he goes. Danse wants community, but someone has to protect that community. They have to do the dirty work. That work takes you all over and it changes you. You have to keep your distance for their sake.

It all depends on what you want to write. The fact is, Danse is so confused and lost after the Brotherhood, he could end up anywhere. It's really up to whether or not you want it to be angsty and bittersweet, or have him genuinely heal and grow into himself. The drifting is almost always going to be the first option. But if you want a happy Danse, you'll find that in a world where Danse has people to look after who look after him.

The best outcome for him to just become part of a guard force for a community. Not DC, though, that'd be a sore spot. He just needs to know he's keeping people safe.

[ourvanishingghosts]

Hihi could I request Raihan xFem Streamer reader? with her goal being the number 1 streamer ever and likes wearing a lot of cute stuff like pink wigs pink clothing etc etc

Yes! That is actually really cute. I could imagine Raihan dating or being friends with someone with that aesthetic. I chose Pokémon that matched that aesthetic: Slyveon, Rapidash (Galarian Form), Bewear, Audino, Granbull (Partner), and Dachsbun.

Opposite Streamers Attract

Raihan x Fem! Streamer

You and Gloria were watching Raihan battle his last trainer of the day. You had seen some of his battles online and you were interested in how he battled. The battle lasted 10 minutes and Raihan was victorious. You and Gloria clap then head down to field to speak with the Dragon gym leader. As you approach him you realize how tall he really is. Well compared to most people he’s a giant.

“Good evening, Raihan.”

“Good evening, Mrs. Gloria. Now how can I help you today?”

Gloria puts a hand your shoulder.

“Well, this is Y/N. She’s been battling at my gym for some time now. She also streams her Pokémon battles.”

Raihan looks at you.

“You stream you Pokémon battles too?”

“Yeah. I’m trying to be the #1 streamer.”

“She’s expressed that she wanted a challenge and to change things up. So I thought that you would be the perfect fit for the job, Raihan.”

“Of course, Mrs. Gloria. I’d be happy to help.”

“Well then that settles it. You two have fun and get to know each other.”

She says as she hastily makes her way to her cab. Raihan and watch as she leaves.

“So, I assume that you have Fairy Pokémon?”

“Oh. Um. Some of them are Fairy. But I don’t want to bother you with another battle since you seem a little tired from your last one.”

“Nonsense. I can go one more round. Just let me go heal my Pokémon real quick then we can battle.”

~After Raihan heals his Pokémon~

You both were down to your last Pokémon. After about 5 minutes your Granbull faints. You call back Granbull to her Heal Ball. Raihan does the same with his Pokémon and walks over to you.

“I assume that you haven’t used Dynamax before?”

“Yeah. I’m used to doing Pokémon battles the old school way without Dynamax and Gigantamax.”

“Well I can request someone to make you a Dynamax bracelet that matches your aesthetic if you would like that?”

You blush a little at his offer and then you smile at him.

“I would like that very much, Raihan. Thank you.”

~3 years later~

You and Raihan were up against each other in the Pokémon battle competition. You both were streaming the battle from your different perspectives. The battle was hard and in the end you were victorious. Your friends, family, and fans were all cheering and clapping for you. You and Raihan shook hands and headed to the locker rooms and to heal your Pokémon.

“You did really well, Y/N. You’ve gotten better since last year’s competition.”

You smile at him

“Thanks Raihan. You did very well too.”

You and Rainhan sit on a nearby beach while you two wait for your Pokémon to finish getting healed.

“Do you know who you’re up against next?”

“I think I’m going against Nessa. She’s also very strong. I believe that Slyveon, Rapidash, Bewear, Audino, Granbull, and Dachsbun can do it. They’ve gotten stronger since the first time you and fought for the first time 3 years ago.”

He places his hand on yours.

“I believe in you.”

You smile and you were about to say thank you when a notification alert goes off from your phone. You look at your phone only to your stream is going viral. Then you check your streaming profile and saw that you are now tied with Raihan for being the #1 streamer. You look up to tell Raihan the good news but he’s gone. You make a mental note to thank him later and ask how he feels about sharing the title. You get your Pokémon as the speakers crackle.

“Up next Nessa VS. The new #1 streamer Y/N!”

You head to the entrance of the battlefield.

“Good luck #1 streamer!”

You turn around to see Raihan walking over to you. You smile.

“Thanks Raihan. How do feel about sharing that title?”

He smiles back at you and cups your face bringing it closer to his. You don’t hear the door opening as he kisses your lips. When you part you hear the crowd going wild.

“Oh crap. I forgot that I set my stream to automatically start for my next battle. So I guess everyone saw us kiss.”

“Definitely. Now go before you automatically forfeit the match.”

You nod and run onto the field to battle Nessa. Once the competition is over you and Raihan walk out of the building holding hands and reading comments about the kiss. You two laugh at them while you end up sleeping over at Raihan’s house.

[lesbianboyfriend]

((i’m sending this to blogs i know are run by lesbians, feel free to delete/leave unanswered))

recently i’ve had a spiritual awakening.

despite my fluid sexuality,

my soulmate is going to be another woman.

i can only imagine waking up next to a woman for the rest of my life.

i have known this for years yet never said it out loud.

how do i get over the fear that i am “missing” something by not “trying out” men?

how do i live my life prioritizing women and the relationships we have?

please share any thoughts you may have. thank you and blessings. ✌🏼🌿

hi anon!!

okay so firstly i would like to very gently suggest that if you can only ever imagine being in a lasting relationship with a woman, your sexuality might not be as fluid as you think. you might be a lesbian.

and i knowww it can be super scary to admit that. even to yourself. it took me a while to accept it for myself BUT the thing is that accepting i’m a lesbian has made me so much happier in my skin and self….and i say this even as someone who is not “out.” just allowing yourself to live that truth even if it’s just a personal truth is so freeing and wonderful. being a lesbian is actually so fucking awesome

obviously you know yourself your feelings your sexuality best so if lesbian doesn’t fit for you that’s cool. but i think the best way to come to terms with and learn to love your identity is simply engaging with lesbianism. which doesn’t have to be dating—talk to other lesbians, read lesbian novels, watch lesbian movies, find lesbian art….allow yourself to imagine a future where you are with another woman. allow yourself to imagine a future where you are with another woman and happy.

now how to get over feeling like you’re missing something from not having relationships with men. for me this one is really easy bc i’ve never met a man who isn’t the worst fucking person on the planet. i think about every woman i know in a relationship and how she’s settled for someone who doesn’t treat her as good as she deserves, who doesn’t help around the house, who doesn’t know how to express their emotions etc…..and obviously this is a huge issue and i hope all straight and bi women with boyfriends/husbands are happy and treated well. but i also know realistically that’s not the truth and most men fucking suck. so i mostly just think about that. and if you’re not attracted to men, especially with the prevalence of misogyny, there’s really. nothing attractive about having a relationship with a man other than social capital. (NOT saying that lesbians/lesbian relationships can’t also be bad/abusive/etc.)

now i can’t really give advice on being in a romantic/sexual relationship BUT i can give advice on prioritizing women in your life in general. number one, seriously confront the misogyny you’ve ignored from your male friends and acquaintances. chances are, if you’re like me, you’ve let stuff slide because you know they “don’t really believe that” and they’re “just joking.” well that’s not true. they MIGHT think they’re just joking but realizing that misogyny in the first place is even funny to them and actually grappling with that…changes how you see them! and you can do with that information what you will. but most importantly view it as a catalyst to simply prioritize the women around you. talk to them, hang out with them, compliment them, tell them when their boyfriend is being shitty and they deserve better (but be sensitive to the situation and don’t push. let them know you support them but don’t give them cause to pull away esp. if you’re concerned about abuse but that’s an entire other convo). flirt with women, uplift them, etc….if you find yourself focusing on mostly the men in a situation or even like when watching a tv show, ask yourself why? actively look for the women in a situation and ask yourself how they are being treated, who is being prioritized, and make it your goal to treat them right and prioritize them.

and at the end of the day, remember these phrases: “he’s just a man” and “i hope jakey dies”

i hope this was in any way helpful and good luck on your journey…..loving women + being a lesbian is literally the best <3

[loisroo]

Fluffy post canon jwds

oooooh thank you anon!! <3

from my prompt post!!

They walk slowly down the wooden bridge, the same one Han Joo Won had left Dong Sik on a few months prior, neither of them speaking or feeling compelled to fill the silence.

The wind is colder then before, the waves from the lake softly breaking on the edge of the bridge. It's peaceful, calm... the things Joo Won used to believe came with being alone and in control. Now though, with Dong Sik's shoulder gently brushing his, Joo Won feels just how wrong he had been.

They continue walking until they run into the small bench that faces the sunset. Joo Won has been referring to it as "their bench" in his head, unable to stop despite the embarrassment he feels from it. It's not theirs but it feels like it now that they've started to come sit together regularly.

Dong Sik hums gently as he sits, letting out a contented sigh as he stares out over the lake. Joo Won attempts to settle next to him, still finding it difficult to relax even when feeling content to be there. An old habit that he wishes he knew how to fix.

"How are you, Joo Won-ah?"

Dong Sik asks this every time and waits patiently for Joo Won to discuss his day, it's strange and not something Joo Won is used to.

The first time Dong Sik asked him, he honestly had no idea what to say. The question was too broad and it required a vulnerability about his feelings and thoughts that he was unfamiliar with.

Eventually, he's able to quietly tell Dong Sik about himself and his days. Sometimes he talks about small things, like the books he's reading, the new meal he's trying out, or the new articles he reads daily. Other times, Joo Won tells him about Kwon Hyuk and their goal to repair and strengthen their relationship. He talks about his difficulties with his coworkers as he tries to be more open and rely on others. Joo Won explains in hesitant sentences the truth about his mother, and he finally tells someone else about the loneliness of growing up in a foreign place with no one who cares.

And Dong Sik listens. He hums and nods, gives his thoughts when Joo Won asks or seems to be struggling to express himself. It all feels so foreign but the warmth in his chest when Dong Sik doesn't judge him or makes him feel heard isn't unpleasant... Joo Won actually finds himself wanting it when it's not there.

"I...I realized something important today."

Joo Won feels his heart rate pick up as soon as he utters the sentence, his palms sweaty as he tries to take a deep breath and continue. Dong Sik hums and continues to stare out into the water, indicating Joo Won should continue talking.

Joo Won opens his mouth and it feels too dry, he feels like the words are dragging over his tongue while being pulled down by quicksand. They are scary and huge, Joo Won's been wrestling with them for weeks and despite his determination to confess he still feels the overwhelming terror of possibly losing Dong Sik.

He knows he cant hold his feelings in forever, especially not with how vulnerable Dong Sik is with him and Joo Won with Dong Sik.

His love sits on his chest and aches to pour it into Dong Sik.

Joo Won must be silent for too long because Dong SIk turns and tilts his head slightly as he examines Joo Won. He's not sure what emotions are on his face or in his eyes... it makes Joo Won anxious that Dong Sik might see his feelings before he gets to speak them out loud.

He drops his gaze to Dong Sik's shoulder and takes a deep breath. "I...I realized recently, well it's not super recently..."

Joo Won's face heats up as he stumbles over his words and he clenches his fists together, frustrated at his inability to just say the words.

Dong Sik's hand gently touches his clenched fists causing Joo Won to jump a little and raise his eyes to meet Dong SIk's.

There's a soft look in his eyes, a fond smirk on his lips as he squeezes Joo Won's hand until he opens it. Dong Sik slides his hand into Joo Won's, he can feel the heat radiating from the older man's hand and he cant help but look down at them.

An overwhelming feeling of "belonging" floods into him as he sees the way their hands fit together, as he feels the connection there. He lifts his eyes, embarrassed at the tears he feels welling up but unable to look away from Dong Sik's face any longer.

The look in Dong Sik's eyes has turned even more fond, the smirk softening to a gentle smile and Joo Won watches as the man lifts his other hand to gently cup Joo Won's face.

His breath hitches at the contact, and Joo Won feels a few tears slide out as he tries to form coherent words. Dong Sik sighs softly, glancing down at Joo Won's lips and then back into his eyes, "I know, Joo Won-ah.... I know."

Heat floods Joo Won's body and he sucks in a harsh breath, "You... I have feelings for you."

Dong Sik's eyes shine with humor that mixes beautifully with the fondness already there, "I know."

And before Joo Won can ask or worry, Dong Sik leans in and kisses him gently on the lips. It's soft and tentative, like Dong SIk is scared Joo Won might break or regret it.

The thought causes Joo Won to surge forward, deepening the kiss, pouring out his feelings in a way that hopefully communicates how strong and all encompassing they are.

They pull apart with gasps, trying to catch their breath as they lean their foreheads together. It's intoxicating the way Dong Sik's breath fans across his lips, Joo Won wants to spend days just kissing Dong Sik.

Dong Sik pulls Joo Won's hand towards his before bringing it up and kissing his knuckles gently. Joo Won's heart almost leaps from his chest and he has to take a deep breath as Dong Sik speaks quietly into his fingers, almost like a prayer.

"Joo Won-ah."

[thelocalmuffin]

💌🥺

I wrote you some homomiko. I hope you like it.

Notes: Massive DGS2 Spoilers

Summary: Herlock and Yujin talk about their futures and what they want to do after the whole mess.

It's around 600 words.

“Finally, a moment of privacy.” Herlock exhales as his body loosens. He steps closer to Yujin, whispering his next words. “...After all these years, you're back in London. You’ve aged like fine wine, my good fellow.”

“Thank you.” Yujin’s lips trace a smile as the compliment lingers in the back of his mind. 

Fine wine…

Herlock must be working his charms on him. This isn't new behaviour from the detective at all. Yujin is still flattered nonetheless. They’ve both aged. Yujin has a grey streak in his hair and some of his skin is starting to wrinkle. He still has the glisten in his eyes, but he's aware his age is getting to him.

Herlock, on the other hand, has only glistened as he’s gotten older. If anything, he’s actually rather beautiful with his wondrous, big eyes and extravagant personality.

It’s been a long time since they’ve been able to see each other face-to-face like this. Yet, the first thing that happened when they reunited was that they got wrapped into the Professor case. Now they finally have a pleasant moment together now that disaster has thankfully been sorted out.

If anything, he’s actually rather beautiful. 

The two pace down the dark street, the only thing guiding their way is the dim lamp posts. They wander to a familiar place near a river they used to frequent back in the day.

This was the only way they could catch up in private. Even if it’s a brisk, smoggy, cold evening, it’s better than being in that suite right now. 

Everyone’s stress has begun to stuff the apartment, so they decided to go on a walk so their conversation could continue without interruption. It was the right choice. Yujin’s head feels lighter already and they can speak their mind without being observed. 

“Have you considered my offer to stay, my good fellow?” Herlock finally breaks the silence while observing the lake. His voice is pleading, almost as if he’s begging Yujin to stay. 

Yujin’s eyes glance away before he makes his final decision, admitting the truth. “Yes, I did.”

“Did?” The detective raises an eyebrow.

“If it wasn’t my current circumstances, it would have been my only option. I can't, though. I have my career and life in order, my daughter needs my help to cement her future.” Yujin admits with a smile.

“With that reasoning, I can’t blame you. Perhaps we are meant to only pass on letters until we both pass…” Herlock pulls out his pipe, letting a drag pull out, trying to hide his disappointment before he places the pipe down with a content smile. “I must say, I’d do the same if I was in your shoes. I cannot wait to see what Miss Susato accomplishes. I’m sure she could revolutionise the entire legal system in Japan alone if she really put her heart into it.”

“Yes, I believe so too, but that’s not something one person can do. We have to be realistic here.” Yujin explains a bit more in detail. “Japan isn’t as progressive as the British Empire, and she’ll definitely need my help and resources from time-to time to accomplish her goal.”

“I believe it. I completely understand, considering most of my clients are the underprivileged folks of London.” Herlock leans over the railing, tapping the bridge for a good minute before continuing. "Do you think perhaps you would consider coming back in the future?”

“Yes, of course.” Yujin blurts out without any hesitation. “When life settles down, I will let you know what I decide.”

“I hope you do. Then I shall stay here, anticipating the day you give me your answer.” The detective’s eyes glisten with hope. “Just know, you will always have a home here if anything goes wrong or you just get bored. That offer extends to Miss Susato. Oh, and of course, Mr. Naruhodo. Don’t you forget that.”

“I won’t.” Yujin nods with a sincere smile. It is nice to know he has a safety net, just in case things go wrong. “Thank you.”

"Anything for you, Partner."