#one day I’ll stop posting about pebble so much but today is not that day

[wrathofrats]

Mold me to another form, Press me till I'm raw and sore

Read here on on Ao3!

Happy mountain March have the virgin mountain fic I’ve been teasing for a second. @everybodyshusband COME GET UR FOOD BB

3.5k of pebble and ivy torturing mountain because he’s new and flustered and doesn’t know what he wants and the opportunity that presents itself is too good.

Warnings for voyerism/exhibitionism, some degrading, slight slight manipulation if you squint, little bit of pain but blink and you’ll miss it.

“Looks like we have an audience honey suckle”

Mountain can barely open his mouth to try and stammer out an apology before pebble keeps speaking. His hand moves faster where it’s still gripping ivy, forcing him further into the wood beneath him as he cries out.

“Come on Ivy, cum for him”

Or mountains a cute new summon and pebble and ivy can’t help but sexually frustrate him to no end.

It really wasn't mountains faults.

Pebble had told him to meet him in the greenhouse for a lesson. Enriching the soil or harvesting or something, he didn’t catch it. A quick note in between staring at Ivy who was wrapped around him in the common room. Honestly he barely mumbled out the time before Ivy was pulling his attention away once again.

He enjoys watching them, a mixture of jealousy and tantalization at seeing the two be so close and physical all the time. They brought a sense of loving comfort and a more sensual edge to them, at least to mountain, who was often at their heels learning his way around the abbey.

Mountain walks out into the garden to meet them, seeing no trace of the two. His eyes widened at the more than familiar sounds coming from the back corner where the greenhouse stood. Hushed whispers and moans that were unmistakable even to the new ghoul. The sounds grew louder as he walked closer, mountains feet moving completely on their own accord as if some weird part of his brain actually wanted to get a glimpse of them.

The door opens slowly, mountain internally cursing the old thing for being so rusted that he can barely get it unlatched without it telling on him. His hands shake as they grip the handle, the guilt and shame of trying to watch them making his breath hitch, but he can’t force himself to stop. The greenery covers him as he ducks to peek around the corner.

Pebble has Ivy bent over and pinned against a workbench. One claw digging deep into his hips and the other wrapped around the base of his cock.

“dont you fucking dare cum, be good and take it”

“pebble please I need it I-“

Mountains face flushes deep crimson at the sight of them. The waning sunlight reflects off of the tears slipping down ivy's face and the sound of him whimpering against the wood has mountain breathing heavily.

But pebble? The way pebble treats Ivy like he’s something to use makes mountain feel indescribable. He almost chokes when he hears how pebble speaks to him, at how pebble rakes his nails down his skin and smiles when ivy cries out in pain. It feels weird and his pants are too tight and he shouldn’t be watching this. He's dirty, perverted but it’s impossible to tear his eyes away from them.

A quiet, high pitched whine is ripped from his throat as he adjusts in the uncomfortable position he had settled in, hard and too worked up to think straight.

Suddenly pebbles head turns towards mountain.

“Looks like we have an audience honey suckle”

Mountain can barely open his mouth to try and stammer out an apology before pebble keeps speaking. His hand moves faster where it’s still gripping ivy, forcing him further into the wood beneath him as he cries out.

“Come on Ivy, cum for him” pebble yanks ivys head to the side by his hair to look at mountain. Pebbles hands are quick on Ivy’s cock and before he knows it ivys spilling all over pebbles fist with mountains name on his tongue.

It’s overwhelming, and mountains head clouds as he once again tries to apologize but pebble is too quick for him to react properly. Any thoughts being overpowered by the situation he’s found himself in. Guilt and arousal combined to subdue the regret in his throat almost completely.

Pebble gestures him over without a word, motioning for him to kneel on the grass in front of him. A hand brushes his lips before he realizes what pebble is telling him to do. He doesn’t feel in control of himself as his lips part, staring into pebbles eyes like he’s being controlled and pebble just slips his fingers into his mouth, wiping ivys release onto his tongue before placing his hand under his chin to close it.

“Good boy”

Through blurry vision mountain watches pebble hastily redress himself and ivy, hoisting him back onto shaky legs and giving him a once over accompanied by a sweet kiss. Pebbles attention turns back to mountain, also offering him a hand up and a pat on the cheek before walking out.

It seems like a game to pebble, a joke of some sorts that only really he is in on. The wicked smile as he caught mountain, then looking at him innocently like he hadn’t just made him lick someone else’s cum off his fingers. Mountain doesn’t know what to think.

A haze takes over him whenever he bumps into the two, the memory of the greenhouse incident being the only thing he can think about when he sees pebbles face. Innocent exchanges having mountain flustered and walking off to cool himself down even though nothing has happened.

The interactions don’t stay innocent however.

Mountain chalks it up to a wrong place, wrong time situation instead of anything more sinister. He can’t be blamed for freezing as he notices the lewd wet sounds coming from the living room. Especially since pebble just can’t keep his mouth shut.

Pebble sits on the couch with ivy nestled between his legs. Fingers tangled in his soft brown hair guiding his mouth up and down on his cock.

“What do you think mountain would think if he saw me use you like this sweet pea?” Pebble coos, a mocking smile to his voice that has Ivy whining, muffled and high in his throat. Mountain doesn’t know what to do with himself besides stand still and watch trying to hide himself behind the stair railing.

“Would he just think you’re a dumb whore? Maybe he’d want his own turn with you?” Ivys cheeks heat up more than they already had just thinking about it. Another soft, pathetic sound escapes his throat as pebble pulls hard on his hair, taking him off of his cock. Mountain can’t tear his eyes away, can’t retreat back up the stairs as he knows he should. He feels gross, like he shouldn’t be catching them, shouldn’t be thinking about them like this.

“Oh I know baby, maybe we can ask him” pebble smiles, talking just a bit too loud to be a coincidence.

It’s on purpose. Pebble is a fucking tease.

Every incident is set up just so mountain can catch them. Fucking ivy in plain sight where he knows mountain will be and honestly it’s just to see how much he can get away with. How far he can take his shenanigans before he breaks the innocent ghoul and forces him to use his words to tell them what he wants.

Ivy can’t act innocent either, absolutely involved in the game along with pebble. He plays himself up just to see mountains reaction. Moans when pebble mentions him knowing damn well he’s just around the corner. A bit of pity stays in the back of his mind, but the knowledge that mountain wants them so badly he barely knows what to do with himself is more than enticing to him. He craves the attention he gets from it, craves the fact that someone else needs him. Ivy especially loves how possessive pebble gets at knowing this too, that he needs to show Ivy off like some sort of trophy. So he continues to play along, presenting himself as a good little toy.

Mountain struggles. Hes jumpy, cautious when entering rooms like he might just walk right in on something he’s not meant to. Slow to come around corners and down the stairs, always listening a bit too intently. Pebble and ivy honestly find it cute how careful he appears to be, considering they know how much he likes stumbling upon them.

It doesn’t take much for mountain to break.

Walking in on them almost daily for a week has him about to fall to his knees and beg in front of pebble's door. Not even knowing what he’s asking for, just knowing he wants.

The last straw is walking in on the two again in the living room.

Once again slowly creeping down the stairs, listening intently for any signs he should instead abandon the idea and leave. He doesn’t hear it at first, assuming he’s safe until he’s too far into the room to back out.

Ivy sits on the couch with pebble settled between his legs this time. Both of his hands cover his face but mountain can tell how flushed he is. His breathing is ragged, heavy, as if he’s desperately trying to calm himself down and the smile on pebbles face tells mountain all he needs to know.

Something about Ivy’s cock twitching and leaking as pebble kisses at the head absolutely destroys him. Saliva pools in mountains mouth, and he can’t help but straight up gawk at the situation in front of him.

Hes been caught, he knows he has, but he can’t bring himself to care.

Pebble makes eye contact with him from the floor as he kitten licks ivys tip, curiously eyeing mountain as he lets a line of drool fall from his lips and down the shaft. It feels more like a command than just making him watch, the way his eyes shift as if he is beckoning mountain over to him.

He goes anyways, even if he isn’t sure. They’ve been teasing him for so long he can’t bring himself to believe it’s not on purpose anymore. The upwards curve of pebbles lips confirm his thoughts as he nods downward, motioning mountain to kneel beside him.

“Come on, you know what to do big guy”

Mountain looks back at him with something that can only be described as panic. He looks like a deer in head lights with his fingers digging into his knees

“I- I wouldn’t wanna intrude” he attempts to stammer out, looking for any excuse that doesn’t make him sound entirely incompetent.

“You aren’t, look at the poor thing, he’s been wanting your mouth for a while big guy” pebble smiles, with the tiniest bit of giddy to his voice knowing mountain has no clue what he’s doing. Practically taunting him.

Ivy can’t even look down at the two. He continues to hide his face with his hands, red and teary eyed and with how hard and angry his leaking cock looks, mountain can’t imagine how long pebbles been edging him, just waiting for him to show up.

“Just think you’d be better at it” mountain whispers

“Oh do you? Never done this before maple leaf?”

“No i-“ mountain starts, the blatant lie dying in his throat.

“Did you hear that sweet pea, you get to be mountains first” pebble smiles, claws gripping ivys thighs to get his attention. “Aren’t you honored to be able to be the first to fuck his sweet mouth?”

Ivy barely responds with something akin to whimper as pebble scratches him harder, his cock twitching once again at the pain.

“Just watch”

Pebble grips ivy at his base, giving him a good slow lick from root to tip before taking the head in his mouth. Ivy can’t help but give a pained whine when pebble pulls off once again with a little pop, lips pink and a little swollen from teasing Ivy for who knows how long.

There’s a tug at mountains shirt, pebble pulling him to be between ivys legs instead.

“Show me what you learned, cmon”

It’s so clumsy, mountain loosely grips Ivy in fist as if he’s scared to hurt him. He takes a second to look up, before thumbing over his tip as he watches more pre drip down the head, running down his shaft. He feels mesmerized, watching in awe while Ivy reacts to his every touch.

Mountain chases it with his tongue, licks a thick stripe up ivys shaft to catch it and ivy can’t help but almost buck into his mouth at the sensation.

“Don’t be greedy” pebble snaps at the earth ghoul above them “I’ve taught you better manners than that”

Ivy somehow goes more red than he was, mumbling out an apology behind his hands.

Mountain doesn’t even process most of the conversation, much too caught up in ivys taste. Something between tree sap and honey with his own musk mixed in. He can feel the pulse in his dick, the way it throbs in his hand and the entire situation in front of him is the only thing mountain can really focus on.

Pebble places a loving hand in his hair to attempt to coax him back to earth. His thumb strokes his scalp while mountain just stares at Ivy’s dick. Cleaning him delicately with his tongue as if he’s savoring the taste. Pebble pushes down on his head slightly to find it's much too easy to guide mountains mouth down, using barely any force to coax Ivy’s cock down his throat.

“Just keep those pretty lips open, relax”

Mountain gags a little, making pebble ease the pressure on his scalp off.

“Just breathe through your nose, relax, you’re ok” pebble tells him, voice softer than mountains ever heard it and honestly the kindness makes his vision blur. A complete whiplash to the usual harsher, more sarcastic tone he has.

Ivy isn’t very big, a decent couple inches, not very thick around but mountain struggles anyways. He tries hard, really gives it his best, letting pebble pull him up and down. His eyes water as he tries to force himself to relax. It feels weird, not bad, but it’s different. There comes a point where he’s practically bobbing on his own, pebble barely using any pressure anymore and mountain truly seems in a trance, almost cock drunk just off of only sucking on ivy for a couple minutes.

Pebbles other hand holds Ivy tightly at his base to prevent him from cumming embarrassingly early. Being edged for god knows how long combined with the sight of pebble practically teaching mountain how to use him, it’s just too much for ivy, and pebble absolutely knows that.

It’s a weird power trip for mountain to watch Ivy squirm above him, knowing he’s completely out of his mind with need just from his mouth. The sight of him desperate and practically ruined only fueling mountain to keep going as long as pebble lets him. Ivy’s hips buck as his legs shake, no doubt getting too close for pebble to be able to stop him anymore.

Pebble pulls mountain off just as Ivy is about to tip over the edge, quickly hooking a finger into his mouth to force it open. The other hand strokes Ivy, working him through his orgasm as he releases onto mountains face. He hungrily laps at what little bit got onto his lips and tongue. A dazed, static feeling settles into his brain and he can’t bring himself to close his mouth again. Hot and flushed, panting as ivys cum still sits warm on his skin. Mountain looks completely ruined, and pebble can’t help but feel proud of the two, if not jealous.

The sight of mountain completely ruined after just using his mouth is more than pebble thinks he can take. Honestly he can’t help himself. Thinking of the sounds he made with Ivy’s dick in his mouth, the look of submission in his eyes while pebble manhandled him into doing what he wanted, it’s too much for him to not need to get his hands on mountain himself.

He finds him in the greenhouse a couple days later. Leaned forward against the workbench mixing soils. There’s a tense smile as pebble walks in, mountain clearly being wary of the situation but knows what’s probably about to transpire anyways. He turns and backs up without being made to, giving easy access for pebble to drop to his knees in front of him.

There’s a struggle with mountains belt, pebbles shaky hands clumsily undoing the metal, an uncharacteristic nervousness about him as he works. He fumbles with the zipper, tugging at his jeans and boxers until he can pull mountain out fully.

Pebbles mouth waters. He almost moans when he finally sees mountains cock in front of him. He’s much bigger than he imagined, his hand barely wraps around the base and pebble curses under his breath. Mountain can’t help but feel a pang of pride at the way pebble acts so flustered at seeing his size.

His tongue darts out to kitten lick at the head, making mountain lean back to grip the workbench and push his hips forward slightly in hopes pebble will just swallow him down instead of playing his usual games.

A line of spit falls from pebbles lips and runs down his shaft. He makes a display of himself, mouth wide as he continues to tease, looking up at mountain through his eyelashes. He swirls his tongue around the head, before licking a fat line from his base, catching the small amount of pre that’s already started to form. He continues to tease until mountain is gripping the bench behind him so hard he’s sure there will be nail indents in the wood when he’s finished, cock angry and red and borderline painfully hard.

Swallowing him down is much more difficult than he thought, jaw aching at the size but pebble craves to feel him down his throat, stretching his mouth wide and making him gag. Mountain can barely bring himself to look down at the ghoul below him. It’s the first time he’s realized how much smaller pebble is than him, watching that hot, tight little mouth wrap around him and pebble can barely fit half of his cock down his throat before he’s gagging.

It’s hard for pebble not to feel smug. Getting him worked up and desperate, being the first to have his mouth on him. The sore throat the next day will only be a trophy for that testimony, a badge of honor. He wants to stay there, tease him for hours until mountain has tears in those big brown eyes but he just needs to feel him cum down his throat. Hes quick, sloppy, doesn’t want to take his time anymore, just wants to hear what mountain sounds like when he comes apart. Saliva runs down his chin as mountains hips move on their own, fucking up into pebbles mouth and in any other situation he’d chastise him but he can’t bring himself to care. It's easier than he thought, mountain attempting to choke out a warning only a couple minutes in but there’s barely an intelligible word before he’s shooting down pebbles throat.

Pebble pulls off with a pop, muttering a couple praises before smiling and leaving as if nothing happened.

He needs to tell Ivy, craves to be able to see the look on his face when describes how big he is, what he sounds like, what he tastes like, practically bragging about being able to get him like that.

He waits until he’s got Ivy pressed against the mattress, hands on his hips with his lips close to his ear

“Fucking massive, he would probably just split you in two if I ever met him get his hands on you honey suckle” pebble whispers, thrusting hard and fast while Ivy chokes on his own moans at what pebbles telling him.

“Probably would break my pretty toy, don’t know if I’d be able to let him have you doll”

Pebble can feel Ivy go tight around him, eyes crossing at the idea as pebble fucks him. The mixture of the way pebble rails him into the bed and the idea of mountain being so big he could break him, has ivy drooling, brain short circuiting before he’s almost begging for it. He simply needs to witness it for himself.

“Barely could get my hand around him, only god half of him in my mouth before I started gagging” pebble chuckles, “god should’ve heard him when he came down my throat, would’ve recorded it if I want so selfish”

Ivy tries not to moan, focuses on not saying mountains name and pebble can tell he’s struggling to control himself

“Cmon honeysuckle, know you want to say his name, cry out for him doll and maybe I’ll let him have you” he taunts

Ivy continues to stay silent besides the small noises forced from him as pebble uses him.

“Tell me what you want baby, go on”

Ivy fights himself to say it because he can’t imagine being allowed to be desperate for someone else let alone cry out their name while pebble has his cock in him. A hand grips his hair, pulling his head back.

“Say it”

“Fuck- need mountain to break me, need him to use me and fuck me open, need him to fucking split me in two pebble please-“

The embarrassment in ivys voice is reward enough for pebble, laughing at how shaky he is before releasing the grip on his scalp.

“Gonna cum for him? Make a mess thinking about how he would fucking ruin you?”

[foreverlilmeowmeow]

The Snow Didn't Bother Him Anyway... (Kiribaku x Reader)

So this is the first time I'm writing a polyamorous relationship story so sorry if it seems one sided. I've been contemplating if I should post this anywhere and since a lot of you liked my Junkrat x Reader story I thought I would try this... So enjoy!

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

Summary: The reader is worried about Bakugo being out in the cold. It was snowing a lot more than normal and hoped that their boyfriend would make it home to them safely

Warnings: None that I thought of, but if you think there should be warnings please don't hesitate to tell me !

Words: 1700

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

“There you are… I was wondering if you were out with the girls or moping around the apartment like you usually do when Bakubro is usually out on patrol. What are you doing up Pebble?” Kirishima asked as you were staring out the window watching the snowfall as this was what you did most nights when Bakugo was out patrolling alone.

“I couldn’t sleep.” You replied, looking over your shoulder as you sighed, glancing back at the frozen window that sat before you, “I’m worried that Bakugo will struggle tonight and not being there to help out worries me that he won't come home… Will he come home tonight?”

Kirishima looked at you and then looked out the window as well. The snow was a bit thicker than when Bakugo left but for some odd reason Mr. Positivity struck him and he nodded, gripping his fists tight together with a smile, “Of course he’ll come home! Its Bakugo! He’s too manly to not come home.” He said as he sat down beside you pulling you into his lap and snuggling you tight. He smelt clean, cleaner than normal. He smelt like cedar wood and cinnamon. Almost as if he was wearing Bakugo’s cologne just to have that comfort of his and your boyfriend around. 

You sighed, “I hope he does. The bed feels empty when he or you aren’t in it and even if one of you is in it with me, there’s still that side of me that feels cold because I’m used to you both sleeping with me.” 

Kirishima nodded, “I know Pebble, but trust me. He will come home. If not I’ll go look for him and bring him home so you're not sad anymore. We hate when our Pebble is sad.” he said as that got you to smile just a little bit. Your eyes were still scanning the weather outside as you knew cold was Bakugo’s enemy. It made his quirk not work as quickly and honestly it worried you that maybe just maybe he would lose because the weather decided to take his quirk away from him. 

~~~

“Shit! Of course it had to snow today.. Why didn’t anyone warn me?!” Bakugo grumbled as he was out patrolling for the day. He and Denki had gotten partnered to patrol downtown, but for some odd reason Denki split off so it was just Bakugo roaming the streets questioning if he should head home early or if he should continue walking the streets of Japan hoping he could at least get one more job done before calling it a night. The snow coming down in thicker flakes as the snow did look pretty, he could admit that, but with how his hands froze every time he stood still it made them hurt and crack almost as if he was being faced with mother nature herself.

“Someone stop him! He stole my purse!” someone shouted a block away as he gripped his hands and jetted off in the direction he heard the cry. A woman in her late fifties had gotten her purse stolen and for some odd reason Bakugo was the closest hero around to save her. His hands hurting from the cold as he jetted faster chasing the villain as he jumped mid air and landed, knees digging, into the person that stole the elderly woman’s bag.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” The elderly woman smiled as dug in her bag and pulled out what could only be a piece of cinnamon candy and handed it to him as if to give him a reward for getting her bag, “I know it's not much, but I hope it’s enough to say thanks for getting my bag back.” 

“Tch, I don’t need your stupid candy, ma’am, I’m just doing my job.” Bakugo said as he took it anyway trying his best to interact with his fans a bit more or even those he’s saved.

“Well, thank you, it means a lot to me. This bag was given to me from my great-great-great-grandmother and I would hate to lose such a precious gift. You did an amazing job, young fellow.” The woman said as Bakugo rolled his eyes and then sighed looking down at his phone that he had subconsciously pulled it out of his pocket while the woman was going on and on about how special this bag was to her. 

Shitty Hair: Hey just checking in… Pebble is getting worried you wont make it home in time and was wondering how patrol is going.. I know you usually don’t check your phone during patrol as often as I do, but I just wanted to check in and make sure you were still alive and kickin’. I know how bad the snow can be and I just… hate seeing Pebble upset. So… text me you can okay, babe?

Bakugo rolled his eyes, always worrying about others and never about himself. Bakugo thought as he jetted off again, this time stopping a criminal robbing a bank and another at a gas station not too far from where he first started his patrol. The day practically slipped away as when he checked his phone again he didn’t realize it was nearing two in the morning and that he went over his usual patrol time. 

“Shit, now I’m really gonna hear it from them aren’t I?” Bakugo mumbled to himself as he headed back to the agency to change and then head home to hopefully fill in the answers on why he was late. His heart pounding in his chest as he hated upsetting the both of you. You were always understanding as you knew how important it was to Bakugo to be the number one hero, but to know that he would always come home to you and Kirishima no matter what the cost was. He loved you both that much. 

~~~

“I’m home…” Bakugo whispered shouted as Kirishima pressed his finger to his lips as if to tell the loud one at the door to be quiet. You, now asleep on Kirishima’s lap, had spent most of the night watching the door while the tv played quietly in the background. Kirishima checked his phone every now and again as when he did decide to text Bakugo he saw that you were fighting sleep and that it was okay for you to pass out now and would be woken once your’s and his’ boyfriend had returned home. Your body curled to the redhead that when Bakugo looked down and saw this snapped a photo and smiled happy to know that you had indeed gotten sleep and that when you awoke would get all the cuddles in the world from Bakugo knowing he had made it home safe. 

“How was the patrol babe?” Kirishima asked as he looked up at his lover with a golden smile.

“Long, I ended up going over time because backup didn’t show up on time. It sucked.” Bakugo said as he started removing his shoes knowing damn well Kirishima would not let him have the end of it if he saw how much snow was being dragged through the house already by Bakugo checking in on how you were doing.

“Awe, I’m sorry, wasn’t Denki suppose to be with you?” 

Bakugo nodded his head, “Yeah, but we got split off somehow and knowing him he ran off to go patrol with his girlfriend.” Bakugo said with a sigh. He plopped down on the couch and looked over at you. Your head in Kirishima’s lap as you looked peaceful sleeping, “How long did they wait? I bet they were exhausted…” 

“I wanna say they finally went to sleep around midnight? It was hard to tell because they kept dozing off while they were watching tv. But I assure you I made sure they fell asleep before you came home.” Kirishima said with a giant smile. 

“Good, I would hate to be the reason why they didn’t sleep. They need it.” Bakugo said as he decided to take you and place you in his lap. Kirishima slightly pouted as they were enjoying you in their lap while you were keeping him warm while they waited for Bakugo to get home.

“What are you going to do now? I’m sure you’re tired as well babe.” Kirishima said as he got up and stretched, flexing his muscles and groaning when all the bones that needed to be popped and his happy trail showing just above his jogging pants and Bakugo bit his lip trying to remain calm and not hop his boyfriend’s bones for a quickie.

“I’m gonna cuddle y/n for a little bit. I’m sure they were worried and knowing that I’m the one they wake up to is going to be a nice surprise instead of your loud ass who would probably end up throwing them off sometime throughout the night.” Bakugo said as Kirishima made a slight hurt sound and then sulked.

“I would never do such a thing! I can’t control what I do in my sleep!” Kirishima whined as Bakugo rolled his eyes and smirked.

“Whatever, Shitty Hair, just know that you don’t have to sleep in the bed alone tonight. You can always join the cuddle puddle if you really want too. There’s plenty of room on this couch for the three of us.” Bakugo said as Kirishima blushed.

“Sure, just let me run to the bathroom and grab a blanket for the three of us to share. I promise this won’t take long.” Kirishima said as he smiled and darted down the hall. He took maybe fifteen minutes before he finally came back out and saw that he was now carrying a blanket and a pillow and decided to turn the tv back out for background noise. The three of you now snuggled as when you did finally wake up you saw that both boys were with you and that even though you didn’t get to greet your boyfriend when he got home, finding out that he was here with you snuggled on the couch made your morning so much better. He was home and that was all that mattered.

[fawnandshadows]

I posted 2,879 times in 2022

That's 1,254 more posts than 2021!

381 posts created (13%)

2,498 posts reblogged (87%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@nikethestatue

@azriel-shadowsinger

@alwayssara

@sakurakittypeach

@tswaney17

I tagged 974 of my posts in 2022

#elriel - 119 posts

#elain x azriel - 94 posts

#pro elriel - 94 posts

#elain archeron - 92 posts

#azriel - 72 posts

#anon - 57 posts

#fawnandshadows writing - 46 posts

#elriel fanfic - 45 posts

#elriel fanfiction - 44 posts

#hosab spoilers - 30 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#bitches really talk about 3 brothers 3 sisters is unoriginal and then replace elain with gw*n and legit say that gw*n and nesta are like

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I feel like the dilfification and milfifcation of Feysand doesn’t get nearly the praise that it deserves

181 notes - Posted August 26, 2022

#4

Elriel Month Day One

Chapter One

An Elriel Regency AU.

Rating: M, 16/17+

Word Count: 1.3K

Warnings: Language, suggestive scenes, adult content

London, England

1819

Azriel gave a contented sigh as he reached for the lush body next to his, which was pressed deliciously into his side. 

His scarred hand settled on the curve of her hip, his fingers gently tracing hearts on the soft skin and then dipped to the rounded curve of her bottom, gently molding the warm flesh. 

“I should go,” Elain said sleepily, nestling closer into his side. One leg was thrown over his naked hips while her arm wrapped over his muscled torso, as if she was afraid he would sneak out from under her. She was splayed over him completely, their sweaty bodies pressing together as closely as possible, and Azriel felt his heart stutter at the knowledge that she loved touching him just as much as he loved touching her. “Before everyone gets back.” 

The golden sun streamed through the window overlooking the blooming garden, and Azriel never felt quite as content than when he had Elain laying next to him, in his arms. There were countless days where Azriel had looked out that very window to see Elain tending to her flowers, a large hat blocking the sun, completely unaware of the world surrounding her. The little rays of gold played off of her creamy skin in the most tempting way. There were days where the only peace he'd known was looking at her in her garden.

He felt himself harden again. Stirring against her wet core where their bodies met. Little indentations appeared on her soft flesh from where his fingers dipped into her skin, pressing their bodies closer together. 

Never enough — Azriel would never have enough of her.

A soft, heady moan came from deep within Elain as she felt his hot length against her. 

“They will be here any minute,” Elain said in a breathless voice, her golden brown eyes peering up at him as she raised her head. Her hair mused from their afternoon lovemaking. “And I have to get ready for tonight.” 

Azriel felt his heart drop at the reminder

Tonight. Her engagement ball. To Lucien.

Her fingers played with the dusting of hair on his chest, the diamond ring she wore caught the afternoon glow — glimmering brightly, like its own ray of sunlight. Azriel felt the sudden longing for midnight and darkness and shadows. 

“Will you,” Azriel started, and stopped at the sudden tightening in his throat. He forcefully swallowed his emotions. “Will you come to me tonight?” 

Elain lifted herself, her arms propped on either side of his chest, and Azriel tried not to stare at the lovely breasts that were so gloriously displayed: pink pebbled nipples and delicate lines of blue and purple veins. If Azriel had any talent with a brush he would have painted them in all of their beauty. Her golden curls fell forward and brushed against his chest. 

“Of course,” Elain said gently, nibbling on her plump lip. “I think I’ll cry off with a headache, the same one that got me out of the ride today,” She leaned closer to him, close enough to see the gold in his hazel eyes turn molten. “And I’ll be right here waiting for you, just like this,” Azriel brought his hand up to the backs of her thighs which were straddling him, his fingers lightly grazing against her until small goosebumps spread across her creamy expanse of skin. “Completely,” She dropped a kiss to his mouth, and Azriel felt himself melting at the small brush of her lips. “Naked.” 

She kissed him again, the warmth of her tongue sliding along the seam of his mouth. 

Azriel brought his hands up to her hips to grind his hardness into her wet heat. He was preparing to thrust into her when the sound of a door opening and the rushing of voices and echoes of steps broke them apart. 

Elain had instantly jumped up, slipping into her silk robe and she fastened it as she pressed her ear to the door. 

The dusky pink silk clung to her form beautifully, and it almost made up for the fact her plush body wasn’t pressed against his anymore. 

Worried brown eyes shot to his in an apology, and Elain whispered, “I’ll save you a waltz,” before flying out the door. The heavy oak closed softly behind her. 

Azriel was left alone in an empty bed with rapidly cooling sheets, the hazy smell of sex still in the air, and the creeping sensation of loneliness. He allowed himself exactly sixty seconds to sulk over the fact that he had to start dressing for his love's engagement ball, and willed himself the strength to not ruin the night by doing something idiotic. Like confessing his love in the middle of a crowded ballroom, or calling out Lucien for doing nothing but proposing when he was out of the country. 

———

“Would you like the emerald necklace tonight?” Nuala asked, her dark hands holding out the velvet case for her. The Vanserra emerald was legendary among the ton, and Lucien had gifted it to her a week after he had proposed. 

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195 notes - Posted May 1, 2022

#3

Do you guys ever wonder about the touches that Elain and Azriel have already shared that we don’t know about?

205 notes - Posted March 9, 2022

#2

A Taste of You — One shot

A sexy little one-shot of Elain and Azriel sneaking around in the townhouse. 

Word Count: 2.2k

Rating: 18+

Warnings: Language, smut, nsfw, anal play

“Are you sure about this?” Elain asked, peering down to where Azriel’s face peeked out from between the V of her legs. His scarred hands ran up and down the length of her thighs, the rough calluses on the softness of her skin sent shivers up her spine, and her feet were propped up on his broad shoulders.

She was careful to avoid his wings.

His hazel eyes were molten and she could feel the warmth of his breath fanning over the wetness of her cunt. She bit her lip at the image of his beautiful face between her thighs.

If she was with anyone else, then she would have been horrified at the little drop of wetness that fell onto his chin.

“I’ve dreamed about this, Lainy,” Azriel said, a wicked smile playing on his lips. “Now grip the headboard and hold on tight,” She did as she was told, gripping the cool wooden slats to find balance. “Good girl, now slide forward and relax.”

His nickname for her caused her insides to melt. His good girl.

It was a surprise for both of them to find out about her praise kink, and how much they both liked it. The first time she took his cock into her mouth he had called her his good girl and Elain was determined to prove him right. She knew that he had previous lovers, but she was the only one that got to be his good girl.

Elain followed his instructions, sliding until she was hovering right above his lips, but she didn’t relax until Azriel gripped her ass and pulled her down. His tongue traced along the seam of her lips, the grating groan that came from deep within his throat as he tasted her reverberated through her body. Her head lulled back and her eyes fell shut and his tongued work along the length of her opening, his leisurely pace diminishing with every lick.

Azriel was an attentive lover, generous, and whenever he got his face between her legs he feasted. As if the elixir of life was pouring out of her and he needed every drop.

His fingers pressed deeper into her cheek as he urged her to move against his face.

Elain looked down, her fingers white-knuckling the headboard, and saw that Azriel had closed his eyes. A small divot appeared between his dark brows as he worked his tongue over her hot cunt, teasing her entrance by skimming his tongue along it.

Her hips slowly swiveled against his face, trying not to put too much weight on him, but Azriel pulled her down. Tightly. His eyes peered open to reveal heady gold shimmering in his eyes and Elain responded by rocking back and forth, gaining momentum. And Azriel rewarded her by thrusting his tongue in and out of her tight entrance.

Elain felt her walls clench in response.

The headboard started hitting the wall with a steady thumping.

“Can your good girl come?” Elain asked, peering down at him as her golden hair clung to her sweaty form. Her hips grinding into his face, trying to bring herself closer and closer to release.

His response was to bring his hand forward and flick her clit. Elain let out a strangled scream at the sharp sting, which turned into flustered mewls as Azriel moved his tongue to massage her aching bundle.

“Please, Azriel,” Elain pleaded, fire spreading through her flushing skin. “Your good girl needs to come.”

His eyes darkened in response as he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked. Hard.

Elain could feel the wetness pouring through her as her orgasm ripped through her. His fingers dug deeper into ass cheeks, Elain vaguely realized that she would have bruises tomorrow, brought her even closer as she rode out her release against his mouth.

When Azriel finished lapping at her juices, thoroughly and attentively, he pulled away with a rough breath. Elain wasn’t sure how she didn’t come again from that sight alone: Azriel breathless and panting as his face was smeared with her release.

The grip on her ass cheeks slackened, and Azriel massaged them gently, aware of how hard he had held her.

“Did you like riding my face?” Azriel asked in a graveling voice.

“Yes,” Elain responded, smiling shyly. “You treat me so well.”

Azriel shifted them, maneuvering them so that Elain sat on his lap while he sat up completely, his back against the headboard. His cock snuggly set between the puffy lips of her pussy as he pulled her in for a kiss.

Azriel could feel more wetness pool from her core as Elain tasted herself on his lips, and Elain could feel his cock twist in response.

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226 notes - Posted February 19, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

A Night to Remember

Summary: A stranger takes Ruhn and Hunt to her house for the night. This fic is also available on AO3

Warnings: NSFW, threesome, anal, mfm

Word Count: 5.6k 

It had been a long time since Hunt was a part of a threesome.

He always gave his lovers his undivided attention, and the curvy female spread out before him and Ruhn was getting more than enough attention. Ruhns dark head was between her legs, and Hunt had the sneaking suspicion that he was putting his lip ring to good use.

Hunt's attention, however, was focused on her heavy breasts. He couldn’t take his eyes off of them from the moment she had strutted up to him and Ruhn at the bar and introduced herself as…. Something. He had affectionately been referring to her as Tits in his brain.

His large palms pushed both of her breasts together, her dusky pink nipples pebbled in the air, and ran his tongue over the peaks. The edge of his teeth grazed against her nipple and pulled a delectable, smoky moan from her throat, and Hunt tightened his grip in response and silently reveled in the fullness of her breasts. The softness. They overflowed in his grasp, something that never happened, and Hunt knew when he set eyes on her perfect tits that he wanted to get his cock between them.

He almost fucking salivated over them at the bar.

It didn’t take much for her to get him and Ruhn buck naked and in her bed. All she had to do was bat those doe eyes at them, sway her full hips, and push her breasts their way and he and Ruhn followed her home, no questions asked.  

He took one of her large nipples into his mouth and sucked, pulling it taunt. Gently massaging her massive tits between his hands, fuck what he wouldn’t give to oil them up and see them glisten. Maybe if he was lucky, then she’d let him come on them. His cock twitched at the thought of seeing his come her tits. He wanted her small hands to rub his come into her skin.

Hunt pulled away, felt a tightening deep in his stomach at seeing her pink nipple turn bright red and covered in his spit like a ripened cherry, and turned his attention to her other nipple.

“Yes.” She whispered, and Hunt felt her jerk beneath him. He peered up at her and saw that her dark brown eyes were clenched tight, her golden hair spread out on her silk pillowcase. Her pretty pink mouth fell open in a silent ‘oh’.

And Hunt, knowing she was close to coming, bit down slightly on her nipple, just enough to cause a sting before soothing it with his tongue.

Her come tasted so sweet, Ruhn thought in a frenzy, lapping up the juices that were gushing out of her.

His hands were gripping her fleshy thighs, holding tight as she squirmed underneath his hold, and he used his tongue to coax out her orgasm, making it last for as long as possible before finally coming up for air.

Fuck.

Her pussy was pretty.

Clean shaven and soft and glistening with her release.

Ruhn brought his hand up and used two fingers to play with the juices that were pouring out of her still, he could only imagine how messy her cunt will be once he and Hunt were finished with it. All of their come mingling together on such a pretty little canvas, fuck it was going to be swollen when they were done with it.

His fingers moved back and forth, collecting her wetness, and he slowly started to finger fuck her. The two fingers pushing her open looked massive compared to her entrance, quivering around his fingers, and he something burned deep within as he thought of how fucking big his cock will look driving in and out of her. The puffy pink lips hugging his angry cock.

He was… well endowed.

Many of his past lovers had made him aware of that fact, and there were a couple in the past that couldn’t take all of him. But this little vixen, she could. There was just something about her, maybe it was the confidence she had as she strutted up to him and Hunt at the bar, that made Ruhn certain she could handle whatever he and Hunt wanted to do.

Ruhn silently hoped that he and Hunt could handle whatever she wanted to do with them.  

Fuck, her dark brown eyes were romantic as hell and he wanted to see them as he pushed his cock into her.

Ruhn looked up and didn’t see those eyes, or even her beautiful breasts, all he saw Hunt’s ass thrusting back and forth, his muscled legs straddling her, and Ruhn knew he was fucking the hell out of her pillowy tits.

The gray feathers of Hunt’s wings ruffled slightly at the movement.

So, Ruhn crawled up the bed and settled against the headboard, his fingers brushing her golden hair off of her face.

Her brown eyes gazed up at him under heavy lids, molten and dark and beautiful.

Ruhn couldn’t stop himself from kissing her, letting her taste herself on his lips, and getting lost in the sensual kiss. His large hand came up and rested on slender throat, feeling her heart thrumming against his rough palm, and he angled her to get better access. He wanted his tongue to taste every crevice: Her pussy, her mouth, her ass. Everywhere.

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245 notes - Posted February 20, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[zmalkarnar1]

Kuroo x Male Reader: Oblivious

Something I posted a little while back on my deviantart account. Figured I’d throw it here as I write a bit more. 

You watched as he stuffed his practice partners spike, sending the ball reeling back towards the gym floor. He landed with a cheer and a predatory smirk which gave his eyes a mischievous glint. On the other side of the net, Lev Haiba released a frustrated groan, as once again the Scheming Captain managed to shut him down. The predatory grin followed the rookie, reminding him that he was years away from being able to best the raven haired middle blocker. 

Was this really your Kuroo? Was this really your Tetsuro?  Well, he wasn't really yours, but you've known him longer than anyone here...

You were neighbors, born only days apart, and your mother and his father were close friends from their college days. And while he had his grandparents, both of you were being raised by single parents and you often found yourself in the care of his family, or him yours. Born only days apart, the two of you spent almost all of your time together. You can't remember a time you didn't know the raven haired male. But was this really him? 

"Come on Kuroo, let's go," you whined, pulling his arm and dragging him out of his house.

Kuroo just shook his head, dragging his feet across the ground as you pulled him.

“Please,” you begged, “I don’t want to go alone.”

You moved behind him and began pushing him towards the sidewalk, doing anything and everything to move to black haired eight year old.

You were shy too. You didn’t like new places, new people, lots of people. A lot of things scared you. But Kuroo. Kuroo was petrified of anything and anyone he didn’t know well. Literally froze up in class, at the park. He was so timid he made you look like the life of the party. 

“No…” he said, his voice soft, his tone begging you to leave him be.

“Please Tetsu,” you begged again, going to your knees, “I just want at least one of my friends at the field with me,”

“One of your friends? I’m your only friend,” he responded like a whip, a shy smirk on his face, hinting at what lies beneath his hardened shell. It was gone in a flash, and you only stared, stunned at the sudden crack from your oldest friend. Your only friend, as he so rudely pointed out. You smiled despite that. It was rare even you got to see that smirk, to hear that sharp wit he hid behind his walls.

“Tetsu, please. If you come….I’ll join the youth volleyball you keep asking me to. Please Tetsu,” you pleaded, making your best puppy dog eyes.

“...Promise?”

“Promise!” You yelled out in glee, dragging him to your soccer field. And true to your word, the next day you followed Tetsu, or more he pushed you into the volleyball gym and the two of you joined the youth league. And before you knew he was gone, moved away, out of your life forever. You passed the next years in near isolation. Sure you had a few friends in soccer, some acquaintances at junior high, but no one, no one who knew you so well as Kuroo. That is, until midway through your second year of high school, you and your mother packed up and moved to Nekoma, and there he was.

You smiled at the memory, but something irritated you deep down as you stared at the captain’s smirk, his teammates patting him on the back for his block. You clenched your fist, this sudden frustration seeping into your muscles as you narrow your eyes at the volleyball team. 

That smirk, that smile, is mine! I saw it first, and it is mine.

The thought flashed across your mind and vanished in a rush as you struggled to comprehend the emotions running through your body. Having no idea where the thought came from, a blush began to rise in your cheeks, and you shook your head vigorously. You returned to your book, hoping beyond hope that Tetsu hadn’t noticed. You glanced up and saw his smirk, this time aimed at you. You smiled, involuntarily. Something about his smile always drove you to excitement. Then he winked, and your cheeks heated again. He definitely noticed. Of course he did. Great. You just couldn’t wait for the sass he was going to fire your way later. 

Damn it! What is going on with me?

You stepped out of the gym into the fresh evening air, slapping your cheeks to focus yourself. You were just watching your friend’s practice. That was it.

Pull it together!

You were pacing back and forth, oblivious to everything but this electricity jolting through you, mixing with a rising frustration that made you just want to scream. You didn’t even notice the gym doors open and close behind you. 

“Liked what you saw,”

You jumped, Kuroo’s voice jolting you out of your trance. You didn’t need to see his grin. You could hear the smirk in his voice. Fantastic. Now he was going to make fun of how jumpy you were. Just fantastic.

“You’re choosing a great time to fall apart. In front of the entire team too,” Kuroo smiled predatorily at you. You didn’t notice, but his eyes looked over you. All of you.

“They all saw,” you muttered miserably

“Hard to miss your cheeks turning into tomatoes. So, did you like what you saw?”

You stared dumbly at him, mouth slightly agape, eyes open wide as Kuroo towered above you on the steps to the gym. He looked very much like a jungle cat. A jungle cat that was about to devour his prey once he was done playing with it. Was he flirting with you? No. No. This was the Scheming Captain. He was screwing with you. And you were staring right at him. Great. Just grand. Now he’ll think you’ve gone dumb. 

“You aren’t usually this slow, (nickname). Come on, did you like it?”

“Tetsu,” you growled, anger seeping into your voice. You didn’t mind his banter usually. At times it was actually endearing. But sometimes, you wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.

Then you wouldn’t be able to enjoy it anymore. A voice from deep inside you said, causing you to stumble again, your cheeks reddening once more. You clenched your fists and let out a quick yell. Oblivious to everything, you failed to notice that Kuroo took in every single detail. 

“Are you alright?” he asked, true concern replacing the confidence in his voice. He knew he might have pushed too far.

“I’m…I just need to get some rest,” you said, pushing past him to grab your stuff. “I’ll feel better tomorrow. See you later.”

Again, you failed to seem but he watched each step you took as you walked away, a knowing smile lightening his face. 

You walked home with Kenma. He must have snuck away from personal practice again. Usually when you didn’t have soccer you waited for him and Tetsu and the three of you went home together. Today, you just needed sleep, that was all. Kenma was engrossed in his game. That was fine. You didn’t want to talk anyways.

I’d just make a mess of it if I spoke anyways.

You were left to your thoughts, and by the time you neared home, you had finally calmed down. At least, until Kenma decided to open the floodgates. 

“So, when are you going to tell him?” Kenma blurted out, not looking up from his game.

“What?” you asked, confusion clear on your face.

Kenma stopped and looked up at you as if you were stupid.

“You like Tetsuro.”

It was the way he said it. Blunt, to the point, and matter of factly, that sent you stumbling over your own feet. He said it with a straight face too. And there went the walls again, the emotions breaking through and in a rush you felt the excitement, frustration, and confusion that had taken you almost an hour to wrestle under control. 

Thanks Kenma. Thanks a lot. 

“He’s my friend, of course I like him,” you say, trying to keep the blush off of your face.

Kenma looked at you with a blank face, like you were a moron trying to claim that the earth was flat. 

“I...no, I don’t like him, like him,” you stumble over your words, and Kenma just continues to stare at you, saying nothing.

“Really…” this time you weren’t even sure what you were saying. You just needed to say something to fill the awkward silence. And to make Kenma stop staring at you like that. But all he did was look at you with that deadpan stare, and your breath quickened and you waited for him to just nod his head and drop it.

“Wow.” Kenma muttered, “You’re so oblivious that not only do you completely miss his moves on you, but you don’t even realize how you stare at him with that damn goofy grin on your face,”

“I do not! Wait… his moves on me? No. That’s just Tetsu messing around,”

Kenma smacked his palm against his face, “Wow. You’re an idiot. You’re both so ignorant of each other's feelings. He’s stupid for you, and clearly you’re just plain stupid, so you’re perfect for each other. Tell him and get over this already. I’m sick of how awkward the two of you have been the past month.”

“We haven’t…” Kenma was already walking away and you were left with utter chaos in your mind and burning cheeks. You didn’t like, like Tetsu. Did you?

That night you heard pebbles knocking against your window. You knew it was him, checking to see if you were okay. But you weren’t ready for that. You pretended to be asleep, and eventually he turned in. All you could do was toss and turn, going in and out of a fitful sleep, Kenma’s words echoing through your mind. 

The three of you walked to school together in the morning, and an awkward silence rose between you. Well, you would have noticed if you weren’t falling asleep as you walked. Kuroo had asked if you were feeling any better. Too afraid to talk, you knew you’d say something stupid, you just shook your head and stared at the ground, hoping he wouldn’t see your slight blush. Small chance that. 

You broke off to your classes when you reached school, but of course, you and Tetsu just had to be in the same class. All you could do was stare at the back of his head. And then, of course, you had to scramble whenever he glanced back towards you. You knew you just made yourself look like an idiot. 

At lunch you joined in with the volleyball crowd. Not that you necessarily wanted to. It was a habit more than anything else. You sat at the periphery, back against a tree as they bantered and laughed at each other. You only half listened. You were lost in your own mind, enjoying the cool shade of the tree, staring up at the clouds about. Again, you were oblivious to Tetsu staring at you. 

“You’ve really changed, (nickname),” Kuroo said out of the blue.

You stared at him blankly, your eyes blinking. You had to stop doing that; you looked like a deer caught in headlights. Then you laughed. Loudly. And everyone turned to stare at you.

“I’ve changed?” You manage to mutter between breaths, holding your sides, “What about you…”

It was your first day at Nekoma High. You were furious; not only was it the middle of the year, but you had finally made a few friends on your school's soccer team before having to leave everything behind. You couldn’t blame your mother though. She couldn’t pass the opportunity by. It’s just, you’ve never made friends easily. You were always awkward and felt like an outcast. And just when you were finally feeling comfortable at your old school. You thought back on your elementary friend, and how everything felt so natural with him. It didn’t matter. He was long gone. 

As you reached the entrance to Nekoma, you were met by a short boy with brown hair. Really short. Shorter than you even. 

“Hey, I’m Yaku Morisuke. Are you (l/n, f/n)?”

You nodded.

“I’m in your class, and been asked to show you around. Come on,” he said, a friendly smile on his face.

“Thanks, Yaku-san,” you said, eyes to the ground, voice quiet.

You followed Yaku across the grounds of Nekoma High. Yaku spent the morning guiding you through the school. He talked constantly, but you just nodded numbly, and quietly thanked him after each stop. He even got you signed up in the soccer club once he pried out that you played. You weren’t going to join, but couldn’t find an easy way to say no, and allowed it to happen. By the time the lunch bell rang, you were ready to crawl in a corner by yourself and eat your lunch in peace and quiet, away from the eyes of the other students. Yaku was having none of it.

“You can join us for lunch (l/n). They’re a good bunch, if a little loud. Come on,”

You wanted to hide away alone, but couldn’t find a way to decline without seeming rude. Besides, he had a death grip on your arm, almost dragging you towards the volleyball club.

They were outside of the school, eating beneath a cluster of trees, casually tossing a volleyball back and forth. You took one look at them and stopped dead, stumbling to the ground as Yaku continued to pull you along. You stood back up. It couldn’t be. You had to be seeing things. But as you looked again, there he was, Tetsuro Kuroo.

He turned and saw you, and the volleyball fell to the grass below. You met his eyes, wide with shock, as were your own. Then you saw his smirk, just like when you were little, but full of confidence and charm.

“Tetsuro!” “(nickname)” You both yelled at the same time, your face lighting up with delight.

He covered the ground between you in three swift strides, picking you up and swinging you around in a tight embrace. It had been almost eight years.

“Tetsu...you’re...you’re huge,” you explain as he puts you down, unable to believe how much taller he was.

“And you’re a shrimp,” he says, his smirk growing. 

You pushed him away. Or at least, you tried to, but he was so solid. And full of confidence. You stepped back from him and glued your eyes to the ground when you realized the whole team was staring.

“This is (l/n, f/n)” Yaku said, “(l/n), this is the nekoma volleyball team. Although it seems as if you already know our rooster head over here.”

You smile at the nickname of Tetsu and give everyone a quick wave, but say nothing. Noticing your anxiety, Kuroo grabbed your arm and pulled you away.

“I’ll take him off your hands, shorty,” Kuroo called out to Yaku once you two were a safe distance away from the libero.

“(nickname), what are you doing here?” Kuroo asked when you found a secluded spot to eat.

“Well...Mom...Mom got a promotion and we had to move. We just got in the other day,”

“That’s great!” He smiled, “I’m glad you’re here. What, it’s been eight years? I’ll get you signed up for volleyball,”

“I...I don’t play volleyball anymore,” you say, a little afraid that you were disappointing him,

“Huh?” Tetsu looked confused, but it was gone in a moment, replaced by that wicked grin you saw on him before, “Oh, did you finally toughen up and join soccer?”

You nodded, “Yaku signed me up for the soccer club, but...I don’t think I’m going to go,” you said looking down, “It’s too much. But I’m relieved you’re here Tetsu. I thought I’d spend the year alone. Again.”

“Nonsense, you’re joining. You’ll feel better once you do something. Besides, you can’t be this shy for the rest of your high school career.” he said, putting his arm around you.

“Like you’re one to talk,” you mutter, blushing

“”What was that?”

“Nothing. Besides, I don’t have my cleats or shin guards with me.”

“Tomorrow then,” he said, oblivious to, or ignoring your pitiful look, “Anyways, what class are you in?”

You hand him your schedule. You were in the same class. At least you knew somebody.

“Great! I’ll take care of you from here on,” he said, brining you towards your shared class, “I’ll make you feel right at home here, just wait and see,”

You blushed, but it did feel good to have him with you. However, you couldn’t help but marvel; was this really your Tetsu?

And true to his word, Tetsu kept a close eye on you and a guiding hand nearby. Your friendship picked up right where it had been left, and Kuroo always made sure you were okay, even when you didn’t want him to. 

Like when you walked home and realized you were neighbors with him and Kenma. The next morning, before you left for school, he asked if you had your soccer gear. When you said no, he barged into your home, just like the old days, and grabbed you gear, ignoring the surprised look on your mother’s face.

“I’ll hold on to these,” he said, smirking, keeping them out of your reach so you couldn’t hide them during the day.

And at day’s end, you couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He dragged you (it seems you were going to have to get used to a lot of that), over to the soccer fields and announced that you were joining. And of course he had to take it a step further, claiming you were the best striker in the entire prefecture. Damn Kuroo. Everyday he ensured you made it to soccer before he wandered off to the volleyball gym. And he was right. You became accustomed to the team, and his volleyball crew, and, of course, got to experience the sharp side of Tetsu's silver tongue. But even then, deep down and hidden, you began to feel something more for Tetsu. Your eyes lit up when you saw him, your lips curled into a smile when he called your name. Small, subtle moments that slowly grew inside you. Little did you know how desperately he was waiting for you.

Your face heated up again as you realized the entire volleyball team was staring at you. You lowered your eyes and looked away, trying to control the red flash that was crawling across your face.

“I’m not the only one whose changed,” you said softly, looking at Kuroo from the corner of your eye.

“Will you come to practice again?” Tetsu asked.

You nodded, “Soccer is in break for now.” You had won the preliminaries and were waiting for the prefecture tournament to decide nationals. The team was taking a short break to recover after the long season, so you had nothing else to do.

“Cool,” Kurro said, and for once you noticed Tetsu’s sidelong glances at you throughout the rest of lunch. 

Damn you, Kenma, you thought as you looked away before you began blushing again. 

By the time you made it to the gym, the team was already well into practice. Tetsu gave you a big wave. Kenma just shook his head. You settled down in the corner of the gym, your book in your hands. But you found that today you couldn’t concentrate on the words. You’d muddle through the pages of the story, completely forgetting each and every word as your eyes returned to the volleyball team. Or, more accurately, to Tetsuro. You’d try to return to your book, but a paragraph later, your mind and eyes forced their way back to the Scheming Captain. You couldn’t shake what Kenma had said about the raven haired boy.

You put away the book. You weren’t getting anywhere anyways, and instead focused on the practice. Each time your eyes fell on your bed-headed friend you felt a jolt of energy, a shudder of electricity, a breath of life course through you, making your hair stand on its end. And when he’d catch you staring, he’d share his half-smile, half-smirk, as if he knew exactly the game you were playing. Somehow, as your whole body began to warm, you thought as if you were a mouse caught by this cunning black cat. 

And then he was back to his practice. To this team. His family. You’d watch with this sadness creeping into you. He was your best friend, but he had so many of his own. He didn’t need you too. As doubt touched your mind, you saw him flash his grin towards Lev, once again blocking his poorly struck spike, and all feelings of doubt and sadness fled from your mind as another feeling rushed through your veins. And no matter what you did, you couldn’t shake it. Each time he flashed his grin to his team, each time he looked at you and smiled, every time his predatory smirk was shared with another, a fire enveloped your blood. Your muscles tightened and your eyes narrowed, and finally you recognized it. Jealousy. You were jealous. 

That hunter’s smile, which you were the first to witness, to see through the cracks in his shell, that was your smile. And his team saw it everyday, all the time. They got this piece of your friend you didn’t really get to see. To feel. To experience. This competitive, strong, cunning young man before your eyes wasn’t yours, and you teemed with envy. You didn’t try to hide your blush as you watched Tetsu play. You couldn’t have if you tried. Maybe you did like Kuroo. 

You waited for them after practice this time. It was the weekend, and Tetsu, Kenma, and yourself had a long sleepover planned. You had the new Fifa game, Kenma a new JRPG, and Kuroo had a new horror movie he wanted to watch. However, of course Kenman just had to drop out. Great. Now you’d be alone with Tetsu. You promised in your head that the next time you could corner Kenma you were going to strangle him. He was doing this on purpose, the bastard. Which is how you ended up alone with Kuroo as he put the dvd into your T.V. You hated horror. Did he remember how you much you hated blood after all these years?

You were both sitting on your bed as the movie descended into darkness. You screamed and covered your eyes, feeling Kuroo’s hand on your shoulder, and then wrapped around your body to calm you down. You didn’t fight it, or the blush that began to grow on your face. It felt so natural. And it felt right when he pulled you closer, and you hid in his chest as the terror in the movie rose to its climax. And in the midst of the madness, with your trembling in Tetsu’s arms, he finally found the courage to speak to you.

“I love you.”

He didn’t. In the middle of a horror movie which had you trembling. He didn’t. But this was Tetsuro. He was a dork. Of course he did.

You didn’t respond, only looked up into his eyes. There was no predatory smirk this time. No, there was something more. You could see the genuine care, the love, in his eyes, the fear of your refusal, the gentleness that hid beneath the teasing and provocation. You could feel his vulnerability as he pulled you down onto your bed, laying you on your back as he straddled you between his legs. His beautiful eyes searched deep into your (e/c) eyes, and you felt all the confusion flee from your mind. Instead, a fire, a heat, a desire coursed through your veins and your entire body shook with anticipation as he moved his lips towards yours. It was soft. Ever so soft, but as he pulled away, you needed more. More. So much more. You grabbed onto his head, hands coursing through his messy black hair, and pulled him back down into a kiss that sent chills rushing through your body. And all the tension that had filled your mind and muscles broke free with each kiss he placed on your lips, your neck. And with each touch from his hands across your skin you felt all your fear fade away. When he finally pulled back, his teeth gently pulling at your skin, you saw in his eyes, and knew. You definitely liked Tetsuro Kuroo.

“I love you,” you breathed back.

And then you saw it. His relief. His care. His love. And you see the vulnerable, timid boy you once knew. A side of Kuroo no one else was allowed to see, to know, to touch. Only you. They could keep his smirk, his confidence. Because you had something more. Because you knew you had the real Kuroo; the boy who needed your reassurance, who needed your hands, who required the safety of your arms. No one else could see that. Tetsuro Kuroo was all yours. 

___________________________________________________________________________

Just an idea that has been pulsing through my mind. I haven't really written anything like this before, so I hope you like it. Sorry if Kuroo is a little OOC. Enjoy.

[sugarmaplewings-fics]

Unexpected Kisses

Pairing: BNHA boys x reader

Warnings: Talks about anxiety for a bit in Tamaki’s part

Request: Hi!! Uhm,, I kinda,,, don't talk to users on this app so idk where to send requests AHAJSHSJHS but I do know that you write BNHA stuff so,,,, if it's not too much, maybe Tamaki, Midoriya, Denki and Kirishima (separate) reacting to their s/o's suddenly scattering their face with kisses and complimenting them out of the blue?? you don't have to do all of them tho :''D thank you!! <33

A/N:

I don’t have much to say about this one, other than sending thanks to @aahilovetheatre​ for sharing such a cute request with me! Sorry I’m slow about getting these out, but I am working at my request list the best that I can.

Characters: Midoriya, Kirishima, Kaminari, Amajiki

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Midoriya:

● You know, he really was just minding his own business

● Izuku sat at his desk, taking notes from a textbook like he did every Thursday evening. You were laying on his bed, reading a book for class. Every minute or so, the silence of the room would be broken by the scratching of a pencil or the turn of a page

● At some point, you started getting a little bored with your reading. The words on the page began to feel less and less comprehensible as your mind started to wander elsewhere

● Your boyfriend cleared his throat, and your fickle attention snapped to him

● He was so absorbed in his work, it was cute. The way his eyebrows furrowed as he scanned over the page; and how he tapped the worn down All Might eraser at the end of his pencil against his lips. His lips . . . his cheeks . . . . Yep, you were getting an idea

● Sliding a post-it note into your book to mark your progress, you set it down and stood up. Izuku, of course, didn't notice, still deep in concentration

● You came up behind him, glancing at the paper from over his shoulder

● He finally turned and straightened, meeting your eyes with his own forest green. "Hey, (Y/N), what's up?"

● You took the opportunity to slide down into his lap, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I needed a break for a moment."

● "O-oh." Izuku's voice had taken on a higher pitch, cheeks flushing with warmth and color at your sudden proximity

● He dropped his pencil and wrapped his arms around your waist, beginning to relax into your hold

● It was then that you put your hands on either side of his face and started pressing kisses all over him, leaving no area of skin untouched by your lips

● You could feel the way his cheeks began to burn a bright red under your fingers, nervously giggling at the ticklish sensation of your breath and skin against his

● Once you were finally satisfied, you sat back, simply gazing at his face lovingly for a moment

● "What was that for?" he asked. “I—I mean, it’s not that I didn’t enjoy it—” You wondered if it was your own heart or his that you felt beating so rapidly

● "I just . . . needed you,” you cut in. “You're so cute when you study." You relaxed your grip on his cheeks, sliding back in to plant yet another kiss on his forehead. "You work so hard . . . ." You began to graze your lips slowly over to his temple, before pressing them back to his skin in a syrupy sweet moment

● You proceeded to praise him, whispering how strong he was, and how proud you were to have him as your boyfriend, and how attractive you found him. After every other sentence, you left another kiss on his face, whether it was his cheek, forehead, or nose. You even made a silent game out of trying to see how many of his freckles you could kiss

● By the end of it, Izuku looked almost like he was about to cry. He'd loved every minute of it and had hung onto your every word. Even so, he still couldn't help but wonder what brought all this on

● "(Y/N), what's—why would you—?"

● You poked at his nose gently. "Because I love you."

● He wrapped his own arms tighter around you, crushing you closer into his chest for a hug. "I love you too, (Y/N). So much."

● You rubbed his back while he stroked your hair for a moment, just letting yourselves hold each other

● "Do you have work you need to do?" you finally asked. "Sorry, I interrupted you."

● "No no, that's okay. We can stay like this for a little bit longer."

● You hummed, nuzzling further into the crook of his neck

● No doubt about it, Izuku's head was already spinning with schemes to surprise you and get you back. It was only a matter of when

____________

Kirishima:

● Kirishima was just hanging out on the couch, casually scrolling through various feeds on his phone

● That is, until you came in the room, intent on sneaking up behind him

● You went up behind the couch as softly as you could, before suddenly wrapping your arms around his neck from behind

● He jumped, startled for a moment, until he realized it was you

● "Hey, there," he said, rolling his head back so he was looking upside down at you

● You giggled and kissed his forehead. "Hi."

● "Come 'ere." He patted the empty cushion next to him

● Without needing to be told twice, you circled around to the other side of the couch, settling onto his lap

● "So, how have you been—mmph—"

● You'd cut him off with a kiss to his lips; one he quickly grinned and melted into

● "Woah, okay," he breathed when you let him go. "Is there something going on?"

● "Hmm, no," you admitted, reaching up to boop his nose. "I just love you. Feel like showing it."

● "Okay, then. I can get behind that." He put your foreheads together and nuzzled his nose against yours. "How are you going to do that?"

● "By telling you how amazing you are," you said, leaning in to kiss his forehead again

● His blush nearly tripled. "O-oh. I—"

● "Like, how you're so strong and manly," you whispered, lips grazing the skin of his cheek. "And you've worked so hard to get where you are now. You're brave, and I'm so proud to say that you're my boyfriend."

● Your words went on as you languidly pressed kisses against his skin. After a few minutes, you’d worked him up so much, a tear or two spilled from his eyes, and you kissed those away as well

● "I love you," you whispered again, dipping to give him a full kiss on the lips

● When you leaned back, he simply gazed up at you in awe. He was a man in love, and it was as though you were some sort of deity or angel sent from the skies above

● "I—um, I don't really know what to say," he said, giving a weak chuckle and wiping at his eye. "Wow, uh, I wasn't expecting that."

● "Did you enjoy it?" you asked, pulling yourself into his chest a little more

● "Yeah! I'm just—not very used to it is all." He trailed off, glancing to the floor as his thoughts began to take flight on their own

● "You'd better get used to it," you said, tilting his chin so he could look at you again. "And I meant everything I said. If you try to deny it, then I'm going to say it again. But this time I won't be so nice."

● "Oh, really?" Eijirou asked, a smirk drawing a corner of his mouth up. "And what would that look like?"

● "Well, I guess I'd have to tickle you," you said, shrugging as if it were an unavoidable fact. Because it was. "And I wouldn't stop until you admit that what I'm saying is the truth."

● "Hmm, I'll keep that in mind then." He suddenly pushed you back a little from his chest so you were facing him again. "But I think a little payback's in order. Say, Pebble," he leaned in and gave you a quick kiss on your nose, "you're looking pretty cute today."

● It was a long time before either of you moved from the couch

____________

Kaminari:

● Denki was just laying on his bed, alone in his room, reading

● This particular part of his book wasn't particularly interesting, and he was considering leaving it to come back to some other time

● Nevertheless, his eyes lingered on the page, skimming through sentences that did nothing to capture his attention. Maybe it would be easier for him to pick back up if he left on a better note

● You had other plans, though

● The silence in his room was broken when you flung his door open, running in without scarcely bothering to swing it all the way shut again behind you

● Kaminari barely had time to lower his book when you came barreling into his lap, throwing your arms around him in a mighty hug

● "Oof—(Y/N)-chan! What's going on?"

● "You're getting a vibe check."

● You adjusted yourself just enough so you would both be comfortable before peppering his face with kisses, rapidly moving over every key point

● "Ah—what?!" Denki started giggling at your actions, and soon enough you were unable to fight back the smile and laughs that were freely expressed by your own lips

● "Denki! If I'm laughing like this, then I can't kiss you!"

● "Then what if I kiss you?"

● He pecked the tip of your nose, making you giggle again as you eased in closer to his face. "No. It's my turn. I love you and I need you right now."

● "(Y/N), we just saw each other an hour ago."

● "Too long," you pouted, going back to planting kisses on his cheeks, although this time you were slower and more deliberate. "I want to make sure that you know how much you're loved. By me."

● Kaminari's cheeks flushed a bit. "Really? O-okay."

● You busied your hands by rubbing at his back and shoulders, your lips whispering praises into his ear

● "I love spending time with you," you said. "I love your jokes, and hearing your laugh always brightens up my day."

● Each sentence had him burning up, and the slow kisses you'd leave between sentences did nothing to help. Any minute now, he felt like he could short circuit

● When you finally leaned back, Denki stared at you, wide-eyed. "Where did that come from?"

● "I just felt like it." You shrugged

● "Wow, I—I think I need a minute."

● He glanced off to the side, touching at one of the countless places you'd kissed him. "You're so cute, babe," he muttered, grinning into his hand

● "Yeah?" you giggled

● "Of course." Denki wrapped his arms around you again so you were flush against his chest. "And you know what else?"

● "What?"

● "I'd say it's cuddle time." He pulled you down so you were lying on top of him, then rolled to his side so you were still facing each other. "And it's also my turn. I'm not going to be the only one who's getting compliments today."

● And with that, he held you; generously peppering your face with kisses as he professed everything he loved about you

● It was a wonderful end to his afternoon

____________

Amajiki:

● Tamaki was alone in his room. He had turned the lights off and sat down in his bed. His head rested in his hands as he tried to stop the shaking, but it was almost as if there was nothing he could do

● He'd just had an awful day and his mind wouldn't stop going back to everything that had gone wrong

● First he'd had to do a presentation, which he could have sworn he was ready for. But fate—or at least, his anxiety—had other plans

● It was as if he was watching himself from outside of his body; watching as his own throat closed up and he lost the capability to speak. Watched as he stumbled over his own thoughts as his tongue betrayed him. He spat out an incomprehensible string of "um"s, and spoke too fast, and his thoughts wouldn't connect with one another

● And then, directly after that, he'd been unable to find either you nor Mirio. You both must have been busy with your own work, but seeing you was something that Tamaki always looked forward to. He could make it through any kind of day as long as one of you spoke your kind words to him, or showed him your sun-bright smiles

● But he'd been deprived of that, forced to retreat to his dorm room to sulk alone

● His mind focused on the memory of his words, replaying them over and over again

● It was so much, he almost didn't hear the knock at his door

● "Tamaki? Are you in there?" He immediately recognized your voice

● "Yeah," he called back glumly. He was glad he would finally get to see you, but now he wasn't sure what it would take to get him out of such thoughts

● You let yourself in, quietly shutting his door before making your way over to his bed. "Are you doing okay?" you asked him. "I've barely seen you at all today. How'd your presentation go?"

● "Awful," he responded. "I locked up again. Everyone was staring at me and I was under so much pressure." He paused and sighed, putting his face in his hand again

● "Hey, it's going to be okay," you said, putting a hand on his back. "I'm sure your teacher understands. And you're a really good student and hero."

● "Hm," he responded, not looking at you

● "You don't believe me?" you asked, reaching up to caress his cheek. "It's true."

● He still made no move to respond, merely sighing and leaning into your touch

● "Is it okay if I hold you?" you asked. "Would that help at all?"

● You knew it could be a little risky being too forward with touching Tamaki. It was always best to ask first

● He finally met your eyes, nodding. You both moved around on the bed until you were comfortably seated in his lap, thighs wrapped around his hips

● You held onto each other in a close hug, and soon your hands were rubbing little circles on Tamaki's back. You began to whisper things to him, telling him everything would be alright

● "Hey, hey. It's just you and me now, no one else. It's okay."

● Finally his shoulders began to settle from their tense, hunched position

● You nuzzled your nose against his ear before giving his cheekbone a small peck

● "Feeling better?" you asked

● "Yeah, a little," he admitted, his face still buried in your shoulder. "Thanks for this."

● "Of course."

● You pulled back so you could face him, unable to stop yourself from placing a kiss directly on the tip of his nose

● You grinned at how his face scrunched up a bit, so you repeated the action. Soon enough, you were leaving little kisses all over his face, and the boy beneath you even let out a few chuckles at the sensation

● "I love you," you said, watching as his pre-existing blush only deepened

● "I love you too," he said. "You always know how to make me feel better."

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Taglist: @basicaegyo​ @iiminibattlehero​ @katsugay​ @nabo39​ @pyrofanatic​​ @sendhelpimstupid​ @sokkasangel​ @xoxopam4​​

[tamakissimp]

senario- selfhate comfort

request: @uhhh-i-like-yaoi​ : Hihiiiii! I loved your last comfort post! Could I have the same bois comforting a female reader who is crying because she doesn’t feel pretty? Tysm!

a/n: ahhh yes. I love writing comfort pieces. I added in some other boys because I ✨felt like it✨

warnings: body issues, insecurity, lack of self confidence

BAKUGOU:

wordcount: 544

The image in the mirror is almost mocking you. The way your own body seems to taunt your mind and pull you into its darkest corners is scary. Scratch that, it's terrifying. You know that the healthy thing to do is to look away. But you can't. Your eyes are fixated on all your flaws. You're so busy with pulling yourself apart from that you don't notice the tears starting to roll down your cheeks.

People often talked about how Bakugou was out of your league. You knew that being with someone as handsome as him you quickly learn that, and most of the times their harmful words don't phase you. But maybe you are a little bit more tired today. Maybe you're feeling a bit more down. You don't know what it is, but those mean words seem to get past your defence and straight into your heart today.

You clasp your hand over your mouth in an attempt to muffle the sound of your crying. Even now, with shaking shoulder and blurry vision, all you can think about is how ugly you like while crying. "Idiot!".

Normally you would whisp your head around at the gruff voice but not today. "Are you there?" Bakugou asks. A set of knocks on your door follows. Normally you would welcome him with open arms but not today. What if he saw you like this? He would think you're weak. Weak. Pathetic. Ugly. Awful. Disgusting.

Another sob wrecks through your body. Bakugou's body stiffens at the sound. His blood runs cold. Without a second thought, he rips the door open. The sight of you, standing in front of the mirror while sobbing makes his heart ache. "Teddybear?". His voice is softer.

You hold your arms open for him. He takes the note and walks over to you before pulling you into a bone-crushing hug. He pets your hair as you sobs seem to get worst. Bakugou mumbles sweet nothings in your ear. All you can do is cling onto him. "What's going on, teddy bear?" he asks.

it takes you a moment before you can reply. Every time you open your mouth to speak another sob wrecks through your body. "I'm ugly," you finally manage to speak. You can feel Bakugou shake his head against your shoulder.

"I-I'm ugly and disgusting and you shouldn't b-be with me," you say. You expect Bakugou to agree with you. You expect him to pull away from you, laugh at you before walking out of your room. But he doesn't.

His arms stay wrapped around you, his grip becoming even tighter as he nuzzles into your neck. "No," he says. You want to disagree but he beats you to speak. "You're pretty. Gorgeous even. And I don't say that to everyone, idiot. You're too good for me.".

"I'll show you," Bakugou says. "I'll show you how pretty you are. I'll teach you how to love yourself....Idiot.". You smile softly. His heart does summersaults as he feels you smile against his shoulder. You nod.

"Okay," you mumble. "Okay. T-teach me how to l-love myself.".

SHOTO:

wordcount: 506

You hate yourself for feeling so down. You hate yourself for not being able to be there for Shouto. You know he needs you. He has more reasons to be self-conscious. Though his face looks like it's sculpted by the gods, the scar that taints his skin is one of his most prominent features.

"Are you alright?" Shouto's calm voice asks. You nod your head. Wrong. You feel bad for lying to him but you don't want to burden him with your problems. Shouto nods. On the outside, he looks fine but he is beating himself up mentally.

He has noticed your distance and he can only fear for the worse. Maybe his biggest fear is becoming reality. That you're planning on breaking up with him, that you're done with dealing with someone as broken as him.

All Shouto does is wrap his arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer to him as you both lay in his bed. You stiffen under his touch. The feeling of his hands running up and down your skin only makes you more self-conscious. Shouto's brows furrow at your action.

"Spit it out," he says. You don't know what it is about his voice, but all of a sudden your eyes fill up with tears. Shouto remains silent until he feels something wet hitting his shirt. He looks down at you only to find you silently crying. He immediately pulls you tighter against him.

"I'm sorry,” you say in between silent sobs. "Fuck, I'm sorry.". Shouto shakes his head as he sits up a bit straighter. He rocks the two of you slightly in an attempt to comfort you.

He's still socially awkward but you're teaching him how to deal with emotions, which includes how to comfort someone. He uses your tips as he searches his mind for anything he did that might upset you. He rubs his hands up and down your back, strokes your hair while sushing you softly.

"Do you...want to break up with me?". His voice cracks at the end of the sentences. He can't imagine a world without but he would rather break up than be in an unhappy relationship. Relief washes through him as you shake your head.  

"No, never," you say. You stay silent for a moment. It's best to just rip the bandaid off quickly. "I'm ugly.". The moment the words leave your lips, violent sobs wreck through your body. Shouto stays quiet which you take as he agrees with you.

You pry yourself out of his arms and beeline towards the door. Shouto stops you, though. His hand wraps around your wrist before he spins you around, pulling you into his chest. You fight against him but to no avail.

"Never, ever, say that again," he says. His voice isn't cold like it normally is. "You're beautiful. Inside and out. I know you won't believe me but please do.". All you do is nod against his chest as you run a hand through his two coloured hair. "Please believe me,".

TOKOYAMI:

wordcount: 360

You and Fumikage often talk about your insecurities. Being with someone who's quirk affects their body as much as Fumikage's quirk does, conversations like that start easily. Normally, the two of you will lay on his bed, limbs intertwined while venting out your feelings. So this time is no exception.

Dark shadow lays on the feet end of the bed, his cold fingers running up and down your calves while Fumikage's warm arms encircle your body. Your fingers run over his feathers. You have no clue what he does to them but they always feel like satin between your fingers. "I'm ugly," you blurt out.

The comforting circles Fumikage was once rubbing on your skin now stop. Dark shadows grip on your calves tightens a little. Sure, these sort of thoughts aren't weird to be shared but that didn't make them any easier to hear. "How come?". 

You shrug. You push your face even further against his chest prompting him to resume rubbing your skin. "Look at my face. Look at my body. I'm ugly," you say. It hurts Fumikage how easily you say those words.

In his eyes, you're an angel. Everything you do is a gift from the gods. Yet you have no problem with tearing yourself down. Though he can't judge since he has the same habits. "You are not," he says. You take a deep breath while waiting for him to continue.

"You're beautiful," Fumikage says. "While my words might not affect you now, I do hope that you can one day see yourself through my eyes. I hope that you will see how beautiful you are, my love.". A soft smile spreads against your lips. 

Dark shadow removes its hands from your calf and nuzzles his cheek against it instead. "You talk like an old man.". Even though your tone is happy, Fumikage can sense the sadness laced through it. 

"You love how I talk," he says. You nod. You lean up and press a hast kiss against his beak. Behind his feathers, a blush warms his cheeks. 

"Thank you," you say. "I hope one day you see how handsome you are too, birdman.".

KIRISHIMA:

wordcount: 787

Normally, you didn't feel like this. Being in a relationship with Kirishima meant that he became your personal hypeman. He took any opportunity he got to compliment you and boost your confidence. Lately, however, the UA has been dishing out heaps of homework and training got more intense. This left little time for you two to spend together. You didn't mind, of course not. You support Kirishima's dream of becoming a hero and you knew it would be like this eventually. You just haven't gotten used to it.

For the umpteenth time this week, you find yourself standing in front of your mirror. A rational person would walk away from the mirror. You aren't a rational person though. Instead, you try on every piece of clothing you own that is even remotely tight fitting. Seeing how the fabric clings to your body, extenuating every lump, dent and curve.

You sigh as you run your hands over your body. Feeling your thighs, arms, stomach. All disgust you to a degree you didn't know was possible. A voice in the back of your head is screaming all your imperfections at you. Your face isn't symmetrical enough. Your stomach isn't flat enough. Your collarbones aren't prominent enough. Everything is wrong.

Tears well up in your eyes as you keep hyper-focusing on every flaw. You want to stop, god you do. To smash the mirror to pieces and spit on it. But you can't. Instead, you can only think about Kirishima's friends.

They're kind, sweet, helpful, hero's in training. The only thing bad about them is how perfect you are. It's hard to not compare yourself to them when they're all models. Momo has legs for days, Bakugou has muscles that you could never have, Iida is as smart as they come, Mina can make every outfit look good, Denki has enough charisma for ten people.

Sobs slowly wreck trough your body. You clasp a hand over your mouth. You stare at your own face in the mirror. Red eyes, wobbling chin, swollen cheeks. Even your crying has flaws.

"Pebble," you hear a voice behind your call. Your blood runs cold as you wipe around. You were too busy with pulling yourself apart that you didn't notice Kirishima entering your room. His eyes are drooping and his smile slowly falling. he holds a small bag in his hand. You can see the feet of a teddy bear and your favourite snacks sticking out of it. A surprise date, how sweet.

You shake your head as you make grabby hands towards him. Kirishima drops the bag and runs over to you, pulling you tightly against him. Your sobs grow tenfold now that you're in his arms. He pushes you as he softly pats your hair. "Let it all out, baby," he whispers.

His strong arms envelop you like a blanket. His cinnamony scent brings you comfort. You always thought he smelt like chai tea. After you told him that, he started drinking chai more. You smile at the memory. Your smile drops, however, once you feel his hands travelling over your body.

"Please talk to me," he says. "What's going on?". Kirishima's heart is breaking. Seeing you in this state makes him rack through his mind to find anything he could have done wrong.

"I'm ugly," you croak out before another sob wrecks through you. He stiffens. He curses at himself for not noticing your insecurities sooner. Normally, he was there to brighten your mood and build your confidence up. Normally. But he hasn't seen you as much as normally.

You push yourself further into his chest, hoping to disappear. "I'm ugly, and- and I'm gross," you say. "And I don't k-know why you're with me. B-Because you're handsome a-and kind and sweet and I-I'm none of that. You s-should just break-".

"No," he says sternly. He doesn't let you finish that sentence. He doesn't want you to. "No, I won't. Don't ever think I will.". Kirishima pulls you off him slightly so that he can look into your eyes. He cups your cheeks while brushing away your tears with his thumbs.

You sniffle but melt into his touch. "You aren't ugly, okay? Say it for me. Come on, say it," he urges you. You nod.

"I'm not-I'm not ugly," you say softly. He nods before puling your to him again and places a kiss on your crone. "I'm not ugly," you say again before silent sobs shake your shoulders.

"I'm just going to have to show you, yeah, pebble?" Kirishima says. You nod against him. Your hand travels up and laces through his hair. Even now, when you're crying your eyes out, you're still trying to comfort him. "I'll show you.".

TAMAKI:

wordcount: 774

Tamaki is invisible. It's something he learned to do over the years and now he can't stop doing it. Hiding in the shadows, his presence unknown to people. People tend to look over him and that's the way he likes it. Being in the big three, however, makes him seen. It makes him stand out like a sore thumb and his shyness draws ever more attention towards him.

Due to this, your relationship has become quite known around the school. And with that people tend to talk about you, gossip about you. You tuned it out most of the time. But when people gossip about you, it's hard not to listen to it.

"I mean, yeah, Tamaki is a total cutie," you hear some girl say. You don't even bother looking at her. You just try extra hard to focus on the homework your working on.

"Right?" her friend chimes in. "I don't know why he's with Y/n. Probably out of pitty. He's sweet like that.".

No. Don't listen to them. Tamaki loves you, you know that. He tells you that every day. He might not be physically affectionate but-

"I don't know. Y/n is just kind of...ugly?". Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Goddammit. Fucking fuck. "I didn't think they would ever be with someone.".

With that, you stand up. You don't even bother taking your stuff along with you. You doubt that anyone would be interested in stealing your homework or stationary. You can't even look at the gossiping students as you walk past them. Just get to your dorm, that's the plan. If you walk fast you can be there on less than three minutes.

You keep your gaze down as you fight back the tears. You can't cry in the hallways. That weird and ugly. "Bunny?". You lookup. Tamaki is standing at the end of the hallway, next to Mirio. He waves shyly at you. His goofy smile drops as he sees your pained expression. You strud over to him.

Are you breaking up with him? Did he do something wrong? Did you finally realize how much of a useless ball of shyness he is? His thoughts are running wild and worse case scenarios are popping up in his head.

His mind stops when your arms wrap around him. You two never hug in public. It's too scary for Tamaki, too stressful. But now that he feels your shoulders shake and your breath hitch all he can do is pull yours against him. Your hand travels up and plays with his hair while his arms wrap tightly around your middle.

"Am I ugly?" you ask, breaking the silence. Tamaki shakes his head against you, his hair tickling your neck. "’Cuz it feels like it.". His heartbreaks. You're always there to comfort him, to help him when he's on the brink of a panic attack. Now he has to be there for you.

"No, b-bunny," he says softly. His voice soothes you in a way you didn't imagine it would. "You're so p-pretty.". His words are few but you don't care. You know it's already bold that you come to him like this in public. Normally, you would only cling onto him in the comfort of his own dorm.

While he says little, he does comfort you. His touch ground you. The way his strong arms encircle you and warm you up. You press your nose into his neck. His hair feels silky smooth between your fingers. "I'm not," you say.

You feel awful for dropping your feelings onto him like this but you don't know what else to do. Tamaki is the person you go to for comfort, for love. "Who m-made you feel l-like this?" he asks.

You just shake your head as another sob wrecks to you. You muffle the sound by pressing into him. To bystanders, it just looks like a longlasting hug and not like your crying your eyes out.

Tamaki already knows the answer. He would be lying to say that he didn't hear the rumours as well. He hates it. Not just the attention but the bad things being said about you. That you're only with him because he's in the big three. That you aren't pretty enough for him, strong enough for him. He hears them all.

"W-wanna go... to...um..y-your room?" Tamaki asks. You nod. He places a kiss onto your forehead. Your heart warms up at the bold move. You swift so that one of his arms is now swung over your shoulder while the other is holding your hand. You hum softly at the comforting touch. "I-I think that...you're pretty," Tamaki says.

SHINSO:

wordcount: 435

While Shinso tends to be grumpy to others, he never is to you. He treats you with an unknown kindness. He touches you like your made of glass. And you do the same with him. You lean into his touch. You aren't afraid to answer his questions and you never saw him as a villain.

Due to your close bond, you two share your insecurities. It's normal for one of you to barge into the others dorm and just rant out their feelings. Which is how you find yourself here, walking through the halls with pathetic desperation. You don't even bother knocking once you reach Shinso's room. You just rip the door open.

Shinso can immediately tell that you're feeling down. Maybe it's the way your drag your feet more. Maybe it's the way you don't give him a 'hey nice to see you again' kiss. Or maybe it's the fat tears dripping down your cheeks. "I'm gonna talk," you say.

Shinso just nods. He pushes his chair away from his desk. You get the hint and walk over to him, plopping into his lap. His fingers immediately start rubbing circles on your arms.

"I'm ugly," you say. Shinso's heart stops for a second. This was going to be painful for him to hear. "I'm ugly and disgusting. And I-I'm sick of pretending I'm not. Y-You always say I'm p-pretty but I know y-you're lying. I'm not. And-And that's okay.".

You drop your head to let it rest against Shino's shoulder. He just shakes his head. He waits a minute for you to speak again and when you don't he does.

"You aren't ugly, kitty cat," Shinso says. You smile at the pet name. "You're as pretty as they come. Fuck everyone who tells you you're not. Fuck. Them.".

"You're out of my league," you say. Shinso shakes his head. One of his hands moves up to pet your head softly.

"Bullshit. I'm a fucking piece of shit villi-" he says. You lay a finger of his mouth to stop the word from being said. You lift your head and look at him. Even though your crying and your vision is blurry, you cup his face.

You shake your head. "Don't," you say. "Don't so that.". Shinso leans into your touch. It's selfish to treasure your touch in a situation like this but he can't help himself.

"Then you can't say that you're ugly," he says. You close your eyes before leaning your forehead against his. He feels you nod against him. A soft smile spreads over his normally stoic lips.

"Deal," you whisper out.

[nose-bandaid]

the moon told me so ☾~

Wonwoo x (gender neutral) Reader | soulmate AU angst | 4.5k words

synopsis: in a world where you and your soulmate share a special marking that appears on one’s body at the age of 18 or later. you were wonwoo’s, but wonwoo was no one’s, and you were the fool who didn’t say a word about it. alternatively:

you are in love with jeon wonwoo, but jeon wonwoo isn’t ready to love yet.

a/n: i uh, feel kinda shy posting this lmao but i hope you enjoy:))

sequel: the little flower on your wrist and the epilogue: kairosclerosis

=====

“When are you going to tell him?”

“Tell who?”

Seungkwan sighed and gave you a knowing look. “Wonwoo, who else would I be talking about?”

“I don’t have anything I need to say to him.” You muttered into the warm knitted scarf wrapped around your neck. The snow fell gently around you in large clumps — the kids on your street were sure to be delighted when they wake up to that. It wouldn’t be long before you started seeing snowmen pop up one by one, all with little carrots and hats decorating them, giving them life. However, to you, the snow only added to the weight in your heart. The peaceful, yet lonely atmosphere made you want to curl back into your bed and sleep your sadness away. And then you could hope that maybe when you woke up, all of your problems would be solved.

Yes, that sounded like a much better option, compared to standing around in the cold weather, waiting for a late taxi. But you promised him that you would show up today. As much as you didn’t want to, you weren’t one to break the promises you made. Promises were meant to be kept.

And so, you woke up at a horrid 4 am today and dressed yourself with the best outfit your sluggish mind could think of. All to make sure that you were at the airport on time, just for him.

“Y/n... this might be your last chance. I mean, this is already terribly last minute for you to do so, but we also have no idea when he’ll come back.” Seungkwan’s voice softened when he noticed your stressed demeanour.

“Listen, I know, okay? I’ll tell him today, I’ve been preparing what to say for the past week. I just... I just need to get myself together, that’s all.” The words spilled out of your mouth as you tried to get him to stop nagging.

Before you could get a response, the taxi pulled up in front of you, and you busied yourself with getting a seat in the back while Seungkwan relayed the destination to the driver. He then took a seat in the passenger’s side, leaving you alone in the back with the little present you brought with you by your side.

The whole car ride was silent, minus the soft music that played from the radio — some kind of ambient jazz that only made the atmosphere even more awkward. You fidgeted with the bracelet dangling on your wrist and looked out the window, the yellow beads clinking against each other to add some noise to the silence. The buildings passed by with a blur, and every so often you would come across a location that prompted a treasured memory in you.

The mall that you and Wonwoo would visit almost everyday during middle school. Your parents weren’t the fondest of the idea that you guys were going there so often, but you went either way. There was ice cream to be eaten, game demos to be played, outfits (that you could definitely not afford) to try on, and snacks to be bought.

The arcade that you so daringly visited when you were supposed to be in class. It was Mingyu who had suggested the idea, as a joke, but everyone started getting on board with it and soon you were roped into the adventure too. None of you guys were really the type to skip school, the thought just never visited your mind, and you had other things to worry about. On that day though, you decided to let yourself be just the slightest bit free, and with a little convincing, you got Wonwoo of all people, to come along too.

That day was a blast, the thrill of rebellion, the refreshing taste of freedom, even the stuffiness of the arcade was bearable — your uniform was far too warm for the environment. Miraculously, there was no big punishment for your absence when you returned, just a light scolding, and that simply heightened the excitement of the day. You never pulled such an act ever again, but you most definitely held that memory dear to your heart. Because on that day, Wonwoo’s smiles were almost a thousand times brighter than usual.

Your eyes flickered between the trees that trickled their way into your view, and they steadily grew in numbers to paint a forest in front of you. Though their leaves were barren and their branches were heavy with snow, all you could think of were the lush green forests that surrounded the cottage you visited almost a year ago. The one that you and your friends rented out, the one that housed some of the happiest moments in your life, the one that echoed some of the loudest laughs ever, the one that kept you warm under the cool night, as you snuggled into each other’s arms.

The one that witnessed your life fall apart.

-----

You remembered that dreary day, when Wonwoo pulled you aside from the others and into a little alcove in the forest nearby, a nervous look painted on his face. Your friend group had decided to spend the warm weekend at the cottage to celebrate Wonwoo’s birthday and new soulmate mark. They all insisted that it was tradition to host an all-out celebration for the occasion, despite the boy’s refusals. If they celebrated for the others, they had to celebrate for him as well. 

You were all about to head to the beach for a swim before barbecuing some dinner, the weather was a comfortable mix of the warm sun and the cool breeze. It should’ve been perfect.

Let’s put an emphasis on should’ve.

When you finished changing, before you could catch up to the others who were already dunking themselves into the frigid water, laughter getting lost in the vast forest, Wonwoo stopped you at the front door with a gentle grip on your arm. From the looks of it, he’d been waiting for you for a while.

“Hey y/n... could we talk for a minute?”

And that question brought you to a wooden bench in a small clearing, hidden away from the others’ sight. The sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting a delicate pattern around you. The air of uneasiness between you two was so contrasting to the mood a few moments ago, that you were immediately filled with worry. The last time you saw Wonwoo, he was laughing his head off with Mingyu and Seokmin over a stupid dad joke that someone made. Now, there was no trace of that former carefree personality.

“Wonwoo what’s up? Is something wrong?”

He bit his lip, clearly deep in thought. “You know how I’m supposed to be getting my mark tomorrow?”

You nodded. “Yeah, that’s why we all came here to celebrate right? Is it too much for you? I can tell the others to cool off on the partying, I know they can be overwhelming.”

“No it’s not that, I don’t mind it. It’s just... I’m honestly not so sure about this whole soulmate thing.” His voice was small and his shoulder tensed as he awaited your response.

“Like, you’re worried about the mark not showing up tomorrow?”

“No, I’m worried that I won’t be able to love my soulmate the way I’m supposed to.” He clarified, a bit firmer now.

Your heart stopped.

“Well,” You you pursed your lips as your mind raced to gather the best way to respond. “You could always just tell them right? That you’re not ready for a relationship, I’m sure they would understand.”

“But what if I’m never ready?” His confidence had suddenly disappeared, and you could feel that he was getting panicky, so you rested a gentle hand on his thigh to calm him down. “That feels so unfair to them. Like I’m going against fate.”

You swallowed back the emotions building up in your throat. You were hoping for the already low chance that he would be your soulmate, that maybe the stars would be in your favour and offer you an easy happy ending of some sort. After all these years together, you felt that there was almost no way that you couldn’t be paired together in some way. But now, even if you were soulmates, Wonwoo had just denied the only possibility for you to get together. Romantically, at least. Which was unfortunately, what you’ve been hoping for all this time.

“You could always just be friends right? There’s some people out there who just decide to be friends and there’s nothing wrong with that. Soulmates aren’t always about romantic love.” It was the best you could offer. You were fine with pushing back your feelings for him if it meant that he’ll be happy with his decision. The last thing you wanted to do was force your love onto him. 

“Yeah but do you really know anyone who’s done that? Y/n, everyone around us started dating their soulmate the moment they found them. They’re going to come to me with that mindset and I’m going to have to shut them down.” He paused. “The person that they’ve been searching for all their lives will be shutting them down. Don’t you think that’s harsh on my part? That I should just suck it up and get together with them?”

“Wonwoo, I can’t speak up on behalf of your soulmate,” You choked back the pitiful laugh building up in your throat. “but if they’re supposed to be the perfect match for you, I think they would try their best to understand your feelings, because you deserve to be matched with one of the kindest people in the world.”

He didn’t take his gaze off the pebbles his shoes prodded at, and you took that as a sign to continue.

“With that said, let’s just enjoy today, and all the other days to come as we wait for your soulmate. And when they come along, we’ll take things one step at a time, and work through the problem as it plays along. Worrying about it beforehand isn’t going to do you any good, don’t you agree? That’s what you told me before right?”

Wonwoo slowly nodded and slipped his hands back onto his lap. “You’re right, I’m worrying too much about something that hasn’t happened to me yet. What if I don’t even get my mark this year? I won’t be able to totally forget the problem, but I’ll try my best to put it aside for now.” He smiled softly to himself, and you patted his shoulder.

“That’s the spirit! So you wanna go back to the others and go for a swim? If you’re up to it?”

“Yeah, I think that would be nice. Thanks for listening, y/n.” He got up from the bench and offered you a hand which you gratefully took. Silence settled between you too as you made your way out of the forest and back to the beach. The others were quick to notice you and began eagerly calling for you guys to jump in. Before you gave in to their persistent requests, you paused for a moment and started talking again.

“Oh, and Wonwoo?”

He stopped a few steps ahead of you and turned around. “Yeah?” He looked much lighter than he did a few moments ago, but for some reason, your heart broke a little at his happiness.

You gave him a downcast smile, and if he sensed the dismal tone in your voice, he didn’t say anything about it. “Just know that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to love your soulmate platonically. I have a good feeling they’ll understand.”

Maybe you had gotten a bit ahead of yourself that day by assuming that you were going to be soulmates. No matter how much you felt that connection in your heart, Wonwoo himself never showed any signs of feeling it too. This whole thinking-that-he-was-your-soulmate-before-it-was-even-confirmed thing could’ve just been your mind being a mix of delusional and hopeful. But you said what you said, and it’s not like he noticed any of your hints anyways.

And it’s not like he ever will notice.

------

The next day, you woke up with a tight arm wrapped around your waist and the sun shining on your face. If it was any other day, you would’ve simply closed your eyes and fallen back asleep without caring so much about what time it was, but thankfully you had enough sense in you to remember the date.

July 17th.

Lifting your head fully off the pillow, you followed the arm hugging you to find Chan, buried underneath a soft blanket, still snoring away. Nudging him lightly, he stirred and moved his arm to rub his eyes, freeing you.

“Morning, Chan.” You poked his nose.

He let out a few incoherent mumbles before opening his eyes and looking at you. “What?”

“It’s Wonwoo’s birthday we gotta wake up and get the others.”

“Can’t we do that in a few minutes?” He whined, and tried to return to his pillow, but you were quicker, and pulled him into a sitting position.

“No we can’t, silly, we have things to do before he wakes up.” After a little bit of bickering between you two, you finally managed to convince him to get up and he left to go take a shower. You let out a quiet sigh. One down.

Turning to the couch nearby you looked at Jun who was still sleeping soundly.

11 more to go...

By the time everyone woke up and the celebration kicked off, it was already late morning and you all settled on ordering some pizza for lunch and a couple of the boys left to pick up the food (being located in a remote cottage made it a little difficult for a pizza guy to come here out of the blue). As you waited for the food, everyone went about and did their own things to kill the time, and you found Wonwoo sitting alone on the porch. Joining him, you gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and smirked.

“Hey there, birthday boy.” 

He returned the smile with little enthusiasm and you could tell a lot was on his mind.

“Everything good? You’re not worrying about your soulmate are you?” You asked.

Wonwoo averted his eyes from your gaze. “I’m just thinking about it a little bit.”

“So...” You tried your best to play it cool. “I guess what we’re all wondering is whether you’ve gotten your mark or not?” 

You could’ve just dropped the topic and not asked him, more for your own good than his, because you would surely lose it if you spent another minute thinking about your soulmate. On the other hand, it would’ve been a little selfish if you chose to completely ignore the whole getting your mark on your birthday thing, but let’s be honest — what were you going to do after seeing it? Some things are better left unknown, and yet, you asked him anyways.

He hesitated for a moment before rolling up the sleeve of the hoodie he was wearing. The sun was bright outside and the humidity was definitely at a high, he must’ve been absolutely melting in that outfit, but now you knew why he dressed so conservatively today. “Yeah, I did.”

He angled himself towards you and you stared at the moon crescent just below his wrist. In place of the stars usually found in the sky, small flowers were scattered here and there. It was a beautiful, yet simple design. 

Unconsciously you crossed your legs and rubbed your ankle, where the exact same design sat, hidden underneath the socks you always wore.

“That design really suits you.”

It was all you could choke out without giving anything away. No matter how hard you tried, nothing could stop the rush of emotions building up in your throat. You wanted to scream out loud, you wanted to cry out to Wonwoo, because what the hell did you do to deserve this fate? Out of all the people in the world, why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be you? You were losing it. 

And so you fled. Like the fool you were, you fled.

Giving him a gentle pat on his shoulder, you excused yourself and went straight back into the cottage and into the bedroom. You didn’t leave until Chan came in and asked if you were alright and to that, you spilled everything. You didn’t care about Wonwoo’s secret at that point, because you just needed to have someone to confide with. Someone to understand you.

Though some of the story was quite a shock to him, especially considering the fact that you’ve been keeping your soulmate mark hidden from all of them, Chan listened to you with all seriousness. In the middle of your rambling, Seungkwan also walked in to see what was taking you so long. The tears on your cheek probably weren’t the best thing for him to see, but deep down, you were happy to have another person to talk to. And as you did, he looked at you with empathetic, almost pitiful eyes.

It was terrible, but still relieving.

You promised each other to keep your secret between the three of you. The others didn’t need any extra drama in their lives, and besides, they weren’t supposed to be aware of Wonwoo’s secret until he decided to tell them himself.

You spent the rest of the vacation distancing yourself from him, and instead, you stuck by Chan and Seungkwan’s sides, and they made sure to take care of you, which was something you’ll forever be grateful for. Whenever Wonwoo made his way towards you, one of them would create some sort of distraction or pipe up a new conversation to drag you away from the man in question. Eventually, he seemed to get the message that you didn’t want to be around him and didn’t try to approach you for the rest of the time there. 

You felt bad. So bad for ignoring him. It was his birthday for God’s sake, and you — his best friend — were ignoring him on his birthday.

It wasn’t his fault. It totally wasn’t his fault for not wanting to be in a relationship. Just like how it wasn’t really your fault for falling head over heels for him. For loving the wrong person. But it happened against your will, and now you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. 

If you had said just one more word to him on that day, would things have turned out differently? Maybe you would’ve gotten together? Maybe you would’ve come to terms as just friends?

Maybe, at least, you wouldn’t have drifted.

-----

“Happy birthday y/n.”

Wonwoo slid a neatly wrapped present across the table and you ripped it open without much hesitation, too excited to see what was inside. 

It was the sweater you’ve always wanted, a soft royal purple that was decorated with constellations along the sleeves and a moon on its chest pocket. Honestly, you were interested in the sweater because it reminded you of a certain someone, and you wanted to wear it because it made you think of him. You hadn’t told him about it though, and you silently wondered how he found out.

“This doesn’t make up for anything though.” You muttered childishly and took a sip of the cool drink in front of you. You were referring to the news he dropped on you just moments before giving you the gift.

He nervously adjusted his glasses. “I’m sorry. Even I’m unhappy about moving across the world, but at the same time... y/n... this is my dream.”

You sighed and put down the drink. “I know. I’m just upset that we won’t be able to see each other for who knows how long.” You paused to think for a moment. “How long are you going to be gone for anyways?”

“At least 4 years.” He said in a small voice. “4 years for school and if I can get myself a job...” He let out a sigh in defeat.

“I don’t really know how long I’ll be there for.”

“Wow.” You breathed out. “So like I’ll really have to say goodbye then, right?”

“There’s still time, it’ll take a few months for everything to be planned and settled so don’t worry. But let’s just ignore that for now,” He swatted his hand int he air as if it would get rid of the gloomy mood settling over the table. “So much for a birthday gift right? I’m sorry for bringing this up today of all days, but I thought you deserved to know.” He smiled sadly.

“It’s fine. I appreciate you telling me right away.” You fiddled with the tag of the sweater in your hands. Ah, what the heck. Ripping off the tag entirely, you slipped the sweater on top of the clothes you were currently wearing. It was comfy, albeit a little bit stuffy with all the layers you had on, but you didn’t mind. “Thank you for the sweater by the way, I really like it, how did you know?”

“I had to do a little bit of digging to find that out.” He laughed. “I’ve noticed that you’ve been really close to Chan recently so I asked him if he knew anything about what you wanted for your birthday.”

“Ah.” 

You couldn’t tell if he was hinting something about being jealous of your friendship with Chan, or if he was simply stating what he saw. You also didn’t bother to ask. The two of you sat in silence for a few minutes.

After your time at the cottage, things had fallen a little awkward between you two. You didn’t ignore him outright, you still had your usual conversations from time to time, but it was clear that at one point, you fell from best friends to practically acquaintances. Which probably was the opposite of what both of you wanted. While things have slowly been getting better overtime, the awkwardness between you two was still unbearable.

“Also...” He started tentatively.

“Mhm?”

“I was wondering if you got your mark?”

Right. He still doesn’t know. No one knew really, your own mark was still a secret kept between you, Chan, and Seungkwan. And you were planning to keep it what way, especially now that you knew that Wonwoo was literally going to disappear entirely from your life sometime soon. You knew it was a bit of a stretch to assume that. With all the technology that existed in the world, obviously you’d still be able to connect, even if there was a time difference. And surely Wonwoo would visit you guys once in a while. because he wouldn’t completely forget about you... right?

As much as you hated to admit it, no matter how hard the two of you tried, you were bound to lose each other someday. The man you loved, and still love, so dearly, will ambitiously pursue his dreams on the other side of the world while you, the lover, will miss your only chance to set things right.

You were being given another opportunity to tell him about your mark. Life was being kind enough to let you make up for your mistake at the cottage. And yet, you still looked into the eyes of your soulmate, and lied through your teeth, plastering on that same polite smile you’ve used over and over again, whenever someone asked you about your mark.

“No, not yet.” 

“Oh,” His eyes darted away from yours. “I’m sorry for asking.”

“No, no, it’s alright. I guess I’m just one of those rare cases, maybe I’ll finally get it next year.” You gave him a sad smile, which really wasn’t too hard to muster.

“You’ll find your soulmate soon, y/n. Don’t worry about it.” He gave you a reassuring smile and put his hand on top of the one you had on the table.

Yeah, I won’t worry about it.

=====

The taxi jerked to a stop and you gazed into the windows of the busy airport. All kinds of people were bustling about, carrying their luggages, making frantic phone calls, corralling their kids, reuniting with loved ones. The door in front of you opened, and Seungkwan held out a hand to help you up.

“C’mon, let’s go.”

You took his hand and he gently held onto you the entire time he guided you through the winding hallways. People brushed against your shoulder but you were too focused on your racing heart to bother with an apology. When you saw Wonwoo along with a few others in the distance, your fingers nervously tightened their grip on the small gift bag in your hands.

You weren’t ready to see him yet.

There wasn’t enough time for you to create some sort of plan B, because plan A was really starting to sound stupid to you now. When Seungkwan nudged you to go say your goodbyes, you hesitantly shuffled up to him, opting to stare at his sneakers instead of his face. You felt kind of pathetic, to be honest.

“Here, this is for you.” You placed the small box into his hands and gingerly clasped it before finally letting go. He opened it and pulled out a bracelet, its intricate pattern matched the one on your wrist, except his beads were painted a deep navy blue and white. 

“A bracelet?” He questioned as he slipped it onto his wrist, the small bell attached chimed along with its movement. It fit him perfectly. “Thanks y/n, you didn’t have to.”

“How could I not give you something before you go?” You countered.

“Hey, why are you acting like I’m leaving for good or something?” He joked lightly and ruffled your hair, which was rare coming from him. Usually it was the other boys who did that to you, but it’s not like you were going to refuse it. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Well that was a blatant lie. Though neither of you knew when he would be back, it was guaranteed that he would be gone for at least a few years. And if he ended up getting a job there, you might as well kiss goodbye to any chance of seeing him until you can manage your own work life. Maybe one day, you would be able to gather enough money to pay him a visit.

“I just want to make sure you have something to remember me by.” You answered softly, still refusing to look in his eyes. “In case we don’t get to see each other again.”

In case we drift apart like we already have.

“I’ll make sure to stay in contact, I promise.”

You opened your mouth to reply as the first tear dripped onto your cheeks.

I’m your soulmate Wonwoo. Since day one, I’ve always been in love with you, so please come home soon and we can figure things out. I can wait for you.

That’s what you were supposed to say. Your mind screamed at you to say the words you so diligently rehearsed all morning, but instead you asked him in a shaky voice. “Do you think you’re going to meet your soulmate there?” 

He must’ve mistook the regret in your voice as sadness over his departure, because he didn’t question your tone.

“I just might meet them, y/n.” You hated the way he sounded hopeful saying that. And then you proceeded to hate yourself for thinking that way. 

“I really thought my soulmate would be someone here, but I guess not. The world works in funny ways.” He laughed a little, and it just added to the awkwardness between you two. 

But it’s me, I’m your soulmate Wonwoo, do you not feel it too? 

“I also still don’t know if I’m ready to do anything romantically yet.“ He added.

You simply nodded and looked straight into his eyes, vision was blurry with tears, but you still gave him the warmest smile you could possibly muster.

As of today, you’ve finally made your decision. If you were going to say goodbye to him like this, you were also going to say goodbye to the feelings you had for him. You’ll learn to move on. Like any other problem you’ve faced in life, you’ll eventually move on. And if you were going to say goodbye to him like this, you wanted to at least send him off with the best version of you.

He’d always told you he liked your smile.

“I see, well, I won’t keep you any longer and say goodbye then, Wonwoo.” You squeezed his hand firmly for the last time.

He returned the smile. “Goodbye, y/n. We’ll meet again soon.”

[cheri-translates]

Headcanon - when he sees someone else confessing to you

This work, 当他看见你被别人表白, was originally written by 君兮耶君兮 on Weibo, and she has given me permission to translate it 🌸

[ VICTOR ]

The two of you made plans to go for dinner together.

By the time you make your way to LFG after work, Victor has just wrapped up a meeting. After giving him a call, you hover around the entrance, waiting for him to drive the car over. 

“Is that really you?”

You hear a pleasantly surprised male voice from behind. Turning towards the sound of the voice, you’re greeted by an employee from LFG. 

After digging through your brain for a while, you finally recall that the last time you came to LFG to submit a report, you met a new employee who was under Goldman’s wing. 

Back then, he was clearly not used to the working style in LFG, and was making mistakes left and right. Seeing that he was on the brink of tears after receiving a scolding from Goldman, you stepped in to mediate the situation. 

You didn’t expect him to remember you.

“Ever since you helped me, I’ve been looking for you.” He twists and rubs his hands together, looking slightly nervous. He lifts his head. “I’m now the leader of R&D Team A. I... I wonder if you could... be my girlfriend?”

“I’m sorr-”

Even before you finish speaking, you’re interrupted by the car horn of a black Maybach. Thinking about a certain someone’s occasionally difficult personality, you immediately step backwards, putting some distance between the two of you.

“CEO...” The little employee stands straight and stock-still.

Victor nods coldly. Judging from his expression, you can tell that this childish man is jealous again. You place your hands together to form an apologetic pose towards the employee, then pull the car door open, entering it.

The employee’s face grows deathly pale, and he scurries off, as though he has suffered a great blow.

“I’m gone for just a while, and you’re already flirting around?” Victor reaches across your body to strap on your seat belt.

You burst out laughing, planting a chaste kiss on the side of his face. “Victor, I’m very obedient. I rejected him even before you pressed the horn~”

He settles back into his seat and puts on his own seat belt. Starting the engine, his unhappy tone is almost imperceptible. 

“Mm, pretty obedient.”

[ GAVIN ]

In the police station, there are quite a number of energetic men who are full of vigour. Whenever you have nothing to do, you’d take a stroll around the training grounds to look at... Flyer.

Let’s be real - if you dared to look at other men, Loveland City’s No. 1 King of Jealousy, Officer Gavin, will definitely hoist you home on his shoulder, just like he did the last time at your office. 

After retrieving the frisbee from its mouth, you pat Flyer’s head. From the corner of your eye, you notice that Gavin has already finished exchanging pointers with the other officers, and is currently staring in your direction.

You shoot him a smile from afar while giving Flyer a belly rub.

An officer with some grime on his body walks over, handing you a bottle of water. “Whose relative are you?” 

You hesitate for a while before accepting the bottle, thanking him politely.

“I see you here often. I presume you like small animals?” He rubs Flyer’s head. Uncomfortable to be touched by a stranger, Flyer unhappily shies away from the contact.

You immediately reassure Flyer.

Watching how gently you’re treating Flyer, the officer is unable to restrain himself from asking, “Would you consider me? I love small animals too. Want to be my girlfriend?”

Faced with such an unexpected turn of events, you instantly refuse. “Sorry, I already have a boyfriend.” 

“Who’s your boyfriend?” He hasn’t seen you being chummy with any of the guys.

“Her boyfriend flipped you onto the ground earlier.”

Gavin appears from behind the both of you. His forehead is dotted with beads of sweat, and some droplets travel along his defined lower jawline towards his neck region.

“...Captain Gavin.” The officer quivers, straightening up and greeting him with a salute.

Gavin doesn’t even spare him a glance. He stands in front of you, tilting his head downwards slightly. “Help me wipe the sweat off?”

“Mm,” you comply obediently, retrieving a towel from your bag and dabbing it on him gently. You can feel the lingering heat exuding from his post-exercise body, and you hand him the bottle. “Want some water?”

Stung by your intimate display, the officer says an awkward goodbye and leaves.

Gavin twists open the bottle and squats down, giving it to Flyer. “Next time, if anyone confesses their feelings to you, just let Flyer bite him.”

At that moment, you’re unable to react. The righteous Gavin is actually telling you to get Flyer to bite people?

Perhaps sensing that his tone is a little bitter, he adds, “If you think letting a dog bite him isn’t good, then let me know. I’ll beat him up.”

...isn’t that worse?

[ LUCIEN ]

It’s common knowledge that Lucien’s seminars are always full. The female students attend to ogle at Lucien, while the male students attend to ogle at the girls. Of course, girls who find that they’re unable to match up to Lucien sometimes end up together with a guy who happens to like her.

To you, Lucien’s seminars are pretty much meaningless. Obscure terminology and strange chemistry-related processes are basically incomprehensible hieroglyphics.

You release a sigh, preparing to plop your head down to make up for lost sleep. Even if you can’t understand anything, you wouldn’t waste such a good class.

The boy next to you throws a small note onto your table. 

It reads: Classmate, I’ve seen you attending Professor Lucien’s seminars many times. Since there’s still no development, are you interested in becoming my girlfriend?

You purse your lips. Do kids these days not pay proper attention in class? Won’t a student get completely lost once he loses focus for one minute in Lucien’s class?

You borrow a pen from the girl sitting next to you, and write: Sorry, not interested.

You throw the note in the direction of the boy, but it hits something in mid-air, and falls to the ground.

Lucien is holding a book in his hand. He bends down to retrieve the note. When his gaze falls on the word “girlfriend”, his pupils constrict, but he smiles and asks, “Does this belong to you?”

Confessing that it’s mine would be the silliest thing to do! 

You shake your head furiously.

Lucien poses the same question to the boy, who is starting to break out in cold sweat. “Student, does this note belong to you?”

Pale-faced, he nods. Lucien places the note on the table neither softly or heavily. His knuckles tap the surface of the table, creating a slight sound. In your heart, you’re silently wishing the student all the best.

“It’s all right for your mind to wander in class, but don’t disrupt other students.” Lucien straightens up, then returns to the lectern.

You nod furiously. 

That’s right, that’s right, don’t disrupt other people when they’re trying to sleep.

“Also.” He smiles, his eyes crinkling, barely concealing a dangerous aura. It’s reminiscent of a fox hiding in the grass waiting to pounce on its prey.

“This student you’ve confessed your feelings to - you should be calling her... the wife of your teacher.” 

[ KIRO ]

Kiro likes it when you visit him at his workplace. Kiro likes it even more when you bring snacks when you visit him at his workplace.

But if things happened like it did today, he’d rather you not come. This way, his honey wouldn’t be desired by other people. 

That’s what Kiro thinks.

Kiro has always been serious when shooting movies, and the both of you have developed a certain tacit understanding. As long as you’ve reached the filming site, he can sense it, even if he doesn’t see you, It’s a radar he sometimes uses to ensure Savin doesn’t clear away his snacks.

Right now, Kiro feels a wave of inexplicable melancholy in his heart, and an uneasiness in his chest. All along seeking perfection, he immediately calls for the scene to stop, and asks the director if he could have time to organise his thoughts.

Taking into consideration how Kiro hasn’t had a break after two hours of shooting, the director agrees.

Kiro immediately rushes across the filming site. As expected, he sees a man stopping you at the entrance. 

The man is carrying a bouquet of gaudy red roses, displaying a pose he thinks makes him look dashing. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

You’re slightly startled by the suddenness of it all. However, you react quickly. “Sorry...”

“No!” Kiro takes large strides over, shielding you behind him. His hostile expression kind of resembles a mother bear protecting its cub - resolute, and unwilling to back down an inch.

Faint golden rims surround his pupils.

“In this lifetime and the next, and the lifetime after that, Miss Chips is mine! Don’t even think about taking one more step closer to her!”

[ SHAW ]

That little brat Shaw said he was going to reach soon even though his lessons have not yet ended. So you’re currently waiting in Loveland University with absolutely nothing to do.

Slightly upset, you kick a pebble into the lake, letting the ripples it creates alleviate your frustration.

“Doing that will scare the fishes,” a gentle male voice floats into your ears, and you instinctively turn towards it.

“You might not recognise me, but I frequently see you in the archaeology class,” he explains.

You nod as a form of greeting, then lower your head to send Shaw a message to get here quickly.

“Oh right, could I ask you something?”

“Sure.” You look at him in confusion, thinking there shouldn’t be anything worth asking between strangers.

“It might sound abrupt, but are you willing to be my girlfriend?” The male student looks at you with a serious expression on his face.

...he asked even though he knew it was abrupt?

You hear a familiar bark of laughter.

“I’d advise you not to.”

Before you can explain that you already have a boyfriend, Shaw continues. 

“She's stupid and likes to eat, but doesn’t like exercising. She refuses to acknowledge it when she loses in games. She’s so troublesome to deal with. I’d advise you not to make life difficult for yourself.”

This development is a little odd...

“Let’s go.” Shaw grabs your hand.

You walk with him, then hop up to whack him on the head when his guard is down. “Do you not care about my pride!?”

Shaw holds you to prevent you from losing your balance. “I’m just stating the truth. You’ve caused me enough trouble, so I’m saving others from harm.”

He has a quirky temperament, a thousand bad habits, and is incredibly annoying. 

There’s only one good thing about him.

And it’s that he loves you.

-

More translated and original works: here

-

[ Permission to translate ]

君兮耶君兮: You can - just note the source of the author

[buglife]

Perhaps a meeting between Dadmaster and the White Lady?

“Do you think that they might be okay with taking students again?”

Mato thought for a moment, walking beside his child in the restored Royal Gardens. They were just enjoying the quiet sights for a while, when Ghost brought up the possibility of teaching nail arts to the guards and knights of the realm. The question was a surprising one, which for a moment worried the beetle that something may be going on that he wasn't being told about.

“They might be, why do you ask?” He leaned down to look Ghost in the eyes. “Are you worried about something?”

“I just...I can’t be everywhere at once, even as a god.” They admitted, averting their gaze as though ashamed of the fact. “I want my people to be protected, even If I can’t be there. I don’t need protecting, but they do.”

“Well, that’s a fine reason as any.” Mato answered with a reassuring tone to his voice, glad to hear that nothing nefarious was going on. It was just Ghost being Ghost, worried over everyone's safety again. “You indeed can’t be everywhere, and perhaps more people knowing the nail arts would be a boon to the kingdom.”

“I thought so too, but there’s only you, me, Uncle Oro and Sheo, and Grandpa Sly who know how to even teach it. I can’t teach everyone by myself.” They gestured to themselves and their current 'mortal' form. They were certainly not as large as their twin, Hollow, nore were they even tall enough to reach Mato's shoulder. Even being a god, they wouldn't be able to instantly teach a rather intensive and practice heavy technique like the nail arts. It would have to be done the old fashioned way with actual teaching. They were right, they couldn't do it all by themselves. They would need some help.

“Did you ask Sly about this?” Mato thoughtfully replied. “He was the one to teach us, after all. He’d be able to help you for sure.”

Ghost nodded their head. “I asked Grandpa Sly and he said, and I quote, “I trained enough kids, now I want to enjoy my goddamn retirement.”

“Then what did he say when you offered to pay him?” Mato crossed his arms and raised a brow, anticipating the answer.

“Where do I sign?” The void being snorted in amusement, shoulders shaking with the effort to not burst into outright laughter. Mato was not so reserved.

“HAHA! Of course that old miser would!” Mato bellowed a deep belly laugh and slapped Ghost so hard on the back it sent them stumbling a little. In the corner of his eye, he could see the posted guardsmen stiffen at the interaction. “To be honest, I think he also wants to be able to brag about being able to beat up knights and guardsmen all day without getting a treason charge.”

“That and I think Uncle Oro would be down with It too. He’s that kinda guy.” Ghost chirped, eyes now full of mirth. They didn’t seem to mind being bodily hauled around by their father, despite their status as a King. “He likes putting bugs who are a little too full of themselves back in their place, and I saw some of the new applicants. I think he’d do a lot of good here.”

Mato hummed in thought. Oro was very different from the rest of the brothers, and even Sly. He'd need special motivation and he wasn't always swayed by Geo. “What do you have in mind to get him out of his hovel and here in the city?”

“I think he wouldn’t mind if I offered to give him a private candy chef on call that I will employ.” They drummed their claws together, amused by their own cleverness. “I remember that he used to train me in exchange for honey I’d sneak out of the Hive. Imagine what he’d do for whatever sweets his heart desires that could be made on demand?”

“There’s my little tactician! That will get him for sure.” Mato beamed with pride, not like Ghost had to do much to get him to be proud of them to begin with. “Sheo I think might just be too busy with his husband right now for teaching beyond his art school.”

They nodded in response and smiled up at their father, who quickly reached down to give them a gentle noogie. They didn’t bother trying to escape and accepted their affection without so much of a flinch. Good. Mato released them after a chitin crushing hug and set them back on their feet.

“You know I’m proud of you, right?” He asked softly, deciding to voice the thoughts he was having. It was one thing to feel pride for someone, it was another to let them know that you thought as such.

Ghost nodded, a bit of gray coloring the shell that made up their face, nudging a few pebbles with a foot. “I know, thanks Dad.”

He was about to comment further when a little dragonfly suddenly dropped out of the air and pancaked into the cobble stones below them. Both Nailmaster and King leapt backwards from the sudden noise and movement, drawing their nails together in a smooth motion through instinct alone. Then, when nothing outright attacked them, they took a second look.

It was a messenger to be sure. The dragonfly was wearing a bag and a hat that denoted them as a member of the messenger corps. At first Mato thought that the bug was injured from the crash, but the amount of scrapes and cuts alone couldn’t have been caused by just hitting stone. They wearily reached up to hold out a hemo-stained letter, somewhat reeling from the hit they took, antenna bent and crooked.

“Messenger Stikks, reporting with an urgent message from Kingdom’s edge!” The dragonfly slurred, struggling to focus enough to hold the letter out straight. They closed one eye and narrowed the other, adjusting their grip so that the letter was actually in front of Ghost and not a few feet to the left. “Antlion larvae have dug in from the wastes and they are everywhere!”

Ghost took the letter and read it quickly. Then read it again. They finally put the paper down and sighed, all the humor they had merely seconds ago sucked out by the reality of their station.

“Something the matter, my child? Do you need help?” Mato had yet to release his grip on his great nail, moving the other hand to rest it on their shoulder in an act of comfot.

Ghost shook their head with a huff of annoyance. “This wouldn’t be a problem if the coliseum would have just left the larvae alone. The letter is from the head Fool, apparently they caught a few, which then escaped, and now is tunneling under the arena and is causing sections to collapse on itself. They are requesting aid from me as per our treaty.”

“Well, they are called Fools for a reason.” Mato could only shrug at that. “Even I wouldn’t mess with a doodlebug.”

“...A what?”

“Just a nickname for them.” Mato bent over and picked up the dragonfly. “You alright son?” He looked the bug over. They were kind of smooshed and bent up, but it seemed like they’d be okay after getting some medical attention.

“Aye aye, sir!” The dragonfly saluted and missed, causing them to punch themselves in the head with a CRACK.

Mato was then holding a completely unconscious bug. He winced and waved over a guard, handing the poor bug over to be taken to the nearest doctor. Ghost was trying to not laugh, obviously feeling bad for the poor bug, but Mato had to admit it was kind of funny.

“You sure you don’t need help, Ghost?” Mato asked again, once the guard and dragonfly were gone. He focused hard with his dad powers to determine if Ghost was going to tell the truth. God King or not, they were still his kid and he’d be damned if he let them run off and get themselves hurt.

They shook their head. “No Dad, I will be fine. I’ll just have to pull out the larvae and then set them loose out in the wastes. Nobody else has to get hurt today.”

He nodded. “As long as you’ll be okay. I trust you to know your own limits.”

“I will.” They tilted their head up in a smile. “Feel free to wander around for a bit, I’ll be back soon and we can meet up with Quirrel and Hollow later for dinner.”

“Sounds good to me, come back safe.” He gave them a short hug and a pat to the back.

They nodded and stepped back, suddenly dissolving into liquified void, seeping into the stonework and vanishing from view. It was a very blink and you miss it type action for sure. Teleporting was different from bug to bug, but Ghost sure did know how to make and exit when they needed to make one quick. Soon the last bits of excess void evaporated and not a single trace was left behind that the King was even standing there. Well, with nothing else to do but wait, he decided to take their advice and take a look around. After the palace was built over top of the old one, the gardens were also revitalized. A lot of work had been put into the place and once things were green and blooming again, it was opened up for the public. It was fairly peaceful and offered a lot of nice spots to simply sit and reflect should one want to.

He decided that perhaps the best thing to do was to find such a spot and meditate for a while. Ghost had given him quite a bit of information to consider. The idea of teaching the nail arts to the next generation of warriors was a interesting one and he wasn’t quite sure how to implement such an ambitious plan. Perhaps a school would have to be made. He’d have to talk to his own father and brothers as well about it. Perhaps a solution would come to him once he emptied his mind for a while.

He walked around gardens, looking for a quiet spot for Ghost to find him later, when he was stopped by a sight that made him question his vision. He blinked a few times to clear his eyes, but he still saw the same figure that used to be everywhere before the infection began.

The White Lady sat on a stone bench, idlily watering a patch of flowers using a simple watering can. Mato could see no finery on her or any mark of a station beyond a civilian on her person. She was dressed simply in white robes, the roots on her head curled up and branching outwards in a mess of tiny white leaves and petals. She didn’t seem to notice him, giving the flowers on the ground a drink as she hummed to herself, her eyes closed in either thought or contentment.

To be honest, it Mato didn’t quite know what to think at first. Most of the citizens of Hallownest gave little thought to their previous Queen. Before Hollow was even locked into the temple, she had fled her people and her home to wall herself within her personal gardens, taking one of the great knights with her. When it was clear that Hollow wasn’t going to be able to hold back the wrath of the Radiance, the King also fled, abandoning the kingdom to their fate. Most remembered this, and cared little about the fates of the rulers who vanished during the kingdom’s darkest hour, leaving the common bug to fend for themselves with no leadership and no help.

They weren’t remembered fondly, regulated to history books and a cautionary tales of pride and cowardice.

It was only years of training that kept him from fully succumbing to rage. How dare she! How dare she sit here all pretty in the palace gardens, like she never allowed the king to murder their own children and abandoned every bug that looked up to her when things didn’t work out perfectly? The same lady who annexed an entire section of another people’s land for her own personal gardens? The same Lady that sat a scant few meters away from the home of those she most hurt?

And why was she here? From what he understood, Ghost did not like her one bit. Even gentle and sweet Hollow only recalled moments with her to be painful and refused to further elaborate on the matter. He got most of the story from Ghost, and what he heard made him livid. He often wondered what he would say to the former king and queen should he meet them again, and now he was being presented with such an opportunity.

He took a few deep breaths. As far as he knew, she was no longer his Queen nor any sort of authority over him anymore. He would get a few answers, no, he demanded them.

He approached her, no longer masking the noise of his movements as his boots crunched a few discarded dead leaves. She paused in her humming and turned her face to fix her startling blue eyes on him. Mato stared back, unafraid and resolute. She balked slightly from the force of his stare, but composed herself by sitting up and gently smiling down on him.

“Hello.” She said, her voice soft and whispery, like a breeze through the leaves of a willow tree. “How can I help you?”

“What are you doing here.” Mato demanded. The question was short and very much to the point.

“Me? Well, my child-”

“They are not your child.” Mato hissed, cutting off her words with an enraged snarl. “You don’t get to call them that, not after what you and the pale bastard  did to them!”

She seemed taken aback for a moment, narrowing her eyes as her roots shuddered, before she seemed to slump into herself. She turned her head away for a moment, taking in an audible breath as she turned it back to glance back at the Nailmaster. “You act as if I don’t regret what we were forced to do.”

“You always had a choice.” Mato countered. “You could have done anything other than let thousands of your children lay dead at the bottom of the abyss. Have you even gone down there to see them? Offer some sort of rites like any parent would do for their deceased children?”

“It does not matter, Ghost has-”

“King  Ghost.” He once again corrected her. Only family got to refer to them by their name alone and fiercely guarded such a privilege. Especially since they had to pick their own name. The Lady and the King didn't even feel it fitting to give them something as simple as a name.

“Yes." She sighed, "King Ghost has informed me that their siblings besides Hollow now reside within the void... at rest, which is now a part of them. Empty rites and platitudes will not bring them back, nor erase what I have...what we have done.”

Mato stared at her for a moment, scanning her face and body for any hint of lies or manipulation. To his surprise, he found none, just an old woman who was full of regrets.

“Then why are you here?” He finally spoke and crossed his arms in front of him. “My child obviously knows that you are here, why let you in? You told them to kill their own sibling and take their place in a plan that already failed, just to hold the mad goddess at bay for a scant few more years while you could still hide in the Gardens and play pretend. Why?” He could barely keep the fury from his voice as he spoke. He could see her flinch with each accusation, her eyes blurring with what might be tears, he couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that was he was saying was impacting her in some way, and he was happy for that at least.

She was silent for a moment, the roots and branches that made up her head curling in on themselves and shuddering slightly. A few leaves and petals dropped to the stones below and rapidly lost their otherworldly shimmer. “I don’t know, to be honest.”

Mato narrowed his eyes behind the hard shell of his mask. “You gottah be shitting me.”

“I speak the truth.” She shifted in her seat so she could face him fully. “All I know, is that one day, King Ghost arrived where I have made my exile. They commanded me to unroot myself. I could sense the brand on them, the pieces of my husband and I that made them, and the spark of a higher power, so I obeyed. It took time to unroot myself, but once I did they commanded me to unbind myself and to come with them.” She paused a moment to look up, as thought remembering a feeling or a snippet of a memory. “I had diminished myself, made myself weak. I could no longer see, so they commanded that I reside here to recover. I did so, and when I saw them for the first time I was astonished and humbled. I had believed that perhaps that they would take revenge and have me executed or banish me to the wastes, but... they did not. Instead, they told me that I will do what I was meant to do and I was not permitted to run away again.”

Mato was silent, listening as the White Lady spoke, watching her face as it went through a range of emotions. Regret, bitterness, elation, joy, shame...all flickered through her pale face and shimmering eyes.

“My sentence was to bring life back to the kingdom, as it was my duty long before the Pale Wyrm even chose Hallownest to rebirth himself in. I would, as they put it, ‘have to clean up my mess’ and I have been doing as such.”

“I did notice everything get greener.” Mato muttered. He had noticed the yields from the farms were also quite abundant and rich. The kingdom should have gone through a period of famine as they rebuilt, but there was food. Nothing refined at the beginning, but nobody went hungry. “Was that you?”

She nodded, serene as she put her watering can to the side. She lifted one of her roots from the ground, leaving a neat little hole that she dropped a single seed into. “Yes, I am a goddess of life and fertility, it brings me joy to know that life has begun anew.”

“Are you a prisoner here, then?” He looked, but saw no chains, no shackles, and not even the delicate weave of spells or magic. Nothing that could force her to stay here.

“Goodness no.” She shook her head, eyes curled up in slight amusement. “There is not a place I could run that my ch….my king could not find me. Nore do I expect that they are such a god to begin with. I am here as they said, to clean up my own mess. Nothing more, and nothing less. I have been given my own home here.” She gestured to a cottage nestled in among the trees, just barely out of sight, most likely for her own privacy. “I have no need to leave, nore am I under duress. I simply am.”

Mato’s rage was beginning to cool somewhat. From what he understood, his child had decided to grow beyond the pettiness and childish ways of the former higher powers, and instead, enact rather wise and mature decisions. With a start, he realized that he may have had a hand in that decision. He thought back to a moment, a scant couple years ago when rebuilding hasn’t even started yet.

“Dad?” Ghost asked. They had just had their first molt, resting their now slightly bigger body against their twin sibling. Hollow was in bed, their head and body haven just gotten new fresh bandages. It had been only a bare few months after the death of the Radiance, and Ghost had had some time to sit and think about their situation.

Of course both of the void siblings were a mess after the final battle, and Mato had commandeered an empty home in Dirtmouth to care for them both. Herrah had awoken from her slumber and was there to care for Hornet, but she had Deepnest to restore. Hornet jumped back and forth between both homes, bringing honey from the Hive and silken bandages in the effort to bring Hollow back to some semblance of wellness.

“Yes, my child?” Mato had adopted Hollow instantly, the poor injured bug still was very much a child despite being the tallest bug they’ve ever seen. He coaxed Hollow into opening their mouth and letting him stick another spoonful of light broth inside. He patted them gently when they did, helping them get ready for the next spoonful.

“How did you learn to forgive Uncle Oro?” Ghost was staring at their new set of arms, clenching and unclenching their hands. They tripped over their new telepathy a few times, but they were able to be understood. Mato stayed steady enough to get another spoon of sustenance in his largest child, but was quite surprised by the question.

“That’s quite a question, Ghost. What suddenly brought this on?”

Ghost was silent for a few moments and Mato gave them time to get their thoughts together. Hollow tried a chirp of encouragement, but Mato tapped them on the snoot. No chirping, only soup for the moment. They harrumphed and took another spoonful, which earned them a nice rub to sooth the healing cracks in their face.

“Uncle Oro hurt you and Uncle Sheo, really bad.” Ghost started. “But now, you are all okay again. How did that happen? What do you do when someone hurts you, but you don’t want to be hurt by them anymore?”

Ah, there it was. No doubt this had something to do with the sibling’s awful, awful parents. He didn’t want to accidentally poison his child with his own bad memories, nor the awfulness of why the situation actually happened in the first place. Instead, he decided to be completely honest.

“Well, Sheo and I were hurt, yes. We took space for ourselves to sort out our feelings. By then, the infection was in full swing and we didn’t know how the other was doing. When you let us know that all three of us were still alive, that’s when we knew there was a chance.”

Ghost looked up, tilting their head backwards so they didn’t have to get up from where they where lounging. “A chance?”

“Yes, the only time a chance to fix something between someone is gone, is when they are gone themselves. When we realized that we were all still alive, I knew that a chance still existed to get my brothers back.”

Ghost nodded, listening closely. Hollow subtly curved their head to listen as well, and Mato suddenly found himself with the full undivided attention of two children. He would have to choose his words carefully

“So, a few weeks ago, we both went to see Oro, and we talked. We talked about how we hurt each other. We talked about how we were sorry. We talked about how we can improve ourselves and move on. In the end, we decided to give each other a chance again, at least for one last time. Obviously, Oro wanted to be back with us again, because we worked it all out. We missed each other a lot, so I found that we could forgive each other and start again.”

“Uncle Oro is still really grumpy though…” Ghost added as an after thought.

“Oro was always a grumpy little bastard, that hasn’t changed.” Mato laughed. “ What changed however, is that we realized what we all did to cause the problem in the first place, and apologized. Now it’s just letting time go by to heal the wounds and give everyone a fresh chance again.”

“That’s it? Just time and a chance?” Ghost tilted their head to the side, eye’s narrow as they did their best to grasp the concept. Hollow moved their head just enough to give their smaller sibling a nuzzle. Ghost sighed and shifted so that they could hug Hollow back with nuzzle of their own, melting into the cuddle pile.

“If you think they are worthy of a second chance, than yeah. If not, than don’t give them a third.” Mato stopped assaulting Hollow with soup for the moment, letting them have a bit of a break for a cuddle. He took the time to look over the bandaged socket where their left arm used to be. He’ll have to ask Sheo and Smith if they could do something about that. "It's up to you to even consider giving that chance. If you don't want to, nobody is going to blame you for that. It's your decision alone and nobody can force you to do otherwise." He waggled the spoon at Ghost to further get his point across, as well as a subtle unspoken 'I will beat anyone who tells you otherwise with this spoon'.

“Thanks, Father.” Ghost looked up, eyes shining with resolve. “I think I know what to do now.

“They are giving you a second chance.” Mato spoke aloud once he finished with his memory, startling the White Lady with the suddenness of his voice.

“I’m afraid I don’t..” She looked confused by it all, looking Mato up and down as though he suddenly went crazy.

“They are giving you a second chance to be in their life. Both theirs and Hollows.” Mato’s voice took on a hard edge again as he pointed to her. “They are deciding if you are going to hurt them again, as they are not going to give you a third chance.”

“You mean...they’d want me to be…” her eyes widened and glistened with moisture, speaking some delicate hope that still resided within her. Mato knew he could never understand her particular pain, nore did he feel like she even deserved to have that hope after all this time, but that was not his decision to make.

“I don’t think they want you as their mother.” Mato took no joy over crushing that bit of hope, but she needed to know the truth. “After all this time, I don’t think they can let you be that intimate with them, at least for a very long time. Of course I’m speaking of Ghost, not Hollow. But for Ghost, I would shoot for just being a friend, someone they can trust again. Maybe it can evolve into something else besides that, but who knows what the future can hold."

"It is clear that you do not like me, or approve of my presence here at all. So why tell me this?" She bent her head down to regard Mato as though searching for the punchline to a cruel joke.

"Because it's the truth, and yes, I don't like you one bit, but the ones Ghost choose to be in their life is not up to me. If they want to give you a chance along with Hollow, than so be it. It's their life, not mine. BUT..." He stopped slouching and pulled himself up to his full height. "If you hurt them again, either of them, I will make you regret that. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "I do."

"Good, then we have nothing more to discuss." He turned on his heel and left, not even giving her a wayward glance as he left her behind. He could have dragged more answers from her for sure. Even if they only needed one vessel for the plan, they could have taking in the 'rejected' ones and cared for them. Was she even there when the selection was taken place? Did she also leave Ghost to fell back into the abyss, never to see light again for years, maybe decades? Too many questions, and he doubted he'd get satisfying answers to any of them. Perhaps for now, it was best to let it go. Ghost or Hollow will bring it up on their own time and he would do what he always did, be there when they needed it. He loved them, even if it was later in their lives than he wanted it to be.

He wished he could have been there from the beginning. How different would they have turned out if he could have scooped them up at their hatching and carried them away to raise and love? All of them, not just those two, every single cracked shell in the abyss belonged to an individual child. He didn't know how, but he figured he'd have enough love for them all if needed. Perhaps he was feeling jealous that she could have had that, but chose to throw it and her own children away instead.

Too many feeling and not enough answers. He needed to get some meditation done and sort himself out before Ghost came to find him again. It wouldn't do for them to see him angry and conflicted like he was. He marched along until he found a nice, quiet section of the gardens and sat. He folded his legs under himself and let his cloak fall around him, emptying his mind and falling deep into the calming waves of meditation. He let the feelings come and wash over him, letting himself experience them without becoming consumed. The memories and the experiences were neatly sorted as he pulled himself together where he'd be able to experience them again should he wish to. Soon, there was nothing but calm. Everything was in it's right place and Mato let himself drift away into the nothingness and soothe his heart.

He started back into reality when he felt a tug on his cloak. He instinctively looked down where he expected a tiny void creature to be tugging on his cloak, looking for hugs. When he didn't see them down there, he looked up to see his grown child tugging on his cloak, eyes curled up in amusement.

"Hey Dad," they said with a giggle. "Sorry to wake you, but I'm back."

"That you are." Mato replied with a 'smile' of his own, standing up to stretch. He must have been sitting for a while, as his legs began to buzz with pins and needles as he worked the numbness out. "How did it go?"

"Well. The larvae were moved with no more injuries. The Fools will have to fix their own coliseum, since it was their fault it got damaged in the first place." Ghost giggled again, something amusing must have happened, and no doubt they were saving it for dinner later.

"Let me guess, there's more too that?"

They nodded, vibrating slightly. "Yes, but I want Quirrel and Hollow to hear it too. They'll get a kick out of it and you'd spoil it if I told you now."

"Then let's not keep them waiting." Mato mock bowed. "After you, your majesty."

"Dadddd noooo." They waved their hands around, trying to get him to stand again. "That's embarrassing! Monomon doesn't do that!"

"She isn't allowed to bow because it gives her cover to get smoke bombs out of her veil without getting caught." He countered with a laugh.

Ghost just sighed dramatically and grabbed his hand, dragging him off towards the palace where dinner and company awaited. Mato found that he couldn't stop laughing, letting his child drag him around just for the fact that he could.

It was then he realized that he pitied the White Lady. All these little moments she willfully gave up, never to experience it for the foreseeable future. It struck him as very sad that she would give up such a thing, but he decided there was no use in trying to understand why.

After all, he would be too busy coming up with ways to spoil his own children, and that thought would consume most of his days, as It should be.

---

Heyo another request down!!! Next up will be SIBLING DAY!!!

Also antlion larvae are terrifying, but the fact that they have 'doodlebugs' as their nickname is strangely endearing.

I feel neutral about the white lady. Yes she willfully participated in the plan and no in no way innocent, but boy did she make herself suffer for it. Hence here, Ghost gave her a chance to just be who she was before, just god doing god things, without having to balance a kingdom. She just has to help clean up the mess she left her kids to deal with and can't run away when the going gets tough again. To be honest, I feel like she's a lot happier now to just have her nice little private cabin in the gardens with no royal responsibilities and the hope that one day she may have more than a professional relationship with Ghost and Hollow.

Hollow knows she is there, but is working through their own feelings before they decide on what to do about it. They love her so much but remembers the pain in being constantly rejected and treated as though they were already dead by her. It's complicated, but there are therapists in the kingdom now and that will help over time.

[eastertag]

The Hunt

@godsliltippy gift for @soniabigcheese

—

Happy Easter, @soniabigcheese !!! Hope you enjoy!

It started off innocent as most things do. It made sense considering his brothers were still too young to even go out searching on their own when it had fallen to him to host the event. 

A four and six year old, hands clinging to his, walked by his side as Virgil led the two blondes through the fence of the horse field, the animals resting in the barn. Gordon would typically be pulling with his excitement, but this year was a little bit different. Alan was much the same, though when he saw the two brightly painted baskets, his enthusiasm took over and he ran forward to reach them first. 

Virgil had spent that day playing the part their mother always had, but with his own twist on the game. They had to find their prizes before the time ran out. The first round had gone to Gordon, seeing as their kid brother made it a habit to shout out with each one he found. Technically, it should have ended then, but the two were having too much fun - getting to be little kids again - and Virgil couldn’t find it in himself to force them back inside. Another round, giggles coming from the boys as their big brother hid the treats once more. It was a simple task and one Virgil was glad to do.

It was Easter, after all. They had to find joy in whatever ways they could.

And then, year after year, that innocent game grew into something far more intricate.

“You two ready?” Virgil called from the pilot’s seat over the sound of air rushing in from the open hatch behind him. He didn’t need to turn around in order to picture the two blondes, parachutes fashioned to their backs, grinning with anticipation.

“Just say go already!” Alan griped with a laugh.

The engineer simply grinned, content to make them wait that much longer. 

“Virg,” Gordon piped in, sensing his co-pilot’s hesitance. “Viiiiirg, Virgil, V-man, c'mon, say go.“ 

Alan joined in with the whine with a long, drawn out "Viiiiiiiirrrrggggiiiiillllll-”

Until finally, “Just go!” And a little less shouted, “Couple of children.” He glanced over his shoulder to see they’d both vanished, “Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 5, do you have them?”

“They’re descending into the forest now,” John’s knowing grin appeared over his console. 

“FAB, let the annual Easter Egg Hunt begin.”

OoOoOoO

This had to be, hands down, one of his favorite training exercises. The water-based ones were a given, but this one was special. Though they classified it as a training session for search and rescue, Gordon understood what it really was. Virgil planned it every year - way back to the point it seemed like he always had - and each year was more challenging than the last. This wasn’t a kid’s hunt anymore. 

Their parachutes deployed well above the ground and they floated over the tree canopy to descend into the clearing they’d been aiming for. Alan already had his pack off and was sidling up with a holographic view of the area. Unlike their first few Easter Egg hunts that declared the brother with the most eggs the winner, this one required teamwork. They had to find the egg together if they wanted to win. 

“Looks like it’s about seven miles that way,” the young astronaut pointed northeast, into the dense forest. On a real rescue, this might’ve elicited a groaned complaint about being dropped too far out. Today, it was all for fun. 

“Lead the way, Al,” Gordon offered, remembering Scott’s instructions to let the youngest gain further experience heading up a mission. The aquanaut was more than happy to accomodate. He and Alan might have their moments of brotherly annoyance, but in the field, when actions needed to be immediate, they were efficient. Even the Big Brothers Supreme had to admit the two youngest could handle most situations on their own. It meant far less questioning from the elders when it was just the two of them.

They took off at a brisk pace into the wooded countryside of British Columbia, scaling roots and fallen trees as they went. The icon hovering over Alan’s wrist continued to point them in the right direction and Gordon felt a pang of regret. This was all too easy. It made sense to use the tracking tech, considering John would have technically given them a set of coordinates if someone needed rescuing, but it meant the exercise would be done as soon as they found their blinking target. They really needed to rethink these events once they were over.

“Wait -” Alan stopped after jumping from a moss covered log.

“What’s up?” Amber eyes watched the hologram lift so he could see. It was faint, but unmistakable. “Is it moving?”

“Seems like it. We’re gonna have to pick up the pace if we want to catch up with it,” they were already running before Alan finished, the thought that an animal had found it making Gordon immediately regret his earlier grievance. 

The foliage rushed by them as they sprinted at a potentially hazardous speed, but they knew it would be necessary. It helped that they’d been preparing for this over the past month, knowing how much their brother liked to leave the egg in unpopulated areas. No need to bother civilians with their unannounced training exercises. 

They had accounted for most any situation and running through woodland areas was at the top of their list. It didn’t mean it was all easy going. Gordon was so used to the pool or ocean, the weeks of jogging around the island had left him sore the first week. Now, pushing himself further than what they’d planned for, he could feel his muscles starting to protest. 

Their run continued for another two miles until they were forced to stop again, this time by the flow of a river. It would be too deep the wade across and he quickly made the decision for the two of them, “I’ll swim across. Tether yourself to your grapple line and I’ll tow you across." 

"I can make it with you,” Alan protested and there was no doubt he could.

“I know, but we still have a ways to run. One of us needs to preserve as much energy as they can,” he was glad to see understanding in the sky blue eyes. “Y'know, just in case.”

“Right, you fall over and I’m not carrying you,” the younger blonde teased. 

Gordon was eyeing his potential route, giving his brother a chuckle, “I didn’t even consider that as an option. Think Virg’ll give you extra points if you do?”

“Oooh, probably,” he sounded intrigued. “But still, not sure I want to run and carry you a few miles if I don’t have to.”

“FAB. Alright, I’m going in here,” he pointed up stream, securing his helmet as he went. “The grapple should make it all the way across when I get there. It’s not gonna be a straight shot, so you’ll need to head downstream a bit.”

“Got it,” Alan offered a grin with a mock salute usually reserved for himself and Scott, remnants of their time when it was ingrained into their daily lives. Gordon guessed his little brother had picked it up from seeing the two of them using it on rescues together. “Nothing crazy, just get across.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” and without another directive, he stepped into the river. The current wasn’t as strong as he’d expected, but it was still enough to drag him miles downstream if he didn’t hurry. As it grew too deep to stand, the aquanaut kicked off the pebbled bottom and began stroking through the water. 

The familiarity and comfort of it felt more like a rest for his tired limbs, but he knew better than to relax. Halfway across, he felt an underwater boulder scrape across his stomach and he stalled for only a moment, mentally checking for damage. No pain meant he could continue and he was pleased to find the other side of the river a few feet away. 

Climbing up the bank, Gordon turned to locate his little brother, only - “Alan?” The other side of the river was vacant and he felt his heart rate spike as he listened before activating their comm link, “Alan, where are you?”

A grunt sounded through his helmet and he sighed with the knowledge his brother was there, “Sorry, tripped over a log. You were moving pretty fast, but I should be there in a minute.”

Even as Alan spoke, Gordon caught sight of the blonde hair bouncing through the treeline. Content in knowing the astronaut was fine, he began a few post-swim stretches with the desire to not seize up while he waited. When his little brother finally made it to the point closest to his own side, it appeared Alan needed to do the same.

“That coulda gone better,” the younger blonde whined as he collected his grapple from his baldric. 

“Next year, we’ll have to request a closer drop off,” though, if he were honest, the view was worth the trek. They were in the uninhabited wilderness and getting to see what very few were allowed. Even with their ships, it was easy to miss how amazing their planet could be.

Catching the grapple as it was shot across, Gordon went to work creating a rudimentary pulley system with himself and a tree, “Alright, Al! Your turn!”

The astronaut mimicked his older brother, carefully stepping into the water before pushing out into the flow. The line grew tight and Gordon stepped back with it, gritting against the strength of the water as it pulled at Alan. The tree held as he towed the cable across its back, concentrating on each movement until he heard the shout from behind him. Turning, he saw his brother’s helmet peek over the bank, a moment later, the blonde heaving his way up to dry ground.

“Woo, that was intense!” Alan chuckled as he undid his grapple. 

Gordon dropped his end and grinned against the vibrating muscles in his arms, “Tell me about it! Hopefully, we won’t run into any more rivers to cross.” He wasn’t sure he could provide a repeat performance, not that he would confess that out loud just yet.

Bringing up the map, they found the blinking dot was still five miles away - and still moving. Their eyes locked with wavering uncertainty, but neither said a word as they took off towards their destination. 

“What if-” Alan’s voice bounced through the wooded air, “something ate it.”

“Then we give it-” Gordon answered, just as breathless, “to Virgil. Let him - deal with it.”

“Seems fair,” the forest floor had become littered with shrubs and fallen trees, evidence of a storm making their trip a bit more hazardous and slowing them down. What helped, however, was seeing that the beacon had slowed as well. “What if it’s a bear?”

“What woulda - bear want with - an egg?” Logically, a real egg would make for a treat for any carnivore, but this was metal and painted iR blue. 

“A bird then?” Apparently, his little brother was considering all the worst case scenarios.

“A bird would move - way faster,” and now he was trying to imagine what kind of creature would have the ability and desire to take off with their prize.

They didn’t have to think too long before they found themselves coming up on the egg’s location and it appeared to have stopped. Jumping over another fallen tree, they could hear an odd, high pitched sound. They slowed as they rounded a large pine and nearly tripped over the roots as their culprit came into view.

Culprits, actually.

Two figures sat huddled against a tree, one, a young woman, crying into her knees as the other, a man, gazed into the sky helplessly. In less than a second, the game was over as the two Tracys realized their Easter Egg hunt had just become a full fledged rescue.

“Hello! Are you two alright?” Gordon called from their spot by the tree. Two sets of eyes honed in on them, shock turning to surprise, then to unbridled relief. The woman was up first, running towards them as tears fell down her face. She collided with the aquanaut, who tried his best to stay upright, but ended up leaning against the tree for support. 

The man soon joined them, his expression one of disbelief, “How did you find us?”

“You two are lost?” Alan sidestepped the question. 

“Yeah, we - we thought we were still on the trail, but I think we missed a marker. We’ve been trying to find our way back for hours.” He took a seat as Alan instructed, the woman joining as Gordon helped maneuver her off of him. 

“You’re safe now. We’re International Rescue,” Gordon gave them both his best reassuring smile. “Our ride should be here momentarily.”

As the hikers fell into the blanketing comfort of the rescuers’ presence, Alan activated the link to their brother, “Thunderbird 2, we’re ready for pick up with a couple more passengers.”

Virgil answered with an understandable amount of confusion, “Say again, Alan?”

“We found a couple of lost hikers. They’re in good shape, but they could use a ride,” with an FAB of confirmation, the astronaut cut the link before taking a seat on the leaf covered floor with a huff.

Gordon followed suit, trying and failing at keeping his fatigue from showing now that their race was over. He gave the man an apologetic grin, “Sorry, we had to run to catch up with you. About ten miles?”

Alan confirmed, “And over a river.”

“How did you know where we were - or even that we were lost?” The question came from the woman, now smiling through her tears. 

Gordon looked to his brother, catching the same sheepish expression he felt on his own face. Turning back to the couple, he asked “Did you two find an egg? It was blue.”

The woman nodded as she pulled her pack off and began rummaging through its contents. She came back with the oval object, handing it to Alan. Her companion explained, “It was sitting on a tree stump, so we took it. Sorry.”

“Oh, no, that was a good thing!” The aquanaut waved off the apology, “It’s got a built in tracker. We wouldn’t have been able to find you without it.”

They seemed relieved until another question caught their curiosity, “You two were searching - for an egg?”

“Part of our training,” Alan covered, as they had with Scott the first time Virgil had planned it. “Just - Easter themed.” The explanation earned them a laugh, the couple content with knowing they were safe. “Speaking of,” the astronaut reached into a pocket on his baldric and retrieved a vacuum sealed pouch. Upon breaking the seal, the contents expanded back to their original forms. “Anyone want a marshmallow bunny?”

The treats were passed out and consumed quickly by the hungry group. A moment later and the sound of VTOL filled the air above them, followed by the rustling of the treetops. The chair harness was deployed and the four loaded in to be carried to safety.

An hour later, they were on their way back to the island, Alan snoozing in the rear passenger seat. Gordon was considering a nap himself, but he couldn’t help wanting to keep his copilot company, “Thanks for doing all this, Virg.”

The engineer shrugged, “Not much to it, but I’m glad it helped those hikers today.”

“It’s not just that, though,” he was feeling a bit sappy, a side effect of being worn out. “You’ve always made Easter special for me and Alan. I can’t really remember a time you didn’t do something for the holiday, so thanks.”

Virgil sat silently for a moment, his eyes forward and difficult to read from Gordon’s angle. He was about to leave it and reconsider a quick nap when his brother spoke, soft and reverent, “Mom used to plan scavenger hunts - for all of us. You two always needed help with yours, so I’d get up early and mom would let me do my hunt. By the time you and Alan made it outside, I was done and able to give you little hints. It was just something we always did. And then,” he fell silent, but the understanding was there. Clearing his throat, he added, “You two deserved to enjoy Easter as much as we did.”

Gordon didn’t know what to say to that, too tired to think but desperate to let his brother know how much his words meant to him. Shear reflex seemed to be the only alternative as his chair pivoted and he wrapped his arms around his big brother. Virgil let out a startled laugh, trying to keep his ‘Bird steady as the aquanaut latched on. He heard the autopilot engage before his brother returned the embrace, then shoved the smaller form back in his seat.

“You’re the best, Virg,” Gordon grinned. 

“I’ll have to remind you of that next time we have to do scheduled maintenance on all the modules,” a knowing smile as Gordon’s fell. 

It came back a moment later, “Fine, but can we at least listen to something other than ragtime?”

“Hey, that’s my motivation,” Virgil sounded with offense. 

“Maybe to your old butt,” and just like that, the teasing took over the weight of his big brother’s yearly responsibility to the youngest. “Some of us have taste.”

“That’s it,” Virgil reached down and activated the onboard stereo system. Before Gordon could stop it, the upbeat sounds of the piano keys bounced through the cabin. He groaned emphatically, slumping in his seat while they listened. 

By the time the song ended, the blonde was grinning, peeking over at his brother, “Thanks, Virgil. Happy Easter.”

Virgil smiled, “Happy Easter, Fish.”

[croatian-nt]

Domo podcast

Alright, I am posting my podcast translations here. Idk how often I’ll be able to post them, but I’ll make sure all 26 of them eventually end up here. So first one had Domagoj Vida and  Ndermin Redžaj (who will be refered as Deki through the text) as first guests. Translation below the cut bc this will be long

Tomislav Pacak, one of two hosts, does an introduction of the podcast and says it will feature each day one player and one member of the staff for 26 days.

Host: Or goal here was to introduce or get to know the players and members of the staff who are part of the team better. I see our first episode, with Domagoj with a physiotherapist Ndermin Redžaj will be fun. Although very challenging for me, a host

 Domo was asked about the end of his season in Beskitas. His was talking about it and at one point he said "of course, we over complicated things for ourselves, the way croatian nt does usually"

Then, Domo and Deki(who is a Domo's physiotherapist) talk about how they know each other for a very long time.

Domo: Yeah Deki is a very good friend and colleague. Along with massaging me, he also cooks very well

Deki: oh Vida cooks even better. He puts us all in the car and takes us to the nearest restaurant

 Host: How does your wife handles the fact that you are in mostly men's company?

Domo: oh, she handles it well. We can also always leave them to handle David for a few hours and we go out alone

 Host: What memories do you associate with your time in Russia in 2018?(directed at Deki)

Domo, cutting in: Bunga, bunga!

Deki, trying not laugh: Well, I definetly remember the atmosphere

 Host: What about you Domagoj?

Domo: Well, for me, I mostly remember what we did in our free time. How we had fun, and most fond memories come from massage room where the whole team often spent a lot of time

 Host: During doček you were hanging from the bus few times right? Who kept you up again?

Domo: oh yeah, I hanged like a ceiling lamp. Suba and coach held me up. But generally, that whole day is one of my most fond memories. Whenever I am at hard point in my life, I turn on doček on youtube and I instantly feel better

Domo: It's weird you know? People still tell me „Thank you" even today as they did on doček

 Host: How was it with all the mixed feelings after the final? Were you all proud immediately after or was there some bitterness at first?

Domo: well, it all depends on people individually. For me, it hit ne hard. We were so close to winning and I was crushed. Everyone kept telling me "keep your head high, we should be proud". It was only after we came back to hotel and started celebrating that the good feelings started to come back

 Host: Alright, first card break. These are which one would you choose

Domo, under his breath: pancakes

Deki: *laughs *

Domo: don't laugh at me dragi! Don't. Oh *looks at first card * you should have pulled out this one. Beer or wine?

Deki: depends on a moment

Host: okay what about...after the win against England? Deki: beer. Definitely beer

Deki, to Domo: sand or pebbles(on a beach)

Domo: sand. I don't like pebbles. They hurt my-

*He cuts himself off, everyone laughs*

Domo: ...my feet

 Deki: Batman or Superman? Domo: what was the first again?

Deki: Batman

Domo: *burts out laughing * there are cameras here!

*both laughing *

Domo: inaudible from laughter in the mouth

Domo, finally stops laughing, makes a straight face: Superman

Domo: just because of...you know *laughs again *

Deki: okay, okay, yeah

 Deki: burek or ćevapi

Domo: ooof. ćevapi. I am sick of burek from Istambul, I eat it every third day.

 Host: Pick three cards in which you'll choose one of your teammate

Domo: Livaković *pointing at something off camera *

Host, turning around: I see he came to watch since it's turn tomorrow

Domo: yeah, he came to watch me break the ice. Watch and learn son, watch and learn

Domo, to Deki: which teammate would you let change your tire

Deki: Livakovic

*all laugh *

Livi, off the camera: you won't go far!

Domo: it's because you have golden hands

 Deki: which teammate would you choose for a partner in show potjera(hunt)?

(So in the show, there are 4 people who signed up to be there and they form a team. They need to go through three challenges to leave with money, and "the hunter", has to try and catch them by answering more questions than them. It's a bit more complicated than that but that's the gist of it)

Domo: Badelj

Deki: which teammate would you let cook you dinner?

Domo: ufff. I don't think anyone here know how to. Hmmm *thinking for thirty seconds *

Deki: Kale, maybe?(Kalinic in case someone doesn't understand our dumb nicknames)

Domo: no, he has good prosciutto, but that isn't cooking

Deki: Sluga?

Domo: Sluga! Yes, he is good!

 Domo: who would you trust with a secret?

Deki: Domagoj Vida

Domo: that-that's. Well. I guess you don't have many of them

 Deki: who would you choose for business partner

*they make eye contact and burst out laughing *

Deki: he isn't here!

Domo, still laughing: Lovren then!

 Host: one of the players you worked with privately, even outside of national team is Mario Mandzukic. He is very popular but he has this sort of untouchable image. How is he in his private life?

Deki: he is only like that in public. He is like the rest of the team. For me, they are firstly good people, and only then good players

Deki: we all know what Mario is like. He seems like he is no good but he is actually a very good man(direct translation is he is a soul of a man which is a term used in croatian)

Domo, in a bit silly voice: soul

Domo: a good man but...no I am kidding. He is a good man and we miss him here in nt. I think he retired too early but it was his choice and we respect it. The two of us(he and Deki he means) used to spend time with him more than the others and he is truly a great man. And he is always ready to help, not just those he is on good terms with but everyone

 Host: you said yourself massage room is very important in national team. Is it the same in your club as well?

Domo: well no, not as far as I noticed. People from foreign countries have different rituals, but I noticed this is very important to people from balkan. It's very important for atmosphere. After training and all the activities for the day are done, 10 or so of us guys will gather there for massage and since you go in one by one as you wait there will be fun and joking around and stuff like that. So that's very important for atmosphere, which we saw in Russia how important that can be

 Host: round three of cards with questions

Deki: what's your favorite part of a training

Host, jokingly: it isn't the breaks?

Domo: ufff. So, I like the most when a day before the actual game, older play against younger and it's the very end of the game. With centre shots between two people

 Deki: Favorite jersey?

Host: That isn't Croatian

Domo: Beskitas. Of course

 Deki: favorite club when you were a child?

Domo: Barcelona

 Host: Domo, you are nt's dj from what I heard

Domo: I suppose-

Host: so, what music do you play before and after games and what in the bus?

Domo: well, mostly narodni radio. But I mostly gave up that role to others now. To Šime Vrsaljko, and there was Jedvaj before, too

Domo: and I think during this time we'll get Livaković to do it too. He is young and he will have a long career in nt, so we should teach him how it's done

Host: you already answered this for UEFA, but I was wondering if you could repeat it. Who is the best dancer, singer etc of the team?

Domo: I am not sure I remember what I said

Host: I can remind you. You said Livakovic is the best dancer

Domo: oh, yes, true! He is the best dance he has these moves *moves side to side with hands and body * and does everything with his hips

Host: And the best singer?

Domo: there is no best singer. We sing the best all together

 Host: Do you still watches Osijek games? Since it was your first club

Domo: yeah, of course. I am glad to see they are doing well. I also watch Dinamo games since I have friend-

Host, half laughing: Livakovic?

Domo, grinning: Livakovic, our dear octopus, and Bruno and Orša...

Domo: but I'd like them to slow down a bit, leave something for Osijek you guys. Although they have been very good this year too

 Host: Last card break. It's „who in the national team...“

Deki: Who gets mad the fastest?

Domo: Broz. But he also stop being angry the fastest

 Deki: Who is the best at public speaking?

Domo: oh, coach, definitely. But from players, Badelj

 Host: so which clubs and players do you love to watch and some maybe that you used to love to watch before?

Deki: well I used to love watching Milan during Boban's time. Today, I love watching Real Madrid. And for players Luka of course. Benzema-

Domo: oh god

 Host: so how is now with Corluka being a coach when he was your teammate only a short while ago?

Domo: well, it's only the first day so we didn't have much time to talk. It's a bit weird with Carli being a joker and a gentlmen both in one. We are used to joking around but during training now that isn't the case because he is the coach and he should be treated as such. After it though, we can relax a bit more and talk

 Host: that's all guys, thank you for this and thank you for breaking the ice in this show. Although you put the bar pretty high, I guess we'll see tomorrow if Livakovic can outdo you

Domo: I am sure he will, you'll have two goalies tomorrow

[minjuwrites]

Penguin

A/N: Hey babies! I've been so terrible at uploading, I have so many unfinished stories that I like but haven't had any time to finish :( over break I will definitely have more time. Anyways, THANK YOU so so soooo much for the comments and likes on my posts. It means the world to me, you don’t understand the smile and happy dance I do when I see you guys enjoy what I wrote. Here's a short little story I thought of, since our little Hyuka is a penguin. HAVE A GOOD DAY!

Prompt: After one day a mysterious pebble shows up in your locker you find yourself and your new friend trying to find out who the “penguin” is.

Huening Kai x Y/N (gender neutral)

WARNINGS: A little insecurity from the reader? Other than that cute fluff :)

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

There it was, another smooth shiny rock sitting in your locker. You smile picking it up and analyzing the pretty rock excited to add it to your growing collection at home. It was strange really, the little pebbles started appearing a couple months ago with no explanation. At first you thought it was some kind of joke one of your friends were playing, it seemed like something strange that Beomgyu would do. Yet, when you brought it up to everyone at lunch they seemed just as confused as you were.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two months ago~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Okay, why are you putting rocks in my locker.” You ask slamming your lunch on the table.

Yeonjun follows behind already being caught up on the little joke.

“What?” Beomgyu looks up at you confused with a half chewed sandwich in his mouth.

“Oh come on, don’t pretend like you don’t know.” Yeonjun laughs.

“Don’t know what?” Soobin pulls out the chair next to you sitting down.

“Beomgyu keeps putting rocks in my locker.”

“I seriously have no idea what you are talking about.” His shocked expression makes you think it really wasn't him.

“Can you please explain what is going on?” Soobin asks unwrapping his own meal.

“Fine,” you sigh. “Since Monday, I keep finding these little rocks and pebbles in my locker. I assumed it was Beomgyu because… you know that's just something weird he would do.”

He looks offended at first before mulling it over and nodding in agreement. The kid knew he was a little strange.

“Anyways, I guess it’s not him. I just don’t know who else it could be or what the reason is.”

Soobin looks deep in thought before casually taking a bite of his bread. “Maybe the rocks are like a death omen, or maybe its a stalker or maybe-”

“Oh god, please shut up.” You groan not needing to think the worst of the situation.

Taehyun walks to the table sitting down with Kai right on his tail. His presence makes your heart flutter and you feel the tip of your ears heat. 

“What are you guys talking about?” Taehyun asks.

You would speak but Kai's presence makes you panic. Truthfully it was your own fault. You had a massive crush on the boy turning you into a babbling blushing mess every time he even happened to make slight eye contact. It was pathetic and it didn’t help that the boy was shy himself.

“We are talking about Y/N’s possible crazy psychopath stalker who is probably waiting to murder her while she sleeps.” Beomgyu teases.

You smack his arm with a curse. 

“Are you okay?” Kai looks at you worried. “If you want we can tell the staff or the police.”

“I-it’s okay, Beomgyu is just joking it's nothing like that it's just..” You sigh.

“It’s just what?” Taehyun asks.

You explain the situation to the two and Taehyun looks at Kai who looks away from the boy.

“Maybe this person is trying to tell you something?” Taehyun leans back in his chair.

“What do you mean? Like some kind of warning?”

“Maybe, or maybe it’s like some kind of confession.”

“Confession?” You feel confused, there wasn’t anyone you could think of that showed signs of interest towards you. “You think so?”

“Yeah, maybe they are too shy to say anything.”

“Okay, but why rocks?” Soobin looks questioningly. 

“You know, penguins actually give the smoothest pebble they can find to another during courtship.” Taehyun stabs his food before looking up at you. “Maybe this person is your penguin.”

You smile at the idea, the thought of someone having a crush on you was exciting and you couldn’t lie that the mystery of it all was interesting.

“Yeah, my penguin…” You look up, catching Kai’s eyes before he gives you a tight smile and looking away just as quickly.

After that day, you found yourself eager to find the cute little rock left in your locker. There was something else that made you more excited though. A couple days after you brought up the rocks to the boys Kai had offered to help you figure out who your “penguin’ was. You both would wake up early hoping to catch the culprit and would stay after school as well waiting patiently. Neither of you saw the person once, and a part of you hoped you never would so the two of you could keep meeting. Kai was determined to help, always waiting in the hallways or in front of the gate for you to come and investigate together. Sometimes after school you two would go and eat and he always made sure to walk you home after “just in case” which always made your brain turn to mush. It didn’t take long before you two got closer, although you were still a nervous mess around him you also felt comfortable around him. Speaking became easier between you two and you got to see more of each other's personalities. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Present~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Closing your locker you run your fingers over the smooth rock.

“Another one, huh?” Kai looks at the rock dancing in your fingertips. “You must be tired of waiting to see who it is…”

“Hm,” you smile at him slipping the rock in your coat pocket. “It’s kinda fun, you know? Trying to figure it out. Plus, we got to know each other more.”

Kai looks down with a smile nodding his head in agreement.

“Here I'll walk you home.” He smiles waiting for you to finish grabbing your stuff.

You thank him shutting your locker and following behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Next Day~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You open your locker expecting another rock but, you find nothing. It’s a little strange but, no matter what, the little prize was waiting there by the end of the day. As the lunch bell rang you met up with Kai and the others stopping by your locker. You swing it open excitedly only to find nothing there. With a pause you ignore the worry feeling in your head and grab your lunch.

“What did they leave today?” Beomgyu peeks in your locker.

 You look over your shoulder at him before shutting your locker, after taking another quick glance of course. 

“N-nothing yet.” You fake a smile. “It’s not a big deal.”

Taehyun squints at you before leading the way to the cafeteria.

“You okay?” Kai asks, walking at your pace. “You seem a little… disappointed.”

“It’s nothing really,” except creeping thoughts began to fill your head. “I guess they just got over it? Maybe they realized I’m really not that interesting.”

He makes a face. “But you are interesting, you shouldn’t think like that. If anything maybe they got the courage to finally ask you.”

You open your mouth to protest but he stops you placing his hands on your shoulders.

“You know anyone would be lucky to have you. Seriously, everything about you is amazing.”

“Yo!” Yeonjun calls, the group had gone ahead of you two waiting for you to catch up. “You lovebirds coming?”

You see Taehyun whack the back of the boy's head causing him to rub it with an annoyed expression. You smile looking at the scene before noticing Kai’s hands are still resting on your shoulders. He seems to notice too pulling away quickly and scratching the back of his neck.

“I guess we should catch up with them.” He juts his head in their direction before walking with you to the others.

You smile feeling the lingering sensation of his hands on your shoulder that spreads through your body.

At the end of the day you reach your locker pausing before swinging the door open. Your eyes immediately see the empty space where the rock usually lays causing you to inhale sharply. Nothing. Your heart sinks, and you shuffle your stuff around wondering if maybe it had fallen somewhere. 

What you didn’t notice was Kai watching you while he fumbles with the bright pink stone in his hand. He’s thought of (and acted out, although he will never admit it) a million ways to give you the silly little rock but, as the moment comes his palms sweat and his heart speeds at an unhealthy pace. With a nervous exhale he walks towards you before giving a nod to Taehyun who in turn gives him a thumbs up.

“H-hey.” He cringes at how much he stumbles over the single word.

His nervousness turns to worry when he hears you sniffle and you turn to him with tears threatening to spill out.

“Y/N…”

“Um, I’m sorry I just-” You run off not wanting to cry in front of everyone.

“Wait!” Kai shouts but, you continue to leave the building not even looking back.

It felt stupid, to cry over something so small. You never realized how much those little rocks meant to you. You never had someone confess to you, no one had even had a crush on you as far as you knew. Every morning that little rock managed to make you feel a little more important to someone, although you weren't sure who. You also had a creeping thought that maybe, since the anonymous person stopped being interested, Kai and you would hang out less. You sigh feeling ridiculous while you wipe the tears that were starting to leak. 

“Y/N!” Kai calls running up to you.

You look up feeling embarrassed at how you acted before.

“Are you okay?” He looks at your glassy eyes with a frown.

“It’s stupid.” You smile. “I’m sorry for just storming off like that.”

“Hey, don’t apologize. What happened? You know I’m here to listen to you always.”

You feel a pang in your chest. You wondered how the universe created such a sweet boy.

“It's just, I didn’t get a rock today,” You sigh covering your heated face. “It meant a lot to me you know? I always felt like the person that no one would ever have a crush on. So, when I started getting them I felt a little excited that someone was interested in me. And… I guess I was worried that maybe if they stopped showing up you wouldn’t want to hang out as much.”

Kai’s heart skips a beat, you were really worried about something like that?

“You know, the whole wanting to know who the penguin was is an excuse?” He smiles reaching into his jacket pocket. “The truth is Y/N, I’ve always had a crush on you but, I was too scared to say anything. Everything about you is interesting, I like the way your eyes always smile before your mouth or how you always think about everyone no matter what the situation is. I meant it when I said anyone would be lucky to have you.”

You stare at the boy in complete shock. Processing the idea that the boy you have been pining for has had a crush on you the entire time.

“You didn’t get a rock today because,” he takes one of your hands placing the shiny pink stone in the palm before smiling. “I wanted to give it to you in person.”

A rush of emotion hits you like a wave. “You’re my penguin?”

He flashes a bigger smile before looking at his shoes with a pink tint in his cheeks.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way,” he chuckles. “I actually wrote you a note and used the stone to make sure it stayed there. I asked Taehyun for your locker combination but, before you got out of class I panicked and grabbed the note.”

You laugh as the feeling of butterflies and other warm things fill your chest.

“You just seemed so happy after that I just decided to keep leaving them until I got the courage to confess. I ended up trying to “help” you figure out who it was so I could make sure you wouldn’t find out it was me. Once we started to hang out more I started realizing more and more how much I liked you.”

You hug him, catching him off guard at first but, he wraps his arms around you.

“I like you too, I always did.” You say into his chest. 

As you two pull away you clutch the stone in your hand before sliding it into your own pocket.

“Do you want to go get ice cream?” He asks cutely.

Laughing you nod your head before he slips his hand in yours swinging it lightly. He looks away attempting to hold back the smile on his face causing you to squeeze his hand.

Like a soulmate, he's your penguin. 

[bookwyrminspiration]

Shattered Upside Down

A kotlc wings au: masterpost here

Chapter 9: The Little Reminders

word count: 7.1k

chapter summary: Sophie and her friends are in the Lost Cities. The broken down, monster-infested Lost Cities. And they only have a certain amount of time to do everything they need to before something bad shows up. But monsters aren't all that comes to try and get them.

warnings: monsters, blood, implied death (of a character never met or mentioned again, who died a long time ago, it's not as bad as it sounds), arguing with parents, fighting, buildings collapsing, brief medical mention, swearing

taglist: I’ll reblog with it. let me know if you want to be added or removed!

Y'all ready? We're tying in some little details from earlier, so that's fun! Enjoy the chapter! Apologies if formatting is a little weird. Tumblr did a thing so I don't know what it'll look like when I post it!

ao3 link here or read below

It was so quiet a pin drop could’ve shattered the world.

Not that it would’ve made a difference. Colored glass and cracked gems littered the ground, an entire city brought to its knees. Mold and mushrooms crawled painstaking through the cracks, condensation crying down the sides, water marks left in their wake. Building after building as far as one could see was destroyed, damaged, some even reduced entirely to rubble.

Sophie didn’t even want to breathe as they moved, the stench of monsters and rotting flesh and decay permeating the area.

They hadn’t seen anything, not yet. But she knew they were there. Somewhere. Watching. Gauging. They’d entered the monsters’ territory, and now they could only try to do what they needed before those things decided to respond.

Their scent was thick enough Sophie wished she’d remembered to bring that mask she’d had before she’d run away, the same one they’d worn on that damning mission. It was supposed to be the end. They’d bring down the facility and clean up the aftermath and everything would get better.

A bright pink hair ribbon fluttered in a breeze, stuck beneath a cluster of broken crystal on the side of the path. A hand print beside it, frozen in the mud. A small hand print. It was gouged through with claw marks. She didn’t want to know what had happened. She knew.

Where do you think they are? Fitz asked, just to her. She gave him a mental shrug in response. She didn’t want to know. No amount of preparing would be enough for whatever happened.

Part of her, a surprisingly large part, didn’t want her parents to show up. She didn’t want to confront them and explain herself and lie her way through the conversation. And she knew she’d be at the center of it. The Moonlark. Sophie Foster. Always in the middle of things. Not that they were wrong, it was just tiring.

Yet another part of her remained horrified she’d even presented this ultimatum. She could risk herself; she’d had more experience with monsters in the past week than she’d had since everything started. Sure, it wasn’t much. But it was something. One of them even saw her as a...friend.

This group, she didn’t want to risk. But they wouldn’t let her do it alone and they’d planned this out beforehand. They weren't going in with their hands tied. And they could all easily escape, rely on those wings if it came to an emergency.

Maybe they’d even leave them alone again, like that creature in the tree the night they ran.

But their parents? They’d been stuck underground for the last several months. And they weren’t even fighters in the first place. They were painfully elven and she loved them to death. She couldn’t stand being responsible for anything that happened here today.

It was so horribly cruel of Sophie to have picked this place, to have given them so little choice. The place was infested. The stench made her eyes water, rips and tears marks littered the buildings everywhere you looked.

Something darted through her peripheral and she flinched. The creatures knew they were here. They just hadn’t attacked. Maybe they’d gotten lucky, were in a part of the city with some of the more docile ones, although all of them were threatening.

Let's get a head start. So they don’t catch us off guard. It seemed forbidden, intrusive to speak aloud. Like there was this careful illusion held together by the silence. None of them were willing to break it.

The others nodded, breaking into two groups.

Sophie, Linh, Biana, and Wylie in one; Dex, Tam, Maruca, Marella, Fitz, and Keefe in the other. Those that could hide the wings, and those that couldn’t. And Dex, who was going to grab some supplies.

Sophie pulled her cloak closer, checking it was secured as a breeze passed by. The wings buzzed in response, the open sky beckoning her. She’d have to be extra careful they didn’t make a noise if their parents showed up.

Wylie nudged her, raising his brows in question.

Right. She was supposed to find them. Track them. She was the telepath of their group.

Everyone reeked of anxiety, muscles tensed as she leaned back against a nearby building for stability, raising her fingers to her temples.

Starting with a blanket sweep, she scanned the nearby area, searching for any presence she could find. The wave spread from her like an explosion, rocketing outwith her at the center. She could feel Fitz stumble, perking up as the wave washed over him, faintly hearing someone ask him what happened. She didn’t bother to hear the reply.

There were pockmarks scattered throughout, empty holes moving within the web she wove. Monsters. Since that day in the facility she’d learned what they felt like, the hollow space they left behind. Like looking for a blind spot. They were...everywhere. But none attacked.

Reaching further, she kept scanning, about to give up.

Someone smelling of cherry blossoms placed their hand down on her shoulder, shaking her slightly. Sophie jerked, inhaling deeply, keeling forward and nearly toppling over if it weren’t for that hand.

Not here yet, she whispered, trying to reorient herself. The sudden change from concentration back to reality had been jarring--unintentional on Biana’s part, but a large stressor nonetheless.

Move!! Biana hissed in her mind, pulling Sophie along.

Oh.

Her mind lagged a moment behind as she was dragged, shaking her head to try and comprehend the enormous, gaping shadow that had fallen over their group.

She covered her mouth to try and slow her breathing as they ducked around a corner.

Biana hadn’t shaken her awake out of impatience or question. She’d jarred her into reality to escape.

Now that she was aware of it, the pungent odor of breath and smoke coated her tongue. Just how distracted had she been? How far out had her mind been reaching that she didn’t even notice the thing right beside her?

It’s claws made a horrid screeching sound against the crystal as it moved, talons sinking into the wall several feet above where they’d just been, its enormous barbed tail swinging lazily, thwacking into that very spot she’d been leaning against, leaving cracks and scratches all down the side.

C’mon, Linh called, gesturing from where she was tucked away on the other side of the road. Let’s get away from here.

There was no way they could get past that tail, sporadically swinging around and blocking that path to the rest of their group. Goddamnit. How had they gotten separated so quickly?

“There’s no way we’re getting through there,” Biana groaned oh so quietly, speaking Sophie’s thoughts aloud, shaking out her hands, trying to dispel the nerves.

Sophie absentmindedly nodded in agreement, surveying the area, looking for the least dangerous, quickest path. She didn’t even need a destination, just away. Biana’s fingers closed around her wrist, drawing energy from her skin as they both sporadically faded in and out of view. Huh. When had Biana grown so powerful?

The thing shifted its weight, tail thunking around and sinking into the wall, using it as leverage to crawl further up the building, staining it red wherever its skin grated against the crystal.

Wait.

Now, Sophie urged, pulling them both back. Use this moment. Take advantage of every single second you’re granted and wring every inch of progress you can from it. With the tail momentarily occupied, you’d think she’d go forward. Dart through the danger and emerge victorious.

No. Sophie Foster didn’t like to do things the way people expected her to. It made her eyelashes itch.

She whirled around, Biana attached to her wrist. They’d backed themselves into a corner, but just how far back would this corner go? What would it give them if only they had the keen insight to ask?

Its eyes made contact with hers and its mouth dropped open just as they turned their backs, the sound of the ground trembling behind them as it dropped itself down, starting the hunt.

Rock slammed against the soles of their shoes as they stumbled through the rubble, tripping over colored pebbles and ducking under collapsed pillars, buildings rising on either side of them like they were trapped in a maze with no end. No solution.

Growls and screeching claws echoed around them, and she knew they were surrounded. She couldn’t see them but she knew.

They’d caused a commotion and now everyone was coming to see what all the fuss was about.

Cursing, they rounded a corner only to come to a screeching stop, a mound of crystal pieces blocking their path. Turning, they looked over their shoulders.

Something skidded down the side of the building, the narrow gap between walls, claws scratching as it descended, something unpleasant in its eye. It’s mouth gaped, no teeth in sight but a hissing noise emerged nonetheless. It was large enough it nearly didn't fit in the space, but it contorted and slithered and narrowed its gaze onto her, mouth falling open with a mechanical click.

Well, fuck. It’s too early for that. The morning chill hadn’t even dispersed yet.

Both their heartbeats hammered in their chest, adrenaline surging as she realized this one was very much not friendly, it wouldn’t even try to be. Leave leave leave leave leave she needed to get out. They needed to go somewhere anywhere else.

Where are you going? Linh asked, somewhere from beside Wylie. It seemed Biana and Sophie were the only ones in danger. Great. The others didn’t even know they were being hunted, stalked, tracked, assessed.

Um. Good question, she responded. I’ll let you know when we figure that out. Biana glanced at her sidelong, seeming to realize Sophie actually didn’t have a plan and groaning. Then grinned, laughing with her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound as she threw herself into their escape.

They turned on their heels, putting their backs to this new monster once more, and ran. On hands and knees, rocks and pebbles shifting uneasily beneath them as they climbed over the pile.

Their cloaks with the chaotic movement and Sophie caught a single glimpse of the vibrant orange against Biana’s back before she was bumping into a corner and moving again.

It crashed into something behind them, the haphazard destruction providing a dangerous terrain it couldn’t quite navigate. Good. Good. This was good.

Run. Jump. Avoid. Disappear.

It roared behind them, screeching in pain as something heavy crashed down. Maybe it’d gotten caught on a building. Good. That was good, right?

Sunlight shone through the gaps between buildings, spastic as they channeled extra power into their legs, dashing darting dancing through the destruction until she saw an opening, looked up and remembered that flash of orange and realized she was not burdened to the ground and she grabbed Biana’s hand.

“JUMP,” she screamed, her voice echoing through the walls and reverberating back to her against the crystal.

They jumped, pushing all that channeled strength into their legs and leaping higher higher higher until they crested the walls and could see for miles for everywhere for eternity.

And they caught themselves.

Those wings snapped out, flinging themselves from beneath the cloaks and smoothing their descent. She blinked and that film dropped over her eyes.

Biana moved jerkily yet somehow smooth in the sky, letting go of Sophie’s hand as she flitted to and fro, movements that would’ve made Sophie undeniably nauseous.

It took her only a moment to locate the others, to find Wylie’s exasperation and Linh’s concern. To change course and point Biana in the right direction and swan dive down, curving around crumbling spires and rods.

Risking a glance backwards, she couldn’t locate that creature, it seemingly lost within that maze of buildings and halls and paths that would’ve trapped them too had the sky not beckoned so loud.

Clear. They were in the clear. It was behind them. They were fine.

Vaguely, she could see the other group in the distance, the rest of their friends pointing and waving as they watched them soar in slowly descending circles, growing ever closer to the ground. They’d gone off to find Dex’s supplies, just perusing through the city. It’d take several people to get everything he needed, maybe even more than one trip.

Biana began lowering herself, but Sophie couldn’t help but linger in the sky just a few moments longer, taking in the destruction. Reminding herself of everything they were fighting for, why she needed to step out of her own skin and remember all the people she’d left behind.

She shouldn’t have.

Something glimmered off in the distance, only visible with this new eyesight from this vantage point, but she dropped like a stone.

The void let her through, jumping between places and glitching through the air like she had when she’d grabbed Marella, falling atop Biana in the sky and wrapping her arms around her, jerking them through the void and onto the ground, sprawling a few feet away from the rest of their group.

Shit.

Biana sat up, shaking herself off and covering her wings, drawing that cloak close. Everyone’s hearts were hammering, echoing in her ears as her throat went dry.

Sophie got to her feet, bracing her hands on the back of her neck. She couldn’t dare speak it out loud, didn’t know what was still listening. If that creature had truly gotten itself caught or if it was just waiting to continue the chase. She didn't want to bother with it, just thinking it a minor nuisance as the real shit came to fruition.

Huh. Her world had devolved into such chaos that a monster chase was just a brief interruption, nothing to be thought over.

She shook her hands out, Wylie reaching down to help Biana to her feet.

There was no use putting it off any longer, so she spoke into the entire mindbubble. They’re here.

Sophie couldn’t pull her wings close enough; they were so conformed to the shape of her body she worried they’d bend that way permanently. But still, she wanted them closer. She’d buttoned up the front of her cloak, prepared her lies, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough.

She scratched at her arms to try and distract herself, but that just pulled at her damaged skin, leaving lacerations and blood stains behind. She really should’ve wrapped them. Why hadn’t she wrapped herself up? That’s what she’d gone with Tam to get.

Linh's skin was covered in bandages, her legs and arms tightly bound. It hid some of the incandescence, and in the morning light she almost looked completely normal. Sophie should’ve done the same to herself. She’d gotten so distracted she hadn’t even thought to, and none of the others had remembered to remind her.

Strange. Usually they were so on top of her injuries. It was...unsettling to imagine why they weren’t this time. Not that--not that she wanted them to focus on her. She just--

“Is everyone prepared?” Wylie’s voice was so loud in this silence it made her physically jump, taking all of her energy to keep the wings from shooting out in fear, giving herself away. She did get some impressive height, though.

“Nope. Let’s do this anyway.” If they didn’t do this now, didn't confront their parents and convince them to stop trying to find them, they’d just have to do it again later.

They were fine for now. They were relatively safe and unharmed. Their injuries were from themselves, not the forest. The forest. The forest only she had access to.

If you can, grab the stuff to make a temporary crystal or find a pathfinder of some kind, she sent out to everyone. So you don’t have to rely on me.

Nice try, Foster. I like relying on you. But yeah we’ll look.

She rolled her eyes. Of course he was joking. He knew she was anxious and the little fucker was trying to make her feel better. And it was fucking working. She scowled.

Alright. Now or never. Do or die.

Live with it.

Sophie couldn’t see through the tears falling from her lashes, the wet getting caught up in those films. The world was made of fragments and smears and it was all she could do to hold herself together as she saw her father climbing over a mound of rubble.

Grady. Dad.

There were others beside him, an entire group who had come out to try and get them back, but she couldn’t stop herself from desperately reaching out one last time. She saw him and her legs were moving moving moving and she just had to get to him to let him hold her to feel him alive beneath her fingertips.

He was moving too, eyes widening as he sprinted forward and then he was right there and his arms wrapped around her and held on so so tight and his chin rested on her head and her face was buried in his chest and he smelled like soap and feathers and warmth and home.

She’d missed this so much.

“Hey, kiddo,” he whispered against her hair, the braids she’d woven them into on the walk over, trying to tame the mess. She’d have to do that when flying. They rocked back and forth, just holding holding holding each other.

She’d missed this.

Eventually, he stepped back a bit, holding her out by the shoulders and looking her over, gnawing at his lip as he saw all the blisters, the lacerations, the burns. The scratches.

It’d been a rough couple of days.

“Are you okay?” he asked, bringing her in close again, this time oh so gentle. Like he was afraid one wrong move would tear her apart.

She just shrugged; she couldn’t get her throat to work. She exhaled, the breath shaky and uncontrolled, wiping at her eyes to try and compose herself. She didn’t even know who else was here. Did she care?

Sophie stepped back, but Grady reached up to pat the top of her head, smoothing down her hair. She leaned into the touch. She’d missed this.

He stepped to the side when he saw her leaning to try and see around him, glancing around the area now that she was here and there was something to protect.

There were so many people. Any number was many. She didn’t know why she thought she could do this. She could do this.

Taking a deep breath, she counted who’d come.

Ro and Sandor--Sandor--stood on either side of the group, weapons out and noses lifted to the wind. Protection. Della was wrapped around Biana, fussing over her and feeling the bandages on her arm. A pang of guilt hit her, but she pressed it aside. Mr. Forkle stood beside Wylie, the two of them in some sort of discussion she hadn’t expected. Elwin had rushed to Linh just beside Wylie, and was now carefully lowering her to the ground, Juline giving a helping hand.

Juline. She looked up, making eye-contact with Sophie, holding it.

“Everyone else is in a different part of the city,” she said, clearing her throat. “But they’re fine. They’re okay. Well--” she cut off, eyes glazing over as she reached out to Fitz.

Grady’s hand tightened on her shoulder, but the sensation faded as her mind reached away from her body.

I’ve...they’re here. She said, unsure how else to put it. Are you all doing alright?

It took him a moment to respond. Yup. Just a little--shit. Just a lot of unwieldy things. I just dropped something. Dex seems to be having the time of his life, though. None of it makes sense to me.

Okay. Reach out if you need anything. Or just to interrupt...because this conversation isn't going to be fun.

He laughed slightly, hollow. Yeah. I definitely don't envy you right now.

Wait, have you envied me before?

Good question.

She waited for him to answer it, but it was silent on his end. Well you can’t just--

Take care, Sophie. I love you.

He severed their connection.

“--Sophie?” Someone was shaking her--Grady. That was Grady. His hand was on her shoulder and he was shaking her back into her body.

“Mmm. Yup. That’s me,” she slurred, shaking her head slightly to regain her stability, to ground herself. She rubbed at her eyes, Fitz’s words echoing in her mind. I love you.

She wanted to say it back. Why hadn’t he given her the chance to say it back?

Sophie found Juline once more, directing her words in that general area but addressing the whole group. “Yeah, they’re all fine.”

“Tell them to come here, please.” Ah. Okay. Right into it, then.

She shook her head. “They’re busy.”

Sandor stepped forward, fist tightening on the hilt of his blade. “They can un-busy themselves for this.”

Wylie took it for her, and she nearly leapt forward to hug him right there and then, but it didn’t seem like the right time. She didn’t want to be the only one they addressed.

“Unfortunately, they cannot. But anything you need to tell them you can tell us and we’ll relay the information.” He crossed his arms, glancing towards her as if in question.

She inclined her head slightly. Yes, it was okay that he stepped in.

“We’ll need all of you in one place for this,” Sandor said, and Sophie’s stomach dropped.

“We’re not going back.”

Grady’s hand tightened on her shoulder, flexing as if he wanted to pull her closer and just leap away with her. But they were separated. If they stole the four of them away now, they’d never find the other six.

She hated that they had to strategize like this.

“Look,” Ro began, pointing a dagger at her to emphasize her point. “I don’t know what kind of idiocy has infected your group, but you can’t be up here. You and your little fucked up elf brains have to come back with us, to the underground. And we’ll take you by force if necessary.” Everyone flinched, Juline frowning at her like they’d had an agreement beforehand, a plan, and Ro had gone completely off the rails.

Sophie just shook her head. “No. We’re here to see you. To let you know everyone’s okay, and that you don’t need to worry.” Ro rolled her eyes, and Sophie was tempted to flip her off. “But we are not going back, and that is final.”

“This absolutely is not final, kiddo.” Grady contradicted, turning her around slightly to face him. The movement sent her cape swirling and for a moment she thought the wings would become visible, but they remained hidden. Thank fuck.

This would never end. They’d only go round and round and round in circles and neither would ever concede and their parents would never understand why. They’d just sit here until--

“While we’re...discussing that, how about you sit down and let me look over you, that sound good?” Elwin waved her over from where he sat beside Linh, whose bandages had been peeled back. Biana sat by Linh’s side, looking over fresh, better wrapped bandages over her cuts. He must’ve gotten to work on the two of them while Sophie had been talking with Fitz. Right. His little farewell would haunt her the moment she had time to think...which didn’t seem to be anytime soon.

She nodded, walking over and placing herself beside Linh, bumping her arm with her elbow in greeting. Linh bumped right back into her, smiling as she winced. Something about this light made her look almost normal. She wondered why no one else had commented or asked about the patterns on her skin. Could they even see them?

He inhaled, sucking the air in through clenched teeth. “I bet you two were exposed to the same thing, huh?” He asked, gently pulling Sophie’s arm and inspecting the peeling skin.

“Yep,” she answered, unsure how much Linh had already said.

He doesn’t know it was Marella, she whispered into Sophie’s mind.

What did you tell him?

Run in with a weird creature and a stray explosive? Sorry, I was thinking on the spot.

Sophie nodded. She could work with that story.

“I’d tell you to be more careful around fires and those kinds of things, but I don’t think you know how,” he teased, but his frown didn’t fade as he gently observed the visible skin, pulling serums and creams and bandages from his bag. “I guess that’s why you specifically requested I come.” Sophie nodded, then realized she should probably say something.

She cleared her throat. “You don’t know that. Maybe we just missed you.”

He laughed, gently rubbing a thin layer of something over her arm before covering it with a light gauze. She sighed with relief, leaning against Linh. She hadn’t realized how much pain she’d been in until she felt the cooling effect of the balm.

Both Sophie and Linh were given several elixirs, luckily none too soured or rotten. Biana;s injuries were light enough that she only took a pain reliever.

Unfortunately, the brief peace couldn’t last. The adults seemed content to just keep watch, the scent of sweat and anxiety overwhelming as they surveyed the area, eyed the tree line, the mounds of rubble, just long enough for Elwin to do the basics of what he needed.

Probably because they expected him to be able to continue the treatment once they’d gotten to the underground.

They didn’t seem to understand that they were not coming back.

She wanted to. She didn’t want to leave.

Mr. Forkle approached her on the ground, offering her a hand to help her stand. The gauze across her palm rubbed strangely as he hoisted her to her feet, the sensation off-putting enough that she shook it out slightly as she found her balance.

Linh tugged at her cloak as she stood, readjusting it so it sat against the wings properly, hiding them. Elwin had tried to get her to take it off, but she’d refused. Told him to just do what he could see right now and worry about the rest later.

He’d also told them all he’d want to look at their backs, see what had happened after he’d left them for a short time and returned to find them gone.

He’d told them he’d forgive them if they apologized for scaring the shit out of him, that they didn’t have to do it now. They could deal with all of that later.

There wouldn’t be a later. She just had to convince them to let them all go.

They’d never agree to let them all go. This was an impossible task, doomed to fail from the start.

“You kids just love getting in trouble, don’t you?” He asked, stepping back to let the others come forward. The groups condensed, kids (and Wylie) across from the adults, the line seemingly already drawn.

She shrugged. “That tends to happen when you give children the responsibility of fixing a broken world.”

Linh winced, but this time it wasn’t from her injuries.

“That responsibility was meant to be shared and eased with the help of the Black Swan, help we cannot provide with you as runaways.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “No. You’re still part of the problem. You weren’t helping anyone, certainly not us.” Oh. Okay. She was doing this now.

“We know you think our ways are too traditional, that we’re not making progress--”

“No. Let me talk.” She held up a hand, silencing them. She’d let them silence her into submission when she’d burned down that storehouse; she wouldn’t let them do it again. “The first time the Neverseen were defeated, how did that happen? Us. We--my friends and I--took the fight to them. We didn’t sit at home waiting for approval from the council, waiting to fight ‘legally.’ There was a problem. A problem that got people killed. And you’d been fighting for decades and got nowhere until I tracked Gisela across the globe and found her myself. Until Dex hacked their trackers and trailed them. Until Biana infiltrated their base on her own to plant bugs and get us intel.”

They looked like they wanted to stop her, but she pressed on. “Your complacency has gotten you nowhere, and I am not at all sorry to be fighting to get results. The Neverseen were gone. My friends brought them to their knees, and you said you’d support us, take it from there and pick up the pieces. Well, guess what? Those pieces scattered in the wind because they weren’t properly disposed of and now they're out in the world, causing even more trouble than we ever could have imagined. You didn’t do your part, so I don’t trust you to support us now. You’ll have to earn that back, and if this”--she gestured to their little group, the people they’d sent to try and convince them all to come back, to tug at their hearts and play into their guilt--”is any indication, you are only getting further and further away from that.”

She crossed her arms, trying to keep herself in check. She hadn’t even known she’d had all that bubbling beneath her skin, but now that she’d open that part of herself she could feel it frothing, foaming to escape. There were so many ways she’d been disappointed, so many mistakes people had consciously made, it felt like her veins would burst.

Ro’s mouth had fallen open, torn between anger at her stubbornness to come back and loving Sophie’s disregard for those in charge, the disobedience.

Biana glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, raising a brow in question. Sophie nodded, imperceptible. They needed someone to cool the situation down, someone good in social situations.

Juline opened her mouth to respond but Biana cut her off, stepping forward. She was never afraid to be blunt and Sophie loved that about her.

She smoothed out her clothes, her scars on full display. “You seem to misunderstand why we’re here. We left abruptly, we know. It was necessary. Now that things have calmed down, we agreed to see you again--to give you some peace of mind. To let you know we’re okay in person. Not just the four of us, all ten.

“We didn’t come here to debate returning. We’re not coming back, not right now. So stop trying to convince us, and don’t try to justify your actions against valid criticism.”

There was silence for a moment, then Della spoke.

“You’re not safe out here,” she said. Smart. Begin the conversation with an indisputable fact in their favor. But Sophie could do that too.

“We’re not safe anywhere.”

Sandor sighed, but it sounded more like a growl, not even looking at her, still scanning the perimeter. They were fairly out in the open; for some reason, they hadn’t moved to better ground.

“You’ll be much safer where we, your bodyguards”--he gestured to himself and Ro--”can see you and protect you. That’s what we’re here for. This is a massive nest of monsters; we’re lucky we haven’t been attacked yet. This is a mess.” He gestured around the area, the cracked crystal and claw marks.

He was right. Which was why they needed to end this quickly. Get them out before they were hurt. She needed to go somewhere else, to cool off. She could feel Linh and Wylie’s eyes on her, wondering if she’d explode at their parents like she’d done with Biana.

Sophie nodded in agreement. She was nodding a lot during this conversation. “You’re very good bodyguards, but we’re staying up here. Besides, our location isn’t here.”

“Then tell us where you are,” Juline cut in, a hint of panic in her voice. Glad to see the four of them safe, but none of them the person she’d specifically come for. And she didn’t know it, but that one person’s body wasn’t working the way it should.

Combined with her outburst, the realization that they were completely out of power in this situation was settling in. She could read it in their widening eyes, the shifts in their stances, like they were rearranging themselves.

“We can’t. We literally can’t.”

“Please, Sophie--” Grady began, running his hands through his hair in frustration, looking like he wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her, but he froze.

They all did.

Because they all heard it.

A horrendous screeching noise, like metal grating against metal. Or claws against the ground.

SOPHIE. GET OUT OF THERE. Fitz’s voice pounded into her mind, panic and terror following.

What? Why?

MONSTER!

“Move,” she hissed, shoving Linh to the side, noting Biana dragging Wylie the other way. Away. They had to get away.

She looked over her shoulder, seeing their group scramble, glancing around frantically, trying to find where the noise had come from. Sophie hadn’t bothered to figure it out, just moving away.

Something crashed to the ground, a great plume of smoke and dust arising from the area, whipped around by a sudden wind, like something was beating its wings. It must’ve been a tower, building, the sound so horrendous she stumbled, hands pressed to her ears as it ripped through her.

Wylie was panting on the ground across from her, eyes closed as his hands covered his ears.

The building took eternity to fall, seconds of time dripping past like a deluge, one after another until she couldn’t tell the difference and someone was screaming her name or maybe that was just the ringing in her ears but something was coming coming coming it was after them they’d overstayed their welcome and everything was crashing apart around her.

Think, Foster, she reminded herself.

Next step. Find the others. Find everyone.

The few precious seconds it took her to gather herself enough to reach for her temples were too many. She was out of time.

“I said MOVE!” Fitz was yelling at her, sprinting from a nearby alley, a pathway through the mess. He was moving lopsided, his limp aggravated by whatever the physical labor had done to his knee. Oh.

That’s why he’d warned her.

His group was heading their way, a monster in tow, screaming at them to get out.

The other six were close behind, Keefe darting around corners, Dex leaping into the air with channelling. Marella’s hands were glowing, Tam’s fingernails stained black.

Their cloaks fastened tight but something something something still looked off if you were focusing. No one was focusing on them.

They were occupied with something else.

It screamed.

Sophie stood there, frozen, as it crawled over a mound of rubble, jerking and frantic, several eyes littered over its body, claws digging into the crystal as all its sight narrowed in.

On the other group.

Where her father was.

“NO!” She didn’t know who said it, who screamed. But her throat stung and her body was trying to move without her permission.

“Dex,” Juline yelled, a strange relief washing over her face as she saw him, quickly vanishing as the creature tumbled forward. It moved so inhumanly quick, limbs upon limbs emerging and cycling as it danced uncontrolled toward their vulnerable parents.

Ro had drawn her sword, a maniacal grin slicing her face as she laughed, widening her stance.

No no no nonono. She couldn’t kill it. She didn’t stand a chance and she’d go down trying and it would be all Sophie’s fault because she’d frozen and wasn’t doing anything when if anyone deserved to pay it was her.

Grady’s face had hardened, a weapon in his hand she didn’t recognize pulled from somewhere as he stood back, eyes on that charging creature when his face went slack and he whirled, another one emerging from behind.

She couldn’t get to him, an eternity between them, rocks and debris and a wall of hurt throwing them further and further apart with each step she took forward. Linh was tugging at her arm, Maruca at her other. Trying to get her away.

It was impossible to fix this. They’d doomed themselves from the start.

He was still wildly searching the area, searching for her.

They made eye contact, his face softening as he saw her, saw how far she was. That she could still get away, wasn’t being directly attacked.

“No,” she whispered, watching him turn away, steel settling over his skin. A calm acceptance

No.

She wouldn’t do this, wouldn’t watch him die.

Sophie lunged forward, breaking from her friends’ grasps with that new ease,

and

she

glitched.

She was dancing through time and space, here and there and everywhere in a single instant. There was no distance too far, nothing she couldn’t be in this one moment in time. This one moment that she’d make last an eternity. This world was hers to command.

She appeared, just at his side, shoving him away, letting that prowling creature descend on her instead, sinking its teeth into the skin of her shoulder, ripping through fabric and darting away.

She didn’t care. She didn’t care at all. Because Grady was fine just a few feet away. He was fine. That’s all that mattered.

His eyes widened as he watched her, trying to stand amongst all this chaos and rubble, and she didn’t understand didn't understand the fear, the pain in his eyes. The screams and gasps echoing behind her, the way the world seemed to pause for a moment.

Not until she saw the tattered remains of her cloak fall to the ground.

“Go home,” she whispered, backing away from him. “Go back. It’s not safe up here.”

He wasn’t moving, he wasn’t talking; no one was.

But the creatures were still screaming, eyes condensing and coalescing, observing her and the people around her.

“Get them out of here, Sophie” Maruca screamed, force-fields flickering into place around the creatures, caging them in. But she wasn’t steady on her feet. Why hadn’t she raised the shields earlier? Maruca nearly fell, her hold flickering. She was buying Sophie a few seconds, but that was all she could give. Who knew what she'd given already.

Sohie steeled her nerves, letting the wings buzz behind her, keeping the attention. Let them see her, let them focus on her and not notice the things on her friends backs too.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said, darting forward faster than Grady’s eyes could understand, glitching the two of them just a little bit away, beside Della. She grabbed the two of them, and vanished.

The clearing was just as she remembered it. The crystal grate sat crooked on the ground, the trees around as menacing and uninviting as ever. Last time she’d been here it was raining.

It was supposed to be the last time.

She let go of the two of them, ripping through the void back to the Lost Cities. Another two. Juline and Elwin. She brought them back.

Went back and forth until they were all back, all away, all safe. Safer, at least.

“Sophie, wait--” Grady was reaching for her. He scrambled for his pocket, telling her they'd just come back. She couldn’t leave, she had to stay. Let the adults go back and handle it.

She twirled the pathfinder through her fingers, listened as he fell silent.

It’d been right there in easy reach when she’d grabbed him. So she’d taken it. They’d needed one, and taking it from him kept them from coming back. At least for a little bit.

He was reaching for her.

She didn’t look back.

She vanished.

The shields fell just as Sophie arrived. There were monsters loose in the Lost Cities, chasing her and her friends. She didn’t care.

The world had ended years ago.

Nothing. That’s what she felt.

Everything was numb. The echoing screams of the creatures, the grating of their claws against the ground, the sweat and fear of her friends. None of it registered. It would hit her later, she knew, but not now. Not yet.

Sophie dug her nails into her scalp, watching the creatures explode out of their containment, finally set free. They laughed, animalistic, bodies thrashing rhythmically as they slithered forward.

Apparently physics didn’t matter anymore.

Thoughts and plans filtered through her mind, the mindbubble alight with chaos. She tuned it out, just watching from the center of it all. The eye of the storm.

Someone was in the sky, unused to flying but moving with enough precision she knew they’d done it before.

One of the creatures locked eyes with her, maw falling open with a haphazard grin. A mechanical creak came from it’s neck as it twitched.

It scrambled forward, close to the ground, crossing the clearing in just a few short moments.

She didn’t care.

It was going to tear her to pieces.

She didn’t care.

The ground rumbled, trembling and bucking and weaving into new positions, throwing them all the ground, the scent of thunder and terror rolling over her, knees buckling beneath her.

The stench hit her first, the watered down rot, a dying perfume of withered roses and rotten fruit. Cloyingly sweet, deceptively undead. Her eyes began to water, like she’d been physically hit. She couldn’t see through the tears, but she didn’t need to.

It made itself known.

Dark and decay seemed to slip through the cracks of the stone, falling upwards like unnatural rain.

It crushed that creature beneath its gargantuan paw, cracked and molten.

It was right in front of her.

She looked at it and it looked back, nearly four times the size of the thing it’d just killed like it was nothing.

Monsters vs monster. It’s eyes glowed a deep gold, dripping down the midnight blue of its face, its body vaguely bear shaped.

It looked away, charging towards those other monsters, the movement accompanied by a jingle.

There was a collar around its neck, tags clanging against each other as it moved, killing--destroying--each of those creatures her friends ran from one by one.

An intelligence lingered behind its eyes, its movements. This was...even more unsettling than the creatures, than the destruction littered around her.

It blinked at her like it knew her.

Sophie forced herself to her feet, to take in absolutely everything she could about this thing before it vanished. It could be the difference between life and death.

It lowered it’s head to the ground, and

her

heart

stopped.

Behind it’s head, hidden by the whorls of curls decorating its stocky body, was a little girl sat atop it.

A little girl in a chaotic, elaborate gown, something human’s thought princesses would wear, frizzy red hair tangled around her face.

The little girl she’d seen in the facility.

[bush-viper-cutie]

Garlic Chips

Pairing: young!snape x reader

Word Count: 1,550

Rating: E for Everyone

Plot:  You drag Severus down to Hogsmeade with you to enjoy the day with him. Some warm snacks, a spot by the frozen lake, and snow falling all around you. What could be better?

Warnings: None

A/N: This time it is not in Sev’s POV, I felt it was cuter if it was in yours :) For Snape Appreciation Month, prompt 28: Young Severus Snape. @snapeloveposts​

Posted: 6/28/20

Masterlist

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

You waited by a pillar, clutching your coat closed trying to stay warm as the icy wind drifted passed, nipping at your cheeks and nose. It finally started to feel like winter as the workload from classes lessened and spirits lifted throughout the corridors of Hogwarts.

Dozens of students walked by, enthusiastically conversing about all the shops they’d visit down in Hogsmeade today. There were less and less students in the castle as people walked down in groups with their friend, which left you annoyed the longer you had to wait.

Severus was always either impressively early for things, or frustratingly late. You sighed and kicked at a pebble as the noise around you died down. You looked around and spotted a lanky boy making his way down the Entrance Hall corridor, looking around at students as they passed him.

He jerked his head down, causing more of his black hair to fall on his face, shielding him from the world. You smiled and waved him over. He placed himself behind the pillar, almost hiding from sight and waited for you to say something.

“Ready to go?”

“Let’s wait a little longer,” his voice was quiet but calculated.

You laughed, “Severus, come on. I saw them leave half an hour ago.”

He sighed and moved closer, “Why are we going? We can just go to the courtyard if you’re that desperate for ‘fresh air’ – which by the way we get plenty of considering several windows and doors are always left open.”

“Come on,” you pushed him forward gently.

You made your way down to Hogsmeade through the slight snowfall, managing to keep his complaints of the cold weather to a minimum by asking several questions about the subjects he was most interested in, Defense Against Dark Arts. You stopped outside the Three Broomsticks and smiled at him.

“Go on to the spot, I’ll get us some food. Yeah?”

He glanced at the window and nodded. He turned and left, kicking the few inches of snow out of his way as he walked and turned a corner into an alleyway.

You walked into the Three Broomsticks and shivered as the warm air touched your cold skin. You wiped hair from your mouth and made your way to the counter and ordered a couple of butter beers and a basket of garlic chips.

You paid and stuffed the cans of butter beer in your pockets and hugged the garlic chips tight, trying to keep them warm as snow started gently falling. Behind the shops and houses there was a small forest of leafless trees that overlooked the lake.

Severus was squatting under a tree with his arms wrapped around himself waiting for your arrival. You handed him a can and the garlic chips as you settled into the snowless spot that he probably cleared for you before you arrived.

“See? Isn’t this nice?”

He smirked, “We could be doing this in the courtyard. It’d be just as cold.”

“But we wouldn’t have this,” you sipped on your drink.

He gave you a small smile and leaned over, resting his head on your shoulder. Ever since last month – when you noticed his behavior had changed – you invited him to sneak out with you to explore the castle after hours. He was normally just your partner in multiple different classes, where your friendship mostly stayed, but not since that night.

A month ago, he hardly looked up during lectures and talked a lot less than he already had, answering in low hums or shakes of his head. You had invited him to hang out and was surprised when he accepted. That night, after exploring for an hour, you had asked him what was wrong and was reluctantly told about everything that was happening.

He had cried and you had hugged him, held him, and stayed with him for hours. And since then, any time you and him were close, he always leaned into you, either resting his head on your shoulder or held your hand gently. Everything felt different around him now. Everything felt better.

“Are you sleeping?”

“No,” he mumbled, “I’m studying.”

You laughed and nudged him, “Studying how to sleep?”

“If you MUST know. I’m going over ingredient lists in my head.”

You laughed again and he looked up into your eyes and smiled. You brushed strands of his hair from his face and watched him blush and slowly close his eyes again. The two of you had been in this little secluded spot once before, a week after getting closer to each other, and had spent half the day like this.

The lake was frozen along the shore and whatever spell Severus had used on the ground seemed to be covering the air around the two of you. Snow was falling harder now but none fell above you. It was even warmer than you had expected it to be.

Severus was very peculiar, always doing nice things like this and never pointing it out or even caring if you noticed. Last week you had broken a glass chalice during transfigurations and before Professor McGonagall had turned, Severus had given you his and quickly repaired yours.

“Severus?” You waited for him to look at you, but he only nodded, letting you know he was listening. Despite how close the two of you seemed, neither one had put any kind of label to this new way of being together. “We’re friends, right?”

He sat up suddenly and turned to you, “I-I thought we were – “

“No, yeah! I just… to be sure we’re on the same page,” you smiled but he did not relax.

He pulled his knees up and looked away, “Yeah… friends…”

You felt your insides warm, wanting to ask immediately if you and him could be more, but you weren’t sure why he was still so distant and stiff. Did he not want to be friends? Was he afraid you were going to ask the exact question on your mind? “What’s wrong?” you asked instead.

He bit on the corner of his lip and out of the corner of his eyes watched you, “No… It’s nothing. Of course we’re… friends.”

“I like being this close to you… and how much we talk,” a slight blush was creeping onto your cheeks, “I can tell you anything and you tell me everything…” You bit your lip and looked away, “And I love when you rest on me and hold my hand. It makes me feel warm inside. And happy…”

He moved back to his spot, resting on you and held your hand. He entwined your fingers with his and squeezed your hand tighter, “I like this too…”

His voice was low and you didn’t know if it was because he was picking up on what you were leading up to. He doesn’t want to date. He wants to stay friends and just enjoys all the much-needed hugs. You wanted to give up, but your heart wasn’t letting you. You had to try. To say something, even if it led to rejection.

“What I’m saying is… I think I like it so much because…” your heart was beating in your throat, “I want to date you.”

Severus sat up and started laughing. Your heart sunk. He was making fun of you? After everything? How could he just sit there and laugh at your face?

“You’re laughing at me?” you stood up, furious. “Fine then. Next time a girl asks you out,” your voice cracked, “Be nicer!”

You covered your weeping eyes and turned to walk away but his hand shot up and held onto you, hard. He pulled you back down and hugged you tighter than he had ever hugged you before. It was like he was trying to meld your bodies together. You wanted to push him away but being held in his arms was all you wanted. Any time you cried you automatically went to him now, so of course, it was his company you felt you needed, even if he just crushed your heart.

“That’s not why I laughed! I swear… I… I laughed ‘cause I thought we were already dating…”

You pulled away from him and felt your own laughter bubble from the pit of your stomach to the tip of your tongue. “Why did you think we were dating? We never agreed!”

This time it was him who was upset, pulling away and spinning all the way around to hide his blush and frown, “Well I just thought… I wouldn’t act this way if I didn’t think we were dating!”

You continued laughing but pulled him down on your lap, parting his hair and leaning over to kiss his nose, “You’re adorable and our chips are cold now.”

He quickly gave you a peck on the mouth before you pulled away. You smiled and bent down to kiss him back, even longer than he had kissed you just now.

His face was brighter pink when you pulled away finally but he was smiling wider than you had ever seen, “I can heat them back up. If we… If my breath smells like garlic chips, would you still kiss me?”

You nodded and laughed, happy to continue what was now your official first date as a couple.

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

[writearctic]

Turtle Threats (a) (f) - Song Mingi

wc: 2k

Disclaimer: i know zip about 🐢

for this beautiful boy: i hope you are getting the love, rest, and support you need to return to the stage soon.

“You’re late.” Your boss, Sunghyun, scowled as you entered the shop; he looked down at his watch: 19:12.

“I know, and I’m sorry,” you quickly apologized. “The rain caused the bus to show up late. I know it’s no excuse but-”

“I have to leave now. Don’t make your tardiness a habit, Miss y/n.”

“Yes, sir.” You turned to the lockers and changed into your work attire. “Late by only twelve minutes,” you uttered to yourself after he left. It was refreshing to remove your soggy clothes, but your body remained cold.

“Here.”

You turned to see your coworker, Mingi, extending his jacket towards you. He must’ve found this “late” thing amusing.

And he did, too. When your pale, wet body dripped inside, he couldn’t help but smirk at your dishevelled appearance. But, after seeing you hunch closer to your body, shivering, he halted his laugh.

“Oh. Thank you.” With trembling hands- no doubt caused by the weather- you eagerly took his jacket. A soft stretch of red eased across his face; seeing you in his coat gave him this familiar unexplainable feeling inside.

A ding at the front exclaimed the arrival of a customer. You hustled to straighten your appearance before Mingi placed his hand on your shoulder to gently stop you.

“I’ll get it,” his honey voice whispered. “Straighten up; you’ll give the tenets a fright looking like that.”

He had a point: none of the pets at Aquarium Den would ever want to see you fresh out of a “tsunami.” You turned to the mirror and huffed in defeat before pulling out your makeup wipes and washing the smudged makeup from your face. You brushed your hair with your fingers before deciding this was as good as it was going to get.

Mingi had everything under control, as always. The customer needed to secretly replace his child’s goldfish. Luckily, most goldfish look alike.

You focused your attention on cleaning the tanks. A soft melody played over the store speakers. It was assuring and made your unhygienic task seem easier. You hummed the tune while fixing the labels on the glass tanks. Mingi started the same routine on the opposite side of the shop. Aquarium Den was a downtown “fish mart” squeezed between a nail salon and card shop; the faint scent of nail polish remover and printer ink almost hid the unpleasant smells from the fishy occupants.

The shop itself was small, as all city-centered buildings were. At the front window was the register. Along the vertical walls were the tanks as well as some smaller ones against the back wall. In the middle of it was a median of supplies like tanks, food, etc.

A few other customers came, and you and Mingi easily assisted them. The last hour was quiet. Mingi sat at the checkout counter and studied his textbooks while you swept and mopped the tile floors.

“You have to take a break,” you chirped towards him.

“Y/n, I have an exam tomorrow. There’s no time for a break.” His voice grumbled back at you without even a turn of his head.

“Ok.” The tone of your voice was quiet and disappointed, though you doubt he heard it.

You and the boy had started working here at the same time. Both of you were uni students- yourself a photography student while he studied music.

You went back to mopping. No more words were exchanged, not even when you mopped around him. When your shift ended, both of you met in the lockers.

“I’ll wash your coat. It’s the least I can do to thank you.” You said while gathering your backpack and purse.

“Sure. Thanks.”

As he locked the door, you waved goodbye hoping tonight he’d finally return the gesture. But, no. He watched and turned the opposite direction.

There was something up with Song Mingi. At school, you never bumped into each other. You started taking the full walk around campus with hopes to see the boy. Today you thankfully did.

“Mingi!” He seemed to flinch at your loud voice; he stopped his pace and turned to you. “Hi. Wow your side of the building is something else.”

“I guess,” he shrugged and glanced at his friends standing further ahead. “Do you need something?”

“Your coat.” You bent to the sidewalk and dug his sweater out of your backpack. It was tidily folded in a ziploc bag.

His soft hands took the garment. “You could’ve returned it tonight.”

“Oh, yea. I guess I should have.”

“Not that I’m complaining,” he rushed to reassure you. “This is one of my favorites, and I appreciate you returning it so soon.” A timid laugh fell from his gorgeous lips.

“Oh, of course.”

“Yah, Mingi! Let’s go; class is about to start!” A friend of his called out.

“Ah, I should go. Thank you, y/n.” He smiled and waved goodbye.

You stood in shock at his ability to wave.

Every night after your only encounter at school was the same at Aquarium Den. Except for the part of you being late. You had expected a shift in relations afterwards, but no. However, some nights he would wave back at you.

You had had quite enough of this “one-sided” friendship. You were colleagues, yet it felt like he was trying to ignore your existence. After sitting near a turtle doing your homework for long enough, you sneaked towards Mingi at his usual post- the register- studying away. You reached over his shoulder and yanked the folder from the counter top.

“Y/N!” You had perhaps miscalculated the chance of him fighting you for it. Mingi lunged at you and snatched it back, but you were faster. Before he could raise it out of your reach- darn him and his lengthy genes- you grabbed it and raced around the store a couple of times until you both ended up back at your turtle corner.

“Y/n. Give. It. Back.”

“No. I want to see what’s been capturing all of your atten-TION.” You flow of speech was interrupted by you dodging his attack. Oh boy was he not going down without a fight. He jumped towards you but abruptly paused when you opened the turtle cage and hovered the paper over the reptile.

Mingi’s fight was useless, now. This was no ordinary turtle; this was Spartacus. The red-eared slider had an appetite bigger than Mingi himself. He could devour anything and everything in his path. Including the two-pocket folder whose fate rested in your hands.

“Let… me… read it.” You gasped for air after the speedy chase around the shop. Even Mingi was out of breath; his chest heaved silently while his gaze locked yours. This was the first time you’ve ever made deep (longer than a few seconds) eye contact with him, and it made your heat somersault against your ribs.

“Let… me read it… without fearing you’ll reach over and grab it ‘cause it might just fall into-”

“Read it, then.” He ordered. A momentary shiver of fear traveled down your body. Wait a minute. Was he a hired hit-man? No. No. No. It’s Mingi; no harm flows through his veins. I think, you thought.

“Ok-k.” Your delicate hands opened the file. The first notable thing were a few pages of sheet music which were a foreign language to you. He watched as your eyebrow furrowed over the music sheets, recognizing you couldn’t read them. You flipped around the pages until a small page of notebook paper caught your attention. It belonged to your journal; you remembered the day Mingi asked for a sheet. How could you say no?

It was the words scribbled all over the lines that knocked the wind out of your lungs.

‘I bet this time of night you’re still up.I bet you’re tired from a long, hard week.

I bet you’re sitting in your chair by the window looking out at the city. And I bet, sometimes you wonder about me’

He noticed your grip on the crinkled paper loosen, and he let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

‘And I just wanna tell you, it takes everything in me not to call you.

And I wish I could run to you.

And I hope you know that everytime I don’t, I almost do, I almost do.’

Your eyes looked up at his. He was writing a song. It made sense, him being a musical arts student, but you couldn’t figure out why he tried to hide it from you.

“This is beautiful. No. That’s not the right word.” You bit your lip and gazed down at the paper before noticing a line you hadn’t yet read:

‘I bet it never ever occurred to you that I can’t say Hello to you and risk another Goodbye.’

(lyrics from Taylor Swift- I Almost Do)

“This is… about me?” It made sense, his struggle to wave to you. A blush tickled your pure cheeks when he nodded. A warm smile formed on your face as you stepped closer to the boy. “Why does Hello pain you, Min?”

“When I was younger, we moved around a lot: financial problems.” He rested on a bag of fish pebbles and fiddled with his hands. His eyes would glance at you from time to time before rushing to find something other than you to admire.

“Whenever I made a friend, there was always this fear of ‘how long?’ ‘When do I have to say goodbye?’ It’s childish, I guess-”

“No, Mingi. It’s understandable,” you purred while easing onto the stool you sat on for studying. You scraped the bottom of it on the floor while scooting closer to him.

His face lightened and rid itself of worry. “I guess I never got over the fear that... I’ll leave everyone behind. Even the ones I love.” He held his gaze with yours.

“I thought you hated me,” you breathed a low laugh.

“No. No, I- I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I- well you,” he took the paper out of your grasp carefully and slid it back in the folder. “You make me nervous, y/n.”

“I’m not trying to.”

You’ve never seen this particular loving grin of his before now. And gosh, did it feel like heaven. “You always give me this unexplainable feeling. Like, I get so much inspiration when I’m around you. I’m always looking forward to working here with you because I can go home and add the lyrics to my songs.” He sighed and took your warm hand in his.

“When you brought my sweater back, I realized I feel something for you- something close to love. I waved to you then because I unconsciously discovered why my stomach feels nauseous around you- you make the butterflies fly for me, y/n.”

You stood there in disbelief. Song Mingi likes you? You beamed at him and whispered, “I like you, too.”

“Hm I couldn’t catch that.” His tease earned a light punch on the shoulder from you.

“I’ve been thinking about you like that for a long time.” Confidence filled your voice as your eyes caught hold of his.

“Yeah?” Mingi’s slightly calloused fingers traced along your jawline. He inched closer and felt your quick breaths on his collarbone.

“Yeah.”

He leaned into your hair and eased at your tiny hands tracing along his spine. His palms firmly rested on the small of your back afraid to let you go.

“I’m afraid to lose you.” His voice sparked with panic as you slowly inched apart.

“You’re not gonna lose me,” you cooed at him. Your hands raised to hold his cute cheeks; his eyes were hypnotic as they seeped with care only for you. “I’m here. And I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m not leaving either,” he promised. The honesty in his voice made you deteriorate. His lips danced dangerously close with yours as he lowered to your height. You leaned on your tiptoes in frantic need for his lips. His palms cupped your neck while the pads of his thumbs grazed along your jaw. He urged you closer while your hands fell to grip the fabric of his t-shirt.

After one small kiss, you pulled away for a breath then devoured more of his alluring lips.

In that moment for air, his eyes never left your lips; they electrified him with desire. A desire that sealed his promise to never leave your side as he curved his body against yours.

[thatanimenerd101]

Birthday fic! Kirishima or hawks ^^ ❤️

(Yes and yes. Imma give you both because why not. Plus I think everyone needs some fluff. Happy birthday my friend! They are the only one that reads my work on Wattpad. I’m actually considering not posting there anymore. Now, as you may know I have decided to go until December because I have some cute ideas for winter fics.) 

Kirishima x Female 

Hawks x Female

Kirishima:

You were fast asleep, all wrapped up in blankets and curled up to your boyfriend of three years. The red head was awake at four am, not because of work. But for something special. Today was your birthday and Kirishima had a plan.

He slowly got out of bed and he grabbed his pillow for you to hold. So that you wouldn’t wake up. He tiptoed out of the bedroom and went to open the front door, where Bakugo was standing.

“Took you long enough dumb hair!”

After a few hours of trying to be quiet as to not to wake you up. You were a light sleeper so making you breakfast was a task. 

When your breakfast was ready Bakugo left. The house was decorated. All that was missing was the birthday girl. 

Carrying the food bakugo helped him make, he set it down on the bedside table. 

“Y/n, baby, it is time to get up.” Kirishima kissed your forehead. 

Opening your eyes you smiled up at him. “Good morning Kiri.”

“Happy birthday my love.” He handed you you’re favorite breakfast meal. 

“Thank you so much! I love it and I love you.”

Your birthday was spend shopping, Kirishima insited on buying anything you wanted of anything you looked at. He wasn’t around much and wanted to make up for it.

At the end of the night, the red head suprised you with dinner and a new movie he knew you wanted to see. It was the premiere of it, only the best for Red Riot and his girlfriend. Lots of eyes were on you, in response to this Kiri had his arm around your waist the full night. A picture of you kissing him on the cheek was taken. Nether of you gave a shit. Because, everyone already knew of your relationship.

As you were getting out of the shower, only in a towel. You saw Eijirou with a bottle of your favorite lotion.

“Let me give you a massage pebble.” He smiled and let you to your bed. Towel left and forgotten in the bathroom.

Hawks:

The blonde had to find a way to get off of work for your birthday. After a couple of weeks of complaining, he was given a “mental health day” when in reality he just wanted to spend time with you. He missed your birthday last year. He wanted to surprise you, so he planed a small party at his place. Your family and best friends were invited.

You had no idea about the party. Your boyfriend of five years just told you that he wouldn’t be home for your birthday. But he promised to make it up. Keigo never broke his promises. Knowing him, you would get your favorite flowers with a feather in it and something cute he found for you. Last time it was a little charm bracelet.

On the day of the party, he asked you to run some errands for him. He also told you to buy a dress?

“That crazy bird. Why do I need a dress?” You gave him a questionable look.

He looked at over the couch, “Since I got off of work for some reason, I’m taking you somewheres and you’ll need a dress. I don’t care how much it will cost. Anything to make my baby bird happy.” He smirked at you. “Your ass looks nice in those jeans.”

“Keigo!” Your face tinted red.

“What? I’m telling you the turth.”

You kissed his cheek, and told him goodbye.

Ten minutes later, he made sure you were gone.

“Alright everyone she’s gone!” Your parents and close friends came out from the unused guest bedroom.

“Alright does everyone know what to do?”

“Yes!” Everyone replied.

You’re close friends planned to “accidentally” bump into you at the dress shop of where you shopped.

Your parents and Keigo decorated the house.

He somehow got covered in glitter, but your parents assured him that they could make a cake without his help.

Meanwhile at the dress shop.

“Hey y/n!” Your three friends called out. Yui, Sun and Raz.

You looked up from the purple dress you were looking at. “Hi, how are you all doing.”

They all responded.

“We are here to find some dresses, we are all going clubbing tomorrow night. Wanna come?” Your friend Yui asked.

“Yeah! We can celebrate your birthday tomorrow since your busy tonight.” Sun and Raz said in unison. The two were twins and shared the same one brain cell.

After a few hours all four off you found dresses. Yours was a bold shade of red and showed off your body. Yui’s dress was yellow and modest. The twins, Sun and Raz had matching blue dresses.

“Goodbye everyone!” You waved to your friends.

“Yeah, see your tomorrow gal!” They waved goodbye and got into a taxi.

Little did you knew they were heading back to your house.

Hawks was getting out of the shower and drying his hair. Almost all the glitter was off of him. Everything was ready, all he needed to do was find some clothes.

He couldn’t get the tie right.

“Damn it!” A knock on his bedroom door. “Come in.”

It was your dad. “I see your having trouble my boy. Want some help?”

“Yes please.” He smiled and it was a moment of a father and son. Keigo never knew how to tie a tie until your father showed him. He tried Hawks like his own son. Soon to be son-in law. He asked for your parents blessing and they agreed on the spot.

It was time, lights were off and waiting for you to come home.

“Really Kei, you know I hate the dark.” You walked in and turned the lights on.

“SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Y/N!” Everyone yelled.

You jumped up and once you realized what was going on you smiled. “Thank you all so much. Now I know why you wanted me outta the house bird brain.”

“Bird brain?” This is when you realized that everyone was dressed up. Your boyfriend looked handsome and hot at the same time. You then knew why he told you to buy a dress. Once you changed your boyfriend whispered in your ear, “I love that dress on you, but I think I’ll like it better on the our bedroom floor with me on top of you.” He said this so casually, like it didn’t face him at all. Your face was red for a while. 

Your friends dared you like school children to dance with Keigo. You did. Towards the end of the song, your boyfriend stopped.

“What’s wrong baby?”

He got down on one knee and popped the question. “We have known each other for ten years, dated for almost six years. I’m sorry I’m late to asking this, but I cannot live without you y/n. Screw the hero commission, because of you, I know what love is. I know what it’s like to have a family and friends because of you. Will you do this bird man the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes! I will marry you!” You kissed him deeply, both of you forgetting you had an audience.

“Alright that’s enough lovebirds.” Your dad said laughing. You mom slapped him. “I want grandchildren so shut up.”

The two of you broke your kiss, both embarrassed. The rest of the night was celebrating your birthday and the engagement. Lots of presents. Many memories were made that night. At the end of the party, everyone said goodbye and wished you congratulations.

“Well baby bird, wanna celebrate?” He pinned you against your bedroom wall. Keigo had the largest smirk on his face.

“Hell yes!”

I’ll leave the rest to your imagination;)

Tag list: @tooloudarts @tryna-imagine @alesipanic @thathawkssimpp @lovinkiri (if I forgot anyone I’m sorry)