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#nice to meet you! // answer tag
deiaiko · 8 months
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#19.3 Unravel
It had been some time since Agni felt this nervous. Not even talking with Jinsung Ha recently had made him feel like this. He fiddled with the mask on his hand as he waited for Grace to come back. He had thought hard on how to deliver the news, but he knew that no matter how he phrased it, Grace would be upset. Velt nuzzled under his palm and Agni gave her a few pats, before deciding that she would be better inside her bowl in his lighthouse, just in case the shinsu acted up around Grace after he received the news.
Grace came back wearing the comfiest shirt and shorts Agni knew Grace liked to wear on lazy days. He joined him on the floor, and they ate dinner together. Agni always finished last, so while waiting for him to finish his meal, Grace told him about his day with Bam. Grace was intrigued by how much his way of thinking had changed, and how glad he was to be able to be by Bam's side when he was having a bad day. It reminded Agni of the hidden floor, when Grace faced his sworn enemy.
They left the used bowls on the coffee table and went to brush their teeth. Afterwards, they turned off the light and went upstairs to sit on their bed. Grace's curious gaze never left him, and Agni curled his feet nervously.
Grace was the one who broke the silence. "So…what is it?"
Agni's breath hitched. This was the part he dreaded most. "I talked with the crocodile earlier. Did you know that he could manipulate stone already?"
"Huh." Grace needed a few seconds to let the information sink in. "Didn't Rak learn it on the Hell train? How does he know it?"
"Turns out our crocodile also traveled back to the past like us. He found the young crocodile and taught him."
"What?!" Grace gasped, wide eyed. "That means our Rak is–!!"
"He's dead." Agni quickly snuffed out that hope. They had been in delusion for long enough; it was time that they faced the bitter truth. "He suffered a fatal injury from the explosion. He couldn't have lasted long without proper help." Agni omitted the actual cause for Rak's death, but still kept his words true. "I'm sorry."
"…Oh." Grace looked lost, just like Agni was. His lips parted a little, but they closed before any sound escaped.
Agni gently squeezed Grace's hand, encouraging and comforting as he let the silence stretch on, giving Grace some time to process the information.
"Agni…" Grace whispered, "do you think Hatz and Isu…?"
Agni bit his lip and avoided his gaze, as the nightmare of that day replayed in his mind. He witnessed Hatz get his arms ripped off when trying to protect him. He could still recall the clang of a sword hitting the floor, and Hatz's suppressed scream that gnawed deep at his guilt. He witnessed Isu get beheaded after being taken hostage, the memory of warm blood painting them both still vivid like it happened yesterday. 
Agni refused to acknowledge their possible deaths, because it felt like a nightmare that one day he could hopefully wake up from. He avoided the topic when Grace brought it up, so he wouldn't have to say it aloud and make it real. He had been so hard on himself, because he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had failed Grace and everyone else involved.
Agni knew this had to change if he wanted to live better, now that they had gotten a second chance. So he swallowed down the lump in his throat that had built up over the years and asked mostly to himself; "What are the odds of their survival?"
"There's always a chance–"
"Grace." Agni looked him straight in the eye. "They were already severely injured before the explosion hit."
Grace fell silent and went still.
Agni felt a pang of guilt upon witnessing Grace's reaction. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Agni fiddled with his hands. He realized that he didn't know how much Grace knew of what happened. "My scar…do you know how I got it?"
"I…was told it was from the family heads' battle." Grace looked thoughtful. Agni knew he was trying to be careful with his words. "A stray attack?"
"It could have been worse." The memory of the scorching heat on his skin felt like it had only happened yesterday. He passed out right when he was about to heal Isu, and only found out later that he also lost sweetfish at that time. The days he spent recovering from the burn, to withstand the excruciating pain every second he was conscious, and finally coming to terms that it'd be a permanent scar, was one of the turning points that had changed him forever. Were Grace not there to care for him, he might have ended up destroying himself even more.
Agni hadn't realized he had his left hand clawing on his cheek until Grace pried his hand off and frowned, "You're doing it again."
"Maybe I should wear the mask…" Agni muttered to himself. After all, Grace gave it to him less so he could hide the scar but more to prevent him from unconsciously hurting himself. The only time he could safely take it off was when Grace was around.
Agni bit his lip nervously when Grace didn't reply. He no longer had the courage to look Grace in the eye that spoke so much concern, so he leaned close and rested his head on Grace's chest. "Rak, Isu, Hatz and Hwaryun were trying to get me out of that damned place. But we were caught while escaping, and…it was a bloodbath. I was…too occupied to react to the incoming heat. Rak shielded us from the explosion. And when I woke up…"
"They weren’t with you," Grace finished it for him after Agni trailed off a moment too long.
Agni nodded dazedly, "I've been telling myself that they're still alive, after a blow that could kill rankers. But…who am I kidding? I was lucky enough to survive with just this little–" Agni vaguely pointed to himself– "inconvenience."
Agni felt a hand gripping his arm, and he pulled away to see Grace looking at him with a pained expression. His eyes were glossy and his lips were pulled into a thin line. Trusting his instinct, Agni reached out to gently trace and cup Grace's cheek with his free hand.
"I'm sorry," Agni muttered. "I'm sorry, for not telling you sooner."
Agni silently witnessed tears that streamed down on his love's face. It was a bitter sight that Agni wished he'd never have to see again, that he had tried to avoid for so long by not telling him. He pulled Grace in and held him close to his chest, as if Agni was trying to gather his own crumbled heart back together.
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Grace mumbled their late best friends' names as he held onto him tighter, shaking from each breath he took between sniffles.
Agni felt his own eyes sting with unshed tears. He remembered the years he spent climbing the tower together with his old team. Despite their banter being his source of headaches, Agni knew he too had come to acknowledge them as his cherished friends. Only when they were gone did Agni realize how much he'd miss having them around. Seeing the younger them didn't exactly close the gaping hole in his heart, but at least the emptiness was more filled.
Agni squeezed Grace tighter. "We have their younger selves with us now. We will protect them better this time."
Grace only nodded and sank further into his embrace. And Agni planted kisses on his hair, relishing the thought that after everything he had gone through, Grace was still a constant in his life. As long as he had him, everything would be okay.
When Grace started shaking again, Agni caressed his hair and hummed a comfort song they had known by heart. Still, it didn't make falling asleep any easier for Agni, especially not after admitting that his nightmare was very much real. However, as he had been through grief…this, too, would pass.
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#Whee we get to know some of their past. Specifically their turning point#I hope it flows nicely because i have rewritten this like 3 times now 😭😭😭 dialogues are just not my specialty#like how to make them reveal such information without making them come out of the blue#writing style aside. let's talk about why Agni behaves this way#I will save the details on the what and how for the prologue. but basically Agni had been through hell that he couldn't escape alone#Rak Hatz and Isu saved him (or attempted to). and Agni owed them for saving his life. thus the strong attachment that Khun doesn't have#also let me mention that Agni had trouble differentiating between hallucination and reality after the incident. So he was kind of in denial#maybe Agni had come to a conclusion that they might be dead months after that. but he was too afraid to admit it to Grace#because he thought it was partly his fault for being incompetent. and Grace would hate him for letting their friends die#not wanting to risk being left by Grace. he just put himself (and inevitably Grace too) in the illusion of truth#that there's still a chance their friends are still alive because they have no proof of their deaths#so when Agni was offered to go back to the past. he agreed to it. Already expecting that Rak Hatz Isu aren't the same ones that he looks fo#but it was as good as he could get to redeem himself. Plus they get to meet everyone else who they couldn't save#Anyway. I'm taking hiatus until April. In return I will answer if you have any questions whether it is written in the tags or sent via ask#see ya folks <3 we'll get more brothers and team bonding when I return#tower of god#tog#two sides of the same coin fic#my fic#my art#bam#25th bam#jue viole grace#khun#khun aguero agnis#khunbam#shibisu#ship leesoo#rak wraithraiser#hatz
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maes-the-deer · 1 year
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why are you meh meh
don't swear at me
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syn4k · 1 year
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The pinned post says to send asks so, hello :):) <<33
Have a good day/night
Cool blog btw
oh!!! hello! welcome!
thank you very much and welcome on in!
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After the day clinic I'll go to a rehab clinic that specializes in trauma and addiction (most places only treat these two separately). I'll stay there for 3 to 4 months. Rip to me am I really that sick?
The social worker in my ward and I wrote down my addiction time line for my insurance company today which made me realize how fucked up I really am. Midway through I asked her to stop for the day and do the rest tomorrow because it was so confronting. (Yes, I listened to my boundaries for once.) I really have been in this cycle ever since I was 13 without realizing it.
After that I went to the city with some of the people from my ward and that was really nice. I feel accepted there, and I love how diverse our group is.
This evening is easier than yesterday. Less urges, less cravings. But somehow I'm shaking. Man, all of this is a lot but I'm doing it. I'm doing it.
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alyimoss · 6 months
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you. Hi
found the post from before I hope I don't come across as weird fjdjjdndndhdjd
anyways
so here's my weird ass idea. Crazy as hell and I'm sleepy and probably not in the right mindset so here goes
in ghost form the fallen children bond (yes this includes chara)
and then they get resurrected by frisk
frisk and chara understandably go with Toriel, along with many other fallen children
however clover insists having a cowboy dad (starlo) and so now starlo and Toriel have joint custody of the child
ok yup I'm gonna sleep byeeee
hi! you dont come off as weird, dw, lmao
unfortunately, i 1) just woke up from a nap, and 2) have shit awful memroy. i. dont know which post youre talking about??? lmfao. its a neat idea tho. i wonder how many of the children would want to stay w toriel or would rather stay with some like. cool monster friends they made.
some of them would probably have been dead long enough that their friends have already passed away, and theyd prob go with toriel, considering shes. basically their mom. some of them may have their cool monster friends turn into cool monster grandparents. some would just have their cool monster friends remain their cool monster friends or get adopted... like clover, imo
i dont think theyd go with toriel or that shed have any custody over them, tbh. in uty, they only know her for like. a minute, lol. its more likely shed see them alive again and talk w them and decide where they want to go, and once shes sure they have somewhere safe to stay, shed leave them to live their life. maybe theyd visit once in a while, probably more likely to see frisk/other humans who decided to stay w her rather than toriel herself (at first, at least)
star would have full custody. or. maybe it would be split between the feisty five?? who all live together anyway so ig it doesnt matter much. i like to think martlet dalv and ceroba are involved, too. myabe not in terms of official custody, but definitely in terms of "oh our human friend slash kid is back, and were already friends ig, so like. wow our family just got huge"
personally like the thought of star's parents finding out. bc suddenly theyre grandparents. wonder if theyd dote on clover... theyd teach them the ins and outs of the corn trade, i think. corn family
anyway, that got long, lmfao. i have no idea how anon messages work, idk if youll see this or not (detriments of being a new-ish tumblr user lmao) but enjoy your sleep
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laikahh · 6 months
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but there are lots of fish left in the sea, there are lots of fish in business suits that talk and walk on human feet & visit doctors & have weak knees ...Oh Please Let Me Join Your Cult..!!! Ill Paint My Face In Yr Colours!!!!!!! (u had a real nice face, i had an early death.)
#needed to. write these lyrics out#ultimately i think i was meant 2 be some1s dead love interest they nvr get over#no matter how many better more interesting people they meet#idk. being loved like that sounds nice. likeee have dead wife flashbacks about me lol. love me love me love me#but yeah anyway. i love these last few lines of the song#before the whole the ocean washed open/over your grave part (id have included it but i think it only works like. as music. not Just words)#its really nice. like there are lotsss of fish left in the sea but also. OH PLEASE LET ME JOIN YOUR CULT LET ME LET MWE LET ME#i like it. it Gets It.#i dont believw that im capable of like. understanding art tbh im kinda too stupid. even for car seat headrest!#and the interpretations of this song that ive read online are different than mine so like. lol. ure abt to read something so utterly stupid#but its like. the desperation. you will never love me but ill do anything to change that. please. Please.#i will worship you i will forsake any and all individuality i previously had please just let me be with you. please. Please.#ya know?#i cant say ive never felt that way before. cant say im not currently feeling like this still (im working on it tho. working working working#its a nice song. i like it.#anyway. gentlemen its been a wonderful evening but sadly ive got an ask to answer so i must leave. farewell godspeed etc#we will see eachother again once i find a song i like that was made in 2007#goddd theres so many typos in this. tumblr please let me edit tags on mobile#voidcore.txt
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tokyogruel · 9 months
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hihi!! :D
15, 32, 51? :3
15: Have any pets?
take a look at these sweet beasts
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32: What is your favourite color?
ourple 👍 but also a big blue fan. green/pink and blue/orange are my favorite color combos
51: Favourite food?
i did answer this one, here. but ATP im gonna give another, totally not-the-question-youre-asking answer. i make protein milkshakes regularly, but um. my most recent one i fucked up
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iizuumi · 2 years
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Do you have any tips on running a fanart account/finding the confidence to share your art? Ngl I feel like I'm too old to start posting my stuff online but sometimes I think it'd be fun to post fanart and meet other artists and such... I just have no clue where to start!
Well first of all you're never too old for creating things or sharing the things you create! Don't even tell yourself that because it's simply not true <3 It can definitely be fun to be active in fandom spaces at any age! 
It's been a while since I got started but I guess all you can do in the beginning is just post your art. Getting confident in sharing your stuff takes a bit of time but if you just keep doing it you will get there! And every positive interaction will make you a little more confident! Don't let a small amount of engagement get you down! It doesn't mean your art is bad, people just probably haven't found your account yet to appreciate your work. Getting an audience in the beginning can take a bit of time. Make sure you tag it accurately! So people who are looking for the things your drawing will be able to find you in the tags. If you're in any group chats don't be shy to promote your art posts!! Or share it with friends! For me, having a friend here who will like and share anything I draw is always a big confidence boost c: maybe it will be similar for you! As much as posting art online is fun don't forget to do it for yourself, and not for the internet. Your own fun should always come first
If you want to meet other artists then you could also just reach out to them! Personally I would love to meet more artists and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I hope you can find the confidence to share your art and that you have lots of fun creating it! c:
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hauntingblue · 7 months
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de la tula
#raftel is laugh tale...... oh....#roger and rayleigh being gay in front of oden.....#the sea beasts being like prophets....#roger saying his son will be it.... oof.... also how does rayleigh not know....#so literally the last thing he is gonna do is go have a child.... poor rouge lmao#it is so fucked how they laugh about it.... like it is so fucked up how roger was like living the life and decided to have a son and he is#like CURSED and sad about it..... UNTIL he meets luffy but STILL.... god what a life#roger leaving rayleigh to go impregnate someone..... this is so sad....#we must open wano before joyboy arrives....#hiyori is the size of oden's head.... incredible#why is he holding her like a glass of water 😭😭#you failed to protect my family that one time but do it again while i go fight the shogun. nice plan#talking tag#watching one piece#episode 969#now that oden is an honorable man he wears his robe long... no more pantyshots 😞😞#THE BARRIER FRUIT!!!! OMG NOOOO#oh he has gone mad....#the inherited will. the dreams of the people. the current of time. the answer to freedom. thats one one piece is about babey#so if shirohige knew about the people with the d... he probs wanted to get ace to be the pirate king not only bc hes his fathers son but#because of the prophecy too.... maybe he thought the one born with poseidon was ace.....#oden crying and writhing on the beach after roger died.... he was more stable when his wife got sick 😭😭#episode 971#kaido against moria??? lmao#what is a really good dance going to do.... i do not get it#he promised to open wano right??? this is so bad when you know whats coming#the spy has been there since the start??? omg#public humiliation while they rally more troops for FIVE YEARS??? jesus#the fights are ao cool... the flower petals tunring into blood... banger#episode 970
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oflostinfound · 1 year
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Hax, hypothetically, who would you rather hire as a babysitter
a) someone in tattered clothes, very nice, who says they need the job to help their family,has worked as a babysitter before
b) a rich looking teenager in perfectly good clothes, rude, who only needs the money to buy themself the newest phone, and has never worked as a babysitter
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|| 💛 ||: ❝ From only what you described, the person in the tattered clothes would be my choice. You stated they were nice, they've done the job before, and they need the money. You didn't really say much about the other person's personality, or if they were willing to really learn the job as opposed to sit my child in front of something and ignore her. ❞
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|| 💛 ||: ❝ Granted that also depends on how Taygete feels about the babysitter. I'm not leaving her with someone who would neglect her or make her sad or scared. There's a lot more factors to consider for a babysitter besides just what they're wearing and past experience. ❞
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petruchio · 1 year
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I feel like you can help me
how to know if it's a work crush (i.e. it's just cos he's a guy that's nice and is there all the time) or if it's actual feelings ???
hmm hmmm honestly it can be tough!!! it’s hard to say without more detail about what’s going on but in general i’d say — don’t overthink your feelings too much. if you like being around someone, that’s probably a good thing and it’s not worth your energy to try to disentangle what *exactly* that means unless something happens that forces the issue. in my experience, every time ive tried to convince myself that i only like someone “because” of something else (spending time together, working together, living together, etc.) the answer is usually just that i genuinely liked them as a person regardless of the context we met. and the relationship was fulfilling and helped me grow regardless of what it turned into.
also sometimes liking a guy just for being around is the same thing as these mysterious “actual” feelings? especially if they are also being, you know, nice to you. i mean, proximity is a huge factor in attraction so i don’t think it’s necessarily worth tearing your hair out over “what if i only like him bc we spend a lot of time together?” well yeah you probably do!! i feel like the difference between genuinely liking someone and just thinking they’re hot in a distant way is whether or not you have a rapport that transcends the actual context of your relationship — like if you’re just like, blushing because their hair looks nice, then they’re just hot. but if you’re at work, but talking about your lives, dreams, fears, etc., instead of just talking about work stuff, you probably like them as a person too. and getting to know someone really well and on a deep level can make them really attractive to you regardless of if they check all the boxes of your preconceived notions of what a potential partner “should” look like. like if that’s what’s going on, you probably just like this person. what you do with that is up to you.
soooo that being said. honestly for the most part (idk if you work like, retail or in an office job) but i feel like the majority of coworker romances are a pretty big risk if you pursue them outside of some light work flirting. like unless it’s really clear that you want to DATE SERIOUSLY i think it’s usually best to avoid the potential work awkwardness of going after a coworker unless it’s clear that you’re both on the same page and that page is like, pretty serious. (but that’s just my opinion! im sure plenty of people have made out with a coworker for fun and are now like, married or something.)
that’s just my take. but if there’s more to the story… let me know!!!
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maes-the-deer · 1 year
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what the quack is blood
it's in you
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quinnigallagherjones · 4 months
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that's the spirit by bmth for the ask game!!
hiii !! 🫶🏻 thank you so so much, that's the spirit is one of my favourite albums of ALL TIME so this is going to be HARD hahaha
true friends
happy song
doomed
what you need
drown
avalanche
oh no
throne
follow you
blasphemy
run
send me an album and i'll put the tracks in order from most → least favourite !!
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“Can you walk on it?” /from the winter hurt/comfort meme/
❣ | Memes :: This One | Winter-time is Miserable ( Hurt / Comfort )
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Stumbling and falling was not a new occurrence in Rocinante's life - he was in many ways used to it, even - but falling down an embankment and twisting his ankle was a little more out of the ordinary. The initial concern after a fall like that was that he'd spilled all of the supplies he'd just collected. But, when attempting to stand and collect them made his right leg buckle, pulling a strangled cry from his ribcage, plans had to be re-evaluated. His leg hurt so badly that the idea of walking on it made him a little nauseous, but he didn't really have a choice.
He'd been seen and heard, unfortunately, so he couldn't even limp off to deal with it on his own; this person seemed at least outwardly kind, or at least concerned. Did that mean trust fully? Probably not, but he could maybe at least use his voice. The change in his expression changed quickly, swallowing up and crushing all of the pain under his heel, and instead he grinned a bright, toothy grin.
" Probably not! But I gotta, so I'm going to have to - someone's waitin' on me to get back with this stuff. "
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awearywritersworld · 8 months
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megumi's teacher — gojo satoru x reader
tags/warnings: fluff. fem!reader. gojo beefing with an eight year old. 700 words.
ever since megumi started the second grade, it's been (l/n)-sensei this. (l/n)-sensei that.
gojo picks up megumi's favorite ice cream, only to be scolded by the young boy. "(l/n)-sensei's favorite flavor is strawberry, so that's my favorite now!"
gojo tries to help him with his math homework, and it's "(l/n)-sensei did it this way. that means you should too!"
gojo reaches down to tie megumi's shoes for him, before his hand is promptly smacked away. "(l/n)-sensei said big boys tie their own shoes!"
honestly, gojo is starting to feel a little jealous. megumi's known you for what? two months?
he's been raising megumi for the past few years, but does that earn him an ounce of the adoration the young boy seems to have for you?
apparently not, though he perseveres nonetheless.
he and megumi are spending the afternoon out in the city and they stop at a small bakery for lunch.
while megumi is distracted looking at all the sweets behind the glass counter, the bell on the door draws gojo's attention.
his eyes fall upon a pretty young woman. actually, you might just be the prettiest woman he's ever seen.
and of course, a smirk forms on his lips when he catches you looking his way. he's puffing out his chest, running a hand through his hair.
he's always had a certain effect on the ladies, and he's never been more happy about that until this very moment—
"megumi?" you call from a few feet away. the wide smile adorning your face makes you look even more radiant.
while gojo visibly deflates, megumi's head whips around at the speed of light. "(l/n)-sensei!"
oh.
gojo very quickly comes to understand why the boy is so enamored by you.
megumi launches himself at you, while you crouch to meet him with open arms.
"i'm so happy to see you!" he practically sings, clinging to your neck.
you chuckle at his enthusiasm. "i'm happy to see you too, 'gumi."
gojo clears his throat, hoping that megumi will take the chance to introduce you two, but he is completely ignored.
"what are you going to get? i'll buy it for you," he states proudly, despite having zero money of his own.
your gaze shifts to gojo for the first time, and having your attention even just for a brief moment takes his breath away.
"that's very sweet megumi, but that's alright." you ruffle his hair when he pouts at your words, standing back up. "who's this?"
"oh that's just gojo. don't worry about him," he states with a wave of his hand.
the white haired man gawks at him in response. the nerve on that kid! he silently decides megumi will be losing dessert privileges for a week. no, two.
you stifle a giggle before offering your hand to him and introducing yourself as megumi's teacher.
he repeats your name, taking satisfaction in the way it sounds rolling off his tongue.
"that's a pretty name," he compliments, trying to recover from megumi's dismissal. "heard a lot about you. in fact, the kid never shuts up about you."
this earns him a glare from megumi, but gojo is too preoccupied with the shy look that crosses your features to notice.
gojo insists on paying for your order, a show of appreciation for taking such good care of megumi in class. you chat with the pair of them for a little while longer before eventually excusing yourself.
"thank you again, gojo-san. i'll see you on monday, megumi!"
just as you're turning on your heel, gojo calls your name and you look back at him expectantly.
"when, uh," he struggles, scratching the back of his neck. "when do i get to see you?"
nice.
"oh! well, parent-teacher conferences are only a few weeks away! i'll look forward to seeing you then," you answer sweetly, misunderstanding the meaning behind his words.
you bid them goodbye once more and they both watch your figure disappear down the street.
megumi turns to look at gojo smugly. "weeks? that sounds like a really long time—"
"shut it, kid."
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nereidprinc3ss · 2 months
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no sweeter innocence (than our gentle sin)
in which spencer reid is gentle with overwhelmed fem!reader after sex
18+ (fluff, implied intimacy) warnings/tags: it's just aftercare, but like psychological aftercare, implied intimacy duh, vague descriptions of sex but nothing explicit, hurt/comfort without the hurt, allusions to postcoital dysphoria, reader cries but its not really sad, spencer reid is so kind i wish men were real, i think that is all a/n: guess who wrote an entirely different thing instead of touching her wips..... AGAIN...... this bitch cant do anything omggg!! but this was based on a request so go me also what a strange time to be posting but it's only 1k words and nobody can stop me
“Hey. Are you with me, angel?”
You blink your eyes open in the dark room—reorienting yourself to the tangle of your bodies. How many minutes has it been?
“Hm?”
He chuckles—a quick huff from his nose as he brings a hand up to push hair from your face. 
“I asked you if you’re with me.”
It takes you a moment to answer. You’re still trying to make sense of where you are in space, each sensation coming back to you one by one—the weight and pressure of him against you, the slip of cotton sheets and a cool breeze from the cracked window over your heated sticky skin. 
“Oh.”
It’s not much of an answer and your voice is small. For a moment he lets it sit, cupping your warm cheek. Your eyes flutter shut again. His voice comes gentler, dipped in concern. 
“You okay?”
This time you don’t try to speak. Your tongue is like a lead weight in your mouth and your brain is running on dial-up. The best you can do is to cling to him, hiding your face in the curve of his neck and hoping he’ll understand that your firm hold on him is a request for him to tighten his own arms around you, until you’re sure you won’t float away. He reciprocates and it makes you feel more secure immediately. 
“Can you answer me?” He murmurs, all sweet solicitation, lips brushing the top of your head in this new airtight position. And then, a moment later— “Baby. I wanna hear your voice.”
“Mhm,” you manage. 
Spencer rewards you by rubbing your back in slow circles. His hand feels nice on your bare skin. The way you love him is too big for words. It could make you cry. 
“Wasn’t too much? You’re not hurting anywhere?”
You shake your head and try to ignore the ache in your bones when you can’t seem to get him close enough. 
“Mm-mm.”
It’s not entirely true—your legs are sore, but it’s nothing that needs tending to, and your lower back is a bit crampy, but he’s already working on that. 
He hums. “You’re pretty out of it, sweet girl. What’s going on with you?”
Spencer is always careful with you. He’d never hurt you, or sacrifice your comfort for his pleasure. That said, he’s just as passionate as you are. The stretch of your arms above your head is still fresh in your mind—the ghost of his grip, pressing your wrists into the mattress, or pushing your leg up, or pulling you exactly where he wanted you by the hips. It’s all wonderful, and you never feel safer than you do when you’re with him, but it doesn’t make you feel any less vulnerable, any less raw, after all is said and done. Maybe it’s precisely because you trust him so much that you’re so sensitive afterward. But he never, ever makes you feel bad for having an intense reaction to an intense experience. He always meets you where you’re at. That in itself makes you emotional. Spencer is different than any of the partners you’d had before. 
Again, he’s patient as you try to process his question and work up a response. Maybe a minute later, you’re breathing out something that feels true. 
“Overwhelmed.”
The word is a tap against glass you didn’t know was there until it’s fracturing like a spiderweb. With no warning, and for no good reason, you find yourself choked up. 
“Oh,” he says, sympathetic and drawn out as understanding sets in. “Do you need me to back off for a minute?”
You squeeze him even fiercer and shake your head, unable to stop the tears from drawing their shiny paths down your cheeks and sinking into the weave of the pillow case. 
“Shh. You’re okay,” he murmurs, quiet and slow and almost sing-songy as he smooths your hair, though you know he doesn’t really expect you to stop crying. “You’re okay, pretty. Remember what I said about all the hormonal shifts in your body after you come?”
Once more you nod against him with a small, shuddering sniffle. 
“And how sometimes your body regulates by crying? Kind of like a… a reset button?”
“Mhm.”
“Mhm.” He shifts from rubbing your back to tracing light lines in shapeless patterns with the blunt edges of his nails, and your breath catches before you’re melting in his hold. “It’s okay to have big or confusing feelings after sex. It’s actually really common. I just want you to be honest with me about those feelings, right? So we can keep you safe?”
“Right.”
“Would you tell me if you were hurting, or if something I did or said was bothering you?”
“Yes.”
If you were looking at him you know he’d be smiling ever so slightly at your monosyllabic responses, charting an upward path with his hand and pushing it through your hair at the nape of your neck. “You can just nod, baby. You don’t have to talk. I know you’re tired.”
You make a small noise of gratitude and nuzzle closer, feeling better as the tears slow, quickly as they’d come. 
“Do you want a bath in a little while?”
Another nod. He scratches at your scalp. “Okay. We’ll do a bath, and then dinner, and then I’m finally going to make you watch that documentary about Helvetica. It’s a little outdated, and there are a few basic errors about the origin and development of the font as well as misinformation about the typeface subgroup in general, but I can amend those as we watch and afterward we can read the director’s tenth anniversary statement. I was waiting to read it until we watched it together.”
Spencer knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’ll fall asleep ten minutes in, curled up on the couch under a blanket in your biggest hoodie with your head on his lap and his hand in your hair, just like this. 
He’s actually really looking forward to it.
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