#no I don’t want to stay in the fucking corner I want a genuine serious issue to be cared about sorry I guess

[soullessjack]

it’s so random but i can’t stop thinking ab this one ask msg I got on my 1st blog that said i should stay in the corner with the other weirdos and it just.. confused me more than anything ?? . like sorry that i, an autistic young adult, don’t personally enjoy the notion that this autistic young adult character is actually an infant??? and would prefer that that notion not be carried out by anyone else in this shared space that regards itself as a family who has each others backs but never seems to have the backs of the autistics???? sorry that’s weird to you?(?? tf do you want me to say bruh

[rougepancake]

Duvet

Experiencing the “there’s only one bed” trope with them

Ft. Muhammad Avdol, J.P. Polnareff, Jotaro Kujo, Noriaki Kakyoin, & Joseph Joestar

Warnings: Just fluff. I don’t have it in my heart to make this smutty 😭 Not proofread

MUHAMMAD AVDOL

He knows good and well that Joseph is the whore behind all of this 😭

As soon as he gets to the room and realizes that you’re all set up he wants nothing more than to pass away and die

Like you walk out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around your body and he’s like FUCK

The funny part is he got shitfaced like two weeks prior to this and accidentally told Joseph that he would smash you if given the opportunity

So there you are. Standing in front of each other in total awkward silence as you both figure out what to do

“Would you like the bed for tonight?” He asks slowly, shifting uncomfortably as he stand before you. To his surprise, you only shrug in response.

“Nah. I’ll take the floor.” You turned your back to him and pulled a robe over your body, dropping the towel underneath it before looking back at him. “Plus don’t you have back problems or something??”

He stopped. How did you remember that? He had told you that when he first met you, as a way to make conversation, not in any serious connotation.

“R-Right…” He cleared his throat and looks down at you, giving you a stern look before speaking once again. “But it’s not good for you to sleep on the floor.”

“So what? You wanna share the bed then?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“What-“

“What?!”

He instantly regretted saying that I kid you not

Like he’s freaking out BIG TIME and is praying he just spontaneously dies in his sleep tonight

What if he does something in his sleep??? What is he sleep talks and accidentally confesses????

Yeah my guy is having an internal panic attack

Once you guys get around to getting to bed, he stays strictly on the edge of the bed, his back facing you. He wants to give you as much space as possible

But the mf wakes up holding you in his arms

Almost fucking dies because you’re still asleep and he almost shouted

The sight warms his heart though, so he allows himself to stay this way until you wake up

Then neither of you speak of it again

But you both kick Joseph’s ass afterwards

JEAN PIERRE POLNAREFF

WHORE

He did this himself and failed at it so bad you guys

He was like “oh no I suppose we’ve got no other choice but to sleep in the same bed together”

You told him to sleep on the floor

Was genuinely offended but let you win because he thinks you’re hot

“Oh my, look at this situation we’ve gotten ourselves into.” He teased, smirking as he watched you set your stuff on the hotel bed.

“You mean you.”

“Pardon?”

You turned around and glared at him, rolling your eyes at his ignorance. “I know you set this up. Now suffer and sleep on the floor.” You pointed to a nearby corner, smirking as you teased him.

“You’re cruel.”

“Thanks.”

Is a big baby about it and eventually guilt trips you into letting him up onto the bed

Cries with relief when you cave

He snores so loudly that it makes you regret everything

Also cuddles in his sleep and you have to keep pushing him away but he’s like a fucking brick 😭

Rolls over at one point and nearly crushes you but plays it off in the morning

He’s batting his eyelashes and shit when he wakes up as if he slept like a cute little baby

You beat his ass LOL

Never heard the end of it from Joseph

JOTARO KUJO

Kakyoin set him up and he knew it as soon as he walked into the room

You had just gotten settled when you saw him walk in there

And holy shit was he pissed

Or he looked that way

He was projecting his embarrassment poorly

Naturally, there was one bathroom and one bed (which he hated)

He does not like the idea of forced proximity but deals with it because he’s got no other choice

So the question comes up of “do we share the bed or do we both sleep on the floor?” Cause lord knows you’re both too stubborn to let the other sleep on the floor alone

“What’s the plan for tonight?” He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his hat covering his eyes as he stood, which made it difficult for you to get a read on how he was feeling.

But his ears were red.

“I was just going to take the floor.” You shrugged, grabbing a towel before you walked over to the bathroom. “I don’t mind.” You closed the door behind you and he couldn’t help but blush at the thought of you just being so comfortable with this.

“You’re not taking the floor. I will.” He tells you through the door, and you scoff in response.

“You’re not taking the floor either then.” You grumble and turn on the water.

He pauses and has this brief moment of ‘so what now’ but once he gets what you’re insinuating he feels his heart fall to his stomach. What if he snores? Or crushes you?? Oh he’s so gonna kick Kakyoin’s ass if he makes it out of this alive.

Stays as far away from you as possible when it comes time to sleep. He’s got a good poker face but GOD DAMN his heart is about to explode

The two of you talk a little until you fall asleep mid conversation, which he finds annoying but doesn’t mind that much bc he’s a cutie

You wind up spooning him in your sleep and MY GOD he loves it

Dude would spend the rest of his life in your arms if he had the option

He sleeps like a rock though, so once he’s out, he’s out

But you wake up to Star Platinum poking your cheek and Jotaro asleep in your arms, which is such a beautiful sight 😩

Makes you wish you had a camera, but you just sit there and enjoy the moment

When he wakes up he makes you swear not to tell anyone about what happened

Secretly hopes that Kak has the balls to do this again

NORIAKI KAKYOIN

He gets to the room first and sets his stuff down on the bed, when you walk in after him he swears he’s going to have a stroke

It’s not that he minds or anything but what the hell???

All things considered, he plays it off pretty well. He’s smooth in the way he handles it and even offers to take the floor if you want him to

All the alarms in his head are blaring but he’s fine dw

The original smooth operator

Refuses to even let you suggest sleeping in the floor or anywhere else- you’re already here so why not just stay?

“So how are we going to do this?” He asks as he sits down on the edge of the bed, a soft smirk on his lips.

“I was going to j-“

“No.”

“Excuse me?” You paused and looked at him, seemingly offended by how he interrupted you.

“Surely it’s not good for your back.” He shrugged it off and patted the spot beside him. “Why don’t we just share the bed instead? That way no one has to sleep on the floor.”

“…fine.”

If you have any form of routine before bed, expect him to join you or help you out

This is his chance and my man is NOT throwing it away

Would do your hair if you asked him to

Probably reads before bed, so don’t be surprised if his side of the room is still lit up after you go to sleep

Subconsciously gives you head pats while you sleep next to him; catches himself and wants to die

At some point he finally decides to stop reading and grow a pair, rolling over onto his side and gently wrapping his arms around your waist

He loves the closeness, and loves being able to bury his head in the crook of your neck

It almost doesn’t feel real to him, but he’s happy that it is

When you wake up he teases you about how you slept like- “you snore” or “I thought you were gonna kick me off the bed”

Unlike the others, he’ll bring it up from time to time just to mess with you

JOSEPH JOESTAR

WHORE (pt. 2)

He set it up himself thinking he was about to be smooth and it went horribly wrong

Like as soon as you see him walk into the room you’re like “fuck”

But not in a ‘omg he’s so hot I can’t even’ type of way it’s more like ‘oh god no it’s Joseph’

“Oh my god!! There’s only one bed!!” He pretended to be shocked, his hands coming up to his face as he feigned surprise. “What’ll we do?!?”

“I’ll sleep on the floor.” With the way you said it, it was clear that you weren’t going to accept any other answer.

“Wha- are you sure? It’s not good for your back, or your anything for that matter.” He did his best to argue, but you shot him a glare and began setting up on the floor.

“Yep. I’m pretty sure.”

He’s never felt so defeated in his entire life

Like ever

Bro wishes he was as smooth as Kakyoin 🤭

Keeps hinting at it periodically, but gives up when you stop responding to him

Eventually, you fall asleep on the floor, your face buried into the pillow that you had taken off the bed

He decides to pull a funny and pick you up while you rest, setting you on the bed and covering you up before taking your spot on the floor

When you wake up you have a slight change of heart, but he’s still a whore so you’re not having any of it

Brings it up from time to time and his bullied by Polnareff and Avdol for failing so hard

They won’t ever let him forget

[nectardaddy]

B.I.L.L.S , t. hanamaki

american hero. . . b.i.l.l.s. by towa bird

If I had a dollar then I wouldn't have to bother 'bout the bills. I'm so tired of paying rent.

pairing : hanamaki takahiro x f!reader

cw/notes : poverty/financial insecurity, conversation about/wishing for "what could be" (and a deep dive into the feeling of wanting), use of the pet name "sweetheart," humor as a coping mechanism, language, eating used as a metaphor, lots of metaphors in general, established long-term relationship, I am genuinely very proud of this fic so if you got tagged out of the blue that's why <3

word count : 2.6k

The apartment was dingy and run down, a muted tone of gray that submerged the entire cramped space into desolace. A desolace that bled into the other rooms, through the floorboards, through every nook and cranny of the compact unit - through the bones of the pair that inhabited it. Pictures and posters littered the drab walls. Old developed pictures and various music flyers stuck to drywall with bits and pieces of scotch tape - real frames were far too expensive - as they tried desperately to combat the dreary aura of the space. 

But it was difficult to fight against such longing; around every corner being yet another issue that would only ever be resolved with the one thing the pair didn’t have: funds. Air conditioning that went out every other month, as the landlord was too stingy to really fix it and complained with every call and maintenance request about the issue. Mold in the air vents, water pressure that was just short of a small stream, a lock on the door that barely bolted with a small chain lock that was used as a "replacement" that didn't really do anything. It reeked of dust and mildew, a musty smell that lingered no matter how many candles were lit and blown out. And trial and error to shut the, horribly painted, bedroom room; over the months they learned to turn the knob and slam rather than just slam. 

It was a constricted, at times uncomfortable; limited space meaning old cardboard boxes stayed within the living area or bedroom - mementos gathered dust that all but covered the unit entirely. Memories shoved in a box that would barely ever see the light of day, or simply, didn’t want to. Such a place didn’t deserve such warmth. A god forsaken space didn’t deserve the radiant coziness that came with trinkets and baubles, didn’t deserve the framed pictures - that would crash to the ground anyway, as the drywall often crumbled and fragmented - and surely didn’t deserve the mellow residents who resided in it. 

Both home from work, and both exhausted beyond belief, they sat together on an old, thrifted loveseat. A gaudy flower pattern that was stained and smelled of cigarettes from the latter owners, but a place to sit nonetheless. The man shuffled through a slew of mail, the woman, with her eyes closed and trying not to fall asleep right then and there, sat next to him. 

“I’m so fucking tired of paying this shit,” he grumbled before throwing the envelopes onto the rickety coffee table. A table that was discounted, dirt cheap, as one leg was cracked and wobbly. Oftentimes, it broke when too much weight was put on it, duct tape lined the connection between the leg and table itself. All it held was other envelopes - bills, an array of clipped coupons, and a long forgotten coffee cup, that’s rim was chipped and the handle cracked. 

“Then don’t,” the woman hummed in response, a cheeky reply to a serious notion. An exhaustion riddled in her voice that made him look over and sigh, heart strings pulled taut at seeing her weary form. “We can run away together and never have to see this shit hole again.” 

He stayed quiet for a moment, letting a pause settle between them. Allowed the sound of the fan in the far corner of the room to take over the silence he offered, the hum of it engulfed the room as it rotated to cool the entire apartment. “Maybe we should,” he sighed before a small smile pulled at his lips. “We can go off grid and everything, y’know they make shows about people that live like that, right? We could be famous.”

A breath of air passed through the woman’s nose as she chuckled, and she opened her eyes to look over at him. “You’re an idiot.” Even as she smiled at him, he couldn’t help but notice just how tired she looked. Her eyes were dark and hazy, unfocused even, as it seemed like all she wanted to do was close them again - to sleep. Her work uniform crumbled and wrinkled as she sat with her legs up on the small couch, too worn out to change upon coming, to what they reluctantly called, home. 

Home, to them, was coming back at odd hours. Never fully holding each other as the other had to whisk themselves away - to provide, to work. Times were fleeting, just as much as the money that came in. Gone within a second and drained from responsibilities. Every second together was taken with an ironclad grip, and sewn together with cups upon cups of coffee just to try and enjoy it all.

“Where would you want to go if we had the money to leave?” The off kilter question left his lips easily, without much thought put behind it. Because to him, that's all he ever thought about - leaving. He hoped one day he was able to scrape up enough funds, pack everything up, and leave the cramped unit all together with her by his side.

“Anywhere, honestly, this place sucks ass.” She groaned as she stretched her legs off the loveseat. A series of pops from overworked limbs hit his ears and made him frown - she didn't deserve to be this tired, not for this piece of shit apartment. Not for anything.

“I’m serious.” His normal, almost whimsical, tone went with the wind as he sat up a little straighter. He looked over to her with red tinged eyes, fatigued and strained, that swirled with an unforeseen worry.

“So am I.” A curt reply as she locked eyes with him. A realist, maybe a bit pessimistic to some, but the woman grounded herself in reality more than he. Didn't want to waste herself away with thoughts of what could be than what is. What could be was a sham, a figment of imagination she couldn't bear herself to think about often; as the thought of what is yanked her to the very pits of longing that she would later have to tear herself out of. 

“I know where I’d want to go.” A dream he hadn’t told her before, he wished he had the money to surprise her with it. But that day was far off in the distance, a mere glimmer of a memory, and he cracked under the pressure of wanting to share. At least this way, they could experience the dream together.

“Yeah? Where?” She closed her eyes again and let her head fall to his shoulder. 

“I’d want to go to Tokyo.”

She snorted at the thought, “spare me, Hiro, not this shit again.” A half hearted joke that landed a bit on edge, toed the line of snappy through drowsy laced words. A former wish she had heard before from him, a joke to only go to Tokyo to get piss drunk with friends. 

“No, not the bar hopping thing.” He assured and waved off the remark with a small chuckle. 

“Good, because you do that shit with Mattsun here anyway. You don’t need to drag me to Tokyo just for me to babysit you two idiots there.” Babysitting, truly, was an understatement to the woman. The thought made her cringe as she recalled past memories of his dear friend passed out in their bathroom, head in the toilet and completely out cold. 

“I want to take you to Ueno Park to see the cherry blossoms one day.” His voice was a twinge quieter than before, a bit breathless as he couldn’t believe himself for finally saying the dream aloud. Deep brown eyes shifted over to look at the woman, whose head still rested on his shoulder - completely silent.

The comment had her at a lack of words, letting another silence pass by them once more; but it lingered far too long. A silence that, as moments passed, began to have a weight to it and started to suffocate her. Every inhale became shallower than the last, and she couldn’t find it within herself to take a single breath more of the humid, musky air the apartment provided. She felt herself tumble into the gaping hole of wanting, needing, craving - pure, unbridled hunger for more than what is. A ravishing feeling that took her by the shoulders and shoved, falling head first into the empty, hollow feeling of what could be.

What could be was far from reality, what could be couldn’t happen.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked over at him, eyes a bit wider than before and lips parted through means to say something - nothing ever came. “You told me three years ago you wanted to do that.” Quiet words answered her unspoken question and she sucked in a breath. She remembered telling him that vividly, could recall the day to a tee as it held importance to her.

It rained that day, poured down onto the street as they ran back to their shared apartment - a better one than what they had now. Steps taken hastily, hand in hand, as he practically dragged her through the downpour with a laugh. Both forgot an umbrella, so they ran through the rain getting more and more soaked with every step. It wasn’t far from their unit, the pair only went down the street to a convenience store. But the storm they tried to outrun inevitability caught up with them, so the leisurely walk back home turned to a sprint.

Upon their return, they found themselves sprawled out on their bedroom floor. Their clothes drenched from rain and water puddled onto the hardwood underneath them. A silly action, to lay on the floor wet. But neither minded as they giggled and laughed with one another, enjoying the other’s company. 

Strawberry blonde hair stuck to his forehead and he raked a hand through it. A chuckle left his lips from an earlier conversation before he looked over at her once more, “if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?”

“What kind of question is that, Hiro?” A teasing tone laced within her cadence as she locked eyes with him. Bright and hopeful, full of love, and not an ounce of exhaustion swirling within them.

“One that I’m curious about, obviously, so indulge me.” The whimsy in his words was easily apparent, one of which she got used to quickly. And there was a sass in the timbre of his voice that muddled with care, a juxtaposition to his usual standalone brassiness. 

“What’s yours?”

“This isn’t about me, it’s about you.”

He watched the woman smile before she averted her eyes to the ceiling, scrunched her brows in thought a moment before she looked at him once more. “Probably Ueno Park, in April, to see the cherry blossoms.”

“Are you serious? Anywhere in the world, and you want Tokyo?” He never looked away from the woman throughout the conversation, and when she met his gaze once more he smiled. 

“Did you ask just to make fun of me, asshole?”

“No, god no.” He laughed, lips pulling into a silly smile before he took her hand in his own. “I’m just trying to figure out where I should ask you to marry me one day.”

The inescapable feeling of want consumed her, leaving nothing left behind as she was swallowed whole. A swirling sensation in her stomach that sickened her, made her ill to think about too long as all she could do was stare at him. “Takahiro.” Her words fell to a whisper as eyes flickered between his own, desperately trying to gauge the situation but to no avail. “You can’t be serious?”

“As a heart attack, sweetheart.” The smile he had started to falter, and the concern that saturated her eyes made his heart sink. But through that concern, the smallest, most miniscule, glimmer of need shone through. Even through tired, bloodshot eyes and a tinge of cynicism, she wanted the dream just as much as he, if not more.

“Hanamaki,” she breathed. “Be real for a second-” But she was cut off as he turned to face her, the old loveseat squeaking under the shift of weight, and he took her hands in his own

“I am being real, so put that name away.” Erring on defensive, put a care behind it that she couldn't ignore. A rare seriousness in his voice that made her swallow hard. “I’m taking you to see those damn cherry blossoms at some point, and when I do I'm asking you to marry me.” 

She opened her mouth to say something but promptly shut it, not knowing what to say to the man. But she felt as the ravenous feeling turned to a starved, almost primal, one. Felt her stomach twist into knots at the thought - she wanted to swallow the notion completely. Needed to feel the crunch and snap of it in her mouth, wanted her teeth caught in it, needed it to be consumed until nothing was left. She abstained from could be for too long and needed to devour the concept entirely. 

But could be wasn’t what is. What is left a bruise, tender and raw, that left a rotten taste in her mouth. She felt the urge to spit out the thought as it circled within her mind like a vulture, ready to dive within a split second. “But-”

“We will, I swear.” He cut off her protest and squeezed her hand. But to no avail, as she only looked at him with a sense of apprehension.

“But we're-” 

“I know, I know,” he sighed. Brown eyes slid over to the envelopes on the coffee table, bold red letters catching his attention that made him close his eyes. “Believe me, I know.” A disheartening belief that caused him to take a deep breath before opening his eyes again to look at her. He brought a hand to her cheek, pale fingers gently brushed over her skin with a warmth that was inviting, loving, and selfless. He gave her a small, out of sorts, smile, “but I want to do this. For you. For us. Hell, because we deserve to do something nice. I want us to have something to look forward to other than the same, shit ass, walls everyday.” 

She paused a moment, let his words sink in, before she bit down hard on the concept and refused to let go. “Ok,” she nodded carefully. “Alright, we’ll go to Ueno Park one day.” Could be tasted sweet and savory, mouth watering to think about. It eased a craving that deflected from what is - so just this once, she let herself free fall into it. “Do you even have a ring to ask me with?” 

His smile pulled into a grin at her question, and he chuckled. “Would you say yes to a ring pop?”

With a paltry laugh, she leaned into his hand that was still on his cheek. “As long as it's strawberry, then absolutely, you dumbass.”

“Strawberry it is, sweetheart.” 

However, he didn’t really need the sweet, confectionary ring. In one of the many old cardboard boxes within the living area and bedroom that collected dust - a particularly well kept, small box hidden in the back of their tiny, shared closet - was a ring he bought three years ago. Bought shortly after the conversation was had, when he still had the money to stretch. Stuffed between memories that would barely ever see the light of day, because a place like this didn't deserve such warmth.

But the warmth was willingly given anyway, whether the pair knew it or not.

series taglist (open, send an ASK) + a few moots bc I am genuinely very very very proud of this

@causenessus @softpia @renardiererin @kodzu-ken @phoenix-eclipses

@wyrcan @honeekyuu @wakashudou @wolffmaiden @eggyrocks

@dailyakira @cupidsblonde @mollyrolls @wolffmaiden @zumicho

@jadeoru @sandwhitches

[iwaasfairy]

Hi, Fairy! Maybe your first blowjob with Sakura from Windbreaker?

this is awfully soft for my blog but for just this once I will provide you the fluffy smut you want bc it got awayyy from me :>> first impressions, I like haru

tw. blowjob, spit, neither are virgins but Haruka is having a first

“Okay, my turn.” You giggle, and roll over after putting your drink precariously close to the edge of the coffeetable. “Hmm… weirdest place you’ve gotten a blowjob?” Your head’s too close to his thigh, you’re not being subtle. Your toes basically curl without intent at even having this conversation with him. It’s the most overtly sexual you’ve been with him— and you’re alone. Blame a girl for being giddy. When it stays quiet for a few seconds, you get anxious though.

“What, you can ask me my favorite positions, but I can’t ask something personal back?” He’s still looking, and you swear you catch him staring at your lips when you look over.

“No…” His normally serious, predatory eyes flick away. “Never had that so, gotta pass.” Your lips smack, and he seems to tense at the sound.

“What’dyou mean? You’ve never…” You look up at him innocently, genuine curiosity making it’s way over your features. Haruka’s got a massive blush on his face all of a sudden, running from his nose to the tips of his ears as he stares resolutely at the corner of the room instead of you. He speaks much too loudly to be unbothered by the topic.

“It means what it fucking means. Stop staring at me, brat. You might’ve got around when you were young,” he bursts out -and you would take it personally if he didn’t look down at you like something to eat earlier- “but I wasn’t all that popular back home. I had a reputation of being a hardass, so no girls were jumping for the opportunity, alright?!” He’s loud enough that if your big brother was home, he’d come in to check in on you. Luckily then that he isn’t. Sakura’s all tense and balled fists, and it makes you quiet; then giggle when he finally takes those mismatched eyes away from the wall back down at your face.

Your giggles die down as soon as he starts getting up out of the couch, and you shoot into motion to wrap soft fingers around his wrist. “Haru~ kun, wait! You have to give me time to react first, seriously.” He’s so tense you can feel each muscle in his forearm flex when you slide your hand up just a little. After a bit of debating, with your big, soft eyes still aimed at him, he eventually sits back down. But pulls his arm away from you to cross them over his chest instead, with a ‘what?’ sort of expression.

You bite your lip. “Around the campfire the other night, you … Didn’t you tell the guys you weren’t a vir-”

Again that fucking blush, now also over his hands as he smacks it over your mouth— hot palm shutting you up as his eyebrows get so high on his forehead. When he realizes that this isn’t really the way to shut a lady up, he frowns, and his chest rises and falls a little too quickly. For such a tough guy- he really can’t handle teasing at all. “How did you know about that?! And- w-what about it, anyway?” He keeps your eyes with a searching expression for a bit longer. As if he’s trying to see if you’re mad. What’s there to be mad about? You’re both adults. When he doesn’t find any accusations in your irises, he lets go of you. Seriously, this guy.

“Was that a lie?” you ask.

You’ve known him for a while now. At least enough for you to get a slight little crush on your brother’s friend— and this is the first time since maybe high school that he got this flustered. Usually, you’re the one a flushed mess whenever he’s around. Tonight’s been different. Instead of backing down, he puffs his chest out a little, and looks back at you. You don’t want to let it go to your head, but when you ask it he lets his gaze trail all over your body where you’re resting, lingering on the way your shorts have ridden up between your thighs.

“No, it wasn’t a fucking lie. Some stuff happened back in highschool and I ended up getting plenty of experience.” Those pretty eyes keep yours, and he licks his bottom lip. “Believe me, I know what I’m doing on that front.” There it is. Under all of that thinly veiled temper— is the guy who makes your head spin when he’s around with his hopeless brashness. You’re smitten.

You sit up, instead shifting your legs under you as you run a hand through your hair and brush it away from your face instead, exposing the long stretch of neck that he also takes a slow journey down with his eyes. It’s as flattering as it is making your hairs stand on end, sucking your bottom lip into your mouth. When you manage to calm your racing heart rate a little, you smile, eyes on the ground.

You breathe out. “But you’ve never had your,” now it’s your turn to struggle through the words, “your dick sucked?” The dent in the wall from where your big brother once threw a chair is endlessly interesting now. “Do you want to? I mean- not- I’m not asking for me to- just- in general.” You smooth your hands over your shorts to readjust them. Now would be a good time to get a drink, tingles trailing up and down your spine. “I mean- isn’t that a lot of pressure for whichever poor girl is the first?” You can’t bear to look at him, but you have a feeling Haruka’s smiling at the side of your face. You could shoot yourself. “Thirsty,” you squeak.

When you slide your legs off the couch with the intention to escape to safety for a bit, a warm palm now grabs onto your upper arm, winding around it with just enough pressure to keep you from going. You’re so rigid that when he gets closer and the air of his breath dusts over your ear, you squeak. “Where are you going? Gotta give me some time to react first, don’t you?” You barely manage to look back at him, but when you do you’re nose to nose. He trails fingertips around your ear before nudging your chin up with one finger. “Say, if I ask for it myself, would it still pressure you? If I show you how badly I want you to?”

Then after a second he tilts his head in thought. “Only you.” You can’t think straight, can only focus on the sliver of distance left between your lips. Holy fuck, your heart is beating so hard it makes you a bit shaky. Sakura’s lashes flutter as he whispers the next words against your lips— and all you can think about is how good he looks in the low light of the tv. His words are slow, as his fingers drag through your hair to hold you in place. “Can I ask? To put that pretty fucking mouth on my cock?”

Your entire body tingles, and you nod. “Yeah.” Your mouth meets his eagerly, but not as eager as Haruka is when shifting his body weight into you and almost knocking teeth when you kiss. His tongue’s sweet, a little bitter because of the drinks, as it pushes against yours and kisses and sucks the air out of you. His free hand wrapping around your waist drags you against him more, tilting your head back for his access by a soft pull on your hair. When you disconnect for a moment you breathe his name, and he sits back to pat his lap a few times.

“Come. Sit for me first.”

“You have no clue-” you pant as you get onto him, feeling those strong thighs flexing under your own, “how long I’ve wanted to.” His brows slant up at the admission, as you pull your shirt over your head. “Do this, that is. I’ve had a crush on you for like three years. I haven’t been constantly thinking of ways to trick you into having you fuck my mouth.” A soft chuckle shakes his chest when he follows your lead to take off his own shirt, tosses it somewhere. Then he kisses you again, and smiles.

“I wouldn’t be upset if you admitted you had.” As you roll your hips against him, you’re pleased to already feel his bulge pushing against you. He looks positively radiant looking up at you like he is, biting his bottom lip as his hands grip your tits through your bra and he can’t hold back a smile. You can’t help but kiss him again, and start making marks on the pretty skin below his jaw. Haruka groans. “I’ve wanted you too, by- agh- the way. So much longer than that. Not to say that I waited or nothin’… ” He admits after a few seconds of trailing kisses down his neck and collarbones, making your way down to the patch of white hairs from his navel down. His voice gets heavier when he bucks up into your doughy pussy, only separated by a few bits of fabric. “But I’ve wanted your lips wrapped around my cock since freshman year- fuck.”

You’re halfway down his body and pulling his sweats out of the way when you look up at him with big eyes, and a surprised giggle makes it’s way out of your open mouth. “Freshman year?! You’ve been wanting to fuck your friend’s little sister’s mouth since freshman year?” He’s quick to lift his ass and push the pants to his knees along with his underwear, and grabs his cock at the base as another blush makes it’s way over his face.

“Shut up- just… If you’re gonna do it, do it.” He’s all flushed and honestly, adorable as he glances between his own body and you where you’re now on your knees on the carpet. He watches you lick your lips and give him some time to squeeze out a drop of glossy pre, before running his free hand through his hair to get it out of his face. “No p-pressure, though. Anything you do will be more than enough for me.” It’s so genuine it almost makes you hold back on giving him your best.

Almost. “No way. If you’ve been waiting to fuck my mouth for that long…” You smile up at him, blink your long lashes, and then pat the puffy head against your hot lips a few times.

Your lips meet his swollen tip with a hum, before blowing a bubble of spit and pushing your tongue against him, wrapping it around the hot head. Your tongue squirms as you wet it with as much spit as you can, before putting your lips on him and slowly feeding more of his cock inside with a hum- batting your lashes up in time to watch how Haruka’s eyes widen and then he has to push them closed entirely. “O-oh fuck. Fuck; You’re-” Your tongue rubs over his slit to taste the slightly salty, musky pre and your hand moves down to squeeze his shaft, then gripping his hot, heavy balls. “A- ugh- hold on.”

“Holy fuck- ah- fucking shit.” His normally tense expression takes on a wonderful helplessness as you push your cheeks together and hollow them around him, suck slow first and then harder— and Haruka groans deeply. “So pretty. Oh shit, I’m close. I’m already close- slow down.”

He opens his eyes for a few seconds, only to close them again, placing his hand on top of your head to hold you back a little. Your tongue strokes the underside of his shaft, melting along the curve of one throbbing vein. “Fu—ck me, you’re- so fucking good at this, you’re so good. Ah, agh ah.” He pants, opens his eyes, strokes your crown a few times as his cock fills your mouth up and you pull back, leaking spit. “Taste good, does it?”

“Mhm.” It’s too messy and hot between his legs for you to stay entirely untouched, as you rub his spongey, pink head on the outside of your cheeks. One hand makes it’s way between your own legs to grind against your own palm, while the other winds just tight enough around the base of him to make his breathing hitch. “Haru~ y’taste so good. Feel nice in my mouth too.”

“I promise you-,” his leg twitches when you stroke slow motions on the slick length of him, “you feel even better.” You dip your face to instead take his balls into your mouth instead and suck, and the nervous twitch becomes a full on spasm that has him grabbing your head by the hair. “Oh-oh don’t do that. I’m- I wanna come in your mouth. Fuck, baby. What the fuck.” The pull aches, but watching him basically glare at you from under thick lashes makes your entire body glow. When he wraps his larger hand around yours to hold you still for a moment, you can’t help the smile that breaks out on your face. “You can’t keep doing that, unless you want me to cum all over your face.”

“But I like tasting you so much.” You pout. Your hair sticks to your neck, and your tears make your lashes sticky. He looks at you like you’re a princess though. Your pussy clenches around nothing. “Stand up for me?” Haruka’s frown comes back at that, but he strokes comforting pets over your head as he thinks. He eventually grits his teeth when you let go of him entirely, escaping from his touch. It’s too hot, and really— you ache to be touched too. But it’s so nice to watch that blush spread on his neck. You get back a little and squeeze his thigh, and with a bit more urging he stands up out of the couch.

Thick, pretty cock right before your nose, he twitches before you. Your eyes find his when you smile. You stick your tongue out to drop some drool onto your fingers, and hold your hand out. Haruka’s face only blanks. “Want to fuck my face on your pace instead?”

“No.” It takes a few seconds to register the expression he’s wearing, but it isn’t one of annoyance. Instead he’s holding out his hand to pull you up— and you let him. “Bend over here. It’s my turn.”

[autisticlancemcclain]

“I know, buddy, I know.” Keith scratches behind his big dumb dog’s ears, pressing a million kisses to his forehead because he’s got Black to himself for the next day and there’s no one (Shiro) to clown him for it. Kosmo barks excitedly, wagging his floofy tail so fast it beats against the dashboard and system controls. Keith laughs, moving his scratching fingers down the wolf’s head and neck and to his back, where he likes to be scratched best.

“I know you’re hyper, huh?” he coos, blowing a raspberry. “But that’s what you get. You know you always get too excited when you hang out with Lance. You should have stayed with me.”

At the mention of the Red Paladin’s name, Kosmo starts howling, bounding out from Keith’s lap and tumbling to the floor, nails clacking against the metal as he flips around Black’s cockpit.

Keith huffs. “You raise a wolf from a pup, showering him in treats and affection, and you still fall second best to the first guy he meets who teaches him to fetch. Figures.”

It’s ridiculous, is what it is. Two straight years together on the space whale, but Kosmo lays eyes on Lance for one measly second and falls in love. He’s genuinely obsessed with the guy, and it doesn’t help that Lance is unbelievably smug about it, indulging Kosmo’s every whim and burst of affection just to grate on Keith. He has on twelve seperate occasions radioed the Black Lion to talk to Kosmo only, completely ignoring Keith.

“I can’t blame ya,” Keith says quietly. His voice is still a little teasing, still a little exasperated, but even he can hear the gooey fondness in it. “Lance is just that good, huh?”

Kosmo barks again, loud and fast, then flashes as he blips out of existence then back into existence right on Keith’s lap. Keith chokes as 200 pounds of floof is suddenly deposited on his person, but recovers quickly. (Kosmo will never remember that he is no longer a little puppy. Keith is just going to have to get used to having his lungs crushed.)

He starts to stroke Kosmo’s fur again, gently this time, calming him down.

“I should say something,” he says, more to himself than to his dog. “Ugh. I mean, it’s Lance, right? He’s my best friend. He’ll most definitely tease me, but he won’t, like, mock me or anything. He’s good like that. He knows exactly when to be serious, like during that last gala thing we had when we landed on a planet a while back. He just knew I was feeling off, just like that.”

Keith buried his face in Kosmo’s fur, hiding his smile. “He’s just…everything, you know? I’m always thinking about him. I have been for years. Hell, I talked about him so much on that stupid whale that you recognised him before you even met him, buddy. That’s objectively bonkers. But I can’t…” He sighs, leaning back in the pilot seat and staring unseeingly through the windshield. A red dot flashes gently at the bottom corner, but he pays it no mind.

“He’s sweet when no one’s looking. And even when people are looking, sometimes. And I’ll die before I even imply it in his direction, but he’s funny, too. And his fucking brain, dear God, that man could outwit anyone if he was under enough pressure. He saved our asses more than once when we were stumbling our way through this co-leading thing in the beginning. And anyone with eyes can tell that he’s hot.” Keith’s ears burn a little, thinking of the Coalition videos. “Seriously hot. And…leggy.”

He cracks up, embarrassed giggles bubbling up his throat. His next words are muffled by the hand he has pressed to his face. “God, I want him to fuck me up.”

Kosmo raises his head from where it was resting on Keith’s knee, staring at him in what Keith can only assume is judgment.

“Shut up,” Keith says hotly. “You once farted so loud you scared yourself and cried for ten minutes. You don’t get to judge me about being embarrassing.”

Keith is losing it. He is defending his character to a dog. He groans loudly, dragging his hand down his face.

“I should tell him, shouldn’t I,” he mutters. “Just — come out with it. ‘Leandro Esposita-McClain, I am in love with you.’ Straight to the point. Rip off the band-aid.”

Kosmo yips quietly. Keith snorts.

“Yeah, you’re right. That’s crazy. He’s my friend, I don’t want to ruin things. I’ll just suffer in silence the next time he looks at me and the fuckin’ sun bleeds into his eyes and makes them look like golden honey or whatever. Jesus.” He reaches for his book and props it open, muttering to himself. “It’s always the fuckin’ pretty ones that get me, huh?”

Kosmo barks loudly in what can only be agreement, and Keith scoffs, flicking him on the shout. “Yeah, yeah, you lug. Bug off with the teasing and let me read in peace, alright? I’ll tell him someday. He doesn’t need to know now.”

.

.

.

(A beep echoes through the Red Lion’s cockpit as her paladin slams on the ‘call end’ button, eyes wide and chest heaving, having listened curiously when he’d been radioed out of nowhere mid-conversation between the Bladk Paladin and his dog. And then listened in shock as the Black Paladin had brought up him. Brought up being in love with him, with his heart and his eyes and his legs, apparently.

Red blooms on his cheeks.)

———

based on this post by @petricorah

[jennay]

You were Wearing Converse

Request: Hey bestie! So I have an idea for a request and you can write it however you see fit (I trust you). Maybe reader is a new assistant for Bryan to help takes photos for the shows and Noah starts getting feelings as the tour progresses and gives reader little smiles and goofy faces when she’s taking pictures of him? Maybe it can lead to him getting the guts to ask reader out and they go on a date on an off day.

An: ok first of all I'm nervous. Second of all I love this and I hope you all enjoy. I had pictures for imagination of the photoshoot but the links weren't working 😭 thanks for bearing with me. If you want to be added to the tag list let me know.

Heres the picture of the duck drawing that was mentioned ( I don’t know who originally did it but I love them for it)

Noah Master List

Words are about 3600ish

"You've got to be kidding me." You sigh as you browse through the photos on your laptop.

Bryan leans over to see what you're looking at. He compares his shots with yours. He settles back on the couch and crosses his legs. "Do you think he's doing it on purpose?" He wonders, his eyes studying the image of Noah making a face at you. "He never pulls that crap in my photos."

You keep scrolling, hoping for a decent one. "Every single one." You exclaim, getting frustrated. "This guy."

Bryan chuckles and shuts his laptop. "Damn it, Noah."

You shake your head and smile despite yourself. "If he does this tonight, I'm done." You joke. "I'm just walking off stage, and that's the end for me." You stand up, setting the laptop on the table of the tour bus. "I'm gonna go talk to him about it."

Bryan's eyebrow raises as he watches you head to the door. "Please be good. I don't want to fire you. We've done so good together on this tour, and if you piss Noah off, I'm gonna end up firing you!"

You swing the door open, smirking at Brian, "I'll be me…and we'll see how that goes. It's been nice working with you, just in case." You joke, "I'll wait till the show's over tonight...maybe that's a better idea." You sigh, "I guess I can stay and check the rest of these pictures and see if there's at least something good from the other three."

That night, you felt adrenaline coursing through your veins as you followed the boys on the stage with your camera, capturing their every move as they rocked to the music.

The crowd was roaring, the lights were flashing, and the sound was deafening. You loved every second of it. You crouched low, zoomed in, and angled your shots to get the best views of them.

You moved swiftly and skillfully, dodging the wires and the fans. You made your way to Noah, standing at the edge of the stage, singing passionately. His voice was raw and powerful, sending shivers down your spine.

You snapped a picture of him, and he looked up at you with a grin. He flashed you the cheesiest smile he could manage, showing his teeth. His eyes sparkled with mischief and joy. You couldn't help but smile back at him, feeling a warm flutter in your chest.

Noah fucking Sebastian was a different person when you were behind the lens. He put on a show for Bryan's pictures, acting tough and cool. He flipped him off, smirked at him, and glared at him with dark eyes. He wanted to look badass for the photos, fans, and image. He played the role of the rebellious rock star perfectly.

But when it came to you, he let his guard down. He was more relaxed and silly. He made faces, winked at you, and stuck his tongue out. He didn't care about looking perfect for you. He just wanted to make you laugh. Half of your pictures were too goofy or blurry to be used for Bryan's Instagram posts or the Bad Omen's official account. But you didn't mind. You cherished those moments of genuine connection with him.

You shook your head, moving out of the way and to Jolly's corner. You could usually get pictures of him without any sass. He was more serious and focused than Noah, but he still had his charm. That was until tonight.

Tonight, he seemed to be in a playful mood as well. He joined Noah in making funny faces and gestures at you, trying to distract you from your work.

You looked across the stage to Bryan, who motioned for you to come closer to him. He had a smirk on his face that told you he had something planned. You wondered what he was up to.

Your eyes met Jolly's again, and you got the perfect shot of him and Noah standing beside each other. They looked like brothers in arms, ready to take on the world with their music. The only downfall? Their tongues were out of their mouth once again.

They looked like two kids having fun, not two grown men performing for thousands of people.

"Fuckers." You muttered as you jogged over to Bryan.

He pointed to Folio, and you nodded without asking questions; you knew Bryan would test your theory. He stayed closer to Noah and Jolly while you stayed near the drummer and bassist, snapping some of the best pictures you've taken the whole tour.

When you turned around, Noah was standing somewhat beside you. He winked in your direction, making your heart skip a beat. You felt entranced by him as he walked closer to you, melting with each smile he gave you. You took that as an opportunity to snap a few pictures of him up close.

For once, he cooperated and gave a fierce look that matched his voice and attitude on stage.

In the pit of your stomach, you felt a weird fear like Noah suddenly turned into a fire demon, brown eyes now black as he danced around the flames. His back faced you as he gave deathly growls into the mic, sending chills down your spine.

As the night ended, you felt better knowing you had a few shots that Bryan could use for his social media posts and promotions. You could save these for your portfolio and some personal memories of this fantastic night with Noah and the rest of the band.

You smile as you watch Noah address the crowd of people who have gathered to see the show. He thanks them for their support and tells them how much he loves them.

The house lights flip on as he and the rest of the band walk off the stage, leaving behind a trail of cheers and applause. You and Bryan are waiting for them at the back, ready to pack up and head to the next city.

Noah quickly walks over to you, his face glistening with sweat and his chest heaving with breaths. He still has that adrenaline rush in his veins, making him look more alive than ever.

"What did you think?" He asks you, smirking as if he already knows the answer.

"I think I'm happy you finally let me get some good shots and let me do my job." You say, playfully pushing his chest with your camera. "You're kind of a pain in the ass, you know that?" You tease him back.

Noah laughs, pushing his hair out of his face with his hand. His brown eyes sparkle with mischief and charm. "So I've heard." He says, leaning closer to you.

You can smell his cologne mixed with his sweat and feel a flutter in your stomach.

You want to be mad at him, but you can't. You've only known him and the band for this tour, but you feel a good connection with them. They're honest and genuine, unlike other artists you've worked with. They don't live off the drama of the industry; they just love making music and sharing it with their fans. And Noah... he's something else.

He's talented, charismatic, funny, and sweet. He always makes you laugh or blush with his jokes and compliments. He's also incredibly handsome, with messy hair, a stubbled chin, and muscular tattoed arms. You've caught yourself staring at him more than once and noticed him doing the same.

You give him one last smile before turning around to leave. You have a lot of work to do before the next show, and you don't want to keep him from his friends or fans.

"See ya later, Noah." You say over your shoulder.

As you turn around, you feel a gentle tug on your wrist, stopping you from moving forward.

"Wait," Noah calls out.

You turn around again, looking up at him with curious eyes. What could he possibly want? You wonder.

"Go out with me tomorrow." He stammers out anxiously, his eyes darting around the room. His face flushes with a deep crimson as he realizes what he just said. He looks at you with a hopeful expression, waiting for your answer.

Your eyes widen with surprise, your mouth dropping open. He was flirtatious with you, but you thought that was part of his charming personality.

You never expected him to ask you out on a date. "Me?" You gasp in disbelief, pointing at yourself. "No." You nervously laugh, covering your mouth with your hand. Your eyes widen even more when you realize what you said and quickly correct yourself. "I mean, yes. Sorry." You laugh again, feeling awkward and embarrassed. "I'm tired. I'm gonna go now. I'll see you tomorrow." You say, holding your camera close to your chest and rushing away from him.

You were getting bored waiting for Noah to return. He wasn't late, but you were growing impatient, wondering what he had planned for the night. You had been on tour with him for a while now, and you were looking forward to spending some quality time together.

You looked around the room, trying to find something to do. Your eyes landed on a little yellow duck beside a Sharpie on the coffee table. You had an idea, one that might keep you entertained till Noah got back.

You sat on the couch inside the tour bus with your legs up to your chest, drawing on what you assumed was a toy duck a fan had probably thrown to one of the guys. You wanted to make it look as much like Noah as possible. You swiped on some scribbles for hair and his tattoos. You didn't consider yourself an artist, but you felt like it would get the point across.

As you drew, you thought about all the fun times you had shared with Noah. You remembered the first time you met him and how he had made you laugh with his silly jokes. You thought about all the adventures you had been on together and how much he meant to you.

You hear the bus door open and footsteps closer to you before Noah stands before you. "Whatchya got there?" He asks while pointing to the duck.

"Oh," you laugh, "I was just drawing." You set the Sharpie down and toss the small rubber duck to Noah.

He chuckles, turning the duck around to observe all the markings. "Is this supposed to be me?" he holds the duck up to his face and smiles softly. "Pretty much twins."

You both laugh as Noah sits down beside you on the couch. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just got here a few minutes ago. Long enough to do my art project." you smile brightly. "So what's the plan, Romeo?"

"Well," he drapes his arm over your shoulder, "Matt's letting us use his rental for the night. I signed up for a cooking class, so there's the food part. Anything you want to do?"

You shrug. "I'm bringing my camera," you say, pointing to the table. "Maybe a little photo shoot is in order because with all the bullshit photos you've given me…. I deserve at least that." You giggle.

He nods knowingly, "OK, but I get to take some of you too. It's only fair."

You roll your eyes at him, "I don't know about that. Maybe if you're lucky, should we head out or?" You stand up, looking down at your casual clothing. "Am I dressed appropriately?"

Noah leans forward, a smile on his face. "If you aren't dressed appropriately, then I sure as fuck need to change."

You shake your head and let out a giggle. "You look good. You always do."

He stands up and follows you to the door, "Stop it." He blushes and tries to hide his face in his sweater. "Let's get out of here."

The drive to the cooking class wasn't awkward like you thought it would be. You spent a significant amount of time laughing and giggling like normal. Noah let you choose the music that surprised you, mainly because he made fun of everything you listened to. He listened with a smile, promising he wouldn't criticize your singing voice. He encouraged you to dance with him and act like an idiot.

As you both arrived at the cooking class, you felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. You were both eager to learn something new and have fun together. Noah was the perfect partner for this adventure.

He was charming, witty, and always knew how to make you laugh.

Throughout the class, you worked together, chopping vegetables, stirring sauces, and tasting each other's creations.

Debating which was better, you swore it was his, but he denied it, claiming yours was better. You were the more experienced one, after all.

You were thrilled to get your chance to shine finally. You had been waiting for this moment for so long. Photos. Photos that he promised you as compensation for all the crappy shots he forced you to take on stage.

"Oh, I see. You just want to keep a collection of my photos to stare at when I'm not around." He jokes as he follows you down the street.

"I want photos to show that I'm a damn good photographer and I didn't waste a year taking lousy photos of the lead singer," you retort, chuckling. "Come on." You gesture to the dim alleyway.

Noah stays close behind you and rests against the brick wall. His eyes drift to your side, and his jaw drops slightly. "A cat." He points under the fire escape, and instantly, you lose his focus.

You observe as he approaches the cat, making some sounds to attract its attention, and the cat seems fearless, allowing Noah to lift it without any mistrust of humans.

You grin as you witness the two, who have hit it off right away. "How did you-" You hoist the camera and capture a quick shot of Noah and the cat he names Layla. "I can't believe it just let you snuggle up. Noah, you're like a fairy tale hero." You tease, clicking another photo, this time nearer to the two.

Noah smiles from ear to ear, petting the cat. He inches closer to you, leaning in; he lets you pet his new pal. "She's adorable."

You reach out gingerly, "How do you know it's a she, could be a he, maybe it's Leo, not Layla…" You joke while peeking at him, smiling and concealing the grin that wants to show.

"He or she…is very adorable." He corrects himself, making the adorable part sound ironic. "OK, Snow White. It's getting dark can we get a few more shots?"

He looks at you with sandness, letting the cat down. He walks to the brick wall next to you and gazes at you with curious eyes, "Here?" He says, halting in front of the area of the building that has red and green vines crawling across the walls.

You nod, looking while raising your camera. "Take your sweater off." You say, squatting down.

"Trying to undress me now?" He chuckles but follows your request and flings his sweater at you.

"Noah!" You gasp as the sweater softly lands on your face. "You almost made me drop my camera." You fling the sweater over your shoulder, catching a whiff of his cologne. You back away a little, pressing the button to take the photos. "You're really loyal to the band, huh?" You point to his shirt that displays his band logo.

"Always loyal." He mockingly rolls his eyes, "It's not like I have a lot of options, y/n." He turns his head as if to spot something on the far horizon, and you seize this chance to snap a few more photos. He looks intense, and this man claims he doesn't have good angles; what a joke that was.

Suddenly, you hear a loud siren and see flashing lights bouncing off the walls.

A police car pulls up next to the alleyway, and a cop steps out. "Hey! What’re you doing here?" He shouts, walking towards you.

You freeze in panic, clutching your camera. Maybe the alleyway was a little suspicious at this time of night.

"We're just taking some photos, officer. Nothing illegal." He says, trying to sound calm.

The cop looks at you suspiciously, then at the cat under the fire escape. "Is that your cat?" He asks, pointing at it.

You and Noah exchange a glance, then shake your heads. "No, sir. We just found it here. It's very friendly." You say, hoping he won't ask any more questions.

The cop nods, then looks at your camera. “What do you got there?”

Noah steps in front of you as if he knows what will happen next and feels the desire to protect you from something happening to you. "We're not doing anything wrong here, right?" He questions.

The cop frowns, then looks at Noah's shirt. "Are you in a band?" He asks curiously.

Noah nods, smiling slightly. "Yes, sir. I'm the lead singer of Bad Omens."

The cop's eyes widen in recognition. "Bad Omens? My daughter is a huge fan of yours. She has posters of you guys all over her room." He says enthusiastically.

Noah laughs nervously, then looks at you. You smile back at him, feeling relieved.

The cop seems to have forgotten about the photos and the cat. He pulls out his phone and shows you a picture of his daughter holding an album of Bad Omen's from 2016. "Can I get an autograph for her? She would be so happy." He asks eagerly.

Noah agrees and signs his name on a piece of paper, writing a nice message, "Thanks for being a fan otherwise your dad might have arrested me."

The cop laughs at what he's written and thanks him profusely. "You two have a good night. And be careful around here." He says kindly, then gets back in his car and drives away.

You and Noah let out a sigh of relief, then burst into laughter. You can't believe what just happened.

You look at him with a mix of admiration and disbelief. "What the hell just happened?" You whisper, your voice is still shaky from the adrenaline rush. "That was…I don't even know what to say. That was insane."

Noah's eyes are wide with shock. He grabs your hand and pulls you out of the dark alley, away from the scene of your mischief. "Let's get out of here." He says, his voice urgent.

You nod wordlessly, following his lead as he walks quickly to the car. You feel his hand warm and firm in yours, and you squeeze it for comfort. "Noah?" You murmur, looking up at him.

He turns his head to you with a gentle smile, his eyes softening. "What's up?"

"You're holding my hand…" You point out, lifting your linked fingers. You feel a flutter in your stomach as you see him blush.

He clears his throat, "Oh, right, sorry. Do you mind?" He asks, looking nervous.

You shake your head, "No, it's sweet…" You say, smiling back at him. You spot a bench near the lake and point to it. "But I think we need to talk about this and what it means." You say, feeling serious.

He nods and follows you to the bench, sitting close to you. He wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you closer. "OK," He says, crossing his legs casually. "Let's talk." He says, grinning at you.

You take a deep breath, "Well, what happens after the tour ends? We live in different states and I travel for work just like you do for different musicians. I'm never in one place." You say, feeling worried.

He sighs heavily, "I've been thinking about this before I asked you out… How about you become a full-time member of the crew? You and Bryan are amazing and you don't disrupt our show. You do your work and you don't cause any trouble." He says, sounding hopeful.

He tilts his head to gaze into your eyes, anxiety flashing in his. He waits anxiously as you press your lips together and nod. "OK, well, I love that idea but, I have anxiety and I need to know this is realistic with us living in different states." You say, feeling uncertain.

He shrugs, "I think we can make it work if we really care. We can communicate and see each other. It's not hopeless." He says, sounding confident. "I've thought about this since the first time I met you." He admits.

"You don't remember the first time you met me! Lies." You giggle.

He smirks as he stares you in the eyes. "You were wearing converse and that cute ass summer dress. You came in to the studio and I almost had a heart attack."

You look at him with a shy smile, feeling your cheeks heat up. He leans in slowly, his eyes locked on yours. He brushes his lips against yours softly and gently. You close your eyes and kiss him back, feeling a spark in your heart. He wraps his arms around you and deepens the kiss, making you melt in his embrace. You run your fingers through his hair and pull him closer. He breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against yours.

"I really like you, Noah." You say, feeling happy. "But I'm terrified."

He smiles and kisses your nose. "I really like you too." He says, "I'm terrified, but at least we can feel like this together." He teases. "We'll make it work. I have a good feeling about it."

You snuggle with him on the bench allowing his arms to wrap around you and watch the stars twinkle on the lake. You decide to follow your heart and see what happens. In the long run, you knew this would be worth it. Noah was worth it.

Tags: @thisbicc @yumikitten @lma1986 @chemicallady @a-villain-vying-for-attention

[callsigndragon]

Can I request 1. "Can you hug me" and 8. “Are you kidding me? I love cuddles” with Jake, if they haven't been asked yet? If they have, or just don't sit with you right, then just ignore this. Thank you in advance!

Hello love! Thanks for requesting. It's a bit sorter than what i planned but, it's cute! Here you have the result ❤️

Cuddles

warnings: uranium mission stuff, the usual.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jake Seresin hates cuddles. 

Not only cuddles, but any form of physical contact is not for him. Why would he spend hours lying on a sofa cuddling someone? What could he get out of it? It was something hard to understand for Jake. 

But there was something he didn’t think about. 

It’s not the act of cuddling, it’s the person you’re cuddling with. He didn’t understand what that meant, because all the relationships he had were one-night stands… He never had that kind of relationship where you let your walls down long enough to show them the most vulnerable side of your soul. Cuddling is about intimacy, and that’s why Jake hates it so much. 

No one stayed long enough for him to actually let his walls down. 

Maybe he doesn’t hate it. Maybe he just craves it so damn much that it makes him mad. 

You are the last to arrive at Top Gun. You get there two days after the team has started working on the mission. You weren’t called in the first place because, as a wizzo, you don’t get deployed unless your pilot does too. But when you got called back to Top Gun to be the temporary WSO of a pilot, you didn’t think too much about it and packed your things. 

Little did you know that the pilot was the one and only Hangman. 

The guy you’ve been crushing on for like... forever. 

It’s gonna be super fun. 

“Pops, are you okay?” 

It’s been a hell of two weeks, and preparations for this mission are exhausting, to say the least. Your body is not getting used to the high Gs, and it’s more than probable that you and Hangman are gonna end up flying this mission. 

Even if that means that you’re gonna end up passing out in the back seat. 

“It’s Poppy, not Pops.” You retort, looking up to see him approaching and standing next to your bed. “Look, I don’t have the energy to deal with your sarcastic ass today.” 

Jake sits in the bed next to you, a soft look on his face. “Hey, you know I’m not like that. I’m genuinely worried about you.” 

“This mission… It's a lot, Jake. I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I shouldn’t be here.” 

Jake sighs, scratching the back of his neck. “Look, I know I’m not the best with words, but you deserve to be here because you are one hell of a wizzo and your aim skills are outta this world.” 

You look at him, feeling the tears in the corner of your eyes. “You’re saying that just to make me feel better.” 

Jake scoffs. “Trust me, I don’t know how to make people feel better.” 

"So far, it's working," You mumble while staring at him, with a request pleading to be said, on the tip of your tongue. You shake your head and start unlacing your boots. 

“Say it.” 

You frown, raising your head again. “What?” 

“You want something. Say it.” 

“Can you hug me?” You blurt out before you can stop yourself. 

“You want me to hug you?” He repeats, as if just the thought of you wanting a hug from him were absolutely unbelievable. 

“Oh, yeah… You’re not a fan of cuddles. Forget I said anything.” 

Here it is. The opportunity Jake had been waiting for since he met you. The opportunity to become closer to you, to let the walls down, and, if he’s lucky and you share the same feelings he has, to start something with you. 

He can’t fuck it now. 

“Are you kidding me? I love cuddles. Move over.” 

“You’re serious?” 

“Dead serious.” He pats your leg to make you move, and lies down with you, opening his arms for you to cuddle in his chest. 

It takes you a second to find the perfect position, and you swear you’ve never felt more comfortable or safer in the world than here at this moment. 

“I might fall asleep.” You mumble, inhaling the minty essence of the pilot. 

“You could use a nap. I’ll stay here until you wake up.” He promises, his fingertips drawing circles over the free skin of your arm. 

“You’re not as bad as they say, Jake.” 

“I’m good, Poppy. In fact I’m too good to be true.” He remarks with a grin, chuckling when you slap his chest playfully. 

“Shut your mouth, Hangman.” You roll your eyes before closing them, rapidly drifting off to dreamland. 

“Yes ma’am.” He stops talking, but in his mind doesn’t stop running around with thousands of thoughts and ideas and all of them have something in common. 

You.

[softer-sunny]

Cody tickle headcanons

His brothers know they’re in for it by just the look he gives them

Is often the victim of tickle attacks because he looks “too serious” sometimes and needs to smile

Is an absolutely deadly opponent though. Don’t drag him into a tickle fight unless you expect to perish

He figured out how to get Rex to snort and now he does it every chance he gets

Gets poked so. fucking. much. In passing because they know he won’t take them down in public spaces

He waits and always corners them after being prodded too many times. (If he didn’t want to get poked he shouldn’t be so ticklish to pokes then now should he!)

Got Fives so bad once that now Fives won’t raise his arms around Cody because he knows at any moment Cody could strike

Ticklish back and ticklish knees because those are adorable places and one of his brothers grabbing his knees under a table and Cody having to put a hand over his mouth to keep from giving himself away is a cute image

His brothers tend to sit on him and gently trace their fingers over Cody’s back bc he pushes his face into either a pillow or his arms and squirms and it’s the only time - the literal only time - that they can get Cody to giggle (I imagine Wolffe and Rex get him like this a lot but there’s always room for some Waxer and Boil or Fives and Echo attacking him too)

His laugh is usually a nice low rumble but will get loud if it’s been going on for awhile

Can’t get through a single night of paperwork with Rex without them getting into some sort of wrestling match all because Rex gets bored and literally pokes the bear

Bonus points if sometimes he lets Rex win because Rex had a tough day and it makes his brother happy to be able to get Cody to laugh. Don’t look at me my heart hurts

Ok. Stick with me. I always add one of these longer headcanons because I can’t help myself. And all I can think about rn is echo

It’s after they rescue Echo in the following weeks after he’s recovered a bit. And Cody just knows he’s sad and heartbroken and he hurts. And Cody’s heart is breaking because this kid has been through so much. And he’s keeping Echo company after another round of testing and he just can’t handle the hollow look on that kid’s face anymore so he just tries to tickle his neck to see if it still works on him and has the same effect it used to. And it definitely does. Echo doesn’t pull away from it, just ducks a bit and huffs but sends Cody a smile that he has missed so fucking much and Cody can’t help himself. So he’s gentle about it but he does tickle him until he feels satisfied that the smile with stay on Echo’s face. That kid tucks himself into Cody’s arms so quickly after that because dammit if he isn’t touch starved and has just felt affection and needs a hug before he bursts. Now I WANT TO WRTE THIS I NEED TO BE STOPPED SOMEONE YELL AT ME

Cody enjoys to chase his brothers before he strikes because it makes them anticipate it more and he is a menace

Will let the chase go on longer than necessary to tire them out only to tackle them then he goes for the worst spot first because he is eviiiiiil

Genuinely and seriously asks if someone wants to be tickled and flusters the hell out of whoever he asked. Rex almost died the first time Cody asked him. The look on his face still makes Cody laugh when he thinks about it

[cringefaecompilation]

okay actual serious ep80 thoughts now

first things first: "tHeY didn’t LeArN aNyThInG" feels like it’s really reductive. i think people came into this expecting all of their communication problems to be insta-fixed so that they can be a perfect cute little found family and that's just not how bh rolls. i do think that it was a much needed diversion from them constantly forcing themselves into third gear (along with the wok sledding, everyone forgets the wok sledding) to stop the bad guys. other people have pointed out that if not given any instructions they’ll be fine with opening up to each other and being genuine, but they froze and immediately started getting antsy the moment they were told to. i just think that’s funny.

i don’t think imogen and laudna are hypocrites. rather they’re very much stuck with their own traumas and assume that their experiences are universal. imogen thinks she was born cursed and that everything in her life has just been set up to punish her for something she inherently deserves. there’s an abusive cunt off the port bow trapped in laudna’s head that she literally had to force herself to walk away from (and make saving throws to stop) to not be forced into hoovering up that shard without her consent.

they both saw fearne shrug off dozens of times she could have died horribly or faced terrible consequences and get off scott-free and missed the forest for the trees. they want her to take power because she can actively consent to it rather than be slapped with insane power at a young age and then forced to course-correct, which probably explains why they got so angry at ashton for "tricking" her: they saw it as them taking something she could use to better herself.

and on that note, laudna telling fearne she’s glad she could make her choice didn’t feel like it was backhanded, envious, bitter, none of that. i think she genuinely does see this as fearne making a choice on her own behalf in a way that she is incapable of.

the whole kerfuffle with callowmoore didn’t make me hate the ship, but it did make me even less fond of the fans of it given the shippers who turned on ashton saying all kindsa nasty shit that got disproved in the 4sd. i’ve always preferred the idea of a slowburn with these two because ashley has said fearne is unsure of how she would handle love or a relationship herself and now taliesin has said that ashton finds themselves unlovable.

as much as i joke and bitch, i don’t think that everyone’s been "forcing the ship" so much as they’ve been assuming that the constant flirtations between the two of them will make them more comfortable with taking the shard and meeting in the middle. the two of them deciding to be friends for the moment is far superior and makes the slow burn way more likable because now it’s something on their own terms rather than them getting together because they were told to.

irregardless of it stays platonic or develops into romance "callowmoore is abusive" is a terrible take no matter if you like the ship or hate it and i hate that it got blown so far out of proportion anditmademelegithateanothershipbutlikethatsnotimportantrightnowandidontwantpeopletogetmadatmeokay.

and yet! there’s always going to be this huge discomfort of the fact that fearne was always unsure about taking it, didn’t explain why she was unsure to anybody expect for chetney (and orym should have fucking said something), and then just decided to take it just so people would stop hassling her about it. she wasn’t forced into taking it but she certainly was backed into a corner about it. she did not ever want it but she saw that it was making everyone really upset and took it because hey, might as well.

"we all might as well" is something everyone’s been saying and while everyone else has their reasons for making the best out of a terrible situation, fearne notably did not have the exact same problem that most of them shared (i have this insane power inside me threatening to blow at any given second that i just have to live with on a daily basis). she wasn’t even aware of the raw deal she had been saddled in her existence with until it was pointed out to her!

long story short the main problem it seems that bh has to get over is just assuming they know what's best for each other. it should’ve been fcg and i will die on that hill. let ashton have a robot sister.

[smolcinnamonchipmunk]

Cosmic Prologue

(Hello! This definitely took a lot longer than I meant it to and is… way longer than I meant it to be. I kind of got carried away with a bunch of stuff it seems, so, uh, this prologue didn’t really cover the entire prologue. In my defense, I forgot how long the prologue was and also forgot that I wanted a kind of testing bit with Nova and Herta so blame my square brain and overthinking. Regardless, I’m gonna put the second half of the ‘prologue’ on hold so I can focus on goofy Sampo bit that hopefully won’t also be long as fuck.)

Word Count: 14820

TW/CW: I genuinely don’t think there’s anything to warn about, but lemme know if I’m incorrect.

-------------------------------------------------

The sounds of fighting echoed through the metallic halls as Dan Heng ran through corridors with March 7th just behind him, weaving through Antimatter Legion enemies as they hunted for any stragglers that had to be evacuated to a safe zone. The monsters in the space station needed to be dealt with soon but any time spent fighting instead of searching could be a moment where someone could end up injured or killed.

There were a couple groups of security scattered along the station, but their groups were too large to simply dodge around creatures like Dan Heng and March could. He heard a cry for help ahead.

“March,” he glanced back to March, seeing her focus her attention on him. He tipped his head towards where he heard the noise. “This way.”

He waited to see her nod in acknowledgement before swerving towards the shout, hearing her heels follow along behind him. They turned down a hall, a Voidranger Reaver at the end backing an employee into a corner. It was only one but most of the employees on the station knew research, not combat.

As the duo rushed forward to the employee's aid an arrow flew past Dan Heng with precision and a trail of frost, sinking into the back of the Reaver and catching its attention. Angered, it let out an enraged cry as it spun around to face its attacker, greeted by Dan Heng plunging his spear into its chest. The spear was slashed to the side, slicing entirely through its abdomen as it hissed out a death rattle and exploded into a burst of residual antimatter.

The multicolored mist dissipated as it was reabsorbed into the fabric of space.

The previously cornered employee stared at Dan Heng through the dissipating antimatter in shock before it turned to immense relief that had the man visibly almost crumbling to the ground. He was able to stay upright but hiccuped with a few relieved tears, “Th-Thank you! Thank you!”

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Dan Heng stated, tone cold or cruel to most people but he was simply stating a fact. “Do you know how to get to the master control zone?”

The employee blinked at him, likely caught off guard by his bluntness. “I-I… I don’t know.”

“That’s okay,” March reassured the man with a smile, the employee looking at her like he’d just realized she was there. Then again, a monster did just explode in front of him because of Dan Heng. “If you go back down the hall and turn right in the direction we came from, there should be a group of security we just passed. They were finishing off a couple monsters, but I’m sure they’ll be able to help you to a safe place.”

“What about you guys?”

“We need to make sure that no one else requires assistance,” Dan Heng answered. “We’ve handled situations like this before. You should catch up to security before they leave the area.”

“I- o-okay,” the employee stopped himself from potentially arguing, giving an appreciative nod before turning and running down the hall they'd come from.

“You need to work on being more approachable,” March lightly scolded him, putting a hand on her hip. “Poor guy was scared to death and you being too serious just put him more on edge.”

“I wasn't trying to make things worse,” Dan Heng replied, starting to continue deeper down the hall again. March didn't hesitate to run alongside him. “I was trying to get him to safety as quickly as possible.”

“Still, maybe you should try giving them a smile,” March commented, giving him her own hopeful smile, sighing when Dan Heng just frowned slightly. “Ugh, it was worth a shot.”

Dan Heng debated responding to her but felt something brush against the edge of his consciousness as they neared an intersection in the halls, similar to when someone has a thought and then loses it to the fringes of their mind. He blinked at the fleeting feeling, slowing to a stop while trying to mentally clutch onto it. He thought it entirely lost for a second, ready to reluctantly continue searching for wayward employees when the peculiar feeling just barely pulsed back into existence, mentally latching onto the sensation that was as noticeable and fragile as a spider’s thread.

He barely perceived that it seemed to trail towards the hall on their left.

“Dan Heng?” March said his name inquisitively, walking back to him after a few seconds of not realizing he’d stopped in the intersection. “Something wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” he replied, looking down the hall where he felt the thread lead. It didn’t get stronger, but something within him knew that if he followed it that he’d be able to trace it to its source. “I have a feeling something’s down this hall.”

“Good something or bad something?”

“I don’t know,” Dan Heng essentially repeated, not liking that he couldn’t discern it. Still, he decided to investigate the peculiar feeling and started walking down the hall on guard. The feeling became a touch more noticeable.

“Wha- if you don’t know, why are you going towards it?” March asked, sounding appalled. Yet the sound of her footsteps followed him down the corridor.

It was a fairly brief walk and a couple bends before they came across a closed door. Whatever trail Dan Heng could sense was strong enough that he could relinquish his mental hold on it and still be able to tell clear as day that whatever was causing it lay behind the door. He tried listening for anything on the other side but only heard the hum of electronics and lights. “Whatever it is is in here, but possibly dormant.”

“That’s really vague and kind of ominous,” March frowned beside him, sighing when he reached for the door control and tapped it. “Usually you’re the one telling ME not to just touch things. Still, I trust your instincts.”

This was uncharacteristically reckless of him, wasn’t it? He’d also learned to trust his gut instincts but following an intangible, unknown trail without really thinking of the how’s or why’s was indeed unlike him. March didn’t seem to be able to sense whatever he was. Should he mention it to her?

“Whatever it is, I’m sure we can handle it just fine,” Dan Heng said instead as the doors opened, walking into what looked like a small showroom. Eleven Curios were suspended on pedestals, six on his right side and five on his left, each illuminated by the glowing blue case that held them. None were the source of whatever he was sensing.

“Whoa,” March exclaimed behind him with awe in her voice. He heard her footsteps shift from directly behind him to one side, likely her approaching one of the pedestals for a closer look. “Is this Herta’s collection? This place is full of fancy little gadgets.”

Dan Heng continued past the Curios to an entryway that seemed to lead to a small backroom, where the sensation grew stronger. He stopped in the doorway and took stock of the room, bare save for a couple plants, a few stacks of canisters against the left and back wall, and two machines along the right wall with screen faces. Nothing particularly stuck out to him at first glance.

He frowned, focusing more on the aura he sensed as he looked around again, a bit surprised to see a small thing only a couple inches large on the ground beside the wall on his right. His frown only deepened in slight confusion.

Surely something so small couldn’t be the source of such an intense sensation? He supposed there were weirder things in the cosmos.

“I really don’t get why she’d go out of her way to collect these and then leave them here to gather dust.” March’s voice trailed in from the collection room, barely registering with Dan Heng. “What do you think, Dan Heng? Dan Heng?”

The confused call of his name fell on mostly deaf ears as Dan Heng stepped closer and knelt beside the object. As hard as it was for him to believe it at first, whatever he was able to sense was indeed emanating from what looked like a tiny human figure, pulsing lightly and slowly like a dormant heartbeat. Another feeling reared up in his chest, urging him to gently scoop up the figure in his hands. The body and limbs moved fluidly and limply with the movements like a living thing.

“There you are! It’s rude to ignore people when they’re calling your name, you know? Did you- whoa, what’s that,” the irritation in March’s voice almost immediately turned to curiosity as her footsteps got closer. “Why does Herta have a tiny doll?”

“I don’t think they’re a doll,” Dan Heng mused, trying to decipher the being in his hands amongst his mental archive and the urge in his chest. Holding the being in his hands he felt a dissonance in the aura like it was unstable. “I’m certain they’re alive.”

“Wha- that’s even weirder! Why would Herta have a tiny person?!” March exclaimed beside him. “Are they okay? How do we even tell if they’re okay at this size?! How are we supposed to wake them up to make sure they’re- Dan Heng!”

As Dan Heng continued studying the small being and pondering the growing feeling in his chest he realized to his own horror that long repressed instincts were surging to the surface. Before he could steel himself and stamp down the previously dormant instincts, he found himself lifting his hands towards his face and opening his jaws.

—----------------------------------------

I was only aware of existing.

For all I knew, this warm darkness of unconsciousness was the entirety of my existence and I wouldn’t have any complaints. Unfortunately, this content void wouldn’t last.

A jostle disturbed the darkness I was shrouded in. Not enough to pull me out of it, a mere ripple effect that surfaced my awareness enough to notice things beyond the warm void of sleep. Soft heat beneath where I lay and muffled voices.

I wanted to ignore these and other sensory feedback that lay on the cusp of my consciousness, but the more I tried to return to the dark warmth, the more it slipped away like water through fingers.

The voices slowly grew loudly and more focused rather than incoherent mumblings, the floor beneath me was relatively soft and warm, drawing attention to the fact that the air was cooler in comparison. Eyes I hadn’t been aware of having suddenly noticed red through closed eyelids, informing me that the world around me was bright. The urge to keep them closed was slowly losing to cognitive questions that slowly came to mind such as ‘Where am I?’, ‘Who’s talking?’, and ‘What happened?’.

“-ertain they’re alive,” one of the voices said, masculine in nature. But, what was masculine? Why did that matter?

“Wha- that’s even weirder!” A feminine voice, prompting the same questions.

I was too busy sluggishly pondering and slowly dragging myself up mentally to start groggily opening my eyes to pay attention to what was being said. Cracking my eyes open, my face scrunched as they immediately closed at seeing a blur of colors overtaken by just how bright it was. I blinked a couple times to try and adjust my vision, slowly gaining some focus.

“Dan Heng!”

The sudden exclamation made my eyes widen in surprise, heart skipping a beat. My eyes snapped into focus looking up above me, taking a moment to realize that a giant mouth was directly overhead and getting closer. I jolted up to a sitting position with a sudden burst of adrenaline and a yelp as a giant palm coupled with a ‘Wait, stop! They’re too small for CPR!’ shoved the face above me to the side. Crawling backwards in startled confusion, I recoiled when my hands went from fabric to skin, realizing that the ground beneath me was also a hand. Or, hands, rather.

“They’re awake!”

My attention was torn from looking at the massive hands beneath me towards the loud voice where two faces loomed above.

One belonged to the hands holding me, expression unamused and slightly sour as the hand that pushed him away slid off his cheek, black bangs drifting over his face from the movement. Gray eyes edged with red underliner turned from his companion to look down at me. His expression was unreadable to me, something that set me on edge.

The other face was the opposite. Pink-blue eyes stared down with what I could only think of as giddy fascination, a wide smile framed by light pink hair. She exuded an excited energy that made me anxious in its own way that made me already feel overwhelmed.

“They ARE a tiny person!” the person not holding me commented loudly, making me wince slightly. I had a feeling this was her normal volume. “Are you alright? You can hear me, right? Do you remember your name? Wait, you can understand me, right?”

“I-...” I held a hand to my head to try and still the mental spinning. There was a lot racing through my mind, confused and overwhelmed as my brain tried to sluggishly process my current situation, and that wasn’t helped by trying fruitlessly to remember anything from before waking up here. “... I don’t remember a thing….”

“Aw, that's not good…” the girl frowned a bit at my response while the guy just continued to watch the interaction with a straight face. “Can you try harder?”

The absurd question caught me off guard enough that I briefly forgot about my more worried confusion of who I was, where I was, and why I was small in favor of wondering why the hell this chick would essentially say, “Just remember, it’s easy!”

Before I could even try to form a response she suddenly looked appalled and a bit guilty, asking, “Wait, do you not have a name?!”

“Wha- I have a name!” I protested on instinct, feeling a sudden surge of spite.

Both faces blinked at my outburst and stared at me for a couple seconds, making me struggle to not avert my gaze. I might not remember anything but I was learning pretty fast that I did not like eye contact. Both exchanges exchanged a brief look after some silence, making me frown a little.

“What’s your name then?” the guy asked, making me realize in embarrassment that they had been waiting for me to tell them my name.

“Oh, uuuuuh,” I made an anxious noise as my face felt a bit warm, trying to think. I feared for a moment that I actually DIDN’T have a name before one suddenly shoved itself to the forefront of my mind. “Nova! It’s Nova.”

The guy seemed unperturbed by my overzealous answer while the girl blinked in surprise again.

“Nova?” the man repeated my name as though testing it in his mouth, nodding in satisfaction and adding, “Nice to meet you. My name’s Dan Heng, and this is March.”

The man - Dan Heng - tilted his head towards the girl for a moment to gesture, considering his hands were preoccupied, but before he could continue I couldn’t help but blurt out, “March 7th? Like.. the date?”

“Yeah, but you can just call me March if you want,” the girl replied chipperly. “Good thing you remembered your name, otherwise we’d have to call you by today’s date!”

“I mean, you wouldn’t have to?”

“Regardless,” Dan Heng interjected, giving March a slightly stern look as she opened her mouth to reply to me. “The Antimatter Legion are still very much a threat and we need to finish our sweep of the area. We can ask questions on the way.”

The floor beneath me twitched and shifted slightly, making me yelp as he stood up from his crouch on the floor.

“Wait, wha-,” my heart rose to my throat and my stomach felt like it dropped beneath me, feeling dizzy from vertigo. I tried to shake it off, asking, “Wait, way to where? What the hell’s the Antimatter Legion?”

Being raised off the ground and no longer really loomed over, I could finally give some attention to my surroundings. I wasn’t exactly pleased, bright lights and metallic walls were everywhere in this room. It felt almost clinical.

“Back to the master control zone. Asta and the other researchers have gathered there,” Dan Heng replied, turning to March before I could ask more questions. “March, you take Nova. I’ll lead and make sure no Voidrangers get in our way or attack you. You just need to make sure you hold onto Nova.”

“Got it,” March nodded as I blinked in surprise. Suddenly, her hands were cupped right beside his, one bare and the other with a black archer’s glove.

“Heh?” I made a confused noise, turning to indignant surprise as the hands beneath me started to tilt, depositing me in March’s waiting hands. “Wha- if it’s dangerous, why not worry about me later?! I feel like taking me along is just detrimental to focusing on bad guys.”

“Don’t worry! The Astral Express is no stranger to danger,” March said chipperly, making yelp when I was shifted into a single palm so that she could pose with a peace sign by her face proudly. Behind me Dan Heng lightly scolded ‘March, don’t jostle them.’, which prompted the girl to chuckle sheepishly and rub the back of her neck. “Sorry.”

I just stared at her for a second as I tried to make any connection with anything these people have been saying, but absolutely nothing was ringing a bell. “I have no idea what the fuck an Astral Express is either.”

“Oh, geez,” the girl sighed a bit. Dan Heng walked from in front of March to around her, going into a darker looking room. March glanced over to see him walking and started following behind him. “I guess you wouldn't really know anything if you’re some kind of Curio or part of Herta’s collection.”

“The fuck is a Curio?!” I exclaimed, getting frustrated with all this stuff I have no Aeondamn clue about. “The name Herta means dick-all to me!”

“Let’s start with something basic,” Dan Heng said ahead of us, stopping by some glowing pedestal. His gaze felt sharp as he looked down at me in March’s hand, making it feel like he was trying to dissect my entire being. “What are you?”

“Human, of course,” I replied angrily before remembering that I was literally sitting in someone’s hand. “At least… I think so.”

Both of them looked at each other again for a moment, further frustrating me as they were somehow able to be on the same page without any words. March looked like she was trying to figure out the best way to word things, or maybe she was just trying to figure out what to even say or ask.

“Do you remember anything before we woke you up?” she asked hesitantly, brow furrowing as I shook my head and bit my tongue to keep myself from snapping again. “Do you know if you were… always this small?”

“No,” I said forcefully, shaking my head again. Something niggled at the back of my mind that this whole size thing was new. “No, I’m certain that I used to be bigger. Or, normal-sized, I guess, I don’t know what to call it. All I know is that something happened to make me… THIS.”

March looked at Dan Heng, who’d been staring very intently at me this entire time. He met her gaze and softened slightly back into the unreadable, straight-faced expression.

“They don’t seem to be lying,” he told her, causing more indignation to flare up that I barely contained out of curiosity to see what he’d say next. He looked back down at me, unphased by the glare I couldn’t help. “I’m not sure if anyone on the space station will know exactly why you’re small or even where you came from, but this is a research station. I’m sure someone will be willing to help, but we need to get going.”

I huffed through my nose after a second, swallowing down my initial anger at the fact that either of them thought I was lying for some reason. “Fine.”

“Lead the way, Dan Heng,” March said, voice back to being peppy. As he turned around to keep walking out of the room and she began to follow suit, she paused with an ‘Oh!’ and walked over to the raised floor beneath the weird pedestals, picking up a black and gold baseball bat that was just lying around with the hand not holding me. “I don’t know who leaves a baseball bat in a collection room, but we should probably see if this is Herta’s at least.”

“Sure,” I agreed with a noncommittal tone, the random name still meaning nothing to me.

“Right, you still don’t know who that is.” March gave me a slight smile, looking a bit apologetic as she continued following Dan Heng. “Let me try to explain.”

And try she did.

Not very successfully, mind, it was a lot to try and remember in such a short period of time. Everything from this Madame Herta being the head of the space station and a member of some Genius Society, to her explaining what the Astral Express was - giving me MORE names with no faces - and why they were here, to explaining how the Antimatter Legion attacked the space station. There was a lot more, mostly about people on the ship like some Asta and an Arlan, who they apparently lost contact with when Dan Heng checked some comms or something. But, none of it really stuck.

It didn’t help that Dan Heng and March were running through the halls, needing to clutch onto the nearest finger to try and keep from being knocked off, and the Antimatter Legion things were roaming around. Dan Heng managed to keep most of them away but there were a couple times where a floating orb or weird humanoid got too close and March had to swing clumsily at them to buy a couple seconds before they were finished off by a spear.

By the time the duo came across a blocked elevator and went to the nearest safe zone, which was also a control room, I felt rather dizzy and nauseated. It was only a slight relief when March’s pace slowed to a walk on approaching a door that mechanically slid open.

“Hey, you together?”

The unfamiliar voice caught my attention, looking towards it to see a guy with darker skin than the duo escorting me, noticeable scars with a couple obviously fresh wounds, and a stern purple eye behind white hair that faded to dark brown at the tips pulled back in a short ponytail.

“We are. You must be Arlan, Head of Security,” Dan Heng commented, gaze trailing down to the hastily bandaged wounds on the other man. “Do you need any assistance?”

“No,” Arlan shook his head, looking similarly as stoic as Dan Heng. Great, two unreadable guys and an overenergetic woman holding me in an overly confusing situation. “The bandages will do just fine for now. I was supposed to cover everyone as they evacuated but… I didn’t expect to end up failing in this task.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Dan Heng reassured, surprisingly enough to me. “Your leg and dominant hand are injured. It was a wise decision to hide here and avoid a head-on encounter with the Legion.”

Arlan made an unconvinced expression, but March added, “Yeah! Most of the staff have been evacuated safely, so right now our highest priority is to return to the master control zone and plan a counterattack! Do you know how to use the elevator? I couldn’t start it…”

“Sorry, but who are you guys,” Arlan asked, expression slightly distrustful. “You’re not wearing any research or security uniform.”

“I apologize for our lack of introduction,” Dan Heng said, seemingly not bothered or taking offense to the other man’s suspicion as he raised a hand to his chest in introduction. “We’re from the Astral Express. We came to deliver a rare relic Herta trusted us to find… We didn’t expect to arrive during an invasion. We were sent by Lead Researcher Asta to help with evacuating and to find you.”

“I see,” Arlan nodded, looking somewhat satisfied with this answer as he relaxed slightly. “Sorry for being on edge. The Legion came at a very suspicious time, almost right after the security system suddenly failed. After the evacuation was complete, the elevators were all shut down to keep the Legion away from the master control zone. Since Lady Asta sent you to look for me, I assume she must’ve given you the encryption key for accessing the elevator system?”

“Oh, right, she did give me some sort of card…” March spoke up sheepishly, drawing both the men's attention. Even I looked up at her with appalled surprise.

“... March…” Dan Heng looked over at March with light exasperation, probably the most expressive I’d seen him.

“But where did I put it…” March murmured. She held the baseball bat to Dan Heng and shifted to start checking her person when he took it, but that unfortunately meant that I was set to be jostled.

“H-Hey!” I yelped as the hand beneath me was lifted and held to the side so that she could pat herself down with her free hand, feeling a bit dizzy from the somewhat quick motion that was entirely absentminded by her. Shaking my head to clear it, I watched her check her camera pouch and pat her skirts, realizing after a few seconds that there was a feeling of being stared at. And, looking around, I quickly saw Arlan looking at me intently like he just realized I was here. I hesitantly waved awkwardly at him.

“You…” Arlan’s single visible eye was widened, gaze flicking from me to the two I was stuck with.

Before he could say anything else however, March exclaimed in triumph as she pulled out a card from some fold or hidden pocket of her skirt, holding it towards the Head of Security in success, “Ah! Here it is!”

To my relief, she resettled her hand with me back to in front of her. When Arlan took the card from her, not really taking his eye off of me, she commented, “Hey, Nova. Mind if I switch hands? You’re not heavy or anything, but holding my hand up like this for a long time is starting to make my arm tired.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, I don’t mind, I guess,” I absentmindedly replied, still finding it surreal as her other hand lifted up beside the one holding me. I was prepared to sort of scooch myself over from the current hand, but I made an indignant noise of surprise when she tipped her hand to cause me to slide into her other palm. It wasn’t rough or particularly fast-paced but it was still incredibly unfamiliar and weird. I felt slightly less incensed with March’s happy ‘There we are!’ as I was shifted.

“Who is that?” Arlan asked, pointing towards me with the key card.

“Oh, yeah, maybe you’ll know,” March exclaimed, thrusting her hands out in front of her with me just trying not to be shoved over from the force to go from sitting to prone. “We found them in Madame Herta’s collection room. They said they can’t remember anything or how they got this size.”

“March, you need to be more considerate of Nova,” Dan Heng stated disapprovingly, earning a small apology from her. He turned his attention to Arlan. “We were hoping that Herta would either be able to help identify Nova’s past or help return them to human size.”

“I…” Arlan looked at a slight loss for words but was a lot quicker to recover than how I assumed I’d react if I was a normal person and someone just had a tiny human. “I don’t recognize them, but we can check the database for any employee or guest records that match.”

“That’d be appreciated,” Dan Heng nodded in satisfaction.

“No problem. Now that we have the key, we should get going,” Arlan started walking towards the console, a noticeable limp to his gait, though it was obvious that he was powering through the pain. Alarmingly well, in my opinion. He slid the key card into a slot on the console and punched a couple buttons.

From the glass of the control room all of us saw the elevator activate, raising a central mechanic up.

“Let’s go,” Dan Heng said, holding out the bat for March to grab with her free hand.

“Hold on,” Arlan interjected, looking up at both March and Dan Heng. “I only activated the elevator on the highest floor. We’ll have to go there to use it.”

“What?” March commented in surprise right as I said, “Why? That seems unnecessarily far.”

“Sorry… This space station was entrusted to Lady Asta by Madam Herta. I must do this for the safety of the master control zone and the staff there,” Arlan looked slightly apologetic, holding out the key card. “So I’ll have to trouble you to take a bit of a detour… Sincerest apologies.”

“Huh? You’re not coming with us?” March voiced the question that went through my head, her hand twitching a little beneath me.

“My leg is injured… I’d only slow you down. I’ll stay here and shut down the elevator once you’ve made it to the master control zone,” Arlan gestured to the elevator to accentuate his point.

“You won’t slow us down,” Dan Heng assured the other man, frowning at the comment. “And you should be able to shut down the elevators from the master control zone, right?”

“Agreed,” March chipperly hopped in, nodding in solidarity with Dan Heng. “We made it here with Nova, and if you’re willing to hold them on the way then Dan Heng and I will be more than enough to protect you! Let us worry about the Antimatter Legion. You just follow us with Nova and keep yourself alive.”

“I don’t think that last comment is as encouraging as you probably think it is,” I stated bluntly, looking around in confusion at trying to find the logic of the statement. Was it factual? Sure, but telling the Head of Security ‘Don’t worry about it’ just felt weird. A bit irritated, I asked, “Do I get a say in this hand off, or is that a no?”

“Oh, uh,” March looked caught off guard and uncomfortable by my question, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand. “I guess we should ask you… Are you cool with Arlan holding you while we make our way to the master control room?”

“Yeah, no, that’s fine,” I said casually in satisfaction, far less irritated after the question. When three pairs of eyes blinked at me a little bit in surprise at my easy response I shrugged a little in indignation. “What? I woke up small as hell in a stranger's hand, got handed off to another stranger’s hands, have no clue about what’s going on or my past, and there’s been a lot of shaking me around. I’m pretty sure it hasn’t even been an hour. I just wanted to be asked about my opinion at least once today.”

“I suppose that's only fair,” Dan Heng commented slowly, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

March still looked slightly disgruntled at my tone but, with my verbal blessing, she proceeded to hand me off to a seemingly hesitant looking Arlan. Going from skin and the soft but durable fabric of an archery glove to what felt like rougher, heavier duty gloves - I had been wary of his right hand considering it was armored, but was relieved when the underside was fabric - wasn't exactly the most pleasant, but his uninjured hand was steadier than March's. The key card was tucked safely into one of his pockets and he held his injured hand out.

“You sure you wanna carry both the bat and Nova,” March asked Arlan, glancing down at his bandages.

“I can handle it,” he replied, his look telling everyone that he wasn’t budging on that.

“Alright, then,” March gingerly gave him the bat, allowing her to take her bow off of her shoulder. “Just let us know if you need us to slow down or stop for you!”

“... Thank you.”

Dan Heng and March led the way as Arlan directed them on where to go, with me simply along for the ride once more. I hadn’t realized just how unbalanced March’s hold had been, surprised at how still Arlan’s hand was beneath me in comparison even as the trio ran after Arlan refused to take a slow pace. I was impressed with how much he was running considering his limp. Worried as well, but not like I could do anything.

It took a surprisingly short time of running through rooms with Dan Heng and March dispelling more monsters before the elevator came into view again.

“Is that it? We’ve reached the elevator already?” March asked, slowing her pace as we approached the walkway to the elevator. “That wasn’t too many monsters- Oof, probably shouldn’t have said that… Might bring bad luck…”

“You’ve grown, March,” Dan Heng stated approvingly, giving the woman a glance before immediately turning to the group's right. Before I could follow his gaze he darted in front of a glowing purple projectile, blocking it with his spear. It pinged off the staff's handle and ricocheted dangerously close to Arlan and I. Something seemingly charged out of nowhere, impacting Dan Heng’s staff as he raised it again in front of the group.

With its attack blocked a metallic creature backed up and pranced towards the elevator shaft, turning around to bellow at us. It had a humanoid torso where an animal's head would be.

“The fuck is that?!” I exclaimed.

“It’s a Trampler,” Dan Heng replied, keeping himself between the rest of us and the creature. Throwing an arm back, he briefly glanced at Arlan, directing, “Off the bridge! March and I will handle this!”

March was already poised with a frosty-looking arrow drawn back, keeping an eye on Dan Heng as it seemed like she was waiting for him to make the first move. Still, she spared a bright smile towards Arlan, adding, “Leave it to us!”

Arlan’s hand twitched beneath me, fingers curling for a moment before stopping, though I could FEEL the tension in his hand beneath the fabric. Looking up it was hard to see his expression from this angle but I noticed his visible eye glance down at me for the briefest of moments. After a second or two he nodded in acknowledgement to the duo and retreated to the walkway against the wall.

Both of us watched Dan Heng take the Trampler head-on, rushing in to slash its sides and legs, dodging and weaving through trampling hooves while March hit it with frosted arrows to its humanoid torso.

It stirred something within me, some part of me longing to join the fray. Whether out of an altruistic want to help rather than remain on the sidelines or something else was unknown to me. I only knew I wanted to get in on it and, based on the occasional twitching from the hand beneath me and a glance up at Arlan’s strained expression, he was feeling a similar way.

With two on one, it seemed like the Trampler would go down fairly easily, especially with Dan Heng quickly intercepting it anytime it tried to charge towards March and forcing its attention back on him. It let out an angry bellow.

“March, on your right!” Arlan shouted, jolting me from the loud exclamation. Looking more towards March than the Trampler I realized the concerned shout, three Voidrangers flying over from who knows where, each with its attention focused on the archer.

“Huh?” Despite the surprised noise March was easily able to dodge the first Voidrangers attack, firing an arrow into its arm and earning a pained shriek.

I couldn’t get too comfortable watching the continued fight, a jolt going up my spine and urging me to look behind us towards the doorway we came through to get to the elevator. The sharp claws of another Voidranger gripped the edge of the doorway as it maneuvered itself out of the room on the other side, mask turning sharply towards us. It definitely saw us.

“Arlan!” I cried out, slamming my hands on the fabric of the glove beneath me as the thing shrieked.

“Hnngh!” Arlan was quick to dodge as the thing slashed at him, swinging at it with the bat given to him. He let out a grunt of pain as it made contact but it was enough to stun the creature. To my relief, the hand I was in curled a bit protectively, making me feel like I was less likely to spill off to the ground.

“Arlan!”

Dan Heng’s exclamation drew my attention, seeing him finish off the Trampler with a plunge of his spear severing the humanoid and animal half apart. I was jolted as everything moved, Arlan dashing towards the elevator bridge. Even if he was stubborn, he definitely knew that letting the Voidrangers keep the group split wasn’t good.

“March!” Dan Heng shouted, March peeling off from her own struggle as Arlan reached the elevator bridge. The trio grouped up defensively on the bridge as more Voidrangers materialized around the platform, the Tramplers body not even fully dissipated yet.

“Sore losers! You can’t just gang up on us!” March shouted at the surrounding crowd angrily, falling on deaf ears as the Voidrangers continued to close in.

Cool. Love waking up in an unknown, completely precarious situation, being entirely helpless, and about to die. Guess I didn’t really need answers if I was dead.

Before I could completely accept the fate of myself and my companions, something whirled in from the side, completely tearing apart one of the Voidrangers as it flew in. An arm of the drone flung out as it spun some more, extending an active circular saw that cut through three more. I worried when it spun towards us that we were going to suffer the same fate, but the saw retracted and the drone actually stopped between us and the Voidrangers.

Dan Heng and March seemed to know it was friendly, March nudging Arlan to move forward while Dan Heng exclaimed, “Go!”

The group skirted around the drone to run to the activated elevator, with me clutching onto the nearest finger to try and stay steady from the mad dash inside. As the doors closed behind us the other three took the opportunity to catch their breath. I was just trying to get over the shock of almost dying.

The elevator doors opened fairly quickly, not allowing much reprieve. But thankfully there were no Antimatter assholes on the other side, only a woman with red hair and a white dress closing something as she straightened.

“Why does it always have to get this exciting?” the woman asked as she turned towards us, not pausing for a response before adding, “Anyway, at least you’re back. March, Dan Heng, you’ve been through a lot.”

“Whew, Himeko. What took you so long?!” March exclaimed tiredly, the trio walking towards the woman. I continued glancing her up and down, taking mental stock. “That last wave of Antimatter Legion came at us like a swarm of locusts. Have you ever tried shooting locusts with a bow?”

The woman, Himeko, laughed warmly at March and replied, “I wouldn’t have made a difference. My orbital cannon can deal with a whole bunch of enemies at once, but I couldn’t just blow up the space station with it. Herta would NOT like that…

“Are you alright, Arlan?” the woman redirected her attention to the man holding me with an expression of light concern. “Asta’s been worried about you.”

“I’m fine, a quick patching up will do. Thanks for asking,” Arlan reassured and thanked her. I yelped a bit in surprise as he turned and held me out towards Dan Heng. “I must report the situation to Lead Researcher Asta immediately.”

Dan Heng nodded and I was once more deposited into his hand, March taking the bat. I wasn’t even paying attention as Arlan bid farewell and walked off, my attention more on being disgruntled at feeling like I wasn’t going to be able to do anything myself. I was so bitter at my current lack of autonomy that I completely missed some conversation until March’s voice cut through.

“Oh, that’s Nova! We found them like this in Herta’s collection room, but they seem to have amnesia and don’t know what happened or who they are.”

“Huh?” I blinked in surprise at hearing my name, jolting a bit when I saw that the red-headed woman was kind of leaned over to get a closer look at me. Not super close, but I hadn’t been expecting it when I looked over. Still caught off guard, I automatically said, “Uh, hello?”

“Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Himeko, navigator of the Astral Express,” Himeko introduced herself with a smile.

“In other words, she’s in charge of where the Express goes,” March chimed in.

“March hasn’t been any trouble for you along the way, has she?”

“Nova, think carefully about how you wanna reply to that,” March put her free hand on her hip. At some point while I wasn’t paying attention she strapped her bow back over her shoulder.

“Uuuuh, I dunno, no comment then,” I replied, feeling like I didn’t know these people that well after only knowing them for a little over an hour.

March looked disappointed at my response, saying flatly, “ … Oh, looks like we have two Dan Heng’s on our team now.”

“Please leave me out of this,” Dan Heng sighed above me, not even needing to look up to know that he was exasperated. His tone said enough.

Himeko laughed with endeared amusement, catching me off guard as she straightened, commenting, “Look at you all, you’ve already gotten really close. Come on, Asta has been worried about you two and we can see if she has any ideas to help with Nova’s situation.”

She turned around and started walking the opposite direction of the elevator, making me realize that the hallway was not only pretty short with offshoots on either side, but that it was filled with several researchers in small groups either conversing or comforting each other. From the sounds coming from the offshoots, it sounded like there were other groups as well. For some reason, I was not pleased with the fact that a lot of people were around. Maybe something to do with being so small.

With Dan Heng and March not hesitating to follow it also became obvious that the whole room was MASSIVE, even from what I imagine a normal-sized person's perspective was, walls of windows on either side that showed the systems of stars outside and a front that converged on itself to a point. Were we at the front of the ship?

I zoned out a bit as the group walked, more focused on taking stock of the surroundings. With how loud it kind of was in here I didn’t even realize there was someone closer by talking until I noticed that the natural sway of Dan Heng’s hand had stopped for a couple seconds. Blinking to clear my mind and refocus, I looked forward to see the back of another woman, this one also with pink hair. Unlike March hers seemed more… salmon?

“-predict that the Legion is about to unleash over ten waves of continuous attacks. Everyone, brace yourselves,” the woman in front of us directed, voice louder than it had just been to project her voice. Who she was talking to exactly, I had no clue.

“Asta!” March greeted from Dan Heng’s left, catching the attention of the woman. “We’re back!”

Asta turned around to face us, a relieved smile on her face that matched the relieved exhale she let out. “Whew, I’m glad you’re all back safe. Arlan just told me about the situation at the storage zone, and about his injury… Thank you, for all your help.

“In times of disaster,” Asta’s face turned solemn. “I realize more and more that the space station’s researchers are its most valuable assets… Alas, we were ill-prepared for such emergencies… we should have built up our security and combat departments. On the other hand, the entire crew of the Astral Express seems to be extraordinarily skilled.”

“What is the current situation on the space station?” Dan Heng asked, making me glance behind myself as he half-crossed his arms, the shifting catching my attention.

“The situation is under control for now. The damage to our security system was minor. The intruder only managed to alter a small amount of data, so it was an easy fix. The real problem lies with the researchers…,” Asta sighed, looking out toward the throngs of scattered researchers around the room with concerned thought. “They trust Madam Herta wholeheartedly and never thought that the space station would be breached by the Legion. A broken spirit is far worse than a broken body.”

“Let’s go speak with the researchers,” Himeko suggested. “Right now, the space station can’t afford any more unexpected turns, especially from within. Have you tried contacting Herta?”

“I sent multiple letters, all met with silence. You know her, Himeko,” Asta looked disappointed as she looked back at Himeko. “The space station is but a mere warehouse for followers and rare items. She doesn’t really care about it.”

That didn’t really sound reassuring to my whole being too shrunk to either be useful or even really autonomous. Despondent researchers and the supposed head of the space station being completely apathetic.

Himeko, however, seemed undeterred as she said, “I knew it… No matter. I’ll also send a letter to Herta and tell her that we’ve brought the rare item she seeks. At least that might get her attention. Maybe the added mystery of our miniature guest will help peak her interest.”

“That would be of great help,” Asta smiled back at Himeko, no longer looking as distressed. At the allusion Himeko made toward me, which made me stiffen in surprise, the woman blinked and then seemed to realize I was in Dan Heng’s palm. “Oh! I apologize for not noticing you sooner. Arlan told me about your situation, but since he said you were in safe hands I refocused on the Legion attack. Let me assure you that as soon as the Legion is gone and everything is stabilized, we’ll get to work on helping you as soon as we can.”

“You’re fine,” I told her, waving my hand a bit dismissively. Did I like being this small? No, but I also wasn’t going to get on her case about caring for the station right now. “No rush. Not like I have anything else to do, I think.”

“Dan Heng,” Himeko looked over at the man holding me. “March and I are going to go around the room to see if any of the researchers need help on behalf of Asta. Why don’t you and Nova check in on Arlan and see if Nova matches any profiles the space station has on file, either personnel or guest authorization.”

There wasn’t an immediate response from him, making me look up after a couple seconds as he suddenly started moving, realizing that he probably nodded in acknowledgement to the woman before walking away.

“See you later!” March said chipperly, giving me a wave as I looked back at her, Himeko giving a small wave as well.

I waved back with uncertainty, feeling conflicted. On one hand, I was already overwhelmed by, well, everything and the light pink haired woman was a bit too much energy for me right now. On the other hand, I suddenly felt very awkward in the comparatively silent man’s palm as he walked from the platform where Asta remained. Thankfully, Arlan wasn’t far off the main platform so I didn’t have to feel awkward for very long.

“... If only I’d caught the Antimatter Legion sooner…” The shorter man was murmuring to himself beside two guys in uniform. Since they weren’t in lab coats, I assumed they were likely security personnel.

“Arlan,” Dan Heng greeted, catching the smaller man’s attention. “How are you feeling?”

“Dan Heng,” the other man returned the simple greeting. As he turned there was a slight wince as he shifted the weight on his legs. “I’m fine, this pain is nothing, really. I’m used to it. I should be proud of it. It’s a reminder of being able to protect everyone. Ahem, but don’t tell Lead Researcher Asta what I just said.”

“A commendable mindset. However, it’s important to make sure you still take care of yourself. You can’t protect anyone if you end up too injured to stand on your own,” Dan Heng stated. I had the uncanny feeling that this was definitely mildly hypocritical. But I also had a suspicion that whoever I was, I also fell into a similar pitfall. Still, he wasn’t trying to scold the other man. “What’s the status of the space station?”

“Stable, for now,” Arlan replied, expertly pivoting into reporting even when his face soured slightly at being told to care for himself. Now, the sour expression was more dour and solemn. “There were a few researchers who didn’t make it… The rest are fine, mostly minor injuries. But I’m worried about their mental states. Most of them came to the space station because they admired Madam Herta. But now they can’t reach her or even their own families. I just hope they can all survive this crisis.”

“This Hera sounds like she sucks compared to Asta,” I couldn’t help but comment, arms crossed over my chest. I might not even be working under Herta, but with the way it sounded like she handled things I was starting to be miffed on the researcher's behalfs.

“I can’t speak to Madam Herta, but my first impression of Lady Asta was that she was the daughter of a rich family, owners of a big company. She was kind to me though,” Arlan said, face still neutral but tone less naturally stern. “When she went to the space station, I followed her. I don’t know much about science, but I’m glad to be able to protect people in pursuit of their research.”

I frowned more, not very satisfied with the response.

“Regardless of feelings about Herta, there’s no denying that she and the space station have made many advancements in the ways of ingenuity and inventiveness,” Dan Heng stated, sounding like the personification of a textbook. “Arlan, we have one more request before leaving you to rest.”

“I’m all ears,” the other man replied, crossing his arms over his chest with slight interest.

“We’d like to see if you can look through the station logs to see if there’s anything regarding Nova. Either personnel or guest profiles for access to the ship.”

“I should be able to use one of the consoles in here to access the security logs,” Arlan hummed slightly in thought, uncrossing his arms and starting to walk along the platform. “This way.”

Dan Heng followed Arlan as he walked past some of the scattered groups of researchers. Most were too busy talking amongst themselves or coping with the situation alone to pay attention to us but one researcher happened to look over and notice me. Her eyes widened in surprise and I was grateful when Arlan and Dan Heng passed too quickly for her to make any comment, relieved when we stopped at a console further away.

Arlan wordlessly signed on to the console and started tapping away as Dan Heng silently watched and waited.

I was starting to feel the awkward silence creep in again, but it seemed like it was just me. Neither of the men looked like they had any issues with the other being quiet or remaining silent themselves. Meanwhile, I was resisting the urge to fidget too much, not wanting to draw the attention of either to distract them. My mind started to wander aimlessly, zoning out until I heard Arlan’s voice speak up again.

“I’m not seeing anything about a Nova in the system,” Arlan said slowly, scrolling through whatever he was looking through. He looked back, but instead of addressing Dan Heng like I expected he looked directly at me and asked, “Do you remember if you have a last name or anything else identifying?”

“Oh, uh,” I blinked in surprise, caught off guard at the question. I thought for a second but something told me that no amount of trying would let me know if I had a last name, let alone what it was. “No, no last name that I’m aware of.”

“If that’s all we have to go on, then I can’t find anything in the system,” Arlan locked the console system and turned around to look at both Dan Heng and I. “Sorry. I wish there was more I could do to help.”

While I felt disheartened at hearing that the space station had nothing on it considering this was where I woke up, Dan Heng was undeterred and replied, “Don’t worry about it. The fact that Nova isn’t pulling up in the system is actually valuable on its own.”

“Uh, how?” I asked, looking up at Dan Heng skeptically. I personally felt like this helped absolutely nothing.

“It means that whatever happened to you or your past, the space station has nothing to do with it. Which narrows down our search, even if it’s only the barest amount.” the man said bluntly. And even though it didn’t feel like he wasn’t necessarily trying to be reassuring, it did make me feel a bit better when phrased that way.

“I guess,” I sighed.

“Dan Heng!” March’s voice called from behind us. Dan Heng twisted to look back where March and Himeko were standing a little ways behind him, March waving chipperly. The bat Arlan had given her was secured to her waist now, an odd sight considering everything about her was pastel except for the black bat.

“Looks like March and Himeko are done checking with the researchers in the area,” Dan Heng stated, turning back to Arlan, “We appreciate you looking through the system.”

“No problem. I hope you find the help you need,” Arlan replied, the last comment directed towards me as his gaze went from the taller man to meet my eyes.

I nodded in appreciation with a small smile. “Thanks.”

Dan Heng bid Arlan his own farewell and walked over to March and Himeko. Neither he or I were even able to greet the two women when March commented, “Himeko and I went around to ask the researchers if they needed any help, but all we got was just some random small requests and one person complaining about coffee. I can’t be too mad at them though. Given the current attack, they probably need to focus on something else.”

“Was Arlan able to find any information on Nova?” Himeko asked.

I’d started zoning out before realizing that she was looking expectantly at me, not Dan Heng, stumbling over my words as I answered, “Uh, no. No, Arlan said that I didn’t show up in the system at all, but Dan Heng said that it at least narrowed the search a little.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” March said, putting her hands on her hips and giving Dan heng an unamused look. “A very Dan Heng way to look at it.”

“Still, it is accurate,” Himeko stated, looking at March before addressing both. “Now, let’s return to Asta and-.”

Something within me stirred the same moment that Himeko was cut off by alarms suddenly going off in the master control zone, something entirely unfamiliar. I heard March’s gasp of surprise but it was undercut by Himeko directing, “To the bridge!”

The trio, and me holding onto the fingers that slightly curled around me, ran to where Asta stood, staring at holographic warning symbols that flashed in front of her.

“Asta! What’s going on?” March exclaimed as we stopped beside the other pink-haired woman.

Another holographic screen flickered to life in front of the other symbols, some winged creature pressing a humanoid claw into what I could only assume was the ship’s force field. Alarmingly, it looked like it was slowly sinking its claws in.

“Take the Express and leave,” Asta ordered, looking back at the group. “I’ll stay.”

“But-,” March started to argue, taking a step forward only to be stopped as Himeko looped her arm with the smaller woman’s.

“Let’s go.” the redhead said. March’s eyes lingered on Asta before reluctantly letting herself be led away.

Dan Heng’s fingers twitched beneath me, looking up to see that he was also a little conflicted as he turned from the Lead Researcher and followed to where Himeko rushed to the elevator doors. She carefully guided March into the elevator and waited until Dan Heng was inside before activating it. As the elevator whirred to life and descended, the trio remained in tense silence, something that I wasn’t going to break.

The elevator dinged a tone far too pleasant given the circumstances and, as the doors opened and Himeko shepherded the other two out of it, there was a sudden crackling sound from the redhead.

Himeko pulled out her phone, Asta’s voice frantically exclaiming, “The supply zone’s defense shield won’t hold much longer. You all need to hurry… I’ll be here, you’ve got to fend them off… You… hurry…”

Asta’s voice trailed off, interrupted before being entirely cut off by crackling interference for several seconds.

“... We lost communications,” Himeko said worriedly, looking solemnly at the screen for a few seconds after disconnecting from whatever communication app continued to emit static.

“Are you thinking of going back?” Dan Heng asked. I looked up to see his eyes narrow slightly, surprising me a little until I heard him add in a firm tone, “Let me remind you, that’s the Doomsday Beast, the Legion’s planet destroyer.”

Okay, yeah, nope. I was definitely seeing why he’d turn even more serious than he seemed to be naturally.

“The space station is Herta’s creation. As long as a Lord Ravager-” - I groaned silently to myself as Himeko replied to Dan Heng, trying to make a mental note that ask what the hells a Lord Ravager was later - “ - doesn’t intervene, there should be no problems.”

“B-But we can’t just run away like this, right,” March asked anxiously, looking between the man and woman.

“I mean, sure you can,” I commented, not liking that everyone looked at me. Crossing my arms I shrugged, gesturing my arm dismissively down the hall. “You just gotta keep going down the hall.”

“Not helping!” March said, putting her hands on her hips.

“The Doomsday Beast can rip off the defense shield like tearing paper, and Herta’s not here,” Dan Heng continued trying to stress his point with a disapproving frown. “The station’s defenses are too weak to stand against the Antimatter Legion. Either way, the Legion has the blessing of the Aeon, Nanook. They came prepared and everyone here is not.”

“That’s why we have to leave and take Nova with us,” Himeko stated resolutely, catching me and the other off guard.

“Me?!” I questioned in surprise as both March and Dan Heng asked in equal surprise ‘Nova?!’. I suppose in hindsight that it seemed kind of fucked up to leave someone the size of a figurine to fend for themself on a massive ship about to be destroyed, but-.

“They’re�� that important?” Dan Heng asked, looking down at me with a skeptical expression.

“Wow, do ya think you could have worded that a bit fucking differently,” I looked up at him angrily. “Just go ahead and chuck me into the nearest trash bin, why don’t you?”

“Nova’s the one who can help us turn the tides… Of course, I may be wrong,” Himeko interrupted before Dan Heng could respond.

“I think you’re wrong,” I murmured worriedly, not sure how she even came close to that thought process. Her knees had to hurt from jumping to that conclusion. I was appalled when Dan Heng replied though.

“... As you say so,” he sighed, looking resigned. “Alright, what should we do next?”

Himeko smiled at Dan Heng, turning to look towards the only other exit of the room. “This is the supply zone where the maintenance crew works. There’s a path here that leads to the nearest railway platform. Let’s head over there and meet up with Welt.”

“Are we-?” I started speaking only to immediately get cut off by March.

“Mr. Yang?” March asked, looking surprised again. “Mr. Yang’s here too? Didn’t he stay on the Express?”

“The Astral Express tracks our coordinates in real time,” Dan Heng turned slightly as he addressed her. “And with such a huge change in the space station’s movements, there’s no way Mr. Yang wouldn’t have noticed.”

Himeko hummed in agreement while I still struggled with her earlier comment, telling March, “I can almost guarantee that your Mr. Yang is already on his way. Right now, we might be able to handle things if it’s just the Doomsday Beast. But, if the Destruction’s Emanator were to appear…”

“I- The Destruction’s Emanator?” I asked dumbly, feeling like March maybe explained something along those lines earlier.

“Let’s hurry up and get out of here. I’ll explain later,” Himeko said, starting to rush towards the door on the other side of the room. I noticed a large, rectangular case against her back as she ran, something I’d missed earlier and seemed far less important than the situation as Dan Heng and March began to follow her.

Once more finding myself just holding onto as securely as I could while being taken along for the ride, I exclaimed, “Are we just going to gloss over the whole me somehow turning the tide thing? Because I think we’re glossing over the whole me somehow turning the tide thing!”

“It’s Himeko!” March replied, looking back at me as the group ran.

“As skeptical as I am, we both trust her judgment,” Dan Heng added, not looking away from charging ahead. A smart move that allowed him to give a little ‘March!’ in warning as the group ran past another group of Antimatter Legion. I watched as Himeko took the case on her back and swung it at the nearest enemy, clocking it with the edge of the case while March and Dan Heng dodged the others.

Notably, I couldn’t attack or dodge thanks to my being unarmed and FUCKING TINY.

“Ugh, this stupid bat!” March complained loudly, looking down at the thing as it bumped against her leg with each step. “Running with this is throwing me off.”

“I think-,” my voice hitched in my throat when Dan Heng swerved around a creature with blades on its forearms. “I think that y’all are forgetting that I’m absolutely SMALL AND USELESS.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” March tried to say reassuringly, but it was entirely unconvincing with the grimace she had. “Well… shorter… Anyways, I’m sure Himeko has a very good reason to think that you’ll be super useful, even if we don’t know what that is yet.”

“Do I have to be useful? Can’t I just return to a normal-size and live out my life?” Whatever life that even WAS.

“We should almost be there,” Himeko called back from a little bit ahead, running through another self-opening doorway to another massive room with several smaller walkways leading from other entryways on the right hand side to a huge platform walkway on the left.

“Aww yeah, it’s the platform!” March exclaimed excitedly as Himeko continued to lead them towards it.

“... The Express isn’t here,” Dan Heng commented, sounding cautious. I saw him shift his grip on his staff in the corner of my vision, looking like he was preparing for more fighting.

“It has to be nearby!” March replied optimistically, raising her hands to her face to make binoculars with them as she looked back at Dan Heng briefly. “Let me go take a peek with my sharp eyes.”

March kicked up her speed to sprint ahead of the group with a small laugh, earning a sigh from the man holding me and a concerned look from Himeko. The redhead glanced back at Dan Heng.

“Of course,” Dan Heng muttered under his breath, increasing his speed casually to try and catch up to March as we approached the platform. A couple seconds went by before he either noticed or sensed something I didn’t, making me yelp as he fully sprinted towards the platform, shouting, “Wait, March!”

Something in my chest pulsed.

The pastel-haired woman made it a couple steps onto the platform before stopping and turning around at Dan Heng’s shout. My eyes widened in surprise when something massive flew by outside. From the massive platform opening we could see the creature from before, the Doomsday Beast, glide away from the platform and show off its dual sets of wings.

“The Doomsday Beast…” Himeko said worriedly, slowing to a stop beside Dan Heng and March. “It’s really here.”

The Beast began to turn back towards the platform, circling back around as March unclipped the bat from her side and threw it aside. Slipping her bow off her shoulder and creating an arrow to nock back, she seemed way too undeterred as she exclaimed, “Get down here!”

“Careful everyone!” Himeko warned as the Beast descended on the platform, throwing her case to the ground where it popped open with a heavy clack.

A drone like the one that had shown up earlier whirred to life and escaped the confines of the case just in time to be blown back by the gust of wind from the Beast half-landing at the edge of the platform, standing on the platform with two pairs of arms while its hind legs disappeared from sight beneath the platform edge. The Beast reared up the floating purple orb and V-shaped end of its neck as much as it could, roaring from the pseudo-head.

“Get Nova somewhere safe and come back,” Himeko directed at Dan Heng, picking up the now empty case. To my surprise she must’ve hit something on the case to make an extension pop out with a circular saw at the end. “We need to buy Welt time to get here!”

Like before when tasked to check up on Arlan there was no auditory acknowledgement, just immediate action.

Dan Heng sprinted off to the side while March and Himeko kept the creature's attention. It wasn’t very far before he skid to a stop beside seemingly random containers near the platform edge, certainly not the safest option but it looked like one of the few available considering it was almost entirely bare save for a few benches, screen billboard, and scattered containers.

“Just stay here,” Dan Heng said, tilting his hand to drop me on the ground unceremoniously, albeit carefully. Without another word he turned on his heel and sprinted back to the two women.

I wanted to shout ‘Wait!’ or something else, but that would only serve to waste his time. After all, as much as I’d like to do anything or be anywhere else, I was physically unable to do more than watch from around the containers as the man charged into the battle and slashed at one of the Beast’s larger hands when it swiped towards March. The hand flinched away, metal sparking from the spear attack, and the Beast roared angrily.

Aeons or whatever, I felt so fucking scared and USELESS.

I anxiously fidgeted in my spot, heart pounding in my chest while I began to pace beside the container I was beside. I had no communications - not like communications were working - or weapons, or even a normal fucking height and this weird fucking feeling in my chest was NOT HELPING.

“Do I risk running off to try and get someone? No fucking way I’d make it anywhere in time for any help, even if I was a normal-size.” I muttered to myself. I spent several seconds feeling distressed at my lack of ability to do anything before something happened to the weird feeling in my chest. It didn’t go away, but it… it felt like a second heartbeat, one that gave me the tiniest bit of an adrenaline boost or something similar. “Aah, what the fuck?”

I looked myself over as the background noise of roaring, metal hitting metal, and explosions continued, not noticing anything really different. So what the fuck just happened?

Great. Now instead of just worrying about dying along with the rest of the space station because of a massive creature, my body’s deciding to be weird about it. Maybe this is just what panic attacks feel like? Because I was definitely nearing one, if not actually there, given the circumstances.

I tried to take a steadying breath and leaned against the container, telling myself, “Maybe if I don’t look at the fight, I can’t be stressed about the fight.”

It was something I felt was fundamentally incorrect, but my options were limited. It definitely didn’t help the weird feeling, gasping a little when the same internal pulse happened again, giving me another teensy bit of energy and a slight feeling of nausea. I groaned a bit in distaste at the sensation, thinking that it also somehow made the grooves in the container I was against feel different.

I didn’t even think that was possible, looking down at where my hand rested against a seam in the metal of the container, narrowing my eyes like it was somehow the containers fault I was feeling weird. I opened my mouth to make some snarky comment to pass what little time the space station had left when my eyes widened in a bit of surprise and confusion.

Was the… was my hand slowly getting bigger?

I blinked and moved my hand to a rivet beside the seam, my fingers not even able to reach either side of the metal disk. I stared intently at my hand where I could see the rivet beneath it, uncertain if I was noticing an extremely minute change in my hand size or if I was going insane.

Another pulse went through my chest and I gasped when my hand got noticeably bigger. Not much, maybe an inch if I was normal-sized, but it was something. And the weird pulsing had something to do with it.

“Wild,” I said as I pulled my hand away from the rivet. It wasn’t like it was just my hand that got larger, I seemed proportionally the same. So either whatever happened to make me this small was only temporary or something was causing me to grow. And either one had good implications as long as I got bigger before the station went down.

I moved to peek around the container before pausing at a quick thought, putting my hand back on the rivet as a quick test. With the previous boost in size making me slightly larger, I placed my still smaller-than-the-rivet hand almost to the edge of the metal disk, becoming unreasonably excited when there WAS a visible difference as my thumb went from almost touching the edge to becoming flush with it.

“Fuck yeah!” I exclaimed, pulling my hand away. I still couldn’t help but look around like some wizard or something would be barely visible in a corner with a stick pointed at me, the source of either my diminutive size or curing it. No one was around save for the people and the Beast I could hear on the other side of the containers but SOMETHING was causing me to passively grow. But…

“... What changed?” I muttered to myself in confusion, deciding to finally peek around the corner to check on the fight. My excitement didn’t matter if the Beast won.

Speaking of, the Beast was swiping at the trio on the platform with an angry cry. Himeko managed to recoil in time to avoid being snagged by one of the metallic claws, twirling with the case and using the saw against the hands carapace; March was barely able to roll away, the wind from the creatures wake making her hair blow wildly as she struggled to regain her footing; Dan Heng managed to jump over the blow, landing on the disembodied forearm and running towards some floating object near the Beast's chest.

He jumped and plunged towards the object with spear pointed downwards towards it, speartip sinking into an inky black orb with specks of white like the space sky behind the Beast. It roared angrily and one of the smaller arms reached up to snatch Dan Heng. The man tore his speartip from the orb - my chest pulsed with the weird sensation again - and slashed at the groping claws before landing on the ground.

“The Beast…” My eyes widened at the realization. My chest hadn’t started feeling weird until the Doomsday Beast showed up and, while I didn’t know what that meant or even how it was affecting me, its presence was somehow making me bigger.

Putting a hand to my chest, I glanced around for any sort of height marker on the container. The most reliable was the rivets but I could only guess that I’d barely managed to grow a centimeter? Maybe. Regardless, still not nearly enough to be of any help or even save myself if I wanted to.

“Fuck. There has to be a way to make this faster, right?...”

Almost immediately after I said the question aloud I felt another pulse of energy in my chest, instinctively putting my hand against my chest and looking towards the fight. With a slight frown of confusion I noted that no one had made an attack against the weird object in front of the creature, it was just floating a bit higher so why was my chest doing the pulse-y thing?

The four segments around the dark orb center expanded outward, a blast of gold and black striking its own arm with an inky black cloud with gold particles shaped like cosmic cubes.

I gasped when my chest pulsed again, needing to hold my head as a wave of lightheadedness accompanying the almost electrifying sensation made my vision blur. Shaking my head to try and clear and refocus my vision. I froze when I subconsciously noticed everything wasn’t quite as large as before, slowly holding a hand out to a rivet in disbelief. Oh, that was NOTICEABLY smaller.

Spurred on by the sudden discovery, I tried to measure myself against the side of the container and, while I had no clue what my actual height was, I was at least twice the size I was before.

“Fuck. YES.” My heart raced in my chest excitedly and I glanced back towards the fight for a second before quickly looking around for ideas. If the others could maintain the fight long enough, then I could do something to help… Maybe. I needed a weapon, and even then I wasn’t sure I’d be any good at fighting.

My gaze locked onto the discarded baseball bat that March had thrown aside earlier, hissing a small, “Yes!”

Until I remembered that it was within swiping range of the Doomsday Beast that was currently rampaging on the platform with giant claws that could squish and tear apart a normal human, let alone one as small as I was. I’d have to be careful if I wanted to get close enough to grab it from the ground and there weren't many places to hide between me and the fight. Maybe I could try to get the attention of one of the others? That ran the risk of distracting them and getting them killed…

Okay, maybe don’t get their attention.

“Nnngh,” I grimaced as my chest pulsed again, still not used to the feeling. Narrowing my eyes at the bat I decided that I may as well shoot my shot and go for it, even if I wasn't large enough to use it yet. “What's the worst that could happen, I die?”

I pushed aside the part of me that was very much against this whole thing, that wanted to just kind of curl up in a corner and wait it out, in favor of the part of myself that's been itching to be able to jump into the fray since waking up. Staring intently at the fight to try and mentally figure out the speed of the Beast's movements for several seconds, my chest pulsed twice more - once for Himeko managing to get the circular saw against the weird object and two for the creature blasting it's other hand with the black and gold beam.

No clue what function that served the Beast, but it helped me get bigger, and that's all I cared about right now.

“Okay. Okay. Let's do this,” I told myself, taking deep breaths as I psyched myself up, bouncing from foot to foot a bit. Fear began to creep up at the back of my mind and I knew that if I waited too long that I'd chicken out. Before my limbs could reach the point where they'd no longer listen to me, I started booking it from behind the containers, feeling almost immediate regret as I slowly got closer to the fight. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.”

I continued repeating the word under my breath as I ran. A shudder ran up my spine, something instinctive making me look up in time to see a shadow descending towards me. I exclaimed in panicked surprise, my body moving quicker than my mind as it lunged to the side and rolled out of the way of a white-soled black shoe that landed almost exactly where I was. I was taller than the ankle belonging to the foot now, but the close call still made it very apparent that one misstep could be deadly if not fatal.

“What the- Nova?!” Dan Heng’s voice preceded an impact against my side and the air being forced from my lungs as I was scooped off of the floor. Fingers that previously dwarfed me now had to curl around my midsection, my teeth rattling a little as he lifted me up and continued to run. “What happened?”

“The floating thing in front of the Beast,” I replied, earning a slightly confused glance from him and added, “The cube thing with the orb!”

“The Antimatter Engine?” Dan Heng asked. In any other circumstance I’d take it as condescending, but not right now.

“Whatever! Everytime one of you hits it or-,” I winced as the weird pulse happened again, looking over to see March nock another arrow in her bow. I felt more than I saw how the grip on me tightened a little as I grew a bit more. Thankfully, his fingers twitched in surprise and the feeling of slight claustrophobia lasted only a second as I continued, “-or the weird cube bit opens to blast at its hand I get bigger for some reason.”

“You still need to stay away from the fight,” I didn’t realize he’d brought me back to the containers until I was set back down on the ground beside them again.

“No, I can help!” I protested before he could turn around and run off to rejoin the fight. I was surprised he gave me the time of day for me to make my case. “If you guys just keep smacking the engine, and maybe goad it to use it long enough, I can pick up the baseball bat and help!”

Gray eyes flicked back towards the ongoing fight, a second of quick thought as he seemed to struggle to not jump back in.

“You guys need to buy time for Welt anyways, right?” I asked, regaining the man’s focus. My own gaze flicked back to the fight, feeling tense myself at seeing Himeko block the Beast's claws from striking March with the shockingly durable drone case. “What else is there to lose?”

Dan Heng narrowed his eyes at me slightly and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking behind his tense, stoic expression. I felt my heart sink as he whirled around and ran back to the fight.

“Damn it,” I hissed to myself with the thought that the man had, somewhat understandably, completely disregarded me in favor of the battle. But I was surprised when, while running towards the Beast, he paused just long enough by the bat to spin and kick in the direction of the containers I was beside.

It clattered loudly - well, not loud in comparison to the roaring and sound of metallic claws on the rail platform - across the floor before skidding to a halt against the containers. I couldn’t help but pump my fist a little and say, “Yes!”

The man continued to run at the Beast, ducking beneath angry claws and jumping onto the floating engine again. With a plunge of his spear through gilded corners that sunk back into the orb at the center and I felt my chest pulse again with another shot of energy. I saw him look at the others and open his mouth but I didn’t hear him over the outraged roar the Beast gave that rattled the containers beside me.

The smaller pair of claws from the Beast lashed towards Dan Heng, the palms slamming together when he tore his spear from the orb and jumped up in time to dodge being crushed.

I guess I didn’t actually have to worry about them prolonging the fight to goad the Beast into using the engine since, as Dan Heng landed beside the other two and threw his arm out in front of March protectively, it pushed itself off the rail platform and rose into the air with flared wings. With arms and wings wide, the engine floated to remain in front of its chestwith the gilded edges expanding from its center with a jerky motion.

Several rings of white appeared behind the Beast as bright blue patterns glowed on its wings and multiple golden lights appeared in the air behind it. The golden lights exploded into gold-blue beams that descended onto the rail platform in a blinding display that had me averting me flinching as I shielded my eyes.

The cosmic flashbang only lasted a few seconds but it took me a couple more to try and clear my vision, stumbling a bit as my balance wobbled and planting my hand on the side of the containers. Something moved beneath my palm and threw off my balance a little again but I was able to remain upright, rubbing my eyes with a hand and looking around with colored spots. The stack of containers that used to tower over me was still tall, but now I was almost as tall as it was.

My eyes widened, quickly looking to where the others had been standing, a feeling of relief flooding through me when particles settled to show that the others had managed to dodge the barrage of lasers. I was a bit surprised to see a couple ice arrows misting from the orb of the engine like a floating pincushion, the creature leaned back like it was almost as winded as the humans on the platform in front of it.

The relief didn't last long when I noticed the Beast throw its head back with a bright glow starting to emit from the orb at the end, sensing an incoming attack.

My body moved faster than my mind, not even sure where it was going to strike as I paused just long enough to scoop up the baseball bat and sprinted forward. Everything felt like it slowed down as the creature tossed its head to the side with another beam bursting out before snapping it forward to direct the beam at the rail platform, moving towards where March was knelt on the ground.

The platform that had felt like a never-ending plane when I was on the ground before now felt small, able to quickly rush between Dan Heng and Himeko to plant myself between March and the Beast on an instinct I didn’t even know I had. I didn’t even have any time to be either impressed or appalled at my own actions before I found myself blinded by the beam and felt the impact against my chest. To my immense surprise, it didn’t hurt but maybe it was just too intense for my nerves to sense.

I was surprised when the blinding white turned to pitch black, brow twitching as I heard a multi-layered voice say, “I must leave now.”

“What happened…” I found that my eyes were closed as I instinctively opened them in confusion, eyes widening at seeing a giant golden gash above me. There was a shockwave of golden glow from above it, realizing there was a massive shadowy figure. A pulse running through my chest again in time with the shockwave only concerned me further. “The fuck?”

“You must see the end of your story.” the mysterious voice spoke again like a whisper.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to look around but I was stuck floating through nothing like debris in space. I noticed a glow emanating from my chest and glanced down to see bands of gold and yellow extending and looping back to myself like solar waves. Alarmingly, even though it didn’t hurt yet, it was starting to feel like there was a pressure in my chest like something within me was gearing to explode.

“Reach the end of the story in your own way,” the mysterious voice said, sounding unaware or unphased, even as I placed my hands against my chest to try and keep whatever reaction was happening inside. Even as my head began to throb with white-hot pain and flashes of memories that were and weren’t mine forced themselves into my head, ending with a painful flash of golden eyes opening to look down upon me with an apathetic expression that bordered on disdain. “They have already noticed you.”

A brief visage of the golden-eyed entity with golden gashes flickered across my vision before I suddenly found myself back on the rail platform, my chest exploding with pain that reached the very ends of my being, vision flickering in and out of focus with the almost electrical pulses that throbbed from the light in my chest.

I didn’t realize that I’d fallen onto my knees, just focused on trying to press my hands and arms to my chest in the instinctive attempt to keep whatever was inside from bursting out of me, even as I saw the beam of the Beast parted like water on either side of me. It was a fruitless endeavor as the pressure that’d been painfully building within forced my hands away and caused my back to snap back with sudden waves of energy that agonizingly arced out, making me cry out in pain.

My eyes closed against the excruciating feeling, vision flickering between the unfocused sight of my surroundings and spotty blinding white. It could have been seconds or days before I noticed a blurry orange glowing object appear in my vision quickly getting closer, unable to flinch away from it tapping against my forehead.

Almost instantly, the pain stopped, my eyes closing with relief. It wasn’t until I felt arms against my back catching me that I even remembered that I was a person past the fading phantom pain that lingered in my limbs.

“Mr. Yang! Are they…” March’s voice behind me made me open my eyes groggily, taking in the blurry figure of a man with glasses and a cane.

“They’re okay now,” the man replied, looking down at March and I through his glasses. The shape of a train pulled in behind him and I briefly thought that this must be the Welt guy the others were talking about if he was coming with what I sluggishly assumed to be the Express. He started to turn towards the train, scarf drifting behind his back slightly as he added, “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

I had several questions I wanted to ask here and now, but my body had other plans as my eyelids grew heavy again before everything went dark.

[wataksampingan]

Spoilers for Ep 68 because I really do have to scream somewhere

DID WE REALLY TAKE 68 CHAPTERS TO ONLY JUST GET A CLOSE UP OF THEO’S “I’M IN LOVE” FACE?

YES

IT’S A BLUSH AND HALF A SMILE

*WORTH IT*

PERRY IS SO OBLIVIOUS TO HIS FEELINGS AND HER OWN FEELINGS THAT YOU COULD SPELL IT OUT IN A FULL BLOWN 20 PAGE FLOWCHART, WITH ANNOTATIONS AND CITATIONS

AND SHE STILL WOULDN’T GET IT

(baby girl I love you; you’re so strong, and smart, and resourceful, and so very absolutely kind, it shatters all expectations -- but darling, you were up at a godforsaken hour worried about him so you went to check on him. When you heard the imperial representative was visiting, you immediately ran downstairs to see if he was alright, (implying your concern he would relapse because of the stress). You’ve been admiring his work ethic and responsibilities as head of a household he wasn’t originally meant to lead, to say nothing of all the various times you had to turn away because something in you noticed he was good looking.

Sweetheart, I think we can at least acknowledge you like him. Like, just a bit.

...no? You’re just worried about this man and his family because you have to stay with them for another 6 months? Not going to acknowledge that treating Theo’s beloved ward/nephew with such genuine care and affection is at least going to endear you to him? You’re not even going to ask yourself why Gloria and Phineas would have such a serious discussion in front of you without thinking about it?

You’re just... you’re just going to... ah. Okay. He’s just walking with you in the same direction. When he said he wants to walk with you, you think he just wants to know if you’ll keep his secret. And when he says you already said that, you’re just... confused. Why he wants to walk with you. And ask you about that trip you went on.

....okay, Perry. Alright. We’ll uh, we’ll pick this up again in another 60 chapters I guess.)

GOD I LOVE SLOW BURNS

do I really want another 68 chapters before they actually touch each other’s hands without gloves OF COURSE I DO BECAUSE SLOW BURNS ARE THE BEST WOUNDS TO SELF-INFLICT--

also that instant 180 change of expression from ‘Burn down this entire cursed empire’ to ‘my love just walked through the door and I don’t want to scare her with my face’? perfection, A+, 5 stars, no notes, I have been fed in the way only a Chinese-style eight course wedding dinner could fuck up your digestion and it has been GLORIOUS, THANK YOU ARTIST SEUNGU

but this entire chapter of OTP hinting just means something terrible is around the corner again and MY LIL HEART IS FIT TO BURST IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO THESE BABIES

The strong implication that Phineas is Gloria’s actual son is also good to know. A friend and I had been theorizing that Theo and Saoirse’s father was the son of a previous wife, but at least now we know Phineas is Gloria’s, whether by direct blood or strong affection. Enough to the point that Phineas calls her “eomoni” when he’s exasperated.

...

[low pitched keening intensifies]

[monstersinthecosmos]

I have sort of a policy not to publish too much fandom wank but I got an anon I want to address; I hope you know who you are! I just wanna say a couple things about it.

TWO THINGS CAN BOTH BE TRUE AT ONCE:

It is responsible to curate your social media experience, and you should block/mute blogs who make you uncomfortable for your own safety. If anyone wants to block me because they don’t like stuff that I write or ship or post about, please feel free! I don’t care, I’m trying to have a fun time and I want everyone else to have a fun time, and your fun time might mean staying away from me. I respect that 100%! I am an adult, I know that not everyone is going to like me. It is okay!!!!

Fandom antis are notoriously conservatives & radfems/TERFs who are not creative and have nothing to contribute to their fandoms aside from negativity and their own attention seeking. It’s one thing to spread information about a genuinely dangerous person who causes actual harm to real people, and another thing to posture & grandstand about your superior morals while you try to condemn people for thought crimes.

To answer your question: [TLDR] Antis are a cult.

I wrote a post about this last summer too, about the general vibe on Tumblr and how the echochamber of sensitive conservatives and teens trapped unknowingly in the TERF pipeline has contributed really negatively to the fandom experience here, especially after Tumblr banned adult content and effectively drove adults away. (Not to mention heavily queer & sex-positive adults, and sex workers, and NSFW artists, etc). I think some people who stayed saw it as sort of a win for their holy war and it unfortunately made them even more obnoxious. And like if Tumblr wants to be that space for fandom conservatives & respectability politics, cool! Have fun. It’s just also unfortunate that the corporatization of the internet is pushing transgressive independent content to weirder and weirder corners and destroying our communities over and over. Fingers crossed we find a better home soon.

I’ve seen the thing you mentioned and I’m not bothered by it. I think it’s worth questioning the sincerity of these people’s beliefs when you find them in the wild, though, like for example if someone posts that I’m a dangerous creep, I wonder if that person has a history of targeted & vicious harassment and borderline stalking to try to find receipts of my being a dangerous creep. At some point, I gotta ask: Which one of us is actually the fuckign creep here lmfao

 I would also ask how often the fandom police claim to be paragons of empathy and morality whilst simultaneously dogpiling people they don’t like and weaponizing ableism and queerphobia to do it. It might be worth it to ask how often one’s mask slips and how quickly they devolve into making serious real life accusations against people for something as ridiculous as a difference of opinion about a TV show. I’d ask if the most vitriolic, nasty, self-superior antagonists in a fandom realize that their AO3 bookmarks & Twitter likes are public and we know that they like noncon as much as everyone else.

Everyone is welcome to block & mute as needed and everyone SHOULD. It is YOUR responsibility to take care of yourself online, this is extremely basic internet safety and entry level maturity. If an artist or a writer makes something that you don’t like, you can block them. No need to create a campaign against them, especially when it’s founded on absolute horseshit LMAO. It costs nothing to stay in your lane and behave like a fucking human.

But yeah I’ve been in and out of this fandom like FOR MY WHOLE LIFE HAHA and I’ve never seen it as bad as it is now. And that’s such a bummer. I’ve never had to block people in this fandom until very recently and it was all cases of dogpiling & using ableism to pick on people. It’s really nasty and I think it’s just a really unfortunate perfect storm of Tumblr’s downfall and the absolute trashfire that this TV show was LMAO. But we predicted this years ago, when the show was first announced, that Tumblr & Gen Z wouldn’t be able to cope with the dark topics and would try to create a crusade about who’s consuming the content in the most God Honoring way. The show asks a lot of difficult questions (the way the books do!) and I think it’s incompatible with black & white Tumblr Thinking. It makes people uncomfortable and they tend to lash out at others instead of getting their own houses in order.

Having said that, I keep my follow list pretty small and I have the conservatives muted. I have a perfectly pleasant quiet time and I encourage people to do the same. Curate your dash!

My role in this fandom has ALWAYS been as a porn writer. It’s what I showed up here doing. And like, if someone really wants to believe that I’m a predator for writing stories about a 500 year old who does not exist and cannot be victimized, idk man. That’s certainly a position to take and they’re welcome to it. I’m not interested in arguing about it.  It’s just, yknow. Accusing random strangers online of serious real world crime because they don’t like your TV show, or enjoy a gross book, or wrote porn that you don't like, is such unhinged cult victim behavior I just cannot take it seriously.

So idk, it’s fine if they block me or anyone else. I prefer that. I'll block them first if they seem like fascist conservative bullies. You probably don’t want to hang out with people who think that way, anyway. Find your people ! Find rational adults! Find generous creatives! These clowns are definitely NOT that.

[oreosmama]

He Has a Nightmare About You (Stranger Things Headcanons)

*GIFs not mine*

A/N: started watching this show for momma Steve, stayed for the other, also hot characters. Don’t judge me if a vecna version of this comes out soon👀 Enjoy!

Billy Hargrove:

He dreams of you often, but never quite like this.

You’re in his arms; his lips are on yours, and your hands are in his hair. 

When he pulls away, it’s to brush a strand back from your face, pushing it behind your ear while gazing into your eyes. A smile is on his face, inherently small and lopsided, but genuine. 

It’s one of those times where he can’t believe how happy you make him, how much he loves you. You turn him into a teenage boy with a puppy crush all over again, but as long as no one else is around, he doesn't mind that one bit. Vulnerability did not come easy to him, but with you, he’d tear down every wall he’d ever put up just to get closer to you. Just to hold onto you that much longer. 

“Billy…” you hum, your hands coming up to cover his own along your cheeks. He feels infinitely warmer, more relaxed at your touch, and he leans that much closer to you. 

“YN…” Billy drawls back teasingly, blue eyes soft and expectant on yours. Your breath ghosts over his lips, and fuck if he didn’t hate that you made a shiver roll down his spine. 

“I hate you.”

His smile falters. “What?”

You tug his hands off your face, leading them to drop to his sides before stepping back. You shake your head. “I hate you, Billy.” 

Billy’s body grows cold. His lips part as he searches for words, eyes raking over your face for any hint of jest. “This isn’t funny, YN.” He lets out a breathless laugh, but it’s dull and fake and trying to draw some sort of usual response from you. 

“It’s not supposed to be. I’m serious, Billy.” 

His nostrils flare, and he wants to be angry. He wants to grab you and pull you back into his chest and make you wish you’d never said those words, make you wish you never hurt him, make you promise that you’d never hurt him like this again. 

You said that once, that you’d never hurt him like he has been before. You promised.

He bites into his bottom lip, willing a level of restraint, or rather, indifference. 

She promised.

Time moved slowly the second you pulled away from him. Carefully, your arms came up to cross over one another at your chest. Your eyes hardened, not angry or frustrated, but certainly more serious and intentional from when you had said his name earlier. 

He’d never seen you so cold—not at him. 

“What changed?” The words slipped from his lips, but the second they did, he didn’t bother fighting to take them back. He felt trapped in his own skin, unable to escape the anger, the hatred, the i that coursed through veins. “Why now, I mean, after-” he cut himself off with a scoff, bitterly licking his lips, “-after fucking everything we’ve been through together, you just, what, hate me?”

He hated it, this. He hated you, and he’d never done that before. Even the thought of his betrayal being directed toward you made him feel sick. She promised.

Billy looked away, wrenching a hand through his hair and not bearing to stare at you when he spoke. “You- God,” the corners of his eyes pricked, “you said you loved me. What happened to that?” He glanced at you, hating, hating, hating that you were making him feel this fucking way. Throat tightening, he barked out, “What fucking happened to that?!”

“I don’t love you, Billy,” you muttered, seemingly unaffected by his display of emotions. “I could never.”

And you saw it. He knew you saw it. He knew you saw it because he wiped it away, and your eyes had followed his hand as he had. 

He was crying. Goddammit, he was so fucking weak. 

Despite it all, despite every single horrible moment in his life, he never knew the feeling of true despair until you were taking your love for him back and saying it wasn’t real. 

“Billy, come on.” Your tone was persuasive, placating like you were trying to reason with him. You were talking to him as though you were telling a child that Santa or the Easter Bunny wasn’t real, that they never were, and they never will be. 

You used that same soothing, calming tone the first time you tried to convince Billy that you did love him. He remembered your exact words. “I love you, and no matter how much you fight me on it, I won’t let you take that away from me.” You had been caressing a fresh bruise on his cheek, and the kiss you had left there had overpowered the pain of his father’s wound. 

“Don’t,” Billy mumbled. “Stop.”

Don’t corrupt that voice, he pleaded, though the words wouldn’t escape him. Don’t take that away from me.

“Billy.” You drew his attention back to you, and, despite the stiffness of his cheeks and lips, he sneered at your pitying gaze. “Be realistic. How could I have ever loved you?”

“Stop.”

“Your father hates you, Billy.” Your voice raised, eyes burning with a new fire into his own watery ones. “Your own mother left you. Do you know what that makes you?”

“Stop.”

“Do you know what that makes you, Billy?” you demanded, teeth bared. “It makes you unloveable.”

“STOP!”

“Billy?”

“STOP!” Billy flinched awake, sweat dripping down his forehead and spine, shivering at the breeze of his bedroom. Chest heaving, his eyes were wild and unfocused as they darted about the dark room, few objects such as his dresser and desk only visible due to the moonlight filtering through his window. 

Sighing heavily, Billy dragged his hands down his face, groaning softly and massaging his temples. 

“What a fuckin’ nightmare,” he grumbled before peering over at you. 

You, still curled up beside him, sleeping peacefully. Your hair splayed out along one of his pillows, one of his shirts wrinkled and twisted around your form, your leg still crooked over his hips. 

You were still his. Thank fuck, you were still his. 

“YN,” he shook you awake, one hand on your shoulder.

You hummed in your sleep, lips twitching downwards at the disturbance. “Wha…?” you grumbled, not bothering to open your eyes. 

“Babe, c’mon, let’s go for a drive. Wake up.”

“Nooooo,” you moaned. 

“Yessss.”

“Can I sleep on the drive?”

He raised a brow. “You think you’ll be able to?”

One eye of yours peeked open, focusing on him instantly. You pouted.

Billy’s chest tightened, but for the first time since the dream, he felt like he could breathe. Thank God. He was not going to sleep another wink tonight. Not in that damned house, at least. 

You huffed, rolling your eyes. “Fine, fine, I’ll go. Stop giving me your little puppy dog eyes.” You rolled off the bed, falling onto the floor with a thud before rising to your feet and wrapping a blanket around your head and shoulders like a cloak. “But there are ground rules, mister.” You held up your hand to him. “One, you can’t drive over 30 miles an hour. Two, no loud music- or, wait, no music at all-”

“What?”

“-Three, only for the next hour or so, then we’re going back to my place to go to sleep.” You gave him a pointed look. “Deal?”

His lips sloped into his usual smirk as he rose to his feet, arms instantly moving to wrap around your waist and tug you into his chest, close and tight. 

“Deal.”

You. You, you, you. God, he never wanted to think about that nightmare again, and if he never again heard the words “I hate you” fall from your lips, even as a joke, it would be too soon. You were still his, and he knew, he fucking knew, dammit, that you loved him.

“Why are you so sweaty?”

“Don’t ask.”

Steve Harrington: 

“Steve,” Robin muttered softly. Her gaze was downcast, and she had one arm around the front of his chest and shoulders, trying to hold him back and redirect him. “Don’t look.”

“What’s going on?” He tried to peer around the others, all of whom either had their backs turned or looked at him mournfully. “Hey, what’s-” he tried to push past Robin, but Dustin rushed forward to help stop him, “-what the hell is going on?! Guys?!”

They all stood in a half circle around… something, he couldn’t see what. The kids and Nancy and Goddamn everyone except-

“YN,” Steve breathed out in realization. His heart was stuck in his throat, and the pounding of his own blood drowned out the quiet whispers of the others. “No. No, no, no, no—NO!” He shoved past the pairs of arms, pushing past a tearful Max and a sobbing Eleven, only to feel his whole body flinch back at the sight. 

“YN,” he whispered again, horrified at the sight, not wanting to believe it. “Oh God, oh fuck, oh God.”

Blood was- was everywhere. Steve’s knees wobbled and gave out as he collapsed into the forest floor beside you. His hands hovered over your body, feeling the heat rolling off it in waves from the gushes of hot, crimson liquid seeping from obscured wounds. A pool of it, he realized, dampened the knees of his jeans, cooling against his skin. 

“Steve,” you whimpered, “I’m scared. It hurts so bad.” You trembled, hands curled into tight fists as you clenched your eyes shut, tears trailing down into your sweat-soaked hair. 

“This isn’t right—you can’t… fuck.” He tore a hand through his brown tufts before springing into action, scraping himself along the damp soil to ease his legs underneath your back, your body lying perpendicular to his so he could lean your head in his lap. 

“YN, I…” he trailed off, gasping for air as his wavering hands encompassed your face. “I don’t know what to do,” he choked out helplessly. 

And you reached up to grasp his wrist, eyes so innocent and terrified. “Steve, please, I don’t wanna die.”

“This was never supposed to happen,” he rambled indignantly. “No no no because I was supposed to protect you because I always protect you, and now this is going so, so fucking wrong.” He felt the oncoming headache that arrived with fresh tears, the snot dribbling down his nose and onto his upper lip, the cold sweat that covered his body head to toe. He wanted to throw up and sob and hold you close and tight and never, never fucking let you go. 

His own heart, as you lay in his arms, was being ripped from his chest. No help was coming, there was no time to heal or press on what was already far too damaged to halt. You were… you were…

“Please,” you wailed, your screams echoing into the forest. He could hear the others shuffling around behind him, their own sobs fading into the mix. “No, please, I don’t wanna die! Steve, please!”

Steve could feel your cheeks getting colder, and he watched as your hands slowly began to unfurl at your sides. “YN, I’m so sorry. Don’t leave me, I can’t-” his own whimper cut himself off. 

“Steve,” you gasped for breath, your voice so small, so weak. “You said you would protect me.” The furrow in your brow smoothed itself out, and your chest began to slow its heaving movements. 

“I know, I know,” he weeped. “I love you so much, please don’t leave me.”

“You love me?” you whispered back. Your eyes, that had been locked on his for so long, filled with fear and anguish, shifted away, losing themselves in the black sky above. A small smile broke out on your bloodstained lips. 

“YN?” Steve questioned fearfully, sniveling as he peeled the hair away from your face. 

“I never knew that you loved me, Steve.” A single tear broke loose from your eyelids as you let them droop closed. “I love…” You mouthed the word you before you sighed, your body finally losing all of its tension, its stress—its fear.

Steve let out a quivering breath, his hands cupping your cheeks swiftly. “YN? YN?!”

“Steve.” A hand pressed on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off viciously. 

“YN!” He peeled back your eyelids, blanching at the blank look in your irises. “No, no, come on, I was supposed to protect you!” he cried out hysterically. 

Steve’s body curled over yours like he was collapsing in on himself, mouth mumbling pleas as he slid a hand over your chest, above your heart. 

Nothing.

“Steve!” The hand on his shoulder was more insistent, shaking him back and forth violently. 

No. He wasn’t going to leave you. Not now, not yet.

“Steve, wake up!”

“What?” Steve’s eyes flew open, and his head straightened up from the back of the couch, causing Dustin to yelp and jump back in shock. 

“Jesus, what the fuck?!” the younger boy screeched, leaving Steve wincing and pressing two hands to his ears. 

“Goddamn,” he hissed, “You really need to hit puberty faster; these voice cracks of yours are gonna leave me deaf one of these days.”

“Well it’s not my fault you sleep like a bear in hibernation.”

“Ew, what? That's disgusting, Dustin,” Steve grimaced. 

Dustin facepalmed. “You’re thinking of ‘heat,’ genius, I said ‘hibernation.’”

Steve faltered, nodding absentmindedly. “Oh.”

“Yeah, anyways,” he rolled his eyes, “you better head home.”

“Movie night over already?” Steve dug his palms against his eyes, trying harshly to wipe away the image of—er, that happening to you—from his mind. 

“Uh, yeah,” Dustin deadpanned, “Princess Leia changed out of her bikini about two hours ago, but I’m glad you were paying attention.”

“Well, look, if it makes you feel any better, the dream I just had was terrible,” Steve groaned, rising up from the coach and grabbing his jacket off the coffee table. 

“Yeah, I heard. Something about ‘oh no’ and ‘don’t leave’ and ‘YN, YN, YN.’” The tween rolled his eyes. “Dude, if you ask me, I’d say just ask her out already, ‘cause your pining from a distance is getting pretty depressing.”

Steve stared at him with pursed lips and blank, dead eyes. 

Then he fondled for his car keys in his jacket pocket and huffed. “Yep, I’m gonna go. See ya around, Henderson.”

“I’m serious, Steve!” Dustin called after him. “It’s getting creepy! Why don’t you just tell her that you’re absolutely whipped for-”

Steve slammed the door of his house, trekking towards his car while grumbling under his breath. “Frickin’ Dustin. I’m not whipped. Nobody,” he slid into the seat of his car, staring into the rearview mirror and adjusting it, “nobody has ever had me…” he paused, staring at his bloodshot eyes, at his tear-stained cheeks. 

“Fuck.” He glanced back at Dustin’s house, its windows still open and flashing with the action of a movie.

Goddammit, Henderson. 

Steve put his car into drive, pulling out of the driveway and onto the street, but when he slowed at his usual turn, he slammed the brakes on the car instead and stared at the sign of the intersecting street. 

You lived almost two blocks from there—Steve never realized that. 

He could—no, no he couldn’t. It was the middle of the night, around eleven o’clock according to his dash, so why in the world did he have the right to wake you up for news like that?

It can wait. His feelings can wait.

He said those exact words ten more times as he drove to your house, clumsily throwing it into park alongside the sidewalk in front of your home. He knew which window corresponded with your room, as aside from being the group babysitter and helicopter mother, he was also the chauffeur. 

“This is stupid,” he muttered to himself as he stepped out of his car, slamming the door shut. “This is so dumb; this is a terrible idea. One of the worst, actually.” 

But he picked up the pebble out of your garden and chucked it at your window anyway, pure adrenaline launching the rock at a high speed and making perfect contact with the middle of the glass.

It also left a sizable crack.

“Oh shit,” Steve hissed under his breath, hands flying up to his hair as he saw your light switch on. “Shit, shit, shit.”

The window slid up, and before he knew it, your glare found his form. Your head was leaned outside of the window, hands braced against the sill as you whisper-shouted at him. “Seriously, Steve?! What the fuck?!”

“Sorry, sorry,” he jogged closer to your house, questioning scaling the side to climb into your window, but then he noticed your tangled, matted hair and nightshirt. “Yeah, that’s my bad, I, uh,” he chuckled nervously, “sometimes I forget my own strength.” He shrugged lamely. 

You gestured angrily at the window. “How the hell am I supposed to fix this?”

This is going so wrong. Dammit, he knew this wouldn’t go well. 

“YN,” he called out to you, trying to get your attention as you investigated the crack with a sigh. 

“What, genius? Got another grand idea?” you snarked. “Why don’t you go break the locks off my front door too while you're at it-”

“YN, I’m in love with you.”

You choked on your next words, eyes flying open. “What?!”

“I’m just- I’m in love with you, and I really wanted you to know that.”

While he shifts back and forth on his feet, your mouth bobs open and closed. 

“Are you serious?” you finally land on. 

“Don’t call me Shirley?” he offered back lamely, and you dragged a hand down the front of your face. 

Nonetheless, you wore a wide, abashed grin. “You’re a goddamn fool, Steve Harrington.”

Steve shook his head and smiled at that. “Only for you, babe.”

“Now go home and go to sleep so I can kiss you tomorrow, dumbass,” you waved him away. 

A stupid, lovesick smirk took over his face, painting him the absolute dope you always pegged him as. “Sounds like a plan, doll.” He spun around, swallowing a large gulp of air and wondering if you could see the way his hands shook as he unlocked his car. 

“Steve! Wait!”

 He turned back, almost too eager, to see a large blush blooming on your face in the light of your room. “I love you too.”

What a horrible, terrible, shitty-ass, perfectly timed nightmare.

[the-grimm-writer]

hi there! can i request yan! sanzu or koko,where his darling is too terrified to be in same room because of his cruel punishments?

Ahhhhh yes!!I went with Sanzu because I feel like it suits him!

Everyone is 18+

Tw: gun play, russian roulette, slight mentions of drug use, threats, victim blaming, Sanzu's just a bastard

You hated when he was like this. You heard him stumbling up the stairs, calling out your name.  He was drunk, or at least tipsy, you could hear it in the way his speech slurred as he called out your name. 

Being locked in a master bedroom, there wasn’t much places you could go. In the closet, you did that only one time after he left you in it for a whole day for trying to hide in it. Under the bed, or the bathroom.

The bathroom really became your sanctuary, as depressing as it was. It was the only lock in the room that you had access too, mostly using it even when he wasn’t home. It brought you comfort, as depressing as that was. Feeling like it was the only sense of normalcy you had left in your life.

You were in it now, sitting down on the edge of the tub. You kept your head down. You hoped that he would be tired, that he would just get to the room and pass out like he did occasionally when he was too drunk or high to function properly. 

Alas, luck has never been on your side, not since the man in one of the most dangerous gangs in the country had claimed you as his own. When he saw you weren’t in the room, welcoming him back like he always expected you too, he frowned, anger bubbling up inside him as he was greeted with silence.

“(Y/n)?” He called your name out again, deciding to give you the benefit of the doubt and give you one last chance to correct your mistakes. 

Sanzu actually been in a good mood, he always was after taking out a bunch of moles with Mikey. He couldn’t wait to come home and tell you all about it, 

You covered your mouth to stay silent. You weren’t ready to deal with him, not just yet. He looked around before walking to the bathroom that was connected to the room. It was always your favorite place to try and avoid him. 

“Open the door, (Y/n),” he said coldly, rattling the handle. “Before I break the fucking door down, you know what I said about locking me out.” 

It was like you were possessed, your body deciding it would be best to get this over with rather than wait and invite more danger in before your mind could process it. Your eyes connected and his hand wrapped around your wrist and pulled you out of the bathroom.

He smiled, looking down at you. A pregnant silence passed between you. You let out a shaky breath. You hated this. Sanzu was a cruel man, always wanting to build up the anticipation before he struck. 

“You know why I punish you so much, (Y/n)?” 

You thought about responding briefly before shaking your head, deciding that it would be best to keep your mouth shut before you said something that would make him even angrier. 

“It’s because I want you teach you how to survive this world, it’s because I love you and want you to learn.” And just like that his blue eyes turned cold. “But you obviously haven’t learned a fucking thing, have you?” 

“I have!” You protested. “Im just... tired.”

He frowned. “Shut the fuck up. I don’t want to hear your excuses.” 

You sat down on the floor, back against the wall; trying not to let despair swallow you whole as you waited for him to say something. He just stood there, staring at you before he broke into a grin, the scars on the corners of his mouth becoming more prominent.  

Sanzu didn’t say a word, reaching into his pockets and pulling out two guns, pointing them at you. 

The pink haired male had plenty of weapons, more than you could count, actually. And it wasn’t the first (or last) time he had threatened you with one of them. But this time, you were genuinely afraid he was serious this time. 

You knew he hated when you hid from him, but was he actually going to shoot you because of it? 

“San - Sanzu, put the guns down. Please.” His eyes narrowed at your demands and he held onto them, making your body shake. Was this it? Was this all his “enemies” saw before he ruthlessly ended their life? 

No matter how loud your cries or how much you begged him to stop, that you’d do anything, he ignored you. “Choose one, (Y/n), and choose wisely. I’d hate for you to pick the wrong one, I don’t wanna see your pretty little brain splattered against the wall.” 

The graphic image swam in your head, making you cry even harder. “Please stop! I’m sorry-” 

“I SAID CHOOSE!” He screamed at you. 

Sobs wracked through your body, blindly pointing at a random one. The right one, you couldn’t really tell. You squeezed your eyes shut, getting ready for the loud bang that would echo in your ears before you dropped dead. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. It could be a new start, or total darkness. You’d even rather be in hell than be with Sanzu Haruchiyo any longer. 

By the time he pulled the trigger you had accepted your fate. 

You froze when you heard nothing but a click and maniacal laughter. There was no burst of tears, no shot. You slowly opened your eyes, looking up at him. 

Teasing you with death, with freedom away from him, that was even crueler than actually shooting you. 

“There’s no bullets in either of them. I used them earlier. Put them all in a fucker that thought he could betray Bonten and get away with it.” He paused for a moment, looking down at you before bursting out laughing. "Did you really think I would shoot you? My (Y/n)? When I love you so much?” 

“Yes.” 

There was so much more you wanted to say, scream about how much of a sick mother fucker he is, how he wouldn’t know what love was if it looked him in the face. 

Yet, you regretted that one three lettered word after it came out of your mouth as his eyes glared down at you. 

Tears streamed down your face and you grabbed his wrist. “Please Sanzu, I’m sorry for hiding from you, I swear I won’t do it again. Can - can we just please go to bed?” 

You hated getting in bed with him, because it always used more than it was for sleeping. But just this once you were willing to drag yourself into one hell because it was better than the other that was staring you in the eye. 

"I'm sorry, (Y/n)," he sighed. For a brief moment you tricked yourself into thinking he meant it before he smiled. "But you look too cute all shaken up like that. It's your fault, really. I just can't resist when you always have the sweetest reactions."

You wanted to scream, tell him how much you despised him, let him feel a fraction of the hatred you had for him bubbling up inside you. Instead you sucked it up once again and tried your hardest to get back to his good side. 

“I - it sounds like you had a long day, you should get some rest...” 

He grinned, that twisted, sadistic smile that had your blood running cold. 

“You thought that was your punishment?” He snickered, grabbing your chin and making you look at him face to face. “We haven’t even started yet.” 

[mehbzz]

But does stu love tatum? Does he love us??

I've been asked this a couple of times. I struggle explaining my thoughts with Stu and love! Stu is complicated. I think he'd say he loves you to keep you happy. He might even believe he is in love with you, but Stu's understanding of love is fucked up. It’s not normal. It’s not the traditional,romantic healthy interpretation of love. It’s not love. It's obsession, it's possession, it's selfish, entitled, mixed in with a hefty dose of desire and lust. 

Does he love Tatum?

--------------------------------------------

Stu shrugs. "Love fucking her."

"Jesus." You try to pull away from his hold but his arm tightens around you, keeping you pinned to his side. You don’t know why you expected a serious answer.

“Hey hey don’t get jealous bunny,” He glances down at you out the corner of his eye with a smirk as you squirm. You ignore it, trying not to get distracted by the little flutter of arousal you feel at how easily he stops you from pulling away. His fingers slip from your waist to squeeze at your thigh. “Your puss-,”

“I get it! Shut up!” You smack at his chest in defeat, he still won’t let you go so you slump back into his side with a sigh, a little harder than necessary and feel a little burst of satisfaction at his grunt of discomfort. “You’re so gross.”

He chuckles, rubbing a hand over the spot where you’d hit him with a feigned wounded look.

"Why? Why’s it matter who I love?" He says the word mockingly but he also sounds genuinely curious and as you look up at him you’re a little startled to see him staring at you so intently. "Do you love me?"

"Yes." You say it bluntly, and his expression flickers. He looks a little taken aback, and you’re not sure if that’s because you answered so quickly or because he didn’t expect you to say yes.

"Yeah? You're in love with me?"

"Yes."

He blinks and you feel a little sad that he seems so taken off guard by your answer. Stu always seemed mostly annoyed and dismissive when you had tried to be more romantic with him in the past, anything he considered too soft and intimate being quickly twisted into something lewd, but maybe you had grossly misread him.

"How do you know?"

"Uh I-," you pause, unsure, the ability to form thoughts suddenly leaving you. “You feel like a part of me,” You can feel him looking at you but you keep your gaze locked downwards as you tried to explain yourself. “I-, want you I guess? I mean I do want you that’s not-, I don’t know, you make me happy. I miss you when you're not around. Fuck Stu I don't know. I don’t know how to describe it.”

"You're just like Billy," He huffs, you can just hear him rolling his eyes and the embarrassment you feel makes you face burn. "Pair of romantics I've got myself stuck with."

It's your turn to stay quiet. You don't ask him if he loves Billy. You know he does, even if he doesn’t recognize it. The intensity between them gets a little intimidating sometimes, there's something between the two of them that you're not a part of.

He hums in thought. “I guess I feel that way about you to, never really thought about it.” He leans down to suck a kiss on to your shoulder, leaving a slightly damp patch on your t-shirt that makes you grimace.  “Sometimes I want you so badly I just get the urge to sink my teeth into you and never let go, you know?”

"That's not really-,"

His fingers flex against your hip, goose bumps breaking out over his arm and you watch them spread along his skin as his voice drop to a whisper. “The urge to just kind of tear you open and devour you.”

You snort in amusement, mildly disturbed by his words but also disappointed, not surprised by his effort to turn it into a joke. “OK thanks Bateman. I get it.”

He stays quiet. Eerily so and you start to wonder if you’ve offended him, you know he struggles with explaining his emotions sometimes and guilt creeps over you as you worry you've just shut him down when he was genuinely trying to talk something out.

You sit up a little, as much as he'll allow you, and press a kiss to his shoulder. It seems to awaken him from wherever his thoughts had taken him and he moves quick, so quick that it startles a little yelp from your lips, his body pushing you backwards as he nuzzles into the side of your neck.

“Bunny,” He takes a long deep breath, exhaling slowly against your throat and then shrugs again. "I guess I love you too."

[wheelsup]

kissing lessons

summary: one of your classic movie nights with spencer turns into a learning opportunity

A/N: this is really fluffy, but the whole story centers around kissing. use your own judgement! i’d say it’s at worst 16+

category: spencer reid x gn!reader, fluff (with a bit of spice)  best friends to lovers (sorta)

warnings: just kissing, a brief implication at the end

word count: 3k

Occasionally, the team will spend an extra night in their hotel before heading home from a case. Be it due to poor weather conditions, or the fact that your case wrapped in the dead of night, the reasons for flying don’t ever matter. Because the majority of the times when you have to stay that extra night, you and Spencer have sleepovers.

The routine is pretty much the same. You’ll stock up on gas station snacks – sour peach rings for Spencer, salted microwave popcorn for you – and reconvene in one of your hotel rooms. Preferably, whichever of you got the better deal that week – a bigger tv, a room further away from the ice machine. And you’d rent the cheapest movie available on-demand, the options spanning from low-budget sci-fi to poorly written rom-coms. That night, the viewing fell under the latter category.

Spencer perched at the foot of your bed with both feet tucked under his legs, criss-cross style, while you laid against the headboard to watch. Every now and then, you tossed out your commentary and he’d ignore it. He always says you’re too critical of movies and you’re of the belief that he’s too forgiving.

“I don’t think they should end up together,” you mumbled, words slurring around your mouthful of popcorn. You pulled a face right as the movie approached the romantic climax, after spending the past ninety minutes actively rooting against the couple. Spencer ignored you, pretending to be engrossed in the movie to spite your disparagement of it. “They both suck.”

You groaned, slumped further against the pillows, and shoved your sock-clad toes under Spencer’s left thigh in a call for attention. He jumped at the intrusion, but ultimately, your efforts were futile.

And then the big kiss commenced, and your booing finally piqued his interest. “Gross! I feel bad for people who kiss like that.”

A small bell went off in his head and he took a curious glance at you over his shoulder.

“What do you mean?” he asked. He stopped chewing and the piece of candy in his mouth pushed out his cheek, giving him an adorably innocent look. His brows scrunched in the middle and his nose had a tiny crinkle in it, utterly confused.

You scoffed and matched his expression. “Are you serious?” You jerked your head in the direction of the television and Spencer whipped his head back, squinting. He couldn’t figure out what you were pointing out, what it was that was so obviously wrong to you. “Spencer, he’s swallowing her chin!”

Oh. He hadn’t noticed.

Feeling dumb, he muttered, “I thought that’s how you’re supposed to kiss…” It wasn’t the deepest confession to admit to you that he lacked some knowledge when it came to kissing, but he still refused to look at you as he said it.

“Spencer, please tell me you haven’t been kissing people like that.” You narrowed your eyes at the back of his head, sitting up straighter in bed. He shrugged and lowered his head, focusing on his snack as his fingers dug into the packet of gummy rings in his lap.

He popped another piece into his mouth, pretending to be occupied with eating so as to avoid your prying. “I dunno.”

It didn’t occur to you until that moment that Spencer might have learned everything he knows about kissing – among other things – solely through watching movies. How else could he look at that and think it’s normal? And you’re left wondering if he’s ever even practiced it with another living human. He clearly didn’t want to talk about it, but unfortunately, that only heightened your interest. You had to know.

“Have you ever kissed anyone before?” You kept your voice low, your tone implying that you were ready to exchange this secret with him. You wouldn’t judge him if he admitted he hadn’t.

He scoffed loudly, and though you couldn’t see his face, you’re positive he rolled his eyes too. “Yeah, of course.” Then quietly, he added on, “But it was only like… for four seconds.”

You nodded thoughtfully, considering how this new piece of information adjusted your existing view of Spencer. For some reason, you couldn’t tell if you actually expected him to be experienced or not.

He didn’t exactly scream that he’d… gotten around, for lack of better words, but you’re still surprised to learn that he’s barely done it at all. You supposed he was objectively cute, that maybe you could see it if he weren’t your best friend. And yeah, he’s a little awkward, but he’s smart and kind, so he has three great things going for him, and you’re surprised more people haven’t swooped him up yet.

Your lips curled down in thought, brows raised in curiosity. “And was it good?” It was a genuine enough question, because you’ve never really thought about Spencer Reid and kissing in the same sentence before. As it turned out, there was a lot of missing information relating to those two things.

“I don’t know! I didn’t get, like, a feedback form,” he grunted, angling his shoulder even further away from you. If you could’ve seen him, you’d notice his face boiling and turning red with heat. All this inquiring made him think harder about his … talents … than he’s ever had to before, and he’s not a fan.

You were prepared to do some more digging when the slump in his back made you feel a tinge of guilt. It was your fault he looked so defeated. You pressed too hard, disregarding his boundaries just because you wanted to know more. And now, he was wondering if there was something wrong with him, because you wouldn’t leave it alone.

He barely noticed as you swung your feet from under his thigh and rocked onto your knees, leaning forward to nudge his shoulder with your palm. It hauled his attention out of his thoughts and back into the room. You wanted to apologize, but instead you settled with “I’m sure you’re fine, Spence.”

He nodded unconvincingly. By the glow of the screen, you could see he was still gnawing on the inside of his cheek, focusing his eyes as he played with a loose hangnail on one of his fingers. It made you feel even worse. “Are you actually worried about it?” you asked, laden with concern.

“What if I am bad at it?” He whispered, like saying it too loud would make it true. “And that’s why it’s only happened once?”

A large exhale puffed out of your nose as you weighed your options.

You could go back to your original plan and apologize for setting him down this path of doubt. But that wouldn’t do anything to stop him from worrying, anyway. You could tell him there’s no correlation between the way he kisses and how frequently it’s happened; that you’re sure the reason isn’t because he’s bad. But you don’t know that for sure.

So, fuck it, you thought, grabbing a fistful of his pajama shirt and tugging him closer to you roughly, pressing your lips onto his.

This way, you’d at least have an informed opinion to be able to tell him if he was good or bad.

His lips were softer than you expected – not that you’d thought about them often, they’re just impossibly softer than they look – and invitingly warm. But they were completely stiff.

You could tell he was trying to kiss you back by the way his mouth ferociously moved over yours. He was trying to be a passionate, engaged partner, but he forgot about the aspect of tenderness.

His lips felt like two solid objects just sliding around on your face. They didn’t move in any sort of accordance with yours. There was no push and pull, your lips didn’t mesh perfectly together to form a solitary unit as they moved in unison.

It felt more like his lips were your opponent, putting up an attack and defense play against the actions of your own.

You pulled away, resisting a giggle at his bewildered face. “You’re not so terrible,” you swipe the corner of your mouth, smudged with Spencer’s flavored chapstick, “But it could use some work.”

He was at a loss for words, mouth gaping open as his eyes darted around the room and all over you. Maybe he’d find an explanation for what just happened carved into the walls somewhere or written across your forehead.

What happened was that you kissed him. And he was a little bit bad. Simple as that.

“I-I wasn’t ready!” he stammered, chucking up his hands defensively. He’d process the fact that he’d just made out with his best friend at a later time, right now the bigger concern was the slight cringed look on your face. He sulked and folded his arms.“What was so bad about it?”

“Well,” you scratched the back of your ear, trying to gauge if he’d react well to getting some advice, “my first tip would be to relax your lips.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

“And don’t think too hard. You should react to what’s happening in the moment, not worrying about what your next move is gonna be.” You could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to envision what that would play out like in a real situation. “You wanna try again?” you offered, figuring he’d learn much faster if he was more hands-on about it.

He nodded, and you leaned in close, waiting for him to go for it. His heart quickened under the pressure of performance, eyes screwing shut as he closed the gap. His mouth smashed into yours as he dove in hard. It was toeing on the side of too harsh, but you let that one slide in hopes it was just a byproduct of his nerves.

You had to tap his knee to remind him to relax, and he loosened some of the tension he had in his lips. He slotted his between yours, allowing them to be pliable to your movements and remembering to react, not plan.

He moved his mouth leisurely against yours, trying to match your pressure and pacing. They actually started moving in time with yours at some point. The kiss took on a shape of its own as he started getting out of his head, letting himself enjoy the kiss for what it was in that exact moment.

It was already better than before. Leaps and bounds better. But then he tried to deepen it, building on its intensity but adding more… something into it. You couldn’t even tell what it was he was trying to do.

“Okay, second tip…” you inhaled sharply, pushing him off of you with a palm against his chest. Whatever it was, it needed to stop. “You kinda do this thing like… where you’re blowing air into my mouth?” You scrunched your nose, punctuating your dislike. “That feels weird. Don’t do that. If anything, do the opposite.”

“I’m supposed to suck the air out of your mouth?” His face contorted, voice already slightly exasperated. He barely understood what the air thing was that you claimed he did. He didn’t realize in the process of trying to add pressure to the kiss, he was just forcibly blowing against your mouth.

“Not literally, no.” You laughed a little, rubbing your palm in a comforting pattern on his chest.”But you can use your lips to suck on mine, or my tongue… just nothing involving the exchange of breath. We’re not in CPR training.”

He eased up a little with your joke, adjusting to your advice he gave it another try. After a few moments, he latched onto your bottom lip with his own, sucking it softly into his mouth. “Yeah, like that,” you mumbled against him, voice pitching high in encouragement. He sucked on it with a little more greed, holding it for a second, then eased up, varying the pressure of his movements just like you did before.

You made a mental note to praise him for that at a later time, deciding to instead part your lips to see if he’d venture into further experimentation.

He caught on quickly. He parted them further, prodding his tongue against them as you opened to allow him entry. Just as you started to really enjoy it, he ran his tongue over the inside of your mouth, moving it fast and roughly like he was a washing machine.

“Stop,” you grimaced, tearing away quickly. You had to swipe your hand over your mouth to get rid of the excess saliva that really shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place, given how brief the frenching was. “Your tongue is way too aggressive.”

Overwhelmed, he tilted his head to the ceiling and let out a frustrated grunt, slapping his hands down to the top of his thighs.

There were too many factors to worry about. He had no idea how you looked at him with a straight face and told him not to think too much when there were a million things he needed to remember all at once; he needed to vary his moves to keep it interesting, but make sure he’s not ruining the flow by changing things up too much, and to be gentle but not timid.

All of this was second nature to you, but it was brand new to Spencer. Could you really blame him for not getting the hang of it right away? You decided to stop your list of critiques short for this round to spare him. He’d get there eventually, but not if he felt discouraged too soon.

“I don’t see why people like it in the first place,” he huffed, his head returning to it’s normal posture. In Spencer’s eyes, there truly wasn’t any appeal to kissing with tongue; it looked sloppy and unnecessary, and as you’d just confirmed, it actually was.

You thought about his statement for a second. There’s a certain allure to it, and you didn’t know how to describe it to him. So instead you cupped his cheeks in both your palms and slid your mouth over his again. As his jaw slacked its tension, you slowly pushed your tongue past his lips and gently pressed it against his own before swirling them together.

You sighed softly into his mouth, running your fingers through his hair and tugging carefully at the ends. He made a small noise against you, something like a whimper, and you swallowed the vibrations of it. As you retreated, you captured his bottom lip between your teeth and gave it a light, teasing tug. You soothed it again with your lips before releasing it, a proud giggle forming in your chest as Spencer chased after your lips as you broke apart.

“That’s why.” You smirked at the dazed look on his face. His eyelids remained closed longer than necessary, still feeling the ghost of your mouth on his and a tingle where your fingers were in his hair.

“Oh.” His voice came out meek as he slowly came back to reality, brows wrinkling up his forehead as he opened his eyes.

He put both his palms down on the mattress, one laying flat on either side of you, and dove forward to resume the kiss right where you left it. A surprised squeak left you as his mouth collided with yours with an insatiable hunger. You brought one hand back to his hair, and he was a goner.

He unfolded his legs from under himself and shuffled onto his knees, following his hands until he practically crawled into your lap. Each of his legs hooked onto either side of your thighs as he hovered over your lap, leaning his body entirely into yours.

The physics of it didn’t hold up; he’s taller than you are, and his chest was too heavy for you to carry. The balance was off center and it sent you tumbling back onto the mattress, bringing him down with you until his chest laid on yours.

It was the perfect force – the weight of him on top of you. He tasted like peach candy and sour sugar, and you found yourself craving more of it.

You shuffled higher up the mattress, giving him space to stretch out his body as he followed yours. One of his hands found your waist, gripping tightly, while he placed the other on the mattress beside your head, using it to steady himself. Sliding your legs out from under him, you wrapped them on the outside of his hips, using them to pull him closer down to you.

It only broke off in moments when both of you absolutely needed to get air, gasping as you pulled apart for brief reprieve before colliding again. He followed every word of your advice, getting better with each passing second until he exceeded expectations by leaps and bounds.

Your fingers weaved through his hair, passionately tugging the wavy strands to angle him against you and igniting his nerves under your touch. A soft moan leaves him and you’re encouraged to tighten your grip on them. His hips bucked reactively at the sensation, and he quickly pulled back, a slight embarrassment creeping up his cheeks. He got too carried away.

You took in his flushed face and swollen, kiss-bruised lips. They’d turned a shade of red brighter than you’ve ever seen them, and it was all you could do not to dive for them again as his tongue sweeped over them, soothing the burning heat you’d left on them.

Before he could apologize for his eagerness, you nudged your nose against his, your smile skimming against his lips. “So what else don’t you know how to do?”

☆

☆

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