#on the other hand i doubt its happening anytime soon. not with what's going on inside tuyu rn at least):

[adhdtsukasa]

oh also colopale just straight up recomissioning nayutalien for emu5, not even in a duet like 40mp in connect the stars, got me thinking... the wxs surii covers are so good. what if we got a wxs surii comm (for tsukasa, maybe...)

[rakhalofthestars]

Under His Bangs

Synopsis: Boothill finally lets you see what he's been hiding underneath his bangs.

Tags: Boothill x gn reader, established relationship, Boothill's backstory, fluff, light angst, hurt/comfort, soft Boothill <3 a/n: This fic is based off my headcanon on what I like to think is underneath his bangs :3

Warnings: Self depreciation and talks of appearance, Boothill might also be a bit ooc here :(

wc: 1 733

Many parts of Boothill’s appearance are striking, causing him to easily stand out in a crowd. Poor guy. Blending in was never his strong suit and his metal body makes it even more difficult. There just aren’t many cyborgs who looked the way he did. 

It’s not like Boothill ever tried to blend in much. Everything from his whole cowboy get-up to his boisterous personality screamed that he was someone who you wouldn’t want to forget about anytime soon. Not to mention the bounty on his head that had risen to the billions recently.

“Whatcha lookin’ at me like that for, darlin’? I ain’t even responsible for half the things these people be accusin’ me for! I mean, just look at me, ain’t I just the picture of a saint?” Boothill protested one time when you had shoved his wanted poster in his face. On the poster was a (admittedly good) photo of him with his signature shit-eating grin along with the sum of a whopping one billion credits stamped underneath.

You had sighed back then, knowing you can’t argue with him and in all honesty, you doubt he was actually responsible for the wares disappearing from a shop at Pier Point shopping street. Maybe the poor employee was really just trying to get out of listening to Karen complain their ear off. Considering the amount of trouble he’s caused at Pier Point for the IPC, it’s no surprise that Boothill made a long lasting impression on everyone there. 

That’s the thing about Boothill. Every part of him always left an impression. Whether the impression was good or bad really depended on whether you were with the “shirt bags at the IPC” as he liked to call it. 

Even though you had been traveling with the Galaxy Ranger for quite some time now, there was one aspect of his appearance that was constantly on your mind. His bangs. They were so mysterious and styled in such a way as well. 

Why were his bangs the only part of his hair that was fully black? Why did they cover his right eye? Was it a stylistic choice to cover his right eye and look like an emo? Or was there some other, more bigger reason behind covering part of his face like that?

The flurry of questions always swirled about in your head whenever you were with him. It almost made you dizzy at times. However, since you knew about all that the man had been through prior to becoming a cyborg, you kept quiet and never tried to pry. It didn’t go unnoticed by Boothill though, the curiosity that was always brimming in your eyes when they flicked momentarily to his bangs. He really did want to explain what was underneath. The problem was that he just wasn’t sure whether he was ready to open this specific can of worms.

But when something is meant to happen, the opportunity for it will naturally present itself.

You and Boothill were lying on the motel bed, simply basking in one another’s presence. It was one of those quiet nights where all you wanted to do was to just forget about your worries and relax.

Lying on the soft mattress with Boothill’s body acting as a sort of weighted blanket whilst his face was nuzzled in the crook of your neck, you really don't want to ruin this slice of paradise by asking about his bangs. Nor does he want to ruin that lazy little smile on your lips by revealing this particular skeleton in his closet.

Your hands roam about and glide over him mindlessly until your fingers are suddenly tangling themselves in his hair. You massage his scalp gently before bringing his face out of its little hiding spot in your neck. An uncharacteristic and borderline pathetic little whine sounds from Boothill’s lips but it’s forgotten as the crosshair in Boothill’s eye locks onto you, the tiny target in the middle forming into the shape of a heart because each and every time you caress his face, he swears he’s falling in love even more than he thought was possible. He has the most adorable little smile on his face but it falters when your hand strays just a bit too far, almost brushing his bangs away from his face. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to”, you apologize immediately and retract your hand, knowing that the fact that Boothill even allows you to touch him and his hair so freely is something that not many get and you’d hate to overstep his boundaries.

“...Naw, it’s fine. I ain’t mad, darlin’,” is Boothill’s reply as he brings your hand back to his face, already missing your touch. He places your hand right underneath his bangs and the look in his eyes tells you that it was no mistake on his part for the placement.

“Can I…?”

The man hesitates, something that you’ve rarely ever seen him do. He’s always so sure of himself, so confident with each and every single move of his. What could possibly make him hesitate?

“Yeah, go ahead”, Boothill finally says.

Despite the bit of excitement that’s bubbling within you, you don’t rush to see what’s underneath. You take your time, simply feeling the soft skin and watching how your partner looks on with anxiety but also affection. He wants to know- no. He needs to know how you’ll react. Even if it might hurt him. You’ve done so much for him. You’ve loved him, taken care of him, listened to him without any judgment and have been with him through the highs and lows of this chapter of his life as he navigates through depression, anxiety and this new robot body of his. You deserved to know.

With love and care etched into your movements, you slowly brush aside the black locks of hair that covered part of Boothill’s face. 

Under his bangs, was a big, dark burn mark that marred the area his hair normally covered along with a deep scar that ran vertically down his right eye, causing it to be shut tight. 

Silence permeated throughout the room as you drank in the sight and Boothill stared back anxiously, waiting for you to say something.

“Oh…”, you finally breathe out and the Galaxy Ranger winces.

His breath hitches and his left eye widens in disbelief. Beautiful? Was there something wrong with your eyes? He was tempted to ask but falls silent when you trace the darker flesh with reverent touches and bring his face closer to press the lightest kiss on top of his right eye.

“It’s hideous, ain’t it?”

“You’re so beautiful, Boothill.”

“You’re so very beautiful.”

“Well fudge…ya can’t just say that, sugar. Gon’ make a man cry”, Boothill mumbles, his gravelly voice cracking so subtly you could’ve thought that you imagined it. He had never exposed himself like this to anyone. He could count on one hand the amount of times he felt as vulnerable as he did now. 

“Why can’t I say it? You’re the handsomest man that I’ve ever seen. If you want to cry then go ahead, there’s nothing wrong with crying. But believe me when I say you’re gorgeous.”

“How could you ever find a bag o’ bolts like me beautiful?”

“These scars on your face…they tell stories of who you are and what you’ve gone through. I won’t force you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable but you don’t have to hide them. Not around me at least,” you whisper against his skin. Hidden in your words was an underlying plea that was only for him to hear. 

“Because you are. If I could, I’d let you see yourself through my eyes just so you could realize what a sight you are.”

With every word that passes your lips, you press soft kisses across his face, paying extra attention to the right side that he deemed “ugly”. It was as if your kisses were paint and his face was your canvas as he allows you to paint your love onto him. 

Please let me take your pain and shoulder it with you. Please let me shower you with the love that was robbed from you. Please don’t push me away.

A shuddering gasp escapes Boothill, the first sound that he’s made now in a while. He needs time and that’s what you give. You fill the silence with fond caresses and gentle kisses until the man finally manages to speak.

“Mah face wasn’t always like this, y’know. It was…on that night. When them cannons were falling down from the IPC…”, his voice cracks and he trails off. You wanted to know more but stayed silent, letting him take things at his own pace.

“I was runnin’ home, praying to every Aeon that I could think of at the time that everything would be all fine and dandy…Wasn’t really lookin’ where I was runnin’ and neither was I thinkin’ much about dodgin’ the bombs. A bit o’ burnin’ shrapnel fell on this side of mah face here and well…y’can see for yerself what happened.”

“When I went to that tech doc to get this here body of mine, I asked her to not do anythin’ to these scars. Maybe it’s stupid since I can’t stand to look at ‘em, but I just didn’t want to do away with ‘em. I wanted to keep ‘em, as a reminder of that night and what it is that I fight for. Not like I need much remindin’ but heh…y’know…”

Boothill lets out a small, bitter chuckle before burying his face back in the crook of your neck. He had long lost the ability to cry but he swore that if he continued to talk, he’d end up breaking down in front of you and that was something he wished to avoid.

All you can do now is to comfort him because the fact that he’s told you all of this means that yes, he will allow you to shoulder his pain with him. Yes, he’ll allow you to shower him with the love that he was robbed of. No, he won’t push you away. So continue with what you’ve been doing all this time. Continue to assure him of his beauty and his worth. Continue to love him because Lan knows how long he’s gone without it.

[candyk0rn]

Hey, can I request a break up with Nanami, Gojo, and Geto? I'm in a mood for angst :')

⚘Breakup⚘

Woah okay first time I’ve ever written smth like this so I’m excited! Thanks for the ask, have a good day/night!

Warnings: ummm breaking up with someone is sad y’all

Included: Nanami Kento, Gojo Satoru, Geto Suguru

G.Satoru:

Fights or arguments don’t really happen with Gojo

Because he doesn’t let them happen

When things get even the slightest bit heated, he avoids them

He erases them with clinginess and jokes, always brushing it off when he should definitely be serious

And this is one of many things that drew your relationship to its inevitable end

Not only was it his lack of ability to read the room, but also his dangerous job

With the privilege of being considered the ‘strongest’, that means the strongest enemies are after him as well

You cannot begin to count the amount of times he said he’d leave for a three day mission, only to be gone for an entire week with no further communication

There’s a large risk at hand with being even so much as associated with Gojo

Let alone being his romantic partner

A certain bounty has been placed on your head too, you’re sure.

And that is just dusting against the surface of the cracks that eventually took control of your relationship

And to be honest, he doesn’t take the break up that serious either

Not until you stop returning your calls and haven’t come home for a few hours

Maybe it’ll make him realize, but who knows?

N.Kento:

Nanami is tricker than Gojo.

But in some regards, I believe he’s very similar

For Nanami is perceived, at least, to be a ‘simple’ man

For someone who hates work, who would much rather go on a long vacation,

He takes his occupation extremely seriously

Both his normal income job and his sorcerer work

And sometimes you truly felt he held his job before you, his partner

And sometimes, he would openly admit to taking priority elsewhere than with you

Which, in some cases understandable, still hurts

One time, later in your relationship, he has forgotten your anniversary

Well, he hadn’t forgotten it fully

But he didn’t celebrate in anyway, needing his hours at work

Nor did he intend to celebrate in anyway, even though much earlier to the date you told him you would like to

Unlike Gojo, the breakup is rather smooth

He simply and utterly refuses to leave on a bad note

And he will not only leave in good terms, but he wants to leave respectfully

But he will be in shock for a very long time afterwards

And he doubts the feeling of deep regret will leave anytime soon…

G.Suguru:

I don’t think people really recognize how others are affected when someone begins to spiral

Not only is the person who is going through the hard time hurting and being drained, the person helping is drained too

And unfortunately, this is what happened to yours and Geto’s relationship

Seeing someone you care for so deeply begin this downward trajectory is hard

And you swore to be by his side through it all..

Until he began to do some things you didn’t exactly approve of

Once the count of dead began rising by his hand, you found yourself losing sympathy bit by bit

It’s a hard pill to swallow, it’s a difficult thing to accept

And it’s an even worse thing to end

To hang on to the hope that the old Suguru is simply trapped behind a mask of pain would be futile

It’s either accept unfortunate route his travelled down, or follow in your own beliefs

And even though you once thought you could help him wash his hands clean of blood,

There will always be a spot left unattended

And spots only grow until you no longer see skin

Only red.

He doesn’t actually believe you at first when you bring up leaving him

In fact, he says to your face he doesn’t believe you

Like Gojo, he assumes that after you calm down you’ll be running back to him

But you don’t

And there’s very few times he’s felt regret.

He has done everything in his power to make sure the word isn’t even in his vocabulary

But there’s that sting in his heart and that dizziness in his head

That can only be described as loss.

Thanks for reading!

[fandomfloozy]

Strawberry Mentos

pairing: yuuji itadori x sweet tooth!reader

c/w: fluff, song prompt, based on this post, early relationship, petnames (yuuji and reader call each other baby, reader calls yuuji sweet boy), gn!reader

wc: 1.1k

~°•*~

You chew on those little fuckers all the time. Between meal breaks at work or while out running errands, you're more likely than not macking away at one of the chewy circles from the sweet roll of mints. Either that or you're out buying a whole new roll because you burned through the last one so fast.

You snack on other things, sure. You generally have a penchant for eating a wide variety of sugary sweets, much to the amusement of your boyfriend. Yet there's no doubt about which particular brand and flavor is your go-to.

Today, however, is one of those rare instances where you don't have a pack on you. Different snacks befit tonight's planned events.

It's movie night. Yuuji has invited you over to his place to introduce you to his favorite movie series. He's been gushing about it all week, very clearly and unashamedly excited. While you are as well, you're also anticipant about being at your boyfriend's place with him, alone, for the very first time. You're antsy and giddy the whole time Yuuji is preparing your bowls of popcorn while you sit on the couch, remote in hand.

"Chocolate bunches in yours, right?" Yuuji asks as he places his plain popcorn on the coffee table.

"Yes, please!" you respond. You smile up at him and he can't help but grab at your chin and shake your head affectionately.

"Coming right up, baby." He grins like a lovelorn loser.

You feel warmth bubble up in your cheeks, so you push Yuuji towards the kitchen. "Hurry up already! I wanna press play soon!"

Yuuji laughs as he pretends to run away scared. "Alright, alright! Not my fault you insist on adding candy to your popcorn! I'll be right back."

You rest your chin on your hands, which are covered by the oversized sleeves of Yuuji's hoodie. You hide your face in them and let out a deep exhale.

God, he makes you feel so soft. You know your insides are mushy, but this is ridiculous.

You do your best to compose yourself before your boyfriend comes out holding your popcorn bowl, already chewing before you've gotten the chance to have some.

You gasp. "You better not be eating my popcorn while I've been waiting patiently for you to start the movie."

Yuuji circles the couch, chuckling. "Of course not, wouldn't dream of it."

No sooner does he hand you the bowl that you playfully snatch it away and inspect its contents. It seems untouched and has the same amount of popcorn as his bowl, not including your added topping.

You narrow your eyes at him in scrutiny. He sits smiling and sitting crisscross on the couch like a puppy. The poster child of innocence. You narrow your eyes further. "Alright, I'm satisfied. Thank you, baby."

You lean over and pucker your lips at him, and he meets you halfway in a kiss. "Anytime, baby."

Yuuji grabs his bowl from the table and leans back, relaxedly placing an arm on the back of the couch. He faces the screen, waiting.

And nothing happens.

He turns to the remote in your hand. "You gonna put play, baby?"

He failed to realize that you'd been sitting staring at him unblinkingly. His kiss had given you pause.

You rub your lips together in thought. You put your popcorn bowl to the side. You then lean forward and place the remote next to his thigh, catching his lips in another kiss.

Now it's his turn to be taken aback. He's wide-eyed as you pull away. "Woah, what was that for?"

You furrow your brow lean forward again, taking his jaw into one of your hands and deepening the kiss. There's tongue now. Why is there tongue now? Not that Yuuji is complaining, but he's so lost.

You separate for the last time and you both give each other perplexed expressions. You speak at the same time.

"Baby, I'm so confused--""Why do you taste like strawberries?"

"Huh?"

You lick your lips a little to make sure. You breathe out a laugh. "Yuuji, you definitely taste like strawberries. The artificial flavor kind, anyway. Is that what you were chewing on?"

Yuuji suddenly blushes a deeper shade of red. "M-maybe..."

You let out a laugh at the state of him. "I'm sorry if I caught you off guard, you just don't usually eat this kind of stuff. I was surprised."

"Well..." He rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly. "I know you really like this candy. It's your favorite. And I just thought... I dunno, that you'd like it... for when I kiss you."

You blink at that.

Your favorite candy.

You couldn't tell him.

You couldn't possibly tell him that the reason you loved this particular candy so much, the reason you even picked them out in the first place, was because of how much those little pink pieces of sugar reminded you of him.

After you and Yuuji's very first date, when the inklings of real, true feelings were first beginning to blossom in your chest and in the pit of your stomach, you started to see him in everything.

In the glow of the blushing sky when the sun was setting.

In the rosé of sakura petals falling along sidewalks.

In convenience store candy flavors the very next day after he'd first held your hand.

You only ever reached for your very first roll of Strawberry Mentos because all you'd had on your mind--and all you'd suddenly had an intense craving for--was pink, and pink, and pink, and pink...

"Oh, my sweet, sweet boy." You grab him by both sides of his face and plant a big ol' smooch on his lips. "If you were any sweeter, you'd give me cavities."

He pinches your cheek and grins. "The amount of sweets you eat will do that way before I can."

You pout as he laughs at your expense. You grumble half-heartedly as you snuggle deeper into him, facing the screen. "Just play the movie."

He chest continues to shake in giggles as he wraps his arm around you. He grabs the remote and the movie starts playing. You reach for your bowl of popcorn again and settle in.

He's so kind. He's so stupid. Grabbing a pack of mentos just so you would taste it when he kisses you. Who does that?

You're glad he can't see the way your face heats up while you conjure up the image in your mind. Of him noticing how much you like to snack on strawberry mentos in particular. Of him looking for the pack while he's out shopping. Of him chewing on a few before he sat down to watch a movie with you just for the chance that you'd notice the flavor when your lips met.

So stupid...

...

"Hey, Yuuji?"

"Hm?"

"What's your favorite candy?"

~°•*~

divider via cafekitsune

[junowritings]

Hello ☺️💚

I hope I can request something, if they are closed please feel free to delete this 🌺🌺

I absolutely I adored your NRC amnesiac MC story with the dorms and would love to see more. It just hit all the tropes I love so much and adore.

Maybe with the rest of the dorms? As scenarios?? Or imagines?? (Honestly I’m a confused when it comes to those terms, so whichever is easier for you)

With pomefiore, ignihyde, and diasomnia? I feel like Vil is going to take one look at mc and go “okay, time to take care of another potato” but lovingly, ignihyde is going ortho is “I have another sibling” and gosh diasomnia is practically family and lilia is going “time to adopt another one 👏👏”

I just found the idea so so cute, but feel free to do whatever you want ☺️🌺

Right so first off I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I'M SO HAPPY YOU LIKED THE ORIGINAL ONE!!! Also thank you so much for all the kind comments that you leave on my post I see every single one and it still makes my day to re-read them!

But also GOD I love this idea too and I got way too carried away with this. There's a lot of TWST I gotta catch up on (haven't been able to start chapter 7 yet) so I had to work with what I've got in terms of knowledge of Diasomnia.

I hope this was well worth the wait~! (OG scenario here btw)

Pomefiore

♡ Time passes at Night Raven College, and life continues to move on, as it always has. It’s been months without a single shred of your memories resurfacing, and with no sign of anything returning anytime soon the attention has turned from your past, to your present. Your memory loss has become a simple fact of life at this point, a reality that you had to put on the back burner with everything else that had happened since your arrival and during the winter holidays. You’re thankful that the needless prodding seems to have died down by the time that students start returning back to the school and classes resume. Things return to the only sense of normalcy you’ve ever known, and you think you can get used to this without another incident.

♡ Until VDC happens.

♡ Ramshackle is the only place you have to call home, but even you can admit that it needs a lot of work. It’s a poor excuse for a building, considering the state that it had been left in far before anyone called it home. It at least had running water, and electricity, but compared to the other dorms and their meticulous upkeep by both students and staff, Ramshackle is most certainly the odd dorm out with only two members and a handful of ghosts to its name. And yet it’s the place that the headmaster deems an acceptable place to host the VDC group during their month ‘training camp’.

♡ It makes it easier knowing that you’re good friends with the majority of the group, having been through plenty before the training camp even started. In some weird way it’s kind of like a month-long sleepover with your friends and classmates, not unlike the times Kalim’s dragged you over to Scarabia for the night in the name of making fond memories. Still, you can’t help but feel cautious around the Pomfiore members you now have living under your roof, and how little you actually know about them.

♡ By this point, the fact that you’ve got no memories prior to ending up in Twisted Wonderland is pretty much common knowledge amongst the people who bother to keep tabs on you. And considering how Pomefiore’s got the likes of Rook, a skilled hunter who has a penchant for people watching anyone who catches his eye, you’ve got no doubts that they’re well aware of your circumstances.

♡That, and Crowley’s a loudmouth when it comes to his generosity about your ‘unfortunate situation’. That headmaster is really starting to test your patience…

♡ While Vil is strict, he’s by no means cruel, and is at least polite when you first allow them all into your home. He thankfully doesn’t pity you like you worried he would - you’ve had enough of the pitying looks some people give you when they think you’re not looking. Your lack of a past isn’t something you want to dwell on, Vil can see that clearly with how thoroughly you throw yourself into the training camp alongside your friends and new acquaintances. Not to mention that you act as a surprisingly good buffer between the members whenever tensions start to arise with the upcoming deadline. 

♡ It’s admirable really - a single minded little spudling if he’s ever seen one. You’ve got promise, if you keep up that resilient attitude, so Vil offers you no quarter in getting you just as involved in this little training excursion as the others are, if only to help you flourish with enough memories of this upcoming event to last you for a lifetime. 

♡ With that being said your thirst for knowledge isn’t to be underestimated, and once you find out that Vil’s pretty much a celebrity and acting prodigy you’re intrigued. Vil’s walking past the living room after the group’s come back from another day training at the ballroom and freezes once he hears his own voice coming through the door. Sure enough you’re lounging over the couch watching one of the more obscure movie titles Vil’s acted in on the phone Crowley ‘gifted’ you before winter break. There’s a blunt honesty when you praise his work once you notice you’ve got an audience. Sure, it’s praise he’s heard from adoring fans and critics more times than he could ever hope to recall, but it’s not something you’re saying just to try and get in his good books. When you offhandedly mention that he looks a little happier in the roles where he’s not the villain, noting that they suit him and that whatever world you’re from he’d probably be a big hit, you swear that he gets a bit smug, apparently pleased by whatever you’d said. You may not know all the ins and outs of this world yet, but Vil’s at least sure you’ve got taste. Which is why he turns a convenient blind eye at the treats you smuggle up to Grim and your room after he’s sure you swore to Ace and Deuce to follow along with their no-sweet regime.

♡ Rook is observant, and it’s hard for people not to feel like he’s prying a bit too much into their personal lives when they happen to gain the huntsman’s attention. Perhaps it’s because you’ve got a relatively blank slate, or that you’re so focused on forging ahead to whatever comes next that you’ll get involved at a moment’s notice. Whatever the quality it has piqued his interest, and from the moment that the camp starts he’s committing every little detail about you to memory. 

♡ You may not see it, but there’s so many details in the actions that you do and your daily routines that tell the story of who you are to whoever is diligent enough to listen. It’s in your mannerisms and the way you engage with everything around you, all easily missed to the untrained eye. It’s beautiful in its own way, and Rook is nothing if not an appreciator of that beauty. 

♡ Your homestead at Ramshackle is but another shining example of who you are as well. Having nothing but the clothes on your back and a basic understanding of how to function when you first arrived, it’s clear that you’ve made a concentrated effort to at least make the place liveable for you and Grim; not just as a shelter, but as a home. Because of course this is the only place you can call home, and Rook is sure to treat it with the respect such an important place deserves.

♡ Epel doesn’t really know what to make of you at first. You’re from a different world entirely, for one thing, and not having any kind of past beyond school makes him feel a bit awkward about interacting with you. According to Vil, Epel’s still rather rough around the edges, and when his emotions get the better of him he’s been known to put his foot in it and say something that comes off blunt and snappy. Plus, surely there was only so much the two of you could talk about that wasn’t VDC or school related, right?

♡ He’s proven wrong when that huge batch of apple juice from his nana back home is delivered to Ramshackle’s doorstep. All it takes is him mentioning to Kalim that his hometown is known for its apples, and before he can even elaborate your voice chimes in with a helpful “Oh,the village of Harvest, right?” that has Epel’s attention snapping over to you so quickly you think you’ve done something wrong.

♡How did you even know that? His hometown’s barely on the map to begin with, so it genuinely makes him freeze when you recognize it so quickly. The question bugs him until he’s able to ask you about it later, where he finds out just how much you’ve thrown yourself into learning about this world you’ve ended up in. You’re excited that someone’s finally asking you about stuff that you do know, and you pretty much end up talking poor Epel’s ear off for the rest of the evening, telling him all kinds of facts you’ve read up on regarding his hometown’s history and culture. Hell, you spout off a few facts that even he didn’t know about, and he doesn’t miss the proud grin on your face once you learn that.

♡Surprisingly, you want to hear more from Epel too. About the place he grew up, the people he grew up with - his family especially. You’ve had some time to process your own grief around your potential family and your life back home, and though there’s still a twinge of jealousy that sparks up on the bad days you don’t want it to hinder the people that you care about right now. And so you sit, and you listen, prodding him for as much information as he’s willing to give. He practically has to send a message to his nana there and then thanking her on your behalf for all the juice when you learn that she was the one kind enough to send them all over. It’s the only way to get you off of his back about it, but there’s no denying that it’s actually kind of nice having someone who’s genuinely curious about his upbringing, instead of snooping or looking down on it.

♡Even after VDC you’re surprised to find that Pomefiore’s promptly nestled itself into your life. With everything that took place before and after the group's performance it only made sense that they’ve bonded to their newest potato, just be prepared for what exactly that entails. Expect plenty of gifts in the form of the latest cosmetic brands and accessories to be delivered to Ramshackle (much to Grim’s disappointment because it’s not food.) You’ve even had yourself called all the way over to Pomefiore’s dorm only to come back with entire outfits just because you let slip once that Crowley’s budget for your dorm doesn’t cover enough to justify buying anything more than your uniform. 

♡ Those aren’t the only gifts you receive too. Often when you’re hanging out with the first year group Epel’s got one thing or another that his family back home has practically strong-armed him into giving to you. He’s talked about you to his folks a few times thanks to the whole apple incident, and Marja herself has made Epel remind you more than a couple times that you’re always welcome at the village of Harvest when the next school breaks come up. Did that embarrass Epel? Yes. Did it make him panic when you immediately teared up because of how touching it was? Also yes. 

♡ Pomefiore’s final gifts are small, but mean just as much. They also confuse the hell out of you because when did they even show up??? They’re specific things - things related to your hobbies like new books, CD’s, Movies of your favorite genre for you to enjoy (in case Crowley ever caves and gets you that TV on sale at Sam’s store that he’s been promising you for weeks now goddammit-). All placed somewhere that you’re sure to find them. These gifts are well thought out and honestly mean a lot once you realize who they’re from. Not to mention that there’s a folder with a beautiful decorated cover amongst these little surprises, a clear label reading ‘Memory book’ in very familiar handwriting. Thank god the mystery is solved once you find out Grim’s being bribed with tuna by a certain bob-cut huntsman to drop all these things off at Ramshackle (Grim was supposed to give them to you in hand, but he always gets too bored to do so before you get back from school.) So long as you come to terms with the fact that you’ve been pseudo-adopted into Pomfiore’s ranks by the end of it, it’s honestly kind of nice.

♡Just maybe don’t tell Vil that you may have accidentally made friends with his biggest rival on the day of the event because you ran into him backstage. Rook is certainly happy about it - Vil not so much.

Ignihyde

♡ Your friendship with the housewarden of Ignihyde can be rather prickly in light of everything that’s happened, especially after the events with S.T.Y.X. Before that your only real contact with the Shroud brothers was through Ortho, during your first run in at the audition waiting room. You didn’t hide your excitement once you learned that Idia had made the vocal synthesizer that Ortho was using for the VDC auditions, marveling about how cool it was and asking question after question about how he did it. Ortho is more than happy to answer each and every question you have and then some - especially once you learned Technomancy was a thing and just about lit up like a lightbulb. In fact Ace and Deuce basically have to strong arm you away from the conversation in the end because you’re gonna end up making them late for the damn audition. 

♡ You at least have the chance to call out to Ortho to tell his brother that he sounds awesome and his stuff is cool before the ballroom door shuts behind you. And that’s exactly what he tells Idia as soon as he’s back from the auditions. Idia thinks that you’re just pulling his leg and don’t actually mean any of the nice things that you say, and it takes Ortho insisting on playing it to him on his memory bank multiple times to prove just how genuinely nice and excited you sounded.

♡ Idia doesn’t really expect to hear anything from you after that, but hoo boy is he mistaken because once you’ve gotten in one of the Shroud boys’ good books the other one (reluctantly) follows. Not that he has much of a choice, because not even a couple of days after the auditions Idia’s getting added to a group chat with him, Ortho and you. It’s supposedly because you’d wanted to ask him a few more questions about his tech, and after Ortho had mentioned his brother probably wouldn’t like the face to face grilling, a group chat with the younger Shroud as the middleman was born. Grim sometimes forces his way into the conversation, but that usually involves him demanding you to write down the texts for him or slapping the nearest meme on your phone into the chat completely out of context.

♡Ortho has a lot of fun chatting with you because he shares your passion for learning things, and the two of you become thick as thieves over it before and after he officially becomes a student. He’s basically got the internet at his fingertips at all times, alongside a variety of other tools that basically make the younger Shroud brother a walking hub of information. You, for one, are absolutely living your best life because whatever odd subject has caught your attention, no matter the question you can always ask Ortho and he is more than happy to provide you whatever fun fact you’re looking for within a matter of moments. You get a bit quiet once he mentions the memories he was given during his creation, but that’s to be expected given the circumstances that you’re working with.

♡ At first, getting Idia to even pop up in the chat is like pulling on a gacha - you’ve got a good 2% chance of him actually interacting, though he does check in a lot more than you’d expect. With time however, and more than a little persistence on your part, you’ll find cracks in Idia’s defenses. He finds it easier to talk to people behind the safety of a screen, and it's not like you’re forcing him to interact with you so that at least gets you some brownie points. Granted, expect him to prod juuuuust a little bit if the topic of your memories come up in chat. He’s sure he hasn’t got enough of a bond rank with you yet

♡Things go up in the air when S.T.Y.X breaks into NRC.

♡ It was one thing having all of these people who you’d come to call friends suddenly stolen away, but losing Grim? The one who’s been your rock since you first showed up who’s been a part of every single memory you’ve made? If Rook wasn’t already planning to sneak out to find them you would have tore through their headquarters with your bare hands to get that damn tuna loving weird rock eating fluff ball back. Once you found out what S.T.Y.X actually had their hands in, especially considering the Lethe River system you were pissed. If you didn’t know for a fact that you were from another world entirely, and that the system operated to a very specific set of procedures for rewriting and erasing set memories, you would have thought that it had something to do with your own memory erasure. If that was the case you probably would have throttled the poor older Shroud; but because you know the truth, and the system itself is down for the next few centuries you settle for being absolutely livid about it. 

♡ It’s a sore spot, hitting a little too close to home knowing that there’s people out there who have had memories taken away from them or altered to protect S.T.Y.X’s existence. It’s nothing like your own situation, but you can’t help feeling angry for them. And on top of that, seeing all of those phantoms and knowing that they could have been your friends if you hadn’t been able to bring them back from their overblots? You may try to think of every memory being worth it, but you learn that some bad memories keep you up at night for days after you’re all finally home.

♡ Your friendship with the brothers is tentatively built back up after this, but it takes a bit of work. Idia’s convinced that you’re never going to want anything to do with either of them again after all that’s happened. So convinced that he nearly has a heart attack when you reach out into the group chat once you’ve had time to process things and recover.

♡ Gonna be honest, the wonderlink he gets for you and Grim becomes a huge olive branch once you’re settled back at Ramshackle. Your determination to make memories alongside not having a clue how the gaming system works leads to you either calling Idia over the phone or actually wrangling him into coming over to play with you. Whether by accident or purpose most of the games you purchased on the system he gave you are multiplayer and you insist that there’s absolutely no way just the two of you can place and that you need a gaming expert. Of course Idia sees through your poorly veiled attempts to get him to socialize, but you must have pulled some cheat code because you somehow manage to get him over to play with you two. Just be ready to have more than a few memories of losing - he’s a gaming pro for a reason, after all.

Diasomnia

♡ You’ve firmly wormed your way into the Diasomnia circle from the moment that you first encountered Malleus, whether you realize it at first or not. 

♡ Mallues may not be the most intimately involved in the school's affairs or gossip, but even he’s heard talk of the prefect from another world with neither magic nor memories to their name. The lack of magical aptitude wasn’t anything to bat an eye at, though it was unfortunate given your current enrollment at one of the top arcane colleges in the world. But to have no recollections of your life prior to enrolling? In a place where no one can recognize you or give you the answers that you’re looking for? Truly, an unfortunate set of circumstances you’ve been dealt.

♡ He did not expect to cross paths with this infamous prefect on Ramshackle’s grounds not long after word of them popped up. The old bones of the place were a comfort to Malleus on many nightly walks; when he finds out that it’s no longer as abandoned as he first thought he’s sour at the knowledge that he’ll have to find another place to pass his time in peace. The last thing that Malleus expects is you being bold enough not only to approach him, but to greet him so casually as you none too subtly try to pry into what he’s doing walking around your dorm grounds. 

♡ Perhaps you’ve lost more than just your memories, as there’s not even a shred of trepidation or cautiousness as you so boldly interact with the fae. Not only that but you listen, looking up at him not with the nervousness or even fear that he’s seen in the faces of most of NRC’s students, but with curiosity. You’re a stranger to this world, so you don’t yet know the name Malleus Draconia, nor the face the name is tied to. For once your lack of knowledge works to someone’s benefit, and an unusual bond is formed.

♡ Your friendship with Malleus is an interesting exchange - you provide him company and idle conversation whenever he spirits away to Ramshackle; and he provides you company in turn, as well as a willing ear for you to confide in. Sure, your friends have told you that you can talk to them about your problems, but for some reason you’re able to open up easily to Mal. Maybe it’s because of just how little you know about him, right down to his very name - he’s just as much of a blank slate to you as yourself. So you find yourself sharing your worries about where you came from, or the life you lived before this, or the general distress of not knowing the first thing to do about getting your memory back. 

♡ Even after all these months it still weighs heavily on you, Malleus can see it in the tired expression that wears on your face when you recall all the things you’ve done to bring back even a shred of your old identity until your head’s pounding and your eyes ache. He hates seeing you troubling yourself over it, and more than once he’s found himself flickering through old books and tomes that haven’t been touched in centuries back home with the small hope to relieve some of that burden from your mind.

♡ On a happier note, Malleus will quite happily fill you in on subjects that peak your interest. He may have lived a fairly isolated life up until his enrollment here, but even what he does know about NRC and the world outside of it he’ll share with you, if only to see the way your expression lights up in wonder hearing everything he has to share.

♡ This dynamic changes very little, aside from the fact that now that you know his true identity these interactions are no longer purely one sided in the sense that you don’t have to wait around for him to just magically appear like you have been for months. Now he’s the one being surprised by your presence when you come knocking on Diasomnia’s doors looking to hang out. Surprising, but it honestly makes the young Draconia’s day having you march through his dorm’s halls wanting to spend time with him, encouraging him to talk about his day and asking how Roaring Drago is doing as you do so. 

♡ It’s an unusual feeling, having someone’s undivided attention simply because they enjoy your company, and that you leave such an impressionable impact on their memory. Your memory is a precious commodity considering your unique circumstances, and Malleus realizes that he wants to be in as many fond memories as you’ll allow him to.

♡ Though he has to admit, Malleus can’t shake the conflict that dwells in his chest whenever the topic of your home world comes up. Perhaps it’s just in your nature to yearn for something you’ve never known, but he wonders if you’re thinking about it because your worried about your ties to this world. He hopes that once you realize the life that you’re building here, and the memories that you’re making with him and your friends will be enough to convince you to stay. But that day is far away, and so he pushes it to the back of his mind in favor of enjoying the time spent with his closest friend, for however long it lasts…

♡Lilia, catches onto the friendship you’ve got with Malleus quickly, because of course there’s no hiding how much happier Malleus has become. You’re an interesting case yourself, being able to tackle most of the problems that Ramshackle has to offer you and come out the other side as unscathed as you can be. That coupled with the increased amount of time you begin spending around Daisomnia and its students is more than enough reason to catch this guy’s attention. He learns about your memory loss early on, especially considering that it’s pretty much the talk of the school once the information drops. He won’t prod you about it like some of the younger students might, however; he’s been on this earth long enough to recognize a sore subject when he sees one. 

♡ And so he sets about learning things about you in the present rather than the past. Your likes, dislikes, favorite foods, how easily shocked you get when he tries one of his infamous surprise appearances. Lilia’s very easygoing so it’s rather easy to get along with him, not to mention being a dad he’s got the comforting parental presence down pat when he wants to use it. He’s an easy person to let your guard down around, and admit things you usually wouldn’t. Maybe that’s why you end up talking to him about the what-if’s of your previous life.

♡ It’s a moment of weakness, you let one of your idle thoughts about your family back home slip, asking aloud if there’s anyone there to actually miss you. Lilia doesn’t miss the somber chuckle as you admit that you’re a little jealous - Sebek has his parents, and Silver has Lilia. You want a family like that. You try to lighten the mood by jokingly asking why someone can’t whisk you away into their family already, thinking about that time Kalim very nearly got you adopted into his family once he learned of your memory loss. You don’t expect an answer, much less for the moment to suddenly be broken as the fae pats your head ruffling your hair. No doubt he’s made your hair a mess by the action, but you’re more focused on the grin Lilia gives you when he mentions always wanting a big family - he’s sure Silver wouldn’t mind having a new sibling!

♡Unrelated but Lilia loves sharing old stories with you. Some of the things he shares you vaguely recall reading about in some history books at the library; some of those books were so old you have to wrack your brain trying to do the mental gymnastics to figure out exactly how old he is. He is thoroughly entertained seeing the mild existential crisis inducing cogs turning in your head as he continues his tales, waiting for you to inevitably jump into the story to prod him for more information. Just wait until Malleus shows you that one textbook that’s got Lilia’s portrait in; Lilia doesn’t hear the end of it when you come flying into his room mid game with the textbook in hand demanding to know how the hell he looks the same in a portrait taken centuries ago and waiting like a stubborn child next to his chair as he finishes the raid he’s working through with Gloomurai.

♡ Maybe if you weren’t so desperate for answers, you would have noticed that his friend’s gamer tag looks kinda familiar…

♡ Offered to cook you your favorite dish once. You thought it was a nice gesture, until Sebek and Silver made a joint effort to wrangle you away from the scene, basically pleading with Lilia to please not step foot into the kitchen. That’s probably one thing you’re better off not learning about…

♡ When Sebek first runs into you at NRC, he almost fools himself into thinking that you’re playing up the amnesia for some unforeseen gain. He’s not the first student to have had their doubts, and honestly you can’t entirely blame him for just how weird ‘complete memory loss aside from remembering basic functions and muscle memory’ sounds even without the whole context of this being a world governed by magic. However, what makes Sebek different is that he approaches the subject about as delicately as a falling brick. You’re only half listening as he’s demanding answers for things you don’t even know yourself, already fed up with the whole rigmarole of people throwing questions about your amnesia at you.

♡There’s only so much you can hear about memories this, hiding that before you snap back, hissing out that you’d give just about anything for it to be a lie rather than spending every night guessing where you’ve come from and who you’ve left behind while he’s got the luxury of knowing the kind of life he’s lived before this damn school. That shuts him up faster than you’ve ever seen, jaw snapping closed so hard you swear you hear his teeth click together as you turn heel and generate as much distance between the two of you as possible. 

♡ He feels guilty afterwards; Sebek may be a bit of a livewire but even he knows when he’s taken things a bit too far, and it’s clear to see his prying has left you feeling more than a little bitter towards him. Thankfully team dad Lilia is right there to offer advice on smoothing things over in a way that doesn’t result in things looping back around to the original argument. It takes a little while to come to terms with the fact that Sebek genuinely didn’t mean any malice in his prodding; with him on a determined path to become a knight worthy to protect Malleus he wants to know that he can trust you before allowing any kind of potential friendship to form. The way that he went about it however was blunt and came off way ruder than intended; that’s something you can both agree on when he bellows out an apology in the middle of the damn hallway when you cross paths the next day.

♡ He comes to respect how diligently you work despite your initial setbacks coming to Twisted Wonderland with such limited knowledge. What he once thought was an attempt to pry into things for malicious gain he finds is actually just a desire to understand the world around you and the people who inhabit it. Sebek has relayed his respect to you before, in his own way, and thankfully you’ve spent enough time around him to know that he genuinely means every word of it. 

♡ Will actively spur on your thirst for knowledge. The first time he lent you a book because he thought the material would give you something to think about, he fully expected it to be weeks before you’d finished. Cut to the next night and you’re unceremoniously dropping that same book onto his bedroom desk, sitting down next to him as you exclaim how cool the book was and your favorite highlights. 

♡ Of course Sebek quizzes you about it, but when it’s clear you’ve actually taken an interest in the book he’s given you expect to be walking home that night with a new pile of them to pour over to your heart's content. He’s got his own passion for books, and the pair of you bond over this shared activity a lot more than people realize. Lilia almost can’t believe his eyes how quickly Sebek’s hot-blooded attitude simmers down into something more tempered whenever you come over to gush about the latest book he’s recommended to you.

♡You made a joke once about being adopted by Sebek’s parents while he was on call back home, if only to get a laugh out of the smoldering glare he shot you from the other side of the couch. That laugh however breaks out into a full on cackle hearing his parents actually agreeing with you as you shuffle across the couch and pluck the phone from Sebek’s hands while he’s frozen in shock. His mom is thrilled; Sebek, decidedly, is not, as a pillow from the couch goes sailing across the room as you flee from the scene, disappearing into Daisomnia’s halls with Sebek’s phone to tell your second adopted family all about how he’s been making them proud at NRC.

♡ Silver doesn’t miss the signs that you’ve essentially been pseudo-adopted by his father and the other Diasomnia members, though he doesn’t know that you haven’t clocked onto it yet. Considering how Malleus considers you a close confidant, Lilia is basically treating you like another one of his children, and Sebek seems to actually enjoy having you around it’s easy to think that you’ve noticed just how much everyone cares for you. And of course you care for them in return; more than once you’ve stopped by during Silver and Sebek’s training with something from the cafeteria, or you’ve brought the oddest little things you’ve found at Sam’s shop to show off how cool they are (all of which he’s pretty sure he’s seen scattered around Malleus’ room whenever you bring a new item to the dorm.)

♡ You’re quickly becoming such an integral part of Diasomnia’s life that it’s getting harder to imagine a time without you here, and these guys have become all you’ve ever known in the same way. So it’s shocking to Silver when one of the other students mentions that you’ve basically been adopted into the dorm - you’re there so much you’re practically family anyway - and he sees your reaction. You freeze, jaw slack as you process what you’ve just heard. You hardly even notice Grim swiping the sandwich Silver brought you for lunch in your shock, instead glancing up at the Diasomnia boy as if to confirm what you just heard

♡ When he gives you a confused look in return and asks why you’re so shocked since they’re right he practically watches you go through several stages of emotions, right before you’re grabbing him by the lapel of his uniform and guide him to follow you as you bolt over to Crowley’s office. The poor headmaster doesn’t hear the end of your demanding for Grim and yourself to be made honorary Diasomnia members after this. If they’re adopting you, then by the seven you’re getting it in writing from the bird man himself.

♡ Silver mentions once that he wouldn’t mind if you really were adopted into the family. It’s right as he’s on the cusp of another one of his naps, leaning up against your shoulder when he lets slip that he’d be proud to have a sibling like you without thinking anything of it - because of course it’s true, it's just a thought he hasn’t voiced out loud before. Cut to Lilia coming in a minute or two later to check in only to find his son conked out on your shoulder while you’re a blubbering mess over the fact that someone genuinely wants you as part of their family. Lilia feels only marginally bad when he reaffirms the sentiment, him casually throwing out that he already sees you as Silver’s little sibling resulting in you crying harder.

[sparrowrye]

Demi Demon || Alastor x Reader, A3 part 6

Synopsis: Alastor disappeared for 8 years, leaving you confused, crushed, and angry. You spent those years building up your new self and protecting the haven from dangers left and right. What will happen when he returns to the new changes? Will he return anytime soon? Could you even go back to the way things were?

Previous part

Part 6: sweet nothings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I let out a groan as I stretched my arms out. My eyes snapped open to see Alastor still here and sitting in a chair by the empty fireplace. The evening sun was streaming through the large window and making his red pop out all the more.

His eyes were already on me when I looked him over. He placed his book on the side table and stood, his shadow lifting his cane for him to take. It took two strides to cross the room to kneel beside the couch.

I rolled over on my back as a red claw gently caressed my cheek and unstuck a strand of hair on the side of my face. When had he put a blanket over me? I pulled it off most of the way from being overheated.

"How did you sleep, dear?" he asked, voice crackling like his radio. His cane rested on his thigh.

"Not bad." I ran my hand up his sleeve to cover his hand, our fingers shifting so they could half interlace against my face. It was satisfying to stare up at his face.

He leaned down to press a gentle kiss on my forehead.

Beautiful darling, I heard him say.

He moved lower and pressed his lips onto mine. I leaned further into the pillow and found the back of his head with my other hand. His hair tickled my cheeks where it fell.

A string of fear pulsed through my mind at the thought of him leaving. I wanted so badly to keep him at a safe distance yet that had proven futile in the end. I couldn't resist him. Not now, and not when I first developed feelings for him. He somehow always managed to rope me back in.

I wasn't so sure I wanted to untangle myself.

****

Alastor spent the next few days doting on his soulmate. It felt like he was basking in warm sunlight on a breezy summer afternoon every time you were in the room together. Your magic melded so perfectly where it had been jagged before. It was comforting.

Though it was bittersweet.

Now that the bond had connected fully again, he was able to hear the little doubts that plagued your mind. You weren't shielding him in the way he was shielding you. His...other...feelings were still hidden safely behind a wall. You didn't need to see those.

You were highly skeptical of his affections but you never stopped him. He noticed the little devils making more frequent appearances around you. If he left you alone, they were at your side by the time he came back. If he barely turned his head, one of them was appearing from underfoot to grip at your pant leg.

Nym was the more intriguing one. She had a tough, rowdy spirit and seemed to drag her brother with her wherever she went. The boy was smaller than her and ran to his adoptive mother if he feared Nym would bring him somewhere muddy or had a small creature in her palms.

Reagan still hated him. He never cared for her to begin with but she lived under the same roof and caused plenty of problems. If it wasn't for his soulmate, Alastor would've corrected her bad manners long ago.

All three devils were in the kitchen while you made dinner. He placed a gentle kiss on your forehead before excusing himself outside through the back door. He stood at the corner of the house furthest from the haven — a place no one would ever be looking — then leaned against the wood grasping at his chest.

He pulled his bow tie loose and gripped his microphone until it bent under his strength. His breathing was erratic, his legs felt numb, and his claws were frozen in whatever position they were currently in. He tried to force his heart to slow its beating but his magic was difficult to reign in.

He had been suffering from these random panic attacks for days. They came on without warning. Horrid memories and anxieties resurfaced, along with bad possible scenarios. He had to get a hold of this panic. Every time he grew more panicked, his magic would slip away from his fingers—the one thing he relied on for centuries, the one thing that made him feel safe and in control.

A thought came to mind and his panic flew away. You had managed to regain control of your magic with a magic-restraining headband on; back when Blackwater was still alive. Alastor had been yanked into the darkness too soon for him to properly search your mind for how you did it. Maybe you would allow him to look back in that memory.

Dinner was awkward, as expected. The two of you sat on the long ends of the table with the devils in between. Nym sat on the chair adjacent to Alastor while Thatcher and Reagan sat closest to you.

Thatcher liked to talk—whenever his sister wasn't talking over him—and Nym liked to stare. She looked away whenever Alastor caught her observing him.

Reagan was silent unless you asked her a direct question. After the first two, you left her alone and listened to the younger pairs' wild adventures in the haven.

After dinner, Alastor watched from the corner of the kitchen as you and the tiny children cleaned up. Reagan was quick to retreat to her room for the night. Alastor would make a comment about that later.

He focused his attention on you as you stood behind the pair washing and drying the dishes. Thatcher liked to play with the water and soap while Nym preferred to dry, probably from her love for mud and anything dirty.

He was surprised to see Thatcher placed a cluster of soap bubbles on her arm. She tried flicking them off but when that didn't work, she angrily took a towel to it. You laughed and placed a gentle kiss on both of their heads.

Something moved in Alastor.

He wasn't sure what exactly. Was it love? Jealousy? Adoration? What he did know was that it made his shoulders less tense, made the edges of panic fade away. His smile was genuine when you glanced over your shoulder at him.

After the dishes had been cleaned, dried, and stored away, you sent the two to their bedroom. He wrapped an arm around your waist and basked in your warmth when you returned the gesture, leaning in so your bodies were comfortably against each other. It felt so good to be able to touch you again.

"I need to speak with Reagan first." You said after a quick kiss. He grimaced at the name but unstuck his claw from your waist. The sooner you spoke to the insolent child, the sooner he would have you for the rest of the night.

He waited in the bedroom, coat off, and glasses on as he read through the abstracts you had made in his absence. Your handwriting was difficult to read but the farther he read in a book, the better it looked.

His foot tapped the floor repeatedly and his eyes kept jumping up to the clock on the mantle. How long did it take to speak to Reagan? It had been thirty minutes already.

He glanced at his cane resting against his leg to ensure it was still there.

Footsteps creaked on the floorboards. His eyes snapped up to the door in anticipation. Upon seeing your head poke through the door, he sprung to his feet and glided over to meet you.

His mind touched yours as his arms wrapped around your back. You let his mind pass through the shields and he shoved away the uneasy feelings Reagan had caused. He felt amusement and annoyance from you at his action.

When you tried to push further past his walls, he placed a firm kiss on your lips as a distraction. He didn't want you to see the building anxieties and tension he had been hiding for weeks since his return. He knew that if you felt him shielding from you too firmly that you would grow upset with him and ask questions.

He threaded his claws through your hair, practically bending you backwards from the effort to be physically close, and searched your mind. It took all of three seconds for you to notice what he was doing and broke the kiss. You pushed him out of your mind and unhooked his arms from your back.

"Tell me what's going on." You crossed your arms.

"What do you mean?" His distractions had failed. How did you even feel he was searching her mind? He had been painstakingly light.

"You keep trying to go deep in my mind but you won't let me into yours."

Ah, so he hadn't been doing a good job at hiding it. Your magic perception must've gotten stronger in his absence. He felt both pride and disappointment knowing he wouldn't be able to hide much from you soon.

"I have allowed you in my mind," he argued gently. He glanced over to see his cane still resting on the chair.

"Not deep. Not as deep as I allow you. So why?"

His eyes left yours as he claws closed around nothing. He summoned his cane into his hand and tried to find the proper words. He felt your mind moving softly around his, not yet trying to push through the barrier. It was something he had done to you so many times before.

He was waiting, expecting you, to say something more to move the conversation along but you didn't. You waited in silence, eyes pinned on him and nowhere else. It was as if he was on a dark stage with a single spotlight on him. Usually he didn't mind it but tonight was different.

"You have your fears, I have my own," he finally said. General, not too specific, but still revealing in a way.

"What fears do you have?" Your question was genuine and not at all accusatory. Everyone had fears. Yet you truly thought he had none.

"Leaving you." His red eyes flicked up to yours for your reaction. Your ears perked up on the sides of your head. Your mouth hung open and a single hand was hovering over your stomach, as if you were debating on touching something, on touching him.

He wanted you to touch him.

"But...why won't you let me in?" you asked next.

"I do not want you to be fearful of my absence again. If I fear it, you will too."

You let out a sigh and took a step closer. Your gentle claw laid carefully on top of the one on his cane while the other gently grabbed his other arm. His hand came up to rest lightly on your back.

"I'm not as fragile as I once was," you said, your eyes scanning his body from his waist to his antlers. They settled down to meet his eyes, "You don't need to protect me from everything."

For a while nothing was said. Your eyes never parted, drinking in each other's gaze after such a long time apart. He noticed then that you were right. You were looking at him differently. Before, you always had a look of anxious anticipation or fear. Now, you looked at him with curiosity and even a fan of confidence. You had grown in the past eight years.

You retracted your hands from his body and he instinctively pulled you against him, afraid to lose you a second time. You let out a small laugh and patted his chest lightly. "I'm just doing something. I'll be right back."

You pushed off his unwillingly arm and walked over to the dresser where a radio sat. You switched it on and turned the dial until you found the station you were looking for. Soft, slow jazz music filled the red room (Unforgettable- Nat King Cole). You kept it at a decent level where you could both hear it but not disturb the children across the hall.

The low piano tunes danced overhead as you sauntered back over to him. You gripped his red staff and lightly pulled his wrist up, successfully peeling off his tight claw from his crutch. You placed his hand at his side and moved to lean the cane against one of the chairs.

You returned to him a moment later, his hands moving instinctively into a waltz position. Your claws were so thin and small compared to his thick, red, sturdy ones. But that didn't lessen your comforting grip. He noticed the way your gaze lingered on your intertwined fingers.

He also noticed the way your pupils widened when they finally looked up at him. His other hand was comfortably on your waist, your own resting on his shoulder. Had you grown taller? He could vaguely remembering stretching his arm more to touch your back when you first learned to dance with him.

He noticed the shadows mimicking the dancing movements along the wall.

He felt a small spike of nervousness from you as you took the first few steps of the waltz. He could feel that it had been some time since you last danced like this with anyone. It was both a sadness and comfort.

He had been stuck in darkness but you had to live on, remaining loyal without an explanation to his disappearance. You had chosen him as he had chosen you. From the big actions like killing Blackwater to the small things like never dancing with someone in his absence, you had chosen him.

His smile grew. His lips were closed as he stared lovingly into your soft eyes. They were the only ones he ever wanted to look at him. They were the only ones that deserved to look at him.

He drunk in your presence, your stare, your love, your touch, your everything. He waited for so long to experience another dance with you. Why had he been so stubborn with you before?

The song ended and you both came to a slow stop. Another song came on, one just as soft and slow as the first, and you continued the gentle waltz (moonlight serenade - glen miller).

Nothing was needed to be said. You basked in each other's mind, unable and unwilling to pull away. You threaded your souls together like stitching a quilt, careful and slow and methodical. No rush. Just peace. Just warmth. Just love.

At one point you laid your head on his chest. Love and adoration swelled inside. He felt like a cup overflowing with something. He was utterly shocked to find himself coming close to the feeling of crying.

He had done plenty of that in the darkness but out here? Why was such a happy moment making him want to cry? It seemed counterintuitive.

You rubbed your head against the red fabric and let out a heavy sigh. He slowly let your hand down and wrapped his arms around your shoulders, allowing you enough room to wrap your own around his waist.

You swayed from side to side now, no stepping required to break your concentration on him. Your mind filled him to every inch and centimeter of his being. He could feel you in his fingers, in his cloved toes, in his wretched tail, in his ears, and every mind space he had.

There was you and only you.

Until your glow dulled as you nearly fell asleep standing up. He hummed a laugh and felt another spike of something strong coming from you. You pushed your face further into his chest.

"Come love," he whispered. He leaned down and lifted your legs, his other hand holding your back securely. He brought you over to the bed and, before placing you down, snapped his fingers to switch you into your usual night attire.

He pulled the covers over your shoulders and moved to get himself ready for bed. Your hand grabbed his and he gently tapped it. "I'll be right back."

He noticed your watchful gaze never left him as he walked to the other side of the room. He snapped his fingers again to adorn himself in different clothes. His cloved feet touched the soft carpet underneath.

He slipped under the covers and you attached yourself to his side instantaneously. He wrapped his arms securely around your back and nuzzled his face into your soft hair. He sucked in your sweet, earthy scent and let out a heavy, relieving sigh. You followed suit.

"Goodnight my dear," he placed a kiss on your head.

"Goodnight," you mumbled. He began to hum a familiar tune and felt your conscious fighting to stay awake to enjoy the feeling of his chest vibrating against your touch.

I love you.

I love you too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note:

It's been a long time coming...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist:

@wendigonamecaller @saccharine-nectarine @thesimpybitch @papas-ghoulette @masochist-downfall

[jadedxhearts]

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

After not being able to have alone time with Law for a while due to all the events taking place, you’re finally able to get what you want one evening. Note: I know everything in the beginning of Wano kinda happens in one day but for the sake of this fic it does not lol.

originally posted on Sept 14, 2022

Please note that this is an old work and isn't representative of my current writing skills!

Having nearly no privacy was incredibly frustrating, especially having to live in a ruined palace. No closed off rooms, just massive holes in walls to make separate “rooms”.

Hell, you couldn’t even go have a bath alone. All the water had to carefully be stolen from the farm, so you had a very limited amount to wash yourself with; meaning you were basically just splashing water on yourself fully clothed and hoping it would be enough.

And go for a walk in the woods? You’d either be followed or worse, run into trouble, get caught.

So therefore, you had absolutely no way to be alone with Law. Somebody was always in the abandoned castle, always following you into the woods, it was always something.

Until today.

In a rare moment, everyone had left the hideout to search for those with moon tattoos on their ankles. And as for the three idiots on your crew, Law had kicked them out saying they were on “spy duty”, because surely Luffy and the other Strawhats would be showing up one of these days. And boy did they eat it up, grabbing their binoculars and running off, talking about how important this was.

So here you were now, in the present situation;

After making sure the boys were far off, Law laid back, pulling a finger in an inward motion to tell you to come forward. You gladly hopped onto his lap, running your fingers along his chest. “Finally.”

“Don’t get too excited. They could come back at any moment,” Law advised. “Though, I doubt that idiot will show up anytime soon.”

Sighing, you slipped a hand under the top of his robes, placing your hand on his firm chest, the other one around his jaw. You leaned forward and down to press a kiss to your lover’s lips.

“Surely we can sneak something in, Law? Please, I’m so tired of not being able to touch you…”

“Is that not what you’re doing right now?”

“You know what I mean!” You snapped, pulling your face away from his. “Maybe you should just be blunt with them and tell them you and I need alone time.”

“Why don’t you do it then?” He asked, smirking.

“Wh-well I, no. That’s embarrassing.”

Law rolled his eyes, and put a hand on your back, pushing you to lay right up against him. “Then I guess you won’t get what you want.”

You bit playfully at his lip, a fake glare sent his way. “Fine.”

Law chuckled very briefly, before reconnecting his lips with yours. His right hand moved to your bottom, cupping it through your kimono.

You shuddered at the aroused feeling going straight to your core, welcoming Law’s touches. You slipped your hand underneath his head, grabbing at his hair and deepening the kiss.

“So impatient…” he mumbled against your lips, both of which were now wet with spit.

“It’s been too long, Law. I need you, now.” You whined.

Law unoccupied hand slipped up to your chest and under the folds of the kimono, finding its resting place on your right breast, gently massaging it and flicking at your nipple.

You let out a soft moan, wanting him to go further, go lower.

He bit at your lip before kissing you, and pulled back to speak; “you need to be quiet, y/n. The others aren’t too far away.”

“I don’t care,” you told him. “Let them hear the way you fuck me so good, baby.”

Law’s hips involuntarily jerked up, rubbing up against your covered heat, which in turn made you grind down on him.

“Fuck, quit saying shit like that. Makes me wanna take you right here, where we can get caught so easily.”

You moaned again, pushing your lips back into his own to try and muffle the sound. You adjusted your hips so that your legs could be around his thigh, pushing part of his clothing aside so you could plant yourself onto his bare skin. With small movements that weren’t incredibly noticeable, you began rubbing your cunt on his thigh, the only barrier being your panties, which were growing wet quickly.

“That’s right, fuck yourself on my thigh like a stupid slut.” Law praised you. “Such a good girl…”

His lips returned to kiss you, and you continued to moan into his mouth, gripping his sleeve and pulling on his hair.

“Law, please, need you…” you whined.

“You can wait, love. I know you can.” He teased, “besides, I don’t need those idiots catching us, I never want anyone to see you like this.

“You know why?” He asked.

“Cause I’m, ah-” You let out a cry as you felt yourself getting close to releasing. “I’m all yours, Law. Only yours.”

“That’s right” he said, connecting your lips once again.

The kisses turned hot and passionate, but with lots of panting and whining in between. Law was starting to actually worry somebody would walk in on the two of you, but you were relentless, grinding yourself onto his thigh. He could feel your slick against his skin. Truly, it turned him on so much he couldn’t stop you.

“Law, baby, I’m-“

“CAPTAIN!!!”

“Fuck!” You cried, stopping your movements and smacking your fist against his chest. “No…”

“CAPTAIN!”

Just before Bepo, Penguin and Shachi could fully walk into the abandoned castle, Law quickly removed his hands from your chest and instead placed a hand on your back, while you hid your flushed face in his neck.

“What.”

Law seemed annoyed.

The boys stumbled back, surprised at the position the two of you were laying in. But instead of commenting on it, they blurted out the last thing you expected to hear.

“MUGIWARA’S HERE!”

—

Unfortunately for you, Law had to abandon you at the castle, leaving you all worked up and alone. When he finally returned, you feared that there was absolutely no way you’d be getting to finish, as now Luffy and all the Strawhats who weren’t in the Flower Capital were now here.

You had sulked all day, and now you sulked in Law’s arms. Or, arm, really.

You leaned against him, only one of his arms around you, as you both stood outside with your crew, while the others inside were learning of the events that took place twenty years ago.

“Law,” you whispered, turning your head to look up at him. “Can we please… just go off in the woods?”

Law sighed, shaking his head. “In the dirt? I don’t think so, y/n.”

You lowered your head, frowning. “Please, Law… it’s too painful.”

“Are you that desperate?” He asked.

“Yes! Just… tell the others I have a stomachache, and I don’t wanna puke in front of them or something.”

“You drive me insane,” he muttered.

But to your surprise, he pushed both of you up off the wall you were leaning against, and began walking you towards the woods.

“Y/n doesn’t feel good,” Law announced. “I’m going with her. She’s too embarrassed to throw up in front of you guys, apparently.”

The boys began laughing, making some comment about how nothing would be as embarrassing as what happened to Bepo earlier that day.

But they let both of you go without any issues.

It wasn’t too difficult to find a secluded spot, since the forest was fairly thick and it was dark out, the only light being from the moon.

You only hoped the distance was far enough that nobody could hear you.

You looked behind you, searching to see exactly how far you’d walked out. Unable to see the ruins, you figured it was good enough.

You felt Law’s hand on your jaw, gently forcing you to look up at him.

“They won’t hear,” he reassured you. “And if they do, they can just deal with it.”

Breath shuddering, you leaned forward to close the space between your lips and the smirk that his lips formed. Placing another hand on your back, Law pushed you closer and connected the both of you.

Your hands found their way up to his hair once again, running your fingers through his soft locks of messy hair. With one hand, you took his hat and placed it on your own head before returning your hand to play with his hair.

“Step back,” he told you.

Listening, you removed your hands and took a couple small steps back, allowing Law to move.

He took the cloak that hung over his shoulders and laid it out on the grass, dropping his katana next to it.

“Lay down.”

You smiled. “Aw, you don’t want me to get all dirty,” you said. “How sweet of you, Law.”

“I don’t want to get dirty.” He corrected you. “But yeah, it would be bad if you got dirt on you. Cause then I’d have to get it off.”

Giggling, you sat down on the cloak and leaned back, holding yourself up with your elbows behind you.

Law kneeled in front of you, placing his hands on your thighs, rubbing them. “Tell me what you want, y/n.”

He leaned forward to bite at your collarbone, sucking on the skin between his teeth. You miserably failed to hold back the tiny whimper you’d been holding in. “I… want your fingers,” you told him.

Law kissed the now hickey on your neck before removing himself to pull back just a little, pushing your kimono away from your legs and grabbing the panties you wore underneath, pulling them off of you. He examined them for a moment, before tossing them behind him.

“Law!” You protested.

“What?”

“Now they’re gonna be dirty! What am I supposed to wear?!”

“They were already dirty with you nearly cumming inside them earlier. You can wear nothing until we get back to our stuff.”

You were going to whine, but then Law pushed a finger against your clit without warning, sliding it down to your wet folds.

“Look at how soaked you are, y/n. You’re such a slut.”

“I can’t help it,” you whined.

You cried out as he began to rub your clit with his thumb, his index and middle finger running along you to wet them, before he slowly slid them inside your cunt. The movement on your sensitive bud slowed down as he gently felt along your walls, scissoring his fingers to stretch you just a little, before he curled the two digits, rubbing up against your sweet spot.

“Law, baby,” you moaned.

“You're such a good whore, y/n, coming all undone just from my fingers. And to think you almost came on my thigh, without me even touching you. Pathetic.”

You squirmed and moaned, knowing you were close to cumming, desperately hoping you’d be able to release this time.

You threw your head back with a groan as Law added a third finger, speeding up his motions and thoroughly fingering you. Your fingers tried grabbing at the cloak underneath you, but due to your position and the weight on it, you were unsuccessful. With nothing to ground yourself, you clenched your fists and cried out, moaning Law’s name.

“Law, I’m close, fuck-“

“Gonna cum on my fingers, hm?” He asked.

“Yes! Please, Law, please let me cum, I-“

But Law pulled his fingers away just as you were mere milliseconds away from climaxing, and you let out a frustrated cry. “No! Law, please!”

“You begged me to come out here and fuck you. You’ll play by my rules,” he told you. “Being that you won’t cum until I say so. Okay, wife-ya?”

You let out a whine at the pet name, moving your arms away from under you so you could lay back fully on the ground. Your hands found their way to your face, which you held in embarrassment.

“Okay, Law…”

Peeking through your fingers, you saw him smirking. You closed your eyes as he lowered his head, feeling his breath against your soaked cunt.

“Maybe I should eat you out, hm?”

You trembled and clenched around nothing, trying to buck your hips forward so they’d reach his mouth. But then Law pulled back.

“Or maybe I should punish you for what you did earlier. Get on your knees.”

You obliged, pushing yourself off your back and onto your knees, placing your hands on your thighs and waited.

Law stood up, his hands reaching underneath his hat which still sat on your head, hands making their way underneath your hair so he could get a good grip on your head.

“Go ahead,” he instructed.

You pushed the robes away so that you could get your face between his muscular thighs, gently freeing his cock with shaking hands.

It’d been a while since you’d had him shoved down your throat. You wondered if you’d be able to handle it.

Positioning your hands, you brought the tip to your mouth and kissed it, gently suckling on it.

Above you, Law let out a small groan that caused a chill to run throughout your hot body, making you squeeze your thighs together in some pathetic attempt to pleasure yourself.

You ran your tongue up his shaft a few times before finally widening your mouth, praying you wouldn’t gag and mess it all up.

As you brought the tip into your mouth fully, Law moved his hips forward, practically shoving his entire length into your mouth. You tried protesting, but it was all just muffled noises as you choked on him.

In an attempt to gain access to air, you grabbed at his hand, squeezing it.

Reluctantly, Law pulled his cock out of your mouth, and you began coughing and spitting.

“Too much?” He asked.

You nodded, wiping the spit from your face. “I can’t… handle it,” you answered.

“That’s okay. We’ll try again and again until you can take it all.”

Your head returned to him, and you took just the tip of him into your mouth, running your tongue around his cock.

“Good girl,” Law praised. “Can you take a little more?”

You nodded, and he pushed just a little more inside. And then a little more, and more until he was fully inside your mouth once again.

“Breathe through your nose,” he reminded you.

Finally, you were able to take him once more. You squeezed his hand again, letting him know it was okay to move. He let go of your hand to place it in your hair and began thrusting, but very gently.

Eventually, the more comfortable you got, the faster he moved. He was fully deepthroating you now, his grip on your hair nearly painful now. You didn’t mind though, because hearing his little moans was the greatest sound you’d ever heard, and it turned you on to no end knowing that you were the one giving him such pleasure.

“I’m gonna- fuck!” He cursed, unloading himself into your throat with no warning.

He quickly pulled out after, knowing you probably wouldn’t be able to breathe right without any warning. You swallowed what you could, but started coughing again, head resting on his hip.

“You did so good, y/n.” Law told you, rubbing your tender head. “I’m proud of you.”

You smiled and let the praise go straight to your head. You hadn’t even noticed that Law was moving, until he moved you to sit on his lap.

“Now I’ll fuck you, just as you wanted. Okay?”

You nodded and raised your hips so he could position his once again hard cock underneath you. Holding himself with one hand, he brought the other one to your hip, gripping at the soft flesh. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you sank down onto him, moaning at the way he stretched you.

“F-fuck,” he groaned, “you’re so… tight.”

“Law, I- I can’t, too big-“

“Yes you can,” he reassured you. “I know it’s been a while but you’ll be okay. I won’t hurt you, love.”

You teared up, one singular tear rubbing down your flushed cheeks. You didn’t know if it was from his sweet words, or the way he was practically splitting you in half.

“Move when you’re ready,” he said, running a hand through your hair and kissing you.

After a moment of simply sitting halfway on his cock, you finally lowered yourself, swallowing up his entire length.

“Good girl.”

You whined as you slowly lifted your hips again before sliding them back down. You did this a few more times before you felt ready enough to fully ride him.

Testing the waters, you rocked your hips forward once, shuddering and clenching on his thick length.

“Fuck,” you cried, moving your hips back, and then forth again.

“You’re doing so good, y/n. Taking my cock so well, like a good little slut.”

“Law,” you moaned his name, “feels..so… good.”

He smirked as he watched you begin to bounce on him, your eyes shut tightly and mouth hung open as moans fell from you.

Feeling more confident, you sped up your movements until you were completely riding him, bouncing up and down so quickly your moans weren’t catching up with it anymore.

“Oh, Law, baby… I’m gonna- mmm.”

His right hand was now underneath you, rubbing circles into your clit. “I know. I can always tell by the way you start clenching on me.”

“F-fuck!”

You threw your head back, slowly opening your eyes and looking down again, seeing the sight before you. Law had that stupid smirk on his face again, but you could see in his eyes that he was truly loving this.

But then his mouth fell open, and he began panting and groaning, his hips shaking as he was now incredibly close, too.

His left hand gripped your hip even tighter, and his other started rubbing your soft bud faster.

“Cum with me, baby,” he told you.

You whined, loving when he called you baby. Out of all the stupid shit he’d call you, nothing else made your heart flutter like this.

You let out a loud moan, your orgasm overtaking you, releasing all your sweet juices down onto his cock as he came again, his hot cum filling you up.

You both stopped moving, and Law laid back so you could collapse on top of him.

“Better now?” He asked.

You nodded, kissing him.

After another moment of laying together, he slowly pulled out of you, causing your mixed cum to flow out of your pussy and onto your thighs.

“Think you can walk back to base?” He asked, helping you up.

On wobbly legs, you nodded. But it was obvious you couldn’t.

Sighing, Law lifted you up, over his shoulder. Your arms instinctively wrapped around his neck. He picked up his things and your panties before heading back towards the ruins.

Before you could reach the clearing, you felt ready to walk again so he let you down, throwing the cloak over your shoulders to keep you warm.

It seemed everyone was passed out, so it was easy for you to get a clean pair of panties on before you laid down with Law, arms wrapped around him as you drifted off to sleep, fully satisfied.

[ask-the-royal-absol]

*It felt strange going back to how things were before the sleepover. A familiar feeling of dizziness washed through Destino. It was the same one Felix and them felt when they were just about to leave the Underdark. Weird. That whole sleepover event was odd. They could remember what happened however some details were fuzzy. They couldn’t remember the being that was with them. Not even a name. Why not? Looking around, Destino drew themself back to the current situation. They were on top of a rocky mountain, it was night and the three of them were heading down a tunnel to go to Terrestria. Yes. That was it.

Destino followed Hope through the tunnel. Felix hovered close by. The absol wondered how long this tunnel that led to Terrestria had been around for. Was it since that trade deal Hope had mentioned around 400 years ago? After then? Or perhaps even before? All Destino knew is that they were in unknown territory and they wouldn’t be able to use their handsome face to travel around. The disguise didn’t look too bad however.

After what felt like ages walking in awkward silence, they made it to a leafy covering. Hope leapt up with ease. Destino struggled to pull their body up so Felix offered a hand, to which the absol accepted.*

*Hope went on ahead, walking through the wooden door in front of them. She didn’t want to waste anymore time on this pointless discussion. Destino followed, with Felix in tow. Felix hung his head low at what Destino had said. He was annoyed with himself. Annoyed he’d let something so secretive slip that easily to someone he barely knew. How was Hope able to get that information out of him like that? It was too late now. Felix would need to have a conversation with Destino to try and clear the air.

The narrow corridor stretched out before the group. Three doors of a similar fashion stood to the left side of the room, each with a towering rock column facing them on the right side. A few stained glass windows were seen along the right walls, each with unique patterns on. A mosaic mural slotted in the centre of two of the windows, each of the tiles used in its creation a different shade of colour. A door hung on the opposite side of the short corridor.*

*Hope could hear a rather loud voice coming from behind the closed door in front of her. A recognisable voice. One that sounded awfully panicked too. The other voice of higher tones. She had to time this perfectly. Hushing Destino’s constant complaining about the similarity of the architecture, Hope told the duo a signal she wanted to use to alert them of the right moment for them to enter. She wanted to brace her old man first before he got to meet the absol he’d heard many stories about. She knew there’d be some level of excitement for Destino’s arrival. Listening in, she could hear the conversation clearer than before.*

*The surprise hit King Flint like a ninjask at full speed. It was them. Prime Destino. In the flesh. He never thought he'd see the day anytime soon, considering what their parents had said about them. Destino, glaring towards Hope, spoke with annoyance. They weren’t going to let Hope call them an idiot when it was clearly her fault. Felix, not wanting to cause anymore freak outs, hid inside of Destino’s shadow. Not the most comfortable hiding place but it’d work for now.*

Destino: Oh I see, it was my fault that your signal wasn't good enough. Of course it was. It totally had nothing to do with the fact that you were taking far too long for my liking.

*Noticing the spear, Destino turned to face the wielder of the weapon, lowering it a bit with a single paw.*

Destino: And you need to get that damn stick away from my face. Do you really think you’re intimidating anyone looking like a walking potato? Come on, a four year old would laugh at you. I would say try harder but I doubt any amount of effort would fix your predicament. Hope, you need better bodyguards. Ones that don’t look like that.

*Flint still stared in disbelief. It really was them. With hushed tones, he spoke to his daughter.*

King Flint: So, Nox and Karma were telling the truth after all. You really did go down to the Underdark. I thought they were pulling my leg so I sent them back on their way.

Hope: Yeah. It was pretty interesting down there. I know Destino’s parents described the huge chunks of crystal ores and all but it’s a whole other thing seeing it. Turns out that prophecy is real too and Destino just so happens to be a part of it.

*The prophecy. One that had been passed down through their family for many, many years. Flint had told it to his daughter as a story, much like his family had to him. It was spoken as fact but there was always some part of him who thought that it may be untrue. It had grave implications if it was indeed coming into fruition.*

King Flint: Was it the Guardian who told you?

Hope: And she told me I was responsible for getting them too.

King Flint: Really? Well, I know we can trust her but I still would have preferred you letting me know where you went off to. I can’t have you running off to who knows where.

Hope: It was a bit of a time-sensitive thing.

King Flint: I see…

*King Flint gave a big smile towards the absol.*

King Flint: Well, I’ll be damned. The Prime of the Underdark. Never thought I’d ever get to meet you at this rate. Your ma and pa have told me all about you, kiddo! Stan, you can put the spear down. They’re not going to cause us any harm!

*The hitmonlee, still worried about the absol making a move towards his king, slowly lowered his spear. With suspicious eyes, he followed the movements of the absol as they made their way towards King Flint.*

Destino: Oh thank the Gods you have tight control over this one. I could see the murder in his eyes from the moment he set them upon me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he stabbed me in the back in this instance. Stan, was it? Keep your spear at a distance away from me, buddy. Or better yet, leave this room so I don’t have to look at your repulsively-bald head ever again. Would probably be best for the both of us.

*The Hitmonlee stared Destino, frustrated by this Absol’s comments. He looked towards the king for some reassurance but all he could see was his majesty laughing at his predicament.*

King Flint: Hahaha! You are hilarious! Utterly hilarious! If you weren’t the heir to the throne of the Underdark, I’d love to have you as my personal jester!

Destino: Wow, I’m hurt by that. Truly, I am. You see me as a lowly jester. Hope, you and your family are not making a good impression on me.

King Flint: That was a compliment, kiddo! I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in a long time! Your parents never told me you had a sense of humour! Please, I’d love to hear some more of your insults!

Hope: Dad, stop that. You really don’t need to make their ego larger than it needs to be.

*Destino, Felix, Hope and King Flint are available for 6 questions.*

[wholesomefluffdaddy]

Wednesday's new court mandated therapist is having her keep a journal of her thoughts and feelings. Wednesday finds this to be a complete waste of time and decides instead to use it to record her observations of her unusual roommate Enid Sinclair. Wednesday POV.

——————————————

Entry 16

Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent 🌘

After taking some time to ponder my affliction, this supposed family curse, I decided to test it's validity. By no means was I going to deliberately put Enid in danger to test my hypothesis but I could at least give her a small fright. Perhaps a spike in her heart rate and adrenaline would be strong enough to cause me similar symptoms if there was indeed this curse.

I set about my plans in secrecy, or at the very least as much as I could with my madness demanding me to be with Enid. I was able to plan in small segments of approximately 30 minutes. I was unfortunately unable to use the full 30 minutes efficiently as about 15 minutes was spent fantasizing about Enid and 5 minutes of myself doubting whether my plan was advisable. I struggled with the remaining minutes left to me as every scenario caused me to feel immense guilt.

After six separate planning periods I finally had my solution: bees. Despite Enid's willingness to join beekeeping club at my request a few years ago she has still maintained a fear of the eusocial flying insects. I find this peculiar as she could have left said club anytime after the one time distraction I needed her to cause. I have no complaints as too her continued membership as it allows us the privacy of the club house for… other activities.

With my goal firmly set in my mind's eye I made haste to find Eugene. If I was to cause Enid a fright I wished to ensure everything was strictly controlled to ensure her safety and that of the bees. Eugene didn't seem to keen on my plan but agreed once I explained I was suffering from a familial curse and wished to test whether Enid was in-fact my soulmate. He was most generous in sharing the variety of bees of which could complete my mission. I decided to go with a simple carpenter bee. Its size and intimidation factor would be sufficient.

My plan was set in motion on an unassuming Saturday afternoon. While Enid and I were both in our dorm I sent Eugene a text message via my cellular telephone. I glanced over at Enid cheerfully decorating her side of the room for the Pagan appropriated Christian holiday. She was hanging garland when the first bee crawled in under the door. Perhaps it was the loud music or perhaps her intense focus on her task at hand but she did not notice as the bee flew around her ears. I turned around in my chair to observe the series of events about to occur.

A fourth and fifth bee had joined by the time Enid began to descend the step ladder she was using to hang her bright and garish decorations. I felt the moment she laid eyes on the first bee. A horrible tightness gripped my chest. Enid's eyes widened and I realized too late in my horror what was about to happen. I scrambled out of my chair before Enid lost her footing. Her body crashed against mine as she tumbled to the ground. She yelped at the sight of my crumpled body beneath her. The wind had been knocked from my lungs and I gasped for air. I watched in my temporarily stunned state as the bees quickly left.

'Willa!' Enid exclaimed. Her panic was my panic. The tightness in my chest only worsened as Enid fretted over me.

'Amor please forgive me!' I begged as soon as I regained my breath. Enid paused in her inspection of me and looked confused.

'Willa, I fell on you.' She half laughed as she pulled me into a hug.

'Yes but it was at my behest that the bees were summoned.' I confessed. I was unworthy of her embrace. However, she did not release me upon hearing my words.

'…What?' Enid asked slowly.

'I asked Eugene to send bees in to-' My next words were cut off as the werewolf's grip on me tightened.

'You what?' She asked louder. I could feel her hurt, anger, and confusion radiating off of her. I could not stop myself from trembling.

'Amor, please let me explain!' I gulped. A fear I had never known had suddenly sunk its claws into me. 'I am so sorry-!'

'Why did you ask Eugene to send bees to our dorm?'

'Only to give you a small fright.'

'A small fright?' Enid asked, pulling back. I winced at the look she gave me.

'Yes.' I swallowed hard. My lover was mad at me and I wished to perish.

'Why?' She asked with narrowing eyes. Death was surely upon me.

'To see if we are soulmates.' I said with haste. Enid said nothing but her curiosity was evident so I continued cautiously. 'I-I was informed recently that I may be suffering from a familial curse-' I explained all the information I had been provided rapidly.

'So you wanted to give me a heart attack to see if you would have one too?' Enid asked. I let out a premature sigh of relief. She seemed to understand.

'Yes, I merely wished to confirm-'

'You're unbelievable.' Enid huffed and released me as she got to her feet.

'But amor just I explained-!' I tried fruitlessly but it was clear Enid did not care to hear anything else I had to say.

'Just stop Wednesday.' She barked with frustration. I fell mute at once. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. 'You've been in therapy for a while so can you please stop and think about why I might be upset?' I blinked slowly as I stared at her. Even in her state of fury she was simply stunning. As soon as she opened her eyes again I hurriedly looked away.

'Yes… I shall consider-' I began meekly. The door to our dorm room slammed shut. Enid had left. I felt numb.

As of writing this, Enid has still not returned. I miss her dearly and I have had much time to reflect upon my erroneous actions. I only wish for Enid's return so that I may beg for her forgiveness.

"Enid! What's up?"

"I'm coming over."

"Wait, what? Why?"

"…"

"Wednesday?"

"Wednesday."

"Got it. What'd the pint sized terror do this time? Hiss at any more cats?"

"She tried to scare me half to death with some giant bees."

"Yikes."

"Yeah."

"…Did she give any reason as to why? Or is it just a Wednesday thing?"

"I'll explain in a minute. Open your door."

"Uh! I'm gonna need you to hang tight for just a moment!"

"Why?"

"Hi Enid!"

"Divina? You're over-? Oh!"

"Sorry pup! Just give us a minute to uh get decent!"

"Oh! Hi Wednesday!"

"Eugene."

"Did the bees work?"

"Unfortunately yes."

"What do you mean unfortunately?"

"I have a favor to ask."

"Sure?"

"I'm dying."

"Oh my god. Did we kill Enid!?"

"No but I was able to confirm the validity of my family's curse."

"Wait, so you're both okay? Or badly injured?"

"Our physical health is fair if not mildly bruised."

"So why are you dying?"

"I… I have invoked Enid's wrath."

"Did she try to kill you?"

"No but it is apparent that I have irreparably damaged our relationship. She… has abandoned me."

"Wednesday are you safe right now? Where are you?"

"I am safe from outward afflictions. Inside however I feel my life force draining."

"What does that mean? Are you still in your dorm?"

"I do not believe it is possible for an Addams to survive if their soulmate ceases to love them in return. I shall await my inevitable demise in our dorm room."

"I'm getting the nurse."

"There is no use. Please find Enid and inform her of my sincerest apologies."

"I'll do both. Hang on Wednesday!"

Dear Diary,

️😑 I'm in love with an idiot. Wednesday still doesn't seem to fully grasp the concept of love/relationships. Today she tried (and succeeded) to scare me half to death. 😵 She said she did it to see if we were soulmates - Which like sounds all sweet and everything but why couldn't she have just talked to me about it first? 😣 Apparently she did it because she's worried about some sort of family curse?

Oh Wednesday…

Anyway, she had Eugene send a bunch of bees into our dorm while I was putting up Christmas decorations. 🐝😱😵 I kinda blew up at her and left to go cool down. I was only gone for like maybe 10 minutes or something. (I couldn't stay mad at her) And when I got back I saw the academy's nurse leaving our dorm! 😱 I ran inside to see Willa laying on her bed with her arms crossed over her chest, which is normal but still, while Eugene talked to her.

I run over and Willa goes through like 5 different emotions in a second as soon as she sees me. She's surprised 😲, then happy 😃, then worried 😥, then scared 😰, then sad/guilty 😭. Eugene looks between us, apologizes for the bees, says goodbye to Wednesday and leaves. I sit down beside Wednesday and ask what the hell is going on.

She takes my hand and starts apologizing profusely. I tell her I accept her apology and ask why the nurse was in. She said she was dying (something about it having to do with the 'family curse') because she thought I didn't love her anymore. 😑

…

I tell her she's stupid and I still love her. (Babycakes is so dramatic! 😅)

Then I made her help me finish decorating as her 'atonement' before smoothing her with cuddles after. She looked like she could use the reassurance.

[yuulina-vre]

Fear - Chapter one

Summary: Y/N lives the life she always dreamed about. a job she loves, a fiancé that does everything for her, and a house she dreamed of. There are hiccups on the way, but Y/N's still pretty satisfied with where she stands in life. Though a word can be powerful, especially if it's said to the wrong person. Y/N would never have thought that she ever gets to experience how bad it can turn out. For her and the loved ones around her.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word count: 2.8k

Warnings: none, maybe some sexy time :)

Series Masterlist // Masterlist

The night is clear, no fog is hanging on the ground, and no clouds can be seen in the starry night sky. The headlights illuminate the trees and the street, creating shadows and figures that would scare you if you could look at them for a longer period. The window is rolled down slightly, letting the cool air whizz past and into the cabin of the car. It’s pleasantly cooling down the interior. The heat of the day slowly vanishes from the inside, the thickness of hot air slowly thinning with the fresh smell of dew. Though the fresh air tries to lighten up the inside, it still feels like there has never been any breathable air inside. Breathing feels still difficult as if trying to inhale while wearing a mask or being all snotty from a cold. The air smells like a strange mix of fresh dew in the forest around and dust from the dryness of the passing day. The sun had been its hottest in days, drying out fields and forests, increasing the unfortunate chance of fires. Rain hasn’t been around for a week now.

The still-warm temperature in the car is perfect to make someone a little tired and drowsy, the steady rumbling of the engine and soothing vibrations of the car rolling down the asphalted street just adding to it. The wind tousles my hair, ruining what’s left of my ponytail, but the suffocating feeling doesn’t vanish, nor does the tiredness that’s starting to get more and more pronounced. My eyes feel heavy, and even blinking doesn’t do any good anymore. Sighing deeply, my eyes catch the fuel gauge. Still half-filled, so a stop anytime soon isn’t necessary; never mind that the next gas station doesn’t come for miles anyway. But it would have given me the perfect opportunity to rest for a little while, maybe stretch my limbs and go for a short walk around the parking lot. If there even is one.

My eyes switch back to the dark road. Somewhere far in front of me, I can see two deer crossing the street, though they’re long gone when I pass the spot. Other than the two animals, there’s nothing to be seen except the stars. I have to admit that I have never been able to see them as clearly as here, somewhere in nowhere and far away from the light of the cities. They are the prettiest sight in a while. My fingers and toes itch to pull the car aside to a stop and just stare up at them for a while. Instantly my mind comes up with a picture of a smiling Bucky.No doubt he would point out any constellation he knew, telling me their stories and tales, so mesmerized by the stars that he wouldn’t notice me staring at him instead. He would have this glint in his eyes, this excitement that makes it difficult to look away. And even though I only understand half of what he talks about, I would be glued to his lips as they form the words, intrigued by him and his knowledge. I don’t know how it happened, but Bucky always manages to draw me in and make his interests interesting for me, too.

A yawn slips past my smiling lips, and I quickly cover it with a hand, making sure to rub the tears that formed from my eyes too. “I have to take a break before I crash.”

Quickly assessing the empty road, I pull away and to the side, stopping on the dirt next to the road. For a second, I close my eyes, engine still running, hands still on the steering wheel as if I was driving. I take a deep breath, feel the air fill my lungs, and leave it while exhaling. After opening my eyes again, I cast a quick look into the review mirror to throw a glance at the backseat. Billy is still asleep, and a glance to my right confirms that Tommy is asleep, too. Typical for them.

A smile slowly forms on my lips again. They had fallen asleep before we hardly even left the hotel parking lot.

A frown slips back on my face as I study Tommy’s sleeping face. They’re just here because I invited them because a certain someone couldn’t join. Or wouldn’t.

I asked them if they wanted to accompany me. Originally, I had to travel because of a client, so it was more of a work trip for me, but I wanted to hang a few days of vacation to it. Also, the hotel room was a four-person room. Somehow, my secretary had made a mistake in the booking.My guess is she either didn’t really look into it or took the first room that was offered on whatever website she booked my trip. Texting her boyfriend was probably more important around that time.

Well, the twins were hyped anyway, immediately all in, as the hotel was located by a nearby beach. It helped that the two had just graduated and wanted to take a trip to celebrate anyway. So, the trip was more like a present to them now, since they didn’t have to pay for anything. Also, someone had an eye on them and make sure they don’t get in trouble. It probably was the only reason why my best friend even allowed it in the first place.

Sadly, the days had gone by way too fast, and all fun had to end. Between my appointments and exhaustion, the boys managed to get me out of my room to actually have some sort of sightseeing and vacation. If not for them, I probably wouldn’t have seen anything despite the hotel room and my patient’s hospital room. So, maybe it wasn’t only me that had an eye on them.

With another tired sigh, I cut the engine, and I take my seat belt off to get out of the car. I wince as the light flickers on the moment I open the door. The damn beeping indicates that it’s open, so as fast as I can, I get out and close the door, still careful to be as silent as possible.God knows the boys need their sleep. With another glance at the two, I sigh, relieved to find them still fast asleep. Leaning against the driver’s side, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, feeling the stiffness of my limbs after sitting in one position for far too long.

The air really feels incredibly good outside of the car. The coolness hits my warm skin, making me shiver slightly. Another deep breath fills my nostrils with the fresh smell of dew in the morning, after a brief spring rain.

For a moment, I stay as I am, take deep breaths, and stare at the stars above. I recognize one or two constellations Bucky taught me about before, though their tales won’t come to my mind. The longer I stare into the abyss of darkness and the universe, I feel my body slowly sagging, my eyes growing heavy with tiredness that settles somewhere deep in my bones and mind.

How long have I been on my feet? Thirteen, maybe fourteen hours?

Briefly rubbing my left eye with my hand, I cast a look down at my watch. Half past twelve. It’s exactly fifteen hours. “Huh.” A small breathless laugh leaves my lips. Of course, I had just driven for 9 hours straight. Bucky would scold me if he knew. Safety was always important to him, mine even more so than his.

I sigh loudly, looking back up at the stars as my thoughts wander. Senses as sharp as ever. There’s the sound of a soft breeze rustling bushes a few feet away, some birds still chirp in the distance, and crickets perform their nightly songs to lure each other in. The smell intensifies. Dew and earth fill every pore of my being, giving me the comfort, I didn’t know I needed. A comfort I craved from someone else. Again, my thoughts stop at my fiancé. How nice it will be to finally see him again. I didn't know a week could be so beautiful, yet make you miss someone so badly. Even with the boys around, I felt a strange sense of loneliness.

Bucky was supposed to come with me. We had a long discussion before I asked the boys. At first, he agreed and was really looking forward to it. A week away from home, work, and responsibilities, but then... Then his stupid work got in the way. Again. An occurrence that happens more and more often now. But this time, I had enough.

"Doll, I'm sorry. I really wish I could go with you, but this is important. I have to do this! Can you understand that?" He looks at me, apologizing. His blue eyes swim with guilt and regret, pleading for me to understand and forgive. But I’m just stunned.

“So, your fucking job is more important to you? You were supposed to be on vacation, James. A vacation, you postpone three fucking times already! Thank you very much. I didn't know that I was just a millstone around your neck," I seethe at him, giving him a furious look. The best I could give him. In reality, I’m not even that angry. I’m disappointed, which feels way worse. Bucky flinches slightly. He’s not used to me shouting. Usually, I’m a calm presence in every fight, barely raising my voice, but today is different. Weeks of frustration break out of me, and I’m not really feeling up to holding back now. Not today. He raises his hands in surrender as I throw another article of clothing into my suitcase, not bothering to fold it nicely. "Y/N, I didn't-"

“What?” I turn around, head hot with anger and hurt. “You didn’t say that?! Yeah, well, congratulations, because you don’t have to say anything! You show it in plenty of other ways. Do you even know how many times this has happened now? And I don’t only mean postponing vacations but doing stuff together in general?” I stare at him as he furrows his brows, no doubt raking his brain for possible dates. “It sucks! I was really looking forward to it this time. I really believed you. Again! But you seem just not to care!"

"Sweetheart, I-" I don’t let him finish again. Angry, frustrated, and disappointed, I waved my hands back and forth.

“Don’t ‘sweetheart’ me! Don't even try to talk yourself out of it with one of your stupid excuses. If you don’t care, you could have at least tried to say no. But did you?"

Bucky sighs. "No, I didn't." He dropped his shoulders in defeat. Somehow, it hurts even more. I feel a pain in my chest that feels like someone’s stabbing me. Tears start to blur my sight, and I quickly blink them away. "Then that's settled." Annoyed, I close my suitcase and drag it out of our bedroom to the stairs and down to the living room. I leave it standing by the door and turn around again, heading back upstairs. Bucky’s still standing in our bedroom, brows furrowed with a sad look in his eyes. I’m almost tempted to comfort him, but this time, I won’t.

Instead, I walk back to our walk-in closet and pull out two outfits that I will need for my appointments, and put them in bags. Then I throw my jacket on and walk back down. I hear him follow me, and by the time I grab the handle of my suitcase, he’s standing behind me. I’ll turn around to say goodbye, but instead, I find myself startled. I don't recognize him at all. His hair is disheveled, probably from running his hand a thousand times through it, his eyes seem dull, and his complexion is haunted by something I can’t name. Instead of showing my surprise, I swallow past the lump in my throat and reach for my house and car keys. "Y/N, please, let's just...” I stop for a second, a great wave of sadness overwhelming me, so the next words that slip past my lips are silent. “You know, maybe getting married and all is a mistake.” I don’t look back at him. Instead, I open the front door and step out of the house and letting the door slam behind me. The second I sit in my car, pulling out of our driveway, I grab my phone and dial my best friend's number, Not even looking into the mirror to see if Bucky followed me as tears blur my vision.

I didn't give him a chance to explain, apologize or do anything else. I can remember the look on his face when I left the house without really looking at him. The pain was written in it, the fear. I hurt him very badly, and I feel guilty that I didn’t care at that moment. He’s the man I love, the one I want to marry. I should have cared, should have tried harder to understand him. I know his job is everything to him, though not more important to him than I am. Never. Even accusing him of that feels like betrayal now. “I should have said that. I wonder if he's pissed off,” I mutter silently into the night sky. My body feels tired with yet another sort of sadness. “Y/N? Are you alright?" A small, high-pitched scream leaves my lips, my hand shooting up to cover my beating heart. Unbeknownst to me, Tommy got out of the car and now looks at me. I haven't noticed the interior light of the car flickering on, nor the door open. How far away have I been?

“Yes, everything is fine. I just needed some fresh air," I say, wiping a few hairs from my face, which the shallow wind pulled there. “But we can continue now." I made efforts to open the driver's side door, trying to convince him with a smile. But Thomas isn’t stupid. Like a bolt of lightning, he flashes around the hood and places his hand on the door handle. Confused, I stare at him. "What are you doing?"

“You are tired… and sad." He adds the last part after a small pause, mustering me intensely. “I am not."

“Yes, you are. You're yawning for the second time. And that just after I got out of the car." And really, I catch myself yawning. Another thing I haven’t noticed. I raise my hand to cover my mouth as best as I can. Suddenly I feel something cold, and damp sliding down my cheeks. When did I start to cry?

“Will you tell me what’s going on? Why are you crying?" These boys really quickly recognize how you are doing. A trait that they definitely have inherited from both their parents. Though, I’m not going to drop my problems on their shoulders.

“No. I-I don't know why I'm crying. Probably the wind." I manage a small laugh, embarrassment flooding my mind.

“Okay.” He stretches the word, and I know he doesn’t believe me. Thankfully he’s smart enough to drop the topic. “Well... Anyway, please sit in the passenger seat. I'm driving."

"Hell, no! That’s out of the question!" I look at him in horror. “Your Mom is strangling me if she finds out."

“No, she doesn’t. Mom's just too careful. I'm already eighteen, and I've had my license for a year. It's going to be okay. It's only an hour or so left, right?" I had to agree with him. Wanda is a very caring person. She had had her sons at the age of nineteen and was then tragically separated from her boyfriend when the children were born. Accidents happen at all times, but him dying at the same time his children were born was just cruel. Of course, from then on, she was always cautious. Sometimes it feels like I’m a child of hers, too, even though I’m only three years younger than her.

I let out a defeated sigh, my chin sinks to my chest, and my eyes close. “Fine.” I relent, too tired to argue with his logic. I know he’s right, and if I continue driving, I’m probably crashing not even a hundred feet ahead of us. Yawning yet again, I round the hood to the passenger seat, sit down, and buckle up, before silently closing the door. The sound still ricochets through the car, startling me more than I like to admit. Meanwhile, Tommy gets into the driver's seat, starts the car, and pulls over onto the road. It probably doesn't take more than five minutes for me to fall asleep.

[c-m-stuff]

Love Language

-Description: You and Spencer are together. One of his love languages was writing notes.

-Warnings: Fluffiness

-Word count: 551

-Note: A cute one shot for you! Spread a little love and write notes! A lovable act of service. Xxx

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Masterlist

_________________________

Y/N POV:

One of Spencer's love languages was writing notes. Whether he was at home or away, I always found post-its with sweet messages or surprising facts on them. They were everywhere, always on a different place, he knew, I would see.

Yesterday, I found one on the mirror in the bathroom. "You're beautiful, never doubt that." was written on the little note. Today, it was located in my coffee mug, I use daily. "Did you know that dolphins actually have names for one another? According to National Geographics, they use an unique whistle to distinguish between different members within their pod." I loved hearing facts. I could just hear him ramble about it, always bringing me on ease.

I put all the notes I ever received in a small box in my nightstand. When I miss my genius, I go through them, never failing to make me smile.

It was late in the afternoon, when Spencer came into the living room, a puzzled look on his face.

'Have you seen my book? The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury?'

'Oh yeah, I wanted to give it a read, so I kinda stole/borrowed it? It's in my drawer in my nightstand.' he gave me a chuckle and left the room.

Suddenly, I heard sobs, coming from our bedroom. I immediately got up, running towards the loud sound. It revealed a crying Spencer, sitting on the bed, the box with his notes on his lap.

'What's wrong? Are you in pain? Do I need to call someone?' I rambled on, worriedly, as I carefully took place next to him.

He instantly wrapped me into a tight hug, not planning on letting me go anytime soon. One of my hands found his home in his messy hair, the other rubbing gently his back, drawing random shapes on it.

'Whenever you're ready.' I whispered, while placing soft kisses on his head.

After a couple more minutes, he broke the comfortable silence, pulling slightly away, so I could meet his gaze.

'I just can't believe you kept all of them. I knew, you read them, but I just thought you trew them away after that. But, you didn't. If I'm with you, it's like all my broken pieces are glued back together. With you, I feel not so broken. I just feel loved.' I needed to blink a tear of my own away, still letting the words sink down.

'Love, of course I kept them. They are so sweet and make me everytime happy when I read them. Thank you. Thank you for being you, thank you for loving me.' I ended my little speech on his lips, kissing them hardly, trying to let him know how much I love him.

Since then, I made it my own mission to remind him everyday that he is loved. It can be by hugging him, telling him, cooking meals for him, or my new favorite one, leaving notes for him. No matter what happens, he knew, I love him. And, I knew, he loves me.

[its-only-v]

Best Shows of 2022

Yes, I'm putting this on Tumblr after 2022 has ended. Yes, it's also entirely too long with 30+ shows and all categories that I made myself.

The Best Show That Feels Like an Extended Award-Winning Cut of a Movie

And yes, I mean it in a good way, and not in the way that it should’ve been a movie and not a tv show. Slow Horses made the time fly by and it was so excellent that its second season is already airing right now and the show just came out in March. A big reason to watch it is also Gary Oldman, who plays one of the leads in the show. He’s also announced that he’ll be retiring after it ends - but don’t worry, it won’t be anytime soon because Apple has already renewed it for third and fourth seasons. How is that for a stamp of approval?

The Show with the Superhero in Most Desperate Need of a Therapist

On one hand, we have Peacemaker who has daddy issues (understandably so) and survivor’s guilt. On the other hand, there’s everyone in The Boys. We have definite psychopath Homelander and possible psychopath Soldier Boy and what’s Butcher doing this season with superpowers? But I doubt a therapist would be safe from the maniacs in The Boys so I’ll give this one to Peacemaker who would make better use of the help and not kill the therapist (this guarantee doesn’t extend to Vigilante).

The Show with the Highest Tension

This one’s a tie between The Bear and Severance. And what a surprise, both of them have the workplace as the central setting. Besides what I’ve already said about them in separate editions dedicated just to them, do I need to say more? Fine, here’s one line - it’s best to go in blind for Severance because you want to be surprised and I’ve watched The Bear all the way through three times.

The Best Show About Worst Career Changes That Sort of Work Out

A tie and both of these are comedy shows. Killing It follows Craig (Craig Robinson) an entrepreneur-turned-python hunter in Florida and Our Flag Means Death follows Steve Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a gentleman-turned-pirate. Both of them should not be doing what they’re doing but they do it anyway and it manages to sort of kind of work out along with hilarious situations along the way.

The Show with the Weirdest Relationship

Nobody can explain the plot of The Time Traveler’s Wife in a way that doesn’t make you narrow your eyes. Clare (Rose Leslie) first meets her husband Henry (Theo James) as a little girl when he travels back in time to a clearing near her house as an adult. She grows up falling in love with him because who wouldn’t (and she finds out that he’s already married her in the future so it’s destiny)? But it’s technically okay because he keeps his distance (and it’s not like he time/space travels on purpose) and he’s actually first met her as an adult when she’s an adult too (who has been in love with him since her childhood so is it acceptable?). It was cancelled after the first season because of the entire HBO/Warner Bros/Discovery disaster of a merger so we won’t be exploring more complexities of this relationship but it was interesting to watch while it lasted.

The Show with the Best Fictional Criminals

Sprung makes having a crew seem fun. You’d love to hang out with them and commit crimes (for legal purposes, this is a joke and I’m not condoning crime). We also had some white-collar crime in the new season of Industry but I’ll give them the leeway that crime isn’t their full-time job.

The Show with the Best Real-Life Criminals

This category was previously going to be called best shows based on real life, but then all the characters were fans of shady business practices. The contenders include WeCrashed (about WeWork), Super Pumped (about Uber), The Dropout (about Theranos) and Black Bird (about getting a criminal to get a serial killer to confess) (let’s pretend Inventing Anna didn’t happen for the sake of my sanity). Black Bird is the clear winner here. It has Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser giving their career-best performances and the show feels like a spiritual successor to True Detective and Mindhunter, which elevates it even more.

The Best Show About Teenagers Falling in Love with Teens Who Act Their Age

This was a difficult one to pick with very strong top three contenders - the new season of Young Royals, the last season of Love Victor, and Heartstopper. But, at the end, how could this not go to Heartstopper that’s romantic, wholesome, cute, and does not fail to put a big smile on your face? (The characters of The Sex Lives of College Girls are also teenagers but the second season is still airing so jury’s still out on that and if they all look & act like teenagers or rather young adults is up for debate)

The Show with the Best Power Couple

George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) from The Gilded Age, overcome the absolute drabness of their names to be the best power couple in television this year, not just in a period drama. Doing a bad relationship is easy. A great relationship? Tricky. Especially when it happens to be set in the past, with all its problematic period-accurate outlook. But Julian Fellowes has aced it (Bridgerton, please take note so you can have Season 2’s promising couple back for the third season, which didn’t happen this year).

The Show with the Most Toxic Couple

Yes, I said doing a bad relationship is easy. But - hear me out. Doing a toxic relationship with such compelling characters who happen to have insane chemistry? Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid) from Interview with the Vampire will make you go from thinking they-should-be-together-forever to please-someone-enforce-a-restraining-order. And as a bonus, there are multiple toxic relationships to go around along with toxic traits that don’t include ripping people’s heads or organs off their bodies (murder can be excused but Lestat, don’t open your relationship if you’re going to throw a fit once your partner takes you up on it and definitely don’t turn a teenager into a vampire to have an adoptive child to save your marriage). Runner-up goes to The Great, which had its second season air this year, with a couple that would also gladly kill each other but at least they’re honest about where they stand.

The Sexiest Show with Queer Vampires

How is this a category? How can this not be a category when you have What We Do in the Shadows’ latest season, and new shows including Interview with the Vampire, Reginald the Vampire, Vampire Academy, and First Kill all airing in the same year? Vampires definitely had a resurgence this year and not just on television (Dracula Daily was also a phenomenon this year and we had the iconic Morbius that needs no introduction and the overlooked Netflix film Day Shift with Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco as vampire hunters). But all of this is just to say that yes, Interview with the Vampire wins again, and Guillermo from WWDITS would agree and we should take his word for it.

The Best Show About Making Money Off the Female Gaze

Minx and Welcome to Chippendales both have businesses trying to capitalize on the female gaze - the first with a magazine and the second with a troupe of male strippers. Since Welcome to Chippendales is still airing and I’m not entirely convinced it’ll stick the landing, Minx wins this one by default but it’s also a very strong show which might have won anyway.

The Best Show To Take You On a Vacation

Or, more specifically, Italy. Yes, the second season of The White Lotus wasn’t the only show with a scenic Italian setting this year. While at the time of writing The White Lotus hasn’t ended yet, I know Mike White isn’t going to lead us astray. The other show that takes you on a vacation in Italy during Mussolini’s era is Hotel Portofino, which weaves in beautiful locales, interesting characters, history, and a mystery to keep you hooked till the end of the season.

The Show with the Best Murder Victim

The Afterparty. RIP Xavier (Dave Franco), you were a superstar blessed with predicting your own death in your music video. (Bonus points for the song being a banger, with the creators filming the full music video even though it wasn’t in the show and releasing a full EP by the character on Spotify).

The Show with the Most Underrated Detective

With a lot of criminals come a lot of criminal catchers. You know the trio of Only Murders in the Building but I bet you’ve not heard of Bell Prescott from Panhandle is a genius crime solver and there couldn’t have been a more fitting name for him for the way he acts. Luke Kirby (who you might know as Lenny Bruce from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - also the only good part of this year’s new season which I didn’t like much) plays the lead - he manages to solve years of unsolved cases all while not having stepped out of his Florida mansion (that he shares with his mother and pet crocodile) since the death of his wife (whose presence he still hallucinates). Also, like any crime-solving genius, he also gets an assist from a sidekick (rookie cop Tiana Okoye) who makes up for his flaws, making them an epic crime-solving duo.

The Best Supernatural Show NOT About Vampires

Well, not exclusively anyway. Supernatural Academy is my pick for this one, which won't entirely be a surprise. It was such a well-made show and had so much mature storytelling than I was expecting from it. I was also considering The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself because that was such a good show but it only picked up about halfway through and now it's been cancelled with just the first season on Netflix. While there hasn't been any news of Supernatural Academy's second season, I'm more hopeful of Peacock keeping shows going than Netflix at this point so I hope we'll see more of it.

The Best Show About Shows

Please take a moment to acknowledge the meta commentary by the placement of this category at the end. Thank you.

Please take a moment to acknowledge the meta commentary by the placement of this category at the end. Thank you.

There are multiple shows in this category and all are winners. The Rehearsal is technically a reality show that also shows you what goes into the making of a reality show. We also have Reboot for scripted fiction, which you’ve probably guessed from the title is a show about the making of a reboot that also happens to have an all-star comedy cast. If we extend the definition of a show to all types of shows because why not, we also have Hacks, whose new season was about the making of a new stand-up show on the road. Also an excellent watch.

[pbs-theundeadmaggot]

first love // homesick

🎶 Homesick by Dayseeker

(AU) Steve Harrington x fem!reader

[a/n] ngl this took me a while to finish writing but here we go day one of the trip just chilling for now but who knows what will happen next?

[warnings?] a dose of angst and self doubt of course

first love masterlist here!

The thought of eating breakfast with your best friend’s girlfriend made you downright nauseous, the nerves bubbling away in your stomach as you waited for the pair to join the rest of you. The jet lag had long kicked in resulting in an awful night’s sleep and it certainly didn't help that the little sleep you’d managed to get, was plagued with images of Steve and his girlfriend living the life you’d only imagined of. 

You knew you were being slightly overdramatic after all, its not like they were getting married anytime soon but that didn’t make you feel any better. This was Steve your soulmate, not just some random guy you’d just met and if anything it made it all the worse that you’d known him as long as you had because if it was some random guy maybe it wouldn’t hurt as much. Steve was your universe, the world made sense with him in it, he was the light in the dark dingy town that held you captive, he was your escape and in return you were his.

“Screw waiting for them, that blueberry muffin has been calling my name for twenty minutes already and if I don’t eat it within the next ten seconds I will force Harrington to pay for my therapy for the rest of the year.” Breaking you free from your thoughts Eddie continued rambling on about how Steve was lucky he’d even waited this long before giving into his impulsive nature. Hungry and grumpy both you and Robin followed his lead wanting to make the most of the array of foods that lay in front of you. 

Settling down into your seats once again you tucked, in catching up with each other and enjoying the time together. Eddie was filling you in on the new songs he was working on and how the rest of the band was, it was probably the most fun you’d had in a while, that was until you saw your favourite person all loved up and flushed approaching the table hand in hand with her. You couldn’t deny she looked beautiful even in a simple hoodie and jeans, hair tied back neatly not a single hair out of place, it was clear why Steve liked her, and not you. All the while you sat bare faced, messy hair and no real effort made, stuffing your face with pastries eyes wide and almost choking at the stark difference between you both. 

Sadly it made sense

“Sorry guys we lost track of time.”  Steve spoke casually pulling out her chair for her before sitting down himself, the adoration shining in his eyes as he gleefully introduced you all properly, with the words best friend rolling of his tongue like poison as he finally turned his attention towards you. 

Quickly gulping some lukewarm coffee down and wiping your face for stray crumbs you painfully smiled, turning towards Becky before reintroducing yourself. “Hi, I’m so sorry about yesterday. I’m a bit of a nervous flyer which is why I couldn’t properly introduce myself.” The lying was too easy especially to someone who knew all your key tells but you had no other choice, genuinely wanting to try and get along with Becky if not for Steve but for your own sanity. After all she seemed nice enough and maybe just maybe she was what Steve needed, he deserved someone who would love him and care for him like his parents never did and if she could be that person then you would have to live with it. 

“It’s no problem, i’m glad your feeling better.” Pearly white teeth flashing you a smile as she waved off your apology with the flick of her wrist. “Stevie can we go get some food now?” 

Stevie? The nickname you’d been calling him for decades, that used to give you butterflies, now made your blood run cold. Her high pitched whiny voice ringing in your ears as she claimed one of your exceptions. Steve used to hate being called Stevie, constantly complaining during his teens whenever his parents would call him that. Knowing that with the nickname came a price, usually in the form of bribes or threats, his father using it as a way to manipulate and take advantage of his people pleasing nature. 

You still remember the night he’d finally confided in you exactly why he hated that nickname so much. The faint buzz of insects in the long grass and the warm summer nights breeze grazing your exposed skin, the party inside had died down long ago with just a group of your closest friends scattered around the large but lonely Harrington home. You’d followed Steve outside after watching him get into yet another fight with his then girlfriend, sitting in a comfortable silence while you waited for him to tell you what was weighing on his mind.

Sighing heavily and running a hand through his unusually untamed hair before turning to you, the fear evident on his face before he dissipating as he began to speak.“When I was little I didn’t know any better than to listen to my parents every request, no matter how much I didn’t want to do it. All I wanted was for them to give me attention, to give me a sign that they cared, even just a little bit and when they called me that it made me feel like I belonged, like I was loved.” 

You could tell how much it hurt for him to talk about it, the break in his voice and watery eyes clear as day. Resting a hand on his to encourage him to continue and moving ever so slightly closer before he carried on. “I didn’t realise it till I was older that they only called me Stevie when they wanted something from me, for me to follow through their every whim like a simple pawn in their game of happy families. To act like I was one of them and not some stranger living under their roof.”

If the situation wasn’t so heartbreaking you would’ve laughed, not because of the reason behind his pain but because thats the nickname most people associate with the name Steve. And to avoid it for so long almost easily seemed like a miracle. You didn’t even realise how lucky you’d been to be able to refer to him as Stevie, never questioning why or how no-one else called him that.

“She broke up with me for good this time.” He laughed, confusing you even more. “All because of a stupid nickname.” He didn’t seem upset, if anything he looked happier than he had earlier, his brow no longer furrowed and frown frozen upon his face. 

“I-I don’t understand.” You didn’t want to come across as insensitive but a part of you was curious why he would let you call him a name thats haunted him for years. A name that held such pain and negativity behind it, that if you were in his place you wouldn’t want to have to hear ever again. 

“You were the first person to show me what it means to be loved. To show me that I am more than just a chess piece in someone else’s game. That there are no strings attached when you call me it other than to show me that you love me for me.” Stunned to silence and letting his words sink in, not sure what to say to such confession.

 Perhaps that was when you first realised how deeply you felt for him, or that was just one of the many other things to add to the growing pile of suppressed feelings that would finally cause you to crack under pressure just years later. Either way didn’t matter because it was inevitable that sooner or later the lines between friendship and love would blur into one, destroying one or both of you in the process. 

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

[a/n] Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated and encouraged!

other works available here!

taglist: @freezaz123

[steam-powered-chaos]

Chapter 3 (Frozen Storm)

Helio stood up sharply from where he was crouched, staring at his terrified catch. The mer was big, tall, a strong looking fellow, with scars covering his body and the hook wound in his tail haphazardly bandaged up, as the ship landed at the swarming, busy dock. He gave the mer a gentle pat, ignoring his growl of protest, giving a backwards glance at the uneaten fish leaning on the side, as he left the cabin boy to watch him, although Helio severely doubted that the mer would be going anywhere anytime soon. He paused as he walked past a bottle of whisky, but stopped himself, reasoning that the figure would hold up its end of the deal soon, surely, walking out onto the main deck and examining the dock. Cornelius let out a soft hoot, circling down to land on his shoulder, the little owl pecking gently at his ear lobe.

”That capture seems to have cheered you right up Captain! Ready to head down to the market?” Sunny called up to him, waving. She was smiling, properly for once, the first time he had seen her smile like that in the past few months, and Helio couldn’t help but smile back at her warmly, jumping down from his place near the wheel and nodding. Cornelius perched on the railing, tilting his head as he gave the bird a gentle stroke, landing roughly on the dock as his boots clacked menacingly towards the dockmaster, the ferrety young woman seeming to shrink under the pirate’s gaze as his eyes flicked to the wanted poster with his face plastered on it, and back at her again, silently placing a gold coin on the deskbook before turning away, his beloved pet and Sunny in tow. He paused outside a coat shop, admiring a dark red coat, before hearing a familiar meaw at his feet, looking down at the little black and white cat.

He leaned down slightly, to give Nana a few gentle pets, before freezing, immediately realising that if Nana was here, then so was… “…Helio?” Orion spoke up from behind him, and he slowly stood, turning around to face his former husband. Helio winced slightly, upon seeing the scar that marked Orion’s cheek from where he had cut into him, and Orion only gave him a cold look, Nana wrapping around the smaller man’s legs and purring. Helio wanted to burst into tears, run and hug him, kiss him as if everything that had happened between them was all just one terrible dream, but couldn’t move, as Helio gave him a silent, observing look with those pink eyes that no longer held any of their former warmth for him, not anymore. “….You’re looking well..” Helio began, unsure what else to say other than a simple comment on his appearance, despite the scar, and the silver in his hair. Was that because of me? He wondered briefly, a glimmer of hope sparking in Helio, that perhaps Orion missed him just as much as he did.

“…That’s all?” Orion scoffed, “I ‘look well’, do I? I can see the way you’re looking at me, my hair. My scar. Don’t try to kid me Frostheart, I know you want the old, perfect little Orion back!” He mocked, his words piercing like eye into Helio, rendering him lost for words, before he was taken by a deep surge of rage. “Don’t tell me how I think-“ he started to move forward, before Sunny grabbed his arm to stop him, as Orion seemed to shift his weight, hand dangling just above his cutlass. “…Fuck off Helio, I don’t want to see you again. And if I do, I want it to be your head on a plate.” And with that, Orion stalked away, but not before throwing a box of hair dye at Helio’s chest, disappearing into the market with Nana following close behind.

Tears pinpricked at Orion’s eyes, shaking them away as he struggled to harden his heart, to match his former husbands, for they were now enemies.

[blutschatten]

@griim

"Why wouldn't I have to worry about that?" A brow twitched upwards. Her past and her family were something she worried about damn near every waking moment that she could and with good reason. Gemma knew that as much as she wished it, her father wouldn't kill her well, not physically. But Matthew would rip out everything that made her who she was, leaving nothing more than an empty shell. A doll to make whoever he wants that day. Not that Nathaniel knew that, and she wasn't sure she was ready to let the man in on that secret. Though Gemma assumed he would not be surprised by the revelation, this was HYDRA they were talking about here. While walking, she takes a deep breath in, 'it's the past, Gem, let it die. You aren't their lab rat anymore. And, one day they will know your pain. And more.' But, her whole make them feel the pain would not happen anytime soon if she and Nathaniel did not have some form of trust. Though she assumed forcing it would only make it worse.

Eyes rolled, a head shake followed, "Nah, you didn't kick my ass. I had you running and on the ropes. Come on, I could have shot you back there and won, but I was being merciful." She glanced over and winked, "I can tell it was a good choice." In all reality, though, Gemma knew that he could probably outright kick her ass simply because he had the serum and other things that made him have the upper hand. "Besides, for you being a super soldier, I think I kept up pretty well, all things considered." Gemma shrugged, "oh? I am sure they didn't let women serve for starters, huh? Well, at least to my extent. But yeah, things have changed... For the better? Who the hell knows, but militaries got to adapt to the time and climate." ' And sometimes that change leaves the country to treat its soldiers like numbers and cannon fodder.' Jaw tenses at that thought. Gemma knew it to be true. "Maybe, though when I found out it was HYDRA, I was going to botch the job anyways. I don't work for people like that. I may have only a few boundaries, and HYDRA crosses every single one." Chuckling, she looked down, "I'm only confident because if you aren't, people tend to eat you alive, and where I come from... Confidence helps you not break... Even when you want to." Damn it, she thought, why am I getting so deep with him? "Damn right, we make sure when they try to take us, we make it hell for them." Winking, Gemma was prepared to burn down cities if she had to. It was time HYDRA and her father are stopped, for good. And he had a point, nodding she agreed, "yeah it would be weird seeing you pop up. And I am sure HYDRA would be all over that."

"--- Well... I've heard crazier if I'm honest." Her being one of those 'crazy' stories. Though right now was not the time or the place for her to share about that. There were too many ears and eyes, and she was paranoid enough as it is. Gemma hoped that Nate would trust her and follow him to her guy. However, if he wanted to back out, she would understand and do her best to help him in any way, even if it was from afar. Everyone deserves a chance at freedom. Well, most people. "Yeah, he was someone I considered a brother... He knows shit about me most people don't. Plus he's an all-around nice guy, makes a great steak." She glanced over, "you hungry?" She asked while continuing to stride beside him, "well, get used to it. Because you are a person, Nate. And HYDRA will know your name by the end of this."

"We are to work together, aren't we?" He questions back, looking over at her. This was a tentative partnership but what he did know was the fact that neither wanted to be caught by HYDRA. What her relationship and experience with them was, he wasn't sure and he wasn't about to ask. That was her own thing to deal just as was, in a way. She knew more about him from what they no doubt told her and what he had to say to get this to even work. Still, after that she didn't pry and so neither would he. Besides it seemed for right now, they at least were already picking up some form of banter. "If I remember correctly, you were the one on the ground." Nathaniel said with a tossed glance in her direction. "I could have crushed you before you reached for your gun." But that wasn't who he was, not anymore. Hell, it wasn't who he would have been if he had control to begin with. However, they made that instinct within him there and he fought against it and won thankfully. "I can admit you kept up well, I'll give you that."

She had skill, that he was never going to deny. Gemma had made him bleed and if he hadn't of broken through to her, she no doubt would have shot him. It would have been enough to take him down and get him back to who hired her. "Um, not exactly. Reserves they were allowed, it was just no front lines. None could fight. And from what I did see, no one should see war." He half mumbled, something she was sure to understand knowing that she served. Still the redhead shrugged. "So yeah, not to your extent. Adapting makes sense, sadly." Another tossed glance her way as they kept moving, his hands stuffed into his pockets but making sure he was aware of their surroundings. Even if he looked relaxed, he was alert. It helped make him blend in easier. "Probably why they didn't tell you." Nathaniel pointed out. "I'd hope most would but I doubt that." His gaze is directed to the ground, icy blue eyes catching his reflection in a puddle. Only once more reminding him how he felt almost like a shell of his former self.

Though her next reply has his attention shifting back to her, brow furrowing. That was the talk of someone who had seen and been through enough on their own. She was right of course. If one didn't have confidence in what they did, just the right amount of it, then they'd be dead. But not just them, everyone else around them who trusted them. He doesn't say anything, just lets that hang in the air and maybe only offers a small nod, if she sees it. It also doesn't get by him how she switches up the mood, something else that isn't surprising, brushing past the brief moment that let him see just a little bit more into who she was. But again, he wasn't going to pry. This was new to the both of them and he had no place in getting more out of her. He didn't earn that right. So instead he offers a smirk and a more obvious nod in agreement. "We take them out, only seems fair." And it was good to be on that kind of same page. "Any chance they can get, they'd be after me." Until he had his head fixed.

His brow furrowed together and he nodded slowly. "Right, I know Captain America isn't different. Same with his buddy, Bucky. And I read something about aliens?" Nathaniel was still doing his best to catch up and he found it was a lot more than he expected. Still, it was actually nice to have someone even partially have his back. Someone who talked to him the way she did, with conviction that he would get to be his own person again and make HYDRA fear him. It made a genuine small smile tug at his lips. "I, uh, yeah I'm hungry." He looks down a moment, attempting to hide the small smile. "I'll be sure to do that, that's all I can do with this life I feel. To make up for what I did." He shrugged, head lifting and looking over at her. "How much longer do we have to go?" The redhead couldn't help but ask and it was maybe because for the first time he had help in being his own person again, for finding that freedom he hadn't had in over eighty years.

[youngpettyqueen]

Hawkeye wraps his arms around BJ’s neck and pulls him into a hug. BJ throws his arms around his middle and hugs back with strength that borders on crushing. He doesn’t complain, though. He just gets one hand up to cradle his head, combing his fingers through his paling hair as BJ squeezes him tight enough to pop his ribs out of place. He feels him inhale deep in his hair, feels his fingers dig anchor points into his back that very well might leave bruises.

“I’m here,” He murmurs quietly, “Just keep holding on till it feels real. I’m not goin’ anywhere anytime soon.”

BJ’s response is to bury his face in his shoulder. Hawkeye tilts his head against his, turning briefly so that he can plant a quick kiss to the messy hair there. BJ breathes in shaky inhales and shuddering exhales, trembling quietly in his arms like a frightened child. This place has a way of making frightened children of them all.

From Things That Cry In The Night, and—

“No, I call ‘em sexy, smokin’, maybe even pretty. But never beautiful,” Trapper gives Hawkeye’s shoulder a helpful nudge to get him to flop onto his back, “That’s only for you. Even when you look like you want me dead.” He teases.

Hawkeye gives him a dainty little wave. Trapper throws him a wink as he makes his exit, needing to move out before he can make the decision to shirk his duties and play nurse all day. He’d already done that once this week, and he doubts Henry will take kindly to his doing it a second time.

from It’s Not Chicken Soup, But It’s Good For The Soul, for the DVD commentary thing?

—No GFA Anon

you got it!! and dont worry about the 500 words thing anon (I saw your other message) i wasn't planning on being strict with it haha

things that cry in the night-

so one thing about me as a writer is I really really love writing hugs. this is because I think hugging is an elite action and I am a very huggy person. one of the main points of this fic was just to write a really good hug. one of those hugs thats like, deep-pressure therapy that feels like it could put you back together while youre breaking down in pieces. Hawkeye here is physically holding BJ together, gathering him up and trying to fit all those pieces together, while BJ is desperately clinging onto him as tight as he can because he needs to convince himself this is real, and part of him is terrified if he doesnt hold on as tight as he can, Hawkeye's going to vanish

Hawkeye very much gets what BJ's going through here. a lot of inspo for this fic came from Hawk's Nightmare, and me wanting to explore how BJ might react to having those extremely vivid nightmares. its why I had Hawkeye know what to say and what to do- he knows how this feels. I also imagine this isnt the first time this has happened, even if we never got a scene like this in canon

I was particularly proud of that last bit- "This place has a way of making frightened children of them all." I still really like it. I was drawing specifically on Hawkeye's experiences there, referencing how he often feels like a scared kid when it comes to this place and the war. he's seeing that childlike fear in BJ, and he sees it in others. its another reason he knows what to do and what to say- he knows how it feels

its not chicken soup, but its good for the soul-

yeah that first bit I still really, really love. "“No, I call ‘em sexy, smokin’, maybe even pretty. But never beautiful,”-" is the indicator that what Trapper feels for Hawkeye is different than what he feels for the nurses, specifically in that early seasons context of sleeping around with them a lot. I wanted to make it clear Trapper is still very much into the women, because the casual sex in the early seasons is something I actually love a lot and isnt something I would ever ignore in a fic, but it is meant to indicate that his relationship with and feelings towards Hawkeye are different. its romantic, not just attraction

that last part is also very cute for me haha. I did not dive into it in this fic, because it wasn't relevant and I was very very sick while writing so I did not have the energy to expand on a lot, but I like to think Trapper enjoys playing nurse whenever anybody in camp that he knows/is close with is sick/hurt. he's such a caring guy!! he's such a sweetheart, we see that come into play a lot with the kids, but also with Hawkeye and I would even say we see it sometimes with Margaret. so yeah, of course he would want to play nurse and fuss around

and the last bit there about Henry is just a really funny visual for me. Henry of course appreciates the sentiment- personally I HC that Henry did a lot of hovering and mother henning over Hawkeye after the events of Dr Pierce and Mr Hyde- but also. he kinda needs Trapper to work his shifts, if only so he doesnt have to deal with Frank's bitching about it