#my brain didn't wanna cooperate

[intcritus]

✶ Shinsō & Sero / March & Dan Heng / Salem & Gilgamesh / Surprise 4th thing?

Shinsō & Sero

-> Sero’s easy way of doing things and his sometimes hilarious commentary often prompts Shinsō to come to Sero for advice about friendship, or creating lasting bonds. He often feels like Sero makes it easy to have conversation and he feels seen and heard and as someone who often isolates rather than seek people out, it’s a big deal for him to put himself out there.His crush on Sero definitely worsens when he realizes how much the guy pays attention to all the little things Shinsō doesn’t say.

-> I like the thought of them having little snarky inside jokes that even Kaminari doesn’t get, and the ability to share a little laugh whenever they text one another. But also Shinsō in the kitchen before Bakugo comes downstairs to make him and Sero a snack for their little studying sessions.Or the possibility of them hanging out, Shinsō absently just humming along to the music in his headphones and Sero is just I didn’t know you can sing and Shinsō getting all embarrassed and just shrugs like its not a big deal. But Sero teasing him about it until he realizes how quickly he’ll fall asleep when Shinsō starts humming and now Shinsō is like a shot of melatonin.

March & Dan Heng.

-> She’s protective of him. She’s willing to die on this hill, because she doesn’t care about background, history or anything, if she thinks he’s in danger, she’ll encourage him to stay back on the Express. But I also think because he was the first one she bonded with that was around her age and he just seemed like he could use a friend. Even now March enjoys being around him, knowing that sometimes he will talk to her, or listen to her about anything and for March, she just likes knowing they’ve made great memories in journeying so far. 

-> Is it bad that I think about after March started learning how to use blades, Dan Heng often takes her off to the side to help her sharpen her skills? Testing her reflexes and often guiding her quietly. And then just resting afterward, sky gazing and Dan Heng just remarking that she’s grown a lot, which in turn means a lot to March. And I can see him just probably inviting her on outings, because he knows she’ll have his back ( I see a ‘ He asked for no ketchup’ type of situation that amuses me sm. )

Salem & Gilgamesh

-> I love the thought of Salem being able to spoil Gilgamesh in the modern times, being able to indulge him and teach him how the modern word works. But also being hella amused by someone who cannot order people around. Personally, Salem teases Gilgamesh about it, but it’s all in good humor because this birb doesn’t mind waiting on him hand and foot, they’re rather fond of how bossy Gilgamesh can be. Brings such great nostalgia. 

-> Any time Gil tries to understand new contraptions and he grows frustrated from it, Salem likes to sit back and laugh about the fact he can't get it. This also eventually means that while Gil won't outright ask for help, Salem does gently guide him without saying a word. But not always because Salem is a little shit where Gil is concerned.

Shi Qingxuan to Xie Lian

-> Xie Lian truly values Shi Qingxuan's friendship above all. I think the way that SQX defends him so selflessly, and the way he's willing to listen to him and not try to usher him away from Hua Cheng also plays a big role, but mostly how comfortable and silly they can be together. It reminds Xie Lian that friendship doesn't hurt, that relying on people is okay, that it's okay that he's weird and that he's allowed to have nice things without there being an ulterior motive.

-> I think there's an ease of relying on each other that has come with time, sure they question doing things for one another, but eventually they simply stop questioning it. Xie Lian wants to be there for Shi Qingxuan, just as much as they have been there for him. Like their friendship has a solid foundation that hasn't buckled. And Xie Lian would offer a place at Paradise Manor if they need a place to lay their head ( he'll make puppy dog eyes at Hua Cheng ).

hcs for charlie <3 | @resolutepath

[airenyah]

love sitting in front of assignments until 1:30 in the morning

[jade-jini]

https://www.tumblr.com/jade-jini/736010537938403328/im-sorry-for-not-posting-in-like-forever-but-im?source=share

PLEASE WRITE THE SECOND PART I BEG YOU

(This pic omg I wanna gnaw on her shoulders, Also I want to apologize for how long this sht is. )

Warning: Smut, multiple times. G!P reader.

14k fuckin words 😭

Somebody commented it on the first part but sigh how do I write this. Aeri and lactation kink, yes there I said it (also I’m sorry if I sound ignorant, idk much about this-). My bad, I got carried away with the lore.

————————————————————————

Let’s picture this; rich girl! Aeri, as in Diva Giselle. Bad bitch who always gets what she wants, and what does she want? You.

As daddy’s girl, she’s spoiled af, but not stupid nor ignorant to stuff. In fact, she’s her dad’s best counselor when it comes to certain decisions about the company, but she prefers to keep it as an unofficial position, Aeri loves her free time too much. That was, until she saw the new employee (at least she thought you were new ‘cause she had never noticed you before in these floors and offices that were rather for the more important executives).

Ah, so you were the one she’s heard about. That one employee who started at a rather lower position and was able to expand and work with this big idea (idea that Aeri actually proposed:D) to such level that you were offered a nice promotion.

“Hm, one with brains, that’s a first…” Aeri thought as she was eyeing you for the first time, up and down “I like that.”

You were nervous. Only recently you went from some executive’s rookie assistant to being offered a position ABOVE him (😭), and currently also a project manager.

Now, you were having this type of unofficial meeting with 2 directors, a senior manager, and the CEO of the company, Mr. Uchinaga, who had brought his daughter (who was none other than the person who proposed and planned the project that gave you the chance to prove your potential). Thankfully, the three other people you were working with (and who you knew were close with the boss) were kind and supportive, knowing you had potential but not so much experience with such a heavy position. You weren’t expecting the team around you to be so kind and cooperative, not with what you’ve heard of powerful and rich people. But you were thankful that you got lucky enough to have that good environment around you.

The short meeting at the CEO’s office went nice and smooth, just clarifying some points and expectations. You knew the boss was carefully listening to your words, with a strict look, but pleased with the answers you were giving so far. You learned he was a serious and straightforward person, but always respectful and clearly with the best intentions for his company and employees. That helped your nervous state, but the way his daughter was quiet the whole time as she just stared at you with a look you couldn’t read… didn’t help much. It was intimidating, to say the least. She wouldn’t stop eyeing you up and down, making you feel so exposed that you had to adjust yourself on your seat and clear your throat (and gulp lmao) multiple times throughout the conversation. You thanked God you brought a file for the project, which she and her dad quietly read, giving you a break from her intense stare. However, her face was so unexpressive you didn’t know if she liked or hated what you worked on. Or maybe simply didn't care. She seemed to approve though, because she gave a nod to her dad, and one of the directors slightly grabbed your leg and winked at you with a smile, so you assumed this was a very good sign.

You covered a sigh of relief once the others got up and started saying their goodbyes to both the boss and his daughter, who respectfully but uninterestedly did the same. You tried to pay attention to what your superiors were saying as you four walked down the hallway, the senior manager asking you to stop at her office so she could give you some documents to work on, and you nodded to it, but your mind was stuck on Aeri. In the way her leather skirt slightly moved when she crossed her legs. You shook your head, scolding yourself mentally. You didn’t want to allow your mind to go there about a girl you just met. Specially not a girl in her position. “Too dangerous” you told yourself.

————————————————————————

“Yeah. She seems like a brilliant young lady, a lot of potential right there.” Mr. Uchinaga commented to his daughter when she asked about you, excusing it with wanting to know a bit since she’s never seen you before.“she’s still on probation, though. She did good with your project idea, now it’s her time to show if she’s stable and responsible enough for this position. Not just some lucky strike, you know what I mean?”

“You seemed satisfied with every answer she gave you earlier though” she reminded her dad with a smile “almost like she could read your mind. And you were doing your best to play it off. So mean, daddy” she giggled. Mr. Uchinaga rolled his eyes at his daughter.

“Well if I react too much, people are going to think the bare minimum is enough to satisfy me. She did very good, but I need to make sure they all know it’s not an easy job and they gotta do beyond their best. That’s how you incentivize them.” He said as he poured himself a cup of coffee and gave it a good sip, letting out a satisfied and happy sound “Except this coffee. This coffee always does a perfect job. No notes!"

Aeri rolled her eyes as she smiled and shook her head, looking at one of the documents you left in the office for them to review.

“Plus, I don’t know what you’re scolding me about. You didn’t even talk to the kid. Honestly if you weren’t checking those documents like you KINDA cared, I would’ve thought you were about to abandon this building in the middle of the meeting, dear.”

“I just didn’t have much to say. You know I don’t like meetings or any of this office stuff, daddy” Aeri said nonchalantly.

“Oh I know” the old man sighed “I still appreciate you decided to join this one. Come here!” He said as he caught her daughter by surprised with a bear hug lol. Aeri complained, but couldn’t suppress a giggle.

“Dad, you’re causing almost as many wrinkles on my clothes as the ones you have on your face. Put me down!”

————————————————————————

For someone who has been spending so much time thinking about Aeri, you sure as hell looked surprised when the literal creator of the project you’re the manager of appeared in front of your office with questions about it.

“Hello? did you hear me?” She called, waving her hand in front of your face “can I come in or not?”

You shook your head and cleared your throat, getting out of your trance and moving out of the way for her to enter “of course! What can I do for you?” You stuttered as you nervously rubbed your hands together. “Would you like some coffee? Let me get you some coffee-”

“Ms. Y/l/n I can get that for you” your secretary kindly suggested. You were still so not used to having one, but Eunjoo was so patient and kind, and around your same age, so it made it easier.

“Oh no no don’t worry, I don’t wanna bother you” you said with a nervous giggle.

“It’s my job, ma’am, No bother” she insisted already getting up, but Aeri stopped her.

“Don’t worry, Eunjoo. I already had coffee earlier, just make sure nobody bother us will ya? Thank you. ” Aeri said with a smile you weren’t sure was genuine or not. Your secretary simply answer with a ‘yes Ms. Uchinaga’ and sat back down to continue her job. Aeri closed the door and walked inside your office as if it was hers. But that’s how she walked and acted everywhere, like it was hers. That’s that confident attitude she had. That intimidating behavior and charisma flying through the air whenever she was present.

She wondered how exactly to start the conversation. I mean, she didn't wanna be to aggressive about it, but honestly she also wasn't one to care much how people took her words. She was gonna tell you what was on her mind, and you could do whatever you pleased with that. When she received a few new pages of the edited project just the day before, she noticed the changes you had made, and decided to talk to you about it personally. I mean, it was the project she started, and she never saw mistakes on her plans, so why did you make so many changes? and why did she care much anyways? maybe an excuse to see you again. No wonder she had been around the office more often the last week. It made her dad happy though.

The young woman stared at you, like she was waiting for something. Confused, you looked away and back to her “yes?”

“You’re not gonna sit down?” She asked with an obvious tone. Nervously, you quickly sat on a small chair close to the door. Aeri sighed and you looked at her getting worried.

“What?” You asked, not understanding why she was staring at you like you were doing something wrong.

“Don’t you prefer to sit somewhere else? I don’t know, on your own chair and desk maybe? since this is your office?” She asked sarcastically while pointing at the objects, finding it ridiculously funny how clearly new and unfamiliar you were with your new position in the business hierarchy.

“Ah! of course! Heh..” you nervously laughed as you hurried to your corresponding seat. “My chair, with my desk” you patted the table in front of you “in my office.” You smiled so innocently that it made Aeri’s eyes shine with how cute you were. But she didn’t wanna show that side. The Japanese girl simply sat in front of you, putting the same project binder you gave her and her dad some days ago. Aeri had actually been studying it in more detail (well-), and caught a few details that you seemed to have changed from her original idea. You looked at it as it rested on your desk, frowning your eyebrows a bit as you now looked at Aeri, waiting for her to start.

“I’ve noticed you took certain.. creative freedom with my project, right?” She started, opening the documents and going through it. “For example, here. It seems you have an interest in adding trade shows. This company is already well known, y/n, we don’t really need this” she remarked, as if the subjection of investing time and any effort on it was absurd. However, this is something you had discussed with the other members that were working on the project, and they seemed to agree very well with your subjection, that’s why you were so sure to add it to the project.

“Well, yes of course the company is one of the most popular in the country and even internationally wise but, since we’re taking such a different path here, presenting something so new for this business, that’s why with the other managers we discussed it and thought it would be good to invest in new relations and marketing strategies” you explained to her, with a kind and shy smile as you spoke. You could already tell she seemed to take it a bit personal when other people change whatever she initiated.

Aeri simply “hmm” at you as a response, as she continued passing the pages. “Ah! here as well. What do you mean the design and location of one of the first stores ‘didn’t make any sense’?” Yeah. That one she took personal.

“Ah..” you nervously giggled as you looked down, a bit embarrassed at the way you wrote that note down. “Yes, about that.” The girl looked at you, as if waiting for a completely different response “we did a geographic study of the business, and locating a store in that part of the city just wouldn't really work. You see even though it's a centric zone, it's already saturated with a completely different market, the only available space is really small, and it wouldn't even sell well. It wouldn't be profitable there, Ms. Uchinaga. At least not this product." you explained to the young woman, hoping kinder words would get a better reaction out of her this time. "Anything else you would like to ask about?"

"Anything else?" she scoffed, a bit sarcastic, making your smile fade away. Aeri picked up a couple pages from the folder, holding them a bit too rough in your opinion " you added pages and pages of changes to the project." she exclaimed, letting the pages fall on the desk abruptly.

"J-just a few corrections nothing too-" you tried to clarify, a bit nervous with her attitude, picking up your notes and organizing them.

"Corrections? did I make that many mistakes?"

“Of course not, ma’am, but-” she interrupted you again.

"you might as well just make a new project from scratch if you think I'm that uncapable, you know? I mean- " She challenged and stood up as you looked up at her, gulping. Her high heels made her look way taller than you remembered. What was this girl's problem??

“With all due respect, Ms. Uchinaga” You interrupted her this time raising your hand, making Aeri stare at you surprised. "I understand that seeing so many changes in something one started might feel a bit insulting, but I assure you ma'am that any decision made is with the best intention for the project and the company, and of course, after discussing it with the rest of the team." You weren't sure how you didn't stutter saying all that. You felt like your tone was a little too defiant, even when you weren't trying to be so. But you didn't want to just stay quiet and agree with everything without considering what really was best. "Your project is good, really good, and it's great to work on it and see it getting developed, but no matter who created it, what I care about is seeing it out there with its full potential, no matter how many corrections we have to do to it, which really wasn't many. I know how those documents might look, but most of it are notes, not corrections. Here, please. Take another look." You handed her the notes, making sure she notices that there's stuff written in the back of the pages as well (lol).

Aeri felt whatever she was going to say stuck in her throat. She wasn't familiar with the feeling of people leaving her speechless, and she didn't know how much she liked that. Not used to other employees standing up for themselves like you did, even if it wasn't too big of a deal or argument.. it really made her more curious about you. Aeri took the papers from your hands, this time being more gentle, and put them together with the rest inside the folder.

"I'll review this a bit more, and see you in the next meeting." the Japanese girl simply stated, as she started her way out. You licked your lips, and nodded as you processed what happened. You felt like you guys were there for hours, even though you were sure it was just a few minutes.

"Yes, ma'am."

“And it’s Aeri.” she firmly said, looking at you over her shoulder.

"Excuse me?" you asked, not processing something so obvious as her telling you her name, dumbass.

"My name, smartass" she said as if it wasn't obvious (told you) "we must be around the same age, so just call me Aeri" and just like that, she left foreal this time, closing your door behind her.

"Aeri..." you whispered once you were alone in your office. You groaned, clearly disliking how you were feeling "she even has a nice name too?! goddamn it!"

————————————————————————

Aeri lied to you.

She didn't wait until the next official meeting to see you again. Almost everyday of the following weeks you could find her in your office, working and reviewing the details for the project together. Heck, you guys would even have lunch together in your office. At some point, Aeri's dad could swear he could hear laughs from inside your office. His daughter's laugh. That careless laugh that would make him smile the second it resonated. It's been a minute since he's heard Aeri laugh like that with somebody, let alone in the company. Nonetheless, he was happy to know his daughter seemed to have found a good friend in this environment. He looked at your assistant, who was probably just slightly younger than you, and asked her.

"Tell me, Eunjoo, are those two always laughing like that?"

Eunjoo looked up a bit shy that the big boss was talking to her, but after listening to the question she relaxed a bit and gave him a smile as well as she nodded happily "yes, sir. At least the last few days since they have been spending more time together. I can tell they work well together." Mr. Uchinaga listened attentively, happy to hear that her daughter found somebody who motivated her to work and care for something.

"You know, sir" she added, catching the older man's attention again "with all due respect, I wasn't used to see Ms. Aeri in the office so often, but since she started coming again, Ms. y/n seems to have been feeling more comfortable. More confident too" the young girl said, her cute smile appearing once more. Eunjoo had grown fond of you, and she was genuinely happy to see you grow confident, she herself knowing how nerve-wracking can be.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure this is good for both of them" he commented, receiving a nod from the young girl "please, let them know the meeting will be soon, ok?"

"Of course, sir." and the man started walking back to his own office.

————————————————————————

"Oh my God, calm down already, y/n!" Aeri dramatically sighed as she grabbed the girl in front of her by the shoulders. She was trying her best not to laugh, but the girl just looked too funny panicking since Aeri told her that an important investor was gonna be in the meeting they were having today. "It's gonna be fineee!"

"You dont know that!" you said, your voice denoting your anxiety "w-what if I mess up, or if I say something wrong or if he isn't convinced or-" she interrupted you, her cold hands holding your face now.

"Read my lips, since your ears are clearly not working" she said, rolling her eyes "It. will. be. fine. We've been reviewing the details for days now, and everybody already gave their thumbs up about it. It the senior executives are chill, why not you?" She asked, her words slowly helping you "Besides, the meeting is in a few hours, you have time to review a few more times and-"

"Excuse me, ladies" you heard Eunjoo's voice through the phone "Mr. Uchinaga asked me to inform you that the meeting will start soon~"

"Oh shit, I guess I was wrong" she giggled, and you groaned as you started walking around your office again, clearly not feeling ready. Aeri lost count of how many times she had rolled her eyes at you today. 'God how I wish I could shut her up somehow, she's driving me crazy. Why can't she just relax?!' she thought, and that's when an idea hit her.

Aeri and you had grown closer (even flirting jokingly sometimes), talking about each other's lives often. One afternoon, for example, you guys were talking about your sexual life, and you talked to her about what's in your pants. Her reaction was very positive, more curious than anything. You confessed to her that even though you weren't a virgin, you haven't had that many experiences. In exchange, Aeri told you about how she started to be sexually active back during her last year of high school. Since she came from an important family, and was going to a prestigious school, she constantly had that stress on her shoulders to have perfect grades. As a senior, that stress just got worse, but she decided she couldn't live feeling like this. So during a sleepover with a friend at the time, she opened up about how she felt. Her friend offered help, and as several teenagers finding their new reckless, hormonal selves, she accepted.

Aeri quickly learned how good it felt to relieve stress in that way. A way that till this day she still uses often, having casual hookups from time to time. She even joked once that if you ever got too stressed, she'll help you too, but you guys just laughed it off. Maybe this time she didn't need to treat it as a joke, not when, to be honest, she never even wanted to treat it as such.

Aeri couldn't deny to herself her attraction for you, and she wasn't sure if you noticed, or if you were too oblivious, but the tension between you guys... sometimes it felt crazy. But she wondered if that was all in her head. After all, she also learned from you that you hadn't been that sexually active in your life. However, today Aeri was more than willing to take a risk and confirm if you wanted her too.

"Sit down, y/n." she ordered, and you stopped walking to look at her.

"Sitting?!" you exclaimed, throwing your hands in the air "we gotta get going, Aeri! I-I need to make sure the documents are in order and we need to rush and-"

"Sit. down. Now, y/n." she repeated, and by her tone and look, you could tell there was no choice, but to follow. So you went to the couch on your office, and sat down, waiting for her to just do or say whatever it was she was going to. You guys were going to be late and you knew you'd be the one to blame because who in the world would blame the daughter of THE boss of the company?!

You looked at the girl in front of you as she slowly started walking towards you. Confused, you lowkey side-eyed her, wondering what was she planning.

"I think we need to.. relax a bit, before going to that meeting, don't you think?" she suggested, her voice feeling softer than usual, almost like velvet, almost.. coquettish?

"I told you, Aeri. I can't. I'll just push through it, it's ok. C'mon I don't wanna be late." You sighed, just accepting your faith and getting up. But you fell back to the couch, Aeri had pulled you by the shoulders, sitting on your lap to make sure you didn't try to get up again. You gasped quietly, shocked by the girl's actions "w-what are you-"

"It's not gonna be good for neither of us to go to that meeting all stressed and believe it or not, your anxious ass is contagious, so now I'M stressed too." She scolded, her voice for some reason making you shrink into the couch. "I think it's only logical and fair that we.. help each other before we go, yes?"

"Aeri, I dont know if-" you stuttered.

"Let me help you relax, yes?" she sexily whispered next to your ear, and you could feel your member already getting excited inside your pants. Aeri gave you a mischievous smile "I think one of you guys already have an answer, huh?"

"We-we're gonna be late..." you gulped, not wanting to miss such important meeting, but incapable of rejecting the girl. I mean c'mon, she had been in your mind since the day you first saw her.

"Then let's hurry. The faster you get to relax, the faster we'll go to your precious meeting"

"But I dont have any condoms with me I-" You tried to explain.

"It's ok, I take pills. C'mon I know you want this just as much as I do"

Aeri started undoing your shirt a bit, just enough to have access to your neck, which she started kissing as she grinded on your lap. The friction feeling so good with her lips on you, that you gave up to her. You started undoing your belt and pants, and you could feel her smile against your skin. You softly scoffed with a smile 'help me relax, sure' you thought to yourself.

Once your already hard member was out and free, you moved her miniskirt a bit, and then her panties to the side, so you could rub it against Aeri's clit, wanting to make sure the girl was wet enough so you wouldn't hurt her. But the moment you made contact with her, you could tell she was more than ready.

"You're so wet already, for how long have you been this horny?" you teased her, the sensation so good, her fluids covering your cock as you kept rubbing it in between her lips. Aeri whined, so impatient to feel you but annoyed at your teasing.

"S-shut up and put it in already..."

You laughed, and did as she said, slowly getting inside her pussy and enjoying how she wrapped around you, how warm she felt. You both moaned as you got deeper and deeper.

"It's actually bigger than I imagined..." Aeri said, struggling a bit to talk as she adapted to your size.

"So you've been fantasizing about it, huh?" you smirked, as if you hadn't done the same. Aeri complained, and punched your shoulder, making you laugh at her reaction. You decided to tease her more, just in a different way. You got close to her ear, and whispered "It's ok, I have thought about you too, you know? And you feel even better than I could've ever imagined. So tight around me, and taking me so, so well~"

Aeri gasp loudly, almost forgetting that there probably were people outside your office. But all that was in the back of her mind, you felt too good for her to worry about that.

Once you were completely inside her, you let her take control, moving once she felt ready. That didn't take long, Aeri knew you guys had no time to waste. That is, of course, if you were still planning on going to that meeting, and Aeri knew you weren't gonna miss it for anything.

So she started riding you, going up and down on your dick at a pace not too fast, but not too slow. Your hands went to her waist, keeping her steady. God, she looked so hot like this, on top of you, focused on making you reach those spots inside her that she liked so much. You were hypnotized by her, lost in the pleasure you yourself were feeling as she sped up each time. You held her by the waist, and kissed her deeply, catching her off guard. Normally, Aeri's sexual partners in their majority have been those who think kissing is rather intimate, not for something like a 'quickie', which sometimes disappointed her. So she grabbed your face, and reciprocated the sweet, hungry contact. She could feel you moaning in her mouth, and smiled as she separated a bit, biting your lip in the process. She rested her forehead against yours, and bit her own lip. You looked so into it, into her. She always loved to feel wanted, needed, desired.

"Does it feel good?" she whispered caressing your face, knowing the answer just by looking at you, but wanting to hear you say it.

"uh-huh.." you mumbled as if your brain was off, making her giggle.

"Are you feeling more relaxed?"

"Yes, r-relaxed, sure..." You said in between teeth as you held her waist tighter, making her jump faster and harder on your cock, reaching as deep as you could. Aeri left out a cry "Fuckk~ you feel so good, Aeri" you groaned, already almost tasting the sweetness of climax.

"Ms. y/n, everything ok? The meeting is about to start" you suddenly heard Eunjoo's voice through your office phone. You panicked, trying to reach the phone without stopping what you guys were doing, which was impossible. You looked at Aeri, but she just aggressively shook her head.

"Dont stop, I-I'm close, dont you fucking stop!" she ordered in between moans, fucking herself on your cock. Fuck. You got up, carrying Aeri with you, and sat her on your desk as you pressed the speaker.

"We're al-most ready, Eunjoo!" you said, trying to sound as normal as possible, but clearly out of breath.

"I'm coming!~" Aeri whispered, hugging you tight.

"Shhh!" you whisper-yelled at her, and she bit your shoulder to keep herself quiet.

"Yeah, we're coming, just give us a minute!" And you hung up. "Jesus, you cant be saying that when somebody is literally listening, you know?!" you scolded her, the adrenaline making you fuck her harder, making her come so hard you almost thought she was gonna bite your shoulder off. But you didn't care about the pain, not as you came hard inside her, emptying yourself inside her pussy so good you felt your heart in your ears once you finished. You stayed inside her until you both were breathing normal again. Your brain felt on cloud 9. What just happened between you guys, it was such an experience. You looked at Aeri once she looked up from resting on your shoulder, and you both giggled. You moved a bit, letting her get down as you got your boxers and pants up.

"God, I don't remember the last time I came that hard" you admitted out loud, causing a giggle out of Aeri as she pushed your shoulder "Auch! careful, I think you fractured it you know?"

"Oh my God, shut up! make yourself look presentable so we can go." She told you, fixing herself in front of the mirror you had in your office.

"Go where?" you asked innocently, as you stared at her.

"To the meeting, where else?!" she said, frowning and confused at your answer. Did she fuck you into amnesia or what??

"..."

"y/n? hello?!" she shook your shoulder.

"... Oh my God?! hurry up!!" you yelled at her, rushing in between dressing up and getting your documents.

————————————————————————

Needless to say yes, you made it a few minutes late to the meeting, but the moment Aeri entered the room behind you, all eyes went to her, and you swore you heard someone gasp. Some knew that Mr. Uchinaga's daughter developed a particular interest in being properly involved in this project, probably because she started the idea. But nobody was expecting her to willingly participate in official meetings. They seemed to had forgotten you guys were late, and you were thankful for it. It made sense, though. Aeri's presence always made time feel unreal.

"Ladies, thank you for coming" one of the other managers said, trying to suppress an excited smile as she held her hands together. "Take a seat please, we were about to start".

You nodded with your head as a silent thank you, as you were about to sit next to one of your colleagues, but Aeri had a different idea, and nonchalantly pulled you by the sleeve as she walked both of you to the front, her sitting next to her dad, and you next to her. Some were a bit shocked by this, including you, but Aeri couldn't care less about other people's reaction.

————————————————————————

It really took just a taste of you for Aeri to want you almost everyday.

you guys kept having those passionate encounters, these becoming so frequent that more than two days without it was already weird for you guys. Nothing was discussed about it, you weren't official, or exclusive, and didn't think you wanted to. Or well, to be honest both of you have been enjoying whatever was going, and also busy with work, that you genuinely haven't thought too much about formalities. However, you were around so often that even her friends knew you, due to Aeri deciding that you were worthy of keeping her company even if it wasn’t related to sex (at least, for part of the night).

The group of friends already knew how casual Aeri tended to be, not being a fan of relationships nor commitment. She never really brought any of their hook ups around. So, naturally, they were a bit weirded out when they noticed that the person she had earlier introduced to them was clearly more than a friend.

“Aeri??” Ningning said, an incredulous tone in her voice “Uchinaga Aeri. Our Giselle. Getting serious? Bitch please, YOU be serious.”

“Oh fuck off.” Karina responded with a frown  before pointing at you and the Japanese girl who were moving around the dance floor “look at them. They look so.. comfortable with each other, and still-"

“That means nothing, Gigi looks comfortable with us too all the time” Ning affirmed wanting to make her point too, her arms crossed in front of her chest looking like a smartass. That’s until Minjeong caught the girls’ attention. 

“Damn, well I don’t know about you guys but Aeri has never done *that* to me” she pointed out at you two. At some point in the conversation, Aeri dragged you to a little corner, both of you probably too drunk to notice it was not that secret or away from your friends. Aeri decided she needed to kiss you, to touch you, and she couldn’t wait until she was home. Dancing with you just affected all her senses. And the taste of your lips mixed with the alcohol she had earlier was the perfect killer combination. 

“Aeri you horny ass.” NingNing said with fake disgust, while Karina was laughing her ass off and Minjeong was just staring at you guys with her mouth open “Minjeong, please, go get them before we get kicked out for indecency”

“No no give them a minute, they seem to be having fun…” the young girl said while licking her suddenly dry lips. NingNing’s fake disgust face lowkey turned into a real one. She slapped the back of Minjeong's head, and pushed her a bit.

“Bitch now!”

“Aww man you’re so boring…”

————————————————————————

"So... you and y/n, huh?" NingNing started, the other two girls staring at Aeri as she was confused.

The four girls met the morning after to have coffee together at Aeri's. Of course, without notifying her first lol. Aeri was still asleep when they got there, but you were on your way to work and opened the door for them.

"... oh- good morning, y/n" NingNing said, bowing a bit once she got out of her shock. She wasn't used to seeing Aeri's hookups stayed for the night. Karina suppressed a smile, in her eyes this was just more evidence that you and Aeri were probably growing closer.

"Good morning, girls" you responded kindly, though a bit nervous since the women in front of you looked a bit surprised to see you "Aeri said she was coming to the office later so she'll probably wake up any minute. I was on my way already, but I made some coffee! feel free to have it, just please leave some for Aeri~" you asked, and they nodded, looking at each other discreetly. You all said your goodbyes, and just as you left the big apartment, a sleepy Aeri was coming out of the room, only using her panties and a shirt that clearly didn't belong to her. She was calling your name, her husky voice sounding rather sweet, which made her friends give each other looks again.

Now the three of them were sitting on the couch, drinking the coffee, while Minjeong terrorized Aeri's fridge.

"Me and y/n what?" Aeri asked her back as she took a sip of the coffee you made, a satisfied noise escaping her lips. Just the way she liked it.

"Don't play dumb, bitch. What's going on between you two."

"Yeah, you bring her around often, you dont kick her out before morning. You use her clothes to sleep!" Karina highlighted, using her fingers to enumerate.

"She even knows how to make your coffee! that's cute!" Minjeong yelled from the kitchen, a little hard to understand 'cause her mouth was full of sandwich.

"Swallow your food before speaking!" NingNing scolded pointing at Minjeong, who frowned at her.

"No!"

Ning tsked, and got up to scold Minjeong a bit more (and steal some food herself), making the blonde girl pout.

"I don't know why you guys are so surprised. She's good company and a good fuck, nothing less and nothing more." She assured her friends, not wanting this conversation to become such a big deal.

"Hey, isn't this your birth control?" Minjeong said after picking up a medicine box that was on the floor next to the couch. Aeri gasped, she had forgotten where she left it.

"Shit, thanks baby." Aeri said, making her way to the kitchen.

"Are you seeing other people besides y/n?" Karina asked, joining her friends in the kitchen and getting some fruit for herself. Aeri shook her head "Then why are you taking these?"

She looked at her three friends, raising her eyebrows with a look that explained everything without needing words (Author too lazy to make this explaining g!p scene, they got it and were like oh :0 and then didn't care.)

"Lately I've been so busy with work that I keep forgetting everything" she said nonchalantly as she got some water and swallow the pill.

"Be careful, Uchinaga. You know with these things you can't just be silly and forgetful" Karina reminded her, a frown in her face as she watched her friend take the medication.

"Relax, It's not like I'm gonna get pregnant." Aeri laughed at her friends, they worried too much sometimes.

————————————————————————

"So... apparently I'm pregnant." Aeri confessed the next time the four friends were together in her apartment.

The three women in front of her in her living room went quiet, as if not moving nor breathing could make what their friend just suddenly dropped not real.

"... huh?" Minjeong was the first to speak, her voice high pitched and shaking, not sure if she heard right, if Aeri was foreal, or real, or if anything was real.

Aeri looked at her friends, not even sure how to explain it. She herself couldn't believe how careless she fucking was with those stupid pills.

(Flashback ig)

You and Aeri hadn't seen each other in so long (literally two weeks only), you went away with a group as representatives of the company to this important event, having a lot of work before and after the trip. Aeri had been texting you often about missing having you in her bed. So when you finally coincided in the company, she needed you. Right there and then. You saw each her on an empty hallway, shocked to finally be on each other's presence, and almost ran to hug you. You giggled a bit, thinking the reaction was cute, and a little unfamiliar coming from her. You thought she was gonna drag you to her office, but Aeri had a different, riskier idea. Looking around to make sure nobody was seeing you, she pulled you inside a janitor's closet (haha classic jade-jini).

"Wow, I missed you too" you said, laughing while she locked the door. This reminded you a bit of that time a cousin of yours told you her and her lover once did it on a janitor's closet, what was the girlfriend's name? Sana, was it? anyways.

"Why the fuck did you have to go on that trip?" Aeri complained, as she quickly started undoing your pants, kissing you before you could even answer. You held her face, sighing as you realized how much you missed those lips.

"It means they're trusting me more, it's a good thing" you said against her lips as you made her sit somewhere, getting comfortable between her legs. Your hands traveled to her buttoned up shirt, wanting to rip it off her but deciding not to.

"I hope that doesn't mean you'll be away for this long often." she pouted, making you giggle. Once her chest was exposed, you immediately went to one of her nipples, sucking on it thirstily. Aeri moaned at the feeling of your tongue against such sensitive skin, one hand caressing your hair while the other one was masturbating you, your member getting harder and harder in her hand.

Both of you needed to compensate for the wasted time, and let's say nobody saw you for a while.

.

.

“More..” she moaned in your ear as she softly grabbed the back of your head “harder”. You could feel Aeri again getting tighter around your dick, reaching for her climax once more.

“If I go harder you’re gonna get louder again, we can’t get caught like this, can we?”

“We both know you’d be the one getting loud. Out of everybody with a dick that I’ve fucked before, nobody gets as whiny and moans like you.

“Hmm..” you groaned at her teasing “I don’t wanna hear about the other people you’ve fucked”

“Don’t worry, you’re probably in my top of decent hookups anyways” she said with a mischievous smile, clearly trying to tease you even more.

“Not even one of the best?” You asked as a pout adorned your lips, your hips not stopping the pace you marked, but knowing you’ll go faster if she didn't stop teasing you.

“Hmm, we’ll see. Maybe, if you listen more, maybe.” Lies, you were the best she’s ever had and she knew it, but Aeri was not gonna admit that to you. "Be a good girl, and fuck me harder. I know you wanna come inside me again" she whispered in your ear, to then bite it softly. You grabbed her by her ass, going so hard on her you could both feel tears in your eyes. You weren't sure how many orgasms you had given each other already, but you were so sensitive. It just felt too good. Aeri felt herself coming just as you emptied yourself inside her once again, filling her up to the point you were going to have to clean the floor once you finally finished your intense encounter. But who gives a shit? you felt amazing inside her. It was like an addiction.

A dangerous addiction, because as mentioned before, with so much work and things in her mind, Aeri didn't exactly prioritize her strict schedule to take her birth control pills.

Fucking great. Fucking genius.

And that's why, sooner than later, she started feeling constant nausea the following month, not to mention how her period decided to not show up that month either. Expired food? stress? please God literally anything but that? that's what was rushing through her mind as she waited for the 5 pregnancy tests to show the result. And they all showed the same.

Fucking positive. Congrats, Aeri!

"Oh my God.. Oh my God?!!" she screamed from her bathroom.

.

.

Aeri decided not to go to the company for a couple days. She needed some peace, some space. After not seeing her for two days, you contacted her, but she simply responded with being too busy with 'stuff'. You decided not to push, even though you wanted to see her, and not just to fuck. But you knew you had no right to ask much from her. You guys weren't really 'a thing', so, what to do. Whenever you missed her you'd just sigh, and do your best to focus on the mountain of work you had.

A few days had passed since she took the pregnancy tests, and that's how now she was in front of her best friends, giving them the news.

"WHAT THE FUCK UCHINAGA?!" Karina screamed, getting up her chair as she started anxiously walking around the room, her hands shaking, going to her hair, chaos I dont know "I FUCKIN TOLD YOU, I TOLD YOU TO BE CAREFUL OR THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN! OHH-"

Aeri looked at her friend, not knowing how to respond to it, but probably Karina wasn't gonna listen anyways.

"No no no no no this can't be happening!" Minjeong repeated over and over again, hugging her knees to her chest as she rocked herself.

NingNing was just speechless looking at nothing, her mouth making a big O.

"I thought i jinxed it, I thought I could make it go away, but naaah!"

"We're too young for this we're too young for this we're too y-" she could hear Minjeong from the floor.

"What are you gonna do? what are we gonna do?! have you told your dad? how about y/n? WHERE EVEN IS Y/N RIGHT NOW, HUH? HUH?!" Karina scolded, and Aeri started to feel too overwhelmed.

"I don't know!" Aeri snapped back, her voice breaking, a sign that she was going to start crying. This made her friends react and look at her. Silence was dominating the apartment again, that's until a sob involuntarily escaped Aeri. "I-I don't know what to do. I didn't plan for this to happen, I don't know how I was so stupid to forget" She said in between sobs, shaking and crying in such a way that broke the three girls' hearts. They quickly rushed to hug her, trying to comfort her. She was their friend, their sister. It didn't matter what happened, they would always be there for her.

"Hey, hey, it's ok." NingNing said as she caressed the girl's hair. "we're here for you, no matter what. You're not alone in this, Gigi."

"Yeah, we'll always be here, no matter what you choose to do... but what do you think you'd really want to do?" Karina asked, letting the girl rest on her shoulder.

"I dont know.." Aeri responded with a soft string of voice "I don't think I wanna get rid of it, you know?" she confessed, making her friends looked at each other a bit shocked, but they weren't lying when they said they'd support her no matter what.

"Then I guess it's time to start going to auntie classes so we can be ready" Karina joked, getting a soft giggle from Ningning and Minjeong,and a smile from her friend, whose eyes were still covered in tears.

"I mean, at least you know two things for sure" Minjeong said, making her friends look at her curiously "the baby's gonna be born rich AND good looking." she continued with a smile. This made her friends laugh, which they all really needed at the moment "but foreal, though. You'd be a great mommy, if that's what you end up deciding on, we promise to always make sure you guys are ok."

"Thank you guys" Aeri said, sincerity filling her words as she cuddled more with her sisters.

"Have you told y'n about this?" NingNing asked once she noticed the girl stopped shaking so much. Aeri just shook her head.

"No, we haven't talked in a couple days".

"Why?" Minjeong asked curiously. " You genuinely seem to enjoy having her around."

"I just needed some space to process all this" she expressed, pointing at her belly. Minjeong nodded at her words, understanding.

"How about your dad?" Karina questioned carefully. Aeri just sighed.

"I guess I'll have to go visit and deliver the news..."

————————————————————————

"I'm so glad you came to see me, dear" Aeri's dad said as he placed some tea for him and his daughter in the little coffee table between them. They were currently in the big garden in his house. "when I asked y/n where were you and she said she hadn't seen you in the office in days, and when I called you and you said you just didn't feel like going, after being so involved in your project. I mean, I know you're a free spirit, but" he softly giggled with his raspy voice.

The mention of y/n made her heart jump. She still haven't contacted you. In these days that she hasn't seen you, she hoped the words and courage to tell you about the pregnancy would sprout. But they didn't.

"I just needed some days off, dad" Aeri started, trying her best to cover the nerve-wracking fear in her voice "Something really big happened and.. and I just needed to process it."

"Hmm? What do you mean, darling?" the man asked, taking a sip of his cup.

“I’m not really sure how to explain this…” the young girl murmured, looking at her father as he put the cup down, looking at his daughter with a frown, worried. Very worried.

"Aeri, whatever happened, you can talk to your dad about it. I'm here for you, my love" Mr. Uchinaga said, offering his daughter a smile. Aeri breathed in and out, thinking she should just be done with it. There was no point on dancing around the subject.

"Dad... I'm pregnant." she finally said "You're gonna be a grandpa" she also added with a bittersweet intent of a smirk, hoping she made it sound at least a bit better.

"...What?!" didn't seem to work- "A.. a baby? oh Aeri that's- I mean-" he was so speechless. I mean of course he loved the idea of being a grandpa one day, but he didn't think it would happen so soon, and he expected to see a ring on his daughter's finger first. Why was she telling him this alone? "Darling that's.. I mean it's great of course but.. I didn't know you had this in your plans I mean.. so soon after college?" the old man was going through a series of millions of emotions, all rushing through his mind.

"I know it's very shocking but-" the young girl tried to speak.

"Was this something you even had in mind? You didnt even tell me you were with somebody" but it didn't look like her dad was listening much at the moment.

"Well, not exactly but-" She was feeling more and more overwhelmed by the second.

"Did you even plan for this?!" he insisted, his own forehead feeling sweaty as the realization hit.

"No I didn't plan for this, dad, ok?! but it happened and I-I'm trying to take responsibility about it and deal with it how I can, and I'd really appreciate if you could please, please calm down a bit and let me at least speak."

"Calm down?! my youngest daughter is pregnant! Not married, not even compromised, but with a baby on the way and the father nowhere to be seen in this house!" he snapped, as if asking him to tone it down a bit was absurd "you wanna talk to me about responsibility? hm?! responsibility would've been avoiding a situation like this. THAT would've been responsible."

Silence covered the place, the echo of their voices resonating against the wall, accompanied by their unstable breathing. Aeri felt so fragile and small in front of her father. He saw hurting in her eyes, and he hated the idea of ever making her kids feel this way.

"He could've at least come see me with you, you know?." Mr. Uchinaga then said, a much more calm tone in his voice now, and less accusatory too.

"I-I can't bring this person, dad. At least not yet.."

“Don’t tell me you don’t even know who the father is…” the old man pleaded, and Aeri shook her head.

“Oh I know who it is, dad, please. And you know her well too”

“…her?” Mr. Uchinaga repeated, clearly confused. Aeri sighed, and signaled for him to sit next to her on the couch inside.

“Please sit down for a moment, dad”

————————————————————————

“I can't believe it. And she looked so shy at first" Mr. Uchinaga clicked his tongue. "And she put that baby there?!"

Aeri had explained to her dad that you were the other parent of the baby she was expecting. At first he was shocked, I mean yeah he thought about how you could be a good partner for his daughter. You had a good future, a good job (at HIS company mind you.), brains, you seemed like a very kind-hearted girl, and he could tell you guys had a lot of chemistry. But never in a million years he thought you were gonna get her pregnant, asshole.

“Dont say it like that, and yes. She's the mom. As I said, she's the only person I've been seeing." Aeri explained.

“I didn’t know you guys were together”

“We aren’t” Aeri murmured, and quickly regretted it knowing how worse it sounded that she was not only pregnant before getting married but pregnant to somebody she didn’t even consider her official partner. Her dad raised an eyebrow, not liking what he was hearing. Again.

“No no, wait! We are- We are together. We just didn’t really… plan for *this* to happen” Aeri said, trying to fix the answer she gave. "But yeah, we are together and.. serious, yeah." The man nodded, kinda buying what his daughter said, kinda not.

“Well, now you two are going to have to get married” he proclaimed after finishing his cup of tea. Aeri almost choked on hers.

“Married?!” her dad had said it so calmly that it took her a second to process what he even said.

"Yes." he responded as if it was the most obvious thing. "You guys are having a baby, Aeri. You know how it can look if you have it without being married. Plus if you guys are already together and serious, then why not? it was just a matter of time."

Aeri felt her pressure going up and down. Marriage?! hell nah.

"Marriage wasn't in our plans either, dad, and you know how I feel about it."

"I want you to bring her here so we can all talk about this. This is a family situation now, and if she's the mom of your kid, then that makes her family whether you like it or not." the older man stated firmly. Aeri was massaging her temple, knowing her dad wouldn't take a no for an answer, but she just wasn't ready to talk to you about all this.

"Dad I don't think this is-"

"You are bringing her here, Aeri. End of discussion."

————————————————————————

Aeri could feel the panic traveling through her whole body.

She was sitting on the couch, waiting for you. Her leg bouncing impatiently. You were gonna be there any minute. She was feeling so impatient, and at the same time was praying something could rip time and space so she'd never have to have this conversation with you.

"This is ridiculous. We’re not even dating, I haven't even told her about the baby, and now I have to also bring her to my family home to talk about marriage?!" Aeri thought out loud, clicking her tongue at how unbelievable her situation was "How am I supposed to do this?!"

"Do what?" A random ass Minjeong casually asked as she came out of Aeri's room.

"JESUS!" the japanese girl screamed, her already accelerated heart almost jumping out of her "what the fuck, Minjeong?? how long have you been here?!"

"About two, three hours maybe. I came to see you but you were gone so I made myself something to eat and then passed out in your comfy comfy bed" the blonde girl yawned, stretching her arms.

"You guys are too comfortable coming to my apartment." Aeri complained, but the younger girl just smiled at her.

"It's called being family." she replied, sticking her tongue out "anyways, did you bring anything? I'm starving" Minjeong added as she rubbed her tummy.

"No I didn't bring shit and you need to leave, y/n is coming any minute and-"

*knock knock* (like Twice)

The two girls looked at each other, Aeri already feeling her hands shaking.

"I think she's here" Minjeong said, and Aeri rolled her eyes as she walked to open the door, you were outside with a takeout bag.

"You think?!" Aeri exclaimed, sarcastically. But Minjeong didn't catch the tone.

"Yes yes! She's right there! Hi y/n~" the blonde girl pointed and then waved at you, with a big smile on her face. You were a bit lost but reciprocated her smile, it was too cute to not be contagious.

"Hi Jeongie~" you replied as you entered the apartment, whispering a little 'hi' to the owner, who simply gave a little smirk. You could already tell she wasn't in the best mood.

When Aeri texted you earlier, she wasn't really clear about what was the reason she suddenly contacted you, asking you to come to her apartment. It has been days since the last time you two spoke. At first you thought maybe she was finally free with whatever it was that kept her so busy, and wanted to have some fun with you again, but when she mentioned that she actually needed to talk to you about something important, you worried that maybe something bad happened. When you asked for details, she simply replied with "We'll talk once you're here, just come. Please.. I need you here."

So you quickly picked up a jacket and your keys, stopping for some food on your way to her place. Something from a restaurant Aeri mentioned multiple times before. How sweet of you.

"What you got in there? it smells amazing" Minjeong curiously asked as she freed your hands. You sat on the couch as you witnessed the little blonde thief undoing the bag.

"It's just some pasta with-"

"Oh! my favorite!" you heard her said from the kitchen, as she took the first bite, satisfied with the flavorful taste.

"I thought it was Aeri's favorite" you pointed at the mentioned girl, who just shook her hand.

"She was gonna say 'my favorite' no matter what you had in there" Aeri explained, and you simply nodded as your mouth did a O.

"I'm gonna get this out of your way, you guys are gonna be too busy to eat anyways. I'll be on my way!" Minjeong quickly said as she made her way to the door, your bag now becoming her dinner.

"Wait- but the food!-" you tried to stop her but it was too late.

"Byeeee!" and with that, she closed the apartment door behind her. You sighed, just accepting that you were going to have to order delivery now.

"Wow~ she really left with it. What are we gonna eat now?!" you asked in between giggles, but Aeri seemed to stay serious even after her friend's shenanigans.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll lose your appetite in a minute." You stopped laughing, now looking at her a bit worried. You could see in her face, whatever the reason was for you to be there right now, it was clearly important.

"What's going on, Aeri? did something happen, are you ok?" you questioned, softly holding her arm as she sat next to you.

"I'm ok.. well, kinda." She tried to explain, but that answer didn't help at all.

"Just tell me what is it, I'm here ok? whatever it is you need help with, you can count on me" you smiled at her, hoping you could give her some comfort. It couldn't be that bad, right?

"y/n..." Aeri took a deep breath. 'here goes nothing..' she thought.

right?

"I'm pregnant..." Aeri finally said, doing her best for her voice not too shake as much as her hands.

"..."

"y/n..? Did you hear what I said?" she asked, shaking you a bit as you stared at her, your face completely absent of any thought or emotion.

"..."

————————————————————————

"Pregnant... PREGNANT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN PREGNANT? WHAT DOES SHE MEAN PREGNANT? HOW THE FUCK? WHEN THE FUCK? Oh my God but she said she was on the pill?!!!! How the fuck did I let this happen? I'm gonna be a parent?! But I'm too young... my parents are gonna kill me.. HER DAD IS GONNA KILL ME. DOES HE KNOW ALREADY?! I would be dead if he knew..."

————————————————————————

"So.. you're pregnant." You said, still not fully processing what the girl in front of you had told you. After Aeri told you about her pregnancy, you passed out for a bit, not really sure how long. So she used the 'making you smell alcohol' method, and had some water for you.

"Yes." Aeri said, sitting next to you on the couch, face to face.

"And it's mine" You said, almost as a question.

"It might surprise you but all this time I've only been sleeping with you, so yes, it's very yours."

"And.. are you.. gonna keep it?" you asked, as careful as possible but bitch, how you ask something like that?? Aeri looked at you like she couldn't believe your shit.

"Are you fuckin serious right now?"

"Wha- i think this is a very valid question!" you tried to defend yourself, your hands up.

"This is ridiculous, what do you think, y/n?!" ok clearly the answer was obvious. And you felt so bad for asking such thing.

"Ok ok I'm sorry!" you apologized, panic clear in you "Jesus, I didn't mean for it to sound like that, i just meant that it is your body and your decision, and whatever you decide i support you and I'm here for you and honestly i don't hate the idea of having a baby but i just didn't think it was gonna happen during these circumstances! I never planned for it!"

"And you think i planned for this?!" she yelled at you as she stood up, feeling like you were accusing her.

"That's not what I'm saying!" but you just felt like crying.

"I know that's not what you're saying! but what you said earlier wasn't a good response either!" you stood up as well, feeling so overwhelmed with this argument. You hated arguments.

"Well I'm sorry then!" you yelled, matching her tone. Your breathing felt irregular, just like her. For a second, there was just silence "...I'm sorry"

Aeri looked at you, and as reality hit both of you once again, she looked like she was really gonna cry, so you quickly wrapped her in your arms, letting her be as vulnerable as she needed. She sobbed against your chest, and you felt your heart shake. It pained you, seeing her so.. scared and fragile. And you hated thinking that any of your words made it worse.

"I'm so sorry." you repeated as you held here in your arms, caressing her hair and back "I'm here ok? I'm here with you, and I'm not leaving. We're together in this. We're ok, it's gonna be ok."

You felt her nodding against your chest, still crying. So you kissed the top of her head, letting her take her time. After some minutes, she looked up at you, and you looked back at those beautiful dark eyes.

"I feel insane, being so.. scared, but not hating the idea of having a baby, you know?" she voiced, with a bittersweet shadow of a laugh.

"...I don't hate the idea of having a baby, either." you confessed, catching her a bit off guard, but it seemed to have been a good answer "plus, if it's with you, they're gonna come out beautiful" a sweet smile adorning your lips as you mentioned this, which made Aeri smile as well as roll her eyes "I'm here, Aeri. and I'll be here when that baby's born. I know we've never really discussed what we are and I know you didn't mean for it to become anything serious… but I am here. For and with you. I promise."

Aeri stared at you in silence, feeling moved by your words. She really needed to hear that from you. Your embrace, the honesty and determination in your voice and eyes, it made her feel... safe.

Then she remembered what her dad had told her.

"Yeah, about that…" she said, separating from you and playing with her hands. You looked at her confused. Was there something else she hasnt mentioned? surely it couldn't compare to the baby, right?

"My dad wants to talk to you, so we gotta go to his home"

... right?!

"And it's related to... marriage." she finished, now anxiously playing with the ends of her hair.

"…" silence. Your mind felt like it exploded.

"Hello??" Aeri shook you by the shoulder when she noticed you were paralyzed once more. The girl clicked her tongue, what a bad habit of yours "why do you always do this?"

"I'm jumping through the window."

"Get in the car, y/n."

————————————————————————

Things didn't go easy with Mr. Uchinaga. So much scolding, the speech about how you guys were careless like two teenagers, and the marriage conversation. Ouh the tension was ugly. But trying to be positive, it didn't go that bad either. After so much yelling, you guys seemed to have touched a good nerve. The old man didn't dislike the idea of being a grandpa anyways, and at least you weren't some good for nothing. He liked you for his daughter, he just wished you guys didn't do it this way. But what was done was done. You all got to an agreement, as in you told him kinda what he wanted to hear, and bought Aeri and you some time to really figure things out. You guys grew fond of each other since the moment you met of course, and you had a strong attraction too (clearly), but you two never really.. thought of a relationship, let alone marriage. And a kid didn't change that either (for now MUAHAHAHA). You brought Aeri back to her place after talking with her dad, you two were currently sitting on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

"What are we gonna do, y/n?" she asked, and you could feel the emotions in her voice. The doubts. The confusion. The fear.

"I don't know..." you answered sincerely, trying to find the words to comfort her. "But that's ok, Aeri. We're together in this."

"y/n, we're not even dating, how do you think this feels?" she questioned you, making you look at her as you stayed quiet for a bit.

"...But we could."

"What?" she asked, not sure what she heard.

"C'mon, why not give it a proper try? we're having a kid. I don't think it's gonna kill neither of us to see how it feels to be a couple. We can start by being girlfriends!" you suggested, your excited tone made her giggle "or! if you want, we can start easier. I'll court you or whatever is called. I'll win your affection!"

"what, you're gonna take me on dates? I think we already skipped a few steps here, didn't we?" she said sarcastically, pointing at her tummy.

"Hey, we gotta start somewhere if we're going to maybe get married! just because the final level is already happening doesn't mean we can't enjoy the.. side quests..?"

" the side quests?" she repeated, trying her best not to laugh.

"Listen, you know I'm not good with my words sometimes, but I'm trying, ok?" you replied, a pout on your face that made her finally laugh "What I'm trying to say is, I'd like to treat you to these things we didn't do before we started what we had. Who knows, maybe exploring these things together will help us take a decision about how our relationship will be. Maybe we'll see new sides of each other that we can learn to you know, embrace and more. I'm more than open to it, and if you need time, then I'll be as patient as you need me to be."

Aeri listened to you with a soft smile on her face. You were so sweet sometimes. With anybody else, she'd probably feel like throwing up. But hearing these words from you... it made her heart feel different. It felt good, and warm, and comfortable.

"You are sooo cheesy, y/f/n." she teased. You dramatically got up and started walking to the bedroom, surprising her but making her laugh once again.

"You're sleeping on the couch tonight for that comment!"

————————————————————————

It didn't take long for you guys to grow even closer. I mean, you were already comfortable with each other so, honestly, you just needed to break that barrier that was stopping you from opening your hearts and welcome each other more into your lives. For you it was rather easy, you were such a lover girl. But Aeri... you knew it was gonna take some work, but you didn't mind. Honestly, you were happy with it being a slow process. It felt like.. somehow really close friends, but so much more to each other. Still, it felt so hard to give it a name.

But Aeri was so grateful you wouldn't push or rush her. You really were there for her without expecting anything. Aeri even felt comfortable enough to go back to the company, and you'd spend your lunch together basically everyday again. And thus, the sweet laughs from your office came back. Mr. Uchinaga would hear them sometimes whenever he was around that floor, and he'd just shake his head, a smile threatening his lips.

————————————————————————

So going back to what we’re here for. breastfeeding kink (😭). It started rather earlier in Aeri's pregnancy. And she, or well, her tits would get so so sensitive. She wasn’t sure how to deal with it until a light bulb appeared on top of her head; you, as her (un)official partner, were obliged to help her with her struggle. I mean after all it was your fault she was going through it.

Yeah, she saw it once in a video. Hey! don't judge her. She was trying to find some information about how to deal with the sensitivity in her breast, and ended up in very.. graphic websites. But anyways, Aeri knew she needed to get that milk out of her body. But there was no baby yet, until

“Hi baby!” She said with a very suspicious and big smile as she stood next to you the moment you entered her office. You looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Aeri normally doesn’t call you by any pet name, at least not outside the bed.

“Hello?” you answered with a slow, careful tone. Aeri had called you earlier that day to discuss something about a doctor’s appointment, but of course, she forgot she did. Now she was simply staring at you, still smiling. You sighed, knowing where this was probably going “Ok, what is it?”

“Oh, nothing~” she sang in a very fake innocent tone.

“Aeri…” you said with a threatening-but-not-really tone, just wanting her to admit whatever it is she needed you for this time.

“Nothing that you wouldn’t enjoy” she corrected herself. For a second, though, she looked up reconsidering her thoughts “well, hopefully.”

————————————————————————

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” You asked her, needing confirmation once again.

Aeri had sat you down on her office couch, massaging your shoulders as she straddled you. Your hands were tied up and resting against your chest. That was for no particular reason, Aeri just thought it was hot. She started speaking in a relaxed (relaxing) tone, explaining what she needed from you. The idea of sucking on her titties right there and then was an offer you wouldn’t even have to consider once, you’d just do it. But she did need to let you know why she needed it so bad right now, even though you never asked for an explanation when it came to stuff like that. Once she mentioned her breast had started producing milk though, your thoughts slowed down a bit, and you started to seriously listen to her words. She explained how her body, specially her chest, was very sensitive. And she really, really needed your help.

This was a completely new experience for you. You've never really experimented much kinky stuff before in your life, the riskiest things you've done have been the almost daily occasional sex at the office with Aeri. So naturally you felt a bit nervous a first.

However.

Once Aeri started slowly undoing her shirt, her tits looking even bigger, more appetizing than usual... your mouth got so watery and your brain felt funny, you didn't need to think about it too much. There was something about Aeri lately, you wanted to take care of each and every need she had, both in and out of bed. Maybe it was the closeness between you guys now, 'cause whether you guys admitted it or not, she was yours and you were hers. Or maybe it was the pregnancy hormones. I mean of course they affected her, she was the one pregnant- but it also affected you. You wanted to make sure she was ok, happy, satisfied, all the time. Like it was your mission in life. And you had to be honest, you desired her even more everyday.

"I'm sure, yes" she answered, her voice so soft in your ears, so sexy "Do you wanna back off? I can untie you-"

"No!" you quickly interrupted, not expecting to sound so desperate. Aeri looked at you with a raised eyebrow, finding your reaction so entertaining. You cleared your throat before speaking again "Don't look at me like that, I just wanna help if this is really what you need. You know how much I like helping you... relax" you said in a suggestive way, Aeri catching your little reference. She let a soft laugh at your comment.

"Right, I know." her hands opened her shirt, getting her chest closer to your face as she pressed down on your lap, moving against your already hard member. You groaned softly, lifting your hips a bit, wanting to be inside her already, but Aeri shook her head, patting your head.

"Ah ah ah~" she stated "You give me what I need, I'll give you what YOU need. Needy baby."

You pouted at her teasing, but simply nodded as you started kissing and sucking on her nipple. Aeri hissed, the familiar feeling of your tongue against her sensitive skin hitting just right. She could feel her clogged breast finding some relief in your mouth. Her moans didn't wait either, but her volume was the least of her worries, she was too focused on your lips.

Aeri looked down, the image of you sucking on her tits turning her on tremendously. You looked up at her, your cute puppy eyes shining as you eagerly sucked and taste the sweet liquid coming out of her. God, if you knew how good this was, you would've thought about getting her pregnant earlier.

"You s-seem to be enjoying yourself, aren't you?" Aeri mumbled between moans, her mouth slightly open as she tried to stabilize her breathing. "Does it taste that good?".

You felt on cloud 9, your body and mind discovering new feelings as you swallow the girl's sweetness.

"It's so good... tastes so good." you forced yourself to stop for a moment to speak, a drop of milk on the corner of you lips as you licked them, feeling yourself getting thirstier than before. Like a whiny baby, your begging eyes were asking her to let you please her more, you kept thrusting your hips up, making her feel your neediness against her clothed core. Aeri clicked her tongue, but the truth is she needed you just as much. Urgently freeing your cock from your pants, she sat on it, tightly gripping on your shoulders as your big size stretched her. You wanted to growl at the pleasure you were feeling, you could never get used to the way Aeri's tight pussy felt around your cock. So warm, welcoming, so wet. It was just perfect. And Aeri loved it just as much, no matter how often you guys fucked, you always stretched her so good, the perfect mix of pleasure and a pinch of pain. It drove her insane each time.

"Why d-did you stop?! I didn't tell you to stop" she groaned, pushing your head back to her breasts. You quickly went back to your task, you tongue feeling tingly. You wanted to hold Aeri tight against your body, knowing your thrusts could go faster. But if she wanted you like this, completely under her control, then you were more than ok with it. Adrenaline was overtaking you completely. You were happy it was lunch time and the floor was mostly empty 'cause there was no way that somebody outside couldn't hear what was going on inside that office. Between skin slapping against skin and Aeri's loud moans, the room was a mess of obscene noises.

"Ah! just like that~" Aeri would cry as you hit the right spot "Fuck, yeah.. right there, y/n.."

"Yeah? Does my cock make you feel good?" you groaned against her breast, swallowing and letting your tongue make a mess with her oversensitive nipples. Your fast, rough pace was ruining Aeri's mind. She could feel how hot and hard you were inside her.

"Mhmmm fuuuck, baby~" Aeri felt tears in her eyes 'cause of how good you were fucking her. She loved giving herself to you 'cause you really knew how to treat her right, how to make her feel like she was reaching heaven. She half-opened her eyes, just to see how some of her milk was going down your chin, and she felt herself getting so so close to her climax "Please don't stop, please don't stop" she begged in between whimpers.

"Fuck.. I wanna come, Aeri" you said, your focused expression almost looking like you were in pain. You wanted to make her finish first, but you were just so turned on, and she felt so good on your dick, and the taste of her milk in your mouth. You weren't gonna last much longer. That didn't mean you wouldn't keep going for her though "hmm I wanna come inside you, please.."

It almost sounded like you were asking for permission, as if whatever she said was orders for you. And it was like that in the moment, and Aeri knew it. Her hands traveled to your face, kissing you deeply, almost stealing the air from your lungs. At the same time, she started riding you even faster than before, making you moan and whine.

"Fuck, Aeri.. more.. please~" you repeated over and over again, until you finally came so so hard, filling her up 'till you couldn't anymore. It felt beyond good, your thighs were shaking under her, and you could barely open your eyes. But Aeri didn't stop. The feeling of your cum inside her pushed her closer and closer. You were surprisingly still hard, and she needed to come. She fucked herself on your dick, focused on nothing but reaching her sweet climax as well. "Aeri, w-wait.. not so fast p-please, I'm-" you couldn't even speak properly. Your dick was so sensitive, and she was overstimulating you.

"S-shut up... fuck~ you g-get to come, and I don't? I don't think so.. ah.. fuck, so good~" she said in between desperate moans, her forehead sweaty. You couldn't even argue, you'd be crazy to. So with tears in your eyes because of how sensitive you felt, you enjoyed the painful pleasure her tight pussy gave you. "Close.. fucking close.." she gasped, her whimpers getting higher and higher as she came undone on top of you, almost sounding like she wanted to cry 'cause of how good her orgasm hit her.

Once your breathings became normal, you looked at each other, and couldn't help but laugh at the realization of the things you've done. You looked at her, and you wondered how somebody could get more and more beautiful every time you looked at them.

"Can you.. untie me now? my wrists hurt a bit."

————————————————————————

"I'd do anything for you, you know?" You whispered as you caressed her hair. Aeri was lying on your chest, comfortably resting and listening to your heartbeat, only your jacket covering her.

"It's not like fucking me is a challenge for you, is it?" she muttered, making your chest elevate a bit as you giggled.

"True, but I didn't mean just that. I wanna make you happy, I wanna be here for you always. I think.." you carefully considered your words before speaking out loud, but there was no doubt in you "I think I've fallen hard for you, Aeri"

Aeri stopped breathing for a moment, processing your sudden confession. She could feel her heart happily jumping against her chest, making way for a warm, cozy, beautiful sensation to travel everywhere through her body.

"I think I've fallen just as hard, if not even harder."

————————————————————————

The closer you and Aeri got, there was no denying how much you started to feel for each other. There was so much more than just passion between you two. In short time you guys were already calling each other "girlfriend", and surprisingly you'd catch Aeri giggling and giving you dreamy smiles whenever you refer to her as that. After a few months, the f word was already being used.

Fuck.

KIDDING! Fiancée lol

Mr. Uchinaga didn't need to insist or push you guys, because once you let your barriers down and open your hearts to each other, there was no stopping what was happening between you two. So eventually, you proposed to Aeri. You guys started basically living together a while back when you became official, so you prepared the apartment one afternoon. You did it in private first of course, not wanting to put any pressure on her about it, even though her answer felt obvious. But after the "yes", the kisses, the crying, and the celebration in the bed, you planned on doing a nice dinner with friends and family soon. Even though you guys already knew the news, you couldn't help but to cry again as everybody screamed and celebrated in the restaurant.

And of course, the day of the wedding, tears and tears as you put the ring on her finger, kissing her knuckles and then sharing the sweetest kiss ever. The crowd exploded in applauses and congratulations.

"My shaylaa~" you heard Karina cry next to you guys.

"You and Minjeong when, Jimin?" NingNing teased, and Karina pushed her while trying to dry her tears. Minjeong was just sobbing like a baby while clapping, so happy for her sister.

"When are we eating the cake?"

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Once in your bed after the wedding, resting on each other's arms after a passionate encounter that could probably make Aeri pregnant if she already wasn't- you guys were cuddling and talking about life, about the honeymoon, and about the future as a family.

“So how are we gonna tell our kid that we created them in a janitor’s closet?”

“Why the fuck would we ever tell them that?”

.

.

.

I swear this was supposed to be a short thing about sucking boobies and milk and- yeah anyways goodnight.

[thebeast-dennis-etcetera]

Interference Part 1

Prompt: You run to your FBI neighbor when you and your boyfriend get into a fight.

Notes: Descriptions of DA scenario, mentions of drug use

Part 2

You tried to go over every thing you did throughout your day that might've caused your boyfriend to be so upset but couldn't think of anything. Maybe it was because you didn't stay up to wait for him to get home last night, even though you gave him till midnight. Or maybe you left some dishes in the sink that he had to clean up.

Either way, his anger was inconsolable and you knew better than to even utter a word as he slammed the doors and walked around the house with a hard set scowl on his face. You just took shelter in the kitchen as you nervously cleaned out the fridge, tossing the expired condiments away.

"This house is always such a fucking mess! You spend at least half the day here, you'd think it would look spotless!"

You knew he wasn't really mad about the cleanliness. You deep cleaned the house every single day till it was shining, he was just projecting. You weren't sure whether to respond to his outburst or just let it go but didn't even have time to make a decision once he came walking into the kitchen. The hairs on the back of your neck raised and your face heated up in anxiety as he stood there staring at you.

That's when you noticed the all too familiar state he was in. Dilated pupils, rapid breathing, slight sweat forming around his brows. He was high.

"What are you doing, huh? Throwing shit away? He said, grabbing the box of leftovers you had saved from a few days ago. "What if I still wanted to eat this? Were you going to bother to ask me?"

"I- uh- it's from a few days ago. I didn't think-

"Exactly! You didn't think! Just fucking throwing away whatever you want!"

You weren't expecting the box of expired food to be thrown at you, hitting you square in the chest, sticky noodles getting in your hair and falling into your lap.

"This is my fucking house! My fucking food! You don't get to throw away anything unless I say you can!"

You had barely recovered from food being thrown at you, you didn't realize he made a moved in on you and grabbing your arm tightly, jerking you up to your feet and pushing you towards the other side of the kitchen, the momentum causing you to lose your footing and fall to the floor.

Your senses were kicking into overdrive as you scrambled to your feet just as he grabbed a jar of pickles and launched it in your direction. It shattered on the wall besides you and you felt the sharp pain of small glass pieces cutting your skin.

You had never seen him this out of control before. There was something behind his eyes that scared you more than normal and you knew you needed to get out of his path of blinding rage. You made a run towards the hallway, him chasing you close behind but you managed to close and lock the bathroom door just in time.

"Oh, you wanna play this game now? Ok."

Your breaths were heavy, so much adrenaline flowing through your veins it almost made you woozy. There was a moment of silence, making you think he had walked away but was completely mistaken once you watched the whole door shake at the impact as he attempted to break it down. Another slam and you saw small cracks forming in the middle of the only thing keeping you safe.

You made a split second decision to escape through the window, sliding it open and trying your best to undo the screen that didn't want to cooperate. Another slam.

You looked behind you at the battered door and knew it could only hold maybe one more before he was able to get through- so like a rat trapped in a corner, you began banging on the screen until it popped off, quickly pulling your body to climb out, scraping your hips on the ledge in the process.

The gravel floor did no favors for you as you landed awkwardly, but at this point you couldn't feel anything. Or at least your brain wasn't giving you any time to register the pain. Springing to your feet, you ran out to the front of the house, your first thought to take the car but realized the keys were inside.

That's when you saw him.

He was standing on his porch going through his mail, seemingly looking like he had just gotten home from somewhere. You had heard rumors from some of the neighbors that he worked for the government or something, giving you some hope.

You began running over to him, not daring to look back to see if your boyfriend was chasing you or not.

He has seen you coming over and immediately looked concerned, putting his mail back in the mailbox and practically catching you in his arms once you reached him.

"Please. Help me- my boyfriend. H-he's gonna kill me."

You were crying now, trying to form sentences when he asked you what happened but couldn't.

When you spotted your boyfriend walk out the front door of your house and look over in your direction, a bat in hand your heart stopped.

"Please. Please," you pleaded, hiding behind his tall frame and holding onto his quarter zip for dear life.

"Here, get inside," he said, opening his front door, the both of you entering as he walked over to his kitchen counter where a gun, badge and handcuffs were set. He grabbed the gun and cuffs, clipping both of them on his waist band and turning to you.

"Stay here."

You nodded obediently and watched him walked back out. He didn't close the door so you were able to watch everything from the moment your boyfriend began waving the bat around crazily towards your neighbor to him pulling out his gun and pointing it at him.

"Get down on the ground!"

For a second you thought your boyfriend wasn't going to listen as he stared at your neighbor with fury but seemed to be coherent enough to drop the bat and put his hands in the air, looking over at you.

"Just you wait, bitch. You'll get yours."

By now, everyone was either peeping through their windows or standing on the sidewalk, nosey to see what all the commotion was about as your neighbor pushed your boyfriend to the floor and handcuffed him.

It wasn't long before multiple cop cars showed up, taking over the scene. Your neighbor made his way over to you and offered you a hand, making you realize that you were sitting on the floor, frozen to the spot, hugging your legs.

"The officers are going to want a report but I want you checked out by the paramedics first."

You took his hand but relied all on him to pull you up as your legs felt like jello. The feeling of relief and sadness overtook you as you fell into his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Instead of being pushed away and teased for it like you were used to, you got pulled in tighter and long strong arms wrapped around you, enveloping you in a warm protective embrace.

He let you cry like that for a little until you calmed down enough to walk with him outside to the ambulance that was waiting. He didn't leave as they had you climb inside and lay on the stretcher so one of the paramedics could clean up the small cuts around your arm caused by the glass jar.

"How long have you lived there?" he asked, from besides you on the bench. You hoped he didn't feel guilty for not catching the abuse sooner.

"Not very long. He's been there for years but I just moved in about a few months ago. I don't usually leave the house since I work from home so that's probably why you didn't see me too often," you answered, wincing as the antiseptic touched your raw skin.

Just then, his phone rang.

"Hotchner....I'm actually busy at the moment but you can reach out to my Communications liason, Jennifer Jareau at the office....yes of course....goodbye."

"So you're names Hotchner?" you inquired, wanting to talk about something to keep your mind off the stinging pain.

"Aaron. Hotchners my last name."

"Nice to meet you Aaron. I'm Y/N," you greeted, offering your hand for a shake. He took it with a small smile and shook it gently.

"I wish it was under different circumstances but I'm glad you're safe."

"Thanks to you. I appreciate you by the way. You handled the situation really well."

He did that half smile again and played with his hands, almost nervously.

"Well unfortunately I deal with a lot of high stress situations like that so it was almost second nature."

"Cop?" you prodded, wanting to know if there was any truth to the rumors.

"FBI. Behavioral Analysis Unit to be specific."

He didn't go into anymore detail than that but that was more than enough for you. So he's an Federal Agent. You literally couldn't have picked a better neighbor to run to.

- - - -

After the paramedic was done cleaning you up and you gave your report to the officer, Aaron came over, hanging up the phone.

"I know the house is technically not yours but he won't be back anytime soon and I'm sure you need to get cleaned up and everything. I'm gonna give you my card, I wrote my personal cell number in case you need anything but also feel free to come over if my car is in the driveway."

You took the card, reading his slightly sloppy writing and nodded with a smile.

"Thank you again Aaron. Really, you're a lifesaver."

He pulled you in for another hug, surprising you but you accepted it happily.

"No strenuous activity until those cuts and bruises heal," he advised seriously, making you laugh. You both pulled away and it took you a second to actually walk away, not really wanting to leave the comfort of his safe presence but you did and went back into the house, ignoring all of the mess and taking a long needed shower, thinking about everything that happened.

[bryanxlawrence]

As Bryan enjoyed the festivities, and it meant that there was a lot of excitement, a lot of walking around and being out and about. So he decided to go on the train ride, a very delicious donut in one hand and an extra hot soy latte in his other. His head lifted up and he smiled. "Sure!" he gestured to the empty seat next to him. "Here to temporarily get away from the cold, too?"

WHO: Rafael & OPEN (until December 1)

WHERE: Merrock Railway

WHEN: November, 2023

Although Rafael wasn't fond of ice skating or doing a ton of shopping, didn't have much artistic talent to help with painting windows or making crafts, he could do one thing: sit back and relax on a train ride through Merrock to admire some decorations. And that was exactly what he planned to do as he made his way down the aisle, dressed in a warm coat, coffee in one hand, fresh pastries in the other. Spotting an open seat, he offered the other person a polite smile, gesturing with his chin to the open seat. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

[ghoulfriends-and-tin-cans]

Howdy Partner - Part 1

I...yep. This fic finally broke out of the cage in my brain and found its way into the world. Careful. It bites.

If you'd like to be added to my taglist, please let me know!

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Pre-War!Cooper Howard (Fallout Show) x fem!Reader

[A/N: This is just fluff with some suggestive language, because as sinfully hot as he is as a Ghoul, he looks like an absolute cinnamon roll as an actor.]

Warnings: Fluff, mild angst, mutual pining, idiots in love, they both think their feelings are unrequited, Cooper is already divorced, flirty friends to lovers, they both wanna kiss so bad, drinking but not heavy, mentions of alcohol, they're not tipsy but they have had a couple of glasses of champagne.

~*~

"Cut! That's a wrap for this week," the director called, and everyone on set began to disperse. Beginning to corral the various props so they could be stored until Monday, I breathed a sigh of relief that the week was over. Halfway through winding up one of the ropes, someone cleared their throat behind me.

"Pardon me, ma'am. Any chance an ole cowboy could int'rest you in a celebratory drink?" The faux western accent drew a smile across my lips before I could school my expression. When I turned, Cooper Howard stood in full costume with his cowboy hat held respectfully over his chest. Always such a gentleman.

"Surely there's some gorgeous starlet who you'd rather be drinking with, Mr. Howard," I teased as I laid the looped rope onto its hook. Clasping my hands behind my back, I blinked innocently up at the man who'd been my friend for years and had quickly carved a spot for himself in my heart.

"Now, why would I want to take another woman out on the town when the most gorgeous one in all of Hollywood is standin' right in front of me?" He murmured, and despite the pang it sent through my heart, I gave a sly smile as I grasped his arm.

"One of these days, Coop, you'll regret being so flirty with me," I said as he plunked his hat on top of my head instead of his own. I couldn't imagine it looked as good on me as it did on him.

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because, one of these days, the woman destined to be your next wife might overhear you, think you're taken, and give up before she's even met you." We walked toward his trailer, dodging busy workers as we talked. "Or worse...I might actually think you mean those sweet little things you say to me."

Keeping my head forward as we walked, I caught him looking at me out of the corner of my eye, his expression inscrutable.

"Wouldn't that just be a shame," he muttered, but his tone contradicted his statement entirely. A large grin stretched Cooper's lips as we stepped inside his trailer. I knew the drill by now. We left the door open, and I took a seat as he ducked behind a privacy screen at the other end. His accent fell away as he changed out of his costume. "That hat's yours now, by the way."

For a moment, all I could hear was the gentle sound of cloth as I tried to force my tongue to work.

"What?"

"They had about ten of those hats for this movie, and I snagged a couple. One for me, and one for you. That one's yours," he called, and butterflies swarmed in my stomach. "Assuming you want an old actor's hand-me-down, of course. You could always just leave it in my trailer today when we go for drinks and the costume people will find it. I just remember you saying you liked the way the one from this particular movie looked, so I figured..."

He trailed off as he walked out from behind the privacy screen in a white button-down shirt and some dark brown slacks. My breath hitched in my throat, but I shook my head quietly.

"No, I do love it. I'm not leaving it here," I said as I got to my feet. "Thank you, Cooper."

Pink dusted his cheeks, and I couldn't help but wonder how I got this lucky. He didn't feel the same as I did, but it was enough that he considered me one of his close friends. Or, at least, that's what I told myself on those lonely evenings when I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms.

I'd been lost in thought for a moment, snapping back to reality when he waved a hand in front of my eyes.

"You in there?" He asked, a mix of amusement and concern coloring his features as I blinked up at him. "You looked like you were a thousand miles away."

"Only about fifteen," I muttered, and before he could ask what I meant, I plastered what I hoped was an enthusiastic smile on my lips. "Well, what are we waiting for? You wanted a celebratory drink, so let's go get it, shall we?"

Cooper had known me for too long to be fooled by that. Like always, I could see his jaw clench for a second as he tucked the information away in the back of his mind for later, then smiled back at me.

"Lead on, ma'am." His faux western accent was back, and he gave me a little wink as I slipped past him out of his trailer.

--

I'd expected to find myself in a bar with him, but Coop had different plans. He'd driven me to his place - a much smaller house than the one he'd previously shared with his daughter and his ex-wife. He'd downsized after the divorce, choosing a more rustic place that was closer to nature than his cushy almost-mansion had been. Modern conveniences were still present, but he was no longer surrounded by the stifling side of city life.

Kicking our shoes off and wandering out onto the upstairs balcony, we raised our champagne flutes and toasted the success of the new movie. I tried not to watch the bob of his Adam's apple too closely as he swallowed.

Looking out at the dark expanse of the night and the bright lights of the city several hours later, we'd barely finished more than a couple of glasses each. It was so incredibly easy with him. We'd talked the whole evening away, focusing on everything and nothing, paying no mind to the fact that the world kept spinning without us.

Eventually, a cold breeze whirled through the air, and we retreated inside. Cooper grabbed an oversized blanket and we cuddled up together in his living room in front of the fireplace. Setting the hat he'd given me on the coffee table, he wrapped his arms around me and let me rest my head on his chest.

This wasn't the first time we'd curled up like this, but it felt more weighted this time. His chin touched the top of my head just as I noted how fast his heart was beating.

Adrenaline. That's all it was. We'd both been startled by how quickly the temperature had dropped. There was no way it could be anything else.

"It looks better on you," he murmured against the top of my head, and my own heart thudded faster in my chest. "The hat, I mean."

A huff of laughter escaped me.

"Somehow, I think your fans might disagree, Mr. Howard. Hell, even I disagree," I admitted as I toyed with one of the buttons on his shirt.

"That's too bad. All of you are wrong. You look so damn good in it," Cooper said as one of his hands skimmed up my back. He sounded more serious than any of his other silly little flirtatious statements ever had - a feat I hadn't thought possible. I could never tell if he was joking when we were alone like this.

"Careful, now. I might end up thinking you're serious–"

"I am," he blurted as his grip around me tightened by a fraction. "I'm serious."

When I lifted my head to look up at him, Cooper was already looking at me; his gaze was soft and vulnerable as he lifted a hand. The backs of his knuckles brushed down the side of my face so gently that the breath was stolen from my lungs.

"Cooper..." I tried to tell him what I was feeling - tried to force all of the words I'd been holding back to the tip of my tongue - but they got stuck somewhere in my throat.

"It's okay," he breathed, his voice was low and rough as he spoke. "You don't have to say anything. I know this probably isn't... I'm divorced, older, and I have a kid. I'm not under any delusions about how undesirable my situation is, but I just wanted to say it once...before I lost my nerve."

I must've fallen asleep. I was dreaming, I had to be.

"I don't expect you to feel the same. You're so beautiful, so kind...you must have men beating down your door for a chance to be with you, and you're stuck here drinking with a washed up old man," he murmured, guilt winding around every word. "When I drive you home in the morning...if it would make you more comfortable, we can forget I ever said anything...blame it on the champagne."

Alarm rocketed through me. I didn't want that. I didn't want to forget. I didn't want to blame it on the alcohol.

Dream or not, I just wanted Cooper.

Leaning upward, I took a chance and pressed my lips against his. They'd always looked soft. I never thought I'd get the chance to find out what they felt like on anything but the back of my hand.

When he kissed me back, I'd never been so glad to be wrong.

Giving in to my desires, I braced one hand on his chest and buried the other in his soft, dark hair. He grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me closer as we drowned in each other.

When we finally broke apart, Cooper nuzzled my nose drawing a breathless, joyful giggle from some dazed part of my mind.

"Stay with me tonight," he whispered, and I nodded my head.

"I did assume I would be when you stated that you'd be driving me home in the morning," I teased, and he gave me a gorgeous smile, his eyes twinkling in the low light.

"Beautiful smart-ass. I meant...stay in my room with me. Not the guest room," he murmured even as his gaze dropped to my lips again. "I promise I'll be good - keep my hands to myself."

"You don't have to." The words whispered against his lips prompted a hungry hum from his throat, but he shook his head.

"I want to wine and dine you first. You deserve that...deserve to be treated like a princess," he said, "that way, when the time comes, and I finally have you all to myself, you'll know how much you mean to me."

A desperate whimper escaped me, and he smirked like the cat that got the canary.

"Now, can you be a good, patient girl for me tonight, sweetheart?"

I agreed, muttering under my breath that he was a damn tease, but my protests were silenced by the look Cooper gave me as he led me to his bedroom. Longing looked good on him.

~*~

Taglist:

@live-logs-and-proper

[justatypicalwizard]

A scrap from your book

Bakugo x reader, aged up, college! au, quirks don't matter, no warnings, just heartwarming

Roommate Bakugo who is forced to share a room with you for about three months due to unexpected construction works in the college apartment he occupied. The whole Bakusquad was moved to random rooms. To make it worse they were all shared ones. You agreed to take in a male occupant.

Roommate Bakugo who tries to spend as much time outside of the cramped college room as possible. He feels like he's kinda invading your privacy as well as just finding the whole situation uneasy.

Roommate Bakugo who has to complete a bunch of assignments but the library is packed in the late afternoon hours, the air thick with gossip, stress, sweat and annoyance. Bakugo finally wandered off to the dorm room to find some peace for his work.

Roommate Bakugo who spotts you always turn off your lamp and tune down the brightness on your laptop when he tells you he's going to sleep.

"You don't have to do that." He grunts, already wrapped up in heavy covers.

"I don't mind, you do the same." Because he does.

Roommate Bakugo who walks on you watching a film he loves. At first he just circles the small room mindlessly, more interested in the unwrapping dialogue between his two favourite characters than the laundry he's picking up.

"You wanna watch?" You ask, pausing the movie.

"No. I was going to do my laundry."

"I can wait, I can buy some snacks in the meantime, I was looking for an excuse to do it anyway."

So the two of you ended up finishing the film together, sitting on your bed.

Roommate Bakugo who talks to you more, geting used to the situation faster than he thought he would. You both sit by your desks working on the boring college stuff. He spotted you were trying hard, not slacking around and keeping most of your deadlines. Even if he didn't want to admitt it, he was impressed. Not that he didn't do the same, it's just rare to find a person who actually cares.

Roommate Bakugo who didn't know how to phrase a sentence. He was working on a piece of paper for the last two hours after an intense day of workout and his brain refused to cooperate anymore.

"Can I ask you for a favour?" Your face appeared from behind your laptop screen.

"Depends on what is it."

"I finished a short essay and I wanted to ask if you could read it and tell me if it makes sense."

Might as well take a break to refresh his mind. Bakugo read through the text and came to the conclusion that you were a good writer. A very good writer in fact.

"How would you say that in other words?" He asked after you were happy with your work, your laptop tossed aside as you lay on your bed scrolling through your phone.

You skipped to him, read through the sentence and gave him a paraphrase, one that he wouldn't think of himself.

"Thanks."

Roommate Bakugo who was eying you book collection for some time. You had a bunch. When he asked the two of you started talking and in went on and on and on. Finally, you stood up on your bed, the sheets dipping in where you stretched out to reach the highest shelve. Picking out a book you handed it to him.

"My favourite."

So he started to read it.

Roommate Bakugo who got a text from you that you wouldn't be back in the dorms for the night. After a shower he laid down in his bed, shirtless, with your book in hand. It was definitely worth it and he was way past the half already. Suddednly the doors opened only to reveal you, eying him up and down.

"The fuck you doing here?" Suddenly Bakugo felt a tad bit embarassed about his bare chest and lose sweatpants.

"My friend cancelled, sorry, you have someone over?" A small sly grin appeared on yoru lips.

"Jeez no, I'm just half naked."

"I don't mind." You shrugged, throwing your bag on the bed.

And what was that supposed to mean?

Nevermind. Bakugo wanted to get back to the story when he spotted something horrific. His hand gripped a nice chunk of the page, torn out of the book. He must have done it when you startled him with the grand entrance. It was readable as he only torn the cream white but it still looked nasty.

"Shit, I'm sorry." He didn't even look at you, opting on eying the damage, embarassement creaping up his cheeks for destroying someone's else belonging. One of yoru favourite belongings.

You came over, looked at the book and started to laugh.

"What's so fucking funny?" From embarassed Bakugo quickly merged into defensive.

"You look as if you killed my grandma. It's just a book." You saw that it didn't make him feel better, in fact the frown in his brows deepened. "I like my books being used. Lets treat it as a memory of you reading it. Give me the torn piece, please." Your hand reached out and he put the scrap into your open palm.

You skribbled something down on it using a pen fished out of your drawer. When you gave it back to him, the paper read 'Don't stress so much, dummy.'

"You can keep it." A smile brightened your face as you turned around to do other things.

Roommate Bakugo who would never admitt to anyone that he kept that scrap in the back of his phonecase at all times.

Roommate Bakugo who would never admitt to anyone that it took you roughly two months to steal his rock-like heart away.

[dolphincultleader]

You put Wonwoo in a dilemma between his heart and his brain

Warnings- Reader is drunk, A few curses here and there, sort of suggestive but nothing really happens between them

Word Count- 752

---

"Give me the damn keys" Wonwoo grunted.

You, on the other hand, stumbled. Trying to find something to balance your weight. Wonwoo stared at you with a mix of amusement and annoyance. He told you not to go out today. He told you he couldn't come pick you up.

Yet, here the two of you were. With you barely being able to stand and him trying to get you home.

"You know..." you started, evident in your voice that you were drunk.

"Yes, love?" You would had noticed the emphasis on "love" in an annoyed way if you were sober. But you weren't.

"You look very hot right now." You deadpanned. His eyes widened at the sudden words as he couldn't help but chuckle at your flirtatious words.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and your round glasses are just the cherries on top." You said as you kept staring at him while he desperately held onto your arm, trying to help you keep your balance.

"Sweetheart, I love you and how hot you think I am but I really need you to walk straight right now" he said, desperately trying to make sure you both walk forward properly. You did not help with that at all.

Suddenly, you froze and turned to him. He stared down at you, his eyes narrowed.

"What now..." he took a deep breath "love?" His patience was clearly running thin. But the way you stared up at him with those wide, seemingly innocent eyes, he couldn't help but melt.

"I want you to fuck me"

Your blunt words broke him out of whatever trance he was in, admiring your cuteness.

"Sorry?"

"Fuck me"

He sucked in a deep breath.

Did your words go straight to his dick? Yes.

Does that mean he was going to act on it? Hell no.

"Love, not now." He said as he worked on you both walking straight. You, on the other hand, weren't cooperating.

You twisted his arm and escaped his grip. Suddenly, before he realised what was happening, your lips were on his. Your soft lips against his felt so good. He wanted to fuck you right then and there. But he also couldn't miss the smell of alcohol in your breath.

You pushed your tongue in, fighting for control, trying to deepen the kiss. However, clarity hit him hard.

No matter how much he wanted to fuck you right then, you were drunk.

Way too drunk to know what you really wanted. Way too drunk to say yes. Way too drunk to consent properly. Way too drunk to truly want this.

He pulled away. You groaned at the loss of contact.

"What the fuck wonwoo" you said, not yelling, but clearly annoyed.

"You're drunk" he said simply.

---

The next morning, you woke up with a horrible headache. The hangover was killing you. Thankfully, Wonwoo was by your side. Hearing you groan in agony, his sleepy eyes opened.

"Hi"

"My head is killing me"

He chuckled at that. You shot his a glare as he moved under the covers to turn to your side.

"What happened last night?" You asked.

"You mean when you went out and got drunk out of your mind and called me to pick you up when i clearly told you i'd be busy?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at you. You gave him an unamused look as he went on.

"Well, nothing much really. I picked you up and walked you home. You refused to help me on that. Oh and in the walk home, you started telling me how hot i am..." You interrupted him by coughing loudly at that. He shot you a glare this time.

"And uh... you started begging me to fuck you..." he stared at you as you processed that information. Suddenly, you felt the atmosphere change as heat rose to your cheeks. Before you could ask, he continued.

"Of course, nothing happened." He clarified. You both sat in silence for a few minutes. He knew how important consent was for your relationship. You both did.

"Thats a relief..." you breathed out.

"I just figured, you were too drunk and I didn't wanna do something when you clearly aren't thinking straight, you know?" He rambled on.

"Yeah of course. Thanks... for that." You told him.

"You don't ever need to thank me for being a decent human being" he replied, his hands gesturing you to come closer to him.

As you laid in his arms, you couldn't help but wonder how you got so lucky.

---

Masterlist

[justporo]

What would Astarion be like if he noticed his love was feeling down? Would he be able to comfort Tav, or would it be all horridly awkward for him?

Ah hello anon! What a wonderful question. And I do have thought about that before.

I do have some headcanon posts and I guess even a fic about that? But let me talk about this for a second.

I guess both would be true actually: he would be able to but it would be awkward, at least in the beginning. This man probably didn't comfort anyonre for the last two hundred years. The only thing to go off is probably what he himself would have wished for in comfort. So especially if he's at a point with his partner where they are already sorta established I guess he would absolutely try his best to comfort a partner.

Does he know how tho? Absolutely not. So the first time probably looks like Sheldon Cooper handing someone a cup of tea and going "naw, naw" while patting your shoulder awkwardly. He tried though.

And because I figure Astarion is good at reading people - because he had to be as a survival mechanism - he puts his brain juice all into figuring out how to comfort his love. Because he definitely doesn't want them to feel down. So he learns and observes, and with time I can see him get quite good with these sorts of things. Figuring out exactly what his partner needs.

So, that's my five cents on the matter. And here are what I've written thus far about it as well if you wanna take a look!

Astarion pulling his partner out of a bad mood (headcanons)

Astarion battling his partner's insecurities (headcanons)

Astarion comforting his partner (headcanons)

It's where my demons hide (fic where Astarion comforts his partner after they had a nightmare, spoiler: he sucks ass about it)

Brewing Storms (fic where Astarion comforts Tav because of their fear of thunderstorms)

Also know I've come to realise that this is a trope I've written and thought about a lot, lmao.

[wowbright]

Anderson’s Guide to the Birds of North America, Chapter 7: Thinking of You

Summary: Fourteen scenes from the lives of Blaine Anderson, grad student and avid birder, and Kurt Hummel, clothing designer and Vogue writer, from before their first meeting during the COVID lockdowns of spring of 2020 through falling in love. Written for the Klaine Valentine’s Challenge 2025.

Also on AO3.

Chapter 7: Thinking of You

Blaine stared at his computer. His brain just wasn't working the way he wanted it to. The past couple of days had been rough. Reading the news was overwhelming. Social media was worse.

And the weather had disrupted his daily routine. Heavy morning rains had made sunrise birding out of the question. He’d managed to go out later when the rain lightened, but it wasn’t the same.

On top of that, the lack of sunshine was making Cooper moodier and more restless than usual. He paced the apartment, randomly barked out lines from television shows and, last night at dinner, had refused to converse with Blaine in anything other than song lyrics. Today, he’d barged into Blaine’s room so many times to accuse him of misplacing things or leaving the toilet running or eating the last of the granola that Blaine had finally shoved a step ladder under the handle so Cooper couldn't open it anymore.

Blaine wished he could go to a coffee shop or the library or anywhere, really, that wasn't here.

He wished even more that he could go to one of those places with Kurt.

Or, better yet, that he could go over to Kurt’s apartment and watch TV together in person instead of over Netflix Party. They’d sit on the couch and cuddle together, and Blaine would finally learn what Kurt’s body felt like, the shape of his arms around Blaine, the scent of his skin.

It killed Blaine that he didn't know what Kurt smelled like. How could he, when they’d never stood closer than six feet apart? After Kurt had told Blaine his nightly skin care routine, Blaine had ordered every single product and started doing the same routine himself just so that he could lie in bed and imagine it was Kurt he was smelling.

At least he would be hearing Kurt’s voice soon. They’d scheduled a check-in for 2 p.m., and that was just a few minutes away.

Blaine forced himself to do a little more work.

His phone rang at two on the dot.

“How are you holding up today?” Kurt's voice was such a welcome relief.

“Not that well, to be honest,” Blaine said, flopping onto his bed.

“You wanna tell me about it?”

“Just the usual stuff. Wishing I could go somewhere else. Wishing I could spend time with you.”

“We're spending time together right now. And we’re still on for our socially distanced birdwatching date tomorrow, right?”

“I know. But I wish … I could touch you.”

“Oh?” Kurt’s tone turned flirtatious. “Tell me more, Mr. Anderson. In explicit detail.”

Blaine chuckled. “Well, yes. I do want to touch you like that. But I also want to hold your hand and snuggle up next to you on the couch and lean my head on your shoulder and play with your hair. All the little things—I want them with you.”

There was a brief, comforting silence, like Kurt was pausing to bathe in the words before saying anything back. “I do, too. Sometimes it makes me so sad. But then it makes me glad to be sad, because I'm thinking of you. The longing—it’s kind of delicious. Because it means that … my heart belongs to you, Blaine.”

Blaine closed his eyes. Kurt felt so close, like if Blaine reached across the pillow, he'd be right there. He'd been physically close with lots of guys, but he had never felt this kind of intimacy with anyone.

[bethelighthalazia]

Stunt gone wrong

Summary:  Yeonjun´s girlfriend y/n helps out as a stunt double, but the stunt goes wrong and she ends up with a semi-serious injury. 

Genre: angst, fluff(?)

Pairing: bf!Yeonjun x fem!reader

Word Count:  889

Warnings: Injuries, mentions of blood, hospital 

[notice: it´s my first time writing for TXT and my brain was somewhat foggy and didn't want to cooperate properly, but I still hope you all will like it!]

Y/n was asked to jump in as Beomgyu´s stunt double for his fall off the bike in the MV for Loser=Lover. She didn't mind, after all, it's not that hard to safely fall from a moving bike. Yeonjun didn't really like it, but he didn't stop her, he's supportive of his girlfriend and her hobby, which turned into a part time job for TXT and sometimes for their big brothers BTS. Being a background dancer, who also has experience in being a stunt double, y/n often helps out when they need someone and her looking similar to Beomgyu at this time, she was perfect for this stunt.

However, this day felt off somehow. The bike was wobbly underneath her, but y/n didn't mention it, she didn't want the shooting to be delayed because of her. So, she gritted her teeth and thankfully, the first shoot made it into the video. When she fell, her head hit the street where they were filming a bit harder than anticipated, but y/n shrugged it off, so no one really paid attention to her through the rest of the shooting.

That is, until Yeonjun noticed his girlfriend being quite pale and just sitting leaned against one of the equipment boxes. In one of his breaks, he walked over with a concerned look on his face, crouching down next to her.

“Hey, y/nnie, you okay?” He asks quietly, head tilted just a bit as he tried to check her for any signs of injuries or anything, but he couldn't make out anything, since her head was lowered and the hood of her sweater was up.

“Yeah, it's just a scratch, don't worry Yeonjun,” she whispered, but winced lightly when she moved her head. This didn't go unnoticed by Yeonjun and when he reached out to cup her cheek gently, he froze in place. Her cheek felt slightly scraped and there was something wet and warm.

Carefully, he removed her hood and a gasp escaped him. She was bleeding, along the side of her face, her skin was scraped open and her temple seemed to have hit the asphalt a little too hard.

“Shit, fuck. Y/n, this is not just a scratch!” He hissed out, head poking up to look around and when he spotted Soobin close by, he yelled for his friend. “Soobin! Get me that first aid kit and call an ambulance, right now!”

Soobin did as told and he did it quickly, running over to where Yeonjun and y/n were positioned, his jaw dropping when he saw her face. “Shit- here, Beomgyu is calling the ambulance now. Can I do anything else?”

“I don't kn- hey, hey y/nnie, baby, stay with me-” Yeonjun’s voice got panicky when he noticed y/n drifting off and tilting aside, his eyes widened in panic. Soobin quickly reacted and sat down next to her to steady her against himself while Yeonjun talked to her.

“Hey, remember what you told me earlier, y/nnie? You wanna tell Soobin too?” He asked, fumbling with the first aid kid, his hands trembling in panic. Soobin took the pack from Yeonjun and opened it, hoping that the ambulance would arrive quickly. Beomgyu soon came over too, carrying a bottle of water. “Here. How's she doing?” He asked quietly while Yeonjun applied a bandage around her head to stop the bleeding a bit at least. 

“Yeo-…’m so sleepy…” Y/n’s voice was mostly a slurred whisper, Yeonjun looking helplessly at his girlfriend and then at his two friends. Even though he's the oldest of them, he doesn't know what to do right now. 

“You can sleep in a bit, okay? Tell me something, y/n. How did you like our outfits today?” It was Soobin’s voice, calm and soothing. He knew that she'd have to stay awake and with a nod towards their oldest, he gestured Beomgyu to help Yeonjun to wash his hand and calm down. “Hmm…like Yeonjun more in…his soft warm sweaters…” she whispered, smiling, but then her head dropped against Soobin's shoulder and he could hear a quiet snore. “No, no you can't sleep, Y/n, c'mon.” 

Alerted by those words, Yeonjun spun around to look at his friend and his girlfriend, panicking, his breath hitched in his throat. He just wanted to hurry over, but then Kai already came running, followed by a medic and soon the ambulance stopped right where they were.

Y/n was rushed to the hospital and the five boys followed, neither was allowed to sit in the ambulance with her. It took almost two hours of waiting in the ER, Yeonjun pacing around in the waiting area of the hospital while Soobin tried to calm his hyung.

“She's in room 319, it's on the third floor. Don't worry, she'll be fine, it was nothing life threatening, just a concussion.” The doctor said when he came out as he was stopped by Beomgyu. Kai couldn't hold back a little chuckle when he heard the room number, but soon followed his hyungs to the room. All of them were relieved, when they saw y/n sitting in the hospital bed, smiling at her favorite boys. Yeonjun didn't hold back and ran over, carefully kissing her with a teary laugh, he had been so horribly worried.

© by bethelighthalazia. Do not repost, copy or translate. Unless stated otherwise, those works are mine and born from my own ideas. I don't have any claim on the mentioned real existing Idols whatsoever.

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Danger Force Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 1

Episode 3: Ray Goes Cray (SMUT)

Season 1 Masterlist

Click for vibes

*HOOOO, THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER. 31,000 words, mamacita! we're going straight in with some smut, and may I just say, I am quite proud of it. i was bored, sitting around my uni building, waiting for a VERY boring lecture, so...this...was born. 

Como siempre, mis amigos--as always--if you are too young for the nasty, DO NOT READ THIS. there is also a spicy bit in the middle, and fear not! Ray will also get his fun times soon ;)

also. fun fact that i did not know: cooper barnes (ray irl) was born in the same city as me :0 ...he's secretly english!

Anywho—¡Vamos!

"Taste so fucking good..."

(y/n) dozed peacefully, basking in the morning sun peaking through her curtains. It was early - she didn't know how early, but her foggy brain begged for a few more minutes. 

Dipping in and out of consciousness, she moaned softly, digging her chin into her feathery pillow as her skin warmed and prickled, feeling hazily heavenly. She couldn't remember another time when she'd woken up so peacefully in the morning--when the sanctuary of her bedroom made her feel so good... 

Were the sheets really so soft? Soft enough to make her feel like she was floating? Waves of subtle pleasure rolled through her body, spreading to the tips of her limbs and rolling in the back of her mind as she hugged a corner of the duvet. It was a little strange; for how cosily stifling the room felt, her bare body was exposed, stripped of any covers, making her twitch to pull them over her chest. 

"Such a sweet little thing..." 

She hummed at the whispering voice, swearing she was dreaming as she nuzzled her pillow more, begging her mind to fall asleep. The alarm clock hadn't rang yet, so she rightfully had those few minutes to herself - just her, the massive, soft bed, and whatever that good feeling was. 

She shifted slightly, rolling from her side to her back since her gut told her to. It murmured that she needed to widen her legs a little more, the warmth squeezing her flesh adding praises when she turned to jelly and relaxed. Her body seemed to move on its own like a marionette, utterly exposed, but that was okay - it felt too good to complain. 

A quiet moan fell from her lips, nothing more than a hum, and a curled fist scrubbed over her eyes in tandem with a hot thing. It licked up her leg--like the sheets brushed her inner thigh, making her jerk slightly, but then it was soothed. Heat settled into her core as her arms flopped beside her head, nude breasts heaving and painted in gold from the expansive windows. 

She loved the view, but she loved waking up to it more, squealing slightly as a jolt wracked her tummy. 

"God, you're soaked... Wanna fuckin' drink."

That made her eyebrows twitch; too much of a sensation in her core to be deemed normal. She hadn't had breakfast yet, yet she felt so full, like there was a pit in her empty stomach. The thirst was worse, craving something on her dry tongue as it wrapped around a scratchy whine. 

The fullness came and went - agonisingly slowly - yet left her hungering for more with an insatiable ache. 

It was a puzzle. A whirlwind of conflicting information, no matter how good it felt to lie there and question nothing. She had a scientist's brain, and something--the little grey cells at the back of her mind--said that the sun could never feel this good. 

It didn't treat her so gently, running from her collarbone, loitering on her tit, passing over her stomach and further. Slowly but surely, she came around, wondering if she was clutching at the last slips of a delightful dream when something nipped at her soft flesh before gently kissing somewhere in between. She never wanted to wake up if her mind could conjure such pleasure...

"Fuck, look at how you take me... Another, perhaps, sweet girl?" But the sun certainly didn't speak, and if it did, she doubted it would call her such names when it glowed so dazzlingly. 

Her eyes fluttered open, breaking the illusion of sleep as her senses exploded, noting that it was a bright, sunny day. She'd forgotten to close the drapes, so she rose at dawn. The laundry basket was full, so she'd have to put a load in the washing machine. Schwoz had texted her, so she'd have to see what the fuzzy little weirdo wanted. She could even see a V-shaped flock of birds flying past the mountain, telling her that a new day had begun. 

It was all very typical in the daily life superheroine, but something was missing. There were no arms around her waist, no warm lump for her leg to hook over, no nook to tuck her nose, and certainly no soft snores in her ear. No doofus. No Ray. 

So, what was that...good feeling?

Picking her heavy head up from the pillow, chin pressed into her clavicle in a very flattering position, she quirked an eyebrow at the thatch of chocolate hair poking from between her thighs. All she could see were two reddened ears peeking through the floof - no eyes, nose, or mouth. But goddamn, could she feel them...

"Doofus?..." she mumbled, watching his feverish bobbing through bleary eyes once she realised where he'd sneakily disappeared. 

"Yeah?" Ray asked casually, glancing up for the first time in an hour like it was the most natural thing in the world, regardless of whether his chin was slick from the mess at the apex of her thighs. 

His eyes were wide and innocent as if she'd interrupted a good book or TV show--as if he hadn't slipped under the duvet after waking up early, throwing it off their blazing bodies when he decided to have a little one-on-one time. Just him and his best girl, reacquainting each other while his wife got the sleep she deserved. 

"What are you doing?" 

"I was hungry..." he replied with a shrug, slightly muffled since he refused to remove his lips from her slick lips, licking lightly as she sighed. 

"Oh, God..." (y/n) gasped, not knowing if she was frustrated from how he woke her up to such an overwhelming feeling or if his tongue truly felt that good. 

Everything was so blurry, lines between reality and dreamland crossing until that scientist's brain couldn't make heads or tails of the world, but one thing was for sure - the pleasure was intense. Stronger than usual, wildly when he flicked her clit lightly. She cried out, her hand sluggishly finding his hair as he groaned at the sweetness pooling on his tastebuds. 

"So..." he continued, briefly pulling away to swallow and take a breather, "I cashed in a coupon."

"At six-thirty in the morning?" His wife retorted dryly, glancing at the clock to see that it was another early start because he thought with his cock, not his brain. She relaxed into the mattress, keeping her legs spread for him to resume his languid explorations, lapping at her fluttering hole. 

Whenever he wanted more to drink, he slid two fingers inside, surprising her at the little resistance and the wetness pouring out of her. He eagerly collected every drop on his tongue, groaning at the honeyed taste, and it made her think he'd been at it for a while, fucking her gently until her mind caught up with her trembling body. 

Those goddamn coupons, wrapped in several T-shirts and tucked into his suitcase for their flight home from Hawaii; Ray refused to leave them to go dusty on a shelf. No, he'd only used a handful and was eagerly waiting to cash them, not that he needed any more inspiration for their sex life. 

"Whenever, wherever you said," the man noted, having etched her promise onto his frontal lobe so they never stopped using them. He suckled on her clit, obsessed with how he could crook his fingers and make her writhe - his very own puppet - but it was the nectar he was after. 

A man couldn't live more than three days without climbing between her thighs, and he'd been quiet about it, settling below her without so much as a sound or accident. She slept longer than he had - who was his sweet girl to grumble?

"Okay, okay. But which one was it? The one where I can't sleep in?" (y/n) pouted moodily, yet didn't push him away. Her hand remained on his crown, encouraging him to keep doing whatever that thing was with his tongue as she brought the other to her breast, holding it gently, tweaking her nipple like he would if he wasn't busy. 

"No...overstimulation." The deep growl made her shudder, heightened by her fingers' sensation. He said it so casually, resuming his work like it was nothing, squeezing her thigh as he quickly picked up the pace. His digits plunged her cunt further, hungry for more now that she was awake and tempting him with her breathless moans and bratty remarks--fuck, her fingers in his hair. 

Seeing her sleeping and writhing was one thing - so fucking hot. She mewled in her sleep, bucked her hips like she was dreaming of having him in her pussy while he sucked the juices out of her, but nothing compared to how she called his name. His precious wife moaned his name under her breath when he slowly slid his thick ring finger inside her, bumping the cool metal against her folds as hers glinted in the sunlight. 

He could only imagine what raced through her mind as he flexed against the mattress. Still, he liked to think she dreamed of him above her, legs around his waist, nails digging into his back, and a Hawaiian sunset outside. He hoped to give her the same satisfaction in her imagination as he did now, grinding his weeping cock into the fitted sheet like he was back at the beach with her. 

That's how he got the idea for the coupons. Yet to see all that in real life, waking up with glowing skin and her half-lidded eyes, ordering him to service her like only she could - a man could go feral. 

"Overstimulation?" (y/n) gasped, whimpering when he squeezed her thigh a little tighter, too caught up in his thoughts to realise how she'd been toying with her tits and tugging on his scalp. 

"Yeah. A breakfast coupon, so I can get my fill of this pretty pussy," Ray smirked, licking his upper lip while calmly releasing her leg to reach for her smooth breast. He'd never lie to her, utterly besotted and softening as he felt its weight resting against his palm, thumb brushing over her nipple. 

His darling wife mewled and dropped her head back as the movement worked in tandem with his fingers, loudly fucking her needy cunt. He couldn't wait to fuck her out of her mind, having had much experience giving her two, three, or even four orgasms a night. But how many was her limit? How far could he go until she screamed, her throat raw, soaking the sheets? 

He wanted to find out--for science. Definitely for science. And maybe just to see his beloved wife fucked-out, wrecked, sweating, and jelly-like in their bed. 

"And I must say she knows how to feed a guy."

"Is that so?" (y/n) replied as calmly as she could muster, with his forearm jerking faster, plunging in and out between her thighs. She tried to keep her voice level, core clenching at the thought of him milking her for all she had. It sounded like a challenge, and Captain Man never backed down from those, camping with his mouth ready to collect as she squirmed. 

She felt it again--the sensitivity. Her head flinched to the side, cheek pressed into the pillow when the butt of his palm rubbed her clit, sending sparks along her spine. She never usually came so quickly, nor did it feel so intense, but Ray got her there, briefly leaning up to peck her neck, jaw, and lips as his leaking cock brushed her thigh. 

Fuck, she wanted it. 

"Yep! Made you cum twice before I even saw those gorgeous eyes of yours. That has to be a new record!" He gloated happily like he'd come first in a school race or beaten the smartest kid in class in a math test. She choked at the news, suddenly knowing why her cunt clenched so readily--why it wasn't gentle like a ripple in a pond as usual. 

He brought her to her third orgasm, having ripped the first two from her body while she dozed in the pleasure. No wonder she felt so good, lying there, letting him have his merry way as she came and came, giving him the honey he so desperately wanted while she twitched in her sleep. And it wasn't even seven AM yet...

"Raymond, I'm--I'm not a--a fucking Nintendo..." she gasped indignantly, hips jerking as he worked to bring her to completion again, remembering how she came so prettily for him earlier. But for someone so talkative, she arched her back and rocked her hips into his hand, pulling his face further into her pussy, among him smirk. Needy little girl.

Even in her sleep, she responded to his touch only, cumming with only a quick finger and kiss on her clit. He loved it, leaving her breast alone to sling a heavy arm over her stomach so he could savour the third. 

"But sweet girl...I play with you so well..." he remarked gently but oh-so cockily, mouth wide open with his tongue out and ready to catch her slick when she climaxed again. It wrung her out, a wave of intense pleasure erupting through her stomach as he groaned and slurped, loving how her slick spread to his wrist. 

She fought against his hold, gasping and swearing to God as his muscular arm kept her near his mouth, growling that he wasn't fucking finished drinking yet. He swallowed his fill, promising he could die then and there and go to his reward without regret, save that he didn't get to have one last drop. 

His fingers didn't slow, not even when she jerked and cried, shouting that it was too much, too soon, too fast, but he worked her through the sensitivity. Tears clung to her eyelashes, but she looked so damn pretty, eventually loosening her iron grip on his forearm when the painful sensitivity became burning pleasure--hotter than before. 

"Fuck--doofus--fuck me now?" She asked weakly, thinking she'd just about survive combustion if she had him inside her, craving the stretch of his thick cock carving her walls apart. His pace was torture, but she couldn't tell him to stop, suddenly feeling another climax in her stomach, slowly and steeply building. 

She rarely got four in one night - although it wasn't unheard of. For all his selfishness, Ray was a giver at heart, grinning into her folds as he slurped and sucked around his fingers, knowing he could beat his personal best. Usually, he paced her, spreading them out throughout the day or giving her breaks in between. 

But no; today, he wanted to truly break her--and it would be by his hand, even if his cock wept against the mattress. 

Unhurriedly and gently, he kissed her clit, murmuring praises to his second favourite girl as she provided such refreshment. His hips bucked when his wife moaned, thrashing wildly at the lewd sounds coming from her mouth and soaked pussy, unknowing if she wanted to cum again or push him away. But her arms were like noodles, limply resting by her side or on his head, taking without complaint, except that she wanted more. 

"You'll cum on my fingers and love it, pretty girl. I'm not fucking you," the man told her firmly, slapping her meaty thigh as (y/n) through her head back, whining childishly. It was so unlike her, but the thought of such a denial made her cry more than the bittersweet relief, wriggling her hips and stomping her foot into the springs in a small temper tantrum. 

"Pleeeeaaaseee? So fucking wet--just slide right in..."

Another slap landed on her flesh, tearing a choked moan from her swollen lips when her lover yanked his fingers from her tight hole at lightning speed, bringing them down on her abused cunt. Her entire body jerked, shocked by a jolt of violent pleasure surging from her clit and the sudden change as he reentered her body before he lost her fourth orgasm. 

"True..." he remarked smugly, drawing circles with the tip of his tongue as he settled down again, broad shoulders keeping her pinned legs spread for his feast. He wouldn't have any brattiness, crystal eyes glaring over the curve of her tummy as a warning - his coupon, his rules. 

It was like he'd never left, resuming his frenzied pace as she tugged on his brown hair, tears pooling in her ears as he chuckled. That tantrum didn't last long, her body melting into the bed to take whatever the fuck he gave her--and she'd be grateful. His cock would be nice, but having his pursed lips create a vacuum around her clit and his finger knuckle-deep in her pussy was good enough. 

"Shit, you were made for this, weren't you?" Ray groaned, prodding a third finger at her entrance as she began to mellow, so slick his fingers barely provided any sweet friction. A wail left her as the extra digit slid in without issue, stretching her walls perfectly and coaxing more wetness onto his tongue. 

He marvelled at how she accommodated him when he leaned back to pant and admired her precious centre, velvet clinging to his hand, pulling him in. So fucking needy...she was so innocent and demure, outwardly pretending she was above such debauchery. Yet, she took half his hand like it was nothing, sobbing filth into her palm as a soft sheen dappled her skin. 

"Mm-hmm... So, fuck me. Fuck your wife," she challenged, rocking her hips toward him suggestively--daring him to say to hell with it all and use her pussy in its rawest form. And she knew his most profound weakness--of course, she did. 

His eyes clouded further - if possible - as she weakly cupped his cheek, ensuring she pressed her fourth finger into his skin so he could feel the smooth pinkish gold of her warmed ring. If their honeymoon taught her anything, he got off on his wife--how she was tied to him forever. Their vows, the intimacy, the domesticity, the idea of being a family made her husband feral. 

Ray would be a liar if he said he didn't think about it because who was he to ignore his wife's demands? He lived to serve her, and if she wanted his cock, she could have it--God knows he was aching to slip in, pound and paint her walls until it stuck. But before that, he just wanted to try something...

"Now, now, darlin'. How am I supposed to drink every last drop if I'm not down here waiting for it? 'M not wasting anything."

He grinned, sucking on one of her folds, pulling it into his mouth and nibbling--just to hear her squeal for his sadistic satisfaction. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, y'know..."

"You're such a d-dork," (y/n) gulped, continuously licking her lips between gulps of air, not needing to look to know he was laughing at his joke. The vibrations rolled with his tongue, lodging a groan in her throat, making her feet hover next to his ears--it almost felt too good. 

"I could stop if you want..."

"Fuck--don't you dare!" She growled, eyes breaking open when she frowned, too close now to stop. It would be fucking cruel to deprive her as she hung over the edge, waiting to topple over on his command--when his fingers hit that special spot again. 

They flexed inside her again, rotating slightly at a different angle as Ray beamed and pulled one leg over her shoulder. He didn't care if it ached, leaning it back to press his face into his happy place, unbothered if it funnily squished his nose. This oasis was heaven for a parched, six-foot-something, doofy man. 

"That's my girl." He smiled, returning to affectionately kiss and nuzzle her clit. As if he could leave such a treasure without giving her a little sugar, hand blurring as it mercilessly plunged into her pussy, sensing the first ripples of her end. "How close are you?"

"So fucking close--shit, I--I can't cum again, Ray--" she gasped, head jolting from side to side as her stomach clenched and spasmed, becoming impossibly tight. 

How could she forget who he was? Captain Man had a learned speed, moving faster than most and with such power. He relentlessly milked her for his benefit, getting off on her orgasms more than she did, but she didn't care. His heavy arm kept her still, allowing him space and time to curl those three fingers inside her as his hips shuffled against the mattress, rocking the bed. 

"Yes, you can," he groaned, forcing himself to keep his eyes open even as he fucked the bedsheets, pretending they were her cunt wrapped around him. "Give it to me, sweet girl. I want it...feel it coming." 

It hit her like a freight train, slamming hard enough to make her howl and scream at his word--like she'd ever cum without permission. Always his good girl. Her fists tightened, nearly shredding whatever cotton she could grab as he laughed into her pussy, delighted by the slobbery mess on his tongue, gulping everything down, shaking his flexing muscles through her walls. 

He briefly removed his fingers to lap at the source, humping the air when a gush streamed into his mouth, imprinting on his memory forever. Two fingers parted her lips, inspecting her quivering hole, remarking he could fuck her now, and she'd still fit like a second skin. But he wouldn't, staying on his stomach as his dark gaze studied his perfect wife - and the mess she'd made. 

"Too fucking good to me, sweet girl..." Ray praised her, pulling away momentarily to smooch her inner thigh and regain his breath. Her skin glowed in the morning light, sticky and searingly hot, but she looked beautiful, even if she could barely open her eyes. He loved her like this, too weak and tired to do anything, and it gave him the job he craved more than anything - to be the one who cared for her in this most vulnerable state. 

"And, goddamn, so sweet you are..." His arm stretched over her body until his fingertips brushed her lips, smearing her slick around them. Her mouth dropped open feebly, moaning softly when they pushed inside to share what gave him the fucking will to live before he pulled them away. 

Perhaps it made him greedy, but he wanted every drop to himself, licking at the trickle that ran down his wrist and forearm, sucking on each finger down to the last knuckle until his hand was clean. Four was a lot, yet as his beloved wife lay there, breathless, exhausted, and beautiful, a dastardly idea came into his mind. 

"...One more," he declared quietly, and much to (y/n)'s shock, gasping loudly, his fingers slipped into her cunt once more. 

She swore she couldn't do it three fingers full, again, and more sensitive than she'd ever been, an overwhelming pressure bubbling in her belly as he slowly pumped in and out. A single kiss was placed on her pubic mound, his head lazily resting on her shaking thigh as he toyed with her--as if he was experimenting, rubbing her clit like a kid who--couldn't--stop--touching--

"No, no--no, Ray, I can't--"

"Let me try, sweet girl. Come on, one last time..." he murmured, using his most soothing, velvetiest voice to ease her worries because he knew her limits. He knew when she'd had enough. He knew when to back off. She could leave that to him, and he'd take care of her. Always had, always would, so he curled his digits and renewed his efforts, going deeper and harder than before, if not as fast. 

A strangled shriek left her, shattering the peace of the early hours as a pillow soared through the air, landing halfway across the room. She thrashed, kicked, and screamed, pounding her fists beside his head before roughly yanking at his hair, nearly pulling out clumps. 

This was too good, feeling like a rocket was about to burst through her tummy, a different kind of pressure quivering in her core. Honestly, it frightened her a little. Something felt off - not a bad off, but it had never happened before, making her think something was wrong as her walls convulsed like crazy, untying a knot she didn't know was there. 

"Wait, Ray--I--I'm not--I'm gonna---fuck!" Before she could say anything else, push him away, or work out what had happened, the world went black - the only thing in her eyesight was a tiny white pinprick like when she turned off her grandma's TV. 

The last thing she heard was Ray's groan; it sounded like he was underwater as her body went limp, falling into the deepest, most comfortable sleep of her life in what could've been an eternity for all she knew. 

Between her thighs, the man fucked her through the hottest thing he'd seen in his life, mouth wide open, tongue arched over his bottom lip when she gushed onto his hand. Not a droplet, a trickle, or even a wave, but a waterfall of sickly sweet liquid dousing his face's lower half in what had to be more than a mouthful. It didn't stop, pouring out of her in jets, thoroughly soaking the bed below her, and (y/n) didn't even know. 

She'd fucking squirted. And it was hot. 

"Oh, fuuuuuuuck--" Ray sang his praises as he slurped whatever he could get, thinking that if sipping on her cunt was heaven, this was nirvana. He wished he'd recorded it, wanting to replay the moment over and over again when, to his utter surprise, she came out of nowhere, and the fifth time was the charm. 

In all his born days, he'd never made anyone squirt, for all his experience and past lovers, believing it was a pornographic myth, so to see his sweet girl turning into his personal fucking fountain...he'd never recover. It ruined him - honestly, truly, completely wrecked him, leaving the mighty hero gasping and pussy-drunk against the sheets as she lay there - seemingly lifeless, yet glowing. 

It took a moment to catch up with reality, swallowing and swallowing and swallowing without thought until he realised that his precious wife was motionless. Head back, arms bent beside her ears at an awkward angle, mouth propped open from that final scream. Thanks to his godly prowess, she was out for the count, dozing better than any sleeping pills could ever provide. 

"Sweet girl?" Ray called out gently, stroking and squeezing her thigh as he waited for a response. Nothing, not even a flutter of her eyelashes in recognition. 

"Pretty girl?" He tried again, gulping the honey on his tongue to speak louder, but still, she didn't move. 

"(y/n)?" This time, it was more like a whimper as he crawled up her body, careful not to trample her noodley limbs. Hovering over her body, his frame supported by a beefy pillar beside her temple, his knuckles dragged down her cheek, catching on her tacky skin, but he didn't notice. 

All he cared about was that he'd fucked his wife unconscious--perhaps fucked her too well. He kissed her forehead, bottom lip wobbling, tears lining his lashes when she didn't respond, and guilt pooled in his stomach. He'd wanted that last one--wanted to smash his record of getting five orgasms under his belt in less than an hour, but he'd gone too far. 

The only consolation was that he'd married a strong woman. A capable woman. A woman with super-regeneration, so he didn't lose himself in panic, streaking down the hall to get help. The last thing he wanted was to go find Schwoz and tell him that he accidentally broke his wife after fingering her too much. It would break his handyman, too. 

He'd never get over the shame, so he padded off to the bathroom, ensuring he left her comfortable with the quilt pulled up to her chin lest she get cold. Quickly soaking a rag in cold water and filling a small glass, he returned and left them on the bedside table before tucking himself into her side. 

Like a lost child, he nuzzled into her chest, chastely pecking the curve of her breast as he gazed up at her. Now, it was just a waiting game, endlessly praying that she'd wake up soon as he stiffened like a sardine. It didn't matter if they lay in grimy sheets, tired and dehydrated; he had to see those pretty eyes to put his mind at ease. 

So, he waited, and waited..until fifteen minutes had passed, never once moving or leaving his place by her side. 

"D--doofus?" A croaky voice creaked as its owner sank into the land of the living again, feeling like she'd been hit by a bus. 

(y/n) woke with a thudding in her core, heart, and head, yet for all her heaviness and exhaustion, she felt strangely...complete. Like an emptiness had been filled, soothing any complaint she had, and that's when it came flooding back to her. Rough fingers, deep growls, a pleasurable fullness as a brief torrent ravaged her thighs - a mythical sensation. 

"(y/n)?" Ray gasped, eyes darting up from where he'd been re-memorising every bump, freckle, dimple, stretch mark, and inch of cellulite on her body. To his delight, he saw a crinkled smile staring back, warming his heart when he realised that his precious wife had woken up - exhausted and delirious, but she was awake. At long last. 

He leapt onto his elbow, pulling the comforter entirely off her body, so he could check for injuries or some shit--like he'd just lay there and let her hurt. She was fine, reaching up to stroke her fingers through his bed-head, her arm aching like all hell. 

"You know I don't like it when you call me that... Sounds weird," the woman joked, nose wrinkling at how serious he sounded, unlike the carefree, lovable idiot she'd married. She didn't know what had happened, but she was sure it didn't warrant her yucky given name; she was too used to all those sickly pet names. 

"Shit, sorry, sweet girl, but you scared me."

"How?" She frowned, leaving his hair alone to thread her fingers through his, holding his hand since he clearly needed it. They were together in their bedroom, wrapped up in a post-orgasmic glow, so to see him trembling and on the verge of tears nearly made her cry in sympathy. Her poor doofus - he looked like a kicked puppy...

"Passing out on me like that. Thought I'd...broken my wife," he confessed quietly, pulling her wrist to his mouth so he could smooch her pulse point loudly--just glad that it still thrummed under his lips. 

He'd genuinely been afraid for a second, hearing her heartbeat but seeing no other signs of life, meaning those fifteen minutes were the longest of his life. What would he do without her? Knowing that he'd hurt her, even in the throes of passion, killed him and cut into his soul a little bit, but as he subconsciously drifted away, (y/n) pulled him back in. 

She pressed their bodies together, enjoying his bare skin on hers as her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a long, slow, passionate kiss. While a little timid at first, Ray soon groaned into her mouth, submitting himself for her pleasure as she ran her tongue along the seam of his lips. Now, this felt good...

"What happened? I remember having the best damn orgasm of my life, and then everything went black." She glanced away briefly, hearing nothing but their ragged breaths once they pulled away, tentative but as intimate as always. 

"You ever squirted before, darlin'?" He asked quietly, smoothing his hand over her curves as her eyebrows knitted together. 

It almost made her recoil, putting something like that down to the job of a...night flower or someone similar. Of course, she'd read about it, but then again, it was confined to the trashy women's magazines, something her limited previous partners never had the talent or interest to achieve. 

"No..."

"Well, it's fucking hot." His boyish grin said everything, and her mouth dropped open, much like he had done, when she felt the wetness between her thighs, under her ass, seeped into the sheets. 

Fuck, she'd have to put them in with the next laundry load, but under his proud gaze, there was no room to be ashamed. It felt like an accomplishment, especially when she caught the slight sheen on his chin and chest, which certainly wasn't sweat. So, that would explain the peculiar but not unwelcome taste she'd found when kissing him. 

"Safe to say I won't need coffee after drinking from you this morning."

"That's...oddly sweet," the woman giggled, tilting her head back when her husband kissed her cheek and jaw, utterly besotted with the walking pin-up he'd scored. Of all the girls he'd loved before, and there'd been many, no one compared to her, not when she held him in her arms like he was born to be there. 

"Not half as sweet as you."

"Someone's trying to get lucky..." she teased, holding his face to her neck, enjoying the ticklish sensation when it dawned on her. She'd cum five times, but Ray? He'd not cum once, and that seemed highly unfair. 

"I can't feel my legs, but I'll suck your cock, doofus. Let you cum down my throat..."

"Um...that's okay." 

Four-Oh-Four, (y/n) not found. She blinked in surprise when her doofus, the world's horniest man, the man who seduced her and had her in his bed on their second day of dating, the man who fucked her every morning without fail, the man who'd just fingered her unconscious...had refused a blowjob. It just didn't make sense. 

He lived to see her on her knees. He'd die to have his tongue wrapped around his cock while he lied back and guided her movements. If he couldn't fill her pussy, she could be damn sure he'd drink every last drop. 

He just wasn't the type of guy to decline her eager affection, and it made her mad? Concerned? Offended? Disappointed? Maybe a mix of all four. 

"Okay, are you broken?" She blinked, gently pulling back on his hair until she saw his bashful expression. "'Cause I just offered to suck you off, and you turned it down. Are you even my doofus?"

"Yeah...I'm yours," Ray quickly nodded, strangely too shy to meet her eye. Still, he revelled in her love, not embarrassed to rub his cheek against her shoulder affectionately as he cast his gaze downward. "But, I, uh...took care of it."

(y/n) followed his stare, going down their bodies as he shuffled back a bit, revealing a distinct wet patch on the bed, and this time, it wasn't from her. 

She knew what she saw: a thick, pearly, sticky liquid clinging to the fitted sheet, right where he'd been jerking his cock to her quivering and moaning. His cock was flaccid, untouched yet fulfilled, with the slightest smear of cum on his inner thigh, but really, his pinks ears and cheeks gave it away. 

"Oh." Was all she said, blankly meeting his eyes again as her face warmed too, although hers was more from the power surge. Pride bloomed in her chest, feeling like she should shout from the rooftops that she'd made the great Captain Man cum early without touching his dick - the guy who could fuck for hours and still hold his nerve. Talk about pussy power - hers was fucking magical.

"Yeah," the man shrugged, slightly embarrassed when she chuckled, but it was worth it when she returned to dotting kisses over his face, placing a final one on the tip of his nose. 

If anything, she was flattered, knowing they had two mattress protectors underneath them for a reason. It was so he could flex his coupons all he wanted, and her honeymoon plan had worked; that had to be one of the steamiest sessions of their lives. 

"Guess it was hot, huh?" She smiled, closing her eyes when his head fell to the crook of her neck. They'd rest for a bit longer, just until their alarm clocks rang, and then some more. 

"Sweet girl...you have no idea."

~Swellview Academy for the Gifted~

It was another school day. A new morning, new lessons, and more wisdom for Ray and his sweet girl to impart to their young and impressionable pupils. 

To start things off nicely, (y/n) had planned a test for Mika, Miles, Bose, and Chapa - nothing huge, just a few notes to ensure they remembered the curriculum. It should've been easy, but nothing was ever straightforward in SWAG, which she and her doofus quickly learned when they gathered around in the classroom, ready to explain what the kids had to do. 

The couple stood at the front of the classroom, waiting for their students to settle down, but that was easier said than done. They watched tiredly, pacing slightly whilst Ray tapped a baseball bat against his palm as the kids rolled around on gym balls. It was funny seeing how they boinged around on their butts and tummies. Still, it was also pathetic, given that four soon-to-be professional heroes were currently being bested by some big bouncy balls. 

"Doofus?"

"Yeah, darlin'?" Ray hummed as he frowned at the ridiculous sight of pupils, turning to wrap an arm around her shoulders and brush his lips against her forehead. 

"You look handsome today..." (y/n) cooed as she raked a hand down his front, feeling his stiff muscles under her fingers. 

He smiled at that, feeling his core clench at her touch and flirty tone, glad he had something to make him happy since his team was failing so miserably. Her eyes couldn't leave his body, thinking he looked unbelievably hot in his tight T-shirt, a simple thing, yet it made her thirsty like they hadn't...all week. For some reason, she felt extra touchy today, making even his grumpiness seem hot. 

"I don't look handsome every day?" He flirted back, trailing his hand down her arm as she gave him what Henry always called her "goo-goo eyes". God, how many times he had to leave the room because he saw that look...

"Of course, but..." she trailed off, not-so-subtly glancing from his lips to his belt buckle as Ray pushed his chest out. Admittedly, they'd gotten out of bed a little earlier than morning to set up this test, so affection was few and far between, but, usually, he was the flirtatious one, not that he was complaining. 

"Are we doing anything after this class?"

"I don't think so..." he grinned, catching her drift when she waggled her eyebrows suggestively, even as the kids flailed and groaned. She was unusually needy, knowing it had been a long few weeks, with opportunities for alone time few and far between. It wasn't easy for lie-ins when four kids were pounding on the door at eight-thirty every morning. 

"Why do you wanna f--"

"Ah!" His lips, curled in a smirk at first, twisted into a frown when a familiarly scarlet bolt of electricity zipped past (y/n)'s body, narrowly missing her arm if it wasn't for the pearlescent glow in her eyes. 

Sensing danger before it hit, she bowed her back and arched into her husband to avoid getting hurt. His arms wrapped around her, keeping her pressed against his rugged chest as he glared at Chapa, who obviously didn't mean to fry her teacher. Still, she couldn't control a little current escaping her fingers as she stretched over the squishy ball. 

Retirement didn't sound so bad right now - what did a man have to do to get a moment's peace to flirt with his wife?

"All right, that's enough!" Ray growled, turning off a digital timer on the board since the test was now useless. Everything was ruined, and hearing (y/n)'s little gasp when she dodged the jolt was the last straw. He really was Mr. Grumpy Pants today...

"How'd we do?" Bose asked breathlessly as they stopped wriggling around, although Chapa flopped onto the floor with a grunt. The couple looked at them with a cringing disdain, wondering where they went so wrong because this was just the beginning - so very simple. 

"Poorly!" the hero replied gruffly, which wasn't the best thing for poor Mike to hear. She wasn't one to fail tests, something (y/n) related to, and instantly felt uncomfortable knowing they'd fail because she needed academic success as personal validation.

"Can we practice tonight and retake this test tomorrow?" She begged, appealing to the heroine's kindness and mercy since she knew that if anyone could master the art of bouncy-ball-sitting, it was her. Smashing the competition was what she did. 

"This wasn't even the test! We just thought it would be fun if you guys sat bouncing for a while!" (y/n) sighed and scrubbed her face with an open palm, feeling her lust fade away, wondering where her instructions went so wrong. Of course, she'd planned something much more complicated to test their heroic abilities - what would bouncy balls do?

"Why don't you sit bouncing if you think it's so easy?" Chapa sneered, feeling humiliated that she'd bellyflopped the floor after floundering like a fish. And all because they wanted to have fun? She laughed at that, giving the adults her usual sulky pout. 

But Ray -shockingly- didn't rise to her challenge, scrunching his nose before pulling the remote control from his pocket. He blasted each gym ball, turning them to ash and cinder so the kids fell against the tiles again now that the fun was over. He was such a killjoy but didn't dwell on their failure, waltzing to the lectern to begin his lecture, yet not realising how his wife watched his every move with catlike eyes. 

"The real test is about to begin..." he revealed, and they quickly got to their feet, eager to please if he gave them the chance. 

"Okay, who can tell us the easiest crime to commit?" (y/n) asked, rubbing elbows with her doofus, the slightest touch making her tummy flutter. She wasn't usually so needy, but there was something about him today... But she had to focus on her teaching, giving the children one of her bright, warm smiles to show them that she didn't care if they got it wrong - she just wanted their best. 

"Jaywalking!" 

"Jay-dancing!" Mike and Bose suggested with rapid-fire enthusiasm. Chapa, however, wasn't so chirpy, standing there with her arms crossed as Miles took his time--like always. 

"Stealing my phone!"

"White-collar crime. Rarely prosecuted," the boy retorted, knowing a strange amount of real-world issues for someone so young. His voice was so dry, but he was confident, knowing he was correct even if they weren't expecting it. 

"You're all wrong--except for Miles," (y/n) grinned, feeling like she was genuinely imparting her knowledge, and the boy nodded smugly. 

"No, we're talking about a crime that's so easy, it's like taking candy from a baby--" Ray grinned sneakily, a strange glint in his eye as he teased the group, refusing to tell them what he had planned. While his sweet girl covered the learning side, he liked to make things fun, often roping his faithful handyman into his schemes since he'd never do anything humiliating himself. So, right on cue...

"SCHWOZ!" He yelled, looking at the room at the back of the classroom, where someone could take the stairs to the Man's Nest if they wanted to. The genius skipped into the room with a moody expression gracing his face as he briskly passed the children, looking like he was regretting his life choices. 

And why wouldn't he? Per his boss' instructions, he wore a ridiculously garish onesie instead of his overalls, looking stupid with the puppy-print fabric tucked into his work boots and a giant rainbow lollipop in his fist. He felt silly, hearing the giggles around the room as he twirled before standing still, acting like an infant just because Ray threatened to fire him if he didn't comply. It wasn't fair, but he needed this job...

"I am Baby. I loves me lolly, and I hope no one takes from me..." he said bitterly, glaring at the couple across the room--at Ray because he forced him to do this, and (y/n) because she tried and failed to hide her laughs. She chuckled into her hand, thinking he was the fuzziest, cutest, yet weirdest baby she'd ever seen, and he wasn't impressed.

"So, you want us to stop you from taking candy from a baby?" Mika asked, understanding what Ray meant now that she saw Schwoz, and (y/n) nodded. 

"Oh, not us! My sweet girl would never hurt a baby, and I'm far too good a person for that," the man replied innocently, making his wife roll her eyes because she knew of his lesson plan. It was strange and wacky but totally Ray, and whilst schwoz wasn't happy with being roped into his schemes, he couldn't wait to impart his knowledge. 

"You're stopping..." he paused, turning away from the kids and bending over, swiftly rubbing his fingers through his hair and pressing something sticky on his upper lip before turning around again.

"ROY!" The man declared, spinning around to glare at the puzzled team with a crazed look in his eye, looking deranged with his hair all mused and a fake moustache plastered under his nose. Ray--or Roy as he called himself--sneered at the kids, who didn't understand what he was playing at when he crept around the mini-stage, much to his sweet girl's exasperation. Most schools weren't like this...

"Roy?" Miles frowned with his eyebrows knitted together.

"It's Ray but evil..." (y/n) explained tiredly, nudging her doofus in the ribs when he tried to stick his face near hers, grunting like a weirdo as he acted as this...character. 

"And I hope he no takes me lolly!" Schwoz whimpered fakely, pretending to be scared as he wiggled the candy in his slightly sticky hand. Honestly, he wasn't paid enough for this. 

"Oh, Roy's takin' that lolly...unless somebody...stops me," Ray growled in his adenoidal voice before creeping forward like some kind of Scooby Doo character--all exaggerated with his crooked fingers and giant steps. The kids didn't need to be told twice, readying themselves for the mentor's bizarre challenge. Chapa stepped up first, sliding in front of Ray, determined to prove herself after so many weeks of failing with her electricity. 

"Get zapped!" She hissed, immediately thrusting her arms forward to release some sparks, but still, her aim was terrible. Whilst she could conjure her power, when it burst forth from her fingertips, it whizzed past Ray's body, going wide and forcing (y/n) to hop the sidelines with a yelp. The man smirked smugly, standing like a statue as the girl desperately tried to hit him. Still, he didn't even need to try and protect himself - she couldn't even hit a stationary target. 

"No!"

"Okay, maybe not--maybe this one!" Chapa grunted, trying again with her other hand, releasing a small fork of lightning that barely brushed his ear. Even if she aimed correctly, it wasn't exactly a bolt from the heavens, just a tickle to sting the skin and make someone jump. 

"Miss!"

"This one! Stop--stop dodging!" Her open palm shot a bolt toward the ceiling, and the more she tried to zap that smirk off his face, the more Chapa grew frustrated. Her aim grew worse, blasting everything but Ray as he chuckled, so she swore he was cheating, swaying out of her range before her electricity could land. 

"Didn't even have to dodge. Roy don't dodge!" Ray retorted, loudly whispering to the kids and winking at his sweet girl like it was a secret. (y/n) suppressed her smile as Mika, Bose, and Miles rolled their eyes, rooting for their friends more than their cocky teacher.  

Even though it was a little mean to taunt her, he wasn't wrong, standing in the same old spot as she kept sparking, only to release a bolt that ricocheted off the smartboard and zipped back toward her body. It shot past her head and hit poor Schwoz in the eye, making Baby whine as he clutched his face, wondering what he did to deserve such rough treatment. 

"Dang it!" Chapa growled, scolding herself for failing the test since she obviously had. She wasn't an expert at this rescue thing yet, but she was pretty confident that shooting the vulnerable victim wasn't heroic. 

"You failed to stop Roy--next!" Ray announced with a tiny dab, thinking he was so hip and down with the kids with the dance moves he'd seen on Twitflash. After Chapa sulkily returned to the lineup, Bose skipped into the middle, not knowing what was happening. Still, he'd give it his best shot--and all with his usual innocently sweet smile. 

"Did it get a little cloudy in here? 'Cause I think a Brainstorm's a-brewing!" He quipped, proud of himself for thinking of something so witty since Ray liked it when they said cool things before attacking. As much as he wanted them to be swift and efficient, he loved a little flare, appreciating the clever wordplay from a kid typically so dense. 

"Ooh, sick entrance line. Roy approves! Let's see how you do with the execyoosh!" Ray cackled, sneaking back onto the lecturing stage as Bose prepared himself. 

Like always, he pressed two fingers against his temples and outstretched the other hand, aiming to lift Ray's baseball bat with his telekinesis. For something made of light yet durable aluminium, the boy made it look impossible, grunting and straining as his curled hand attempted to raise what felt more like a boulder than a bat. It moved a little, sliding across the floor limply as Ray stared at it blankly, knowing the boy's plan would be too obvious if he was a villain. 

"How is that supposed to stop Roy?" He asked thickly, throwing the kid a bored expression when the baseball bat floated horizontally, shaking terribly as Bose struggled to concentrate. 

"Whack him, Bose!" Mika encouraged him excitedly, hoping he'd manage to hit the hero and end his smugness. 

He groaned again, feeling like his brain was about to explode as he crooked a finger, commanding the bat to move slightly, picturing a cartoonish image of a crook getting beaten over the head with a bat. However, his wasn't precisely a damning blow--more like a gentle pat as it lightly tapped Ray's perky butt, making (y/n) giggle as it jiggled like jelly. Bose dropped the metal bat with a deep sigh, feeling exhausted despite the gentle exercise. 

"Sorry, guys..." he panted at his friends, his chest rapidly rising and falling as Ray rolled his eyes, easily distracted by the pretty girl at the lectern. 

"One more grunt, and I'd have to change my pants again today."

"Thanks for the weapon, kid. Roy played baseball in high school. Four hundred RBIs--could've gone pro if it wasn't for Roy's dang knee..." Ray said wistfully, going into a surprising amount of detail as he pouted at his injured leg like he'd genuinely lived this other life--all in the third person, apparently. It gained him a few weird looks from the kids and his wife, who wanted to know how long he'd been picturing Roy and his evil life after they'd planned this lesson. 

"How deep is Roy's backstory?" She asked, looking amused as Ray turned to her with an enamoured smile. He didn't look the same with that moustache like he was amidst a midlife crisis. However, she still saw her doofus, giving him an alluring gaze when he sauntered to her side, smirking. 

"Deeper than the seas, pretty girl, where Roy is a certified scuba instructor..." he crooned, thinking something like that would be hot and attractive to his wife as she giggled. Loving her bright smile, he stepped forward and cupped her cheek, hoping to satisfy his craving for something sweet by leaning in for a small kiss...only for (y/n) to put her fingers betwixt them. 

"Hey! I want a kiss..."

"Sorry, Roy. I only kiss my husband, Ray," the woman teased him, watching as a kaleidoscope of emotions whirled across his face in a split second - from confusion to sadness to anger to resilience. 

He pecked her open palm instead, accepting her refusal with dignity and grace since he saw the game in her eyes. As if the ring on his finger didn't match hers, but he shrugged it off, knowing he'd have her once they caught a moment alone and resumed the exercise. 

"Next!" Mika walked into the middle of the room with a confident face, eager than most to impress Ray. She'd wipe that disappointed, lovesick, puppy-like expression off his mug, having practised her super-scream every night for the past week to try and strengthen her vocal cords. 

"Get ready to be...blown away!" She exclaimed, as eager as Bose with her witty entrance line, although it wasn't quite so creative. And it didn't help how she twitched her fingers to highlight the pun, making her quip seem clunky and forced, unlike her friend's smoother delivery. 

"Unnecessary air quotes--B minus!" The hero retorted, making the dark-haired girl grit her teeth and curse. She wasn't used to failure, being the kid who always earned gold stars at school, but it wasn't all bad, not when she'd caught Ray in a particularly tetchy mood after (y/n) teased him like that. 

So, she didn't let the lowered grade deflate her enthusiasm, shaking her limbs loose as she dipped into concentration. Her hands opened next to her head, stretched open as she screamed, attempting to flex her throat in the unique way that made it super. It worked, vibrating slightly to create airwaves that tickled Ray's face and ruffled his hair a little, chocolate locks flapping gently in the breeze. 

He didn't look very impressed, and she guessed if this was real, Baby wouldn't have his candy anymore. 

"Take that!"

"Took it. Bored! Next!" Ray snapped and dabbed, quickly burning through his protégées and their pathetic powers. 

At long last, it was Miles' turn as his sister returned to the sidelines, grumbling, but he didn't see as...hurried as the others. He strolled calmly in front of Ray, looking rather bored with the situation--almost as if it didn't bother him. Flashing Ray a sickly sweet smile, he shoved his hands in his pockets, clearly making no attempt to teleport, attack, or pull any other manoeuvre to save Schwoz, much to the adults' confusion. 

"On the contrary, there will not be a next time," he declared confidently as Mika facepalmed, exasperated by his stubbornness.  

"What?" Ray frowned, wondering if he'd heard the kid correctly. He set the rules here and expected all the children to participate in his lessons, even if they were strange since they'd help them learn. What was Miles' deal?

"I refused to be tested, Roy," the kid replied, giving his boss a sceptically harsh glance as he refused to use his superpower. "I won't play your game. And besides, the solution will reveal itself.

"So...you're just gonna let Baby die?" Ray asked incredulously in his silly, evil voice, which made everyone ponder his words because he didn't say that before they started. They didn't think the exercise was so...critical and anguished, especially Schwoz, who looked up from picking his fingernails with a pale, panicked face. 

"Wait, what?"

"I thought you were just gonna take his candy!" Chapa gasped, thinking that if she knew the supposedly delicate and dangerous situation, she and the others would've tried harder. (y/n) observed quietly, folding her arms as she watched her husband dither, aware that he'd diverted from his plan and now had to think of an excuse. God, his arms looked really good in that shirt...

"What you don't know is that...the lollipop contains the very medicine that keeps Baby alive," Ray explained, making everything up as he went along. Still, they nodded, going along with whatever he said since this was his charade, despite Schwoz's bored grimace. 

"Miles, you have to fight him! You can't just wait for every problem to solve itself," Mika told her brother sternly, ignoring his impudent shrug. He always did this, believing more in his hippy, karmic nonsense than reason or science, and often refused to work because of it. He thought the universe would pay him back for being a good person, and whilst that was somewhat true, it frustrated everyone to see him standing idly by. 

However, the universe must've loved that boy. By some mystic intervention or Lady Luck's grace, Miles' problem was solved by a sudden and unexpected interruption as the school's security system kicked in, warning its occupants that someone was wandering too close for comfort. 

"Stranger approaching. School mode activated." The automated voice spoke robotically as the lights flashed red, meaning the test would have to resume another time before this wanderer saw something they shouldn't. 

"All right, test over!"

Ray and (y/n) were the first to jump into action, highly protective of their secrets as Schwoz took off running and screaming, knowing there was little he could do but hide - a weirdo like him wasn't exactly fit for public view dressed in a onesie. Ditching his moustache and shoving their flirting aside for now, the couple quickly instructed the kids to look normal as the classroom cleverly hid its superhero gear and replaced it with pens, pencils and coloured paper. 

"See? The problem solved itself. Feels good to be right!" Miles grinned as his friends dashed about, hugging the walls as the desks popped out of the floor and the chairs came down from the ceiling. 

"You're still gonna do that test!" (y/n) told him firmly, wanting to add to her notes about the boy's progress, and she couldn't do that if he didn't complete it. Still, she left the discussion there, hoping her warning sunk in as she and Ray slipped into their dapper blazers, rolling their shoulders to get used to the stiff material - looking so formal wasn't their usual style. 

As the board changed to some random, boring schoolwork, the kids hastily took their seats, settling into what appeared to be an ordinary lecture whilst the teachers hurried to the door. 

"Hello?" They could hear someone shouting from the other side of the thick oak, a scratchy, whiny, vaguely familiar voice before they took a deep breath and twisted the golden knob. Just act normal and pretend like it was a real school...

Ray opened the door to a Fuschia-wearing monster leaning on the frame, and he felt a shiver roll down his spine as he met its eyes. And he knew them all too well. He and (y/n) thought they'd seen the last of Sharona Shapen, an old acquaintance from Henry's school days and someone he'd not only had the misfortune of taking on a date once but kissing too. 

The thought made him want to puke, but first, he wanted to know why the garishly hideous woman was standing in his front porch light.

"Oh, hey, handsome!" Sharona greeted Ray smoothly as she waltzed into the building without so much as an invitation, ignoring the pretty woman by his side. The hero shivered at the so-called compliment, not wanting her or anybody else to flirt with him while he loved his wife--so now until forever. 

"Uh, can we help you?" (y/n) asked awkwardly, knowing she'd just been ignored like a doormat. Yet she held her ground as her husband closed the door, peering at the gangly woman as she analysed the classroom, looking ridiculous in her bright pink suit. Sharona had never been what one would call a fashionista. 

"Depends. Do you know any good-looking guys with low standards?" The blonde asked humorously, clearly the same sad, lonely woman she'd been when Henry Hart was still her pupil. Her personality didn't help, having a penchant for being awkward and weird, as well as her tacky dress sense. 

But the heroine didn't feel any sympathy for her, not when she always wooed her doofus like she wasn't in the room, so she chose to stick to his side, ensuring her gleaming wedding ring was on display. She wouldn't let her anywhere near her lover without hosing him down afterwards. 

"No, I'm married. I don't need to look for guys anymore," she replied with a polite yet strained smile, threading her arm through Ray's as he smiled. He still wasn't used to hearing it, beaming with pride that the woman on his arm was his wife, not that it phased Miss Shapen. She wasn't picky, not at all, and that's when it hit Mika. 

"Wait, aren't you a teacher at Swellview Junior High?" She asked, knowing she'd seen the woman before when she attended regular school. But she'd never been one of her pupils because she left before she was old enough for those classes. 

"I was, but Swellview Junior High and I both decided it was time to part ways."

"So you got fired," Chapa retorted dryly, knowing she was sugarcoating the truth because schools didn't let teachers go without a good reason. And with Sharona Shapen, (y/n) could believe it, having heard all about her bizarre exploits and low expectations when her old babies used to visit the Man Cave after school. Good times...

"Bingo! Anyway, I work for the city now. Sharona Shapen, school inspector, see?" The woman announced, showing them all the official identity papers she pulled from her back pocket and the couple wished she'd shown them when she first walked in. 

But that was part of her plan, smirking slightly when she saw how they gulped at the revelation. Before, she was just another overworked, underpaid teacher doing the nine-to-five. Still, now, she was in a position of power--and it definitely went to her head, making (y/n) pray that she went easy on them. 

"Gotta make sure every school in Swellview has a license, and, according to my records, you ain't got one!" 

"Well, can we get one?" Ray asked quietly, audibly swallowing the lump in his throat as his sweet girl's tummy fluttered with nerves. She hadn't thought about that - a license, assuming that high on Mount Swellview, no one would care if they opened a school, given how they were tucked away, minded their own business, and mostly kept to themselves. 

Neither she nor Ray thought about regulations or inspections; they just wanted to teach four kids to be superheroes, but the city officials had apparently noticed. 

"Maybe..." Sharona replied curtly, enjoying watching the handsome man and his timid wife squirm as she tucked her clipboard under her arm, 

"But you gotta pass my test!"

"I can pass your test! Anything! Give me your test, and I'll pass it! You got this..." Mika exclaimed, mumbling words of encouragement as her competitive streak flared upon hearing that word - test. She loved them, making her a little crazy, but she was good at them, studying harder and longer than most to prove that she was better than the rest. 

"Not you, smarty pants!" Sharona, however, wasn't so impressed, wondering where the try-hard popped up from and why she thought she could pass anything. 

"Thank you! I like yours too..." Mika grinned shyly, weirdly thinking the woman's curt tone was a compliment, but at least it seemed to smooth over her foul mood. 

"I bet you do...They're Bucci!" Miss Shapen replied smugly, turning around and wiggling her butt to the disgusted team to show them the disaster label. She had no shame, parading around with Bucci--some hideous, gaudy fashion designer--emblazoned on her ass in sparkling diamantes, both on the jacket and her pants. 

The suit must've cost thousands, yet for all that money, she still looked like a fire-damaged Barbie doll...

"This whole school needs to pass my test. You kids, the water supply, your hot teacher, his little wife..." She explained, and whilst Ray appreciated the small compliment, (y/n) couldn't help but growl. What did she need to do to make this woman back off?

She hugged his arm to her chest, glaring at Sharona for flirting with her husband, especially when she recognised their marriage and still disregarded it. Of course, he was hot, achingly so, but only she got to point it out...and see him naked. 

But she brushed it off, wanting to hear more about this test as the children wriggled in their chairs, uncomfortable with a stranger in their classroom. 

"I need to conduct a thorough investigation of this school right now, or I'm shuttin' it down!" The inspector declared, acting a little too dramatic for everyone's taste. Still, they said nothing, not wanting to upset the Fushica overlord before she handed the license over, even if that couldn't be today. They weren't ready...

"We can't take your test today because we're going on a field trip!" Mika lied nervously, and luckily, Sharona wasn't too bright. She was still suspicious, eyeing the kids and apparent teachers as they smiled sweetly--perhaps too sweetly. 

"Where to?"

"A field," (y/n) said instantly, not missing a beat as she stood a little closer to her doofus, her face stern and severe like a firm, merciless teacher, much like Sharon's used to be. It sounded absurd, but a field trip was a field trip, no matter where they went, and the woman could hardly argue with that if one of the headteachers said so. 

"Can I come?" Sharona asked, wanting to know what they were teaching in the field, but the heroine had an answer, too. 

"Did you bring your parents' signature?"

"No, my parents are ashamed of me," the weird woman replied, staring at the floor as everyone coughed awkwardly. They could believe that, observing the inspector and thinking she wasn't exactly a superstar in her eye-wateringly bright outfit. But this was good, and they had to fight the smiles itching to get onto their faces as they lured her away from snooping around the school. 

"All right then. Well, have a nice day!" Ray told her with a quick smile, reaching out to take her by the shoulders and guide her toward the door--to whichever hell hole she came from. The sooner she was gone, the better, and luckily, she didn't protest, shuffling toward the exit with nothing but a mildly confused countenance.  

"Well, I'll be back tomorrow!"

"Can't wait for that..." (y/n) hummed, standing by the door, ready to pull it open so she could throw Sharona out on her ear. She'd undoubtedly return to flirt with her doofus, darkening the heroine's mood, but at least they'd be rid of her for a short while. 

"And I better see some teaching. And some learning! Some Phys Ed, some Driver's Ed--I wanna see all the Eds! And if I don't...I'm shuttin' it down!" The loudmouth woman decreed as she paused in the doorway, glaring at the meek couple, who gulped at her furious tone. 

They didn't doubt her word, not liking the thought of being shut down by Sharona Shapen, of all people, and if SWAG was to go, they could say goodbye to Danger Force. The kids needed the school to fool their parents and learn to control their powers. So, when (y/n) finally closed the door behind her, bolting it to stop the beast from reentering, she and Ray faced the kids with worried frowns. 

"We better find some Eds..." the man announced to the sombre room, blowing his cheeks out as (y/n) held his hand tightly, watching the children exchange concerned glances. 

Okay, she'd take that kiss now. Anything to soothe her frazzled nerves...

~The next day~

True to her, Sharona showed up at SWAG the very next day. 

She strolled up to the front door like a woman on a mission, determined to prove her authority and power with the mere clipboard in her hand, wearing another hideous outfit – this one a grotesque prune colour, complete with a frilly, flowery blouse. This time, she hoped to catch the handsome teacher and his stupid wife off their guard, knowing they wouldn't have two field trips in one week, so she eagerly pressed the doorbell, ready to wreak some chaos. 

But Ray and (y/n) hadn't been idle. Despite only having a few hours to prepare, they and the kids devised a curriculum for her test, organising many fake lessons to please any city inspector. Everything had to be perfect, from the classroom layout to the kids' behaviour to the teachable content to the teachers. And the couple certainly brought their A-game. 

"--And now you know everything Albert Einstein knew..." Ray told the room as he answered the door to the walking grape, grimacing when he noticed how she leaned on the doorframe again - apparently her seductive pose.

"Oh, hello! Whatever brings you to our modest and totally real school?" The hero asked politely as he smiled, knowing he risked a slap from his sweet girl if he dared to sneer at the woman. 

He was dressed to the nines, turning his business casual style from yesterday into an outfit fit for the gentry. Instead of his usual comfy, unbelievably hot t-shirt, he wore a proper button-down under his perfectly ironed blazer. He even tucked a regal silk cravat between the loosened collar, hating how warm it made his neck, but (y/n) said it was fetching. 

She didn't quite agree with his knee-high riding boots. His tan trousers were tucked into them, giving him an air of nobility, although she still preferred her silly doofus. 

"Cool your boots, fancy toots. And you, Little Miss Muffet, out of my way!" Sharona scoffed at their excellent manners, showing her lack thereof as she pushed her way into the building, rudely barging past (y/n) as she did. 

If it wasn't for her façade of politeness and gentility, (y/n) would've given her a couple of fives right up her hooter. But she relented, staying true to her mission as she brushed the invisible dust off her uniform and carried on calmly. 

She'd also swapped her casual jeans and t-shirt, wearing a tight but not too revealing pencil skirt, which matched her femininely cut jacket. And whilst she preferred sneakers for when she was lecturing, her simple, black heels made her legs look long and elegant, so, prettied up with the diamond earrings from their anniversary and her hair all pinned up, she looked like an actual headmistress. 

That, and Ray thought she looked hot. 

"It ain't real until I says it's real." The couple rolled their eyes as Ray closed the door, wondering when they sunk so low to take orders from Sharona Shapen, but they bit their tongues. It was just for one morning...

"Now, let's blast some school inspection music and get this done!" They couldn't argue with that, not if they wanted to receive a notice of closure, so they let the woman do what she wanted. 

As the music played an upbeat, hip-hop pop song, they began to show her what SWAG had to offer. Like sound, diligent students, the kids gathered around with exaggerated awe, listening intently as Mr and Mrs. Manchester talked through what the lessons were today - all while they sipped from their his and hers mugs. At least Ray looked calm, playing with his charm and devilish good looks to soften Sharona up, even if it made (y/n) break a pencil or two. 

First, they started with science, allowing them to introduce the inspector to Professor Schwoz - the part-time science teacher. He knew the plan to make it seem like the children were learning as he swirled a few potions and lotions to impress Sharona--and it worked, even if Bose tried to drink hydrochloric acid like it was lemonade. 

She didn't know what half those chemicals, powders, and doohickeys did, but it looked...learn-y, which she quickly noted on her report. 

Next, Ray took gym class - the only thing (y/n) could see him instructing successfully, other than hero stuff. Of course, they didn't have anything suitable to show a civilian, nothing that didn't include blasters and super-suits, so he opted for the big bouncy balls again, getting them to bounce around like it was good exercise. 

Well, it seemed enough to please Miss Shapen, who enjoyed seeing the children boinging on the lively things...but she liked seeing Headmaster Manchester in his gym clothes much more. 

Then, (y/n) took math class, expertly guiding the children through quadratic equations and the Pythagorean theorem as if it were child's play. Her plan was to baffle Sharona with numbers, spouting some mumbo-jumbo about Xs and parentheses as Mika, Miles, Chapa, and Bose nodded like they understood the scrawlings on the board. 

"The square of the hypotenuse of an isosceles triangle is equal to the sum of the square of the other two sides." She made it sound simple: quickly find C after jotting down a few numbers. 

It wasn't tough since she loved math. She breathed math. She'd die for math. But it was enough to impress the snooty, violet-wearing woman observing her lecture, who'd learned something or two while she noted everything down. 

Finally, the final lesson rolled around, and this was the big one. The grand finale. The class about the learning of things that had already happened. History. The adults went all out, giving each kid a period costume and a prop to carry as they reenacted the Battle of Swellview, marching past Sharona with their antique swords, scrolls and ginormous flag. 

They claimed the land - or stage - for their new city, gathering around with their dramatic poses and extravagant costumes as the inspector watched with tears in her eyes, full of pride for the founding story of her city. 

Ray couldn't help but feel smug, swirling the last trickle of coffee in his mug since his precious wife drank half of it, saying his had just enough sweetness for her liking - much more than hers. But he couldn't be mad, half-cocked and drooling as she watched her lecturing the class as if it was her destiny, swanning around in that pencil skirt like his teenage pin-up. 

His wife was hot, and everyone knew he turned into a lust-addled zombie when she talked numbers. So, when Sharona finally concluded her test, he was barely listening. 

"Well, that's it. You all failed!--" She announced, pausing the catchy song as the group stared at her in disbelief, baffled as to where they'd gone wrong. They thought it was perfect...

"What?! How?" (y/n) gasped, breaking her doofus out of his daydream about seeing that skirt on the floor as she squeezed his hand. Was this it? Was her ridiculous, itchy dress and mob cap all for nothing? She didn't want to lose the school, not so soon after opening it, and her heart was in her mouth until...Sharona smiled, pulling the biggest UNO reverse card ever. 

"--Failed to do anything wrong! You passed!" She declared, much to their immense relief and delight. 

The children and Schwoz cheered and high-fived each other as Ray and (y/n) embraced and shared a quick kiss, stopping short of swallowing each other's faces after a tense night of very little passion. He looked surprisingly in his sailor's hat and period-style shirt - Mr Darcy, who?

"Swellview Academy for the Gifted is an officially licensed school..." Miss Shapen told them as she passed Ray a freshly signed certificate, which decreed that the city recognised their right to educate its youngest and most impressionable students. It would look great on their wall, all framed and displayed for all to see and admire. 

"Nice!" Ray grinned as he eagerly showed it to his precious wife with a peck to her temple. He squeezed her tightly as she took it from his hands and squealed, believing their worries to be over...

"You'll get your two new students tomorrow." But, of course, nothing was ever simple. Their joy and merriments died after the moody woman added the baffling news, making them stare at her with deeply concerned frowns. Hoping they misheard her, they gasped, not liking what they heard because it sounded like she said new students, but surely not...

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...Take that and rewind it back!"

"What new students?" (y/n) questioned furiously as she and Ray stepped away from the horrified children and faced her, but Sharona didn't bat an eyelash. She didn't care about their arguments or discomfort; she had a job, so it wasn't personal, even if she'd like to get a little personal with a certain someone...

"Oh, well, there's a shortage of available space at gifted schools. I got two kids who have been learnin' at a bus station for the last month," she explained, making the Danger Force team scowl, suddenly feeling grateful for the clean and proper facilities provided for them. 

But, as much as the sob story made (y/n)'s heart hurt, she refused to take on more students. She exchanged a worried look with her husband, who was on the same page as her, thinking their superhero duties would move to the back burner with two randomers snooping around the school and possibly the Man's Nest. Ray wouldn't have his sweet girl looking so nervous, boldly stepping toward Sharona again with a defiant frown. 

"I'm moving them here tomorrow."

"Well, what if we don't take them?" He asked, turning his nose up at the thought of more children running rampant in his home, rapidly becoming a goddamn daycare. 

"Well, then, I'm shuttin' ya down!" The woman replied haughtily with what was rapidly becoming her catchphrase. She pulled a small removed from her pocket, glaring at the rebellious couple as she pressed a button to summon...police officers?

They stormed in as a shrill siren sounded, entering the building with stern faces, alarmingly short shorts and sleeves shirts. And it wasn't even that hot outside. The chief, some tall, intimidating dude, stomped in with his beefy guns out, harsh gaze flickering from the puzzled kids, horrified couple, and to one very smug inspector. 

"You shuttin' this place down, Sharona?"

"I don't know... Are we?" She asked, coldly looking at Ray and (y/n) as they sighed, knowing their hands were tied. This was her way of flexing some muscle, scaring them into compliance, no matter how much they resented the thought of two bus shelter charity cases. As much as they wanted to shout, kick, and scream, neither wanted to get into a fight with the police, so with a defeated shrug from his sweet girl, Ray growled and deflated. 

"Fine--we'll take 'em!" He conceded, but he wasn't happy about it. However, Sharona appeared delighted, turning to her muscular enforcers with a mischievous smirk - (y/n) was just glad it wasn't aimed at her doofus. 

"Then, carry me out, buster!" She exclaimed before, in a bizarre, almost concerning feat, leaping across the room and into the chief's arms so he could carry her out bridal style. Her gangly frame looked unsteady in his embrace despite the man's apparent strength. But, unfortunately, the other policemen closed the door before the team could see if she fell flat on her face. What a shame...

"See you tomorrow!"

"We're screwed..." (y/n) noted once they were alone with nothing other than the revelation that SWAG was getting two new students in the morning. The certificate in her hand felt obsolete now, the joy draining from their bodies at the thought of babysitting two kids while fighting crime. 

The thought was impossible, making her give her doofus a worried glance as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. They needed a plan--and quick. 

~The Man's Nest~

After that sobering warning from Miss Shapen, the Danger Force team gathered upstairs to lick their wounds and formulate a plan - anything to save their secret operation. 

Each person was tasked with researching their own idea of how to get rid of these two new kids, thinking, tapping, or, in Bose's case, nibbling as they went. There had to be a way of getting rid of them, preferably without too much mess - looking at Chapa there - the only trouble was nailing it. 

Mika was particularly tenacious, on the ball as always, but what was new there? As she sat at the mini-supercomputer, the others listened intently, even though whatever she'd thought of wasn't what they'd had in mind - more like blood, murder, and pitchforks. 

"So, we find these kids' personal information, and then, we fill out an application to--"

"Boring!" Ray interrupted the poor girl as he sat on the back of the couch, looking far more fetching now that he and his sweet girl had changed out of their fancy clothes. His muscles in that bold-pattern shirt looked good enough to eat, but (y/n) frowned at his rudeness, knowing Mika was onto something. 

Of course, she was. She was the one who told her where to look and what to look for in the first place. 

"Raymond!" The heroine scolded him, and Ray stood up from where he'd been perched on the back of the couch. He gave her a slight pout but didn't apologise, believing he'd done nothing wrong. In fact, he merely kissed her forehead and brushed past, thinking he held the solution to all their problems - being the thinker he was. 

"Schwoz, go get the Memory-Wiper! The new kids show up, we erase their memories, badaboom bada--" he smirked, much to the kids' frustration. They'd been over this a million times, but no matter how much they explained it to him, the doofus wouldn't get it past his thick skull. Not even if (y/n) smushed his cheeks together and made him listen. 

"Do you ever listen?!" Mika shouted dramatically as Schwoz rubbed his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. 

"I told you ten times!" The genius told Ray, looking thoroughly exasperated since it was like trying to talk to a brick wall, especially when he took an interest in the new jeans (y/n) was wearing. 

"The Memory-Wiper got destroyed when you, Miss Danger, and Kid Danger fought Drex! It's not going to conveniently get us out of things anymore..."

"Nice try, doof..." (y/n) hummed, walking over to pat his chest and give her husband a quick smooch as he groaned. He really thought he was onto something, but they'd have to be more creative than that. Schwoz could make another Wiper, but that would take too long, and it was old tech anyway. He wasn't the type to look back - it distracts from the now. 

"I know how we can get rid of these kids..." Chapa remarked as she looked up from her tablets, and all her friends turned to stare at her, including the kissing couple. This would be interesting...

"We get a chainsaw, and a ceiling fan, and a--"

"Chapa, no! No violence, no blood, no murdering, and certainly, no chainsaws!" (y/n) told her sharply, pinching her eyes for the hundredth time because all of the girl's ideas had been like that. Dark, demonic, and highly illegal, decidedly not in line with Captain Man's heroic values. 

She scowled at that, slumping in her chair as the man crouched down to her eye level, wondering who he'd pissed off to deserve such a troublesome pupil. 

"What's your deal? Why are you so scary?" He asked, but that seemed to infuriate her more as she leaned closer to his face with bared teeth and blazing eyes. 

"A boy stole my cell phone!"

"So, buy another one!" Ray snapped, unphased by her thunderous voice because it was the same old rhetoric. 

He and his sweet girl had discussed this many times, but neither understood the kid's obsession with some crappy, outdated PearPhone, and it was getting old. Anyone else would've simply moved on, bitter but free from the burden of a grudge, but not Chapa. She took things much more seriously, like the theft was a black mark against her ancestors or something. 

"No! If you're best friend got stolen, would you just buy another one?" She asked furiously, and it wasn't the first time the Man's Nest had seen such an argument. She never backed down nor gave up, stubborn to a fault, but unfortunately, so was Ray, and he didn't shy away from a fight either. 

"Yes! I fell in love with my first best friend, so I hired a new one!" The man replied instantly, causing (y/n)'s ears to superheat since she wasn't expecting him to put it so bluntly. As she scratched the back of her head and giggled nervously - a clear sign to the kids that Ray was talking about her - the hero took a moment to spare himself the heartache. 

The reality of it all was hard to acknowledge out loud. 

"Then, he moved to Dystopia, so I bought four new ones!" He exclaimed, and honestly, that made them melt a little. Whilst they knew Kid Danger was special to Captain Man, always had been and always would be, it was nice to see that they filled the Henry-sized hole in his heart. Sort of. 

"Aww...love you, man," Bose cooed, reaching to bump fists with his mentor as he and (y/n) tried not to get mopey. The kids were good, but really, they didn't replace anyone...

"We'll get there," Ray let him down gently, briefly tapping his knuckles since he wouldn't call any of them his best friends. His wife would always be his first and greatest relationship, but he'd learned that with time, his love grew - not shared or halved, but it grew. Very slowly. 

"Anyway, doofus, I've been doing some research, and, according to The Big Book Of Swellview Laws, if these new kids agree to leave the school on their own--" (y/n) quickly moved on, tapping the spine of a heaven-sent, hazy hardback copy of the city's craziest laws. They still had work to do, but it was a start, and Ray couldn't help but beam at his wife's brilliance - she was so hot when she was being clever. 

"Then, Miss Shapen and her sleeveless goons can't shut us down! Nice work, sweet girl!" He chimed, blindly tossing the book over his shoulder when he plucked it from her hands, too eager to sweep her into a whirlwind of a kiss to care if it nearly hit Bose. Which it did--and Miles, who glared at the hero for almost killing him. 

Exactly! And no throwing things inside, Raymond. What have I told?" She nodded, slightly breathless from the passionate assault on her lips. Still, she remained firm, glimpsing at the boys apologetically as her guilty lover shuffled to retrieve the book like a good boy. 

"So, we just make life as miserable as possible for these new kids, and they agree to leave on their own," Chapa supposed, much to Ray's delight.

"Good plan, Chapa!" He nodded, clapping his hands together as (y/n) rolled her eyes. She'd basically come up with the plan; the girl merely read between the lines, but she let it go, too distracted by the large, warm hands that suddenly appeared on her waist. 

"And shockingly, not violent," Mika added, thinking her friend had refrained from her usual murderous ideas for a change, and it was lovely. She still didn't like the sound of torturing the new students on their first day, but where Chapa was concerned, it wasn't half bad. 

"...You didn't let me finish." Or not. The Latina rose from her chair with a cunning smirk, picturing scenes of horror and gore that would drive out any pathetic and unwelcome children from their school. 

"We find out who they love the most, and then, in the middle of the night, we--"

"Oh, come on!"

"Chapa, please!"

"You were doing so good!" Her friends groaned, not wanting to know what horror-film outing she'd planned since they knew it would lead to no good. As they cursed her for being abnormal, Chapa shrugged, wondering what all the fuss and nonsense was about--just because she saw things a little...differently. Blood-soaked with curdling screams of pain and anguish. 

In her mind, it worked - removing the problem perhaps a little messily, but so what? You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, and if these new kids had to be the eggs?... Well, so be it. 

~The next day~

Bright early, everyone arrived in SWAG the next day, ready to give the new students hell. 

Perhaps it was a little unfair - it wasn't their fault that Sharona Shapen chose the only secret superhero school in the city to be theirs, but that didn't matter. Ray wanted them gone, and what he said went. Some of the plans were ridiculous, especially the giant high-striker Schwoz had installed at the front of the classroom. No one had any idea what the boss wanted to do with it. 

It was big, brash, and blue--kinda like Ray in that sense, and he chuckled to himself as he strapped his handyman into the device's little chair. His feet were already aching in his stiff riding boots, feeling like he had two lumps of cement on his feet, but it would be worth the pain of tricking the new brats into leaving. 

And he'd never complain about seeing his sweet girl in that pencil skirt, his eyes constantly glued to her ankles like an enchanted Victorian gentleman. (y/n) was a little flustered and jittery, pacing the room while biting her fingernails. Still, she powered through, turning a blind eye to every misdeed her friends committed - all for the greater good, apparently. Although, she swore there had to be a simpler way...

"Doofus, what are you doing? (y/n) asked her lover as he fiddled with the belt buckle on Schwoz's chair, and from where she was standing, it sounded like he was torturing the guy. He groaned and moaned, lolling his head from side to side, quietened only by Ray's occasional sharp warning. 

"You'll see, darlin'. All in good time..." Ray grinned, hoping she'd see his intelligence genius in the same way. But then, he glanced at his watch and paled at the time, knowing that the devil and her sproglets would soon be upon them--and he'd hardly created a classroom of chaos yet. 

"Hurry up! They're coming!" He shouted to the children, who'd been sent off on various tasks to try and find things to make their guests feel extra welcome. He didn't care what it was as long as it made them utterly miserable, although Schwoz didn't make it easy when he slapped his fingers for messing with his buckle. It was like he didn't want to help, no matter the cost...

"Ray, (y/n)! I found this broken chair in the basement!" Bose announced as he dashed into the room, wheeling an antique wicker wheelchair in front of him. 

It looked like it was at least a hundred years old, making (y/n) turn her nose up at the musty smell, and she assumed that it was something the previous owners must've left. She'd never keep something decrepit, and Ray wouldn't be seen dead in a wheelchair. Ever. 

And that wasn't all; in the chair's lap, he'd turned a rickety old stool upside to carry that too, and on closer inspection, it looked worse than the chair. Full of woodworm and rusty nails, the heroine was sure she'd need a tetanus shot if she sat on it - and that was coming from someone with super-regeneration. 

"Love it! Explain..." Ray nodded appreciatively, staring at the antiques with much more love than his wife could muster as they huddled together to hear Bose's plan. 

"We'll make one of the new kids sit in this rusty, busted-up thing, and we'll make the other sit on this termite stool," the boy smirked, knowing that his plan would cause pure despair for the students, even if it was a little mean. 

"What's a termite stool?" Mika asked from her desk, where she'd been feverishly researching something (y/n/n) told her to look into. She'd told her to work smarter, not harder, but when she heard something so stupid, she couldn't help but be distracted. 

"Stool full'a termites! Give it a sit!"

"No..." she quickly declined, returning to her work as Bose shrugged. He didn't care when the torture device was meant for someone else. Still, Mika didn't like the idea of using little insects to bite the unsuspecting kids, which was why she'd been working on something much kinder--and more straightforward, quicker, cheaper. Nothing could go wrong. 

"So, I was thinking--"

"Not finished!" But the long-haired boy had other ideas. Surprisingly, for one so dense, he'd been exceptionally proactive, coming up with not one but two mischievous ideas, even if the latter wasn't as strong as the other. 

"When the new kids get here, I'm also gonna use my powers to make stuff float. And I'm gonna use my throat to make ghost noises like, souuuuuuup!'"

"Soup?" (y/n) frowned, wondering why he thought a ghost would say that. Maybe it sounded a little spooky, but she couldn't take him seriously, not when she could sense Ray's jerking shoulders next to her. He thought it was funny, muffling his chuckles against her cheek when he hid his face from the boy. 

"Ghosts love soup. They tell me all the time."

"That's not concerning at all..." the woman mumbled to her husband, who could honestly say his eyebrows were through the roof. As if they didn't think Bose was bizarre enough, but now he was a medium, too. Fabulous. Either that, or he was hearing voices, and everyone knows what happens to people who listen to the voices in their heads...

"Good enough... Hey, where's Scary Bradshaw?" Ray asked, quickly moving on before they had to have the kid sectioned. And speaking of disturbing children, he'd noticed a dip in the negativity in the room, and that's when it hit him. Chapa hadn't said one rude, mean, or borderline psychotic thing in at least ten minutes - how long she'd been out of the room. 

"Chapa is hiding in the closet with a chainsaw. When we give her the cue, she's gonna jump out and scare the new kids!" Bose explained, having passed the girl after finding his chairs. It was like something out of a horror film with her sitting in there, waiting to pounce on whichever sucker walked in, despite being warned not to meddle with dangerous stuff. 

"Hey, I thought I said no more chains--"

"Hey, sweet girl, it's okay. Like it, love it, I want more of it!" Ray grinned, dismissing his wife's concerns since he saw no harm. Chapa was a competent and resourceful girl, and he'd seen a lot of thrillers - chainsaws got terrified kids running like nothing else. 

"What you got?"

"I plan on living with an open heart and a strong mind. And I'll remain like that until the solution presents itself," Miles replied when the teachers turned to him, still sitting on his holier-than-thou high horse since he was about his karma and all that mystic bullshit. The hero's proud smile quickly fell, unable to believe what he heard; would the kid ever do some work?

"Who made you this way?" the man asked tiredly, regretting all his choices at that moment. Open a school, they said. It'll be fun, they said. Train four kids at once, they said...

"The system!" Miles hissed, ready to go on a marching warpath since no one ever took his concerns seriously, being the warrior of social justice that he was. 

"I miss Henry--I miss Henry--I miss Henry..."

"It's okay, doof. Just...think nice thoughts. Go to your happy place!" (y/n) soothed her husband as he ran a frustrated hand through his floppy hair, longing for the days when he only had one sidekick - a funny, intelligent, obedient, capable boy who idolised him. And he was never like this. 

She sympathised with him; whilst she wasn't Miss Danger initially, she knew Henry took to the hero's life much more quickly than Danger Force ever did. They'd worked together for so long that everything felt natural and easy. Ray struggled to remember the early days when Henry spilt his secrets, disobeyed a few rules, and used his sidekick status for his games. 

"My happy place..." Ray hummed, smiling softly when he took a minute to tilt his head back and close his eyes, instantly knowing where he wanted to go. An island in the Polynesian Pacific, no kids, no cellphones, no villains turning the place to shit, just him and a very sweet girl strolling the ocean's side - maybe a few kids running in front of them. 

That made him happy--enough to calm his temper for the next kid.

"Mika!" he called out, looking at the girl, who'd barely said a word all morning. She'd just tap-tapped away on her PearPad, ignoring the world around her for whatever was so momentous on the screen.

"Okay, don't be mad, but--"

"Yeah, but see, that always makes me mad..." Ray replied anxiously, wondering if she'd done anything to help and none of that so-called scheming she liked to do. He wanted action, not a namby-pamby cleverness because no one liked a know-it-all except when his darling wife was all hot and smart. 

"Let's just hear what she has to say, Raymond. Go on, Mika..." (y/n) told him gently, tangling her fingers with his as the girl nodded at her reassuring smile, glad someone could control the man-child. 

"Well, actually, it's one of your ideas, but once I've learned these kids' names, I'm gonna enter their personal information into--" she tried to explain after digging and finding that the woman's suspicion was correct. She could get the kids to leave without leaving her seat, doing more damage on her tablet than Ray could do with a million blasters in the field, but he didn't see it that way. 

"A supercomputer that will eat them?!" He proposed, making his precious wife sigh and smack her forehead. Why did he have to be so impatient?

"No!"

"Then, I don't care. Next!" The hero told her rudely, earning himself a whack on the arm from (y/n), who frowned at how he dismissed poor Mika so swiftly. She barely got a chance to explain, but the girl wouldn't be defeated when she had Miss Danger on her side - thank God that man married someone with a brain cell. 

"Just keep doing that, Mika, 'Kay?" She told the kid quietly as Ray rubbed the rapidly fading sore spot on his bicep, whining over annoying his sweet girl. He didn't want to upset her, longing for a bit of intimacy since it felt like forever since he'd had her all to himself. Still, he couldn't think like that, not even when she strolled around in that goddamn skirt. 

"What are you gonna do, doof?"

"Well, I'm glad you finally asked, sweet girl..." he grinned, eager to please and impress as he gestured to the high-striker ensnaring Schwoz. Although she'd already asked about it and watched him fiddle with the gizmo, she still listened intently, feeling like she was watching a little boy on Christmas morning as he showed off his weird toy. 

"It's a test of strength. Just like any other test of strength you'd see at a normal school," Ray presented to the class, earning a few confused stares since that wasn't exactly true. 

Still, (y/n) wouldn't stand for mockery of her beloved doofus, aware that he barely remembered school after finishing the third grade. That was the price of being the world's greatest superhero, making her smile sadly as he obliviously twirled the giant hammer in his strong hands. She'd do anything to keep him so playful and childish...

"You use this hammer to make Schwoz go all the way up there to ring that bell!"

"Hello..." the small man awkwardly waved at the kids, looking confused, irritated, and tired. He was just doing as he was told, despite not knowing entirely what he'd signed up for when Ray said all the way to the top. That sounded...painful. 

"How is this gonna make the new kids want to leave?" Mika questioned, interrupting the happy couple as (y/n) curled an arm around her lover's neck to gently kiss his lips. She couldn't help it if she found him utterly adorable above all his flaws, and those lips were too soft and delicious to ignore when they called to her like that...

"Ha-ha! You'll see!" Ray giggled, pulling away to rest his chin on his wife's head, looking a little too excited for a guy who'd merely installed a high-striker. 

"Please tell me nothing bad will happen," (y/n) begged him, hating the idea of cleaning up another implosion, spillage, or riot. She didn't like it when he tried to be mysterious; often, it was better for him to run things by her first - less chance of death, fire, murder, rampaging, pillaging, or plundering that way. 

"Just wait and see, pretty girl..." But the hero would reveal nothing, leaning down to find her honeyed lips again and smother her pout. While he couldn't promise something entirely harmless and clean, it would still be fun, hopefully enough to drive the new kids away. 

But the moment didn't last. Before he could hold her face to his, keeping the sweetness' source still for him to drink from, the school's security system kicked in. It was an absolute cockblock, ruining his fun before he could do anything else, so poor Ray had to settle for a mere peck. He was getting more and more frustrated every minute...

"Stranger approaching."

"Okay, that's them," he told the kids, ignoring their scrunched-up expressions as he licked the saccharine remnants from his lips and separated from his beloved wife. It was showtime. 

"Now, remember! Whatever happens, we gotta be really mean to these new kids!"

"I don't know, doofus. I'm not very good at the whole mean thing. It makes me feel...mean," (y/n) said quietly, loosely rolling her shoulders as she followed her husband to the door, knowing Sharona Shapen and her bus station brats were behind it. It wasn't in her nature to be spiteful or a bully - God knows she knew what it was like to be on the receiving end, but Ray just gave her a reassuring smile and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"S'okay, darlin'. I don't want you to lose any of that sweetness, so try your best, okay?" He advised her gently, squeezing her tense flesh with the other hand resting on the doorknob as she nodded weakly. Miles and Bose giggled at how he could switch so effortlessly, going from Mr. Grumpy Pants one second to a lovable teddy bear the next--and all over a girl. 

With one final check of their suit and the outlay of the room, the headmaster opened his doors, a tight yet beaming smile on his face. Instantly, he was greeted with Sharona's ugly, unimpressed mug, something he never wanted to see in the morning, but there were two kids in front of her two. And strangely...they didn't look like monsters. Or brats. Or like they'd be any trouble at all. 

Admittedly, they were filthy, covered in dirt after studying rough for the last month, but if they looked past the stink, they were lovely. The boy, slightly smaller than the other and wearing an old, battered jacket and flat cap, gasped when he saw the room, lopping his arm with the girl's as she, too, seemed in awe at their new school. 

She kept her unwashed hair out of her face with a white handkerchief, looking like a child from a Dickens novel in her ill-fitting green dress and moth-eaten brown jumper. Her boots needed resoling, and her mother - if she had one - needed to give her a good bath since her face was stained with dirt. Yet, despite their abysmal, pitiable condition, they seemed happy, perfectly polite, and grateful to a fault. 

*I'd like to state for the record that English people don't speak like this. we don't live in Oliver Twist, okay?*

"Why, Percy! It's our new school! I'm sure we will love it so!" The girl remarked with tears in her eyes, speaking in a flawlessly clear English accent. And not like she was some Cockney peasant, but like she was one of the landed gentry - eloquent and refined in every syllable. 

"Oh, we shall, Miriam!" The boy, Percy, agreed, giving her a cheeky smile as they admired the sparkling facilities--a remarkable improvement on their old classroom. 

"We shall finally be happy here in our new school!"

"And it smells ever so much better than the bus station!" Miriam remarked as Ray and (y/n) stared at them, wondering where the brats were supposed to be because these were angles. Perfect, little British angels with their excellent manners and elegance. 

"That's because there's a bathroom here, sweetie," Miss Shapen told them, tearing delighted gasps from the children since they weren't used to such luxuries. Life hadn't been kind to them, not that anyone would guess, given their mildly irritating optimism. 

"Anyway, I gotta go. It's Hump Day, so there's free sushi at the gas station, and there's nothing like eating sushi in head to toe--Bucci!" Miss Shapen laughed at her little joke - the only person in the room to do so. She was a strange, strange woman, and luckily made her goodbyes quickly, leaving Ray and (y/n) with their new 'lil English crumpets. 

"Deuces!"

"Uh, hello, we're your new teachers. I'm (y/n), and this is my husband, Ray--" The heroine turned to the keen children with a watery smile, slightly discomforted by their unexpected politeness. She and her doofus were so used to the abrasiveness of Chapa's tongue or Miles' sassy remarks that to be respected was weird. And the Brits didn't stop there. 

"But you can't be our instructors! You're far too young and handsome!" Percy said warmly, looking at a blushing Ray as the man buttoned his lip and smirked at the compliment. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't hate anyone who stroked his ego, making him awkwardly look at (y/n) as she giggled awkwardly. 

"And this fine young lady is your spouse? Good heavens, you are the luckiest man in the world, good sir!" His attention turned to her, eyes twinkling with good intentions from under that flat cap, and the woman couldn't help but clench Ray's arm. 

His head was in danger of exploding, growing bigger with every praise because hell yeah, he knew he'd married the best girl in the world, and knowing that he had the honour of being her husband made him preen like a peacock. Even if they were annoyingly kind and courteous, they were nothing like he'd expected - twice as nice as the brats he had to teach. 

"And your generous spirits are as clear as the kindness in your eyes..." Miriam sighed, getting a little too kiss-assy, but she meant well. Perhaps a little too well, and given their unrelenting goodwill, (y/n) knew she'd never find it in herself to be mean. 

"Oh, uh...thank you! Would you please excuse us for one minute?" She said with a breathy laugh, dragging her doofus by the arm toward the kids and the door. The newcomers didn't mind, talking with pleasant smiles as they ushered Mika, Miles, and Bose into the closet, leaving Schwoz alone since they knew they needed an urgent change of plans. 

However, once they were inside, it was like a scene from Saw - providing some haunting noises for the children waiting patiently outside. Ray, his sweet girl, and the kids screamed in terror as a masked figure jumped out at them, ripping a chainsaw to life as it threatened to chop them to pieces. 

The hero instantly shielded his wife, fists clenched and ready to pummel the mystery slasher for trying to hurt her, but on closer inspection, they were a little short for a bloodthirsty killer. It was Chapa - of course, it was - who'd been waiting for the opportune moment to frighten the shit out of the new students, should they walk in. Only, she ended up giving (y/n) a heart attack and all her friends nightmares. 

"Sorry, I thought you were those gunchy new kids," she apologised, removing her faceless mask and putting the chainsaw down before she could slice anyone. Ray's arms loosened around (y/n)'s body, who dared to peek out from his chest when she realised the end hadn't come, although it was still nice to snuggle against his toned torso. 

"Turns out they're not gunchy at all! They're sweet as--my sweet girl!" Ray exclaimed, petting his wife's precious head as she smiled, shy from the compliment. She'd never claim to be as charming as those hard-done English kids, but she knew he'd argue otherwise, so she stayed silent. 

"I don't know if I can soup ghost them!" Bose pouted, knowing he'd been given a job, but like (y/n), being a bully wasn't in his nature. He was just unassuming, nice-guy Bose. 

"Their last school didn't have a bathroom..."

"If you could even call it a school. I don't think they've had comfortable lives at all," (y/n) noted as Miles frowned, a million questions racing through his mind about how bad their old school must've been. It only made them feel sorry for Miriam and Percy, and indeed, if anyone didn't deserve such terror, it was those sweet peas. 

"They've been through so much. Plus, Percy winked at me, and it melted my heart!" Mika sighed softly, and Ray nodded. He knew how that felt, utterly bewitched by the children and their kind hearts, which was saying something since he wasn't overly fond of children and their tendency to sublet in his home. 

"And Miriam complimented me and my sweet girl!"

"Seriously, I mean...no bathroom! Where have they been goin'?!" Miles pondered, eyebrows trenched in deep thought, although he didn't want to think about the alternatives to having no toilet. He couldn't imagine the squalid conditions they were forced to learn in, and suddenly, he and the others felt a little more grateful for their pristine classroom and facilities, nodding appreciatively. Well, save for Chapa...

"Hey!" She hissed, trying to get them to remember their objective. 

"I mean, I am very young-looking, and my wife is incredibly hot, so the compliments make sense, but--"

"HEY!" She snapped again, but this time, she chose violence. What was new? (y/n) cringed and shrank away in fear as the girl slapped her teacher brutally hard, silencing his pathetic, conceited ramblings about Miriam's apparent compliments. Ray's face was a picture of agony, all scrunched up and red as he clutched his battered face, glad he was indestructible since the kid had a lot of rage in that striped shirt of hers. 

And she didn't stop there. Chapa backhanded him several times, slapping the hero silly to ensure he was listening. She knew what he was like when he started thinking about his pretty little wife and how he'd never stop daydreaming if someone didn't intervene. His skin stung from the vicious assault, dazing Ray until he gathered his thoughts enough to push her away, wondering what he did to deserve such punishment. 

"Ow! Stop slapping me! I'm listening!" He whined, scurrying away into the safety of his wife's arms, where (y/n) cooed and soothingly ran the back of her fingers down his warm flesh. A kiss on the cheek and the pain fleeted, leaving his face rosy and flushed for another reason. 

"We are crime fighters! We can't have a couple a' bus station biscuits sniffin' around here, or we can't respond to emergency calls!" Chapa told everyone sharply, her glare so fierce that even the couple shrank under it, pausing their affection - for now. 

"That's true, I guess..." (y/n) shrugged, knowing she was right. Percy and Miriam were lovely, but it would be difficult to explain why they all had to head out so abruptly and often; it would undoubtedly lead to exposure, something they couldn't risk. 

"I don't care how many fake compliments they give us," the fiery girl continued, eying the man beside her, who gasped and clutched at his breastbone at such an insinuation - he didn't care what anyone said; his wife was hot. 

"How dare you..."

"Or how many fake winks we get!" She hissed, looking at Mika this time, who whimpered at the thought of her wink, eying for show. She knew Percy wasn't like that--that Chapa was just being her usual, callous self, but deep down, she couldn't argue. 

"They were real!"

"She's so mean..." Ray grumbled, forgetting who he was talking about and that she was beside him. Chapa raised her hand at him aggressively, threatening him with another round of happy slaps before (y/n) intervened, flashing everyone her cheery, disarming smile. Maybe what the English kids said about her was true, but all that other stuff...

"Hey, don't you hit my doofus," she warned the girl, prodding her pal until Chapa relented. She'd let the guy off the hook...for now, allowing (y/n) to continue as her husband patted her hip in thanks. 

"Okay, so Mika and I have a non-violent plan that only includes a little paperwork. Easy-peasy, squeeze the lemon, so--"

"AYYYYE!" A strange voice came from above, interrupting the woman as she shrieked and ducked out of the way. She sought shelter in Ray's embrace, gasping as a figure hit the floor and stared at them all with big, round eyes, whitish skin, an alien-like head--oh, it was just Schwoz.

The stupid little coconut-head was hiding in the rafters like a goddamn bat, listening to the conversation since he had some critical news--although he couldn't just use the door like ordinary people. As they all recovered from their mini-heart attacks, he shook off the landing, surprisingly agile for a cooped-up nerd. 

"We've already missed three emergency calls since those kids got here!" The genius announced, skipping the pleasantries and baffled questions as to where he'd dropped from. The bleak news pulled groans from everyone, knowing that once the emergencies piled up, it was almost impossible to fix them without some serious work. 

"See? Swellview needs us! So, get out there, be mean to those new kids, and send them back to the bus station! Who's with me?" Chapa growled, having little sympathy for the brats when they'd already caused so much trouble. And her friends agreed, feeling terrible for what they had to do, but it was necessary. 

Yet no one, except for Schwoz, put their hand up, anxious to do wrong to do right, so the girl got a little creative. One warning of her palm in the air, and they jumped to it, agreeing keenly since no one wanted a beating like Ray's, seeing how it seared his skin and sprung tears in his eyes. 

"Did they use a bucket?" Miles murmured, still hung up on the bus station toilet debacle. Still, his sister pulled him out of the room before anyone could answer. 

Miriam and Percy were beginning to get lonely and confused, wondering where everyone went, so they filed out, leaving the happy couple with Chapa as Ray glared at her. His face still ached, tender and scarlet from her angry fists. For someone who was used to being the boss, she didn't relish his authority very much, but they'd soon see about that--

"Hey, listen. I let those slaps go last time, but next time--Ahhh!" The hero tried to confront her, but she was having none of it. Before he could give her the scolding she deserved, her wrist flicked out again, striking his cheek painfully and drying up his words. 

"Chapa!" (y/n) warned sharply as her lover gritted his teeth and tried not to show weakness. If only she was that good with criminals, he'd be out of a job...

However, she didn't seem apologetic or remorseful, wearing her typical glare, even as her favoured teacher gave her a stern look. Whilst she respected Miss Danger more than Captain Man, she still hated being dictated to, and Chapa turned on her heel before they could have a chance to punish her. What were they gonna do? Send her back to regular school where her powers could be exposed? Yeah, right...

"I'll see you guys out there..." And with that, she stomped away, taking her mask and chainsaw with her and leaving the spouses alone. She was ready to wreak havoc, slipping back into the classroom without much fuss, and even though time was of the essence, the couple couldn't help but relish the brief glimpse of peace. 

*Spicy from here. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.*

Realising they were alone - or as alone they could be in a school full of rioting children - they fell together, (y/n)'s hand on his cheek to soothe Chapa's assault. The kids were merely behind the brick wall, chattering away amongst themselves as the hero gripped his wife's waist and pulled her close, feeling like melting into her embrace and saying to hell with the world. 

He nosed her hair, sighing deeply as she stroked his warm skin, tittering how she could sense the sting underneath her palm. But honestly, Ray could barely feel it, leaving the mild injury to his indestructibility to deal with since he had everything he needed in his arms, drained from the last few days of constant disarray and relentless voices clamouring for their attention. 

Although they hadn't been teaching very long - three weeks max - the couple quickly learned the price of solitude, learning that the essence of silence was golden. 

No screams, no arguments, no insults or snappy comebacks. Just holding each other and appreciating the stillness - a moment of grounding for the both of them. 

"This is nice..." Ray muttered, pressing his lips to her neck as she exhaled - a long, heavy breath carrying the world's weight. He knew she was stressed, seeing how her shoulders slumped and her head fell forward, knocking his shoulder as he curled his arms around her delicate figure. Like a leaf shaking in the wind. 

"We're hugging in a broom cupboard with a class full of children who want to kill each other," (y/n) replied dryly, voice muffled in his jacket's lapel. Still, despite her monotone response, she didn't let go, clutching at his body and nuzzling into his chest, secretly loving how he'd dabbed a little cologne on his cravat before haphazardly tying and stuffing it down his shirt. 

She couldn't help but feel sarcastic and snappy, tired from days of constant pressure and problems. Her clothes were too stuffy and restrictive, her toes longing to wriggle free from her heels, but they had to soldier on to save the school. A miserable, lamentable thought. 

"You want me to stop?" Ray hummed, but he didn't let go. Never. He knew her answer, stroking her hair as she whined and snuggled closer. 

"No..." she sounded pathetic, arms loosely curled around his torso as he chuckled. 

"I can hear you worrying..." the man whispered, beginning to sway slightly when a deafening shriek vibrated through the brickwork. It sounded girlish and shrill - possibly Mika or Miriam - and was almost certainly the work of Chapa and her creepy Halloween mask. 

They ignored it, pretending there was cotton wool in their ears whilst the bedlam reigned next door, anything for a second longer to themselves. Ray's lips found her cheek and temple, lips chirping like songbirds as he smooched against her skin, the ticklish sensation making (y/n)'s nose wrinkle and mouth twitch upwards. 

"I wouldn't say it's worrying...more stewing."

"So, Bose is obsessed with soup, and you like stew?" He was a doofus, making his wife roll her eyes and limply thwack his shoulder. Yet a smile was growing on her face because it was such a Ray thing to say. It was stupid, and his voice held that forever confused lilt like everything was a puzzle to him, but it was cute and endearing. She pulled her head up to look at him like he was adorable, not stupid.

"No, silly doofus..." (y/n) giggled, pecking his lips briefly when he smiled proudly, simply because he made her happy. 

"I'm just...we've barely spent any time together this week."

"Sure, we have. We're together all the time." Ray frowned, knowing he'd be fuming if he'd been denied his sweet girl all week. They'd eaten together, slept next to each other, woken up to each other, shared breakfast, co-taught classes, sorted through the bills--just done the usual married couple stuff. 

It was tedious and stressful, balancing work and home life in one building, but they were okay - together like always. 

"With children around us. Screaming. Fighting. Telling us we're wrong while they know everything." (y/n), however, begged to differ. She wasn't stupid, but perhaps just a little paranoid. 

This was the road to a loveless marriage, all work and no play, which terrified her. Her fingers squeezed his shoulders, deeply worried at the thought of drifting apart, and it had only been a handful of days of little affection. Of course, the kids meant well, but they were the anti-romantics. They had to find secret clinches in cupboards when the Man Cave was their territory--their place to rendezvous. 

"I just want one evening where it's me and you, no interruptions, just...us stuff."

"Okay, then, how about we watch a movie tonight? Rom-com? You pick?" Ray suggested softly, hands sliding down to grip her waist, thumbs rubbing above her hipbones. She laughed breathily, glancing at her feet before finding those blue eyes again, spinning a lock of his hair around her finger - she was hunting. 

"I was thinking something else..." she countered, sounding sultry and soft like butter.

"Okay, how about I run you a bubble bath? I'll use the fancy soap..." The hero countered, the invitation flying over his head and into the wall, making his wife's eyebrows twitch. Pursing her lips, she tried again, eager to have him to herself, although she didn't usually have to work for it. 

"Maybe something we could do together?" She proposed, tongue darting out to moisten her lips, tummy fluttering when his eyes watched the motion. 

The pinkish glimpse of her inner bottom lip teased him as she whined and draped her arms around his neck, chest pressed against his so he could feel her lace undergarment poking through. 

"How about Twister? We haven't played it since Henry fell on top of Charlotte, and they almost--" But, for one so smooth when in action, Ray was dense--like the plank of wood they carved his brain out of. 

(y/n) groaned at his innocent stare, desperately wishing she'd see two blackened eyes hungrily gazing back. She knew why she felt so run down now, flipping through the calendar in her brain to mark the last time she got dicked down. It had been days ago, practically a lifetime, for someone with an incubus at her fingertips, and it frustrated her. 

Just an hour was all it would take, but that was few and far between when her husband thought more of bubble baths and board games than a night between the sheets. He withered at her displeasure, wondering where he went wrong, but (y/n) supposed she'd have to spell it out for him. 

"Sex, Raymond. I want to have sex!" She exclaimed, holding his pink cheeks and boring into his eyes as his lips parted in surprise. Typically, he was the forward one, plodding in like an elephant when he craved her pleasure. But this made him think, cogs ticking for a moment before he raised an eyebrow--as confused and doofy as always. 

"...With me?"

"No, I was thinking with some other floppy-haired doofus who wears cute t-shirts," his sweet girl retorted dryly, rolling her eyes because that was the first thing he said. Rizzmaster Ray was back, the smoothest operator in Swellview. 

"Of course, I meant you."

"Oh!... You think I'm cute?" He grinned cheekily, practically buzzing with enamouring, boyish charm as he basked in her love. It made him feel special, every moment like the first when he realised that she wanted to do grown-up things...with him! He still got butterflies, and they blocked out the arguing in the next room as they giggled. 

"I think you're adorable, but that's beside the point," (y/n) noted, casting her mind back to when he had her in their bed, waking her up the right way. "Y'know, we were a little rushed the other day..."

"Don't even get me started..." Ray groaned, closing his eyes and seeing her gorgeous body painted on his eyelids. Her thighs muffling his world, eyes closed, mouth open, her body in the morning light - he'd never been more thankful for windows, wondering what he'd missed in their old home's artificial glare. 

"And you didn't even get a chance to fuck me...You know I was walking funny for an hour after. Made me cum so hard, Captain..." Her mouth was hot against his ear, dipping low - barely above a whisper - and gentle as her fingers ran down his throat and chest, igniting fire where they touched. It was like a secret between them, navels pushed together as he inhaled sharply, one hand resting on her ass warningly. 

"Tell me why I shouldn't get you on your knees right now..." he growled, kneading whatever flesh he could reach as her lips ghosted his, barely brushing together. He didn't care if time was precious; so was she, and she could handle the problem she caused. 

"You could..." the woman hummed, fingertips dangerously dancing down the line of buttons on his shirt, passing his belly button. 

"Think you deserve a little attention. I could just drop right now and suck you off. Wrap my lips around your cock until you're cumming down my throat--wouldn't take long. Know why?"

"Fuck---why?" Ray asked thickly, choking when she cupped him through his suit pants, grinning like a vixen when she felt his turgid length. She wasn't the only one feeling a little...pent-up after missing her body the past few days. 

"'Cause you haven't taken your eyes off my ass in this skirt once. Don't think I haven't seen you drooling over it..." she teased, gently stroking against his length, smirking when he grew beneath her touch until he strained against the stiff, navy material. 

"Makes me so fucking hard..." He didn't need to confess; she knew it--saw it in the way he tilted his head back and spoke in feeble groans, swallowing with a dry mouth as she ran kisses down his neck. They stumbled around the room, bumping into the old chalkboard until a suspicious, ass-shaped smudge ran across it, not that they cared. 

Ray was desperate to find a surface--any surface where he could bend her over and take his fill. Pots clattered on the floor as they jostled, more taken with wandering hands and rough kisses than watching where they were going. Yet he couldn't find purchase and settled for holding her figure against his, debating if the floor would be any good as she squeezed his outline. 

"Wanna suck your cock so bad, doofus." She purred, throaty and wet, as he gasped, sweat dappling on his brow from the desperation. Three days was too long when he was so used to having her daily. 

"Get on your knees, then."

"Of course, Captain--tonight," (y/n) promised, smirking wickedly as she wrenched her hands away and stepped back, fighting the urge to do as he said. Submitting would be too easy, and she still hadn't forgotten how he'd left her legless and delirious that morning, boasting about his new record. 

This was his just reward, standing there with an obvious tenting in his riding trousers, even though it felt like punishment for her, too. An ache settled between her thighs, calling for her husband to do his husbandly duties. Still, she refrained, glancing at her elegant watch and baulking at the time. Goodness! The children! The scandal!

"What?--Sweet girl, w-what? Come back!" Ray yelped, feeling like he could collapse. His eyes almost fell out of his head when the electricity between them vanished - burning passion turning frigid as she backed off. 

He stared after her, lightheaded and dazed as his cock throbbed, but she made no move to seduce him any further. He hoped, begged, and prayed that she was stripping that blouse and skirt off, but she merely straightened the wrinkled suit, smoothing the arms and patting down her ruffled hair before turning on her heel. And it was like a punch to the butterflies in his gut. 

It was like nothing had happened at all, his wife looking like the respectable lady she always was as she glanced at the door to the classroom. Her eyes settled on his rapidly rising and falling chest before drifting to the apex of his thighs, and he swore she licked her lips, but it must've been a mind trick. After all, he stood in shambles as she grinned wickedly, proud of the mess she'd made. 

"We have a class to teach, Raymond. The children are expecting us, so I'll see you out there," (y/n) told him curtly as she rested a hand on the doorknob, knowing he'd need a second to sort himself out. Perhaps it was a little evil, and her lusting heart cursed her for ruining its fun before it started, but she promised it would be worth it. 

Tonight, when they fell into bed with all their worries over, he'd pin her down and... That would be worth the wait. 

"Wha--hey! (y/n)! Fuck!" Although she could've told him that. Ray cursed and nearly tripped over his feet as he watched his wife slink out of the room, surrounding herself with children to ensure he couldn't hunt her down and bend her over a desk. 

It was the world's best defence, yet he found himself defenceless, knowing it would look suspicious if she began teaching without him. He had a few minutes at most, staring longingly at the door she disappeared through and feeling her lips on his again. 

Tonight can't come soon enough, Ray thought, sliding down the wall with a hand pressed against his forehead. He wouldn't find release now; even though he wanted to, he'd wait for the opportune moment, turning his thoughts elsewhere, banishing those of his precious wife next door, flaunting herself in that skirt. 

That goddamn skirt. 

Out in the classroom, the kids bickered amongst themselves but were thankfully sat at their desks as (y/n) sauntered in. 

There was a cocky swing to her hips, a spring in her step, and a bright smile as she faced her pupils, although four were slightly confused at Ray's disappearance. Percy and Miriam sat on the rickety, old health hazards Bose had found, the boy in the wheelchair and the girl on the termite stool. They looked uncomfortable but didn't show it, beaming back pleasantly, eager to learn as the heroine thought about what they could do. 

The plan was to make them want to leave - the thought alone was enough to make her tummy feel queasy - and whilst (y/n) didn't like the idea of being mean, she didn't let it show, except for rubbing her sweaty palms. 

"Where's Ray?" Mika asked, blinking innocently as her teacher paused beside her desk, pursing her lips and thinking rapidly. She froze, stuttering as Danger Force looked at her strangely - some more clued in than others. 

"Um...he's tying his shoelaces," the woman replied dumbly, but it was all she could think of on her feet. The newcomers seemed to buy it, bobbing and nodding gently as they tried to get comfy on their chairs. Chapa didn't believe it, still looking creepy in her Halloween mask. 

"He was wearing boots..." she remarked dryly, and her friends followed suit. As confident as that skirt suit made her, she was acting weird. Miles craned his head around her body to try and peek into the cupboard, wondering where the hero had disappeared. But (y/n) wouldn't let him, jumping into his view before he could spot anything, chuckling nervously as she looked for a distraction. 

"Boots can have laces..." she said anxiously before spotting a mini whiteboard tucked into a corner. A small smile spread across her cheeks as she pulled it out in the middle of the room, gesturing for the kids to nudge their desks around to face it. 

"No, they don't."

"Where's Teacher?" Miriam asked sweetly, peering up at the lovely lady with her round, hazel eyes, making her stumble a little. How could one lie to a face like that? But (y/n) had to try, gulping the lump in her throat as Mika followed her every move, sensing that Ray was...up to something. 

"Uh, he's coming. A problem...came up."

"A problem?" Bose asked, eyelashes fluttering as his desk span around, forming a neat little circle with the others as the woman set up everything in the centre for her and Ray to teach. 

She adjusted the board, found some dry-erase markers, and dragged one of her husband's beloved bouncy ball chairs for him to bounce on. The day's lesson was supposed to be math, not her doofus' strongest subject, but she loved it, practically buzzing at the thought of numbers and such. Scribbling the word on the board, she hoped he wouldn't be too long, knowing she wasn't good at this lying thing. 

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Is it a big problem, Miss?" Percy inquired, worried that his instructor was having difficulties. If anything was wrong, he'd be the first to volunteer, although his frown deepened when Mrs Manchester snorted and coughed, a wobbly smile struggling to stay off her face. What was wrong with her now?

"You could say that..." (y/n) giggled to herself quietly, picturing her grumpy lover and his problem. She had no idea how he was dealing with it, but her tummy fluttered at what her brain conjured up. While she was squealing like a schoolgirl, the kids exchanged some bored and mildly disgusted glances, putting two and two together and then stopping. They didn't dare imagine what she was grinning about. 

"Do we even want to know?"

"No--it's nothing. We--I mean, he--I mean...nothing. Oh look, it's Professor Manchester, everybody," the heroine stammered before catching a glimpse of her husband. He strolled out of the cupboard like nothing was wrong, crossing his jacket across his chest and clearing his throat - nothing out of the ordinary, save for his dark eyes. 

They landed on his sweet girl, or so he deemed her, shooting her a knowing look as he approached to give her a chaste kiss and fleeting embrace, ready to educate. His hands squeezed her hips as he greeted the children, pretending nothing was wrong when they chatted and squirmed in their seats excitedly. 

"The minute we're alone, sweet girl..." he whispered hotly, mouth beside her ear so the kids couldn't hear him. A shiver ran through her body as she looked up at him and nodded weakly, pupils dilating and heart racing. 

"Okay, everybody, settle down. It's learning time..." (y/n) called to the kids, clapping her hands to mask how she fanned her warm cheeks. That man would be the death of her, never once straying from behind her as she beamed at the group. Together again, she lit up the room with her doofus, knowing he'd probably had to coach himself into calming down - dull thoughts of taxes, golf, and politicians. 

"Right, you are, pretty girl," Ray sighed, still all soft and gooey-eyed for his wife, even if she liked to tease him in closets like that.

"Now, children, what is math? Can you touch it? Can you hold it in your hand? If you shake it, would it rattle?"

"I don't think I've ever shaken math, doofus," his wife retorted with a bemused smile, lightly gripping his arm. He was adorable, pretending like he knew anything about the subject as she felt his biceps. Luckily, the kids followed anything he said, ignoring the lesson yet eager to trick Percy and Miriam into leaving, even if they were ever so lovely. 

"Over the next forty-five minutes, we're gonna find out together the answer to all these questions and more... And I think, along the way, we're gonna have a little bit of fun," the man told the children dreamily, booping his darling wife's nose, making her wrinkle it like a bunny. 

Meanwhile, as he talked nonsense, Chapa sneakily reached across to the keenly listening Brits, handing her hands behind the desk as she lightly zapped both with a small burst of lightning. Percy and Miriam jumped, freezing in their painful seats as all their hairs stood on end, shocked by what had just mysteriously happened. 

"Ahh!"

"Good heavens! My termite bench just gave me quite a shock!" Miriam gasped, her brother too stunned to speak for a minute. 

"Bet it hurt, right?" Chapa questioned darkly, peering at the polite children behind her creepy, babyish mask. But they didn't appear too troubled, annoyingly refusing to stand up from the infested wood since that would be terribly rude and discourteous to their generous hosts. 

"Indeed, it did," Percy nodded, only for his ginger sister to stop him, a gentle look coming over her. 

"But you know, Percy, that brief pain made me grateful for all the time I'm not in pain!" She sighed, practically angelic in everything she did and said, as her fellow students smacked their foreheads and internally groaned. What kind of kid thought like that? She had to be hiding a saint under that headscarf, fluttering her eyelashes innocently as her rosy, freckled cheeks twitched into a smile - almost heaven-sent. 

"Quite so! It seems like the lessons at this school go beyond what can be learned from books alone."

"What?" (y/n) murmured dryly, quirking an eyebrow at the boy and his Gospel-like ridiculous words. She placed her hands on Ray's shoulders as he plopped onto the bouncy chair, leaning his arms on the backrest while he, too, gave the orphans a bored glance. She almost felt bad for them, wondering what they'd endured to be grateful for the absence of pain. Still, Percy was just annoying - kissing ass with his smarmy ideas. 

"May I also say I love your festive mask!" Miriam told Chapa kindly, the disguise's creepiness barely affecting her as she beamed like sunshine. It was sickening to the cold, callous girl, who growled as they tried another trick. 

"Yeah, I love yours, too..." She sassed, much to the English girl's confusion, but she quickly saw what Bose was trying to do, spotting a pencil high above their heads. Something more menacing would've been better, but the boy could barely lift the graphite, so she laid the acting on thick.

"Look! A floating pencil!"

"Oh no, this place is haunted!..." Ray remarked tiredly, barely using a tenth of Chapa's excitement since he was too entranced by his wife's light massage, her fingers expertly kneading the knots in his shoulders. He needed it more than he realised, practically purring putty in her hands as Percy and Miriam gawped at the hovering pencil, wondering which spirit was haunting them. And surprisingly, they were superstitious, buying the deception without a doubt, more like a reverent trust. 

"Souuuuup!" Bose groaned quietly, hoping the new students didn't notice his twitching hands or ghostly noises. Still, thankfully, they were too bewitched to notice or care. To them, this was a sign from the dead, and who were they to ignore such a command?

"Spirits? Can you hear us? Tell Princess Diana that our country misses her so!" Miriam begged the floating pencil, sounding utterly ridiculous but sweet with her innocence. 

"Seriously? Lady Diana?" (y/n) scoffed, her hands settling on Ray's shoulders at the sight of--was that tears in their eyes? She didn't know why they'd want to cry over a woman dead for nearly thirty or why such a royal lady would haunt a pencil. Still, no one could tell them anything - a painful view for her and Mika, the Smarties. 

"And we hope she's having all the soup her heart desires!" That was the final straw. Bose released the pencil with a huff, slumping in his seat like Chapa when Percy faced the soup ghost head-on rather than fleeing, obviously not frightened. It was frustrating, yet...

"I'm sorry. I can't get over this..." Miles spoke before turning to the kids as if he couldn't cope with their relentless good manners. "When you were at the bus station, where did you go to the bathroom?!"

"Seriously? That's the bit you're still focusing on?" Miss Danger asked him flatly, fingertips dancing around Ray's freshly shaven throat and jaw. The boy couldn't let it go, pleading with a baffled Miriam and Percy to tell him where they...went, even though it was obvious. 

And amongst the termite stool, soup ghost, and Diana, Princess of Goddamn Wales, he still wanted to know which was Ray's last straw. 

"All right, that's it! Test of strength!" He declared, abruptly standing from his bouncy chair, despite how it felt to be under his wife's touch. The longer he sat and listened to them spouting their accented gibberish, the longer he had to wait until he could throw her on their mattress, so he took action, stomping over to the high striker. 

Bose helped Mika push her desk out of the way, creating more room for whichever unfortunate soul the headmaster chose to use his contraption. (y/n) closely behind, standing in front of a highly bored Schwoz and wondering what her lover had planned - whatever it was, it wouldn't be good. 

"You, Benedict Cumberbutt! Get up here!" He ordered Percy curtly, but the short boy didn't grumble like any polite person. He rose from the antique wheelchair and quickly hobbled over to his teacher, ready and willing to do whatever was instructed. 

"Take this hammer. Hit that, and try to get Professor Schwoz to ring the bell."

"Hello!" Schwoz waved at the puzzled children, who'd seen many strange things in their brief yet tumultuous lives, but the fuzzy little weirdo had to be one of the most peculiar. Still, Percy didn't argue, taking an old, woodworm-riddled hammer from Ray, which he had to use all his might to lift high above his head. 

"I shall try my level my best!"

"Um, doofus, are you sure this is safe? Will it even make them leave?" (y/n) hissed worriedly as he urged her to move back, ensuring he was in front of her for when the boy whacked the target. She glanced at how Percy strained to raise the hammer, looking like he was about to topple over, and she didn't want to know what would happen to Schwoz, aware of Ray's favourite tricks. 

Yet he gathered her in his arms once she and the other kids were far enough away, kissing her gently as he enjoyed her body against his. Perhaps it was a little mean, but he was sure it would drive them out, and Schwoz would survive. Probably. 

"See the head on that hammer?" He whispered in her ear before pecking the inch of skin below it. 

"I swapped it out with a Bolivian Boom Stone."

"Please, tell me you didn't..." (y/n) sighed, hiding behind her hands, although she couldn't help but peek through her fingers as her husband giggled impishly into her neck. No wonder he looked so excited, nearly trembling as he squeezed her waist and smooched her throat before eyeing Percy, who was ready to hit the target. 

"Shhhh! Here we go!" He squealed, curling around her protectively as the clueless children watched closely. 

"For the Princess!" Percy cried, hitching the hammer over his shoulder before he slammed it down with a mighty swing. The second it hit the high striker, the head exploded in a powerful, blue fireball, sending sparks, smoke, and dust through the air - him, too. The poor kid was blasted through the roof, coming down and landing on the cold, hard floor with a dull thud as Miriam gasped in horror. 

(y/n) doubted that Lady Di would be impressed with that performance. 

"My brother!" The young girl shrieked, running over to Percy's side with a wretched expression. 

"My knitting!" Schwoz whimpered, too, although he wasn't cooked like the boy was - just a little smoky. Percy was toast, though, lying on the tiles, moaning and groaning, covered in soot. He was dazed and confused, swearing he couldn't see, think, or hear correctly, yet he clambered to his feet, hunched over a desk for support as his sister tittered and fussed. 

They had no idea what had happened, but they always grinned and bore the pain with good humour and a sweet smile. 

"It's okay! I've always wanted to fly!" He exclaimed happily, a slight groan in his voice, but he was irritatingly resilient, making the Danger Force team groan and curse the day he was born. Even if Miriam was delighted that he was okay, they were devastated, barely holding back their grumbles since nothing they did could make them leave. 

The school day was nearly over, and they'd have to try again tomorrow, but not before dealing with the dozens of emergencies that came through while entertaining Little Miss Muffet and her brother. Ray's wishes for a quiet moment wouldn't come true so soon...

~Early the following day ~

In all her days as a superhero, (y/n) had never experienced such a rough night. 

Percy and Miriam didn't budge from their respective stool or chairs. They listened intently to whatever the Danger Force team threw their way until the final bell rang to signal school was out. Walking out the doors with bright smiles and cheery waves, they promised to return tomorrow, which Ray couldn't wait for, especially since he had to go into the city to fight crime. 

His special night turned into a disaster when they saw the mountain of emergency calls on the supercomputer, waiting for whichever hero to respond. There were dozens of voicemails, more than he'd ever left hanging. He had no choice but to apologise to his precious wife before sending her and the kids on missions. 

Intimacy was forgotten, and so was that moment alone, and whilst (y/n) didn't complain, taking Chapa to go and save a hippie in a tree, she was disappointed. And that made him mad, meaning that by the time the sun crept over the hills, he was beyond pissed - borderline insane. 

An agonising twelve hours later, the crew trudged into the Man's Nest, where Schwoz had napped, waiting for their return. It was nice that someone could sleep - poor Mika could barely keep her eyes open as she arrived in the tubes, every inch of her body hurting. 

"Kill me. Kill me now..." (y/n) grumbled as they hobbled down the steps, barely functioning after back-to-back missions and zero sleep. She tried to power-nap during the brief intermissions between rescues but never switched off, so she cried out for her bed, even if it wasn't how she and Ray had hoped. 

The kids grunted in agreement as they shuffled onto the floor, their Captain clumsily following behind them with his eyes barely open. He'd been uncharacteristically silent during the trip back, slumping on his wife's shoulder as she navigated the route home. Still, everyone was too tired to notice his maddened ramblings and bizarre behaviour. 

"I'm so tired..." Mika groaned before yawning, so sleepy that she accidentally activated her super-scream. A small shockwave rumbled through the air, hitting Schwoz where he napped - upside from a pole across the ceiling, looking like a goddamn bat. It couldn't be comfortable, sleeping with all the blood rushing to his brain, but it was just another weird Schwoz habit, even if no one could get used to it. 

"Sorry..." She told him tiredly when he hit the floor with a squeak, wondering what had hit him as he scrambled to his feet, clad in thick, navy blue plaid pyjamas. 

But it wasn't entirely her fault; even Miles was affected, stretching as he yawned, and when he raised his arm, he accidentally teleported, spooking his sister when he appeared beside her in a flash of light and slumped on the couch. 

"Where have you beens all night?" Schwoz asked, having fallen asleep waiting for them, and it hadn't been a restful period. 

"Fighting crime..." Bose replied, and if any of them felt any better, they would've been ecstatic to tell the genius all about it. The adults couldn't do it single-handedly, so for once, Ray and (y/n) relented, allowing them to deal with minor emergencies. At the same time, they took the big stuff like robberies, villains, and murders, which really affected the guy. 

Ray muttered gibberish as he mushed his face into his sweet girl's shoulder and collapsed over the couch, scrubbing his gloved hand over his face. (y/n) absentmindedly petted his ruffled hair, head jerking when she nearly nodded off, standing up. Yet she refused to fall asleep when everyone else still worked, no matter if she was a walking vegetable. 

"We had to take care of all the emergencies we missed during the day when Percy and Miriam were here," Chapa explained, ignoring how weird her mentor was acting, assuming that he was just snuggling with (y/n/n) like he always did--and they'd all learned to look over that. 

"Well, ten more emergencies came in while you were gone," Schwoz revealed, much to their horror. It was only a tiny amount, but they had nothing to give, feeling ready to collapse since it took the rest of their energy reserves to keep talking. 

But, while they all groaned, something weird happened. Ray flinched upward, standing oddly straight as he growled at no one as if he were having an argument with thin air. His lips moved, but no words came out; it sounded like a conversation as he clumsily pawed at his wife before bumbling across the room toward the front door. 

"What's wrong with Ray?" Bose asked, wondering where the hero was going in such a hurry when he'd worked himself half to death. 

"Oh no..." Schwoz gulped worriedly, staring after the man as he grumpily pushed through the glass doors, seemingly looking for something. 

He glanced at (y/n), who'd not even noticed his disappearance as she bent over at a ninety-degree angle onto the couch, dozing with her arms resting on the squishy backrest. She just wanted to close her eyes for a second, humming contently as sleep crept into her mushy mess of a brain.

"Is that a good oh no?"

"Oh, no, no! It's a bad one! (y/n/n), did you not put Ray down for a nap last night?" The small man panicked as he dashed over to the woman's side, poking her in the ribs to try and keep her awake. 

She grumbled throatily, swatting at his hand as she tried to resume her mini-nap; she deserved one. While he'd had a peaceful night, she'd been walking - in heels - for nine hours straight, had been puked on by a drunk man, choked by a wannabe supervillain, and had fought with a sumo wrestler over a turkey sandwich. She deserved that nap. 

But Schwoz wouldn't let up, grabbing her by the forearms and roughly shaking some consciousness into her because they had a different kind of emergency on their hands. Everyone assumed that Ray just liked getting his wife into bed, often seen dozing with her whenever they had a free moment, whether it be on the couch or in their room, but he needed that sleep. His superpower took a lot out of him, and bad things happened when he couldn't hold her in his arms...

"(y/n), wake up! Did you and Ray have a nap last night?!"

"Does it look like I had a nap last night? Now...Ray--Ray--Ray--Ray-Ray...My hubby, Ray..." She hummed, looking utterly stupid with that dopey grin, grumpy about not sleeping, but talking about her lover made her so silly, smiling like an idiot as she tried to think.

"Um...He likes sleeping. Sleeps on the right side of the bed. Doesn't like pyjamas. Uses..." she yawned loudly and abruptly, "peppermint toothpaste. Likes the room freezing cold 'cause he's this big...warm...doo--doofus."

"Yes, but did he have a nap?!" Schwoz asked exasperatedly, patting her cheek to try and make her focus. He didn't care if she knew his nighttime routine like the back of her hand, only that it was usually her job to ensure he got enough sleep. God knows that man would run around all day if no one was there to tempt him into the bedroom. 

"Um...no?" She offered awkwardly, suddenly feeling a little soberer as her skin stung, and a terrible realisation dawned on her. "Oh, shit... I completely forgot about his nap! We were just so busy, and he seemed fine... This is bad."

"Why?" Miles asked quietly, frowning when he watched the woman rake her shaky fingers through her tussled hair, eyes bloodshot and wide. She was panicking, hugging her body, when her bottom lip wobbled like she'd done something terrible. She looked guilty and scared as she craned toward the doors, hoping to spot her husband before he went berserk. 

"If Ray doesn't get enough sleep, he turns bad until he can sleep again! And believe me, he gets real grumpy if (y/n) isn't with him!" 

"Like a good bad?" Mika asked meekly, making Schwoz look at her dryly. They didn't understand how bad this was, going beyond a quick cuddle on the couch. His dark glare made the kids shrink back, sensing the girl was clutching at straws, hoping against hope that it was a happy sneer. 

"Remember Roy, who wanted to take candy from that handsome baby?" 

"I remember Roy..." Chapa remarked when Schwoz smirked and wiggled his eyebrows, smoothing his ego when they should've been worrying about Ray. He was poking around the front porch, digging through his wife's pretty flowerbeds like a dog searching for a buried bone. It made her glance at him worriedly when he growled some indecipherable curse. 

"Yeah, he was like Ray, but evil," Miles noted, knowing he'd never forget the man's weird performance, especially that moustache. But, despite how funny he was and primarily unthreatening, the idea of an evil Captain Man terrified the children because it wouldn't be make-believe. He'd try to hurt people and behave cruelly - the anti-doofus - making them shudder at the thought. 

"That's what happens to Ray if he doesn't get enough sleep," (y/n) sighed, holding her clammy cheeks as she shook her head sadly, scolding herself for not seeing the signs because she was merely exhausted. 

And, speaking of the devil, Ray burst through the door, stumbling down the steps like a drunkard, heading for the group with a vicious snarl. He said something, sounding like he was talking to Chapa. Still, no one could work out what he was saying, slurring his words until her name and laughing sounded like gibberish - either way, he looked furiously determined. 

"Schwoz! Do you still keep your flesh-eating bacteria in this old mayonnaise jar?" He asked through a yawn, knocking into his sweet girl as she stared at him in alarm, terrified that he even wanted to hold that much in his hand. It was one of the genius' more revolting experiments, and she didn't like to mess with it, having watched the lethal gunge strip melt the meat off a chicken drumstick in ten seconds flat. 

"No, doofus, don't touch that!" She ordered him, tentatively reaching out to take it off him before he did himself mischief, but Ray refused. He whined at her defiantly, sounding like a moody child as he pulled the jar out of her reach and unscrewed the lid. Everyone jumped back in terror when the bacteria breathed fresh air, quietly hissing and fizzing like they whispered for flesh, and no one fancied being its dinner. 

"Answered my own question. I'mma go throw it on those kids." Ray sniffed casually, spinning clumsily on his heel as if he was going to hunt down Percy and Miriam, wherever they lived, and coat them in that goop... 

As annoying as they were, no one deserved that, making his friends cringe and scream when he tried to walk away. 

"No, Roy--I mean, Ray, you shouldn't do that!" (y/n) told him, reaching out to catch his arm before he could stomp away. Luckily, the man couldn't ignore his precious girl, even in his drained state, turning around to meet her eye with a dumb expression. He looked rough, hair all unkempt and fluffy - so unlike his usual groomed mane - and his skin looked dull and blotchy, but he tried his best to focus on his wife when his heart pulled toward her. 

"Why not, darlin'?" He pouted, behaving only because she was watching. 

"Um...it might get on you, and I don't want to ruin this handsome face!" She laughed nervously, cupping his cheeks whilst edging away from the putrid jar, which she swore hissed at her. He sighed at her touch, head lolling forward like he could go to sleep right then and there, but he refused, shaking his body to snap out of it - although laying down with her for a little while didn't sound so bad. 

"I'm indestructible...and so tired!" He yawned, moving to kiss her forehead, but it was more of a headbutt, making (y/n) yelp. As she rubbed her sore skull, the doofus plodded away, swearing he didn't need to sleep because he had a job to get rid of those British kids if it was the last thing he did. 

"But it still might eat off all of your hair!" Schwoz called after him, matching the heroine's worry when the man headed toward the door again. 

"No! Not the floppy floof!" (y/n) whimpered childishly, stamping her foot as her exhaustion made her stroppy. She pouted and crossed her arms, looking like a scolded toddler at the thought of losing one of her favourite doofy features. But Ray wasn't listening, even as the bacteria hungered for sustenance. 

"Shut up, bacteria! Leave me alone! My wife says I'm so...handsome!" He rambled, pushing the door open with a limp arm as he cradled the mayo jar to his chest. 

His sweet girl longed to go after him, feeling weepy and tired that she had jelly legs, so it was up to Schwoz to chase after him while the kids rallied around her. 

"Okay, new problem. We can't let Ray throw that flesh-eating bacteria on Percy and Miriam," Mika sighed, patting the woman soothingly on the back as her friends agreed, even Chapa. She was mean and ruthless, but she only wanted to scare them away, not melt them like butter, so, as much as it played against her morals, she knew they had to stop the man. 

And that wouldn't be easy after staying up all night. 

"Step one--we stay awake. If we fall asleep, we can't protect Percy and Miriam." She nodded, steeling herself and ignoring her desperate wish to curl up in a ball and sleep. It was okay; she'd pulled all-nighters before, although it wasn't on a school night. 

"You sure? You guys haven't stopped since yesterday afternoon," (y/n) fretted, noticing the bags under their eyes and how droopy Mika looked. And, when she tucked her fingers under Chapa's chin, analysing her worriedly, the girl didn't even jerk away with blushing cheeks, holding her eyelids shut for a long second. 

"We're fine, (y/n/n). School starts in ten minutes," Miles assured her, ignoring how his eyes couldn't focus on anything for more than ten seconds. 

"Good. We can make it ten minutes."

"Yeah! I'm not tired at all!" Bose smiled cockily, reclining against the couch to try and convince their only sane teacher. They had no idea how the lesson would go if Ray was off his rocker, but one thing was for sure - sleep was their enemy, and they were on their guard. 

Nope, they wouldn't drop off. They were superheroes, and sleep was for the weak. Definitely. Nothing would get past them, no matter if they just closed their eyes for a quick second...counting sheep...dreaming of bedtime...pillows and cotton wool. So...very...sleepy.

~

Or not. The second the kids sat down at their desks, bones aching after so much hard work, a wave of sleepiness washed over them. 

The class had barely begun, yet their heads dipped, resting on their open books and tables as Percy and Miriam stood silently in the doorway. They were baffled to see their fellow students snoring away with the lovely Mrs Manchester swaying on the stage with bleary eyes and dull reflexes. She greeted them quietly, waving weakly as she rubbed her eyes, looking dreadful without a touch of concealer and blush for her pesky complexion. 

"Hello, P-Piriam and Mercy...welcome to your s-second day," (y/n) spoke softly, bumbling over those tricky syllables as the children frowned in concern. They'd never comment on her appearance - they were far too polite to tell her that her blouse wasn't buttoned up correctly and her jacket looked dirty - but she was acting weird and looked worse. 

"Miss...are you all right? Miriam asked kindly, wondering why the woman who seemed so sharp yesterday was swaying from side to side as she waited for her crazed husband. 

"Yes, thank you. I am exquisite! Would you be so kind as to join your fellow academics of the scholarly arts?" She asked, gesturing to their rickety seats as she mimicked their accents, unable to help herself. Nothing made sense; she smiled dreamily at the confused girl as she nearly tripped over her feet since the world felt fuzzy. 

"Um...hello, schoolmates?" Percy called out tentatively, scared to sit down as they slumbered silently on their desks, sniffling and snuffling in their sleep but not replying. 

"Oh, Percy! What's wrong with them?--"

"I'm awake!" The siblings peered at the superhero kids, alarmed at how Mika suddenly shot up with wide eyes and stiff limbs, screaming to the heavens. She swore she'd only closed her eyes briefly, waking her friends up simultaneously, so they all saw that they'd been napping for fifteen minutes or more. (y/n) was too nice to wake them up, hoping they could catch a few winks before Ray turned up, wherever he was. 

"Is there something wrong?" The polite boy asked warmly, and the kids all turned to stare at them, thankfully noticing the lack of mayo. How long had they been standing there?

"Yes! You guys gotta get out of here!" Mika told them urgently, fearing what her boss would do when he found them. Sweet girl or no sweet girl, she felt that, at this point, Ray was too tired to listen to anyone. 

"We would never abandon you in a time of need!"

"No, SWAG for life, I say!"

"And so say I!" Miriam and Percy declared, refusing to flee when there was danger. Whilst it was noble and valiant of them, especially how they thumped their clenched fists against their chests like some kind of oath, it made their new friends groan in frustration. They couldn't help but be nice, even though it was for their own good--and it was becoming grating. 

"(y/n), have you seen Ray?" Suddenly, Schwoz burst into the room from the cupboard, looking frantic and nervous as his eyes scoured the room for the fatigued hero. 

"If I had, we'd be sleeping by now," the heroine replied, only to pause her temple massage when a thought hit her, "Wait, I thought he was with you!"

"Yah...he's not."

"Schwoz!" (y/n) facepalmed, gaze flickering to Miriam and Percy as they smiled and waved pleasantly. Bless them - they didn't understand what was happening, although she wasn't sure if they'd run away screaming if they knew the anti-doofus was hunting them with murderous bacteria. They'd probably through it a tea party, not that they'd let Ray near them. 

Her poor doofus was probably scared, alone, and confused, blinded by his exhaustion, which made her heart throb and long to guide him to their room. They'd nap for ten hours at least, then some more until he forgot about the mayonnaise and became his silly, lovable self again. She hated the thought of everyone fearing him - it wasn't his fault. 

"Okay, out the door! Let's go--Let's go--s'go, s'go, s'go, s'go, s'go, s'go!" Mika shouted, taking charge of the situation as the adults bickered, the heroine scolding Schwoz for somehow losing a six-foot bumbling man. 

But there was no time for arguing as they ushered the orphans outside, pulling the big, heavy, wooden doors open--only to see Roy waiting menacingly on the porch. He looked worse than before, barely having the strength to don his dandy attire, so his shirt and jacket were rumpled, cravat pulled loose down his front, and his pants didn't look ironed. He hadn't had a wash or bothered to brush his hair since that took more effort than he had, yet the mayonnaise jar was still tightly in his palm. 

His wife whimpered at how...awful he looked, glaring at poor Percy and Miriam as they cowered in the doorway, terrified of the insane glint in his eye. That wasn't the doofus she married, all red-faced and crazy, with eyes for nothing but murder. 

"Cheerio, kiddies! Who's hungry for mayonnaise?!" Ray cackled evilly, brandishing the jar in the horrified kids' faces, and even Danger Force was scared. They shrieked in terror, Bose trembling and hiding in (y/n)'s arms, as Chapa and Miles pushed him back a few paces and attempted to close the doors--anything to keep him out. Meanwhile, Mika pulled Percy and Miriam further into the classroom, knowing they'd have to defend them from there. 

"Into the closet, Canadians!" Bose instructed them, meaning well, even if he was a little confused. 

"Is there something wrong with Teacher?" Percy snivelled at (y/n) as she guided him and his sister into the back room, praying they'd be safe there. It broke her heart to hear his question, not knowing how to explain to the doe-eyed boy that her husband wanted to watch the flesh melt off their bones, so she just smiled and shoved him behind the door. 

"Yes! Everything's fine--just don't come out until we tell you!" She laughed nervously as if her frenzied actions didn't shout the opposite. They slammed the door shut, lamenting that there was a lock, but they stood fast, Mika and Bose working to block the door while the heroine protected them. 

Her husband finally shouldered in the door, unable to direct his sausage-like fingers to use the handle. Still, he made it, delirious and determined to hunt down those kids. But (y/n) wouldn't let him, knowing that while it broke her heart, she'd whack him if she had to, resolved to keep her babies safe, no matter what. 

And she supposed that, even if it was for a little while, and even if they were annoyingly mannerly, Percy and Miriam fell into that category. Her duty was to keep them safe, especially from the thing haunting her husband. 

"Where are those, Brits, (y/n)? I gotta get rid of those kids!" Ray - or Roy - asked gruffly, staring at his trembling with uncommonly dark and harsh eyes, unlike the innocent blue she was used to. 

She tried not to take it to heart as she faced him, arms crossed across her chest to shield her love from his malice - telling herself that her doofus would never use her real name in such a casual fashion. Her husband only called her by the sweetest words, saying them with love and affection, and he'd never sneer at his students like that. 

"Doofus, you need to sleep! Why don't we just go lie down? Hmmm?" She offered gently, resting her flat palms on his chest as she fluttered her eyelashes to entice him, which worked briefly. The man laid his hands on her hips, gaze softening at her touch and sweet proposal, and it sounded heavenly, almost enough to tempt him into dropping the jar, but he shook his head and growled. 

"Which I'll never get as long as they're here! We'll sleep when they're gone!"

"Okay, Raymond, if you act like a child, I will treat you like a child," (y/n) growled, clutching his untucked shirt as she frowned and dug her heels into the floor.

"You've got two options, mister. Come to bed with me right now, or I'll drag your ass there myself, and you'll sleep alone." She huffed, folding her arms to show she meant business. No one else dared to meet Roy's glare, but she bravely blocked him with her body as he pouted, something deep down in his heart telling his sleepy brain that its match wasn't happy. The aching in his chest didn't cease, but he ignored it, even if her sad stare made it worse. 

"...Third option--spin move!" He snapped rebelliously and, much to her shock, dashed to dodge past her. She was expecting some trick, moving in time with the hulking hero, but for someone so bulky, he was agile, wriggling past her defences to charge at the kids - the last line of defence. 

With Miss Danger tripping over herself, Chapa stepped up, conjuring a mighty jolt of electricity to shock Ray in the chest. It stunned him briefly, making him gasp and shudder as he scowled and took a moment to recover. Miles tucked himself under his arm while frozen, making (y/n) sniffle at how roughly they had to treat him. 

"Next stop--the Man's Nest!" The boy quipped, ensuring his teacher was securely in his grasp before thrusting his arm in the air, teleporting them out of the room. Everyone could breathe a sigh of relief...for about five seconds. Unfortunately, Miles' inability to land correctly meant that he and Ray reappeared less than a metre away, incoherent and confused from the short trip. 

"Oh, come on! Not even out of the room?!" And no one was more upset than Miles, who frowned and stamped his foot when he noticed how miserably he'd done, perhaps even only succeeded in edging the sleepy man closer to their wards. 

"Lemme at those kids!" Ray screeched, holding the jar of flesh-eating bacteria high above his head, ready to toss it at whichever Brit came his way. Chapa pressed herself against the door, blocking him from reaching the door handle as Percy and Miriam cowered in the closet, hearing nothing but raised voices and arguing. 

"You know we can't let you do that, Raymond!" (y/n) growled, her mean glare distracting him long enough for Bose to sneak in with his telekineses. 

The hero couldn't help but feel bad as his precious girl hissed at him, allowing the kid to carefully lift the jar out of his hand and harm's way until it floated high above Ray's head. He swatted the air for it, growling for the mayo to return to him, but even he wasn't tall enough to jump and grab it. Thankfully, it wasn't too heavy for Bose to use his power, keeping him bouncing to reach it, giving his heavy-hearted wife quick peeks at his toned tummy when his shirt rose. 

Mika went next, activating his super-scream to try and knock the hero over now that he was unarmed. Yet, unfortunately, she didn't aim very well. She accidentally hit Bose, too, toppling the kid over and shattering his concentration on the jar, making it fall through the air. 

Whilst he fell to the floor, Ray stayed on his feet, confused and oblivious, until it crashed on his head, sending glass shards and thick, gloopy bacteria all over his beautiful hair. And those nasty critters were hungry. Instantly, it began to burn, chomping through his silken locks with a voracious hunger, making Ray grasp at his head in terror. 

He yelled in horror, hands coated in the goo and clumps of his hair, extra terrified in his tired state. As the hero panicked and screamed in pain, his wife rushed to his side, nervous about getting anything on her since she wasn't quite indestructible but couldn't bear to see him in pain. He raced past her, running for the front door like the outdoors could save him from the itching, creepy-crawly tingling on his scalp, much to her concern. 

"Raymond! His hair--his beautiful hair!" (y/n) blubbered, torn between chasing after him to try and wash it off and staying to keep watch. The damage was already done, and whilst she assumed Schwoz's science would fix the mess his bacteria caused, there was no helping him while he ran riot. 

"Friends!" A joyous voice called out, and the group froze. They knew that chirpy tone and polite accent anywhere. "We can stay idle no longer!"

"Are you okay?" Miriam questioned kindly as she and Percy emerged from the closet, troubled by the bizarre and horrifying noises they heard through the door. They didn't mean to drop any eaves, but...it would be rude to not offer any assistance. 

"Um...well..." (y/n) giggled nervously, scratching her head as she tried to explain everything. But how do you tell two children that your sleep-deprived husband went on a murderous rampage, and now bacteria were eating his hair? God, she wanted a nap, but at least things couldn't get much worse. 

"Hello?! What's going on in there?" She spoke too soon. The headmistress felt her heart plummet into her tummy, alive with nerves at the sound of that shrill voice. And there was only one woman it belonged to - the one with the nose she liked to stick in unwanted places. Sharona Shapen and her impeccable timing. 

She stomped into the classroom in another hideous suit: grey check with a flouncy lilac scarf, matching blouse, a little flower pin on her lapel, and a deep frown on her meerkat-like face. The kids froze upon seeing her, looking to (y/n) for help since she was supposed to be the teacher--the ringleader in their den of chaos. 

"Normal school stuff?" She said anxiously, wiping her moist palms on her jacket as she subtly straightened herself out, patting down her skirt and tucking her hair behind her ears. The heroine refused to look subpar to that clown of a woman. Still, Sharona didn't spare her a glance, finding Percy and Miriam and grinning her toothy smile when she saw them standing together - fortunately, still in one piece. 

"Ah-ha! There's my little British Bake-Offs! You're coming with me," she told them firmly in a weirdly happy voice. 

The siblings peered at her strangely, wondering why the inspector had returned so quickly when they'd barely settled into their new school. But she insisted, not taking their confusion or no for an answer. 

"What's this?"

"Whatever for?" They inquired, utterly puzzled they'd sworn their oath of allegiance or whatever, refusing to leave their friends simply because she said so. 

"I got a new school for ya!"

"We will never leave our friends," Percy replied sharply, standing shoulder to shoulder with his sister as she readily agreed. Although their time had been short and weird, they felt a strange sense of loyalty. Still, perhaps that was simply their nobility and honour shining through, making Chapa wrinkle her nose in disgust. 

"SWAG forever, I say!"

"And so say I!"

"Yeah, you're going to forget about these dopes in, like, two seconds when the horse-drawn carriage gets here," Sharona shrugged, having mysteriously found somewhere much more suitable for the orphans than the shitshow ran by that mousy woman and her handsome yet husband. 

And speaking of that smoke show, Ray rolled in, screaming and shouting like a raving lunatic as he descended from the steps to the Man's Nest. (y/n) felt her mouth go dry and her intestines clench when she saw how he clutched at his smooth, shiny, bald head, completely stripped free of hair - even a stubble. The bacteria had left nothing behind, and for a guy so caught up in his appearance, the loss, combined with his exhaustion, was devastating. 

"My hair! My beautiful hair!"

"Oh, doofus..." she mumbled, pressing a trembling hand against her cheek as he barrelled toward the group. He looked crazy in his sleek, rumpled, gunge-covered clothes, but she knew she still loved him, even if he looked like an egg. She wasn't so shallow as to focus on his lack of chocolate locks, even if she silently mourned its loss. 

"Ah, it burns! Oh, God, it burns!" He shrieked, collapsing into the antique chair that Percy had been sitting in as it rolled out the door. Seeing a bald man with superpowers wheeling himself around his school for gifted children was a strange sight, shouting and screaming to God. Miss Shapen wondered what she'd walked into, and she was glad to return to save those poor orphans from the madness. 

"What's his problem?"

"He just needs a nap--now, what's this about a horse-drawn carriage?" Chapa asked curiously, knowing her friend would get her doofus into bed once the strangers were gone, but she wanted to know where they were going. And in such luxury, at that. 

"Some billionaire in Bordertown runs a school for poor, gifted English kids," Sharona explained excitedly, eager to whisk Percy and Miriam away from the cesspit of a school so she could go and enjoy the billionaire's company--and hopefully a few of his millions. 

"Oh, does he?" Mika gasped incredulously, twirling a lock of her dark hair around her finger as she smirked at the odd woman--looking as if she knew something her friends didn't. It took a minute for (y/n) to figure it out, her brain not what it usually was when she was so tired, but then, it hit her. She didn't...did she?

"Yeah, it's a lot of paperwork to apply. I don't know how you did it!" The inspector remarked to Percy and Miriam, who looked just as flabbergasted as she did, not knowing what she was talking about. But Mika had it covered, silently smug that she'd tapped away on her computer as per her teacher's advice whilst they all doubted her. 

"Me neither! It's almost like someone else filled out their applications for them!"

"Yeah, whatever! Anyway, each kid gets a million bucks and a banger of an education. Much better than this dump!" Miss Shapen cackled, much to (y/n)'s offence, who folded her arms and glared, looking slightly meaner than usual with her dark under-eyes and doofus-less status. 

"Hey! I'll have you know my husband and I put our life savings into this place!" She retorted indignantly, highly protective of her beautiful school's windows and gardens. She left out the part where the good old taxpayer funded half of it, not that the odd woman needed to know that- they were obliged to Captain Man and Miss Danger for guarding them. 

"Your husband?!" Sharona laughed cruelly, gesturing to where Ray rolled away, wailing hysterically. "What kind of gifted school is run by an old bald guy in a wheelchair?"

"I'll have you know, Sharona--"

"I am not old!" Ray snapped rudely, abruptly rolling into the room with a scowl, butting in when his sweet girl went to defend him. She sighed at the sorry sight he made, knowing it had been a trying few days for him, casting back to that promise she had made. Would they even have time for that now?

His head shined under the bright lights, looking particularly spherical and slick, exasperated by his kooky clothes. Yet despite everything, he was offended by the insinuation that he was old - his classic sore spot. 

"Pipe down, Mr Clean!" Sharona hissed, scrunching her face in disgust at his unkempt, bohemian appearance. Before (y/n) could say something - or punch her in the teeth - the inspector stormed forward and kicked Ray's wheelchair, sending his back onto the porch as he clutched his sore, chilly scalp. How cruel - she picked on him at his most vulnerable. 

"My doofus!" The heroine exclaimed in horror, cringing when she heard her lover whimper and crash into something. 

"Listen here, Sharona," she snarled defensively, "what's your game? What do you want?"

"Your school can keep its license, Mrs Manchester, but I'm never sending any other students here again," the gaudy woman announced, much to Miriam and Percy's disappointment, their bottom lips wobbling. They didn't want to leave, but their friends couldn't help but secretly celebrate the news; they'd never have to worry about unwanted visitors again. They had Ray and his spectacular performance to thank for that.

"Now, come on, beans and toast. Time to Brexit!" Miss Shapen whistled to the orphans, ignoring their kicked-puppy expressions since she was on a roll with her British puns. She waltzed out of the classroom, expecting them to follow her, and the kids had no choice but to take their leave, but not before bidding their friends and instructor goodbye. 

"We will never forget you! Thank you so much, Miss (y/n)!" Percy smiled and sniffed, blinking back tears as he suddenly wrapped his arms around (y/n)'s waist. The poor kid was so short, barely reaching past her tummy as his sister hugged her other side, snuggling into her body like they were leaving their mother or a dear friend. Despite the surprise, it warmed the woman's heart, and she couldn't leave them hanging. 

"It was my pleasure to...teach you," she told them gently, awkwardly patting their headscarf and flat cap since she wouldn't assume they learned anything from their hurried and bizarre lessons. But, if anything, the children were a delight in the school and, as always, so very polite.

"SWAG forever, I say!"

"And so say I!" They swore stalwartly, ignoring the sadness to tap their fists against their chests. It was a final goodbye that moved even the stoniest of hearts--namely Chapa's, who nodded solemnly as the others tried not to cry. They were so strong, especially Miles, who repeated their gestures as the brother and sister emotionlessly marched away without another word - not looking back once. 

And then, they were alone again as Percy and Miriam left for a life of ease and luxury--it was almost convincing enough to make them follow. But they didn't, seeing Ray parked outside and knowing they had their own oath to fulfil, starting with getting him in bed with his sweet girl and a wig. 

"Can't believe Miles was right..." Bose sighed as they gathered together, feeling empty now that their little crumpets had gone on to better things, but Mika couldn't help but frown...

"About what?" (y/n) asked curiously, knowing that the first thing she wanted to do was sleep, snuggled up to her husband on their emperor-sized bed. 

"The solution revealed itself!"

"What?" Mika frowned at this long-haired boy's words, refusing to believe that he thought her brother and his mystic bullshit were the answer to their problems. They ignored how she worked her butt off to get Miriam and Percy into that fancy school. Still, they laughed and congratulated Miles for his efforts--like they left by chance. It was amusing for (y/n) to watch, chuckling to herself when she practically saw steam coming out of the girl's ears. 

"Hey, yeah. It did!" Chapa agreed, clueless to the furious girl by her elbow. 

"The universe will provide..." Miles stated calmly and smugly, infuriating his sister even more. He lapped up all the attention his friends gave him, feeling like he was one with the spirits--although he'd meet them sooner than later if Mika got ahold of him. 

"Mika provides! I filled out their applications like (y/n) told me to while everyone else wasn't paying any attention to me!" She exclaimed frustratedly, wildly gesturing to herself as she ranted about how she'd saved the day - it was funny to watch.

But her friends weren't in the mood for one of her holier-than-thou lectures, glancing at each other tiredly before simply walking away, heading for the closet so they could go to the Man's Nest and nap. They deserved a little relaxation, their heads throbbing too much to listen to Mika's incessant ramblings. 

"Hello?! Hello?! I exist! (y/n/n), tell them!" She wailed, looking at the older girl pleadingly to get her support, but she just laughed kindly. 

"You did good, Mika. Well done for helping us out," (y/n) praised her happily, rubbing her head like she was rewarding a puppy, but Mika lapped it up. She practically glowed at the compliment, beaming with pride, even if she tried to appear modest and humble. 

"Aw, shucks..."

"So, go and rest with the others. You must be exhausted," the heroine told her, ushering the sleepy girl toward where her friends had disappeared when she yawned suddenly. Too tired to argue, Mika nodded weakly, rolling her shoulders now the adrenaline had worn off, and she turned to the door, fingers brushing the golden handle when she noticed that her friend wouldn't follow. 

"What about you? Aren't you gonna go to bed?"

"Of course! My feet feel like they'll drop off if I wear these heels for a minute longer," she replied with a tired laugh, shifting from one foot to the other since she couldn't feel her toes. They'd been squashed in heels - boots or otherwise - for over twelve hours, and she was drained, hearing her bed calling out to her. She'd listen, knowing the route even with her eyes closed, but first, there was something she needed to do...

"But first, I need to go get His Grumpiness."

"Oh, come on. Ray will be fine if you nap for an hour or two!" Mika exclaimed, slowly pushing the door open, hoping it would tempt the woman into tagging along. She hated the bags under her eyes, but no matter what she said, she still edged toward the front door, where Ray still sulked on the porch in his wheelchair, determined to go to bed with him. 

"I guess, but he's my husband, and I love him, even if he's all eggy now," (y/n) shrugged, gently refusing the girl's subtle offer when she jerked her head to the back room, setting her sights on the grumbling doofus throwing a tantrum amongst the potted plants. 

It would be nightmarish and nearly impossible to convince him to go with her, considering how he was screeching and scratching at his hairless head, but she'd manage it. No matter if it took another hour, she'd drag him there, strip his stupid riding boots off, and tuck them under the comforter - they'd solve his smooth noggin problem later. 

"Can't sleep without him..."

"Do you think he'll be bald forever?" The girl asked curiously, wondering if it was something they'd have to get used to, but she didn't look too worried. As much as she adored his brown floof, (y/n) didn't cry or frown, unlike when she first saw his kooky new look, seeming oddly relaxed and happy as she hovered in front of the door. 

"Nah... Schwoz will throw some hair juice on his head or something, and I'll have my handsome doofus back in no time!" She exclaimed, practically bouncing with joy at the thought of being in her lover's embrace again, where she could hear his rational thoughts and sweet words. She needed it after a long day, shivering at the thought of finally resting with him. 

In her happiness, she didn't feel the smile creeping onto her face, too wrapped up to see Mika giggling at that dreamy-eyed expression. 

"You really love him, don't you?" She remarked softly, half-disappearing behind her door as (y/n) went in the opposite direction on her mission. Her cheeks grew warm, yet she quickly nodded, never denying it - her purest form was when she revelled in her deep adoration for that man, who took all other love she might have had for anyone else to give her room to grow. 

"More than anything..." she replied softly, enough for Mika. The girl didn't argue any more, seeing that nothing she said would convince her otherwise. She passed into the other room, leaving the heroine with weariness and endless love as everything finally fell silent. 

The classroom needed a good tidy, and she wanted to check on the kids before she slept since it had been their longest shift yet. There was a lot to do, more than she could bear to think about when her body ached, begging to restore itself, but it was nice to stand and appreciate...nothing. No problems, no children, nothing that could go wrong...

She was frozen, seeing the sunlight holding the dust in its beams before it settled on her surfaces, readying for cleaning. Maybe in a few hours, but she could hear Ray crying on the front porch, calling her name in a needy, pitchy voice as his fists thumped the chair. He had to be her priority, worrying for others before herself. 

She sighed and closed her eyes, knowing the silence never lasted long, but that was okay. She fixed her jacket, rubbed her face, and studied the messy classroom, calling out that she was on her way, fighting through the exhaustion. 

Off she went again, head held high as the school doors closed until the next crazy adventure.

[thevulturesquadron]

THAT LATEST EPISODEEEE

Okay okay I have many thoughts and I apologise if this is gonna end up very incoherent and disjointed but I NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE AHHHHH

You know what the episode did very well (the writers, man)? Make the audience feel like they're taking crazy pills. There's this almost cognitive dissonance from the rest of the squad (Charles esp) with the way they say and behave because as Rogue stated "none of you were there". This is SO good in showcasing that you can be as understanding as you want, be literally a part of the same group... and STILL it's not enough because you didn't have the (in this case unfortunate) exact experience. The previous episode is a great addendum to this. The rest of humanity's (majorly the big wigs of course but you get what i mean) scared and at worst callous and apathetic reaction to the genocide. They're not scared because of what happened to those mutants, they're scared because of what Magneto would do in retaliation. Cooper is another example of how much actual experience can wholly change a person. She's not a mutant... but she was THERE. Erik and Rogue were there... right in the middle of it. How does anyone expect SOMETHING to not happen. You know who else saw what happened? Us, the audience. The latest episode felt frustrating and cathartic in the best way. It felt like decades of repressed righteous anger spilling in the most messiest manner, but it's OUT there. It needed to be said. Rogue's rant at the group before joining Erik, Erik's iconic "SHUT UP" line (yo lemme tell you istg i said the EXACT thing after that drivel Charles said). That's another thing that was so well done. Showcasing that no matter how well meaning Charles is... sometimes it feels like the dude's not LISTENING (Erik talks about watching a child be eviscerated in front of his very eyes, and I feel like all he's getting from others is an 'aw im sorry thoughts and prayers now can you please CHILL out') and does need this slap in the face. And the consequences keep piling up (the last big thing being what happened to Logan). Nothing will ever be normal and it's sad and scary and I'm very much looking forward to what comes next.

On a small note, showing how Roberto's decision was unsure with him trying to apologise to Jubilee and then his shocked reaction at her not wanting to hear him was so sad. It truly felt like a boy who only realised how massive of a consequence he's facing but just wanting his friend back.

I'm pretty sure I had more things to say and a more thoughtful way of saying them but anyway... 10/10. VERY ANGERING AND FANTASTIC. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LAST EP!!!

HI!!! ✨SAME!! 💜💜💜💜 thanks for coming in kicking the door down and shouting my way cause I needed that!! My brain has been stuck on a loop with the events in E9.

I love, love, love this episode exactly because of the strong emotions it made me go through. To see the division, to see where everyone stands, to see what matters most to them: what they are going through or an ideal? It. Was. So. Good! It was skin itching to see it at the same time. Each episode has continued to take me by surprise and go beyond my expectations.

I love how well the writers have been able to portray the difference between people who have been through horrible events, and those who have seen them ‘on screen’. Remember in episode 7 when Amelia said 'a survivor is the last thing I’d wanna be.’? Now it resonates even more than ever. It’s poetry. And yes, Cooper isn’t just someone who ‘saw it Magneto’s way’. No. She was one of the perpetrators caught in the middle.

So that when Scott goes around saying ‘Magneto is responsible for this.’ When Wolverine is out for blood - it should make you angry cause it feels like the crimes that Bastion has orchestrated are secondary to the X-men's agenda of 'righting a wrong'. Bastion is just a battle, another villain they need to defeat. But the call was coming from inside the house all along.

I’ve seen people online saying that this episode did Magneto dirty. But I think it’s the opposite. Magneto had always been capable of awful things in his pain and anger, but that’s not the point the writers are trying to make. The name of the episodes is ‘Tolerance is extinction’ - the whole point is to put the viewer in the uncomfortable position of understanding Magneto’s anger, but knowing his actions have big consequences, all the while making you lose your mind at how backwards and ignorant Charles' side seems. People are dying because ultimately his dream is more important than the people the dream is made for. And Rogue and Magneto are calling him out on it. The beauty of it is that Charles is preaching an ethical way where everyone matters, but how entitled and arrogant he must come across when everyone else around him is just ‘sacrifices he is willing to make’ for the sake of an ideal. It’s beautiful and awful that the cry for battle and survival is coming from the mouth of those that have nothing left but violence in them, while the champions of the just offer shackles and tell those that suffer to endure more for the greater good.

Yes this episode is supposed to make people angry and confused. And I think it succeeds.

If there is one less positive thing to say about the show, it's the pacing. You can feel that they were forced to put everything in just 10 episodes because there are a lot of moments throughout the show that are either missing or rushed. (For ex. in this last episode I would have liked to have scene with Rogue and Roberto on Asteroid M, in a similar fashion to what we got for the two X-men squads; just a glimpse at how things are impacting them instead of immediately seeing them in a 'villain guards' roles.) But I am not going to hold it against the show; from what they've delivered it reads a lot like cuts that they needed to live with.

[jhoneybees]

Stutter

Lordy lord☝️

Hehehe another fic! This one is a John Carpenter fic and I hope you enjoy it!! I was watching the 'Change of Habit', movie yesterday and thought he's such a nice man😮‍💨 and here's a fun fact about me if anyone is interested is that I have a stutter! The reader in this fic has one as well! It's a pain in the a- @hooked-on-elvis for the tags !!

My brain is finally cooperating with me again but I don't wanna jinx it 🫣 And I'm sorry that a lot of my fics include crying, I just can't get enough of crying comfort fics😭

Characters: John Carpenter X stuttering!reader

Warnings/triggers: Doctor clinics, stuttering, crying

_____________________________________________

This week hasn't been going smoothly for you, and it’s all your stutter’s fault. One thing you couldn’t spit words out when a couple of ladies were asking you for directions to the nearest post office and then when you had to call the dentist to make an appointment, it tied your damn words down. It’s absolute torture and you were so fed up with it. You've had this speech impediment for as long as you can remember and everyday you wish it would just disappear, out of your life, away from your worries but you had to learn that it's only fair for each individual to have their own problems in their lives but you still thought about that wish of yours. Sometimes…Well daily it makes you cry thinking about how hard it is to deal with.

Something that helps your stutter though is John, John Carpenter, your beloved boyfriend. He's always been there for you whenever you want to pour all your concerns out, about anything your brain can think of. He’d always listen and you couldn't ask for any other guy than him, he's all you need. Just someone who would look past your evidently painful stutter and just patiently waits for your next words. He knows about your stutter and understands how hard it can be because he often works with people with problems like this and he has told you several times if you want help, he is always there but you just think John has enough on his plate of taking care of himself and his patients so having his girlfriend to take care of as well? In your brain it seems like it's too much for him. Yes John is a doctor and that’s his job to take care of others but oh you couldn't possibly burn your wonderful hard-working boyfriend out, you really couldn't bother him with your problems even though he wouldn’t mind at all and would be happy to help.

One afternoon, as you were sitting on the couch those worrying thoughts were constantly circling your mind and you just wanted them to go away so you decided to go to John's clinic for a visit, to get your mind off things.

As you arrive and open the door into the foyer, you peer through the window of the clinic door to see John talking to a patient, who you think is the last one for the day. Quietly you turn the door knob and make your way inside. John notices you walk in so he says goodbye to the patient and waves a hand to gesture for you to follow him. Taking you to his office for some privacy. “How's my girl doing hm?” he asks as he watches you close the door and hang your purse up on the cloak stand. You hum softly “Good, b-been good” silently sitting down on a chair opposite from his, brushing a strand behind your ear. John smiles, “Busy week?” You shake your head and lift your eyes up to look at his “N-no, p-pretty quiet this week…I-I- I didn't have a lot on my sched-..schedule” nodding his head he hums in response. “Aren't ya lucky… been crazy busy in the clinic this week” he sighs and snickers to himself.

You smile small and giggle slightly “Mhm, a-alot of..of- of sick people?” asking in a quiet tone. John chuckles “injured, mostly injured” nodding as your eyes trail down to the papers on his desk, the troubling thoughts crawling back into your head. “Mhm…” John's smile returns and his eyebrows furrow a little. “Something on your mind honey?” your eyes dart back up into his and you laugh nervously and brush it off “Oh no..N-no just- just tired ‘s all” giving him a small smile before you go back to your zoned out state. With his ankle resting on his knee and leaning back in his chair and his hand wiping under his nose, he watches you quietly. Seeing your eyes sadden and your arms resting at your sides, presuming you were twiddling with your thumbs under the table. “Ya sure you're tired?” Earning a silent nod. He stays silent for a few moments, continuing to watch as you sulk. “You don't look tired..” he states, you breathe in briefly and look at him “John, I am just tir-...” he raises an eyebrow making you sigh. “Fine I'm not tired” your posture slouches. John breathes out “What's ya thinking about baby?” tilting his head to the side, his eyes staying glued to your face. Looking down at your lap, you bite your lip gently “M-my…my s-s-stut-” you huff out being so sick of it, John nodding slowly “Take your time honey” you take in a deep breath and slowly break down the word “stut..ter, stutter”

It’s embarrassing, making tears well up in your eyes and you shyly wipe your nose. your breath trembling, “I-its annoying…it- it really is'' John's face softens and he leans his body closer, resting his arms on the desk. Humming softly, he listens as you tell him your woes. “I'm sick of it…s-so sick of it” your breath hitching quietly before an unexpected sob escapes your mouth.

“Aw honey…” you bury your face into your hands. John gets up from his chair and walks around his desk, shifting your chair to face him as he kneels on one knee. Clicking his tongue and prying your hands away to cup your cheeks. His eyes move from one eye to your other as you pitifully cry.

“I-it’s so annoying! E-every t-time I try to speak..i-it won’t let me!” you sniffle, John nods and hums then a small grin grows on his face “You’re speaking right now” he raises an eyebrow and snickers softly, you gently swat his shoulder “I meant speaking clearly!” you exclaim making John laugh louder “M’sorry I know what you mean darling, I know” his hands rest on your knees, caressing with his thumbs. You wipe your tears away with the back of your hands, sniffling one last time. John smiles “Want a hug?” he asks as he holds his arms out, you accept. Both standing up “ It really is a pain isn’t it?” he sighs, you nod quietly as you rest your head on his chest and wrap your arms around his waist.

John sighs again and kisses the top of your head, rubbing your back soothingly. Staying quiet for a while before John speaks up “Would a lollipop make you feel better?” to which you agree “mhm…” Pulling away, John walks back around to open a drawer to pick out a lollipop for him to walk back, holding it in front of you “Here..” you shyly take the sweet and attempt to open the wrapper, frowning in frustration. John shakes his head and chuckles again “I’ll get it” taking the lollipop out of your hand and with ease, he unwraps it. “Thank you” you say quietly. Pecking your forehead lightly, John admires you with love in his eyes.

“it’ll get better through time”

[20thcenturyfoxx]

OKAY OKAY RIGHT SO.

We pretty much agree that slime = guts n gore so if you don't wanna read that again skip, I just need to tell *someone* or I'll explode.

•

Since we saw the screen glitch out at when ranboo was cutting Charlie open in Ep2 the goo changed to red which pretty much implied it was blood and actual guts. (Also in Ep3 you can just see it on the screens at the end...)

Whenever the glitch happens, ranboo is broken from the "trance" or at least realises something is wrong, but even for the watchers, it becomes clear like a "filter" is being removed

So I just really love the implication of Charlie being covered in blood instead of slime in Ep1 and basically his whole house.

The ghouls, him hurling bits and pieces of flesh and blood at ranboo in the fighting scene ...

It also makes sense for him to have zombie-like creatures on his side, which would explain where he would get his "goo" from

He just possesses a bunch of dead bodies he can reincarnate? And there we go, that's how Frank came to be.

Anywho:

While Charlie probably made that disgusted face while eating the slime is because it tasted gross which made him break character for a moment, but for character's sake:

What if he actually tasted the blood? Like a hint of metallic or ended up biting on an eyeball or whatever.

Which, also, you know how he glitches out and keeps repeating that "slime I mean slime I mean slime-" line? What if he was about to say blood but the production ended up playing it off as a bit so the show doesn't get ruined? Imagine realising something is wrong for a split second, you're literally covered in BLOOD. But you can't do anything but get pulled back into a trance?

If we assume the little pieces in the slime bowl are flesh and guts,

What if this was LITERALLY an intestine?

The idea of Charlie in actuality taking a bite out of someone's digestive tract churns my stomach a little bit.

Sneeg having blood dumped on him is also a bit ...

Small Sneeg theory:

What if he was trapped in the cage because he didn't cooperate BECAUSE he wasn't fully controlled yet? And they just locked him up to once again, play it off like an intended act?

So when he was covered in slime, he was fully in their control.

He wasn't completely free, yes, since he couldn't see the cameras, the fact the house is a stage etc, but he seemed like he knew something was up, especially from him being confused of Ranboo acting so NPC like.

Yes, it also could just have been a character/personality type deal but I still like this.

So, somehow the slime has controlling powers too? No idea how that works though.

Smaller implications are also Ranboo just carrying a rag covered in blood with him

Or that goo chest you can see in the background being filled to the brim with blood

Or that the slime dimension is actually a body horror esque dimension of walls made from flesh and organs! That one can pretty much just be effects in the "real" world as the studio makes everything look like slime and theyre just at a green screen or whatnot (still, kinda cool)

•

I'd love if people added more little bits like these that I might have missed, btw (: this thing is really making my brain hurt, but in a good way.

[vermillionsails]

THE WANDERER part 1

Cooper Howard/ The Ghoul x Reader

synopsis: The reader aka Bullseye gets run out of her family settlement to find an old friend. what will happen when they finally see each other after 6 years?

WARNINGS ⚠️: Cooper Howard/ The ghoul x female reader afab reader, DNI IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 GO ON GIT. eventual smut, adult language, fallout show, and game cannon violence. age gap reader is 22 if you're not, pretend.

I try to keep the description of the reader neutral only things that are talked about are the reader's age, teeth, smaller hands, and eventually intimate parts. I do not own the rights to Lucy or Cooper Howard or the fallout setting. the plot and town characters are the only things I made up. Time skips are in this at least this first part anyway. dream sequence as well it will be in bold so you can tell and see the difference.

A/N: I've only seen the first episode and clips, and interviews of the characters cause Freevee only has the first episode but, the brain worms are still activated for this man! 😩

Update A/N ive managed to see the rest of the show. i also wanna give thanks to my bff @oppositeoflove-isindifference for helping me edit this brain rot and make it make sense. i love you bitch, i aint never gonna stop loveing you bitch!

I know it's not from the actual Fallout soundtrack but this song fits Cooper's vibe. A couple of 'I don't know how but they found me' songs do honestly but enjoy!!

The only thing you can do is hope. you've been hoping for two days now. All you have now is your pack, everything you've scavenged in the past two days, and Shroud. Your grandma said, before the bombs dropped, Shroud would’ve been called a rottweiler. To you though, he was your best friend. You were lucky to find armor for him, so you didn’t have to worry so much about him tagging along. You were thankful for it honestly, you wouldn't doubt that Reggie would shoot him.  So here you are in the wastes, with Shroud lying across your lap. You had set up camp against an old rusted-out van. You move Shroud, deciding to sleep in the van hidden away, instead of outside in the open. You put out the campfire and unroll the bed roll from your pack and lay down. Shroud splayed out next to you as your eyes start to drift closed. It couldn't have been more than a couple of hours before Shroud was lying on top of you, trying to nudge you awake, as gunfire and a creature roared outside. Grabbing the handle on his armor, you tapped his nose with your finger to signal to play dead. You listen as the gunfire continues. The sound of shouting rises above the gunfire. You could make out at least two voices, plus the creature. It lasts for about another 20 minutes before the noise dies down, and voices come down to a normal level. You can hear two people arguing as footsteps get closer to the van. Very slowly, you reach for the pistol strapped to your leathers. As your hand reaches the handle, you hear a gun cock and a man whistle. 

“Figured you were following us. Smart hiding.” You look up to the voice’s owner, standing in front of the van door with him pistol aimed at Shroud's back. You recognize the voice, his drawl and cowboy hat knocking the memory of Mr. Howard forward.  “Mr. Howard, it's me, Bullseye!” you shout, holding both your hands up in surrender. You silently pray that Shroud doesn't leap or make any sudden movements.  He cocks his head as he looks at you, lowering his gun somewhat.  “Bullseye, huh? That really you?”  You swallow and nod, replying, “Yes sir, it's me. Grandma sent me out to look for you. We’re in big trouble.”  He tuts, putting his gun away, seemingly disappointed he didn't get to shoot anything.  “Considering you're the only person who calls me ‘Mr. Howard’, I suppose that is you, Bullseye,” he chuckled.  He waits for a beat and scowls. He growls, “Well come on now, girly! We got some catching up to do, and I ain't got all night.” You give Shroud two pats, he gets off of you and sits at the van entrance, waiting. “Yes sir Mr. Howard,” you agree, scrambling to pick up your pack and bedroll. You make your way over to Howard and…a Vaultie?  You've never seen one before. The blue and gold suit hurt your eyes, even in the moonlight. She smiles and waves,“Hi, I'm Lucy! Nice to meet you.”  Giving an awkward wave back, you nod to her. “my actual name is y/n, but everyone calls me Bullseye” She smiles genuinely at you, a rare occurrence out here in the wastes.  “That's a nice name…why do they call you Bull-” 

Cooper cuts her off, “I only needed you to help me kill that fuckin’ thing. Don't make me tie you back up.” You give her a sorry half smile and turn to Cooper. “I'll make it as fast as I can Mr. Howard,” you say, ”Ray and Reggie have built up a coup against Grandma; they've already killed 5 people, and some of our Brahmin. I escaped about two days ago, and Grandma told me to come find you. I have a package she wanted me to give you, in case you needed incentive.”  The ghoul sits down next to you, sharpening a knife, and purses his lips. “Smart woman, what did she send with you?”  You turn to unzip your pack, spotting Lucy in the corner of your eye, She seems astonished that he’s being somewhat civil to you.  You pull out the package, a small foot locker-like box. The metal dings from the objects inside rattling as you hand it to him. “Ten different chems, two large Brahmin steaks, ammo, a couple of stimpacks, and all the caps she had left,” you list, recounting everything your grandma told you. He stares down into the box, taking a long look at the top of the lid. Finally, he closes it.  “I'll do it. This is a nice incentive, y'all must be in some real bad trouble darlin’.”  The fluttering feeling when he calls you darlin’ quickly dissipates, as you feel your worry set in. You feel your chest tighten as you look down at the dirt and sand.  “Yeah, it's bad Mr. Howard. Grandma might not….might not be alive when we go back.”  He hums as he goes back to sharpening his knife. “So what are you gonna do if we go back and she isn't?”  You look at him for a moment as you think. “Kill them, have someone else be mayor, and let Doe and Jericho be the new snipers,” you reply. He strikes the knife against the sharpening stone, sending sparks off to the ground. It makes the mix of sand and dirt pop and sizzle at your feet.  “You don’t wanna be mayor?”  You can feel the sadness wrap around your chest and squeeze again. “N-no I'm not- not as skilled as grandma. She could barter for a years worth of supplies then turn around and stop a fight in two seconds.”  He chuckles, finally looking at you with a smile tugging at the right side of his lips. “Yeah, Sue was always good at calming people down,” he muses. You chuckle at his sentiment. He points at you with him knife, saying, “Now that I know the situation, think you can help me dress that deathclaw over there?” You see it splayed out in the dirt, lifeless, the horns digging into the ground. It’s at least 6ft smaller than the adults you've seen.  “Is it a bounty?” 

Cooper grunts and nods, “Yup, it's the last a group a nearby farmer wanted gone.” He grabs the bounty paper from his duster pocket and hands it to you. “Fuckin’ things kept eating everything, including his wife.” You look over the bounty. 500 caps rewarded for the head. You nod, “That's a pretty good bounty.”  Lucy clears her throat and raises her hand, the pipboy light shining directly into your eyes. “I helped, do I get some of the caps?”  Cooper raises an eyebrow ridge at her and gripes, “Put your damn arm down, your’re blinding Bullseye! And I already told you, you're getting 20 and then you’re on your own. If I see you again, it’ll be too soon and I'll shoot you.”  You keep quiet, watching them argue with each other.  “I used ten lock-joint syringes on that thing.”  Cooper laughs, “Yeah those are cheap to make, trust me I know. You're getting 20 and I won't kill you, that's it.”  You see Lucy huff and sink back down in her spot.  After a couple of minutes, the ghoul looks back at you and asks, “Can you help me dress it?” You nod and grab the knife from your boot. “Yeah, I can help.” He gets up and walks over to it, his duster flowing in the breeze like in his old movies that your grandma used to tell you about. “Atta girl let's get to it.” You get up and join him. The bottom of your boots goes from crunching the dirt to thudding and squelching from the blood-soaked dirt pooling around its body.  You adjust the green baker's cap on your head and kneel next to its torso.  “Do you want me to start at the back of the neck or the tail?” you ask. Cooper grunts ,working to saw off the head, “Start at the tail, less tension while I do this.”  Nodding, you move further down. After a few minutes of making a deep enough incision, you get the muscle and start cutting towards the head. Its skin splits into two halves as you try to keep yourself steady. It smells like dust and blood.  Part of you wonders if the deathclaws think that you humans smell as strange as you think they do. Pulled from your thoughts, you hear Cooper clear his throat. You stop and look over at him. “You tune out too easily, could get you killed.”  You feel your cheeks heat up in embarrassment and stammer, “Sorry Mr. Howard, I'll be better in the morning. D-Did you say something?” His eyes scan you for a moment before he speaks again. “Yeah, I did, stop when you get to it’s sides. Need to cut off its hands.” You feel his gaze on you and your cheeks burn again.“Y-yes sir.”  He makes a low sound that you think may be a chuckle.  It's a couple of hours after you started dressing the deathclaw together. Lucy, Shroud, and the dog that Cooper has let follow him around have all fallen asleep. You wrap up the last piece of meat when a thought occurs to you. “So Mr. Howard, where is this bounty at?” 

He shoves most of the meat into his saddle bags, looking at you. “About a three days walk from here, you gonna tag along? Could use that eye of yours.”  Tossing him the last piece of meat, you nod. “Yeah, it'll give me time to think of a plan.”  He makes a heh sound, a smirk playing on his lips. “A plan, huh?”  You raise an eyebrow, more curious than anything. “Yeah I mean, plans are good right?” He nods and stuffs the last of the meat into his saddle bag. “They're good but…have you ever made one before sweetheart?”  Part of you knows the nickname is being used in a derogatory way, maybe even a bit patronizing, but it still makes your stomach flip. “Once,” you say, "we had to make a run to a Superduper Mart for supplies. I got us in and out.” You sit cross-legged on the dirt, adjusting your hat. Pulling out a cloth, you begin cleaning the gore off your knife.   Cooper moves closer to start sawing off the hands. “Well,” he starts,” this is different than a Superduper Mart. How many men are on their side?” You wipe the blade as you think. “About twenty… No one else is joining them, but they’re all trained by Ray,” you say quietly, knowing he’s gonna scoff at you. On cue, he stops and laughs, “Oh, sugar, you ain't gonna make it!” You feel your cheeks and ears heat up once again and stammer out, “I–I'm not going in guns blazing if that's what you think, I-I…”  He cuts you off, putting his hand up to you. You can see how the radiation burns swirl and carve into his skin, making a pattern. “The only possible way,” he says,” of you getting back in there and saving Sue is by sneaking in or…” He smiles. Your stomach flips. You can't tell if it's a good flip or not, but you have a feeling you know what he’s thinking.  “Or?” Your voice is small as you ask.  “I take you as hostage and barter to get you back in there. They want y'all for something, they'll come looking.”  You swallow, looking at him a bit apprehensive. “You're gonna take me as a bounty aren't you?”  He points his knife at you. “Bingo! Don't worry, I won't tie you up quite yet.” He shoots you a wink and goes back to sawing off the hand. You're not quite sure what to do with yourself after that. Your heart begins to beat a little faster, not sure if you like that or not. “O-okay, so we'll pretend I'm bounty and sneak in.”  He whistles, finally getting the hand off. “Yup, I'll bring you in and we’ll take it from there. But first we gotta wait till they come for you. When they do, I gotta be a little rough to sell it. You understand don’t ya?” 

You nod, feeling your core beating a bit as you imagine how rough he'll have to be. “Y-yeah I understand, Mr. Howard.”  He hums at you answer, “Good girl. Now go get some sleep like the others. We got a long walk, starting tomorrow.”  You finish wiping the knife off and put it back in its strap. “Yes, sir.” The ghoul waves you off towards the small fire Lucy had made earlier. “Night, Bullseye,” he says lowly in a gruff voice. You give him a slight smile. “Night Mr. Howard.” Reaching the fire, you unroll your bedroll again and get in. The two-day trek to find Cooper began setting into your bones as your eyes flutter shut.   A dream starts to play in your mind as you drift off.  Strange music plays to the beat of hooves against the ground. You see the figure of a man on a horse, riding into the red and orange of the sky as you try to move towards him. It's like you’re  moving in slow motion as you try to reach out to the figure. A cloud of raised dust swirls into the sky as it begins to storm around you and the rider.  His figure and the beast he's on get closer as they rush to you. Their features never clear up, staying smoke and shadow-like as they skid to a stop in front of you. His hand unfurls from the reigns and reaches out towards you. Like a switch going off, the orange and red becomes blue and purple as your stomach flips and you start to sink into the sand beneath your feet. Scrambling, you reach out to the figure's hand but it passes through him. The hand drifted and parted like fog on water after summer rain. As you sink, darkness falls over you and you feel murky and dusty blue water ripple around your waist.  You watch for a moment as the water starts to ripple faster, turning into wake waves that crash into your chest, the coldness washing over you. You look up as a roar shakes the world and a mirelurk queen rises out of the deepest part of the water. You try to run, but your eyelids start to flutter open as the dream fades.  Your eyesight is blurry as you sit up, kicking the blanket off of you. Shroud groans when he feels your legs move. He must have moved over to you during the night. He gives you a look over his shoulder and huffs, before laying his big head back on his paws.  “Sorry buddy, morning,” you say softly, give his head a scratch. You sit up, stretching and yawning. It's quiet for a moment, before you hear Cooper's voice out of nowhere, making you jump. “Morning sleeping beauty, ‘bout time you woke up.” 

You whirl to look at his smirking face, amusement in his eyes from seeing you jump. Putting a hand on your chest to soothe yourself, you mutter to yourself, a bit louder than you mean to,“God you scared me.” He chuckles, “Didn't think I could do that to you anymore darlin’, good to know.” Your heart starts to beat a little faster, no longer because of your fear. You laugh softly, trying to play it off, you look up seeing the sun just about to come up as orange and lavender painting the sky. “H-How long did I sleep for?”  He kisses his teeth and purses his lips as he thinks. “About six hours, give or take, but we gotta get goin’ before it gets too damn hot. So up and at 'em.”   Giving a nod, you get up and roll your bedroll back up and stuff it into your pack. You give Shroud some water and crack open a can of dog food, letting him chow down as you check and strap his armor on. You helped Lucy wake up  pack up as Cooper grumbled at her.  After a few more minutes,everyone is on the road. Both dogs and the 3 of you. It's hot and dry and the continuous crunch of sand and dirt under your boots quickly becomes repetetive. You can see heat waves ooze towards the sky and winds throw the sand around, dusting you and getting into your eyes.  Its monotony for hours on end, sending you into a haze that almost lulls you into a walking sleep. You’ll never know how the creatures here don’t die of heat exhaustion alone. Another hour goes by as Cooper stops, raising his fist in the air to stop you and Lucy.  His head cocks to the side as he listens. You stay still, waiting, trying to listen as well. You can't pick anything up, his senses are much more sensitive than yours. It takes only a few seconds before you hear something scrambling up a dune toward the three of you. The top of its head peeks up above the dune. Cooper's head snaps in its direction and he mutters, “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me!”