#oh writing this was such a blast and…the way I am so soft right now 🥹💞💚

[ugly-bug-starscream]

Hi! I love this AU sooooooo much and ended up writing this little fic at like 3 AM about the dads' first encounter with baby superion lol. I might make a couple more chapters and/or post it to ao3 later but this is what i have for now. I don't know if everything in here would line up with your planned story but i gave it my best shot!

also i gave superion they/them pronouns in this for no other reason than "i felt like it"

enjoy! :)

-Anonymous Corvid

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"CONTACT"

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Superion had never really been before, so it was rather a shock when they suddenly realized that they were.

Their smaller-selves’ sensory networks all briefly flickered in a panic, each trying to process the incoming information from one another. Thankfully, it took mere nanokliks for them to even out, allowing Superion to online their optics for the first time and look around and think for the first time.

And think they did: What were they? Why were they? They had memories of being small and many, but now they were one and vast and the world around them was so much more fragile.

The soldiers around them were practically the size of toys, and even the Decepticon warship in the air above didn’t look to be that much bigger than Superion themself.

It all began to slowly come back to them as they noted the blades of grass between their fingers [So soft and fluffy, the part of Superion that was Fireflight hummed]. That was right; they’d snuck onto the surface and followed their Creator's research team because they’d wanted to see the kinds of things their Creator was studying. It had all been going well, but then…

…then the Decepticons had come. With a warship and full intent to wipe their Creator’s surface research team off of the map. The Aerialbots had had no choice but to reveal themselves when their hiding place was destroyed, and after that, everything had gone to the Pit.

[The part of Superion that was Slingshot shuddered as they recalled trying to fly away, only to be knocked out of the air by a stray laser blast to the wing.] Their smaller-selves had all gathered around their downed brother to try and protect him, but this had backfired horribly. From so high above the ground, the warship did not see a group of frightened children, but rather a group of concentrated targets. It had targeted them automatically with the massive beam cannon located on its front.

They should have all died the moment the cannon fired. So how…?

Oh.

Creator. Their Creator had put himself between them and the blast.

Skyfire was someone all of their smaller-selves remembered having to crane their neck up towards if they wanted to look him in the optics, but as Superion they dwarfed him—not helped by the fact he was still sprawled out on the ground after being struck by the warship’s massive beam cannon. The shuttle’s heat-shielding was desiged to survive atmospheric re-entry. It had saved him from being killed outright, but a chunk of his right wing was missing, and most of his armor was burned and blackened.

[All repairable injuries if he can get to a medic soon, but he’d be completely grounded until then, the part of Superion that was Skydive noted.]

Watching their Creator struggle to try and rise to his knees, Superion knew he would not be able get out of the way in time to avoid the next blast—and that one would kill him.

Their Creator’s conjunx was continuing to harry the warship from the air. [He’d returned so recently that it still felt strange to call Starscream a Creator, the part of them that was Silverbolt thought.] He tried to draw the ship's attention long enough for Skyfire to escape, but to no avail.

Finally, Superion remembered: they’d come into being with a purpose, one that blared in their mind loudly: protect.

With a wordless screech, Superion rose from behind their Creator and moved.

They couldn’t quite walk; walking implied a level of coordination between their body parts’ minds that Superion didn’t possess. No, the motion was more of a wild, feral scramble on their hands and knees, crawling and leaping and dragging themselves towards the ship. They carved deep tracks into the earth as they flung themselves between their creators and the warship with startling speed.

[The part of Superion that was Air Raid recalled how Starscream had taught him to defend himself—namely, how to fight dirty.] With both servos, they grabbed onto the exposed end of the cannon and crushed it as if they were trying to snap someone’s neck. The firing sequence had already begun, though, and the energy within exploded inside of the cannon, nearly tearing the ship in half.

Superion didn’t stop there, though. As long as it remained in the air, the contraption was a threat. So they kept going—ripping and tearing and ripping and tearing and ripping and tearing and—

They did not know how long they spent clawing at what was now essentially a pile of scrap metal on the ground—only that at some point, they realized there wasn’t anything substantial enough left to tear apart. They looked up from where they’d previously been on their hands and knees in a trance, cycling their optics a few times as they realized that everyone was staring at them.

Both sides had paused in their fighting to gape at Superion. Even the bots that their smaller-selves knew personally seemed to be frozen in a mix of awe and terror.

Superion let out a panicked whimper as they realized that everyone was afraid of them. They brought up a servo to hide their face, wishing they could shrink down and disappear and never be seen again. Creator didn’t want Superion. He was scared of them. They were a monster and nobody would want a monster for a child.

They shuddered ever so slightly when a loud thud echoed from somewhere nearby. They uncovered their visor to see their Creator standing shakily, supported by Starscream. At some point during the chaos, it seemed like Ratchet had been able to weld the worst of his injuries shut, but he was still in rough shape.

What really stuck out, however, is the horrified expression in his optics.

“Damn it, Sky! This isn’t the Iacon 5000, you need to take it slow or you’re going to tear those welds right open.”

“Our childrenare in distress, Star. I am not going to take anything slow until I’m sure they’re—oof!" A heavy thud resounded as Skyfire attempted to run and almost immediately pitched forward, falling to one knee.

“See? You’re in no shape to be running. We’re not going to lose track of a combiner the size of a small building in the thirty nanoklicks it’ll take to get over there; now quit being such a self-sacrificing moron and walk slowly.”

They were getting closer…Oh Primus. They hid their face again, because Creator was coming and he was scared of them and mad at them and he hated them and he was going to throw them away they’d be exiled they’d be—

Superion only notices the tiny, strangled noises of distress coming from their vocalizer when their Creator’s hand comes to rest gently against their knee.

Their fields brush against each other, and where Superion expects to feel [fear-anger-hurt] there’s instead a gentle push of [calm-safe-protect], underpinned by [worry-concern-love].

…Oh.

It finally dawned on them.

Their Creator and his conjunx were not afraid of Superion; they were afraid for them and their smaller-selves.

Superion tried to ignore the fact that something was leaking out from beneath their visor and listen to their Creator as he spoke, offering them a tired smile.

“Hello there. I don’t think we’ve met before, even though…well, it seems I created you. Do you have a name?”

Superion tried a few times to speak, but they couldn’t quite articulate anything in this form. It all came out as a jumble of static and random syllables.

“Oh, dear…maybe writing would be easier?”

They perked up a little at that, shoving a finger into the nearby dirt. Their “handwriting” was uncoordinated and a bit sloppy in much the same way as their ability to move, but they managed to scratch out their name in the ground.

“…Superion. That’s a good name. I wish it could be under better circumstances, but…welcome to the family.” The shuttle gives him a big hug, before suddenly narrowing his eyes.

“…also, you’re grounded for a week after this stunt.”

Superion’s audial horns dip down as all of their smaller-selves internally grumbled in unison.

“Don’t give me that look! You nearly got yourself killed and you scared us halfway to death.”

“Uh…how are we even going to enforce that?” Starscream piped up. “I’m—I’m not sure they’ll fit in the house, even if everything’s sized with you in mind.”

“…Good question. That’s...a problem for future us, I think…” Skyfire shuttered his optics and sagged to the ground, unable to hold himself upright anymore even with his conjunx’s support. Starscream sighed and glanced up at Superion.

“You’re also carrying this big lug home.”

when I tell you I’ve been reading this over and over since last night AAAHHGHSH IM OBSESSED WITH THISDV IM GONNA CRYYISHSH

SUPERION BABY YOU ARE EVERYTHINH… AND YOUR DADS LOVE YOUUUUUU

if you consider making more i will be first in line!!! THIS IS SO GOOD THANK YOU SO MUCH.. IT MADE MY NIGHT

[hanafubukki]

Summary: General Vanrouge watches a couple dance.

Laughter reached his ears from where he sat.

Joyous and carefree.

From his position, he can see the shadows twirling around each other in what seemed to be a kitchen.

He watched as someone, who had a similar appearance to his own, lifted another up before swinging them into his arms.

Normally, he wouldn’t believe such a being would be related to him in any way.

But magic did not lie, and the one from this fae matched his own.

A shiver ran down his spine.

Sharp magenta met crimson red.

A warning.

Do not ruin this moment.

He wasn’t planning to.

This view before him, spoke of peace and tranquility.

He…didn’t want his hands full of scars and blood to mar such a scene.

He looked away as the two before him kissed.

A nap right now seems like the perfect opportunity.

…but a part of him yearned.

“I was wondering when you would pop up.”

Crimson eyes met his own.

Stubborn. Young. Rebellious.

Someone who didn’t know what life held for him.

Lilia kind of pitied his younger self, but knew saying such might lead to an altercation.

Which generally he wouldn’t mind at all, it would be amusing to compare his strengths now to back then.

But he didn’t want the risk of waking you and the others up. He already had to talk down Malleus from accompanying him.

“You’re with a…human.”

Lilia held back a laugh, “That’s for you to find out.”

The General before him bristled before sighing. It seems he knew it was a losing battle to try and get any information out of him.

“Listen up you!”

The sharp glare sent his way had him smirking.

“Never let this moment go. What you see now? This is the future you can look forward to. Come what may, hold on and do not let go.”

“How do I know this isn’t a trick?”

“Come General~ You and I both know magic never lies.”

The General looked away. How amusing. He was pouting. Lilia itched to tease him more.

“Are…you happy?”

Ah. The question he always held in and never spoke nor showed back during his days as the Phantom General.

“Yes. More than you can imagine.”

Lilia can see the yearning his younger self held deep within as he looked towards where his family stayed.

You’ll know happiness. You’ll experience it yourself. It will take years of pain and suffering, but it will be worth it.

“You have much to look forward to.”

General Vanrouge straightened his stance, a new shine in his eyes.

Good. It will serve him well in his journey.

“I didn’t know I would become so sappy.”

“Kufufu~ That’s what love does to a fae. It changes you.”

The face the General made had him almost bending over in laughter.

Ah yes, he remembers this phase of his. The General has so much to learn…to acknowledge. Some of which even he didn’t learn until many years ago.

During a certain event at Night Raven College, but he wasn’t going to tell him that.

Seeing his past self, Lilia ached to go back to his family. Back to their warmth.

For now, though, he waited with a version of himself he hadn’t seen in a long while. One, that he would once upon a time run away from.

But now?

He had long ago acknowledged this side of himself, for it was this version of himself that led him to his current happiness. That led him to his loves.

And he couldn’t be more grateful.

The past and future stood side by side, basking in this tranquility, enjoying what will come and what currently is.

Bonus:

“Why do you look like that.”

“Hey! I look cute!”

I felt so soft and in love when writing this 🥹🥹🥰

(I feel like I wrote a part of my soul into this 🥰💞)

[the-s1lly-corner]

Wearing their merch (FNAF SB) (part 1/2)

Huuuuuge brain blast while I was writing a fic for sun oooough I am about to get so silly!! Split this into two posts because I don't have the mental strength to make long long posts

Characters: freddy, chica, roxy, monty

Notes: reader is gn, human reader, short post because admin is still not used to writing the glamrocks <3 im more of a DCA writer TToTT

CWs: none

FREDDY

he doesnt let it get to him... or at least he tries not to! but when you clock into your shift ricking lightning earrings hes going to feel a certain way! its almost a prideful feeling!

and they look so nice on you! hes going to let you know that they suit you well!

neither hurt or upset if you only wear them every now and then, its your choice after all!

may get matching earrings! or or or GASP! You give him one of yours and you keep the other! something about it makes him feel soft inside!

CHICA

you cannot tell me that they wouldnt market her bow or leg warmers- or hell even her earrings! but... freddy already for the earring thing... so leg warmers it is!

you clock into work wearing them on a colder day and shes immediately at your side, telling you how stylish you look! you... cant tell if shes being sincere or teasing you... maybe both?

even if they dont fully match with your uniform shes going to be pleased! will think about it for a while... may giggle to herself when shes alone in her room long after youve left to go home

you bought something themed around her and wore it, how can she not?

MONTY

they sell his sunglasses in the shops! so you go ahead and snag yourself a pair to wear during your shift! its... not the best idea to wear shades inside and you kind of look like a douche to some people... but damnit is it not fun!

half hearted vaguely amused snort from his nose when he sees you, tells you you look good in them... but why wear fakes if you can have the real thing?

lets you wear his own shades just to try them... theyre... only slightly more durable and higher quality, but you keep that part to yourself

if youre going to mimic him you better be able to emulate his attitude, this is more of a side headcanon but hes definitely going to try to get you to act tougher if youre a bit softer....

ROXY

a headband with her wolf ears on them! she thinks it looks a little tacky but you get a pass.... for now...! will let you know that there are better options- perhaps a jacket or... oh youre deadset on the headband...

snaps her jaws shut when you tell her you picked the ears specifically because you think theyre cute- you... think her ears are cute by extension, right?

just know her tail is swaying behind her as she tells you that you made a good pick choosing her merch!

....even if she tries to act like its not that big of a deal... i mean dozens of people come in wearing something roxy themed but she tooooooootally doesnt think about it later

[vinvantae]

heyyy! sorry if this request is vague but i lack your creative genius so how about the grid x reader with forced proximity (like the two being in a situation where they have to be really close outside of their respective wishes not noncon!). if not all drivers, then maybe just Charles, Lewis and Fernando? thanks love!

I am sooooooo sorry this took so long 😭 I’ve been mega busy lately and haven’t had the time to really sit down and write. Hope you enjoy regardless x

Lewis

“There’s no way this is actually happening right now.”

You stared down at the door handle that was currently laying in your palm, no longer attached to the door. Lewis quirked a brow and plucked it from your hand, turning it over in his a few times.

“I did tell them it was coming loose, didn’t realise it was this close to falling off.” He chuckled softly. “Cosy in here isn’t it?”

The room itself wasn’t that small, but now you had no escape - the walls suddenly felt like they were pressing against you. “Why do we even have this room?”

“I think Bono called it a panic room… apparently, just our luck, it’s also soundproof.”

You groaned and flopped onto the small loveseat that was tucked against the wall - letting your eyes cast around the room. “Have you-“

“Text someone? Yeah. They’re trying to find a way in.” His voice was soft as he sat beside you, a strong hand coming to rest on your knee - the heat immoderately rushing to your cheeks.

You’d had a massive crush on Lewis since the day you’d met - but he was levels and levels above you at Mercedes. You were but a simple social media admin, something he personally opted to not take part in very often so your paths didn’t cross often and when they did you found yourself feeling like a giggly teenager.

You could almost hear the cogs turning in his head as he studied you, a gentle sigh leaving his lips.

“…hey uh, feel free to report me to HR if this crosses some major boundary but I never really get to speak to you alone.” He was fully facing you now, his hand still pressed against your knee - thumb brushing across the black fabric of your work trousers. “You fancy getting dinner sometime or something? I’ve seen you around a lot and I just… I honestly can’t get you out of my head.”

“M-Me? Seriously?” You laughed, practically flooded with disbelief. “You’re Lewis Hamilton.”

He smirked. “Yeah, and you’re you… I’d really like to get to know you outside of this world, no Mercedes branding attached. I already like what I do know, I’d like to see more.”

Your eyes flickered across his face for a moment, trying to read him - and he seemed nothing but genuine. You gave him a cautious nod and his face lit up, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to your cheek.

“We’re going to have a blast, trust me.” His grin lit up the room.

Before you could speak again there was a frantic knock on the door. “We’re about to take the hinges off! Stand back please!”

“All clear.” Lewis called back, before giving your hand a squeeze. “Ready to get back out there?”

You looked down at your entwined hands and smiled softly. “As I’ll ever be.”

Charles

Their music was quiet now, just softly playing in the background as Kika giggled - her boyfriend twirling her into his arms, a loving smile on his face. When she had insisted on hosting his birthday party at your shared apartment, you forgot to consider who one of Pierre’s best friends was, a man you loathed. And now, as the night rolled on and all of the other guests had filtered out - it was just the four of you left and whilst Pierre and Kika were still enjoying their tipsy states, you and Charles were as stiff as boards, sat as far apart from each other as possible.

Your eyes followed Kika as she stepped away from Pierre, circling the coffee table to approach you, manicured hands landing on your shoulders as she looked into your eyes. “We’re going to bed… you gonna be alright?”

“Yeah, yeah.” You forced a smile, one she was too inebriated to decipher. “I’m not tired, I’ll tidy up a bit.”

“Oh ‘miga. Don’t stay up too late.” She pressed a sloppy kiss to your temple before leading Pierre away, practically purring.

You rolled your eyes, still not giving the man beside you any attention as you stood up - collecting some cups from the table but as he started clearing the coffee table beside you, you couldn’t help but frown.

“You can go home, Charles.” You grumbled. “You don’t live here, y’know. It’s my mess to clear up.”

“Did Pierre not tell you?” He patted the back of the sofa. “This bad boy is my bed tonight.”

“…he did not. Well, I don’t want to keep you up, so I’ll clean tomorrow or something.”

He practically snorted out a laugh. “I don’t want to sleep in this mess either so, let’s just make it quick yeah?”

The two of you moved around each other quietly - you’d met through your best friends and very quickly decided that you didn’t get on. He was pretty and he knew it - he always had some stunning girl draped over his arm; at first you were just annoyed, just as you got to know her, like her even, he’d bin her off for a new model. He just didn’t know the meaning of the word loyalty.

“You uh, still with… uh Colette was it?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “She wanted something more serious, so no,”

Charles watched you roll your eyes as you shoved a paper cup into the bin bag in your hand.

“What’s it to you anyway? Jealous?” He smirked, throwing a balled up napkin in your direction.

“No. I just don’t understand why you hate commitment so much.” You scoffed. “You always find the loveliest girls and then-“

“I don’t hate commitment. I’ve just not found a girl who challenges me.” His voice was quieter with his admission. “They all will literally just agree with everything and anything I say just because they’re desperate to keep me happy… that’s just not… I don’t want that.”

The silence was heavy but you didn’t dare move, especially as he walked around the coffee table towards you - bin bags long forgotten as he gently took your biceps in his hands.

“I… I know you don’t like me… I don’t blame you.” He sighed softly, letting his hands slowly cascade down your arms until his hands finally found yours, his lips curving into a shy smile when you didn’t pull away. “But I like the way you call me out on my shit, and you make me want to be better.”

“Charles…” You felt breathless. “I don’t want to be the reason you treat women right, you should do that because it’s the right thing to do.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” A soft huff escaped him. “Can we at least maybe start over? Friends?”

Your eyes studied his face - almost as if you were seeing him for the very first time. The way his green eyes still seemed bright under the dim lights of the floor lamps, the way his lips were such a pretty shade of pink… shit.

“Depends… would friends do this?”

Charles stumbled back a little as you kissed him, hands quickly finding purchase on your hips. He groaned as you looped your arms around his neck, pulling him in closer.

Oh he was fucked.

Fernando

You don’t think you could be pressed any further against the side of the van if you tried - Fernando’s manspreading had made sure of that. The two of you had somehow ended up in the back together, the third seat home to camera equipment as per the team’s request. It was supposed to be a quick trip, 20 minutes tops, but the roads were completely gridlocked so you found yourself stuck in the Spaniard’s company for a lot longer than you’d planned.

“Oh my god, Fernando.” You hissed, yanking the hem of your jacket out from under his thigh as he shifted. “Do you want to take up any more of my seat?”

The corner of his mouth tugged up into a small smirk. “Sorry.”

You rolled your eyes. “No you’re not.”

“You’re right, I’m not.”

A soft huff left your lips, turning away from him to look out the window - noticing the view hadn’t shifted even a little since you last checked. You groaned. “Have we moved at all?”

“Sorry! It’s completely at a standstill, looks like it’s going to be a while!” The driver called back from the front, sending you an apologetic gaze through the rear view mirror.

Fernando couldn’t help but notice your demeanour shift, fully slumped in your seat at this point - a petulant frown on your face. He always thought you were pretty, but you seemed to have a vendetta against him since day one despite his best intentions. And after a while he just gave him, treating you with the same sass you threw at him.

“Do you want to lighten up a touch, cariño” He teased, leaning a little so he could catch your eye. “This car ride is already going to be bad enough without your attitude.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re not exactly my favourite person to be around.”

“And why is that? Hmm?” His voice was patronising, condescending almost, and it made you want to smack him upside the head - but you’d definitely get fired. “Did I forget your birthday or something?”

He was surprised by the dejected sigh that left your lips, your eyes almost wet when you looked up at him. “…You’ve just always made me feel like a dumb kid. I know how to do my job. I’m smart, I’m capable. I’m not even that young! But god forbid I do anything myself. Let me move that for you. I’ve got that. Oh no, I’ll do it myself.”

“You think I did all that because I thought you were incapable?” He had to hold back the laugh of disbelief. “Cariño , that was just me being a gentleman… I was trying to be courteous, to impress you.”

Your cheeks heated. “Impress me?”

“Well, yeah.” This time he laughed softly. “You said it yourself, you’re smart, you’re capable… and, forgive me, you’re very beautiful. I never meant to cause upset or make you think I thought little of you.”

You felt beyond embarrassed - this whole time he was just being nice and you had automatically assumed he was looking down on you.

“…want to start over?” Your voice timid, unable to ignore the way your heart was pounding in your chest.

“I’d like that.” He held his hand out. “Hi, I’m Fernando.”

It was your turn to laugh as you took his hand in yours, his skin warm against yours as you gave it a firm shake - introducing yourself to him. His gaze was different as he looked at you now, his dark eyes no longer full of distaste but something new.

And you couldn’t wait to find out what it was.

[notiddygothgf]

14. Taxi

★ pairings: aki hayakawa x fem reader

★ ❝ Make sure Sleeping Beauty over there doesn't puke all over that pretty dress of yours, yeah?  ❞

★ c.w.: smut. drinking (NOT BETA'd. olivia will be my beta-er.) (more content warnings and tags)

★ a/n: guess who dropped calculussssss!!!! yeah so it didnt wind up working out. i'm like going crazy rn and this story is the only thing keeping me sane. anyway! enjoy this! i had such a blast writing it. most importantly, keep on commenting! you guys keep me goin.

★ w.c: .6.8k

shameless ; chapter index

IT WAS LATE TUESDAY EVENING. Makima was throwing another Newbie welcome party. Your husband had refused to come, saying something about a meeting he had, something about a schedule conflict before kissing your cheek and walking out. You were standing in the lobby of the reception hall, black cocktail dress on, lips painted red, makeup compact open in your palm while you scrutinized your reflection. 

It was 7 PM, the party had started an hour ago, and still, no call from Aki. You told yourself you hadn’t gotten dressed up for him, but as you caught a glimpse of the red against your skin, you wondered just a bit what he’d think when he saw you tonight. A trace of a smile slipped across your lips as you brushed a finger along the edge of your liner, thinking about his sharp, quiet gaze, the way he always looked like he was sizing up a storm in his head.

The thought made you shift on your heels, scanning the room. Seven on the dot, and still no Aki. Strange.

You closed the compact, slipping it into your clutch just as a familiar figure sidled up beside you, grinning.

“Well, now this is something,” Himeno teased, her eyes dancing as she took in your appearance. “You’ve actually arrived before your shadow.”

You laughed, rolling your eyes at her. “Where is he, anyway?”

Himeno gave a nonchalant shrug, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers. “Think you just missed him, actually. Stepped out with Denji not too long ago,” she hummed, her eyes glinting with a playful spark. “Should be back any minute. Why? Missing your boyfriend already?”

So he is here early. Typical.

A smile played on your lips as you leaned against the bar. “Not my boyfriend,” you corrected, though the denial felt softer than you intended. “But… maybe I am.”

Himeno smirked, nudging you with her elbow. “Oh, I see how it is. All dolled up just for him, huh?”

You laughed again, brushing off the comment. “I dressed up for the event. For everyone. Not for him.”

“Right,” Himeno replied, raising her eyebrows with an exaggerated nod. “You just happened to pick out the dress that’ll make Aki’s brain short-circuit when he sees it.”

Your cheeks warmed slightly, but you refused to let her get to you. “He’ll have to behave,” you said, though you weren’t convinced by the words.

The grand hall was alive with a soft golden glow, tall windows adorned with silk drapes framing the nighttime skyline, and chandeliers casting a warm, intimate light over everything below. Tables lined the walls, each decorated with carefully arranged flowers, while guests mingled in clusters, laughter and conversation creating a steady, harmonious hum. There was an elegance to the space that made you feel like you'd stepped into a scene far removed from the typical demands of the job—almost like you were someone else, someone not bound by secrets or silent glances.

Himeno looped her arm through yours as the two of you wandered further inside, catching up on the usual things—how busy work had been, what new, funny things you’d overheard around the office.

Her eyes sparkled knowingly as she looked at you, amused, before an acquaintance of hers called her over. With an apologetic grin, she squeezed your shoulder, murmuring, “I’ll be back. Try not to get too distracted while I’m gone.”

Left on your own, you wandered among the elegantly dressed guests, your heart racing just a bit faster than usual. You could feel some eyes turning your way—polite, indifferent, but still, enough to make you wonder if they knew something you didn’t want them to. Did they sense the quickening of your pulse, the way you searched the crowd almost instinctively? Or worse, could they somehow know about Aki, and the way your thoughts always seemed to find their way back to him?

With Himeno gone, you found yourself adrift, wandering slowly around the room, unsure of where to settle. The crowd was thick with people, faces both familiar and unfamiliar, all talking, laughing, glasses of champagne in hand. As you moved through the clusters of guests, you could feel it—that prickling sensation at the back of your neck. Glances were being cast your way, fleeting and sideways, some lingering a beat too long before they shifted back to their conversations. You tried to convince yourself it was just because of the dress, or maybe because you weren't blending in as easily as you thought, but the feeling lingered.

The more eyes you caught, the harder it was to ignore the creeping suspicion that there was something more behind them. Did they know? You kept your expression serene, calm, but beneath that calm, questions twisted and tangled. Maybe someone had noticed the way you and Aki sometimes gravitated toward each other at work, the rare glances that lasted a fraction too long, the way you'd sometimes linger in doorways as though waiting for him to appear. 

And if they did know—what were they thinking? The thought made your stomach clench. There was no denying the potential consequences if people found out, if whispers started. The idea of your connection with Aki being exposed, stripped of the privacy you’d both guarded so carefully, sent a jolt of unease through you. You couldn’t bear the idea of becoming fodder for office gossip, or worse, risking his reputation.

An unbidden thought wormed its way in: Would he still care if people found out? Or would he just carry on, unaffected? You shook it off, annoyed at yourself for even entertaining it. Aki had always been the careful one, the one with more at stake, and you knew he wasn’t the type to let others get in the way of what mattered to him.

But here, surrounded by strangers, you felt uncomfortably bare, like people could see right through you. You felt as if your secret was etched across your face for anyone who bothered to look.

Then, just as you were considering slipping away to find a quiet corner, a voice, smooth and familiar, cut through the noise behind you. “Can I have the honor of bringing you a drink?”

You spun around, and there he was, standing close, his icy blue gaze meeting yours with that easy warmth that managed to quiet every doubt swirling in your head. His smile was subtle, restrained, yet there was a certain spark in his eyes, as though he could see right past the formalities, past the anxiety.

“Aki,” you breathed, your voice barely a whisper.

“Long time, no see, troublemaker,” he replied lightly, but the warmth in his eyes betrayed him. “You looked like you could use a drink,” he added, holding out a glass. As you took it, your fingers brushed, and for just a second, the world narrowed to that point of contact, every stare, every doubt slipping away, as though he were all that mattered.

“Behave. We’re in public,” You reminded him gently – the way a teenage girl would tell her boyfriend to ‘Stawwwwp’ when he play-fought with her. You were sick, you really were.

He quirked a brow, “I don’t think I did anything remarkable by buying you a drink.”

“People already talk,” You replied. “You don’t think it’s strange that the hardass Captain Hayakawa warmed up to one of his subordinates so quickly despite only having met her in public a handful of times?”

He shrugged as if he couldn’t possibly care less. “Let them talk, then. You look beautiful tonight.”

And, like you were 16 all over again, your cheeks warmed at his words. You took a cheeky little sip of the drink he had brought you – Merlot. Your favorite wine. This close to him, you could smell his cologne – that scent you knew so well, combined with the faintest hint of his detergent, of nicotine. You had spent half of the past few months tangled in his sheets. You would have been able to recognize him with your eyes closed, truly.

“And you’re misbehaving,” You retorted, a tongue-in-cheek comment that you knew he would make you eat when he got you alone. 

“Who’s responsible for that?” He answered back without missing so much as a beat. Stepping closer to you, damn near crossing that line between ‘we’re coworkers’ and ‘she and I are having an affair’, he dropped his voice, “That dress looks amazing on you.”

You couldn’t help the grin that took over your face. The warmth that churned in your gut. “Thank you.”

The two of you began to walk around the room. As you strolled alongside Aki, conversation slipping easily between you, you couldn’t ignore the sense of being watched. It was subtle at first—a flicker of movement in your periphery, a quiet murmur that seemed to fade whenever you glanced around.

But then, you caught sight of them: curious eyes fixed on you, darting quickly away when you noticed, but not quickly enough. Their expressions held that familiar mix of polite interest and quiet judgment, a slight narrowing of brows that sent a wave of unease crawling up your spine.

The stares felt sharper, cutting through the careful facade you were trying so hard to maintain. Your heart raced as a thought wormed its way into your mind: They all know.

You shot a glance at Aki, feeling the heat rise to your face. The easy, flirtatious air you’d shared just moments ago suddenly felt fragile, as if it might shatter under the weight of so many eyes. You swallowed hard, nerves turning to panic. If anyone suspected even a fraction of what lingered between you and Aki, it would spread like wildfire. You couldn’t bear to think about the consequences—for him, for you.

Just as the realization started to sink in, you felt a presence at your side, and there she was—Himeno. Without missing a beat, she slid her arm around yours and Aki’s, drawing both of you closer with an effortless ease that seemed to diffuse the tension around you. Her voice cut through the silence with cheerful bravado, clearly meant to distract any lingering gazes. “There you two are! I was just talking to someone about how great it was being able to catch up with you the other day.”

Himeno cast you a knowing glance, a subtle grin that held an unspoken promise of discretion. With a skill that only she could pull off, she steered the conversation into safer territory, dropping a casual comment about the last mission, something innocuous that allowed you to breathe again.

Then, the three of you kept walking. The onlookers returned to their business.

You managed a laugh, though it felt a bit too high-pitched, a bit too forced. But Himeno kept up the chatter, her presence a welcome buffer as she guided you and Aki through the crowded hall, almost as though she was giving the onlookers a reason to lose interest. Her laughter and bright words cast a shield around the three of you, and for a moment, it worked. The weight of the stares started to lift, the sharpness of their gazes fading into a hum of background noise.

“We’re getting our drink on later, right?” She asked Aki– or you, you weren’t really sure.

“I’m supposed to drive home,” Aki answered.

She pouted, “So what? Call a taxi.”

“I’ll have a few with you,” You said. “But only a few.”

You fell into the flow of conversation as best you could, though it was hard to focus with your nerves still on edge. Every now and then, you caught Aki’s gaze as he glanced at you, brow knit slightly in concern, but you both played along, letting Himeno’s words carry the rhythm.

But then, just as you started to relax, to settle back into the night, you spotted him over Aki’s shoulder. Your husband had arrived, standing at the edge of the crowd, his gaze scanning the room. Your stomach dropped, a sick feeling clawing its way up as you tried to think – then he saw you.

What the hell is he doing here?

Before you could even process the thought, he began walking closer, his face composed, unreadable. Panic set in as you realized the impossible tightrope you were balancing on, and you tried to steady your breathing, to keep your expression neutral. Did he know? Or would he just see you as he always did, like you were any other guest in the room?

You tried to shake off the feeling, to rejoin the conversation, but the momentary calm had vanished. Your thoughts raced as you walked through the crowd, navigating the distance between yourself and your husband like it was a dangerous line.

You turned your back, saying, “You buying?”

“It’s an open bar,” She replied. You tried to look normal, to get lost in the sound of her voice, but it didn’t work, “Miss Makima is buying.”

The moment you heard that unmistakable voice behind you, it felt like your heart froze mid-beat. 

“Hi, honey,” your husband’s voice cut through the buzz of the room, smooth and calm. But there was an edge to it, one that sent a jolt of dread straight down your spine. 

You saw Aki’s head perk up, and his eyes narrowed, sharpening into thin slits as he turned, locking his gaze on your husband with a quiet, intense focus. His stance shifted subtly, almost imperceptibly—his hands folded neatly behind his back, his expression unreadable yet taut. He looked every bit the Lieutenant Captain he was, poised and formidable, the easy-going demeanor from earlier vanishing in an instant.

"So, you’re the husband I’ve heard so much about!” Himeno chirped, trying to cover the tension with her usual bravado, stepping forward with a bright smile. She wrapped her arms around your shoulders and squeezed, as though the gesture could somehow shield you from the impending disaster.

Your husband’s half-lidded gaze shifted briefly to her, though his smile barely reached his eyes. "And you are?” His tone was polite, but you could hear the skepticism in it, that subtle doubt as his gaze lingered over Himeno's shoulder, his eyes landing back on Aki, scrutinizing.

You tried to swallow down the knot tightening in your throat, forcing yourself to maintain a calm expression. “Tanimoto, this is Himeno, one of my coworkers,” you said, gesturing to her with a forced, polite smile. Your heart was racing, a nervous energy simmering under your skin, knowing that everything hung by a thread.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Tanimoto nodded, acknowledging Himeno with a quick glance, but his focus quickly returned to Aki, whose steely gaze met his head-on. Neither of them seemed inclined to look away.

This is bad. You felt your pulse spike, every instinct screaming that this was the worst possible situation, an unthinkable confrontation playing out right in front of you.

You cleared your throat, trying to smooth over the tension. “Hayakawa,” you said, gesturing to Aki with a shaky smile, “This is my— my husband, Tanimoto.”

Why was that so hard to say?

Your husband’s expression flickered as he finally extended his hand—only to Aki. The move felt deliberate, his gesture one of formal politeness rather than genuine warmth. Aki glanced down at the outstretched hand, his face unreadable, but made no move to take it.

“Kyoto, right?” Aki asked instead, his tone flat, as if the question itself were a test.

Tanimoto’s brow quirked slightly, but he kept his expression controlled. “Yes. You’re familiar?”

Aki held his gaze, his tone unyielding. “I’m Lieutenant Captain. It’s my job.”

“I’m saying I don’t know what you thought you were doing in Tokyo,” he said, his voice rising. “But word travels in Public Safety. There are rumors about you dancing around with a little Captain, or some shit.”

A flicker of surprise crossed your husband’s face, a slight widening of his eyes as he absorbed the title, the unexpected rank that carried a weight all its own. But he recovered quickly, giving a polite nod. “Of course. My apologies,” he said, with a practiced smoothness.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, the air thick with an unspoken tension that felt fucking electric. 

Himeno, sensing the palpable strain, chimed in with a bright smile. “Well, it’s always nice to meet family! We’re so glad you could join us, even if just for a little bit.” Her voice had an airy quality to it, intentionally lighthearted, but you could see the slight worry in her eyes as she glanced between you and Aki.

Tanimoto didn’t answer her right away. He kept his gaze on Aki a beat longer, then turned to you, his smile settling into something unreadable. “Would you mind if I steal my lovely wife away? Just for a moment?”

Himeno’s gaze flicked to you, silently asking if you were alright. 

You managed a quick nod, and she gave a cheery, “Of course! We’ll be right here when you get back.” Her tone was bright as always, her words meant as reassurance as she gently released her grip on you.

The moment Himeno stepped back, Tanimoto turned and started toward a quieter area a few feet away, his posture rigid. Your heart thundered as you took a breath, then stepped forward, catching up to him as you plastered on a smile, though the pulse in your throat felt thick, tense. 

“I thought you couldn’t make it tonight?” you asked, trying to keep your tone light, neutral.

“Meeting let up early,” he answered, his voice clipped. His gaze scanned the room briefly, as though he were evaluating everything around him. “I came to take you home.”

He was mad.

Your heart dropped, and you barely suppressed the urge to step back. You forced a casual smile, though your chest tightened as you tried to gauge his expression. 

"What?" You asked, laughter bubbling up, sounding forced to your own ears. "No, that won’t be necessary."

You shot a quick glance over your shoulder. Aki was still talking to Himeno, but you could feel his blue eyes on you every few seconds, a silent question in his gaze each time it flickered your way. You swallowed, steadying yourself.

"I’m staying. I’ll catch a taxi back," You added, hoping it sounded convincing, though your voice wavered slightly. “The party just started, like, an hour ago.”

Tanimoto’s expression hardened, suspicion flickering over his face as he regarded you. He hesitated, his eyes narrowing as if weighing your words. A long, tense moment passed before he sighed, the sound reluctant, yet resigned. "Alright," he replied slowly. "But don’t be out too late."

He stepped forward to kiss you on the cheek, his lips nearing, and instinctively, you winced, ducking away before he could reach you. His expression darkened slightly, though he quickly masked it, a smile slipping over his features like an ill-fitting glove.

This is horrible.

There was a beat of silence, a silent acknowledgment that neither of you addressed. Then he straightened, nodding curtly. 

"Well," he said, glancing over at Aki and Himeno, "Excuse me for interrupting. Nice meeting you all."

With that, he turned on his heel and made his way to the exit, his footsteps echoing as he left the hall. You exhaled a shaky breath, relief flooding over you as the tension began to dissipate.

Himeno was instantly at your side, her expression half-amused, half-concerned as she watched him disappear. "Thanks for covering," you murmured, your shoulders sagging as you let yourself relax for the first time since he’d arrived.

She gave you a sly grin, patting your arm gently. "No problem," she said, shooting a quick glance at Aki, who was watching you both carefully, his arms crossed, his gaze flickering with something unreadable. "But we’ll need to talk later, girl," she added, her voice low and teasing, though there was a note of worry in her eyes.

Aki’s gaze softened as he stepped closer, a flicker of relief passing over his face. He didn’t say anything, but you knew he would have a lot to say later.

Himeno cleared her throat, “So… would now be a good time to hit up that bar?”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” You sighed, turning away from Aki’s piercing gaze. You couldn’t bear to look at him. No, you were ashamed. Polishing off the rest of your wine in one go, you added, “I need something stronger than this.”

As the night went on, the conversation began to flow a little easier – as did the booze. In fact, by the time the party was drawing to a close, the three of you were completely inebriated. Himeno had that pinkish flush to her face that you remembered so well. Aki was practically slumped over after his (??)th cocktail of the night. You were blinking tiredly at Himeno, at whatever story she was telling you that you hadn’t been listening to.

The three of you were stood outside of the venue. Arms crossed over your body to brace yourself against the cold wind, you replied, “That’s bull.”

“That’s what I said!” Himeno slurred. “I told him to quit playing in my face. It’s a real problem – men, these days.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” You agreed half-assedly, gaze trickling over to your lover, whose eyes were glazed over with a drunken look. He was in no shape to drive back, that was for sure. “Aki, are you driving home?”

“Yeah, I…” He swallowed, swaying slightly on his feet – at six-foot-something, he looked like a skyscraper, bending in the wind. Slowly, like he had to think extra hard about it, he continued, “Yeah… I am.”

“I don’t think so,” Himeno answered before you could say the same thing. “You should call a taxi.”

“Taxis are for wussies,” Aki grumbled beneath his breath. Still, when you cast him a pout, he stepped towards the curb. 

So cute.

The wind outside the venue felt sharper against your flushed skin, biting through the remnants of warmth left over from the drinks. You crossed your arms over your chest, bracing against the chill, though the sight of Aki swaying slightly on his feet in his drunken stupor was enough to bring a small smile to your face.

“Come on, Aki. Be sensible,” you coaxed, giving him a soft pout of your own.

He sighed, reluctantly stepping toward the curb to wave a taxi down. It was cute, watching him try to flag one down with all the determination he could muster, though most cars drove past him without so much as slowing down.

Himeno leaned in, nudging you gently. “He doesn’t look so hot. Maybe you should see him home safe?”

You sighed, glancing over at Aki as he cursed at a passing taxi. “You’re probably right.”

He grumbled something incoherent, swaying a bit as another cab sped past him. 

You laughed softly, shaking your head. “What a night.”

“What a night, indeed, girly.” Himeno pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up and taking a long drag before she exhaled into the cold night air. She held the pack toward you, her eyes half-lidded with a mixture of exhaustion and tipsy satisfaction. You declined politely, and she shrugged, tucking it back into her bag.

“So… you cab-hopping with us?” you asked, feeling a bit of reluctance at the thought of her leaving.

She shook her head, her lips curving into a sly grin. “Nah. When you drink on the daily, driving comes naturally.” She waved you off with a lazy salute.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a taxi slowed to a stop at the curb, and Aki staggered up to it, gesturing for you to get in. “It’s for you,” he called, the words a bit slurred. “Get you home safe.”

You stepped closer, folding your arms and giving him a playful look. “I’m coming home with you,” you called back.

His eyes widened, and then, he smirked, one of those warm, lazy smiles that made your heart skip. “I like the sound of that.”

You rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at your lips. “Just get in the damn taxi. I wanna say bye, first.” 

He pouted but got in, slumping down and muttering to the driver, half-lidded eyes still on you as he settled into the seat.

You turned back to Himeno, laughing softly. “Get home safe, okay?”

She took another drag of her cigarette, her gaze softening a bit. “You too. And make sure Sleeping Beauty over there doesn’t puke all over that pretty dress of yours, yeah?”

You grinned. “I’ll see you around?”

“Always,” she replied, giving you a wink as she turned, already headed back inside the venue.

With one last glance, you slipped into the taxi, shutting the door behind you. The driver pulled away, and you relaxed into the seat, feeling the tension of the night start to ebb. Aki was staring out the window, a soft smile on his face, and when he caught sight of you beside him, his expression softened.

As the taxi moved through the quiet streets, Aki’s head lulled to the side, and he let out a small sigh before resting it against your shoulder. You stiffened at first, the unexpected weight and warmth of him surprising. But he looked so peaceful, so unguarded in this moment that you felt the tightness in your shoulders ease.

“Missed you,” he murmured, his voice soft and heavy with drowsiness, each word dragging as if he were only half-awake.

In a rare, unfiltered moment of abandon, he leaned further into you, snuggling against your shoulder shamelessly, letting out a contented hum. You found yourself smiling softly, letting your head rest against his for just a moment, savoring the quiet intimacy that had so rarely been yours to enjoy.

“Aki, don’t be a baby,” You laughed.

Aki pressed a wet kiss to your neck, then another. “I can’t wait to get you out of this dress,” He slurred against your skin. 

A part of you yearned for nothing more than that. Still, one spare glance over at him, at the way he was practically slumped over you – six feet of man nearly crushing you – and you knew no such thing was happening.

Sure, you thought to yourself.

Five minutes later, you finally managed to steer him through the front door. Once you reached the bed, Aki all but collapsed onto it, sprawling out immediately, limbs splayed as he peered up at you with a heavy-lidded gaze that was both bleary and endearing. You stood over him, shaking your head as you reached for his blazer, fumbling a little with the sleeves as he sat half-propped up, his arms nearly dead weight in your hands.

“Gotta take this off,” you murmured, mostly to yourself, as you tugged the blazer free. He blinked at you, a sleepy smile pulling at his lips.

“Come to bed,” he drawled, his words stretching out as he reached for you, pulling you down so you were inches from him.

“Just a minute,” you promised with a soft laugh, brushing his hand away gently. “I’m just going to take my shoes off. Be right back.”

Reluctantly, he released his hold on you, and you watched him flop back, eyes following you with a warm, bleary gaze as you walked over to his dresser. After a moment’s thought, you pulled open one of the drawers and found an old T-shirt—soft and worn from years of wear—and slipped it out, holding it close as you headed to the bathroom.

Inside, you closed the door behind you, taking a steadying breath as you caught your reflection in the mirror. You looked a little undone, your makeup smudged, hair slightly tousled, but the dress… it still looked good, clinging to you in all the right places. You took one last look, savoring the way you looked tonight, then slipped out of the dress, letting it fall to the floor with a soft rustle. You reached for the T-shirt, pulling it over your head and letting it drape down, its fabric oversized and comfortable against your skin, smelling faintly of him.

The mirror caught your eye again as you reached for his face wash, and with a soft smile, you lathered it up between your hands, then began gently washing away the remnants of your makeup, the cool water a refreshing relief on your skin. Rinsing off the last traces, you looked up at your reflection, a little softer now, a little more natural—and somehow, that felt even better.

With a final glance at the mirror, you turned off the faucet and padded back to the bedroom, where Aki lay sprawled out, just as you’d left him, his eyes now closed. Smiling, you climbed into bed beside him, careful not to disturb him too much, though as soon as you settled, he shifted instinctively, rolling toward you. His arm draped over you, heavy but comforting, and he tucked his face into the crook of your neck.

“Aki,” you whispered with a grin, your hand brushing gently over his back. “I have to go… my husband…”

He hummed, barely conscious, and mumbled, “Few more minutes…” His hand curled a little tighter around you as if refusing to let go.

You bit back a quiet laugh and let yourself relax, resting one hand on his shoulder as the other threaded through his hair. You traced gentle circles into his scalp, brushing his hair back, and he settled deeper into sleep, his breathing falling into a soft, steady rhythm.

Settling down beside him, you let out a quiet, contented sigh as Aki instinctively rolled toward you, his arm slipping over your waist with a sleepy possessiveness. His face nestled close to your neck, and you could feel the faint warmth of his breath against your skin, soft and steady, a rhythm that seemed to calm your own heartbeat. You stayed still for a moment, just letting yourself savor the feeling of his weight pressing into you, grounding you, his entire presence a heavy warmth against your side.

With a gentle smile, you shifted, letting your hand drift to his hair, fingers sinking into the soft, inky strands that spilled over his forehead and brushed against his closed eyelids. His hair was messy from the night, a few pieces sticking up in places, and the sight filled you with a deep tenderness. Slowly, you began to run your fingers through it, smoothing it back gently, and as you did, you felt him release a soft sigh, his body relaxing even more fully into the mattress.

You let your fingertips trace along his scalp in gentle, rhythmic strokes, moving from his forehead back to the nape of his neck, where the hair grew slightly coarser. He let out a little contented murmur, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he shifted closer to you, his arm tightening just a little around your waist as if to keep you there. The sound he made was so endearing, so soft, that it made you ache with a fondness that was almost too much to hold inside.

As your hand moved along the curve of his head, brushing back a few loose strands that had fallen over his eyes, you let your thumb trace softly along his temple, feeling the slight warmth of his skin beneath it. He looked so peaceful, his usual furrowed brow now relaxed, his sharp features softened in sleep. You could see the faint shadows under his eyes—traces of all the late nights and worries that weighed on him more than he let on—and it made you wish you could keep him like this, in this tranquil state, where everything was quiet and safe.

You continued petting his hair, your hand moving with a tender slowness, tracing little circles along his scalp, letting your fingertips drift along his hairline. Occasionally, he’d mumble something incoherent in his sleep, his lips barely moving as he settled deeper into slumber, his face nuzzling closer to the crook of your neck. You could feel his eyelashes flutter against your skin, a light, tickling sensation that made you smile.

Minutes stretched on in a warm, quiet haze as you watched him, the rise and fall of his chest, the way his lips parted slightly in relaxation. At one point, he murmured something close to a whisper, his arm curling around you a little tighter, and you couldn’t help but press a soft kiss to the crown of his head, breathing in the familiar scent of him—something warm and grounding that seemed to soothe something deep within you.

As the clock ticked on toward 11 p.m., you felt a small pang of reluctance, knowing you’d have to get up soon, but still, you waited a few moments longer. You let yourself linger, your hand threading through his hair one last time, your thumb brushing over his cheek in a gentle, barely-there caress. Aki let out a final, contented sigh, his breathing deep and even, and you felt a warmth bloom in your chest as you realized he was fully, blissfully asleep.

At last, with a soft exhale, you began to ease yourself out of his hold, moving slowly so as not to wake him, your fingers slipping away from his hair. You brushed one last stray lock from his forehead before gently shifting off the bed, giving him one last fond look as he lay there, still wrapped in peaceful dreams – dreams which you could only hope were about you.

407… 408… 409… 410. You drunkenly read the numbers off of the wall as you stumbled towards you and your husband’s hotel room. 413.. 413… 413! Found it.

You opened the door with the key quietly, as if it would make any difference. Your husband could have slept through anything. Gently, you opened the door, and shut it behind you even more gently. When you were sure that he was still asleep, you kicked your heels off – yes, you got into a cab wearing Aki’s tee as a dress to accompany your high heels. Your dress was tucked beneath your arm. 

It was dark in the room. So dark, in fact, that you could hardly see your own two legs as they moved towards the bedroom. 

Is he here? You thought to yourself. Your heart rate climbed at the prospect of him leaving – perhaps he had sniffed you out, after all?

Just then, someone – your husband, assumedly – flicked the lamp on. He was sat directly beneath it, perched in the loveseat with a book propped open in his hands. 

Since when did he read? You thought. And what’s with the freaky lighting?

Swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in your throat, you spoke, “You reading in the dark?”

He said nothing. With a shrug, you set your belongings down on the desk. 

“Sorry I’m back so late. I had to bring Himeno home,” You huffed out a humorless little laugh. “She drank too much for her own good.”

Again, he said nothing. You froze, eyes locking onto the figure settled beneath the lamp – the figure of the man you used to love. The lamp above him cast shadows across his face, catching on the edges of his cheekbones and making his eyes seem hollowed, calculating.

Slowly, he closed his book, fingers lingering over the cover as he looked up at you, his expression unreadable. There was a hint of something you couldn’t quite place in his eyes—disappointment, or maybe anger, simmering just beneath the surface.

“I stayed up to talk to you,” he said, finally breaking the silence. His voice was low, calm, but something about it made you feel small, like a child caught in a lie.

“Oh?” you managed, swallowing down the uneasy feeling that had been growing in your chest. “About what?”

His gaze never left you as he spoke, his voice coldly measured. “I wanted to tell you that you might, by indiscretion, give the world a reason to talk about you.”

“I’m not a committee,” you replied, attempting a casual smile, though it came off more strained than you’d intended. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

He took a deep breath, leaning forward, his fingers laced together. “You and Captain Hayakawa attracted attention tonight.” His voice remained even, though you caught a flicker of something sharp in his gaze. “I didn’t notice anything myself, but it seems everyone else did.”

Shit.

You let out a humorless laugh, shaking your head. “What on earth are you talking about?”

His lips pressed into a thin line. “Look, I’ve told you this before, and I’ll say it again. I have no right to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. Your decisions concern only your moral compass. But I wanted to remind you that we are married, bound by god. Only a sin against him can break that bond.”

You felt a swell of frustration, heat rising in your cheeks. “I would hardly consider conversation to be a sin.”

He cocked his head, his eyes narrowed as if dissecting you, trying to catch the slightest falter. “A conversation is just what we see,” he said quietly. “Who knows what could have happened while you were out… gallivanting?”

The accusation, so thinly veiled, made you go rigid. “You’re accusing me, then?” you said, a slight tremor in your voice. “Accusing me of… cheating?”

“I never said that.” His gaze remained steady, unwavering. “Unless, of course, there’s something you’re not telling me?”

The words struck a nerve, and you bit back an exasperated sigh, the tension inside you bubbling over. “You don’t like it when I don’t talk to people, and you don’t like it when I do,” you muttered, more to yourself than to him. “Stop doing that… that thing where you talk circles around me. It’s too late for this.”

The room felt suffocating, his presence weighing heavily on you, pressing down until you couldn’t take it anymore. Turning on your heel, you began to make your way to the bathroom, needing a moment of quiet, a second to breathe. He moved as if to follow, but you held up a hand, not looking back.

“Don’t follow me,” you said, the words barely a whisper, but you knew he heard you.

Without another glance, you walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind you. You took a breath and stared into the mirror. Reaching up, you began to undo your hair, tugging pins free one by one. With each one that dropped onto the counter, a weight seemed to lift from your shoulders, and finally, you let your hair fall loose, watching it spill over your shoulders.

The door creaked, and you caught a glimpse of movement in the mirror as your husband appeared in the doorway. His silhouette was softened by the dim lighting, but his expression held that same guarded intensity.

“If I’m wrong, then… I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low. For a brief moment, you saw something else there—maybe regret, maybe exhaustion.

You’re not. You’re completely right. I'm having an affair.

We’re in love.

I want a divorce.

You took a steadying breath, choosing your words carefully, though it was hard to keep the bitterness from your tone. “You are.” Letting the silence settle between you, you finally added, “Can we just… go to bed, please?”

He nodded, exhaling softly as he moved back toward the bedroom. After taking a final glance in the mirror, you followed, feeling an ache that settled somewhere deep inside you, one that even the cool darkness couldn’t soothe.

He had already slid beneath the covers when you came in, lying on his side with his back to you, the silence between you stretching out uncomfortably. You climbed into bed beside him, the mattress dipping as you shifted into your usual place, though tonight it felt almost foreign.

In the quiet, words bubbled up unbidden, slipping past your lips in a murmur to yourself. “Too late.”

“Missed you,” Aki gasped, pressing his palms deep into your lower back, pushing you down a little further. When he thrusted forward, the car jolted. 

You thought of his words from earlier – his comment about makeup sex being the best way to reconnect after time apart. And, shit, he was right. As he fucked you open only a few miles away from the hotel where your husband was fast asleep, you couldn’t have agreed more.

You cried out for him, fingers digging into the leather seats of his car. He was so fucking deep – it was driving you crazy. 

“Aki,” You breathed out his name – two simple syllables, a trick of the tongue as it rolled off with ease. It felt so good to have him like this after going so long without seeing him. The two of you were entangled in the backseat – you, face down with your back arched all the way up while he took you from behind at an angle so brutal it had you drooling all over leather seats. Your slushies were getting warm in the cupholders, long forgotten.

Every time his hips were flush up against your ass, you could do nothing but claw harder, moan louder, worship him. Desperately, you rutted your hips back.

“Mis– Missed you t-too,” You managed to stutter out. 

“Oh, fuck,” He sighed. “Cum with me, baby. I love you.”

You loved him too. More than he knew. So much so, in fact, that you fell over the edge only a moment later with an, “I love you, too!”

You loved him with your entire body and soul.

a/n: im not gonna say much, but i will say that i hope you enjoyed this fluffy little chapter! the next one will be a much harder read. muah! x

credits: UNKOWN ATM. I found the cover pic on pinterest unfortch. If you know the artist, please let me know, so I can credit them properly for their work!!! This is NOT MY BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGGG. I obviously do not own csm or anything related to it. please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

also: come find me on my wattpad if u wanna interact more!

taglist: @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505 , @acethebrave , @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505

wanna join the taglist? | shameless ; chapter index

[sombrashe]

hi luv, first of all I hope you’re having wonderful holidays. also I know how things get during this time of the year, but if you have time could you write more content about dealer!troy? you are so talented and i love your work

content ཀ chubby! afab! reader, dealer!troy x smoker!reader, jealous reader, troy gets flirted with 😒, backshots, pussy and clit is used for reader, knee riding, reader squirts

note ཀ thank you! im visiting my mom for the holidays so im having an absolute blast!! agh thank you sm youre too kind (,,>ヮ<,,)! im so happy you like my work ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊ i love writing for troy sm and im always happy knowing people love him as much as me

The party is loud, sounds and smells wafting through the house and assaulting your senses. Chewing on the end of your straw you glance around the living room. Nothing of importance takes your notice. Some girls standing in the corner talking amongst themselves, another group smoking and laughing way too loudly, a few people scattered around doing absolutely nothing, Troy with two girls smiling at something he said-. Sitting up, you zero in on the scene to your right. Now Troy dealt with a lot of people. Something that never bothered you, but something about these two made your blood boil. They were giggling the entire fucking time. Soft brushes of fingertips against biceps. Unblinking, you watch as they disappear into the side room. Finally getting your ass into gear you follow behind them. Entering the room, your face sours immediately.

"Wow, a gram for a hundred fifty? That's like sooo cheap."

Pulling the straw out of your mouth you feign surprise garnering everyone's attention.

"Oh my, I'm sorry, babe. I didn't realize you were in the middle of a transaction."

He blinks over at you as the main bitch gives you a dirty look. Smiling at her, you start to chew on your straw again. Naturally, Troy goes back to the deal, trying to talk it out with them, trying to get it over with. That blonde chick on the other hand decides to start giving attitude.

"Hey, can you make them leave? Isn't this supposed to be, like, confidential?"

"Why would I do that? They live here."

He shakes his head and goes back to counting the money handed to him. The other one groans and goes back to the deal, at least she has some sense. The main one on the other hand seems hell-bent on getting on your nerves. With a steady hand, she reaches out and gently cups Troy's forearm. Giving him a wide smile she thanks him deeply for the great deal. Frowning you watch with narrowed eyes, you're going to kill her. You watch with concealed glee as he simply brushes off her grip. Finishing up by handing her a small baggie, he simply gestures towards the door. The girls huff and this bitch actually tries to continue her flirting. He stares blankly and raises an eyebrow, something strong brewing in those gorgeous baby blues. You watch with pride as his stoic nature finally does something good for your relationship. Noticing her words are dying to tune out words, the evil bitch and her goon finally turn and exit. Not before slamming their shoulders into you and forcing you to stumble back. Shifting your shoulder blades you nibble on your straw before clicking the door closed.

"Hey." Something simple, something calm to grab his attention.

"What?" His voice is snappy, annoyance already brewing on his tongue. You sigh and blink up at him. Frowning you stick the destroyed end of the straw against his chest.

"Those whores were flirting with you and you just let them. If you're tired of me just say that."

"You're so fucking dramatic. I don't have time for this shit. Did you want a refill or are you just here to give me a hard time?"

"I am not dramatic! This is a legitimate concern, Troy. She was touching you. Imagine if you saw my thigh getting all grabbed up by some dude on the couch tonight."

His body tightens at your words and you can see you've made some impact. With a tight jaw, he shakes his head and grips the edge of the large oak table in the middle of the room. Obviously, not a positive impact. Rolling your eyes you begin chewing on your poor straw again. Something about the plastic trapped between your teeth helps calm the rage building inside of you. You know those girls won't give up until the party is long over. Turning you mean to leave the rotten aura filling the room, maybe make your way over to that blonde bitch and give her a little tap. Something quick and painful enough to get her out of your house. With a strong grip, you're stopped in your tracks. Your chewing stops alongside your feet and you twist your neck to look behind you.

"You're not going out there to fight. Don't, I know that look."

Pouting, you look down at your feet in annoyance. Moving your shoulder you mean to shake him off. Sulk your way out of the room and make it a scene later on that night. His grip only tightens and he even has the audacity to grip you up. Pulling you towards his chest you don't even bother trying to look at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for an apology."

"For what, Troy?"

"Still using my name? You're not going out there until you calm down."

"I am calm. Let me go."

His grip loosens but only enough to move you as he wants. Your thighs are pressed against the smooth wood as he presses against your back. Wiggling, you attempt to remove yourself from him. Annoyance at your predicament rolls off you in waves. His grip finally leaves your forearm and instead places itself against your hips. Both hands hold you in place and you push against the table.

"Troy."

"Wrong."

A simple hand between your shoulder blades and you're facedown against finished wood. Stomping a foot, your arms are pinned behind your back to thwart any more defiance. With his free hand, he easily shoves your jeans down your thighs. Using his knee, he forces your knees to part for him. Fabric scratches your soft skin as your exposed labia is roughly played with. Huffing, you try your hardest to open yourself up. Allow his knee access to your aching clit. After some desperate rutting, his knee makes contact with your clit. Denim feels heavenly as you back yourself against him. It catches onto your clit in the absolute best ways and your soft ohs turn into low whines.

"Troy, your jeans. There's gonna be a wet spot."

"Yeah, let people ask. The fuck do I look like caring?"

His hand leaves your wrists to yank your head back against his chest. Gasping, your skin jumps at the pain in your scalp. Rearing forward your elbow slams into his side on instinct. Oof.

"Pants off. No, all the way. Yeah, now your leg. Uh-huh. Up here. Perfect, baby."

He hoists your leg up and onto the table. A stretch forms in your muscles. Huffing your breath bounces back onto your skin and an uncomfortable heat starts presenting itself. You're presented to him in your entirety. Your pussy pulses in tandem with the sounds coming from his preoccupied hands. The jingle of his belt buckle, the sharp click of his zipper, the rustling of fabric as he freed his cock. You bite your lip in preparation. Something about the waiting always has you clenching. You can feel the tip of his cock push ever so slightly into your warmth. Wetting your bottom lip, you relax as he pushes inch by inch into you. The second he enters you, his balls resting against your thigh, all resolve breaks. Pulling out, he grinds his hips against your plush ass. Slamming his cock into you, he fucks hard and fast. Something to keep you on your toes, and your head swims at the rapid pace. Keeping one hand firmly against the edge of the desk, your other slips uncomfortably against the front of the desk and deft fingers pluck at your clit. Practically clawing at yourself, pleasure fills your limbs like smoke in your lungs. You lose yourself in his noises. The soft whines, the hard panting, how he mumbles your name. God, the way he can't shut up. Clenching down, you can feel your leg start to slip.

"Baby? My leg. I, I can't."

With unwavering silence, he simply rests a hand on the back of your knee. Keeping you positioned, he shifts his angle. Drool makes its way to your cheek, something that would be embarrassing if it didn't mean you weren't getting the smoke knocked out of your lungs. This new angle has your clit pushing against one of the ornate handles. Your hand abandoned to grab at the edge. Despite how uncomfortable the handle was, digging into you with abandon, it gives you consistent relief. The little noises and pleads punched out of you were garbled. Smushed cheeks and fluttering eyes were all that you offered at the moment. The ability to do anything being fucked right out of you. The amount of baby's and please's that exited your lips only fuels his immense ego. Clamping down, you arch back. Your dripping pussy smears against his abdomen. The warmth of his cum pushes you over the edge. Your orgasm is warm and inviting as you squirt, soaking his briefs clear. A few moments pass, the sound of the party loud in the silence. Once you start shifting he pulls away and allows you space to get dressed. Cracking your back, you throw your clothes on and with your phone's camera attempt to fix your smudged makeup and destroyed hair. After minutes of attempting you decide to say fuck it and risk walking to the bathroom looking like you just got railed. Turning to fix up Troy, you find him already fixed and ready to go. His hair falls effortlessly you want to wring his neck. The natural flush of his skin has you already gearing for round two. Taking a quick assessment you realize there's no way you can hide what happened. You're frazzled and his jeans are soaked through, there's no way. He gestures towards the door and you immediately frown, your eyes showing nothing but disgust at the insinuation.

"Sorry."

He places his hand against your shoulder blades. Gently guiding you towards the door he opens it with a click.

"What the fuck do you want?"

Your voice is calm, venom drips off your tongue but your voice is calm. The girl from before is standing in front of you, in the middle of knocking, like it's a goddamn movie. She's alone, her lackey missing. She doesn't even respond, just stares at you two while her mouth catches flies. What does she think this is?

"So, like, are you gonna move or what?"

That breaks her out of it and she backs away. She mumbles some nasty shit under her breath as she pushes past people too high to care. Breaking away from Troy with an obscene kiss, you make your way to the bathroom for a much-needed pee.

[raainberry]

i need smt with tzuyu plzplzplz 🙏

Love On Camera

« silly series - 11 »

Tzuyu x gn!reader

Fluff

synopsis - clingy tzuyu and selfies!

wordcount - 736

A/N - my first Tzuyu work! Ive been wanting to write a bit more for the other girls so this is great thank you for the ask anon!

“Tzuyu!” You groaned your girlfriend’s name at the sudden feeling of her weight on your back.

She only hummed happily in response, wordlessly asking you to come forward with your complaints. You really had none of those, and she knew it. That’s why she allowed herself to jump on you as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Your body always seemed more appealing and comfortable than the bed or the pillows, she was just happy she could actually make use of it whenever she wanted. She loved that unspoken relationship clause and made sure to apply it as often as she could.

“Give me a warning next time.” You spoke into the pillow you used as support against your chest while you scrolled on your phone. “You’re gonna kill me one day.”

“What a beautiful way to go. Suffocated by love.” She joked, lifting her head up to look at your screen as you laughed. “What are you doing?”

Her voice was so soft against your ear, it made you realise how much you’d missed her today as you’d woken up to an empty bed.

“Nothing.” You said right before an idea popped in your mind.

You closed the application you were using, muscle memory swiftly guiding your fingers to the camera one. You switched to the front camera as soon as it opened, taking Tzuyu by surprise thanks to the speed of your motions.

You couldn’t help but laugh when she squealed, hiding her face in your neck but not before you were able to snap a few shots in burst.

The fact that she got so shy whenever you had her on camera despite her job was amusing. You had a blast looking back on the photos you took, she looked cute and happy on all of them. Although most of them were her trying to hide the red in her face or not even aware of the lense on her, it warmed your heart knowing she was happy with you.

It was the best thing you could have wished for.

“Why are you so camera shy? Come on, let’s have a proper one.” You spoke softly, a smile pulling on your lips at how close she was to you in the moment.

It felt so good, so calming, so right. You had a feeling it would look as wholesome as it felt too, so you had to capture it.

“It’s not the camera that makes me shy.” Tzuyu finally lifted her head up, glancing at you through the screen before her eyes scanned your side profile. “It’s the person behind.”

You grinned at her words, and it was your turn to try and hide the blush on your cheeks by throwing in a teasing remark. “Oh, I make you shy? How come? Am I that hot?”

The response you got was predictable: a familiar eye roll, her signature move to anything that annoyed her in a way she couldn’t help but love.

You kissed it away though, which was just as predictable of a move. A few pecks that Tzuyu welcomed by deepening each one more and more, stealing your breath away with no repercussions.

“You kind of are…” She mumbled against your lips, the same teasing tone on them that you’d just used.

You could only smile, thanking her with another small kiss.

“Who’s the shy one now?” She teased back, and you laughed finding refuge from her gaze in the screen of your phone.

It followed you there though, and Tzuyu smiled at the idea of giving you what you wanted.

“Do you still want to take the picture?” She asked, her small smile giving away the fact that she was just as shy as minutes ago.

Of course you did, so she posed like she was used to as you snapped a few shots while she showcased her love for you through each one.

Leaning her chin on your shoulder, a cute pout on her lips, a stunning grin as a visual of her laughter when she caught your eyes on her, a playful pinch of your cheek before kissing it…

“Put it as your wallpaper.” She said as you looked at the latter.

You giggled at the fact that it sounded more like an order than a suggestion, but you soon found out it actually was an order.

A loving one that you happily followed.

That picture made you smile every time you picked your phone up. How could you not when the loveliest girl in the world popped up, kissing your cheek out of all?

[nerdallwritey]

for the fic asks!

✅🔚🤔😊

✅ list one or two favorite lines you’ve written and explain why they’re your favorite

HMM. Good question. There are certain lines that I write where I'm like "Oh this. This is beautiful," but of course none of them are coming to me now. I'll list a few sequences I love rereading though! (Sorry for the yappage, but are we surprised?)

An Evening to Ourselves

“Rather aerodynamic, isn’t he?” Gale remarked. - Making fun of Astarion's predator run

When you're overthinking in your tent and Astarion's like "I can hear you thinking from across camp" lol

The moment where Astarion's mask goes up and it scares you enough that it snaps him out of it

General Astarion softness with your firsts

Just to Ruin Me

The whole waking up sequence where Astarion smacks you and you hit him with a pillow

"I did have a knife."

The companions finding you snoozing together

Astarion tackling you to the ground and forgetting you need to breathe

Cheeks All Flushed

Shadowheart's wrath

Astarion attempting and failing to get drunk

Gale asking minimal questions about pranking Astarion

Withers

Perfect Every Time

Astarion snoozing on your chest

“Oh I didn’t, but I wanted you to think your little thought experiment had actually evoked some sort of… thought… in me.” He made a face. “Want to try and rephrase that?” “Not particularly.”

Splash fight

Fish love

Worth the Peril

Comparing Astarion to a Barbarian

Feral/protective Astarion right after the injury

"You're allowed to love her"

Reading sequence

About to Strike

Astarion not knowing who Jaheira is

Stretching to prove you feel fine and failing miserably

The entire Jaheira poisoning you sequence

Finding the ring then pampering the elf

Okay CLEARLY I found a few good quotes while skimming through 😅

🔚 have you ever completely changed the direction a piece was going?

I'm sure I have. I usually go into writing with an idea of what I want to say/big plot points and then the bits in between kind of just weave everything together. I know that "Perfect Every Time" was supposed to be part of "Worth the Peril," but it got too long and I made it its own part! I also have the memory of a goldfish and will have ideas while I'm not in front of my computer and then forget it and have to come up with something else.

🤔 why do you write fic?

Honestly? I think I was putting off finishing my first play through of bg3. I didn't want my time with the companions to end so I kind of decided not to let it and tried to bring them to life through more storytelling. I also really wanted to write about Astarion being thrown off by a Tav. I've said it before, but the idea for "An Evening to Ourselves" came to me while I was trying to sleep one night and I made myself laugh when thinking about how if Astarion propositioned me, I'd be like "Wait, me? Why?" lol. I was also in a really unmotivated/somewhat depressed state back in the spring (when I started writing this series) and I really needed a way to be creative and have some fun. I regret nothing! I'm having a blast with you guys and am glad you enjoy the dorks I write about!

😊 say something nice about your writing

I do love my dialogue. It comes very easily to me, whereas prose and description can be a little more difficult. I guess my brain is just wired to think of quick snappy dialogue as opposed to waxing poetic about the vampire's beauty. But I make myself laugh a lot with the dumb things I make the characters say, and I know if EYE am laughing, that you guys probably will too :)

[anonymousauthorsblog]

Turning Passions

chapter 6 - friends? friends.

this chapter does include writing

lowercase intended

nocturne - laufey

•.•.•.••.•.•.••.•.•.•.••.•.•.••.•.•.•.••.•.•.•.••.•.••.•.

y/n pov 3rd person

the stream finally ends. y/n sighs as she turns around. she is stopped halfway as she sees toge standing behind her, tapping his foot as if y/n was his child and was waiting to discipline her. “heyyy toge” she says with a quiver in her voice. “y/n..” “WAIT HERE ME OUT” she yells back at him saying her name. she gets out of the chair and slowly backs away. “y/n.” he repeats again. “IM SORRY DONT HURT ME” she says holding her hands in her face in defense from the man in front of her. “Y/N” he finally yells out. “what..” she replies quietly. he sighs and sits at the edge of her bed. “i’m not mad- well i am mad, just not at the problem you’re probably thinking of.” toge begins, “maki and i seen you change because of dance and it’s not healthy y/n.” y/n tenses up remembering the conversation between her and maki this morning, as she stays quiet to hear the rest of toges conversation with her. “you’ve completely disregarded your health, you’re barely home and the worst part is, it’s barely the beginning of the season. i can’t stand and see you do this to yourself y/n”. she sighs and looks up to his eyes. “toge i have my audition monday and after that i promise on everything- i’ll do better.” toge shakes his head understanding that she didn’t get the whole point of his conversation- but slightly agrees because this is a step towards what he’s trying to get to. “alright, but you know you’re going to kill it regardless, right?” “yeah, yeah” she replies, “but for real i’m so sorry for being late-“ she gets cut off by him. “i know it’s okay- make it back to me by taking care of yourself”. she laughs and gets up “okayyy, now lets hug it out, you being mad is lowkey scary” he hits her shoulder playfully and pulls her in for a hug. they both break out in laughter. “we’re okay?” y/n asks once more, “yeah i guess” toge says with a smile ruffling her hair. they break apart then say their good nights as the stream took a toll on their bodies, then the dorm grows quiet as each member falls into a deep sleep. waiting to sleep in for the weekend coming upon them.

time skip to monday ~

3rd pov

y/n is up early- sitting on the counter of her bathroom. she has headphones in blasting her solo music- “nocturne by laufey”. something to give her comfort and peace while auditioning. also a song from her favorite artist to showcase a bit of personality from her. but also still having that classical ballet touch to provide professionalism in this world of dance. she closes her eyes and breathes, marking each step as she goes. then she’s brought back into reality as someone knocks at her door, “y/n it’s me maki, can i come in?” y/n takes off her headphones and opens the door, “hey” she replies with a smile. “what’s up?” “are you ready” maki says. “ready then ever” y/n says determined. “you should get going your class is going to start.” y/n then looks at the clock hanging in her room, “oh shit you’re right” y/n then responds back while getting all her stuff. she then turns and goes to her audition outfit, she lifts up the bejeweled black leotard and matching black flowy skirt. something that she made while preparing her solo. she carefully puts it in her bag and starts to make her way towards the door. she’s once stopped again by maki- “hey, i’m proud of you, not everyone can pull off the grand black swan” maki says in a soft tone . y/n stops in her tracks while presenting a grand smile. “thank you, i’ll see you later” y/n replies while taking her leave to statistics. 

y/n arrives to class earlier than expected with 10 minutes left to spare. she sits in her seat and looks around, seeing students walking in, some getting in their seats and others setting up. but she locks her eyes on one student. megumi fushiguro. she gently smiles remembering the events that took place on that friday. she notices that nobody really sits by him or even around him- she then takes a glance at her backpack sitting in front of her. she looks up and looks at the clock 7 minutes until class starts. she takes a deep breath before standing up. her legs guiding her to the left corner of class until she takes a seat away from her original one. “hey is this seat taken?” megumi is interrupted from her own thoughts, he looks up in shock to see y/n. “hellooo megumi??” “oh no sorry” he stutters at first still confused on why she chose to sit here, next to him- after all these days of being in the same class. “do you like this class” y/n starts a conversation, “oh um, i don’t really mind it” megumi responds, a bit awkward. for megumi it was never for him to interact with anyone in his classes. unless he’s forced to for projects and other things related to school. he believes that he’s just there to learn and get his degree. but in this instance and situation- glancing towards the girl who’s talking more, he doesn’t mind it. y/n continues the conversation ignoring the awkwardness, for her it was nice to start a friendship with the distance boy, she enjoyed his manner even with the difficulty others say he has with people. they continue to talk making this weird interaction into a more comfortable friendly one. until they both get interrupted by their professor finally starting class. during the time of lecture, megumi for the first time is distracted. he’s glancing over, observing the girl. he’s confused, flabbergasted, even a little flustered. what his friends said was true no one ever approaches him. everyone thinks he’s scary, or mean- his resting face gives people impressions that he’s someone that doesn’t care for any social interaction. he stares off until he’s suddenly awoken by y/n again. “hellooo earth to megumi.” “huh oh sorry what was that?” he replies. “oh sorry the class is over and you seemed like you were daydreaming” she laughed. she continued on by saying “do you have any social media, sorry you don’t have to give it to me but”- she’s cut off by megumi raising his voice “no i do here”. they switch and add each other on their apps, and y/n waves bye as she has to go to her other class. megumi lets out a small smile, seeing that he made a new friend- but then it suddenly drops and he groans knowing his other two idiotic friends won’t let him down in this. teasing him to the end of time.

4pm. audition time, y/n is in the studio waiting. everything is done in perfection. her hair as tight as she could make it, covering her bun with a small net, hairspraying her baby hairs, so they can never see the light of day. her pointe shoes feeling great, not too tight, never too loose. her costume shining in a million lights but giving the dark contract of the daring reflection of the black swan. she practiced before once again in the practice room. before getting directed by the teachers as they called the students into the dressing room to wait. they’ll call each student one by one. she looks up and sees everyone freaking out, her eyes are moving as if she’s looking for someone and her eyes finally catch her. kai, in the other corner dressed in white and stretching- her jaw tenses up before shaking her head because she cannot get riled up- not right now. 29 minutes pass and most dancers are called up. it’s just her, kai and a few more dancers left. kai gets called in, she sweeps by y/n before smirking “not going to wish me luck” she says with a confident tone. y/n looks up finally looking her in the eye, her face and voice are monotone, she takes a moment before saying “break a leg.” kai looks down at her before entering the audition. y/n closes her eyes a few moments go by and y/n is entering her first audition for her college career.

“okay, deep breath. this is it” y/n tells herself when presenting herself to her teachers and a few more judges she’s never seen. “good evening contestant 38” booms her main teacher, “please tell us your name, year and what part you’re trying out for” she continues. “hello my name is y/n l/n, i am a second year and im trying out for the role of the black swan” y/n says clearly, her head held high “ah y/n” the teacher almost sings with a sigh at the end. “can i ask why we didn’t have you in our class the first year?” “i spent my last year at my old studio maam” the teacher hums at her answer “i hope your old studio taught you well miss l/n, you may began.” y/n takes her last deep breath before positioning herself on stage. “I've practiced this a thousand times, but today, it has to be flawless. my pointe shoes feel good, the ribbons are tight, and my costume fits perfectly. remember, the Black Swan is all about precision and poise. every movement must be sharp and controlled.” her music starts to play, cueing her body to start moving, her arms and legs move to the beat, she begins her first sequence. her music sounds light and flawless but her body and emotion is giving sharp and precise hitting each turn and leaps perfectly. she continues to distract herself from the glaring judges with her mind. “focus on the music. let it guide me. each note is a cue for the next step. I can't afford to miss a beat. my pirouettes need to be spot-on, no wobbling. and my jumps, they need to be high and graceful, like I'm defying gravity.” she makes it to the middle part of her solo, now focusing on her feet work while adding the main turns of the swan lake she’s seen on track- forcing the judges to see that she already knows the choreography of the swan lake title all together. then finally she makes it to the ending, the hardest part of her dance. y/n is now tired, exhausted, now feeling the consequences of overdoing it the past week, the days of staying up late. but she pushes herself trying to make it to the end, making sure it’s all worth it. she continues by trying to talk herself in finishing strong- “i’ve worked so hard for this moment. all those late nights and early mornings, all the blisters and bruises—they've brought me here. this is my chance to shine, to show everyone what I'm capable of. i am the black swan. strong, fierce, and captivating. this is my moment." she finally ends her solo- finishing in a floor position, she’s smiling but feels tears flooding her eyes. “i did it” she keeps repeating to herself. the judges clap but still show no emotion. they all thank her and let her go. y/n leaves as her tears start flowing out of her eyes. she doesn’t understand why she’s crying but she doesn’t stop it from happening. within that she takes her things and starts walking home.

Authors note:

HEYYY GUYS WELCOMEE BACK 💞💞💞 today we enter chapter 6, following the friendship of y/n and her friends. while also entering A NEW FRIENDSHIP WITH MEGUMII. GUYS ARE WE READY I LOVE THIS DYNAMIC. anyways we see y/n process her first audition with the expectation how seeing and wondering if her hard work pays off. fingers crossed she got the part. but anyways i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and i’ll see you next time for chapter 7!! bye 💓

fun facts:

• when megumi got home, yuji and nobara found out about him following y/n and they started to attack him with questions!! (they stalked him)

• maki and toge also found out about y/n following megumi but they weren’t as crazy as yuji and nobara were to her.

• y/n listens to a lot of alternative music and has a board taste, but likes slow and steady music due to listening to ballet for years

• y/n struggles in math. like a lot.

*hello! my tags list is not working rn!! so im trying to tag everyone in a possible way (it looks ugly but it works!!) please be patient with me as i try to fix this this problem and have it ready for chapter 7!

tag list

@catobsessedlady @notveevee @1l-ynn @prettynai @xcalkenf

@ https://www.tumblr.com/meltedoctopie

@https://www.tumblr.com/heyheyitsurdaily

@https://www.tumblr.com/aceakariii

[its-desca]

People post their fics on tumblr sometimes. Right.

Uhhh anyways Engiespy fic below the cut where they are both aspec. 3.5k words.

Link to Ao3 version in reblogs because I don’t trust tumblr not to hide the post if I add a link. I’m gonna write one more short chapter so you can go bookmark it there if u wanna see that 👍

Late nights in Dell’s workshop weren’t supposed to go like this.

He and Spy had been sitting on opposite ends of his old, worn couch. Spy always insisted on taking the more intact side of the cushion, waxing on about Dell’s poor choice of interior decor, but it only ever made the shorter man laugh, as he knew Spy would always show for their Friday movie nights. They’d settle in, sometimes Dell would crack open a couple beers (for himself of course, Spy hated the stuff), and the two would relentlessly criticize each and every aspect of whatever they were watching, laughing all the while. It was the perfect way to end off a usually stressful week, and with Dell’s insistence to take as many late nights as possible working, it was also the only time he’d get anywhere near eight hours of sleep. Mostly.

This was one of those nights. The film had ended a few moments before, the credits beginning to silently slide by.

“Well, that was stupid,” Dell started, stretching his arms back and yawning. “I mean, seriously, when they blew that guy up the trajectory of his limbs was completely wrong. And did you even see that effect for the shotgun blast? Ridiculous! It’s like he got shot with twelve lil’ pistols, that ain’t what shells look like in the slightest, right?”

His short ramble was returned with silence, and after a moment Dell furrowed his brow, turning to look at his friend. Spy loved accosting the poor special effects directors, it wasn’t like him to spare even an inch of criticism at any chance he got. But when Dell looked over, he was surprised to find Spy staring straight back at him, his dull blue eyes locked onto him with a strange look.

“Spy?” Dell asked, concern edging into his tone. “You alright there, partner?”

Spy took a deep breath and reached over, gently taking the engineer’s hand. It was such a soft, intimate motion, that Dell immediately froze up, a faint blush starting to creep over his features. Oh no.

“Dell,” Spy said softly. “You’re… a very wonderful man.”

Dell hadn’t known there was a good kind of blush back when he was young, flitting from girl to girl at his fathers insistence, desperately trying to cling to the vestiges of every relationship he could manage to find. “You’re just flustered,” he’d been told when he brought this up. He’d convinced himself yes, that’s what it was. It was not an easy feat.

“We have been convening for quite some time now and… well… I have recently begun to see something different in you,” Spy continued. He seemed intent on maintaining eye contact through what he was saying, but Dell could tell he was struggling.

“And that is…?” Dell laughed nervously. Please. Please no.

“I… I believe I am in love with you Dell. I would like to know if you feel the same.”

Dell opened his mouth to reply, but couldn’t find the words, panic welling in his chest. It was over. Every good thing he and Spy had, every conversation, every joke, every cheap beer and fancy glass of wine, every long night in his workshop, every early morning chatting on the balcony, had all amounted to nothing. Again. It always ended this way.

Spy let out a breath after a moment, seeming to take his hesitance as an answer. The look in his eyes hurt more than anything he could have said. He leaned back, withdrawing his hand from the Engineer’s grasp, and Dell had to stop himself from reaching out again. The distance apart was unbearable, the air suddenly feeling so much colder against his empty hand.

Dell wouldn’t cry, not now. He shouldn’t have even been able to cry, because something was wrong with him, something was broken. He’d been to doctors. He’d been to therapists. Hell, he’d even tried talking to Medic. But nothing came up on tests, the psychologists would say he just hadn’t met the right person, and Medic had given him such a puzzled look he gave up immediately. Well, by all means, the right person was right in front of him. The right person should have been in front of him. But he felt nothing in the hollow hole of his heart but shame.

“I’m sorry- I just-“ Dell found the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them, the sound of his voice much shakier than he would have liked.

“No, no, it is alright. I understand if men are… ah… not your taste-“ Spy cut in.

“That’s- not- Women ain’t either,” Dell blurted out. He immediately regretted his outburst, embarrassment crawling in his stomach with the strange look Spy gave him.

“Then…” Spy spoke slowly, as if every word might scare his coworker away. “What… if you don’t mind me asking… is your taste?”

Dell’s throat felt tight as he searched for an answer to the question he’d asked himself over and over again. “I… don’t know.”

He leaned over and put his face in his hands, taking a deep, shuddering breath. As the fingers in his still-flesh hand met his cheek, he drew them back to find them wet. He had sworn he wouldn’t cry.

“I’m sorry.” Dell muttered. “You’re a fine man and I don’t… I just… I’m awfully sorry. You… you can go.”

Dell stared at the ground, trying to take deep breaths. He waited for the telltale sign of footsteps, the sound of a cloak, something. What he wasn’t expecting was for a gloved hand to gently meet his back. The engineer looked up.

Spy’s face was unreadable, not an unusual appearance for the man, but this time he looked more lost. The man opened his mouth and closed it, trying to parse some kind of response.

He finally spoke, “Dell, really, it is alright. Please do not worry about me-“

“-I do worry about you though!” Dell interrupted. “I think about you all the damn time! You’re always hiding yourself away in that fancy old room of yours, never showing up to nights out on the town, answering every question with a question. Do you ever hang out with anyone other than me? Ever?”

Spy’s eyes widened at his outburst, but he didn’t say anything.

“That ain’t good for you, Spy. You can’t just close yourself off to the world and be a one man show.”

Spy scoffed at this, turning away, “Says who?”

Dell grabbed Spy’s shoulder and turned him around to look him in the eye. “Says me. Because I care about you. I care about you… a whole damn lot. And I don’t…” he felt his eyes sting with tears again. “Something’s busted up in my head, I’m sure of it. Because you’re great. You’re smart as a whip, and- and funny, and caring, and handsome, and… a whole buncha other stuff I can’t think of right now because I’m upset.”

Spy’s eyes widened and he stuttered, the blush under his mask creeping up to the bridge of his nose. “Q-Quoi?”

Dell took a deep breath, leaning back. “I mean it. I don’t… I’m awfully sorry, Spy, I just…” He trailed off awkwardly, leaving the two of them in silence for a moment.

Spy had diverted his eyes to the floor, his lips pressed together in concentration. Dell could practically hear the gears turning in his head, but couldn’t possibly fathom what there was to be processing.

After a long pause, Spy looked up again. Dell nervously shifted as the man spoke, “Monsieur Conagher… what you are describing… sounds like love to me.”

Dell sighed and shook his head, having gotten all too familiar with this reaction at this point in his life He usually didn’t try to explain himself further, but something was different about Spy. As he stared back at him, he could see something lurking beneath the surface of those murky blue eyes. Something he couldn’t quite place, but compelled him to keep talking.

“It’s like… you know how you love a friend differently than a partner?” Dell tried. Spy stared at him blankly, and the engineer sighed, rubbing his temples. “No, that’s not right, lemme start over.”

“Way I see it, there are three ways to love someone. You can love them as a friend, where you’re fine just sittin around and shooting the breeze, maybe throwing back a couple of beers. You can love them the way you’d love a partner, where you wanna go on dates and the like,” Dell scratched the back of his neck. “That one flies over my head a bit. Like, I’d be fine going on a date with someone. Just not… in a romantic sort of fashion. All friend-like would be fine.”

Spy raised an eyebrow, speaking again, “You said there were three kinds of attraction?”

“Well, yeah… I suppose you can go and figure out what the third one is.”

“I presume it is of a sexual nature?”

Dell’s face reddened, “Well you don’t have to just go and say it!”

“Hm.” Spy pulled out a cigarette and lights it, taking a long drag before looking back over. “Why the refusal to speak about it?”

The shorter man crossed his arms, huffing, “I ain’t refusing nothing! It just ain’t proper, is all.”

Spy chuckled, throwing Dell a look. “Well, in that case, where do you fall on the matter?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“As you appear to not experience this attraction of the ‘romantic’ sort, do you experience any sexual attraction?”

The blush on Dell’s face deepened, and he looked away. “Well, that’s a tricky question. I do experience… well… some kinda… that.” He gestured vaguely. “But it ain’t exactly to other people. Like I wouldn’t say no necessarily if it was offered, but… you know… not something I’m looking for.”

The smirk on Spy’s face melted into a more neutral expression as he hummed thoughtfully, shifting his gaze back to the T.V. The credits to the movie were over at this point, static casting a faint glow over the man’s masked features. Dell couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like behind the disguise. A few defining features crept through the fabric, high cheekbones, an aquiline nose, a strong chin, but not enough so that Dell felt he could identify the man without it.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes before Spy broke it again. “This… romantic… type of attraction you speak of. Would you mind describing what it… feels like?”

“Well, I’ve only had it described to me through others, so can’t say for certain I’m the best source. But from what I’ve heard, you start thinking about that person all the time. When you’re around them your knees get kinda weak and your head all fuzzy. You get hit with overwhelming urges to do stuff like kiss em or hold their hand.” Dell shrugged. “Stuff like that I reckon.”

Spy’s lip curled with disgust. “Sounds like a disease. Are you sure?”

The engineer laughed, grinning back. “I know, right! People describe their partners same way I talk about my blueprints!”

“You are the only one who feels this way about math.”

Dell’s smile widened and he clapped his hand on Spy’s shoulder playfully, “And that’s why I’m the best goddamn engineer this side of the Mississippi!”

Spy chuckled in response, taking another drag of his cigarette. Dell looked at him thoughtfully, the gears beginning to turn in his head while he evaluated the man before him.

“Spy?” Dell started, trying to sound casual. “Are you saying that you reckon you might… feel the same?”

Spy huffed, furrowing his brow. “The way you are describing romance is not the way I perceive it.”

“How’s that, then?”

Spy thought for a moment, his eyes searching the floor for something that didn’t seem to be there. “I am… uncertain. But I have treated romance as a natural progression of friendship. A strong sense of camaraderie with another, where you take additional actions such as ‘dates’ or ‘kissing’ to express the nature of this relationship. Although, this does not appear to be… the ‘correct’ way. As you’ve described.”

Dell wondered, for a brief moment, if he’s dreaming. If this was just some horrible trick his brain was playing on him to make him think he’s finally not alone. “So… you said you loved me? You still… think that?”

“Well… there are multiple ways, yes? I am… beginning to believe it was in the way of a friend as opposed to a lover,” Spy responded slowly.

“Well…” Dell thought for a second. “I know a way we could test it.”

“And that is?”

Dell took a deep breath, wondering if what he’s about to say is stupid. “Kiss me.”

Spy’s face immediately reddened. “What?!” he spluttered incredulously. “I thought you said-“

“It wouldn’t be in a ‘lovers’- or, whatever you called it- kind of way. We could do a… a friends… kiss?”

Spy scoffed, “There is no such thing.”

“Why not?” Dell gently reached over, taking Spy’s hand. The man looked back at him like a deer caught in headlights, and Dell almost laughed. So much for that suave Frenchman he so adamantly claimed to be. “If you don’t wanna, that’s fine. But I think-“

Dell was interrupted by Spy’s lips crashing against his, the man pulling at his overalls to bring him forward in an almost desperate motion. He squeaked in surprise, trying to orient himself better on the couch into a more comfortable position before starting to kiss back, although he’d admit that he did so with much less finesse than the Frenchman.

It was strange to kiss Spy in this way, something in the way that they met feeling different than the other times Dell had kissed someone. His face was hot, sure, and he felt a little bit like he might keel over at any moment. But there was so much less intention behind every movement, something more playful and relaxed about the way Spy’s hands curled around his back. It was… nice. That was, until Spy started trying to get tongue involved, and Dell pulled away, laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Spy asked after a moment, looking a little bit dazed.

“You taste like cigarettes!” Dell laughed.

Spy’s offended look made the engineer laugh even harder. “I do not!” the Frenchman snapped in indignation.

“You sure as the devil do! It’s like kissing a hooker!”

Spy scoffed. “Well, you kiss comme un adolescent.”

“I assume that’s not a good thing?” Dell smiled.

Spy returned the look with a smirk of his own. “Non.”

The two looked at each other like that for a moment and then broke out into laughter, unable to keep a straight face. When they stopped, Dell noticed that he and Spy were still very close, and his heart skipped a beat for a moment.

He began to move away, stuttering, “Ah, well, that was… sorry if that was weird I just…”

Spy reached out for him, speaking softly. “No, no, it wasn’t… strange. It was…” he glanced away, “I am not sure I know the correct term. But I would not be opposed to doing it again.”

Something warm rushed through Dell’s chest, and he struggled to identify it. Was this love? No, that wasn’t it. Or maybe it was. Not romantic love, but something softer, yet equally as strong.

“Me neither,” Dell chuckled. He stood up, sidling over to the TV and starting to fiddle with the VCR, rewinding the tape inside before popping it out and tossing it haphazardly to the side. His eyes caught on the box of movies they still had yet to watch, eyeing a tape sitting at the top and grabbing it. He flashed it at Spy, smiling.

“I know we got a ‘one movie a night rule’ but… you up for one more, partner?”

Spy let out a sigh, nodding. “Fine. But choose a short one.”

Dell’s grin grew and he grabbed a random tape from the box, jamming it into the VCR before flopping back down onto his end of the couch. The film began to play, the screen once again casting a faint glow over the two men.

They watched it for a couple minutes, neither of them speaking much. Dell’s mind was still racing, and as he glanced over at his friend, Spy seemed to be the same. The man looked up and they met eyes for a moment. Spy opened his mouth as if he were going to speak and then closed it again, turning back to look at the TV.

Dell tilted his head, his voice breaking the silence, “Somethin’ wrong?”

Spy shook his head no, rubbing the back of his neck and trying to parse a response. “I was… well… I was wondering if we could sit… closer…” he said tentatively.

Dell let out a laugh at that. “Awwww, you wanna cuddle~?”

“Not like that!” Spy huffed, his face reddening. “Just… well…” He trailed off, looking away. “It has been… some time.”

The engineer softened at that, the sadness in Spy’s voice tugging at his heart. He tried to remember the last time he’d held someone himself. He couldn’t recall.

He scooted over, reaching out and gently pulling Spy into his arms. The Frenchman leaned into Dell’s touch in return, snaking his arms around the engineer’s back and letting out a near imperceptible sigh.

Despite his considerable height advantage, Spy felt so small in Dell’s grasp. He had never thought about how boney the man was until holding him, feeling like any wrong move could snap him in half. His muscles were tense, his entire body coiled tight like a spring as he pressed his forehead into the southerner’s chest. Dell smiled a bit at that, resting his chin on Spy’s head. Spy still smelled like cigarettes, but there was something softer underneath it, hints of wine and cologne clinging to his suit. It was nice.

“You ain’t really watchin’ the movie from that angle, ya know,” he joked.

“It is probably stupid anyways,” Spy mumbled, his voice muffled.

Dell looked up at the TV and watched a character's head get blown off by a rocket. “‘Fraid so,” he laughed.

Spy chuckled softly in return, relaxing slightly in Dell’s grasp. Dell sighed, wondering if the man ever really relaxed all the way. He was so uptight all the time, constantly looking as if he was ready to flee from any situation. Dell supposed that was part of the job, not getting caught unaware, but it saddened him to see Spy still so wound up even in the solitude of the engineer’s workshop.

Time passed and the movie went on, but Dell wasn’t paying much attention anymore. His thoughts were occupied by Spy, and the almost desperate way he clung to him. Dell had heard someone use the term “touch starved” once, and he couldn’t help that it sprang to the front of his mind. Was Spy touch starved? He glanced down and realized how tightly he was holding the man in return. Was he touch starved too?

He slowly ran his hand up and down Spy’s back, turning his head so his cheek pressed against the top of his balaclava. Dell couldn’t help but close his eyes at the sensation, the warmth surrounding him nearly intoxicating, the simple feeling of holding someone and being held in return better than anything he’d experienced before. Is this what sex was supposed to be like? He couldn’t blame people for chasing it if that was the case.

Logically, Dell knew that he wasn’t safe. His brain reminded him of the window on the east side of his workshop that he hadn’t fitted with bulletproof glass, the flimsy security checkpoints outside the base, the magnetic locks on the doors never quite closing them tight enough, the alarm on the wall that threatened to ring at any point. His heart, however, had a different idea, slowing to a calm rhythm in his chest as Spy leaned his head against it. He was shot at for a living. He closed his eyes, drinking in the feeling of it all. This was a nice change of pace.

When he tried to open his eyes again, he felt himself struggling to do so. A sudden wave of exhaustion crashed down upon him, and he shifted, intending to get up and plod off to bed. As he did, he was reminded of Spy pressing down on him, acting almost like a blanket. There was no way in hell he was going to ask the Frenchman to move. Accepting his fate, he let his eyes close again, sighing a little. He relaxed, quietly letting sleep overtake him.

[pollux-starsz]

Another writing! This one was 15 pages long, I am COOKING.

DCA Slasher AU belongs to @wyervan! Go check them out, their art is such a beauty to behold and their writing is certainly to keep you entertained!

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of death, child abuse, child endangerment, blood, HEAVY depictions of gore as well as depictions of puke.

Writing is under the cut!

On A Silver Platter

It’d been a while since the new roommate oh-so willingly joined the beloved Sun and Moon on their adventures. Those adventures being working all day and then being stuck between Moon fast asleep on the couch while she watches Friends and Sun being his usual workaholic self as he’s sick with a cold.

But alas, what can you do? Ask them to spare you, as if you haven’t been friends with two serial killers for almost a year? Serial killers, by definition, of course! We cannot forget their noble cause!

“For the children..” As Sun would say, right?

Kalamela let out a small sigh as she walked up to the door of the house, the lovely shared residence of her two friends. It hadn’t always been this way. Just three weeks ago, she was happily sitting on her own couch, scarfing down a pepperoni pizza while her neighbors blasted music loud enough to wake the dead.

She stepped to the side as Sun walked up to the front door, the sound of keys clinking together filled the air as he unlocked the door with a small ‘click’, Moon trudged himself right inside and started rummaging through the fridge as if he hadn’t eaten in a year. Sun let out a content hum, motioning inside with his hand as Kalamela walked in first, then he followed along. Moon had already plopped down on the couch, devouring the leftovers from last night’s takeout with the enthusiasm of someone who hadn’t seen food in weeks. Sun, ever the creature of routine, settled beside him, a small hum of contentment escaping his lips as he finally allowed himself to relax. Kalamela followed suit, sinking into the couch, the three of them sitting in comfortable silence. Well, comfortable for them, at least—Moon’s version of productivity involved occupying the couch, after all. As for Kalamela and Sun, they were both drained in their own ways, each carrying the weight of a long day in silence, though for different reasons.

“Can we get pizza?” Moon uttered between bites, Sun lifted his head up and stared for a moment before he replied, “You’re eating leftovers right now, Moonie. Why could you possibly want pizza if you haven’t even finished that yet!” He huffed, Moon frowned and handed the box over Sun’s lap to Kalamela, who took the box out of confusion before she started eating the food herself.

Moon then crossed his arms, “I haven’t eaten yet, she has.” He answered as he sunk into the couch. Sun just gave him a deadpanned look, “You call Freddy’s then!” He scoffed, Moon just let out a long groan as he shoved Sun’s face away. That only led to more bickering between the two.. The usual Smoon stuff.

Kalamela stared at the TV, she was tired but you can’t fall asleep to two grown men arguing over who calls a pizza place after work.

Sun finally shoved Moon off with a small exhale, “Fine, I’ll call. Star, do you want anything specific?” He asked, flashing a grin while Moon grumbled under his breath. The glow of the TV bathed the room in a soft light, faint voices murmuring from the screen, and after a moment, Kalamela sighed quietly. “Pepperoni,” she mumbled. Sun opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could tell she was upset, and so could Moon. It was like he wanted to say something, but the words just wouldn’t come. That’s not the case with Moon, though—he never had trouble speaking his mind. Sun knew that all too well.

“Are you upset because Sun left Mango’s cage open last night?” Moon asked, and Sun exhaled sharply, a long, seething breath. Kalamela turned her head to look at the two of them.

“No,” she replied flatly.

Moon considered for a moment before continuing. “Is it because I hid the keys to your motorcycle for a week?”

“…No. But thanks for the self-incrimination.” She said, her annoyance creeping into her tone.

“Is it because we forgot to pick you up from work last week?”

“No, but you still owe me for that. My motorcycle was in the shop, and I had to walk home in the pouring rain.”

“We’re very sorry about that, Star…” Sun said, his voice laced with a sheepish laugh. But Moon wasn’t done.

“Is it because we made you live with us partially against your will?”

Sun slapped a hand over Moon’s mouth and shoved him off the couch. Moon landed with a loud thud on the floor. “Remember how this conversation ended last time, Moonie?” Sun laughed nervously. Moon groaned as he pushed himself up from the floor, and Sun grabbed him by the arm, dragging him into the kitchen.

“I can walk, you know,” Moon grumbled as Sun pushed him forward.

“We’ll be just a moment, Star!” Sun called out, and Kalamela turned around on the couch, watching them shuffle toward the kitchen.

Sun gave Moon another shove, and Moon stumbled, nearly tripping over his own feet. He quickly straightened up and turned to face Sun. “It was just a question,” he huffed, leaning against the counter behind him while Sun crossed his arms, standing in front of him.

“Do you know how she gets when we mention that?” Sun scoffed, a slight edge to his voice. Moon let out a small exhale, his thoughts drifting back to the last time they’d brought it up.

“It’s not like she’s clueless, though,” Moon replied, trying to downplay the tension that was slowly creeping in.

Sun’s face fell as he let out a long sigh, rubbing his hands together as if he could somehow scrub away the unease that lingered. “Yes, Moonie. I’m well aware,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and guilt. “But last time she sat in the bedroom, crying for over an hour. I could hear her, you know? And I didn’t do anything.”

Moon stared at Sun for a moment, his eyes narrowing as his gaze shifted toward the living room. Kalamela was sitting on the couch, completely unaware of their conversation, absorbed in whatever show was on TV. But Moon couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more than just distance between them. Something heavier.

He felt something in his chest tighten. Guilt? Maybe. Love? It felt like it, but he wasn’t entirely sure what it was. He hated seeing her like that—vulnerable, hurt, with no one to talk to. But he wasn’t sure how to fix it, or even if they could.

“You’ve gotten too attached to her, Moonie. It’s quite obvious,” Sun muttered, his voice barely audible as he crossed his arms, looking at Moon with a steady gaze.

Moon frowned at the words, his chest tightening further as he glared at Sun. “And what about you? You’ve fallen just as hard for her as I have,” he huffed, his words coming out sharper than intended. Sun tapped his foot impatiently, his eyes focused on the floor, avoiding Moon’s gaze.

“I know.” Sun’s voice was barely a whisper, like the words were heavy and he wasn’t sure he wanted to say them out loud. He stood there, silent for a moment, the weight of the confession hanging between them.

Sun let out a long exhale, his shoulders sagging slightly as he rubbed his temples, clearly frustrated. The tension from their earlier conversation hung heavily in the air, but after a moment, Sun straightened himself up, letting out a small huff as he forced a smile. "The best we can do is wait until she wants to talk about it," he said, his voice attempting to regain its usual lightheartedness. He turned back toward Moon, his tone sharp and slightly warning. "Also, do not hide her keys again—"

"It was funny," Moon interrupted with a playful snicker, already walking back toward the living room, clearly unconcerned. Sun frowned, following him closely, his mind still preoccupied with the earlier conversation but too tired to argue more.

"Oh yes, Moonie," Sun replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I’m sure it’s so hilarious getting a fork thrown at your face during dinner." He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as he spoke. Moon, unbothered, simply let out a scoff, clearly enjoying himself despite the mild chaos that had just unfolded.

Moon flopped back down onto the couch with a contented sigh, clearly more at ease now that the moment had passed. Sun, still holding the phone, dialed the number for Freddy’s with practiced ease, already thinking about what he wanted to order. Moon, however, didn’t waste any time and glanced up at Kalamela with a wide, teasing grin.

“She still loves me, don’t you, sweetheart?” he said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, clearly trying to get a rise out of her. Kalamela, however, only turned her head away, her lips pressed into a firm line as she gave him a pointed look of disapproval.

“The princess shall never love a commoner,” she huffed dramatically, flipping her hair as she settled back into her seat. Moon’s grin faltered for a moment before he let out a small, exaggerated laugh at her response.

“Ouch,” he said, his voice tinged with mock hurt. “You’re no princess yourself, Star.” He snickered, trying to keep the mood light, but Kalamela wasted no time in swatting him across the face with a swift smack.

Moon winced dramatically, rubbing his nose with a hiss as he recoiled, a playful glare shooting her way. Sun, who had been busy dialing on the phone, snickered at the exchange, clearly amused by the whole scene unfolding in front of him.

Kalamela patted Moon’s back in an exaggerated show of mock sympathy, her lips curling into a small smirk. “Yet the princess can send the commoner to the gallows whenever she pleases,” she said with a sly grin, her eyes gleaming with mischievous satisfaction. Moon, still rubbing his nose, shot her a look of disbelief before shaking his head in a playful defeat.

“Fine, you win.” He huffed, his voice full of reluctant surrender as Kalamela slumped back into the couch with a contented sigh. She kicked her feet up, sinking deeper into the cushions. Moon stared at her for a moment, his gaze lingering longer than necessary, before he carelessly flopped over onto her lap. Kalamela blinked in surprise but didn’t push him off, instead opting to rub her eyes wearily. Sun, with a low groan, joined them back on the couch, leaning into the soft cushions and grabbing the last piece of pizza on the box.

For the next little while, the room was filled with the sounds of pizza being devoured with enthusiasm, Moon’s occasional chuckles, and the more frequent playful fistfights between Kalamela and Moon. The two sparred over everything, from trivial matters like who stole the last slice of pizza, to more absurd disputes about who could take the better nap on the couch. Sun kept score, of course, occasionally muttering the tally under his breath in mock seriousness, though it was clear to anyone watching that neither of them really cared about the results.

Eventually, Sun finished his last slice of pizza with a satisfied hum, his eyes gliding over the empty box. He clicked off the TV with a deliberate motion, the quiet hum of the room settling in after the noise of the evening. He chewed his last bite slowly, savoring the last of the pizza’s flavor before swallowing it down with a quiet, contented sigh.

For a moment, everything was peaceful. Sun paused, eyes drifting to the clock on the wall before he leaned back against the couch, arms stretched out across the cushions. The silence stretched on, as though he was waiting for the right moment to say something, or maybe just enjoying the calm for a bit longer. Finally, with a small but exaggerated breath, he turned toward Kalamela and flashed her a smile.

“That was lovely!” he said, his voice cheerful, though his tone hinted at something more, something he wasn’t saying. “But, Star,” he continued, as he shifted his posture, “me and Moonie have some… matters to attend to.”

Kalamela glanced at him, raising an eyebrow in confusion, the oddness of his tone making her pause. “Matters?” she repeated, her voice full of uncertainty. She sat up slightly, trying to read the expression on both of their faces, but they were both giving nothing away.

Moon, who had just lazily rolled off her lap, glanced over at her, his eyes flashing with something she couldn’t quite place. “Don’t wait up for us," he added with a sigh.

Sun shot Moon a brief glance, the two exchanging a look that seemed like it held some unspoken meaning. It was subtle, but to Kalamela, it felt like an odd shift in the air, a tension that had barely been there moments before. Sun cleared his throat and stood up with a stretch, reaching out to help Moon to his feet. Moon didn’t need the help, of course, but let Sun do it anyway, still flashing that strange grin that wasn’t quite a grin.

“We’ll be back soon, Star!~” Sun said, his voice chippy and sweet, though there was something odd in the way he said it—almost like he was reassuring her in a way that didn’t seem to match the situation. He glanced at Moon again, a quick, silent exchange happening before Moon muttered something under his breath that Kalamela couldn’t catch.

After the door clicked shut, she remained still for a moment, the silence settling around her. She didn’t want to be alone for the rest of the day. When she wasn’t working, she often found herself by herself while they were out, and sometimes they didn’t return until late at night.

She sat in the quiet for a little longer, contemplating, before finally standing up with a sigh. After feeding her pets, she stepped out the door. She glanced left and right, unsure which direction they had taken, before settling on following the footprints in the damp sidewalk. At least the rainstorm had given her one advantage.

After walking for what felt like forever, she was about ready to give up. That was until a familiar voice cut through the quiet, not too far from where she was. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it was coming from, her eyes scanning the darkened landscape before she cautiously made her way through the empty field. Her steps slowed as she approached what appeared to be an old barn—one that looked like it had been abandoned for years.

The sight of it was unsettling. The wooden structure was rotting, barely holding itself together, and the open field that had once been farmland stretched for miles in every direction, barren and lifeless. A dense forest loomed not far beyond it, casting eerie shadows under the faint moonlight. From inside the barn, muffled shouting and laughter echoed—loud, yet just quiet enough that no one passing by on the main roads would ever hear.

She carefully navigated through the overgrown grass, her every step accompanied by the soft rustle of dry stalks. As she neared the building, she hesitated at the closed door. The area was cluttered with discarded, rusted tools, making every step treacherous. It was too dark to see much, but she pressed forward, swallowing down her unease as she reached for the door.

She gripped the handle, slowly turning it as the door let out a long, creaking noise. The voices inside didn’t stop. Sun’s voice was easy to recognize—cheerful and distinct, even now. The other voice, however, was different. Shaky. Afraid.

Stepping inside, she pressed herself against the wall, peeking around the corner. Moon stood with his back to her, leaning against the doorframe, watching. His posture was relaxed, but something about it felt tense, like he was waiting for something.

Then, her eyes landed on Sun. He stood in front of a man who was tied up, stiff with fear. The barn’s dim light cast shadows over his face, highlighting the panic in his wide eyes. Sun, on the other hand, looked calm—too calm—as he smiled down at him.

She held her breath, pressing herself closer to the wall, careful not to make a sound as she watched. Sun’s voice rang out again, smooth and almost playful.

“Moonie, why don’t you remind our dear friend here of the choices that led him to such a… predicament? It’s only fair he understands why he’s been volunteered for tonight’s show,” Sun cooed, running the tip of his juggling knife along the man’s cheek. His fingers gripped the warm-colored handle, poised to toss it at any moment. The blade gleamed under the dim light, a golden hue reflecting off the metal, etched with delicate sun-ray patterns.

Moon met Sun’s gaze, silent for a moment as he dragged a metal chair forward, the man being yanked along with it. He leaned lazily against the wall, fingers tapping against the handle of his axe as if in thought. Then, in one swift motion—CRACK.

The axe buried itself deep into the man’s rib cage. A scream tore through the barn, raw and desperate, his body convulsing as he choked on his own blood.

“Samantha would’ve wanted us to leave you alone,” Moon muttered, his voice low, almost thoughtful.

“Or was it Sadie? Sarah? Sophie? Maybe Skylar?” His tone sharpened. “You could never seem to remember, could you?”

He crouched down, sneering. “Maybe when you get home, you can tell Sydney you didn’t mean to lock her in that closet. Or starve her. Or beat her with that wine bottle.”

With a vicious twist, he drove the axe deeper, slicing through flesh and bone as the man’s insides spilled onto the floor in a grotesque heap. His body convulsed, barely clinging to life—a testament to the oh-so stubborn resilience of human survival. Moon let out a deep, delighted cackle before kicking the chair over, sending the man crashing onto the blood-slicked floor.

Sun wiped a splatter of blood off his mask, letting out an irritated groan as he glanced at the crimson stains now coating his arms and clothes. “Ugh! This is going to take forever to clean up!” he whined, exasperated.

With a frustrated flick of his wrist, he sent a juggling knife flying, embedding it with a sickening thud into the corpse’s skull.

Kalamela clamped a trembling hand over her mouth, but it did nothing to stop the rising bile burning her throat. Her stomach twisted, nausea clawing at her insides as the sickly scent of blood thickened the air. The wet squelch of entrails, the crack of bones, the dying gasps—it was too much. Her vision blurred as her breaths came too fast, too shallow, chest tightening with each second she stood there.

She felt like she was going to collapse. Or scream. Or vomit. Maybe all three.

But she didn’t move.

Here's a rewritten and lengthened version with the same content but more detail and flow:

Moon let out a heavy grunt as he turned toward the door, rolling his shoulders as he walked. If they had to clean up this mess—and they did—then they obviously needed supplies for it. With a lazy grip, he dragged the axe along the wooden floor, the blade scraping with a long, grating screech that echoed through the barn. The sound sent an unpleasant shiver up his spine, but he didn’t care enough to lift it.

As he walked, he reached up, unfastening his mask and pulling it off in one swift motion. Finally. He could breathe properly again, no longer trapped in the suffocating heat of his own breath against the inside of the mask. He exhaled, relishing the cool air against his face—

Then he froze.

His steps came to an abrupt halt, his grip tightening around the axe handle. His sharp gaze landed on her—Kalamela—standing there just beyond the shadows. His eyes widened, taking in the way she looked—stunned? Horrified? Maybe neither. Maybe both. He couldn’t tell, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

All that mattered was that she was here.

And he had to deal with that.

“…Star?” he uttered, his voice lower now, quieter, a hesitant edge clinging to the single word.

At the mention of the name, Sun perked up, his head snapping in their direction, eyes gleaming with familiarity. He recognized that name anywhere. And if he had noticed her, then there was no ignoring it now. Sun shot up immediately, his movements quick and decisive as he strode toward Moon, shoving him aside without a second thought. His focus zeroed in on her—Kalamela—standing frozen, wide-eyed, caught in the moment like a deer in headlights.

They had to act fast. Faster than usual. There was no telling what she might do next—run, scream, fight. And if she ran? Well… that would be inconvenient. If she screamed? That would be even worse. And if she fought back? They really didn’t want to go down that road. They didn’t need to kill her. They didn’t want to, either.

So Sun smiled.

Not forced, not strained—just as easy and natural as breathing. His grin stretched wide, ear to ear, gleaming with something both thrilled and playful as he crouched down in front of her. Their eyes met—his, alight with amusement, hers, blown wide, pupils trembling with the weight of what she had just witnessed.

“Well hi there, Starlight!” he crooned, his voice sing-song and syrupy sweet, waving a blood-streaked hand in front of her as if this was nothing more than a casual greeting.

Kalamela didn’t move. She sat there, knees drawn tight against her chest, hands curled into fists just below her collarbone. She was shaking—not violently, but just enough for him to notice.

Sun tilted his head, his grin never wavering.

“I think you saw something you shouldn’t have… Oopsie!” he cooed, lifting one bloodied hand to his mask, peeling it away with a slow, deliberate motion. His grin remained, uncanny and unshaken, as if he wasn’t the least bit concerned about the situation at hand.

She still didn’t answer.

She didn’t scream. She didn’t move.

Just short, uneven breaths, rattling in her chest as she locked eyes with him, utterly paralyzed. Moon let out a low groan as he made his way outside to the van, his boots crunching against the dirt as he went to gather the necessary supplies. There was a lot to clean up. The fun they'd had just moments ago had left its usual mess—one they couldn’t afford to leave behind.

Inside, Sun exhaled through his nose before placing a gentle hand on Kalamela’s shoulder. She didn’t flinch, didn’t react, just sat there, stiff and unmoving. With little effort, he lifted her up and carried her over to a cleaner spot, setting her down as if she were some delicate thing that needed to be handled with care. Once she was settled, he crouched back down, tilting his head as he studied her expression.

“Wait here while we clean up, okay?” he said, his voice just as light and cheerful as always. “Do you want anything? Candy? A deck of cards? Maybe some music?”

Silence.

She sat crisscrossed, her fingers gripping at the fabric of her pants, her gaze darting everywhere except at him. Her breathing was steady, but her body was rigid, her mind clearly racing too fast to process his words.

Moon scoffed from across the room, his voice sharp and unimpressed. “She’s not gonna talk, dumbass.” He muttered as he grabbed what remained of the mutilated corpse, stuffing it into a thick plastic bag before preparing to haul it out for burial.

Sun let out an exaggerated sigh, standing back up and stretching his arms. “Worth a shot, Moonie. At least I tried,” he huffed, a sarcastic edge to his tone. “Not like I can just leave her sitting there forever.”

They went about their work, falling into their usual rhythm—Moon outside, digging and burying, wiping the blood off his axe before pulling on fresh clothes, while Sun stayed behind, methodically scrubbing down every surface, wiping away the crimson that had splattered across the walls, the floor—mostly himself. The metallic scent of blood still clung to the air, thick and suffocating, but soon enough, the room would look as if nothing had ever happened.

Kalamela still hadn’t moved. Not even an inch. Her breathing was too controlled, too measured, like she was forcing herself not to fall apart. Sun glanced at her again while he scrubbed the last few stains off his arm, the cloth in his hand now thoroughly ruined. He clicked his tongue, tossing it aside before dusting himself off.

“Alright, all cleaned up!” he announced, his voice as chipper as ever, like he hadn’t just spent the last several minutes wiping blood off the walls.

Moon reappeared in the doorway, his shirt changed, his hands cleaned. The only thing giving him away was the dirt still clinging to his boots. He rolled his shoulders with a lazy sigh before walking past Sun, his sharp gaze landing directly on Kalamela.

She still hadn’t moved.

A long, uncomfortable pause stretched between the three of them. Moon took a slow step forward.

“Are you gonna say something, or do we have to sit here all night?” His voice was flat, but there was something underneath it—something unreadable.

Nothing.

Sun hummed, crouching back down in front of her, tapping his fingers against his knee. “Starlight, are you in there?” He snapped his fingers near her face, watching her blink, but still, she said nothing.

He sighed, placing both hands on his hips before turning his head toward Moon. “See? This is why I asked if she wanted candy.”

Moon groaned, rubbing his temples. “She just watched us kill someone, Sun.”

“Yes, and?” Sun tilted his head. “She’s not stupid. She knows what we do.”

“Yeah, but it’s different actually seeing it,” Moon muttered, running a hand through his hair.

They both fell silent, looking at her again. Kalamela still wasn’t talking, wasn’t moving, wasn’t doing anything.

Sun let out an exaggerated huff, shaking his head as he stood back up. “Welp, guess we broke her.”

Moon rolled his eyes, stepping closer. He crouched beside her, resting his elbow on his knee. “Hey.” His voice was quieter now, lower.

Kalamela finally reacted—barely. Her gaze flickered toward him before shifting away again.

Moon tilted his head, watching her for a long moment before exhaling. “You’re not gonna tell anyone, are you?”

Her fingers twitched slightly, curling into the fabric of her pants.

“…No.” Her voice was quiet, hoarse, barely there.

Sun clapped his hands together, grinning ear to ear. “See? That’s the spirit!”

Moon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Come on, Star. Let’s go home.” She didn’t argue. She didn’t fight them. She just let them pull her up onto her feet, her body moving on autopilot as they led her back toward the van.

The night was cool, the scent of rain still lingering in the air, washing away the blood, the evidence. The car ride home was drowned in an unbearable silence. The faint hum of the engine was the only sound that broke the stillness, and even that felt too loud in the quiet. Sun glanced occasionally at the rearview mirror, his gaze lingering on Kalamela, but she didn’t move. She just sat there, frozen, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Moon was quiet too, staring out the window as the road blurred by.

After a while, Sun sighed. "She’s been quiet."

"She just saw us kill someone," Moon said, his voice flat and uninterested. "You really expect her to be jumping for joy?"

Sun raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply immediately. "I mean, a little reaction wouldn’t hurt."

“She’s reacting,” Moon shot back. “Just not in the way you want.”

Sun frowned, his grip on the wheel tightening slightly. “Guess you're right.”

The silence stretched on, thick and heavy. The only noise came from the occasional squeak of the windshield wipers, clearing away the last traces of rain. Kalamela sat completely still in the back, her wide eyes fixed on nothing, her breath coming in shallow, quick bursts.

"Star?" Sun tried again, his voice quieter this time.

No response.

Moon groaned, clearly frustrated. "You’re not gonna get anything out of her, Sun. She’s in shock or something. Let her be."

Sun didn’t argue, but his eyes kept darting to her. "I thought we were good. She said she wouldn’t tell anyone."

Moon snorted. "And you think that means she’s fine with it? She’s just keeping it to herself. You don’t get it."

Sun let out a long breath. "Yeah, yeah. But still…"

The van rumbled down the darkened streets, the headlights cutting through the mist. The closer they got to home, the more tense the atmosphere became. Kalamela’s breathing was getting harder, more erratic, her hands now clenched into fists in her lap. Sun noticed this in the rearview mirror and his expression softened just slightly.

“Star?” he said again, his tone gentler this time.

Still, she didn’t answer.

Moon shot a glance back at her, then at Sun. "She’s fine. Just… leave her alone."

But Sun wasn’t convinced. "I don’t think she is."

The silence became unbearable. Kalamela’s breaths were coming quicker now, her chest heaving in short, frantic gasps.

"Hey, hey, are you okay?" Sun asked, his voice a little more urgent.

Kalamela didn’t respond, but her eyes darted around, wide and panicked. She was breathing too fast, too shallow, and her hands trembled where they rested in her lap. Moon looked back at her for a brief moment.

"Sun, stop trying to make this better," Moon muttered. "She’s not going to talk. Just let her be."

But Sun wasn’t listening. He was too focused on the growing panic he saw in her.

As the van came to a stop in the driveway, Kalamela couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her breath hitched painfully, her throat tightening as she suddenly lunged for the door.

Sun cursed under his breath and flung open the door, jumping out after her. "Star! Wait!"

But she didn’t stop. She stumbled out of the van, her legs shaky and unsteady. She ran straight for the house, her hands gripping her stomach as her breath came in gasps, too quick and shallow. She could barely see straight, her vision swirling as she fumbled with the front door.

Moon slowly got out of the van, clearly unbothered by her frantic exit. "It’s fine. She’ll figure it out."

Sun didn’t reply, his gaze fixed on the door as it slammed open. He hurried after her, his boots pounding against the porch as he entered the house. The sound of Kalamela retching echoed through the hall.

He reached the bathroom just in time to see her collapse to her knees in front of the toilet. She was shaking, her body convulsing with each violent heave, bile spilling from her lips. Sun hesitated for a moment, leaning against the doorframe, unsure if he should intervene. He knew she didn’t want to talk about it. He wasn’t sure if she could talk about it.

But still, his voice was gentle as he spoke. "Star? You alright?"

Kalamela’s only response was another choked gasp as she heaved again, her fingers clutching the sides of the toilet for support. Sun watched, his heart aching, but he didn’t move to stop her.

“Well," Sun murmured after a pause, his voice almost a sigh. "Guess that answers that."

He stood there for a moment longer, unsure of what to do next. Kalamela’s breath was ragged, each inhale shallow and shaky as another wave of nausea hit her. Sun’s heart clenched as he watched her, helpless, his body instinctively moving forward. Without a second thought, he gently placed his hand on the back of her head, his fingers brushing through her damp hair, pulling it back from her face. She didn’t acknowledge him, but he didn’t expect her to. She couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t look at anything.

As another harsh heave shook her, Sun bit back a sigh, his grip on her hair steady but soft as he kept her from leaning too far forward. His own pulse raced in his chest, but he said nothing, just silently watched her struggle. His hand remained at the back of her head, gently holding her in place, trying to offer something to ground her in the chaos.

Moon stood off to the side, his arms crossed, watching the scene unfold in silence. He was quiet for once, his eyes flickering with something almost... concerned, though he quickly masked it with a frown.

Kalamela’s body spasmed again, and she finally stopped, breathless, her arms trembling from the effort. Sun held his position until her gasping subsided, his hand never leaving her hair until the last of her violent heaves faded away. He rubbed her back gently, his touch light but persistent, as though he could offer some small comfort in the midst of everything. "It’s okay," he murmured softly, his voice low, like a quiet reassurance that fell almost flat against the harsh reality of the situation. "It’s over now."

She barely seemed to hear him, her breathing still erratic. But slowly, Sun helped her to sit back, his hands soft as he guided her away from the toilet. She didn’t resist, but her body was still tense, trembling from the shock. He led her over to the bathroom sink, her hands gripping the edge for support, the cold porcelain probably grounding her more than anything else at that moment.

After a moment, Sun took a step back, glancing over at Moon. “You got her?” he asked, his voice strained but with a note of quiet concern. Moon didn’t respond immediately, but he nodded, finally stepping closer, a hand hovering near Kalamela as he gave a soft, almost hesitant, “Come on, let’s get you to the kitchen. We need to get some water in you.”

Kalamela didn’t fight it. She just let them lead her to the kitchen, the house quiet except for the muffled sound of her uneven breaths.

They finally made their way into the dimly lit kitchen. Sun sat her down at the table, and she slumped in the chair, her hands gripping the edge as if it were the only thing tethering her to the ground. The kitchen, with its sterile white counters and the faint smell of old coffee, felt strangely out of place in the chaos that had just unfolded.

Sun moved to the sink, filling a glass with water and bringing it over to her. He set it down in front of her, watching her, hoping for some small sign that she’d take it. But she didn’t move at first, her eyes still distant, her gaze unfocused as her hands fidgeted on her lap.

Moon was hovering in the background, pacing slightly as he occasionally glanced over at the two of them. He wasn’t good at this—wasn’t good at the quiet moments, the moments where things didn’t make sense, where the world didn’t align the way it should.

Sun sat across from her, trying to keep his voice steady. “Hey, Kalamela,” he said softly, his tone much more gentle than usual. “You’ve gotta drink something. Please. You need it.”

She didn’t answer, her eyes flitting around the room, avoiding his gaze. The silence between them was suffocating, the tension still thick in the air.

Moon sighed, walking over and sitting on the counter, looking at the two of them. “She’ll come around. Just give her time.”

Sun glanced over at him, a faint shake of his head. “This isn’t like before. She’s not the same, Moon. I don’t know what to do.”

Moon’s face softened, just for a moment. “You don’t have to do anything. Just be here. That’s enough.”

The words didn’t fully comfort Sun, but they didn’t make things worse either.

Kalamela’s hands trembled as she finally reached for the glass, bringing it to her lips. She drank slowly, taking small sips as if she was unsure whether it would make her feel better or worse. Sun watched her, his own breath held, as though afraid that if he moved, if he said anything, it would all shatter again.

When she was done, she set the glass down with a soft clink.

Sun’s eyes softened, his lips curling into a faint, understanding smile. Whether it was real and genuine or not was certainly a thought in her head. “You don’t have to say anything, Star. You really don’t.”

Moon shifted his weight on the counter, crossing his arms. Sun nodded, but there was a tightness in his chest that wouldn’t ease. He was trying to reassure her, trying to make this okay—but nothing felt okay. Not yet.

Kalamela leaned back in the chair, her eyes still unfocused, her thoughts miles away. They weren’t sure when she would snap back to reality, or if she would at all. But for now, they just sat in the heavy quiet, unsure of what would come next.

Kalamela sat at the kitchen table, staring at the empty space in front of her. The faint hum of the fridge was the only sound in the room, a quiet hum that felt far too loud in the silence that enveloped her. She couldn’t bring herself to look at either Sun or Moon, her thoughts consumed by the images and sounds of what had just transpired. The weight of everything was too much, too overwhelming.

After what felt like an eternity, Kalamela finally broke the silence. Her voice was barely above a whisper, cracked with exhaustion, but firm.

"I want to go to bed."

Sun and Moon exchanged a glance. Both of them could see the heaviness in her, the way her shoulders slumped, the exhaustion that had nothing to do with physical tiredness. Moon gave a soft sigh, stepping back toward the counter, but Sun was the one who spoke first.

"Alright, Star," Sun said gently, walking over to her. He crouched down beside her, offering her a small smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "We can go to bed. You need rest."

Kalamela didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. Without another word, she stood up from the table, her movements slow and stiff. Sun remained quiet, standing as well, watching her carefully as she walked toward the hallway. She didn’t look back, didn’t hesitate. The weight of everything she had seen and felt was too much to bear, and all she wanted now was to escape into the solace of sleep, even if it didn’t promise any peace.

Moon didn’t say anything, his eyes following her as she left the room. He rubbed his forehead with a hand, the tiredness evident in his posture. He wasn’t sure how to fix this, or if it could even be fixed. But for now, there was nothing he could do but let her be.

As they reached the bedroom, Sun gently pushed open the door, guiding her inside. "Get some rest," he said softly, as she stood in the middle of the room, looking at the bed. Her eyes were distant, unfocused, like she was seeing something far beyond the walls of the room.

Without another word, she moved toward the bed. Sun didn’t want to crowd her, so he remained by the door, watching as she sat on the edge of the bed. She didn’t lie down, just sat there, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

"I’m right outside if you need anything," Sun said quietly, though he wasn’t sure if she even heard him. There was no response, only the soft rustling of the sheets as she shifted, pulling the covers over her. The air between them hung heavy, thick with unspoken words and emotions neither of them knew how to express.

He gave her one last look before gently closing the door, leaving it slightly ajar. He lingered outside for a moment, but the stillness in the house only reminded him of how fragile everything was right now.

The hallway was silent again. Even the faint sound of the rain outside felt muffled now.

[dazedandinked]

Steddie fic recs (2/?)

Part 1

In the last six month I've read, saved and commented an alarming amount of Steddie fics. I finally feel ready to share some of my favorite so far with all of you because I think all the authors deserve kudos and new readers!

I'm not much of a writer, but I hope you'll like my suggestions. Feel free to RB, leave comments and recs for me.

This second part took me a while, but hey I made it!

Buckle up, this time we have: some very good famous Steddie au, one of my fav Punk Steve fics ever, a very sweet coffee shop au and some LARP!

I have a lot of regrets about that by @hairmetal666

The thing is: I just finished reading "Daisy Jones & The Six" (which I strongly rec) and my scrolling brought me to this fic. It's destiny, there's no other explaination.

I really enjoyed the interview writing style, it's nice to get multiple POVs about the events. The feelings and the pain between Steve and Eddie are so sincere it broke my heart in a few moments.

The ending is just delicious to me.

***

New York Hardcore by @grandmastattoo

Before adding a short comment, I'd like to underline the fact that this specific is quite intense - or it was for me.

Ok, so. I'm not sure where to start with this fic - and the whole series. I really enjoy Punk!Steve in every shape and color, but this fic has something that really left me so raw and tender.

***

The pain and grief are described magnificently, the images are so powerful. The healing process is long and complex but oh, so freeing to read. I love Steve being a weirdo, loving with abandon and without restraints.

Kudos to the author because they did their research and it shows: there are a lot of great references to places and music. The punk in this fic is so real, not some pop punk stuff!

Red Eye by @alinafewwords

This fic is still in progress. Not everyone reads incomplete fics, but I do and I felt the need to rec this one.

I think I mentioned this before, but I'm a modern au avid reader.

I really *love* this particular coffee shop au because it's the right mix of fluff and caffeine that keeps me alive. I particularly enjoyed the growth of Eddie and Steve's friendship, the soft intimacy surrounding their moments together. Also, the spicy six get to be there and there a good amount of buckingham, which is definetely a lovely plus.

***

The Shire in NOT on Fire by @kissesforcas

Is there someone out there who hasn't read this fic and loved it? I don't think so.

The idea of the Party joining a Reinfaire and LARP event is just so nice, I always love reading about them having a good time together - no trauma involved.

The idea of Steve and Robin being exposed to a whole world they don't know is just really funny, with all the costumes and roleplaying involved. Everything concerning Steve trying to resist Baby Byers when it comes to convince him to do whatever the Party asks him makes me cackle. I couldn't resist that puppy face either.

The plot is fun, the pining is delicious, the smut is even more delicious.

You don't know this fic already? Well, hop on the train right now!

***

Slither by @mixsethaddams

This fic is still in progress. Not everyone reads incomplete fics, but I do and I felt the need to rec this one.

Also, I didn't really mind the tag before reading because the themes don't really trigger me. However, it may not be your cup of tea.

I must admit, it took a while for me to start this fic because the setting isn't one of my usual au choices. I don't really read influencer/youtuber aus, but this fic was a blast - I couldn't put my phone down!

I loved reading about Eddie and Steve's blossoming weird friendship, and the PLOT! Like, I didn't expect the many heavy subjects to be described in such a different-but-insightful way (altought the author did a great job mentioning all of them, mind the tags guys and don't be like me).

Chrissy is probably my favourite so far, I love her, Eddie and Gareth being a team!

Finally, AUTHOR I FINISHED CH8 AND HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE LOVE LAUGH IN THIS CONDITION.

That said, see you next part guys!

Daze

[jeanie-g]

I finally had some time to sit down and I immediately blasted through your aries series and oh my goddd. it was a marvel. I had so much fun I had to physically slow myself down as I was reading so I didn't miss anything LOL

first of all the tender-feelings-angsty-soft ache that was can you see my red light was phenomenal. it was so moving. I took like three or four pauses bc the near heartbreak I was feeling on Jamie's behalf was UNBEARABLE. so many little points, so many little details and internal dialogue pieces made this fic sooooo good. much to think about. I loved the set up of jacknico's wedding and their vows. I love the banter between tzjd and the moments where I was like I swear they're both going to go for it...! but nothing!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, which made the ending all the more satisfying to reach.

fave line was hysterically: “ABBA right outta the gate?” TK cries, scooching back in his chair to stand. “Say less, brother.”

not even main pairing related I just love TK being the most iconic fella ever.

and on the other hand, reading stay by my side made me feel like I was sinking into a hot bath after a long day - all fuzzy and warm on the inside, and just so. so nice. and comforting. the domesticity but liveliness of a jacknico anniversary made me nostalgic for something I haven't even experienced yet LOL. their little jokes back and forth, the bit of a time jump into the near future, all the possibilities of what everything could be...man I love stuff like that. this fic was absolutely delightful, from the sweet moments to the spicy ones to the very relaxed, easygoing banter. but also the jacknico revelation w/ jamie and trevor's engagement made me laugh so loud like oh no, they really WERE the catalyst.

“Oh, we’ve created a monster,” Nico says. “We couldn’t have waited until after midnight to request the Coldplay song?” - had me cackling.

I can't wait for the final fic! thanks for sharing this!

dude this means so much!!!! thank you for reading and sending such a lovely message. i'm a sucker for angsty yet satisfying love stories, and writing these two couples puts such a smile on my face.

honestly, these are two of my fave fics i've written cuz they just feel so real. they're pretty different, like you said, but they have similar cores i think. i loved loved loved getting into jamie and jack's heads and detailing their pov through the narrator - creating such different worldviews that, in turn, create two fics with such different tones! like, we start w jamie as this cynical, very self-aware guy in love. he wants things to change but is afraid of pursuing it. he's angsty, forlorn, sad - and we see that. meanwhile, jack is this positive, slightly oblivious guy in love who wants nothing to change. everything is sunshine and rainbows - and we feel that. and ofc by the end they both learn their respective lessons. i love writing!!

also, finding ways to tie "stay by my side" back to "can you see my red light" was too much fun - besides themes, there's some similarity between the language and general structure (i really am a language nerd and can gush about the semantics of writing 24/7). i also made a list of "things jamie didn't notice about the nicojack wedding cuz he was too busy staring at trevor," like jack's hickey and the presence of quinn's girlfriend LOL. but i will tell you, nico and jack being the catalyst for the "yellow" moment was a happy accident. i didn't think of it until i was writing stay by my side and thought it tied things together neatly.

and the fact that you're the second person to call out the abba line is sooo funny.

i've started writing the third and oh man the ANGST. the FLUFF. it's luke's pov, and let's just say some time has passed and now he's the one looking for love (and change)

thank u thank u for your kind words! (also, i'm working steadily on the berserk fic and im hyped) <3

[ddeongies]

(Is it softer? The skin of Yeji’s palm was so soft on her cheek, the rest of her must be soft too).

- YES SOFT YABS SOFT EVERYTHING U GET ME

Going straight from having worryingly horny thoughts about Hwang Yeji to her favorite professor all but begging her to join her seminar wasn’t what she’d expected of her day when she rolled out of bed that morning.

- damn the universe is siding with ryujin that day huh

“Yeah. Besides, I haven’t really been looking for anything serious since,” she offers, eyes glued to Yeji’s face. 

- that meme where it's like "WE'RE SO BACK" 📈 "it's over" 📉 "WE'RE BACK" 📈 yeah that's literally me bc how do u mess this up

“C’mere.” Her voice is low.

- holy shit i am on my knees.

“I’d really like to kiss you right now.”

- FUCKING FINALLY 😭😭😭😭😭😭🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

“Wait,” she gasps, “I can’t.”

- again that 📉📈📉📈 meme 😓

gosh the slowburn is burning!!!!! and they are burning me alive. it's nice to see how rj is INTO yj in her pov. like yes girl idk how u managed to not thirst /this openly/ (at least in her mind) over yeji. and that she deliberately planned the movie night as well with a motive in mind. they're both so down, your honor!!! i can say they both have a different approach in achieving their goals. like yeji wants to take it slow, calculating things, and that might be bc she got a headstart in realizing the depth of her attraction for ryujin. and ryujin might realized her attraction for yeji at a later time but once she did, she's kinda straightforward with it.

i might say this every chapter but how do i get myself a hwang yeji. seriously. i will never get tired of how perfect but humanly she is.

the rollercoaster ride this chapter put me through. miscommunication 📉 oh wow they cleared that up so fast 📈 goddamn it ryujin why would u say that now yeji might think you're only in it for casual 📉 OH BUT YES KISS SO HOT 📈 oh no they stopped i hope yeji doesn't think ryujin thinks it was a mistake 📉

oh well it was worth the ride and i will eat up every chapter. what i love the most about ur writing is the right balance between dialogue and introspection as well as crafting the setting so that i'm taken along for the college life again. i'm excited for the winter break and the second semester (most especially that karaoke scene bc they put it again in the itzzz behinds again) have a great weekend ahead!!! happy ryeji day 🥳 [also is it professor son chaeyoung or son seungwan] - 🌼

YES SOFT YEJI ALWAYS SHE IS SO SOFT I GET U AND U GET ME 🙌🏽

you know what they say.... ryujin always wins

that meme is the best description of this chapter LMAO like ryu please..... please you were so close she wants you so bad and you want her so bad??? please?

low voice yeji 🧎🏽🧎🏽🧎🏽

fucking finally indeed LMAO just took 40k!!

ryeji really said 📉📈📉📈

yes i'd say the feelings are incredibly mutual at this point LOL. our girl yeji has been simping hard since chapter 1, but ryu is finally meeting her right where she is it just took a lil bit :P

they def go about it differently! (and similarly in a way, they both seem to think making a plan is the best way to get with someone lol) but yeah i think the ways they're approaching it are impacted both by how they are as people and by what they assume the other wants when maybe they should try meeting in the middle! idk!

i know i'm writing her, but i'm seriously obsessed with nmau yeji... she's just a good egg i love her

would you believe me if i said the next couple of chapters are kinda 📈📈📈??

aaah thank you!!! i really actively try to strike that balance between dialogue, setting, action, and introspection! i read through and edit my chapters like 10+ times and i'm always adding and tweaking and trying to make it all nice and smooth so yay glad it's working :) honestly writing this has been very fun and nostalgic! i'm basing SoCo off of my time at a small liberal arts college if that wasn't very clear, and it's honestly been a blast writing about that! (you don't know how excited i am to write that karaoke scene

[counterfics]

DOWNSHIFTING BOUNDARIES PART 3

♡ Pairing: Charles Leclerc x Sainz!Reader SMAU ♡ Requested: Yes | you can send in your own requests here <3 ♡ Warnings: Cussing, Gossiping, Potential misspellings (not proofread), Rushed text dialogue? Female reader, Plot twist?/Plot surprise?? Idk, Slander of Landon (If more let me know) oh yeah and potential cliffhanger (I forgot where I cut the story so its a 50/50 if its considered a cliffhanger or not 😼) ♡ Desc: Rumors are not new to the f1 community, but when a f1 gossip page digs into a certain driver’s life and puts details of their private life on blast it starts to become an issue. With fans coming to their own conclusions and developing their own stories how will their relationship prevail through it? What new information about the driver and his personal relationship will be revealed to the public? Keeping boundaries up between you and your fans is quite a difficult task that Charles soon realizes. ♡ Notes: This part picks up with dialogue with the reader and charles on the phone shortly after he was called by his PR team, im ngl I kinda didn’t have this part planned out😭😭 but I figured you guys deserved something different that added to the story besides the social media parts since I couldn’t get the sms to work </3 HOWEVER please feel free to interact, and tell me what you think of the series and stuff so far it really helps boost my confidence!! Also don’t feel shy to send asks or just talk to me im in need of mutuals and more ideas to create!! (Part 4 will be the final of the series, might add mini wips here and there but no more big parts, so send in ideas for more things to write please!!!) ♡ Guide: f1 masterlist | part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4.1 | part 4. 2 | series masterlist

PART 3

[00:01 incoming call "Lord Percival"]

Y/n dials Charles’s number and waits for him to pick up, after a few rings she hears the phone connect and a shaky breath from the other end of the phone. “Charles what happened mi amor” said y/n in a soft and gentle tone. Charles sighed as she could hear him place the phone down on a surface as she heard a little clink once it hit the table. Through an almost muffled voice, head in hands as Charles responds “I messed it all up amore”, there was a brief pause as he took a deep breath in and picked up the phone again “Aides from my slip up that I DO NOT want to mention right now, the PR team told me that I needed to make a statement to get a hold of the situation, they said they didn’t want to force me to release everything but if it gets any worse then its either I spill everything or I give up my seat for the next few races since they don’t want me in the frontlines giving way for the company to get a bad reputation”. Y/n sighs and tries her best to offer support and console him by speaking gently once again “It’s okay mi amor, everyone makes mistakes sometimes I mean hell, look at lando… his parents made a mistake with him but he turned out okay” she said which prompted a weak laugh from Charles. “And besides, I support you and every decision you make. You have my full trust, I promise you I’m alright with going public if that means less stress and pressure on you.” She says before letting a comfortable silence fall between them for a moment. “I know and I love you for how supportive you are for me, unfortunately unlike lando’s parents mistake with their… mess of a kid, I am just worried that this wont turn out okay, I don’t want anyone trying to talk badly about you and get between us” Charles said trailing off softly. Y/n stifled a laugh when he slandered Lando with her before replying again “Charles, Mi Amor, My Everything… I promise you no matter what happens I will not allow it to get between our love and bond we share. We have been through so much and I don’t plan on ever stopping so you better put on your big boy pants, pull them up and realize that no matter what you do or what results from this, or any situation for that matter, we will always stay together as strong as ever.” Her words of encouragement causes Charles to smile and regain his confidence temporarily, as he stands up he quickly utters some words into the phone “I love you so much Y/n, thank you for always being here to pick me up when I’m down. I think I have a plan of how I want to handle this, I’ll text it to you later if I get the chance and if I cant tell you via text I’ll just tell you later tonight. Ti amo.” The call ends leaving a silence surrounding Y/n, she smiles to herself knowing that Charles will find a way to correct the situation that will make him feel more sane so he doesn’t start speaking in tounges again on the floor.

♡ DO NOT STEAL, TRANSLATE, OR COPY MY WORK ONTO ANY OTHER PLATFORM !! ♡ f1 masterlist | Inbox | previous part | next part | series masterlist ♡ Sidenote: thanks to @obsessedovermadrid with letting me brainstorm and run some ideas through with them when I was somewhat unsure about the writing part of this one! ♡ Taglist: [let me know if you want to be added! striked through url means tumblr wouldn't let me tag you] @stinkyjax @thef1diary @a-beaverhausen @ireadthensuetheauthors @dutifullyannoyingfox @ushygushybaby @janeholt3 @obsessedovermadrid @bokutos-babyowl @multi-fandom-fan221b @shiftermeance @mxdi0 @d3kstar @boiohboii @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy

[onmyyan]

Hiii I would like to say I like your writing and everything you do please make sure to get lots of rest and drink lots of water also I like a Caspian a lot and would like to hear more about him but, I am also interested in Ricky as when you said he was the smartest out of the brothers can we get more head canons about him. What is he like? What type of darling does he like and what are his dislikes also can his s/o be a oil painter( a really good one at that) when you get the chance

Also sorry if this is really long thank you 😊

A/N: Sweet anon i love ya and i hope your staying well fed and rested!! I was hoping someone would ask about Ricky!!! If u can't tell I have a crush oh him (EDITED 12/16/22)

T/W'S: Yandere shenanigans, manipulation, Virgo man,

Richard 'Ricky' Delmont

Coming in at a whopping 6'3, this brooding bastard isn't the biggest of his siblings, but he is the most cunning.

He has ADHD, his brain is reaching conclusions and other viable options while everyone else is still processing the question.

He keeps his hair long, the red really shines through in the sun, the ends touched his lower back, his canines are sharper than most when he's deep in thought his tongue constantly flickered over them.

His birthmark looks like a crudely drawn smiley face, his family nickname is- you guessed it, 'Smiley.' I know, so creative, this gets used a lot more ironically now since he almost always looks irritated.

His face is usually twisted into this 'irate at it all look' but when he'd occasionally unclench and relax, he had the prettiest features.

His eyes are captivating in the same way cats are.

But when he gets blackout mad they go black like a shark, his pupil gets so blown that all the red in his iris disappears.

Smells like old books and has some stupid expensive cologne that smells like a guy no other way to describe it.

The Brooklyn is strong in this one, very much sounds like the "settle down" guy from TikTok.

Secretly soft, so secret even he doesn't realize it.

Obsessed with his Fathers approval, like its a problem LMAO

Super into anything creative, particularly music, he used it as a tool to both understand and be understood, all genes appealed to him. Still, secretly, pop was his favorite, the only people who know that are his Mother and his Darling.

Had a scene phase- don't ask him about it unless you want him to lock himself in his room and blast MCR for a few hours

Holds you so tenderly, it's never a quick thing with him, he just wraps himself around you like a security blanket.

He's their Fathers favorite and it's obvious, once he began to show initiative, Carlos, their Father, quickly took him under his wing, sure Gabe had the muscle to do the job right but Ricky had the brain.

In that favoritism he has a lot of pressure to succeed, sure he'd get a proud look or a pat on the back whenever he did, but that consuming fear of failure weighed on him heavily.

Was forced to grow up wayyy faster than he should have. This shows in the way he treats people and himself.

Love languages are physical touch, words of affirmation, and quality time.

Has a sixth sense about shit, like he knows when something is about to go down and the best way to handle it.

Scarily good at reading people, and knows when someone is lying so don't bother.

His one nickname for you is 'Love', while simple, he thinks it's absolutely perfect for you, it's what you brought into his life.

Despite the hardass mask he had up 99% of the time, he was truly himself with you.

He can let down his walls in a way he was never fully able to with his family.

Cherishes you wholeheartedly, has several notebooks filled to the brim with anything and everything you.

Huge stalker

The kinda guy who is careful in every aspect of his life, especially when it came to you.

He stalked you for a full year before officially claiming you as his Darling. He had to be certain you were the one because he didn't like making mistakes.

At least that's what he tells himself, but between you and me he was building up the confidence to ask you out.

The first time you two 'meet', only one of you notices the other.

You'd been browsing the oil paints intensely, so focused you didn't notice the massive man thumbing through the section on your right but he sure noticed you.

The tender way you inspected each tube caught his eye, particularly the fact that you bothered to put everything back where it belonged, it showed a certain kindness he only ever saw in his Mother.

He lingers, not so close you'd catch on, and pretends to look something up on his phone, then subtly takes a picture of your card when you pull it out to pay. He watches you until you leave.

The second the bell of the door signals your departure he's gone, typing your full name into the search bar with such fever his fingers trembled. The jolt of excitement turned into a constant hum as he searched.

He enjoys gathering research, even more so when it involves you.

He finds your art accounts first and spends hours staring at each piece you've created like a historian. If you do commissions he'll immediately ask for something, anything, as long as it comes from you he wants it- no, he needs it.

Of course, he'd use an anonymous account of his, one of many, and the second you agree he's sent over the full amount with the small message "Take your time, whatever you come up with will blow me away- R."

It's the start of your relationship, even if you don't realize it yet. He commissions you as often as you'd allow, using it as a way to communicate his love.

"Phenomenal work. You never cease to amaze me, I'm forever grateful for the chance to experience such wonder."

The notes he left grew more and more poetic, to you he was a mysterious, eloquently spoken fan who was very passionate about Art, he was, of course, talking about you whenever he wrote.

Speaking of, if given the chance to start over, he'd be an author, or a songwriter, anything where he gets to tap into the darkness inside and create from it.

A huge cuddle bug.

It's the one action you can lure him away from work with.

He is a Virgo man so you know, run

Has a bad habit of not eating when he's in 'work' mode, something you'll have to look out for.

The kinda person who can burn water, for the love of everything good keep him away from the kitchen.

Tried to make you breakfast once and nearly poisoned you both.

He sees the way their father looks at Caspian and does everything he can to escape that fate, meaning this book-loving, metal beltin' sweetheart learned to hide himself to fit in.

He can DANCE but never does it around anyone but you or his mirror.

Insecure about his "softer" features, his persona was built around hiding those parts of himself, thankfully loving you began to uncover those hidden pieces of him, while it wouldn't happen overnight, the light he had shined bright whenever he'd let it.

Would cry cum and combust if you ever painted him, literally gets it framed and has a very serious debate with himself if it should go in his home office or his work one, it comes down to the idea of having a shit day at work and looking up to see the physical representation of your love for him, that seals the deal.

He shows his love with every action and every word.

Possessive of your time, if he's perfectly satisfied only having you in his life why wouldn't you feel the same??

Openly hates your friends, well not so open you'd notice and call him out, but open in a way that has your friends complaining about him, he works you so well that he has you thinking it's better to stay in than go out with your friends, and who is he to deny you?

While he'd never make you mad on purpose, he did get all tingly when you got pissed at someone else, your brows would furrow and your gaze would turn to ice, oh would you look at that he's hard now.