#ooF THIS WAS SO IMPROMPTU

[imblocking-you]

Puna na 'yung tags nung isang post sa this is the second one lmao. 3 AM NA JUSQ

[reduxulousoctopus]

Last night I finally continued my rewatch after being interrupted due to IRL stuff, and even with a big hiatus between Courage and Nightcrawler, the difference really is that drastic. Logan goes from smiling and laughing and joking around, and showing an entirely unprecedented level of sensitivity and concern for someone's well-being--to butting in on Rogue and Gambit's romantic getaway like "if I can't be happy ain't nobody gonna be happy, now help me find this demon I just heard about because if I don't get to stab something in the next seventeen minutes I'm going to fucking explode." No joke this man got so depressed about his emotional-support shapeshifter going back to therapy that he had to find God.

watching the original x-men animated series is so funny because it's literally just

wolverine literally all the time: >:(

morph: :)

wolverine: :)

[pin-k-ink]

masquerade // gojo satoru

tw ⇢ teacher-student relationship, petnames, sexual tension, teasing, possessive!gojo, jealous sex, rough sex, implied age gap, dirty talk, unprotected sex

wc ⇢ 4.9k

a/n: i headcanon that gojo would definitely fuck his genderbent version

"No way, there's absolutely no way I'm losing this bet!" you declared, eyes shining with competitive determination.

Gojo simply chuckled, running a hand through his silver hair as he leveled you with an infuriatingly calm look. "We'll see about that, pretty girl. I hope you're prepared to eat those words."

You stuck your tongue out at your mentor in a childish display, ignoring the spark of heat that flared in your belly at his teasing endearment. Squaring your shoulders, you focused back on the task at hand - besting Gojo Satoru in an impromptu cursed tool duel.

The terms had been simple: whoever disarmed or immobilized the other first would get to choose their partner's costume for the upcoming Halloween soiree being thrown at the Kamo Estate. As one of the oldest and most prestigious jujutsu families, their holiday celebrations were always a lavish affair that attracted sorcerers of status from across the region. Needless to say, you were determined to avoid any humiliating outfits by claiming victory.

You circled each other warily, fingers twitching in preparation to summon your respective tools. A bead of sweat trickled down your temple as you tried to predict Gojo's opening move. Despite his perpetually laid-back demeanor, he was a finely honed weapon - powerful, precise and lightning-quick to strike.

Seconds ticked by in tense stillness. Then, without warning, Gojo was a blur of motion, pale hair whipping around his face as he twisted and struck out with one long arm. You threw yourself sideways in a desperate dodge, boots skidding across the training room floor as you pivoted to face him again. But he was already capitalizing on your evasion with a flurry of sharp jabs and slicing arcs, each one guided by a hair's breadth from clipping your defenses.

Cursing, you backpedaled furiously, mind racing to formulate a counterstrategy as you parried and deflected his relentless assault. He was aiming to herd you into an inescapable corner, you realized - a position from which he could use his greater size and strength to pin you effortlessly.

Gritting your teeth, you waited for the precise moment his next overextended swing left the barest opening in his defenses. Then, with every ounce of your cursed power thrumming through your limbs, you twisted and launched yourself into a furious set of combos.

Gojo's eyes widened fractionally as you unleashed everything you had, pushing him back in a dizzying flail of fists, elbows, and knees. You could sense his surprise at the sheer force behind each blow, the speed and fluidity of your combinations leaving him unable to predict the source of your next attack.

For one blazing, triumphant second, you caught a glimpse of victory as you arced into a spinning heel kick aimed squarely at his temple. But then Gojo was there, materializing inside your defenses with that masterful grasp of space and time that made him nigh untouchable. One second you were on the offensive, the next you were crashing into the unforgiving floorboards with a breathless "oof," limbs twisted and cursed tools clattering uselessly away.

"Well now," Gojo purred, looming over your winded form with a satisfied grin. "Looks like I win again, baby girl." His hand was warm and calloused where it encircled your wrist, grip light but unbreakable.

Groaning, you flopped back against the mats in a dramatic display, skin still tingling from your exertions. "That's so not fair," you whined petulantly. "I totally had you on the ropes that time!"

Gojo barked out a laugh, nudging your side with the toe of one shoe. "In your dreams, maybe," he teased. "A good effort though. Maybe next time you'll actually pose a challenge."

Pushing up onto your elbows, you leveled your best glare at the infuriatingly smug man. "You are SO going to regret those words, sensei. Just wait until you see what ridiculous costume I put you in next year!"

His grin widened in a way that made your stomach flip with anticipation. "I'm counting on it, beautiful."

The following week was spent in a whirlwind of preparation as the Kamo Estate staff readied for the biggest event of their social calendar - the annual All Hallows' Eve Masquerade Gala. Gojo, curse him, remained completely unhelpful about his chosen costume, waving off your repeated inquiries with that maddening enigmatic smile of his.

"You'll just have to wait and see," was all he would say, the gleam in his eyes promising delicious torment. "It's going to be a surprise."

And surprise you he did, on the night of the Gala when he finally unveiled your "costume" with a dramatic flourish of cursed energy. Lying innocently on your bed was an all-too-familiar set of clothes - Gojo's signature uniform of a plain white undershirt and billowing black slacks and jacket.

You sputtered incoherently, gesturing between him and the outfit laid out before you. "You cannot be serious!"

But that bastard just grinned back at you, all sharp canines and twinkling mischief. "Oh, I'm dead serious. You wanted an embarrassing costume, pretty girl? Well here it is, in all its glory."

Frantically, you cycled through a dozen different protests and pleading arguments, each of which he deftly waved aside with infuriatingly logical counterpoints. By the time he was done dismantling your defenses, you had no choice but to grumble your capitulation and snatch up the clothes, stomping towards the bathroom to change with as much dignity as you could muster.

"You're going to regret this," you threw over your shoulder with as much venom as you could muster. "Just you wait!"

Once the door clicked shut behind you, however, your feisty attitude melted away into pure girlish giddiness. Sure, wearing your mentor's clothes in public could be considered a bit humiliating. But you'd be lying if you denied how the thought of being surrounded by Gojo's scent, of wearing the same outfit that clung to his broad frame didn't spark a fluttering warmth low in your belly.

Quickly stripping down, you took a moment to appraise the garments with an appreciative eye, fingers trailing over the soft cotton of the undershirt. Even just holding it up to your body, the excess fabric was dwarfing your slender frame adorably. Giddiness mounting, you slipped it on carefully, rolling the cuffs up your forearms.

The fitted white fabric pulled taut across your chest, the sloping vee of the collar frequently slipping off one shoulder to tease at the soft swell of cleavage it created. A possessive thrill shot down your spine as you adjusted it back into place. This shirt, the one that skimmed and hinted at the sculpted planes of Gojo's body, now lovingly outlined the feminine curves it had never been intended to cup so intimately.

Restless heat blossomed under your skin at the thought of him seeing you wearing it later tonight - tousled, practically spilling out in all the right places. Would his gaze linger as unsubtly as yours always did on him? Or would his effortless cool manage to rein in any excessive reaction?

Anticipation began curling tight in your core as you recalled the thousands of lingering, liquid-hot glances you'd exchanged with Gojo over your years of training. The way his stare could scorch across your bare skin, turning mundane movements into something charged and provocative as he drank in your form with ravenous intensity. What you wouldn't give to see that look of blatant male appreciation washing over his handsome features as you showed up in this sinfully snug getup.

Shaking yourself free of the dizzying fantasy, you took a steadying breath before eyeing the slacks with disappointment. As you suspected, they were entirely too loose around your hips and thighs to be flattering. With a frustrated huff, you shimmied out of them, leaving them in a puddle on the floor.

Your gaze landed on a pair of worn but buttery-soft leather boots tucked in the back of your closet. A wicked grin curved your lips as you tugged them on, lacing the tall shafts all the way up to mid-thigh. The supple leather embraced your legs like a second skin, accentuating the toned lines and feminine swell of your calves in a deliciously provocative way.

You barely recognized yourself in Gojo's oversized undershirt paired with those thigh-high boots. Instead of the properly buttoned-up appearance his uniform conveyed on him, you oozed a wanton, edible sort of allure - all tousled hair, stretched cotton, and miles of creamy leg on display. Your mouth went dry imagining how Gojo might react to such a tantalizing twist on his borrowed look.

'Two can play at this game, sensei,' you thought wickedly, eyeing the smolderingly seductive lines and hints of bare skin your borrowed outfit provided.

After securing the jacket, you realized simply styling your own hair wouldn't quite achieve the full Gojo effect you were going for. A sly smile curved your lips as you procured a long, straight white wig from the depths of your costume trunk.

Carefully situating the silky strands, you fluffed and arranged them until they tumbled nearly to your waist in a perfect mimicry of Gojo's signature silver mane. Coupled with the oversized uniform draped over your frame, the full look was startlingly effective.

The only thing missing now was the pièce de résistance. A wicked grin curved your lips as you rooted around in his cupboard to procure a familiar black-framed pair of glasses. Pulling them on, you struck an exaggerated pose, imitating that cocky smirk and calculating squint he so loved to level at you during training.

"Hollow technique: Purple," you growled in a lower register, jabbing an imperious finger into the mirror. "Tch, not even worth the effort."

Giggles bubbled up uncontrollably at your shoddy impersonation. But one glance back at your reflection snuffed the laughter from your throat instantly. Never could you have predicted just how...devastating the whole ensemble would look together.

Raking a heated gaze down your figure, you took in the panels of taut, stretched fabric clinging deliciously to every curve. The alcohol collar and unbuttoned plackets teased at tantalizing swells of cleavage while the cuffed hems allowed teasing flashes of toned legs to peek through. Paired with the untamed silver and signature spectacles, the entire look was pure, potent temptation - a wicked combination of dishevelment and restraint, of masculine and feminine.

You spun and posed, watching in the mirror as the loosened shirttails flared out around your hips, providing glimpses of the black lacy panties painted onto your backside. A rosy flush crept up your throat at the blatant allure, suddenly unsure if you possessed the sheer audacity to debut this ensemble publicly.

A sharp rap at the bathroom door startled you from your reverie. "You about ready in there?" Gojo's husky voice filtered through the wood, sending a shiver of pure sin down your spine. "Or do I need to come in and help get you properly dressed, pretty girl?"

You swallowed hard, breath catching at the dark promise laced through his tone. Was it your imagination, or did he somehow already know the delectable effect his clothes would have draped over your frame? The thought had your blood pounding anew in a heady rush of nervous excitement.

"I'll be right out," you called back, somewhat proud of yourself for keeping your voice steady despite the tremor in your limbs. One last heated glance at the mirror and your reflection was all but searing itself into the backs of your eyelids. If Gojo thought he could torment you further by forcing this depraved twist of a costume upon you, then he had sorely underestimated your own deviant brand of mischief.

Straightening your spine, you threw open the bathroom door and sauntered out wearing every ounce of sordid confidence you could muster. Gojo stood leaned against the wall, arms crossed negligently over that sculpted chest you knew so well from countless clandestine ogling sessions. But the second his visible eye landed on you, his entire body seized up in an unmistakable full-body jolt.

With no small degree of heady satisfaction, you watched distinct shock and something infinitely darker flare across those striking features you admired so profoundly. His stare raked over your figure in a molten sweep, nostrils flaring as he scented the air with unrestrained hunger. And lower, beneath the loose vee of his unbuttoned slacks, you caught the unmistakable twitching of rapidly interested anatomy.

Well well, it seemed turnabout was fair play in the battle of temptation. You offered a simpering smirk, propping one hand on a cocked hip in a move you'd seen him execute a hundred times - legs shifting just enough to highlight the pleasant distraction at his groin.

"Like what you see...sensei?" The endearment dripped from your tongue like poisoned honey as you tracked his body's visceral reaction. "I modeled it pretty closely after the real thing, don't you think?"

A tremor rocked through his deceptively relaxed stance as the full implications sank in, gaze darkening perceptibly when you toyed with the fabric riding up your thighs. Slowly, he drank you in from tousled crown all the way down to where his shirttails brushed teasingly over the bottom of your ass before slashing back up in another unhurried glide of naked appreciation.

The heavy weight of his undisguised desire washed over you in dizzying waves, stoking the tendrils of challenge and want already suffusing your bloodstream. You felt powerful in a way you rarely allowed yourself to embrace - beautiful and profoundly sensual under the searing brand of Gojo's attention.

"You look..." he started roughly, pupils blown wide before Adam's apple bobbed in a harsh swallow. "Sinful," he finally rasped, the single syllable loaded with enough molten promise to scorch. "Absolutely fucking sinful, pretty girl."

A punched-out gasp slipped free at the blatant admission, need guttering low and hot in your pussy. Bold, you took one pointed step closer, until the fabric of his borrowed jacket brushed softly against his abdomen. The tips of your breasts skated lightly across the clean lines of his chest as you leaned in, mouth brushing his ear in a ghosting caress.

"So do something about it, sensei," you growled, nails raking lightly down the front of his shirt. "Show me how sinful you want to be."

For one tremulous heartbeat, you thought he might actually give in to the simmering tension and haul you bodily against him right then and there. His jaw flexed tellingly, fingers flexing at his sides as muscles coiled for action. But then he blew out a long, shuddering breath, spine straightening as the burning intensity blinked out behind his lids.

"Don't tempt me, baby," he rasped in a low purr, tone thick with sinful promise that had your knees quaking. One large, calloused palm cupped your jaw reverently, angling your face up towards his in a searing look of abject want. "I'm only a man, and you look good enough to eat in that little getup."

He allowed his thumb to drag slowly over the plush swell of your lower lip, gaze riveted while you instinctively parted on a shuddery inhale. Your senses swam with the woodsy undercurrent of his cologne, the scorching heat of skin and muscle thrumming just beyond reach.

"But sadly, we have somewhere to be tonight," Gojo continued, voice pitched quieter yet somehow infinitely more powerful in your close proximity. His eyes raked over you again, taking in the way his shirt barely contained your curves and how you'd opted to forgo the slacks.

Instead, a pair of wicked black leather boots laced all the way up to the middle of your thighs framed your bare legs deliciously. He groaned low in his throat at the sight of so much skin on display, gaze heating further when he noticed the full, straight silver wig cascading nearly to your waist in a perfect mimicry of his hairstyle.

"And if I started getting a taste of you now...well, I wouldn't be able to stop. Not until I'd thoroughly ruined you for the rest of the night's events."

Your mouth went bone dry as graphic imaginings of his sinful promise ricocheted across your consciousness. Unconsciously, your tongue flicked out to wet your lips, silently imploring his thumb to dip between them, to caress heated skin and let you suckle on the rough pad.

But Gojo simply grinned wolfishly, knowing far too well the images he'd conjured behind your hooded gaze. "Easy there, pretty girl," he crooned, all indulgent heat and dark delight. "Soon enough you can have all the punishment you can handle. First though, we have to attend a party."

In an effort to regain some scrap of composure, you cleared your throat, ignoring the shaky rasp. "I'm not sure I can pull off that hair," you countered weakly, reaching up to attempt taming the silver strands. To your utter dismay, Gojo's hand shot out and clamped around your wrist, effortlessly thwarting your movements.

God, he couldn't get over the delicious recreation of his look - the fitted shirt straining at the buttons, those long, lean legs accentuated by the knee-high leather...it was as if he'd been stripped bare and repackaged as the most tantalizing, irresistible version of himself imaginable.

"Don't," he commanded, voice dropping into that smooth, spine-tingling bass that infallibly left you aching and molten. His free hand wound through the tousled locks, mussing them further into resembling his artfully mussed style. "Leave it just like this. Every time I glance over, I want to be reminded of how utterly delicious you look in my clothes. So very pretty for me."

A delirious sound punched out of your core at his gravelly praise, knees going watery at the second heady rush of promised debauchery glimmering in those devilish blue eyes. God, how you burned to give in and let him utterly wreck you right then and there. But the iron bands of his behemoth self-control held firm.

"Now then," he practically growled, punctuating the words with a scorching press of bodies, "I believe we have a party to attend? Hmm, pretty girl?"

You managed a shaky nod, delirious with wanting. How much longer could you keep dancing around this undeniable inferno?

At the Gala, every eye was instantly trained on you from the moment you arrived on Gojo's arm. You could feel the weight of hungry stares caressing your body as you moved through the crowd, taking in your blatant mimicry of Gojo's look from the glossy wig to the clinging shirt. More than one leering partygoer let their gaze linger just a bit too long on the exposed expanses of thigh and cleavage.

For his part, Gojo seemed to bask in the absolute chaos you were causing. One broad palm never left the small of your back, possessively guiding you through the throngs of people while sending a clear message to any who dared approach - this pretty little thing belonged to him.

And oh, how you reveled in his proprietary attitude. Something low and wicked in your core thrilled to be so openly claimed, desired with such naked ferocity in front of all these esteemed strangers. Gojo's intense stare scarcely left you for more than a few seconds, tracking your every move with a heated focus that bordered on predatory.

More than once, you slanted a sultry glance in his direction, lower lip caught between your teeth as you preened shamelessly under his ravenous regard. His visible eye would instantly darken to cobalt, jaw ticking with barely restrained hunger before he forcibly dragged his attention back to whatever politician or clan head was fawning for his attention.

"Down, boy," you purred at one point, leaning in so your pouty murmur brushed hot against the shell of his ear. "Don't make me put you in timeout, sensei."

The low, guttural rumble that punched out of Gojo's chest sent delicious frissons of heat licking through your veins. You giggled privately at how his fingers flexed against your hip, thumb rubbing distracting little circles into the jut of bone.

"Oh I'll show you time out," he growled back through a smile placid enough to fool the nobles milling nearby. "Just wait until I get you alone later, pretty girl. I'm going to teach you all about punishment."

A full-body shudder rocked through you at the dark promise, nipples pebbling painfully beneath the thin cotton. Every nerve was alight with giddy anticipation at what delicious retribution Gojo might have in store for your cheekiness.

Your little game of teasing cat and mouse continued in that vein for most of the evening. He would pin you with those unholy bedroom eyes, gaze dropping conspicuously to the shadows hinting at your body's secrets beneath the too-small uniform. In retaliation, you'd arch into him with a sugary innocent expression, reveling in the way his pupils would blow wide and his breath would stutter over a barely perceptible growl. The heated charge between you grew thicker and headier with every tortuous brush of skin and wicked murmur exchanged.

Eventually, it all became too much for even Gojo's formidable restraint. You were draped over one of the antique sofas, legs crossed in a way that allowed the rumpled white shirt to slip rakishly up your thighs, when he suddenly materialized before you like a force of nature.

His large hand encircled your bare ankle in a scalding grip as piercing blue eyes bored into yours from behind the familiar black frames. You shivered at the mute intensity of his stare, that intoxicating aura of power and sin rolling off him in waves as he slowly, inexorably dragged you upright and flush against his chest.

"That's it, pretty girl," he rasped into the heated hollow beneath your ear. The words were velvet soft yet laced with enough dominant possession to have you melting against his solid frame. "I've been more than patient with you all night. But enough is enough - you've tested every last ounce of control I have."

You shuddered violently as his mouth grazed your jaw in a hot, openmouthed glide. "Sensei..." you whimpered, not even sure what you were pleading for anymore.

"Shh, I've got you," he murmured, a scorching palm settling at the small of your back to guide you through the gawking crowd. "Time to go, baby. You and I have a... private lesson to attend."

Somewhere beyond the thudding rush of arousal, you recognized the distinct clearing of throats and murmured whispers from the nearby guests as you allowed Gojo to propel you towards the exits. But it was impossible to care when he was caging you against him with such blatant feral intent, muscles locked into coiling restraint like a panther poised to pounce on its prey.

The cool night air hit your overheated skin like a slap once you stumbled outside. Gojo didn't so much as pause before scooping you up into his arms in a bridal carry, cursed energy already whipping around you in preparation to activate his Infinite Void technique.

"Hold on tight, pretty girl," he warned, the normally gentle rumble of his voice pitched low enough to send molten heat shearing through your core. "This may get...intense."

And with that, the entire world collapsed in on itself until there was nothing but the whisper of energy across your nerve-endings and the solid warmth of Gojo's body wrapped around you as the in-between rushed past in a blur.

You materialized seconds later in your dormitory suite, Gojo already stalking towards the bedroom with you cradled to his chest. He kicked the door shut with a deafening bang before throwing you onto the mattress with enough force to bounce you enticingly.

Chest heaving, you pushed up onto your elbows to drink in the sight of him looming over the foot of the bed - hair tousled into glorious disarray, shirt disheveled and straining against his broad frame, eyes burning with naked sin and untempered hunger. He looked like some kind of depraved avenging angel, utterly devastating in his authority and desire.

"Do you have any idea," he growled, prowling closer like a predator scenting its prey, "what you've put me through tonight with that little act of yours?"

A shocked squeak fled your lips as one large hand fisted in the loose hair of your wig, yanking just harshly enough to expose the vulnerable line of your throat. Gojo took greedy advantage of your arched position, dipping down to lave hot, filthy kisses along the thundering pulse point as you writhed beneath him.

"All evening, I've been surrounded by the scent of you in my clothes," he rasped against your slick skin, free hand already dragging the shirt up to divest you of the flimsy material. You arched eagerly into his frantic touches, nails scoring paths down the quivering muscles of his back as his lips continued branding every inch of bare flesh.

"That sweet, pretty little body of yours wrapped up to look just like me. All decked out in black and white and silver...fuck, you're lucky I didn't bend you over in front of everyone at the party and take what's mine!"

A desperate keen reverberated from your very bones at the graphic suggestion, hips straining upwards instinctively to grind against the rigid cock already pressing into your soaked pussy. Gojo rewarded the involuntary motion with a punishingly deep grind of his own, dragging the luxurious slide of cotton over your swollen clit and leaving you boneless and gasping.

"Is that what you wanted, baby?" he rumbled darkly, nipping your ear with blunt teeth. "To make me lose control and defile you in front of all those poor, unsuspecting fools?"

You could only whine in response, beyond coherent speech at this point. Rough hands shoved the hem of his shirt up to bare your chest, bunching the fabric over your ribcage as Gojo settled onto his knees between your splayed thighs. Cool air ghosted over your feverish skin for only a moment before his mouth enveloped one taut nipple in an all-encompassing scald.

It was like the last floodgate had opened, finally allowing the pent-up tension thrumming between you to surge free in an unstoppable flood. You dissolved into a litany of shameless sounds - moans and whimpers and breathy curses that only seemed to goad Gojo on further. Soon the bedroom filled with the filthy sounds of devoured kisses, skin slapping on skin, and flesh stretching to desperate accommodation around the punishing thrusts into your convulsing body.

Over and over again, he hilted himself inside your drenched cunt with enough force to slide your sweat-slicked bodies up the rumpled sheets. Wave after wave of blinding, throbbing pleasure eroded the last remnants of sense until your entire universe narrowed to the mouthwatering play of chiseled muscle and tendon as he hovered over you. You couldn't get enough of his harsh grunts, the deeper-than-sin rasp of his voice crooning debauched praises and sinful promises against your fevered skin.

"That's it, just like that, baby girl," he ground out as your nails scored down his back hard enough to sting. "Open up nice and pretty for your sensei. Going to absolutely fucking ruin you for anyone else after I'm done."

The very thought sent electric sparks arcing straight to your clenching pussy, throat already rubbed raw from howling your rapture into the quiet night. There was nothing recognizable left in your voice as you chanted his name like a benediction, uncaring of how the whole dormitory might hear your shameless cries while Gojo robbed you of any last shred of composure.

His hips snapped in a final few deep, piston-like drags before stilling with a full-bodied shudder. The feeling of him painting your fluttering pussy in thick, virile streaks of cum finally triggered your own cresting climax. You shattered around him with a ragged wail, arching wildly as exquisite pulses of lightning ricocheted out in tingling waves to your fingertips and curling toes.

Boneless and limp as a ragdoll, you lay there soaked in the glorious aftermath. Gojo blanketed you with his weight, his breath rasping hotly over your sweat-dampened skin, lips tracing sluggish patterns in their comedown. Neither of you moved for long stretches, simply existing in the tranquil silence of that sacred, sated space.

Finally, Gojo pulled back just enough to free his arms and gather you carefully into his embrace. You hummed out a contented sound, burrowing shamelessly into the solid comfort of his chest while clever fingers worked the constricting knots out of your wig until the heavy silver strands cascaded freely onto the pillows.

"You," he started, pausing to clear his throat and collect his scattered thoughts, "are going to be the absolute death of me one day, pretty girl."

The words were fond instead of chastising as he pressed lingering closed-mouth kisses into your hairline. You smiled against the corded expanse of his throat.

"Promise?" you murmured cheekily, arching up to ghost your lips across the strong column of muscle. A low groan rumbled against your mouth at the blatant provocation.

"Mark my words," Gojo growled, rolling you both until he loomed over your pliant, wrecked body once more. This time though, his touch was barely-there, gentle, almost worshipful as he traced the scattered constellation of marks blooming across your damp skin. "By the time I'm through with you, you won't be able to so much as look at another set of clothes without thinking of me, of how thoroughly I'm going to take you apart and put you back together again."

The heated storm in your blood kick-started anew at his dangerous tone, goosebumps prickling in the wake of his maddening caress. There was no doubt in your racing heart that this deliciously sinful man would make good on every last lurid implication behind those words. And you couldn't wait.

[fuctacles]

Henderson's older brother is kinda fine :/ [Part II]

me: I'll write a blurb and nothing else popular demand: *slides into my DMs* [Part I] [Part III]

They finished Eddie's assignment that first day but Dustin invited him over again the next week. He told him to bring whatever homework he has, and they can brainstorm it together.

This time Eddie braced himself as he approached the door, expecting to run into the older brother again. But to his surprise, Dustin was the one to open the door. 

"They left you unsupervised?" He raised his eyebrows as he stepped past his friend.

Dustin rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful.

"Very funny. Steve had the morning shift today, but he should be back for dinner."

"Ah, the things we could get up to until then," Eddie's eyes sparkled with mischief but Dustin slapped him in the stomach with the strength of a dwarf.

"Yeah, like helping you graduate."

"Oof," Eddie winced, twisting away from his deceitfully powerful hands. "You're no fun, Henderson. Where is your adventurous spirit?"

"At the DnD table, duh."

"Touché."

So Eddie put on his mom-charming pants (they worked the best when no actual moms were involved, just like all his other pants) and did not go looting around his friend's house. Instead, he spread his latest assignments on Dustin's bed, claiming it as his territory for the time being. Dustin worked on his own stuff at his desk, like a civilized human being. Barf.

An hour of relative silence had passed before Dustin set down whatever he was doing and turned in his chair.

"I think you're like Lucas."

It took Eddie a moment to even process the words. He looked up to find his younger friend propped up on his elbow and staring at him.

"Huh?"

"I think you might be like Lucas," he repeated with his customary eye roll.

Eddie thought about the sporty jock-wannabe Sinclair, scrunching his nose.

"How?"

Dustin seemed pleased to be asked that as he sat up eagerly to proceed with his reasoning. Which were for sure very scientific and not pulled out of his ass. Eddie braced himself for an impromptu lecture.

"His grades dropped when he got his own room. But he aced all his tests when it was being painted, and he had to bunk with Erica for a few days. So, we made an experiment and whenever he would study or do homework with someone else in the room, it got better results than when he worked alone," he paused, eyeing his friend. "Are you following?"

Eddie clicked his tongue.

"What I'm following is you used your friend as a test subject."

The boy threw his hands in the air in the way that always made Eddie grin. The kid was so delightfully dramatic.

"For his benefit. And now for yours!"

Eddie huffed in thought, simultaneously hopeful to find a solution for his skittery brain and irritated it might have been that easy this whole time. 

"So I just need a study buddy?" he asked, scrunching his nose.

"Yep," Dustin grinned at him. "I know your uncle isn't home most of the time, but you're welcome here whenever you need to work on something."

Eddie mulled that thought in his head, weighing pros and cons and asking his gut how it felt about it. His gut likes the food in Henderson's house though, so it might be a bit biased.

"You know what, Henderson? I just might take you up on that."

As if on cue, the front door opened and closed, the sound of keys dropping in the bowl following.

"Dustin?"

"Up here!" Dustin hollered and if Eddie was a lesser man, with shittier taste in music, it might have damaged his earbuds. But they were honed in by the sweet tones of metal, therefore a screeching teenager was not enough to break them at this point.

"Oh, hi Eddie!" Steve was standing in the doorway, slightly out of breath and hair not as magnificent as Eddie got used to seeing, a poster boy from a hairspray commercial no more. Ah, what capitalism does to people.

"Your hair looks sad," he observed with a slight tilt of his head.

"Uh," the guy raised his hand to his hair, pulling at the flat fringe self-consciously. "Well, sorry I didn't have the energy to doll myself back up after 8 hours of customer service."

Eddie snorted.

“Doll yourself up? Who says that?”

“I do,” Steve huffed, crossing his arms but the reddening apples of his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment. Good. What grown-ass man refers to himself as a doll? Even one looking like an animated Ken. But that would be dark magic, which Eddie of course doesn't condone.

“I think Robin started it,” Dustin offered, unhelpfully. “She was trying to bully him, but it backfired because he actually likes it.” He made a disgusted face.

“Hey!”

“A doll, Steve? That’s kinda gay,” Eddie shook his head feigning disappointment. Instead of morphing into irritation though, Steve’s face hardened, and suddenly he remembered his nerdy friend’s brother was actually a jock. Former, reformed, doesn't matter. Abs were abs.

“Yeah? And what’s wrong with that?” he asked, eyes set on Eddie, unblinking.

He took a quick glance around the room. The window was open, but it was the first floor and Gareth would kill him if he broke as much as a finger again. So he dusted off the little matchbox of courage that was left somewhere inside him, and offered:

“Uh, nothing? Gays are cool. Dolls are cute. All is good.” He stretched his lips in the best attempt at a smile he could muster right now.

Steve still has not blinked, which was starting to stress Eddie out. Were his eyes always this piercing? He was staring for too long, could match their exact shade to one of the trees surrounding the trailer park by now, but was too afraid to look away. If he showed weakness, he might get chewed alive, spat out and stomped on, for a good measure.

“Good,” Steve said finally, and Eddie could breathe again. “We don’t badmouth gays in this household.”

“We don’t,” Dustin nodded feverishly, eager to get his brother out of the room. This indeed seemed to appease him, as he finally unclenched his jaw, uncrossed his arms and rapped his knuckles against the door frame.

“I’m gonna take a quick shower and start on the dinner. You stayin’?” he asked, eyes back on Eddie, who was paralyzed enough, that Dustin had to swoop in and answer for him.

“Yep, he’s staying.”

“‘Kay,” Steve slapped the door frame, suddenly smiling again, and closed the door. If not for the slow breeze from the open window, Eddie would be already dead in the vacuum-sealed room, because he surely took away all the oxygen on his way out.

He scooted on the bed to face Dustin, who was about to open a book and start reading like whatever had just happened hadn’t just happened.

“Soo, is Steve…?”

Dustin looked at him. Eddie looked at him back.

“Is Steve what?” Dustin prodded, in that annoyed tone of his.

Eddie was a wordsmith, he could write and lead campaigns, produce not-half-bad lyrics and lie his way out of trouble. Usually. He got this.

He opened his mouth. Frowned. He did not get this.

“Gay?” he asked quietly.

“Pshhh, no,” Dustin waved his hand. “He’s a ladies' man.”

“Right, yeah,” Eddie nodded like the bobbing head figurine on his uncle’s dashboard. “Then why…”

Dustin shrugged, the unhelpful bastard.

“I think his father is a homophobe? And Steve was kind of a jerk a few years back, he’s trying to be better now. Overcompensating a bit, if you ask me but eh,” he shrugged again. The helpfulest kid in Hawkins. Baby Henderson opened his book, closing the topic, so Eddie fell back on the bed, taking a well-needed break from his study break.

Normally, when the topic of gays was brought up, it was unpleasant and long-winded, full of exchanged opinions, usually hateful ones. Here, the Hendersons were treating it like small talk, not the can of worms that just opened in Eddie’s stomach. Okay, gross. They would crawl around, who knows in which direction? And the can itself? So many sharp edges, so unsanitary.

Needless to say, it wasn’t something Eddie would forget about quickly like they seemed to expect him to.

Alas, he was Dustin’s study-guest, so the kid gave him five minutes to ponder on the worms crawling inside him, before slapping the side of his head with a book to get him back on track. He wouldn’t even let him out on a leak pass until he showed he was done with the chapter he started.

Finally free for a second, Eddie left the bathroom but instead of returning to Dustin’s room, he was lured downstairs by the atrocious sounds of ABBA. Was ABBA gay? He was going to overthink everything now, wasn’t he? Honestly, the whole pop genre felt gay. Metal, that was manly as fuck. Very heterosexual.

For a second he stood in the kitchen’s door frame watching the older Henderson sway his hips around in a yellow apron. It would be almost endearing if the music didn’t make his brain try to collapse on itself. 

He quickly approached the radio and slammed the pause button to save the poor man from further eardrum damage.

“What is this?” he asked when Steve turned to face him.

“Uh. The radio?” he frowned, the poor guy having no idea what he was saying. The top 40 made him delirious.

“What was the radio playing?” Eddie asked in his most condescending tone, eyebrows raised.

“.... ABBA?”

Eddie scoffed.

“I’ll bring you some real music, hang on a second.” And he was gone, on a quest to educate the masses. “Masses” being one Steve Henderson, but as an older brother and Dustin’s role model he had a duty to uphold and Eddie was generous enough to help him out.

He ran out to his car and rummaged through his cassettes, wondering which one was most appropriate for a cooking background. Not a thing he would practice himself, but metalheads eat too, sometimes, so it couldn't be such a farfetched concept. Right?

Eventually, he dumped an armful of tapes on the counter, grinning at Steve wildly.

“One of them has to work for…” he waved a hand in the general direction of chopped-up vegetables. “Whatever it is you’re doing.”

“I will not believe you haven't cooked before.”

Eddie only shrugged at that and popped the first tape of choice into the player. Steve frowned at the tunes but wisely didn't object.

“Since you’re making yourself comfortable in my kitchen, why don’t you help me out a bit?”

“Ah, I’d love to, but there’s this solo I just have to-” he broke into an elaborate air guitar, imitating the riffs from memory while banging his head. He couldn’t see Steve’s face, but he was undoubtedly impressed. Eddie looked metal as fuck. He was super cool, super manly.

“I thought you were just taking a dump but then, guess what? I hear Iron Maiden from the kitchen!”

What wasn’t cool, was being scolded by a fourteen-year-old.

“Got lured by the sweet tunes, huh, big guy?”

“Dustin please, take him away from me.”

Dustin looked between the older boys, one maniacally jumping around, the other wielding a knife and a carrot. He considered his chances and favorable outcomes.

“If we switch to Metallica I’ll help with cooking,” he offered, to which Steve shrugged and Eddie gleefully switched the tapes.

He jumped around, watching the two Hendersons work together and to his absolute terror, he felt a teeny tiny desire to join in. Thankfully, his pride was still hidden beneath a half-dead tree.

He circled them like a curious cat, getting closer and closer, until his face almost squished against Steve’s arm, still dutifully chopping.

“What are we making?”

“We,” Steve accentuated, jostling the intruder's head. “Are making baked vegetables. You are jumping around like a lunatic.”

Eddie gasped.

“I am providing entertainment!”

“Can you provide the baking pan?” Dustin asked dryly. “It’s in the oven.”

“Only if it means I get to taste the fruits of my hard work.”

“You don’t have to help us to get dinner.” Steve bumped his shoulder with a roll of his eyes. “But, helpers get an extra cookie.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?”

Eddie was truly a genius. He got to help out his fake little brother and his older brother without outwardly asking to be included! And to think he failed senior year twice.

“Go do your nerdy things, I’ll call you when it’s done,” Steve wiped his hands on a towel, food in the oven and the timer set. Dustin was more than happy to leave, and was first to run up the stairs. Eddie was about to follow but a light tug on his shirt stopped him. He turned around, confused, only to be met with Steve pressing a finger to his lips, which, more confusion.

Not easing his grasp, he pulled him back into the kitchen and opened one of the cupboards, where he grabbed a jar and popped it open, releasing a mouthwatering aroma.

“One,” he ordered, and without having to be told twice, Eddie reached in to find a chocolate chip cookie.

“You trying to poison me?” he asked, even if his tongue was one slip away from tasting the treat.

“I would never put poison in my baking,” Steve made a face like the mere suggestion offended him. Eddie raised his eyebrows. 

“You made this?”

“Fucking- Eat it before Dustin comes looking for you. I’m trying to be nice.” Steve gritted his teeth, putting the jar back away.

Eddie felt a little bad for pushing him, but only a little. He finally put the cookie in his mouth and took a bite.

Holy shit.

“This is so fucking good!” he mumbled, crumbs flying everywhere, which earned him a disgusted expression.

“Good thing I haven’t swept yet,” Steve murmured, looking at the floor with disdain. “Now scram. Don’t show up until dinner.”

“Yes, sir!” Eddie saluted, crumbs dripping, and ran away, before Steve’s deadly kitchen rag could reach his butt.

User tags: @i-have-three-feelings @mblogs @awkwardgravity1 @imacowboy3 [Steddie masterpost] [Ao3] [ko-fi]

[reyesstrand]

wip wednesday

thanks for the tags @whatsintheboxmh @ironheartwriter @lemonlyman-dotcom @strandnreyes @carlos-in-glasses @butchreyes <3

“Wait, baby,” Carlos murmurs, his index and middle finger dipping under TK’s chin. “Come up here.”

“Y’okay?” TK asks, his voice rough. He rises anyway, hard in his tight black jeans, and Carlos swallows at the sight of him. His desire for him is a living, breathing thing, constantly twisting deep in his chest. TK’s fingers card through Carlos’ hair and he leans into it as he grips at TK’s waist, pulling him forward and onto Carlos’ lap.

“Just wanted to kiss you,” Carlos says, and TK grins, that smile that’s reserved for Carlos’ dumb jokes and Carlos’ late-night confessions and Carlos’ impromptu dances in the kitchen.

TK hums into the kiss as he settles on Carlos’ lap, but being so close to the edge of the bed means they’re quick to topple. Carlos lets out a small oof as he lands on his back, but TK grins into their kiss in amusement, and it’s all he can focus on. TK’s still got his knees planted on the mattress, bracketing Carlos’ hips and grinding into him to chase the friction, and Carlos tries to slow it all down; his palm tight on the back of TK’s head to angle him how he wants as he licks into his boyfriend’s mouth, chasing the taste of himself off TK’s tongue.

no pressure tagging @paperstorm @theghostofashton @alrightbuckaroo @heartstringsduet @freneticfloetry @rmd-writes @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @bonheur-cafe @sanjuwrites & open tag! <3

[yorshie]

A Day in the Lair

Bayverse turtles x femreader (No Y/N)

summary/warnings: SFW. A day in the lair for reader with her favorite turtles. Hm... is it just me or are they planning a surprise behind her back? A bit more on the nose with the relationships in this one. Set in 2023 (turtles 24-25)

Tags: @jackalope-in-a-storm @tmnt-tychou

The lair was the best place to be on the weekends.

The music was already on when you entered, a sure sign that everyone was in a good mood. Dumping your bag in an empty chair, you took the moment alone to sway at the deep bass, wondering if Mikey or Donnie had chosen the shake remixes. 

A warm hand slid up your arm, a bulky body following to press up against your back as Mikey started to sway in time with your movements. “Sweetie Pie! There you are!” His free arm snaked around your waist, keeping you close as he moved you both through an impromptu series of steps, pulling a bubbly laugh out of you.

You smiled at the new nickname. Every few weeks it seemed like he was trying out a new one for you. He once said he liked the way your face lit up whenever he surprised you with a change, and bonus points if it made his brothers cringe noticeably. 

“You ready for some fun?” He asked, twirling you out before returning your back to his front, holding your arms aloft and shaking them side to side when the music switched to vocals. 

“Hm�� did you guys have something planned? Donnie was being purposefully cryptic in his word choices when he called earlier.”

Mikey let out a little high pitched laugh, a sure sign that something was afoot and he had been sent out first to keep you distracted. Amused, you tilted your head to the side, raising a brow to give him a look that had him giving a short, whistled tune, practically hopping you both side to side, shell blocking you from seeing the rest of the room.

It made you laugh, these giant dorks, somehow saving the world more than twice, taking on terrorists and aliens, but unable to hide from you they were sneaking something literally behind your back.

But a new song came on, and you felt the shivered beat in your bones, and so you looped your elbows over Mikey’s, laid back against his chest, and let him lead you through movements just shy of being inappropriate. When you took a half step too far, his larger foot was there, thigh hard against the outside of your hip as he swayed you both to the side in a move you were sure you’d seen in the dojo.

“Ooo, you’re ok. Mikey’s got ya.” You could feel his smile against your ear, before his head turned again, likely checking to see if the coast was clear yet.

You snorted. “Something distracting you from the here and now, Angelo?”

One hand moved, wrapping around your waist as a slower, deeper song started. “What?” Two steps forward, your smaller feet practically on top of his own. “Nah, with you in my arms?” He lifted you up, arm coming up under your butt as he hopped the railing around the kitchen, taking you closer to the wall of boomboxes and away from the entrance. 

Now, he let you out of his hold briefly, twirling you around, grip firm when he slipped his arm low on your back to keep you from spilling over. “Oof. Little dizzy, baby?”

You hummed, let him use the excuse to reel you back in, your hand not trapped in his own looping up in the space between his neck and shell. “Maybe. But I don’t think my dance partner minds.”

Mikey’s dimples flashed at either corner of his wide smile. “Naw, the dizzier you are, the tighter you hold onto me.”

“Flirt." You accused, going along with his movements, delighting in the little shiver the deep hum in his chest caused. 

“Faster song’s comin’. Think you can keep up?”

At your nod, he let you have a little more room, legs offset, the hard edge of his plastron a line for you to lean against. You pressed a little kiss to the bicep next to your face just to hear Mikey coo, before you were following his lead through the steps, letting him take your weight when you became too dizzy. By the end of it you were practically held aloft, breathless and feeling butterflies tickling your stomach, though he didn’t seem anywhere close to complaining.

“Wow, you two’ve been practicing.” Donnie, standing stock still at the edge of your impromptu dance floor, wide smile plastered to his mouth. When you gave him your attention, amused, he jerked his head in a not subtle manner, and Mikey twirled you out of his arms and over to his brother. 

“Hey, baby, there’s something I gotta go do. Do you mind, uh, helping Donnie with-”

But you were already waving him on, knowing you’d be able to make him crack if you wanted, but there was something so sweet about what they were doing, and so funny about how badly they were going about it. 

“It’s fine, Mikey, are you kidding me? I get some Donnie time?” You shimmied over to stand in front of him, craning your head to watch his smile turn more natural, his eyes soften.

Michelangelo was already gone, but his tallest brother let you take his hand, let you pull him through a few swaying steps as he corralled you into his lab and further away from the others.

“So, Dee.” You sidled into his space, hearing the dull thud of his carapace nicking the edge of the table as he corrected his stance. You wrapped your arms around his middle, laid your upturn chin on his plastron, and batted your eyes. “What have you guys been up to?”

If it was possible, he turned into a steel beam in your arms, his muscles going from pliably relaxed to rigid under your grip. “What? Nothing- that is, we’ve been up to nothing.”

“Oh, you poor baby.” You grinned, planted a kiss to his chest, his arms finally coming up to hold you back. “I was hoping you’d give me a tour of all the experiments you’ve got going on right now, but since you’ve been up to nothing-” You let your lower lip tic out before drumming your fingers across his shell.

His eyes lit up, roved between you and the bits and bobs he had laid out across his main workstation, before the tone caught up with him, and he refocused on your upturn face, suspicion written in the wrinkle between his eyes. 

Your lips were pressed together, in an effort not to laugh at his adorableness. He pet the small of your back with even strokes, content to hold you for a moment before whatever thought crossed his mind pulled another smile.

He sighed dramatically and readjusted his grip, jostling you as he leaned back and hooked an ankle under his chair to pull it closer. “Alas, I hear the voice of Admiral Ackbar in the back of my head.”

“Oh do you?” You went along with his direction, sitting in his chair, one leg under you and the other bent so you could hug it. You let Donnie sway the chair back and forth with his foot, content to steal his spot as long as he kept that pleased expression on his face. “And what wisdom does the famous admiral have to impart?”

Donnie gave that cute, little chuckle, reaching over to the large red button beneath his monitors and giving it a hearty slap. A loud voice blared out ITS A TRAP and he picked it up, giving it a little twirl before he looked at you expectantly.

You held a hand to your chest, splayed it out wide in mock offense. “A trap?? I would never.”

Donnie gave that chuckle again, this time with a little snort, as he grabbed the sides of the chair and gave you a sharp spin for your lie. “All the pretty girls are traps, love.”

You mimicked the high pitched sound he often made when he was happy, making him huff in amusement before he hopped on the back of the chair, one leg pushing it in the direction he wanted as you both scooted around the lab. 

“I could show you how the underground garden is going, or we could look at the Tesla coil?”

“Hm, maybe the one that’s least likely to end with a trip to the emergency room.”

“Yea, I’d hate to die if Leo caught you over the safety line again.” He said in mock seriousness, and his foot clipped out, hooked around the leg of a table, and the chair turned for the growing room door.

Inside, the grow lights were set high above, on a Northern Hemisphere June cycle Donnie had once explained, and below in orderly rows, vegetables and fruit trees grew. As he led you through the aisles, explaining the different things he was growing, experimenting with, you reached up, threading your fingers with his. 

“Hm, wait a moment.” One hand slipped free, and he stopped the chair, leaning to the side towards a bush overhanging its bed. When he saw you sit up to help, he waved you back into your relaxed position. “No, no, let me. There’s thorns.” 

You restarted the tour with a lap full of blackberries, holding one up every now and then for Donnie to steal from your fingers. If he took advantage to nip your fingers, you were careful not to call him out for it.

Leo found you both in the citrus row, Donnie using your lap as a makeshift bowl for a few lemons he had decided look ripe enough to move to the kitchen.

“Oh, hey, Leo,” Donnie swayed as he turned the heavy pots in quarter turns, making sure each tree had access to water while you watched bemused, hands full of fruit. “Is it time already?”

“Time to swap.” Leo answered, and you rolled your eyes in humor, standing and setting the lemons back in the warm divot of the seat. 

“Oh, no, not another sketchy human transfer.” You teased, wrapping your arms around Donnie in farewell. You could feel his grin in your hair, taking a moment to rub his snout against you before he let go.

“I shall miss you, be good for Leo.” He intoned, mock serious, his lips twitching when Leo only shook his head and touched your arm.

“Yes, Mom!” You told him, turning at the slight pressure, letting Leo lead you out of the garden and back through Donnie’s Lab.

“So,” You asked, clasping your hands behind your back, skipping to plant yourself in front of him. “Can I ask what’s going on?”

“No.” Leo said simply, shaking his head when you started walking backwards. His large hands came up automatically to nudge you away from obstacles. “I need your help with something, though.”

“Ri-ight.” You drew out the word, giving him a wink what earned you a fond huff and a dip of his head. You could tell he was leading you towards the back of the Lair, where the bedrooms are. He took your arm in a careful grip to traverse the stairs, urging you to turn so you would trip over the raised door frame when you entered his room.

Everything was clean, in its usual spot, but there was a small clutter of objects in the center of the floor. You sat down next to the project, folding your legs up under you to mirror Leo as he sank to the floor next to you. He somehow made the movement graceful while you were still pulling one of your feet up and under your thigh, waiting patiently until you were settled to hand you something.

It was a pressed flower, inky purple and still vibrant despite its crinkly nature, and you turned it slowly, letting the low light catch on the color. 

“Leo, where’d you get a hollyhock?” You asked, watching as he carefully set down a sheet of glass and nodded at the flower in your hand, letting you set it flat on the surface before answering.

“I  accidentally let a flower shop owner see me a little bit ago, and they’ve started setting out old flowers that didn’t sell for me to take.” He paused. “I think she thinks she’s feeding me.”

You snorted in laughter at the look on his face. “Ah, maybe she’s trying to woo you. Is she pretty?”

He gave you a look, deep blue peeking up from under his lowered head, and you pressed your lips together to keep from laughing at the ‘done with your shit’ expression. “One, she’s close to eighty. Secondly-” you cut him off, reaching for another flower, pressing your whole arm against him before letting your lips rest against the curve of his deltoid. 

“I’m teasing you, Leo.” You retreated, holding the much bigger flower up for inspection while he openly watched you. 

“Well… good.” You could tell you knocked him off his train of thought, so you only hummed an answer, moving to set the faded pink rose a little above the hollyhock.

He handed you the next one, another hollyhock, before he started shifting through the flowers, clearly looking for ones that fit in with the others. You waited patiently as he handed them out slowly, until you realized you had sprigs of apple blossom and fern in your hands, and he was pressing the delicate red petals of salvia on the glass so they stuck.

He looked up as you paused, a question in his eyes, but you only smiled, set the two bundles down before taking the vine of morning glory he handed out. “Did this come from the flower shop, too?”

“Uh, that one-” He preoccupied himself with the piles of dried flowers, which you could now see were parceled out in three even stacks. Your heart melted at the sight, but you only twirled the vine of pink flowers, waiting. 

He finally looked up at you, huffing at being caught. “That one I found.”

You hummed at him, before setting it down on the glass, starting to arrange the foliage so the little pops of color caught the eye. “Well- they’re pretty, you know?”

“I thought so too.” He was setting out another pane of glass on his floor, so you slid the completed one to the side, a little eager to see what he handed you this time.

Baby’s breath. He handed you two full blooms, another in his hand, and had the audacity to smile at you. “I thought we’d make a few, hang them up in the main room.” 

You tapped down the well of warmth in your chest, set the flowers down next to his own to make an arc. “I like that idea.” 

He handed you dill, coriander and thyme, the smell of the herbs stronger than the blooms, and you let out a little ‘few’ at the smell, pulling a chuckle from him as he pressed daisy flowers and white carnation into the greenery. He let you have full control on the third panel, only handing you the flowers, watching your face at you set them all out.

Ivy, faded hyacinth with just a hint of blue still left in the petals, cheery white clover, tiny forget-me-not, more salvia but blue this time, and yarrow in big, faded pink and yellow bunches. You were just tucking the flowers into the fern when a knock at the door sounded, and Raph stuck his head in.

“Ah, he’s got you playing with flowers, princess?”

You upticked your cheek, catching the look Leo threw his brother, and patted his knee in comfort. There was little doubt in your mind that Raph saw anything beyond the obvious fact that you two were pressing flowers.

He jerked his head back towards the lair, leaning on the doorframe and giving you that slow smirk. “Thought you might want to go for a walk, let Fearless here finish up his uh- well, finish up what he needs to do.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Smooth, Raph, smooth.”

“Smoother than you, jerk.” Raph puffed up, and you stood quickly, waving your hands to keep them from continuing the brewing argument. 

“Alright, alright, let’s go.” You let Leo squeeze your hand as you left with Raph, only pausing to watch him start to place glass over the arrangement’s before the red banded brother called to you in reminder:

“Let’s go, princess!” 

“Coming, coming!” You called, giving Leo a little wave when he looked up at the sound of your voice. You pretended not to see Donnie and Mikey with their backs to you in the doorway of the Lab, arms akimbo and whispering as they clearly struggled with something.

Raph led you out the back way, unlocking the circular door and leaving it propped open. “C’mere, sweetheart, we’re going for a bit of a jog.” 

He held open his arms, and you went readily, curling up against his shoulder and letting him hook your legs over the bend of his other elbow. 

He took you up to a larger tunnel with a waterway in the middle, steps slow and even once the path leveled out. 

“This is nice, that we can do stuff like this now, without the sewer smell.” You commented, leaning to watch the water flow on it’s way back from treatment. 

“Yea, we upgraded from sewer to water intake.” He joked, arms curling in tighter when you tapped his shoulder to be let down. “Let me hold you for just a little longer, princess. Everyone else got to have you close.”

“I thought I was just messing around with flowers with Leo, Red?”

Raph barked out a laugh. “He made the mistake of leaving that little book out. We all know exactly what he was up to.” 

“Shh.” You poked his side. “Just because Leo prefers to be romantic doesn’t mean you should make fun of him.”

“You mean Fearless likes to beat around the bush.” He snipped, clutching you tighter for a moment before throwing you up in retaliation for poking him. 

You had one moment of weightless breathlessness before his arms caught you again, and you laughed to realize you hadn’t even had time to yelp. 

“I’d rather just come out n’ say it.” He groused, and you interlaced your hands, set them on his shoulders and gave a practiced simper. 

“Hm?” He hummed, when he clocked the movement. “Oh, did you want something from me?” His muscles tensed, and this time you had a second to balk before you were up in the air again. This time, he threw you higher, and you had enough time to yelp in fright before you were once more in his arms.

“Sides,” he continued, as if you weren’t red and flustered in his grip, “he ain’t the only one that’s romantic.” As if to back up this point, he stopped and dropped his snout into your personal space.

His snout touched your nose, and you went a little crosseyed as he rumbled, “you just gotta know how to get your girl going, that’s all.” 

Heat flared low, and you stuttered, not at all immune to the way he cooed at your silence.

“Hm, nothin’ to say? Thought you were lookin for something. But if not?” He gave an easy shrug to go along with his shit eating grin, and straightened back out.

You were left red faced, blinking repeatedly, before you visibly startled. Raph’s booming laugh echoed back from the walls when you pinched his arm and sulked.

“Alright, alright, c’mere.” He ducked back, and you squirmed, not buying it, so when he blew a raspberry on your cheek before kissing it you were prepared.

You were nearing the end of the tunnel when he spoke again. “You could beat around the bush a little less, too, ya know?” He gave you a side look from under his brow ridges, slightly goading.

“Oh?” You mirrored the look, knew you fell short compared to him. “You need a little more verbal confirmation, Raph?”

“I wouldn’t say no to a little more than verbal, princess.” He leered, and you openly rolled your eyes.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He acted like he would toss you again for the cheek, causing you to scramble and hold tighter, before he chuckled. The sound carried through his chest and settled against your bones, comforting.

“I do, you know.” You said when you neared the door again, and he looked down at you in question. “Love you.”

He smiled, a little bashful, but touched foreheads with you all the same. “I know.”

He whisked you back inside before you could comment, let you slide down out of his grip and pad into the main room on your own volition. “Alright, alright, so what have you guys been sneaking around with?”

Silence, and you turned, looking for the suddenly missing red banded turtle. “Raph?” You spun around, hands on your hips, looking. “Guys?”

A tinkle off to the side, that you pinged as Mikey stifling a chuckle, and you pursed your lips, rounded in a sway to head towards the noise.

“SURPRISE!”

You knew it was coming, but still had to clap your hands to your chest to hold your heart in place. Streamers popped, confetti billowed out, and you laughed to see them all wearing party hats, Mikey supporting a layered cake. They laughed at your reaction before spilling forward towards you.

Donnie took the cake from Mikey, holding it up high above your heads so the youngest could sweep you up in a hug. “Happy anniversary, babycakes!”

That was not the word you were expecting. “Anniversary?”

“Yeah,” Raph tapped Mikey in a silent ‘share the hugs’ message, and took his turn, pressing you up against his side before Leo could cut in. “The day we met, remember?”

You laughed, holding onto his side, but when he stiffened at the sound you went to Leo, curling up under his arm to hug him as well before explaining. “I remember. I was expecting something else.”

“What were you expecting?” Donnie asked, passing the cake to Mikey as he took his turn, and you hummed, trying to buy time.

“Well, uh,” you stepped back, grinning at their waiting faces, “its- kinda - it’s my birthday, ya know?”

It’s a good thing they were ninjas, because Leo’s quick reflexes were the only thing that saved the cake when Mikey’s arms went limp with shock.

“It’s your birthday?” Mikey whispered, sounding betrayed, and you gave them all a sheepish look.

“Yea, I don’t know how that didn’t ever come up.”

They all made various noises of annoyance at that, Raphael’s deepening into something more tee’d at the little grin and shrug of shoulders you gave them.

“Surprise?” You asked, holding up your hands, but your declaration was met with stony silence.

“We’re gonna need more food.” Donnie suddenly turned about face, phone already out.

“Wait- don’t.” You started, but you were back in Raph’s arms before you could protest, only able to watch them scurry off from your high vantage. “Annnnd- they’re gone.”

“Leo’s gone to get candles for the cake.” Raph stated. “Mikey, probably to grab the pizza he planned for later. Donnie, eh, who knows.” He shrugged, and started walking with you to the living room area.

“But I’m fine with just cake!” You laughed, exasperated.

“Well, we’re not. Jesus, sweetheart, you didn’t think to tell us it was your birthday?”

“I don’t know, I thought you guys knew?” You shrugged in his grip, craning over his shoulder and shell in an effort to see where the others had gone. “I kinda thought that’s what you guys were up to- I just wanted to not spoil all the hard work.”

When you turned back to him, Raph had a put upon expression, and you knew he was corralling his emotions. So you gave him your sweetest smile, the one that always got you out of trouble. It succeeded in pulling a huff of air from him, which was as close to a laugh as you’d get in that moment. 

He dumped you on the couch with a very pointed finger jab that conveyed ‘sit, stay’ and you held up your hands in a show of surrender, leaning back and settling in to do just what he wanted. He stalked off, turning dramatically halfway across the Lair as though to catch you in the act of leaving your assigned seat.

You waved cheekily, and blew a kiss which earned an eye roll.

Mikey returned first, balancing a box of pizzas and what suspiciously looked like easter themed candy. He set the bags down on the ginormous metal door turned coffee table that Donnie had welded legs to, and bopped off again. You watched him dig through the bookshelves of DVDs in search of something, until Donnie reappearing captured your focus. 

He had bags of take out, the cheery logo on the side proclaiming your favorite diner, and without thinking you made grabby hands towards the bag. He snorted, swatting away your reaching hands to set it on the table, sliding it out of your reach when you scooted forward to peek. 

Donnie set a long finger against the middle of your forehead, pressing you back in the seat with a fond, amused look at your grumblings. “Wait at least until everyone gets back.” 

You flopped back dramatically, already smelling your favorite smells wafting from the containers, but he only chuckled, slouching down to set his shell into the giant bean bag beside the couch. 

Leo brought back the cake, a pack of candles in his other hand, and he eyed you before opening the package and frowning at them. You snorted at his hesitance, gesturing for him to pas the package over before handing him back the correct amount. 

“Oh I see you’ve turned 21 a few times there, love.” Donnie quipped from his beanbag, and you reacted on instinct, snapping a pillow into his face with deadly precision. He took it to the snout, hands rising up too late to do anything other than clutch the projectile.

Leo huffed a laugh, raising a finger and straightening to intone in a falsely wizened voice, “a ninja never comments on a lady’s age.” 

“That’s a gentleman, Leo. Ninja’s are ‘don’t let the lady catch you in her bedroom’,” came Donnie’s muffled answer.

“Who’s catching who in the bedroom?” Mikey asked, setting a small stack of DVDs down on the rapidly disappearing table as he squeezed in next to you, stealing another hug before wedging his shell against the arm of the couch.

You leaned back against Mikey, letting him wrap a bulky arm around you and pull you closer. You both watched as Leo painstakingly added the little candles to the cake, before Mikey made a small, regretful noise next to your ear.

“Man, we couldn’t get you presents-”

“What makes you think this isn’t a present?” You asked, amused, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. “I have all I’ll ever need, right in this room.”

“Mikey’d be a shitty present, he farts in his sleep.” Raph sassed, stepping into the living room area with what looked like his whole stash of soda and chocolate. 

“Hey!” Mikey protested, and when Raph went to sit on the couch next to you he lifted you up high, determined to keep you for himself. “Jokes on you now, you get no cuddles.”

“Oh, no, how will I ever-” he struck out, fast, belting the side of his closed fist against his brother’s plastron and catching you when Mikey let go reflexively with an oooofff and depositing you between them again. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Leo looked up from where he was finishing lighting candles, slid the cake over so it was right in front of you. “Alright, time to make a wish.”

“Can I wish for-”

Donnie made some rushed sound, cutting you off, and you all turned to him, confused for a beat before Mikey caught on. 

“Can’t tell us, babes, else it won’t come true.”

You rolled your eyes fondly, taking a moment to glance at each of them. Donnie had leaned forward, smooshed the bean bag down to create a faux back to balance on as he watched the sparkle of the little flames. You caught Raph sticking a finger out, stealing a bit of icing when he thought no one was paying attention and popping it into his mouth. Mikey had snuck his hand into yours again, fingers engulfing your own while smiling. Leo had leaned his elbows against the coffee table, opposite you, bright eyes trailing between your face and the cake.

You knew what your wish would be, and you leaned forward without hesitation, determined to extinguish every candle on the first try.

[darkwing-ramblings]

In order, depicted are: Frodo's embroidery, Celebrimbor's embroidery and Celebrimbor's bowl turned impromptu necromancy conduit. They're matched as best as I can manage to their descriptions in @chthonion 's fanfiction series Your shadow rising to meet you on Ao3, to my knowledge they're specifically drawn from the work Anastasis within it, I can't remember the chapter information specifically however.

Oof writing that image description took it out of me, matching colour shades is harder than it first appears, in the name of Smaug the Great and Dreadful! As such I won't particularly elaborate more, but needless to say I find the fanfiction to be an interesting read and shows everyone in it with suitable complexity in their characterisation that I find very fair to all parties involved on the whole! I quite appreciate the approach taken where no character is absent of agency- their choices are not attributed by @chthonion to anyone else, this is handy when practically every character has at least one or two moments of dubious decision making to their name.

Characters can be sympathetic and still have committed rather objectively awful crimes on the more extreme perspective of the spectrum shown, wherein their feelings and personhood afterward are not as a result less real but there is no skirting around the fact that they did indeed willingly commit their actions and that it will almost inevitably impact their interpersonal relationships (often badly). Cthonion, I feel, pulls of demonstrating the principle in practice and hitting the point home extremely well.

At least I can reuse it in the individual images more or less unchanged included below:

Behold, in isolated form, Frodo's embroidery...

Behold, in isolated form, Celebrimbor's embroidery (which I shake my fist at for being so damned complicated to describe, overachiever that he is, grumble grumble grumble)...

Behold, in isolated form, Celebrimbor's bowl turned impromptu necromancy conduit (pre being broken and thrown across the the room etc)...

[giggly-squiggily]

Hello squiggly!! For the event, may I humbly request some Lee Atsushi with Ler Akutagawa? After the recent chapters of this manga, Atsushi defo needs some love from his boyfriend. If you’re able to do this, thanks so much 🥰

{Puffs are now CLOSED!}

OOF- I have no idea what's going on in the manga right now, but if it's that sad then he needs all the tickles! I've gotcha friend! (Decided to make this a sequel to yesterday's puff lols. I'll link it if I remember!)

“W-Wait wait wait wahaait! Hold up noohow!” Atsushi was already giggling as he was turned around, meeting Akutagawa’s deadly smile head on. “I was just pahahssing time! If we do this, the cocoa-”

“Will be fine. We can warm it back up if needed.” His hands curled slowly into Atsushi’s sides, making the weretiger jerk in his grasp with a startled giggle. “You had your fun. Now it’s my turn.”

“R-Rehehehyu, doohohn’t-aheahhahahahaha! Nohohoho, pleahahhahase!” He never stood a chance- not with how ticklish he was in comparison to the other. “Aheahhaha, not biihihihy the stohohohove!”

“Already turned it off.” Still, the brunette made it a point to pull Atsushi forward, impromptu waltzing with him as he carried on softly tickling the back of his ribs. “The cocoa’s in the microwave. It’ll be fine.”

“Ohoho, how cohohohnsiderate! Aheahhahaha!” Atsushi squeaked when those fingers sank in deeper, making his knees buckle. “Reheheheyu, coohohohoem ohohohohn! I mahhahahade yohohohou cohoohhcohohooa! Wihihihihth mihihihihni mahahahhrshmehehehellows!”

“Oh?” The promise of tiny delights nearly made Akutagawa forget where he was. Then he came back too. “Sounds good. I’ll be sure to savor it after I tickle you.”

“Gehhehahhahaha! Dahhahamn, I thohohohught I hahahahd you! Aheehehahahhaha!” Giving up on escaping, Atsushi chose to cling to him, burying his face into Akutagawa’s neck as he shook and giggled in his arms. “Yohohohour swheheheheheettohohohohohohooth wihihihihll geheheht yoohohohu one dahhahhay!”

“Sure sure.” Snickering, he leaned in and kissed Atsushi’s kiss, feeling rather satisfied by his revenge plot. Releasing him from his tickles, he kept his arms around his waist as Rashomon collected his drink. “Oh. You weren’t kidding about the marshmallows.”

“I wohohouldn’t lie aboohohut that.” Laughing at the look of bliss on his boyfriend’s face, Atsushi reached out and grabbed his own drink, cheering their mugs together. “Come- we have a movie to watch.”

[glitchy-npc]

Tenacity

Done as a discord prompt, Tegan and Ortega have an impromptu sparring session that goes...poorly. Sidestep era days, pre face reveal. 1,051 words.

The training mat is supposed to soften the blow and while it's better than concrete, it still hurts when Ortega’s throw lands you flat on your back. Maybe you shouldn't complain, it wasn’t hard enough to activate your pain gate and it would have been far more embarrassing if he caught you. You have an audience after all. Steel and Anathema watch from the sidelines, having paused their own workouts to watch your impromptu sparring session with Ortega. 

He had been the one who suggested it, with a cocky smile and a challenge that was impossible to say no to. You're starting to figure him out, how he likes to bait people, throw them off guard. A guard you put up once more after picking yourself up off the mat, ignoring his outstretched hand. You won’t let him coddle you, not with witnesses.

You watch his feet as he moves hoping they’ll telegraph his next move since the static hum of his mind reveals nothing. It's inconvenient, like fighting with a blindfold. Maybe you should have asked him to fight with one hand tied behind his back. But this is something you need to prove to yourself. That you're strong enough, good enough to run with the Rangers. 

You should have been watching his hands. His left hook catches you by surprise, cracking against your cheek bone and you know it will bruise because you feel your pain gate kick in, slowly muddling the sharp sting of the blow. It's a sensation you’re becoming increasinging used to. At least your mask hides the damage. As well as your expression. 

Ortega winces in sympathy. “Oof, I really thought you would have sidestepped that one.” A wink is all he offers by way of apology. Not that you would have accepted one. No one has ever apologized to you in your life, no reason the Marshal should, just because he’s friendly. 

Friendly when he's not trying to kick your ass in front of his coworkers. Focus. You need to get past that reach. No way you can slug it out with how much taller he is and there's nothing near you besides empty space that you could use to your advantage. Part of you wonders if Steel and Anathema are keeping their distance out of concern for stray lightning bolts. It's been known to happen. 

No, you’ve got to get him off his feet, on the ground. If you can get him into a lock you might be able to get him to tap out. 

You duck low under his raised guard and lock your arms around his torso. With your pain gate active you barely feel the body blow he gives you and you sacrifice your footing for the aid of gravity, sweeping your leg behind his dominant one, using your momentum to bring him off balance. He doesn’t fall like you wanted him to, rolling to diffuse the impact, but you’re still locked together. And what's worse, he's on top. But while your arms are pinned, so are his. He has the audacity to smile at you and you're sure it's not just your imagination that reads the suggestion in it. 

Ok. Time to fight dirty, your enemies would. You crack your forehead into his nose as hard as you can, your pain gate saving you from the worst of it, not so much for Ortega. 

He swears in Spanish but the surprise blow is enough of a distraction to roll him off of you. Not that he lets you get to your feet. 

He’s fast but then again you knew that. He grapples you down again. Longer reach, heavier body, what were you thinking? It's not long before he has you pinned, face down, one arm trapped beneath you, the other locked behind your back. You struggle despite it but your kicks find no purchase.

“Tap out!” The Marshal voice. Looks like he's not playing anymore. 

Drops of something wet and coppery smelling hit your mask. Blood? Did you break his nose? You’ll call that a victory even if your arm beneath you is shaking with the effort to get him off you. You push with every bit of your strength, trying not to think about how you’ll feel once your pain gate resets.

“I said tap out!” The pressure increases on the arm he has a hold of. You don’t feel the pain but there's a tightness in your shoulder that worries you. He could break your arm. 

Easily. 

“Fuck you!” It’s all you can think of to say as you feel your eyes sting. What made you think you could take on Charge of all people? He’s been in the hero game for years, there's a reason he was made the Marshal. And you? A runaway little cuckoo who was never made for combat. Small. Weak. Everything your blue-skinned siblings said you were. You squeeze your eyes shut hard, half to push back the tears, half to muster the very last ounce of strength you have.

You feel your bodies lift ever so slightly and then…

“Enough!” Suddenly all the pressure is gone as Steel drags the Marshal off of you and you quickly scramble to your feet. Anathema stands in front of you, close but not touching you as Steel stands in front of Ortega, barriers between you two. 

There's a strange look in Ortega’s eyes as blood flows freely from his nose, you’re not sure if you approached him now if he would hit you or hug you. 

“You should have yielded…” His voice is softer than it had been before, unsure, not a tone you’re used to hearing from him.

“I think we're done for today.” Steel says with a finality you can feel. Even if he’s an asshole, he’s at least good at keeping a cool head. He offers the Marshal a towel and suddenly the sight of his blood makes you nauseous. You need to get out of here. 

“Whatever.” Is all you offer by way of goodbye, turning on your heel to storm out of the training room.

“Sidestep, wait! We can-” Anathema’s voice calls out to you but you’re already out the door. You walk as fast as you can, it takes all your willpower not to run.

Nobody stops you.

[noirbriar]

What if/ headcanon things

Been running around The Hobbit/LOTR tags for awhile so i'm still learning lore and things. Recently gotten hooked to The Silmarillion side and after thinking about Gondolin Erestor, random thoughts of Feanorian Erestor/ Erestor Caranthirion got me thinking so what ifs: 1) Fili and Kili actually met Maglor and saves him from fading/despair on one of their work trips.Until Erestor, on one of his trips to seek out Elrond's father, finally locates Maglor with their help. Watch the drama unfold later in the Hobbit when Glorfindel&Erestor returns to Imladris to find the vegan feast and the chief councillor's surprise to find the young dwarrow he met are princes. They catch up and talks about Maglor until Erestor notices something off. Like,dear Valar, Lindir, is the kitchen slow today in bringing out the food, why is it all just salads? Quietly with a raised brow in wonder to dear Lord Elrond? They helped your Atya, why are we not being a better host? The rest of the company are now looking at Fili and Kili for answers, with the Great Stare from their uncle. Whereas Bilbo and Gandalf are on the side watching the drama. Glorfindel gets emotional seeing the swords from Gondolin, especially his dear friend's and King's.And the dwarrows are intrigue with the balrog slayer and his mate casually giving pleasantries in Kuzdul though with an old accent. will this change the hobbit's plot? maybe idk

small ficlet for this AU here

2) Elrond sails and upon arrival on the Western shores (after elf-napping his foster father) He is reunited with his parents & Celebrian and spots Maedhros and his brothers and Celebrimbor beyond the docks. Before he can even reach out to his other father, Carathir swoops in and is brokenly asking where is his "lil owlet". Elrond is confused until Maedhros wrangles his emotional brother and clarifies to the stunned group that he meant Erestor. "Oh?Erestor?He is staying for his belated honeymoon.He just bonded and-""WITH WHO??!THE TAPESTRY DIDN'T SHOW THAT!?" "Was a lil impromptu really. But they couldn't wait and Glorfindel-"LAUREFINDIL??" Caranthir and the rest of the Feanorians turn to Glorfindel's side of the family and both side stares.Until Carathir storms off to confirm the tapestries again.

Into the Fourth Age, when the couple finally arrives: Carathir: How could you get married without a family's blessing?! Erestor: Like I could?! Besides I had my cousin!*gestures to Elrond* and my uncle!*gestures to Maglor sneaking away* Carathir: WTF Erestor: Besides, YOU didn't marry with your family's blessing! everyone else:...

Ambarussa: he has a point brother

Carathir: *losing his mind*Laurefindil is too old for you!

Erestor: YOU were too old for amil!

Celegorm: oof

Carathir: *seething and struggling* I can't argue with that why can't I argue with that?? Maedhros: hello Laurefindil, welcome to the family. Glorfindel:...

Ecthelion and Egalmoth meanwhile are laughing their asses off. Elrond and his sons as well.

[writingforfishes]

Hicvember: Pirate and Silent

Writing this in the post to force me to make this fic smaller than it threatens to be in my head.

Have I just watched 4 Youtube videos about pirates in preparation for Otto's trivia knowledge of rovers and privateers? Yes.

Here's to condensing my ramble!

Spoiler alert: It didn't work. My ramble is not condensed.

Did a wee correction. Jon is Filipino-Chinese.

CW:

Unsolicited pirate trivia

Painful hiccups (ultimately)

C@rds Against Hum@nity level triggers

Waffle House

Drunkenness (mentioned: past)

Reactions to info-dumping

Otto being neurodivergent loudly

Jon being neurodivergent compatibly

Old people playing C@H

Old person joke

Me attempting to represent silent hiccups the best I know how

Margie and Cindy being the House Party Lesbians, confirmed cannon

Game night shenanigans

Mark is the token straight white cis male

This took embarrassing long to write, fuck

All that had been asked of Otto was why he brought hot cocoa to the pirate themed party Margie and Cindy were holding for Talk Like a Pirate Day game night. The next thing everyone knew Otto was talking about how pirate treasure was less often gold, unless it was Spanish coins, than it was tobacco, cocoa, and spices.

Then he got started on tricorn hats and how pirate hats were more often slouch hats or knit caps. As he ate chips and drank the hot chocolate which prefaced this, he also described other popular misconceptions.

Atticus had taken the toy musket out of their plastic scabbard and started bonking it on the heads of Mark, Ralph, and Jon (Ralph's husband who also worked at the department with them). Mark used his sword to parry against Atticus' musket a few times before it threatened to knock something over and they both withheld the spar for the sake of Margie and Cindy's breakables.

Otto wasn't fazed by the play fight as he lost himself in all of the things he knew about pirates and pirate culture from the late 1600's through the golden age and after into popular culture.

Cindy, who was dressed in a magnificent outfit utilizing her talents from her drag show days as well as her fabulous costume closet from previous years of Halloweens and Ren Fairs (which Margie participated in to increase business for her apothecary and tea shop), leaned over to Atticus from her position on the couch next to them.

"He's just gonna keep going isn't he?" she whispered in the writer's ear.

"Oh yeah," Atty said as they pushed around the cards from their hand. C@rds Against Hum@nity was languishing under Otto's wealth of knowledge. "Not a lot can stop him once he starts info-dumping. I know way more about zithers than I ever needed to know. And ships. And pigeons, for some reason..."

Cindy snorted and sat back in acceptance of the impromptu lecture and hoped the non-alcoholic rum tricked her brain into thinking she was at least a little tipsy.

"But!" Otto said with a grin. He'd stood up from his position next to Atticus on the couch as he'd gotten the hot cocoa and now stayed standing in front of his very patient audience.

"Having a par--parrot or m--mo--monkey on," he paused as his neck contracted two more times in a row and he put a hand to his chest, "onboar--d is some--someth--ing the mov--ies got--got riIGHt. Oof."

"Oh, thank god, he has the hiccups," Atticus heard Cindy whisper to herself and, beyond how aroused they suddenly were, they found the statement humorous.

"Aw, Otto, come and sit back down and I'll get you some water, hm?" Cindy said as she stood.

Atticus caught Margie startling awake as Cindy moved out of their eyeline to see her. Atty covered their mouth to prevent a laugh from escaping.

"Wait, so they actually had pets on pirate ships!?" Jon said, following Otto's form as he sat down next to Atticus who immediately started rubbing his back.

"Sweetie...no...please," Ralph implored to his partner.

"What?" the Filipino-Chinese man said, oblivious to everyone else's reaction to Otto's monologue. "This is really interesting!...what?"

"I just asked why Otto brought hot cocoa..." Mark said, in a bit of a daze from the experience.

"They a--lso sm--oked tobac--ac--acco from long--pipes! Not en--enough rep--represen--tation of that in--in the movies i--f you--y--you ask m--e. Shit," Otto said and caught his breath from hiccups that, while silent, were on the deeper side.

"See now?" Jon said. "That's interesting as hell. They totally should depict pirates with pipes! Missed opportunity with that! Though...I guess Disn3y wouldn't really be able to sell toy pipes in the stores, huh? Bubble pipes in Pirates of the C@ribbean wouldn't have had the same ambience..."

Everyone chuckled a little at that, including Otto who ended up jerking again with those powerful silent hiccups. Atticus leaned into his side and Otto pulled an arm around them so they could feel his body closer.

"Thanks," the clock maker said as Cindy handed him a water. It might not cure him, but he'd definitely gotten a dry throat from talking so much and his hiccups weren't helping with that.

The rest of the game Otto was less talkative. Atticus had become much more attentive to him. Cindy had, instead, started garnering more attention from the rest of the gang. It was natural for her to gravitate to the spotlight. She thrived in making people laugh and entertaining.

But laughing at Cindy's wit was making Otto's hiccups all the worse. Still, they never made a sound. In some ways, that was good. It wasn't disruptive. But in others, his body was subjected to the full power of his hiccups with no release valve of sound to take some of the pressure off. And no matter how wide he let his mouth hang open, the hiccups still remained internal and silent.

Atticus noticed he'd started grunting after each hiccup. They were soft sounds, but Atticus was so close they could hear them clearly. In some ways it increased their arousal tenfold to hear the little moans and hums of reaction. But in other ways they worried about Otto's comfort level. His facial expression was tight, though he was putting a good effort into being present and open with interactions.

When he finally won a round, it was up to him to recite the next card. He sighed when it was a two-card required answer. He'd also have to read everyone's played cards in the blanks.

He took a breath, not that it helped.

"L--ifetime pr--esents bl--b--lank: the St----ORy of--blank!" Otto said with a sigh.

The hiccups had been going on for only a few minutes now, but they were already starting to hurt. Otto bounced next to Atticus with a hand on the back of his neck.

The writer had asked if he was okay, and he just nodded with a smile.

Atticus put down two cards and Cindy followed suit, her hand crossing their lap to land on Otto's knee.

"Do you need anything, hon?" she said, southern accent always breaking out a little when she spoke words of care to someone.

Otto shook his head no and waved his hand. But Atticus spoke up.

"Do you keep apple cider vinegar in the house?" they asked.

"Yeah," Margie said. "I'll go get it."

The former bartender put down her two cards and made her way to the kitchen.

Soon, all of their friends had put down their picks. Mark looked especially mischievous about his. He wore his eyepatch flipped up after Otto had said there was no evidence that pirates necessarily wore eyepatches, at least not to see better in the dark as was the common misbelief.

Stubbornly, Otto wrangled all the cards and started reciting them before Margie came back with the vinegar, which would hopefully ease his hiccups.

"Lifet--time," he bounced two times in the middle of the reading, putting a fist over his mouth, "Sorry. Lifetime--present--s 'Pu--puberty: the St--S--Story of--a sad han--djob,' Ha! Cle--ver! Not tr--ue though." He grinned impishly.

He flipped over the next set and started abbreviating the card a little to make it shorter, "CaARnies: the Stor--y of the pro--profound--ly hand--icapped!"

Otto covered his mouth and shook his head.

"That's so bad," Atticus muttered with a snort.

No one fessed up.

"Doin' i--it in the b--utt: the..." he laughed with a wince at the rest, "the StORy of--a--all this bl--blood!"

There were guffaws and 'ews' in response. Again, no one fessed up.

"Wh--ite privile--ge," Otto started, and paused to hiccup a couple of times soundlessly before, "the Story of N--ot giving--giving a sh--it about the Th--ird World!"

"Ooh," Ralph said.

"Too true," Jon replied.

"Scrotum ti--tickling," Otto read and shook his head. He covered his eyes for a second when he read the second part, "the Story o--o--of, damn. The Stor--y of the bONErs of--of the elderly."

More laughter and the clock maker narrowed his eyes.

"As the--" Otto started, and bounced with two more hiccups, "oldest per--person here, I f--I'm feel--ing per--sonally attacked!"

"They were throw-away cards!" Jon exclaimed to more laughter.

Otto just shook his finger at him with the same narrowed eyes and shook his head. He then took a breath as he finally got to the last one, not knowing it would fell him completely.

He scanned the cards and broke down laughing. It was too much. He pointed at Mark accusingly between laughter and hiccups choking him. Everyone else was a bit confused.

"Atti--At--At--ty," Otto managed between laughing and rapid-fire hiccups. He slid the cards to them.

"O...kay," Atticus said watching Mark's grin suspiciously. "Lifetime presents 'Not wearing pants: the Story of Waking up half-naked Denny's parking lot'"

Otto just laughed harder, and Mark's smile grew to joker sized proportions.

"I--t wa--s a Wa--Waffle H--ouse, you a--ss!" Otto managed.

Cindy guffawed at that admission and soon all of them were giggling and chuckling to varying degrees.

Otto's hiccups had been fueled by his laughter as he winced at the rapidness they'd gained.

"Fuck!" he slipped in the middle of recovering.

"Mark, man, I think you killed him!" Ralph said, wide smile penetrating the dark skin of his face.

Mark's face had gone as red as nodded, laughing.

"He said...he told me he woke up and was just...fucking covered in syrup. And...what was it?"

"Mush--mush--roo--ms!" Otto managed as Atticus shoved the apple cider vinegar into his hand.

It wasn't even that they wanted Otto to get rid of his hiccups for his own well-being at this point. If Otto hiccuped any faster and his body spasmed any more seductively they might orgasm right there. Fortunately, everyone else was so preoccupied with the laughter and imagery they didn't notice how sweaty and red Atticus had gotten.

"Mushrooms! Right! Sliced mushrooms! And...and when the police asked him why he had mushrooms all over him next to the dumpster in the back of a Waffle House he said....he sa...he said I guess...I guess I got capped!" Mark shouted.

The detective remembered Otto sharing the story when Mark was feeling bad about getting drunk that one night. Otto thought it would make the detective feel better to compare his own experiences with drunkenness. Needless to say, it did. They couldn't pass by a Waffle House after that without Mark cackling and warning Otto not to get himself capped again.

"I...don't get it," Margie admitted.

Ralph, cackling wildly now, explained, "When you order hashbrowns at Waffle House you can order them smothered or covered, which is like cheese, and capped is code for adding mushrooms! Ha! Oh man! That's great, dude."

Cindy was crying with laughter, now. And Jon, who hadn't understood until it was explained either, laughed anew.

"Oh my gosh!" Margie said, covering her mouth, amused.

Atticus was laughing, too, but more performatively. Holy crap, it was hot. They took off their bandana from their head to fan themselves hoping it would look like they were just sweating from the amusement.

Fortunately, Otto's hiccups stopped nearly immediately after he gulped down the apple cider vinegar.

"I told you that in confidence, man!" Otto said, but jokingly.

Mark unanimously won that round.

As Otto was driving him and Atticus home Atty checked in on him.

"You sore?" they asked casually.

"Yeah, a little," he confirmed. "Also...umm...I have to admit something."

"Oh?"

"I...sort of put off curing my hiccups because it was kind of hot watching you struggle and...um...you were really cute so...sorry," Otto said and pursed his lips.

"...asshole," Atticus said after a pause and laughed. "I was wondering why you endured it for so long! I could tell it was hurting!"

"Yeah, being sober means trying to find thrill in more...inventive ways," he said sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess getting capped behind a Waffle House isn't an option anymore, huh?" Atticus said with a smirk.

Otto threw his head back and laughed again.

"Listen," he said between chuckles, "when most of the stories after blacking out turned out pretty dire and dangerous the ones like that are at least ones I can look back on knowing I didn't hurt anyone or...anything. But trust me when I say I am delighted the most salacious stories I have now are getting my spouse aroused by a fit of hiccups in the middle of a game of C@rds againt Hum@nity at a pirate themed party after I bored everyone to tears with my...I really know too damn much about pirates..."

"Naah," Atticus said with a wave of their hand. "It wasn't that boring."

Otto gave them a side-eye.

"Jon liked it..." they said attempting to save the conversation.

"Yeah," Otto said, "he did. Maybe I should hang out with Jon more. Someone who appreciates my vast knowledge of history and culture."

"Mm. I could loan you out once a week," they said with a shrug.

Otto gasped, his mouth open in shock.

"I'm kidding!" Atticus insisted. "Two times a month."

"You're so mean," Otto groused unconvincingly.

"I know," Atty said.

"...can I have a massage when we get home?" Otto asked.

"Of course," they said with a grin.

[bleach-your-panties]

Heyyy babe 💗💗 I saw your Valentine’s event and it’s so cute!! Can I please request G + K + N for Yuuji bae? 😘💗 I am sending you lots of love and thank you for this sweet event 💗💗

Hey Winter bae!! 🤍🤍Thank you for sending this in for Yuuji-poo!🫶🏽 Sending more love back🥰

a/n: they are in their 3rd year here and gojo is still their teacher because he just has to be. nobara is also here because she just has to be.

----

❥⋱G- Gift: What did he get you?

Now, it took Yuuji a little time to decide on the perfect gift for you, because we all know our baby is a little dumb and doesn’t actually know much about what girls like. Of course, he had to drag Megumi and Nobara along for this little impromptu shopping trip, much to their (Megumi’s) disinclination. 

So, as they’re strolling through the Tokyo shopping district, Yuuji's thinking hard about what you might like.

“Oh, there’s a video store! Let’s go in here!” 

Megumi scowls immediately and Nobara is very tempted to slap the pinkette upside his head.

“Idiotdori, this is why girls don’t like you.” Nobara told him after following through with slapping him upside the head. Yuuji grimaced and rubbed the bump that was beginning to form through his messy pink locks.

“Y/N likes me…”

“An unfortunate revelation for her, I’m sure.”

Yuuji just decided to let that last comment fly and look around the store. Posters advertising the latest release of his favorite movie, Human Earthworm, were strewn up on the walls, which gave him an idea.

Since Valentine’s Day was right around the corner, the store had a little display shelf of romantic movies set up near the checkout counter, ranging in genres from comedy to horror. How a horror movie can be romantic, well, just ask Yuuji.

He approached the display, started picking though the titles, and came upon a strategically placed box of those friendship necklaces where one person wears half the heart and gives the second half to their significant other.

“Why are you getting her a friendship necklace, she’s your girlfriend.” Nobara chastised as Yuuji went to the counter with his armload of purchases.

“She’s also my best friend, so I think it’s a fitting gift!” The pink-haired male retorted, sticking his tongue out. Megumi was just here so he didn’t get fined.

Gojo then appeared out of thin air, giggling at how flustered Yuuji looked while he waited his turn in line, and even offered to pay for everything. Yuuji declined politely because this was going to be your first Valentine’s Day together and he wanted to do it himself.

—

Yuuji decided to give you your gifts during the Valentine’s Day party Gojo threw for the class (and had catered and everything)

He approached you with a shy disposition; unusual for him, but he was nervous that you wouldn’t like his gifts.

“Y/N! I got you this!” Yuuji thrust a big, rectangular white box with a light pink satin ribbon tied around it into your arms. 

You stumbled back a bit with an ‘oof’ - the box was pretty heavy!

“I really hope that you like it!” He bowed his head with his cheeks tinted pink.

Walking over to your desk, you moved your Valentine cards and gifts from Megumi and Nobara to the side and set the box down. Upon opening it, you let out a soft gasp: inside the box laid a bouquet of small pink tulips, reminiscent of Yuuji’s hair color; the necklace, an assortment of DVDs, and multiple movie snacks.

Your eyes widened as you looked at the arrangement of everything, the time and thought that he had to put into this to make it look nice for you. First, you picked up the necklace, and a soft smile adorned your face as you read what it said.

“Best Friends Forever.”

“Flip it over.” Yuuji now stood next to you, watching with careful eyes.

On the back, one side of the necklace was engraved with his initials and the other yours. 

“We can each wear the opposite, so we’ll always have a piece of each other’s heart.” He said, sounding so cute.

Your throat started to get scratchy; you had to swallow so you didn’t end up crying. Still your voice wobbled a bit,

“Yuu, I love this, and you got…Human Earthworm, all five of them, wow..” You laughed while subtly trying to blink away the tears.

“So…you like it?” Yuuji asked with his honey-gold eyes blown wide.

“I love it. This is so thoughtful; thank you, baby. I can’t wait to watch all of them with you.”

Yuuji was overjoyed that you actually ended up liking his gift! He held you to him as you wrapped your arms around his torso, then flipped Nobara the bird with a triumphant grin on his face.

Nobara rolled her eyes and turned towards Megumi, who was just silently observing from his desk.

“Why did you let him buy that?!”

“What do you mean ‘let’ - no way you’re trying to blame this on me right now…”

Meanwhile, a chibi version of Gojo was in the background snapping photos with his old-school Polaroid camera while pink hearts floated around his head.

Safe to say that Yuuji does know a little bit about what girls like. His girl, at least.

❥⋱K - Kiss: Get those lips ready! Smooches 💋

Yuuji loves kissing you! He gets so excited about it, too. It makes his heart swell with pride and love when you ask him for kisses, and even more so when others are around, because that shows just how much you're into him. Though if you're a little shy, he won’t pressure you into PDA; he never wants to make his baby feel uncomfortable, even with him. French-kissing is his favorite; he just loves the taste of you so much, and the little sounds that you make when he moves his tongue a certain way. He also likes to leave kisses (and hickies) all along the expanse of your neck and shoulder, making sure that you can still cover them with your top.

❥⋱N - Naughty: One thing he’d like to try in the bedroom.

This young man has an incredibly large sexual appetite, so honestly there’s probably not too much that you haven't tried in the bedroom already. Though something that never really crossed his mind was Facetime sex. 

“Yuuji, you’re only a few rooms down from me? If you want to have sex, we just…can.” You asked in confusion.

He shook his head profusely,

“No, babe. I want to try something different. I want to be able to look at you but not be able to touch you. I want to yearn for you.”

You were pretty shocked when he admitted this but decided to give it a go-ahead.

Now, whenever you’re away on long solo missions, you’ll have to be extra careful about accepting Facetime calls from Yuuji, lest everyone around you gets an eyeful of him stroking his long, hard cock for you, whining your name, and saying how much he misses you as he overstimulates himself for your viewing pleasure.

----

valentine a-z ©bleach-your-panties 2024. do not steal, repost, or upload my shit to tiktok! reblogs always welcome!

[ultra-raging-ghost]

oof yeah a lot of the stuff that bad did while the eggs went missing was impromptu because his original revolution arc he was planning was interrupted, so like ron being snatched was an impulse thing he did trying to continue that arc etc etc. he eventually gave up on it i think lol that sucks a lot

[coruscantrhapsody]

Your prompt is: Anakin and Padme are delegates who meet at the 1990s DNC where they do the Macarena.

THANKS FOR THE PROMPT, BESTIE.

---

Padme craned her neck, struggling to see past her fellow Wisconsin delegates to the rafters a few rows below, where Team California (along with everyone else in the room, herself included) was engaged in a rousing, impromptu performance of the Macarena.

As she sashayed left and swayed right, hands on her shoulders, her hips, Padme silently thanked the Democratic National Convention gods that her nieces had taught her the popular dance a few months prior. She was already one of the youngest members of the Wisconsin State Senate, and had a reputation for being a little too studious around the edges, to boot (a characterization the connotations of which she felt were unfair - didn't people want their representatives to approach their work with the utmost seriousness of purpose?) She would have died if she'd flubbed the dance of the year, and at the convention, to boot. She grimaced, imagining the headlines in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Wisconsin's Youngest Senator is Anything But Hip."

Frowning, she pushed the thought away and resumed her scan of the rafters below, all while staying on beat. (Take that, Imaginary Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Reporter And Your Made-up Hit Piece!) Suddenly, a head of short brunette hair came into view. Oh my god oh my god oh my god was that - ? Yes, it had to be -

"Oof!"

Suddenly, without realizing what was happening, Padme felt herself falling, falling, falling, no, she was upright, a hand was lifting her up by the arm, a hand which was attached to a guy whom she belatedly realized had barreled into her moments before.

"I am so sorry," the man began, looking absolutely mortified. Regaining her footing, Padme noticed that the man was wearing a light pink dress shirt and a mauve tie with beakers and other science lab accoutrements on it. She smiled, oddly charmed.

"It's alright. I should have been paying more attention." (Ever the diplomat.)

"No, it was all me. I'm not even supposed to be up here. I'm from the Arizona delegation. But I was just - I thought you had a good view of the California delegation from up here, and I just wanted to see if I could spot -"

"Nancy Pelosi," the man finished as Padme uttered the same name. They stared at each other. "Big fan?" the man asked, a small smile playing at the edges of his mouth. The thought came unbidden to Padme's head that it was rather a *nice* smile. And he had also been searching for her political hero at the same time? Who was this guy?

"I really admire her work combatting HIV/AIDS in the 80's," Padme explained. A concise and accurate answer that avoided getting into the fact that she also maybe currently had her picture framed on the wall of her bedroom and her office.

"She did great work," the man agreed. He paused then, and Padme got the distinct feeling that she was about to forget all about her quest to spot her hero. There'd be opportunities later; it was only the first day of the convention, after all.

"I'm Padme," she said, extending her hand before she could think the better of it. "Do you maybe ... want to grab coffee tomorrow? Before the festivities start?"

"That sounds amazing," the man answered, grinning entirely too silly, Padme thought, for someone he had just met. She liked his smile. She hoped she would have cause to see it over and over again, and then some more.

The man took her proffered hand. "I'm Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."

[spindle-girl]

Daybreak 1.4

Fight fight fight fight!

I wanted to see something more than just his feet, but as I started to raise my eyes, looking through the hair that had come loose from my braid, my eyes were forced down, until they were staring at the road.  I heard the scrape of another person’s feet as they climbed down from the truck to the street.

this is going to be a fun power. hello August Prince 2.0

Drive away, I thought, willing Jasper to think the same.  Be okay, drive away.  Leave me.

don't be ridiculous Victoria they're not going to--

I heard the chugging of the bus, the battered engine protesting as the vehicle started to reverse, pulling away.

annnd nevermind. i guess it is five capes they're staring down. i wouldn't be confident in their chances if it was just one, but still. kinda sucks for her to be left behind like that

“Plans change,” Lord of Loss said.  “You’ll learn that sooner or later.  Our clients hired us to capture an ex-villain who made a bystander lose her child.  I don’t think they’d be pleased if we let another bystander get hurt while we carry out the task.”

i thought this was going to turn into a hostage taking. i guess it still might. is the boss Teacher? Rain's cluster?

I made myself be calm.  I exhaled slowly, and the exhalation came out as a shudder.  It wasn’t because I was hurt, but because the memories were close to the surface.

oof

“Yep.  Mostly unharmed.  The woman who lost her kid wants to have words with her.  Shout at her, make her feel bad.  She and some others paid a lot of money to make it happen.  Then we drop her back off somewhere near here and drive off.”

i had something written up for this about how bad the plan was but then three paragraphs later it turns out Blindside is lying here so back to Teacher or Cradle i think his name is

The volume of it was such that I only barely heard Blindside’s exclamation of pain.  My ears rang- but the gun had to have been right next to the villain mercenary’s ear.

cool!

Awe.  Catch them on an emotional level.

pretty sure this would just register as fear from Blindside, right? awe is for allies/friendlies, fear is for enemies

I liked that it was the first thing he’d asked.  Gilpatrick’s five pound of gun speech taken to heart.  Less than five pounds of weaponry, more than fifteen pounds of protection, twenty five pounds of support and problem solving.  Jasper’s first thoughts were on the latter.  Those were supposed to be the priorities, the ratios.

i'm not sure those two things correlate here Victoria. he saw you get thrown out of a moving vehicle then get in a fight with a supervillain, are you okay is the typical response. i also don't like Gilpatrick so that may be coloring things

“I’m a good guy too,” Mar said. “Stay put,” I said, firm.

lol

End Thoughts:

so Blindside wasn't exactly August Prince 2.0, but i liked the gun solution Victoria came up with. a bit confused on how the impromptu flail worked, that still seems like a direct attack, but i'm assuming that's just power specifics

[twisted-wonderland-shenanigans]

Twisted Wonderland Kaiju!AU: First Meeting

At long last, the next part is finally here! It took me a while because the initial idea I had technically would have worked better at a later part in the story, so I had to find a way to introduce a few other characters. XD

This...is definitely longer than the last one so it's definitely going under a read more 😂

Hope you all enjoy! >v<

/////////

Darkness…

When Yuu realized they were dreaming, all they could see around them was pure darkness. Everything was muffled, any possible sound that resonated in their dream sounding like they were underwater. Then…

Voices…?

It was hard to say for sure, but they could distinctly make out the tones of each voice. One male, one female…the former sounded stern and harsh, while the latter sounded agitated and frantic. What they were saying Yuu couldn’t be sure. Then–like a drop hitting still water–a ripple of gold filled the void for the briefest moment before vanishing, leaving behind a sense of…warmth? Affection?

Another drop of gold, this time tinged with a green hue. The voices faded away, a low, rumbling sound taking its place as the world around them began to rumble.

……rrrrr……

It was getting louder, a wave of green and blue overpowering the gold now.

…eeerrrr…

The noise became a dull roar in their ears, swirls of green, blue, and violet rippling and spiking in an erratic pattern.

“TSEEEEER!?!”

Like a firework their vision exploded into a world of violet, green, and blue before something hard and massive shoved itself into their abdomen. “Oof!?” Yuu wheezed, instinctively reaching out to shove the offending object away–only to feel a rock solid surface under their hands. Now wide awake, Yuu looked up and was greeted by a pair of wide, glowing amber eyes behind a massive beak.

Nevermore.

“What was that for?!” Yuu demanded, moving away from the sharp beak and rubbing the aching area. How he didn’t break a bone in their body they had no idea, but it still hurt!

The massive kaiju’s eyes went wide for a moment before they closed, a heavy sigh escaping before he opened them again. Somehow he looked…relieved, a low rumble rising from his throat as the ruffled feathers around his head, neck, and shoulders slowly settled down. Out of the corner of their eye, they caught sight of Grimfang, who looked just as confused as they felt, his fur slightly bristling and bladed tendrils poised for attack. Slowly–carefully–Nevermore’s head moved towards them until the tip of his beak was pressed against their body, looking like a guilty dog as a low warble escaped.

“...it’s…it’s okay, big guy,” Yuu said gently, patting his beak to try and console the kaiju…a strange concept in their mind. “Did you have a bad dream or something?”

Aside from one feathery ear twitching, he didn’t respond…not that they expected him to anyway. They had already tried to see if the two kaiju could understand them yesterday, though the attempts were…inconclusive. One moment they thought the kaiju understood their odd game of word-charades, the next left Yuu nearly buried in a pile of giant (though delicious) fruit and getting an impromptu “bath” from Nevermore. It felt weird having something so dry grooming them, though they took solace in knowing Grimfang had gotten one too, though his yowling seemed overly dramatic as he tried to get away. MIRA hadn’t been much help either when Nevermore chirped and trilled at them throughout the day, the computer only able to tell them he was continuously repeating the same tone and frequency.

Speaking of…

“Hey, MIRA?”

“Greetings, Uhm Yuu. What would you like to know?” came the response.

“Do kaiju have nightmares?”

“Affirmative. Much like humans and other animals, kaiju may experience what you call ‘nightmares’, though it has been observed more often in certain kaiju more than others.”

“Oh. Guess that explains why Nevermore was so freaked out. I’m amazed that I didn’t get squashed in his sleep!”

“Correction: Nevermore was awake for several minutes before your REM cycle was disrupted. While I am programmed to monitor the vitals of my operator, my sensors may detect the vitals of nearby creatures to ensure proper data cataloging during research excursions. According to historical data, Nevermore had not moved in his sleep throughout the night. Analysis in the biometric data indicates your breathing had slowed to an unusual degree, while REM cycle data suggests an abnormal reading indicative of deep dreaming. The spike in adrenaline and anxiety in Nevermore occurred just before your awakening.”

Yuu frowned in confusion. “So…he woke me up because I was dreaming?”

“Answer…unclear. Data analysis suggests your body may have begun slowing its normal functions during your REM cycle to a minimum, making it difficult to discern if you were still alive from an outside perspective.”

At that, Yuu couldn’t help but stare at Nevermore, who hadn’t once taken his eyes off them. It was hard to believe that something so massive and powerful…had gotten so distressed at the thought of them dying in their sleep. Was this how kaiju normally behave towards their ‘hatchlings’?

Nevermore chirped at them, repeating the same sounds he’d done before. What he was trying to say to them they had no idea, but they reached up to his beak and–to the best of their ability–hugged the tip of it and laid their head on top. This seemed to do the trick as the massive bird-lizard sighed, no longer looking tense. Grimfang snorted, settling back down and falling asleep. Part of them knew that they had to leave, to find someone who can help them get their memories back and find a way back home…and yet…

“I’m okay, big guy,” Yuu said gently. “I’m okay…”

////—-----////

“How many times do I gotta tell ya: let. Me. Out!!”

“Absolutely not! And keep your voice down, you’ll wake the littlest one.”

Grim frowned as he bared his fangs at the larger kaiju, though he wouldn’t admit that he was intimidated being face to face with something that was thirty times his own size. Knowing that he was at a disadvantage, he uttered, “Look, I don’t wanna be here, I wanna go back out and get back to my territory! Why don’t you just keep this lil’ flea off my paws and just let me go?”

“Regardless of the fact that you are a kaiju, I do not advise you venture outside,” Crowley told him, keeping his voice low as he glanced at the sleeping human. “You are too young to understand what lies beyond these walls…nor are you strong enough to face them alone.”

“Hey! The Great Grim is no pushover!” Grim snarled as his tendrils brandished their blades, which earned him a disciplinary hiss back. Shaking his head, Grim struggled to rub his paws over his fur and against the surface of the nest. “Urgh…I gotta get this scent off of me! I’m not a freakin’ cub!”

“And yet, you and the human smell like one,” Crowley stated matter of factly. “And just like any cub, do you realize how lucky you are that it was I who found you and not some other kaiju who might see you as nothing more than a mere appetizer?” Leaning in, he said, “Were it not for my kindness nor that scent that marks you as a cub, you would have met a very…unfortunate end. Should you wish to remain alive, you will do as I say. Understood?”

“...sheesh. Okay, okay, just back off, will ya?” Grim uttered, reluctantly sitting down.

“Good.” Crowley looked over to the human, who was sound asleep nestled into the feathery down bedding. “Compared to you, however…I am deeply concerned about the little one.”

“The hooman?”

“Human,” Crowley corrected, leaning forward to nudge some of the feathers to cover the small human. “They’re far too fragile to be out there alone.”

“Aren’t ya just overreacting a lil’? They were just sleeping when you woke them up!”

“Something was wrong, but I cannot for the life of me figure out why. That is why I need you to watch over them while I’m gone.”

“Wait, what?! Why do I gotta stay and cub-sit them?”

“Are you not the ‘Great Grim’ who can do anything?” Crowley asked in a praising tone. “Surely even you are capable of protecting one human for a short time, correct?”

“Pfft…too easy! I could do it in my sleep,” Grim said, puffing his chest out. “But I won’t do it for free!”

“You will be handsomely rewarded, I assure you,” came the pleased response. “Some fresh game meat should suffice, and if you do a sufficient job, I am certain that my colleague will be more than happy to figure out how to remove the cub scent from yourself.”

For a moment Grim didn’t say anything, torn between his pride and the prospect of a reward. Then, he huffed and moved over to sit next to the human. “I’m only doin’ this for the food and to get rid of this stench,” he proclaimed, giving the tiny human a leer. “After that, I’m out of here! Got it?”

“Crystal clear,” Crowley said, looking pleased with himself. Then, in a more serious tone, he said, “If anything should happen to them while I’m gone…there will be consequences. Understood?”

“Yeah, yeah, just go already, will ya?” The larger kaiju said nothing for a moment before finally turning and vanishing faster than Grim could blink. Now alone, Grim looked down at the small human as they shivered and sighed, curling up around them and muttering, “Don’t go gettin’ any funny ideas, human. I’m only doing this so I can get my food and freedom from this stink.”

////—---------////

They had no idea how they’d managed to fall asleep again or how long they’d been out, but by the time Yuu came to they found themselves nestled into the belly of a still slumbering Grimfang curled around them. Stifling a yawn, they looked up–expecting to see Nevermore hovering over them still–and was surprised to see that he was gone. Aside from the smaller kaiju’s breathing and the faint howling of wind outside, they couldn’t hear him moving around. Had he gone out? Given his reaction from last night, they figured he would have stuck around like velcro.

…wait…if the kaiju had left them alone to go and hunt while they slept, and if animals normally go out to scavenge for food to feed their young…then that means…

Now was the perfect chance to explore and find a way to escape!

Glancing at the sleeping feline-like kaiju, Yuu carefully moved away and began investigating the large walls of the nest for some sort of opening. Among the feathery down covering the floor, they wondered how they were going to climb up the sides without waking Grimfang up…when they caught sight of a sliver of light between the woven branches and reeds. It was an opening just large enough for them to slip through!

Making as little noise as possible, Yuu managed to crawl through to the other side–and had to muffle a squawk the moment their bare feet touched the ice cold stone floor. The moment they found other humans, they were definitely going to make sure they got a new pair of shoes! For now they just had to power through the biting chill and make their way across the large cavern towards the entrance.

The moment they stepped outside they were greeted by a strong breeze, the sunshine warming their skin. That was when they realized just how far they had been taken, gazing down at the landscape at the base of the mountain and recognizing the ship graveyard as the light glinted off the metal carcasses. For a brief moment, they swore they saw a metallic silver-blue lizard with segmented wings near the largest of the planes, but as soon as they blinked it was gone. Had they just imagined that?

Wait, now wasn’t the time for sightseeing or playing ‘Where’s Waldo: Kaiju Edition’! They had to get moving before Nevermore returned! But first…

“...this…is a steep drop,” they uttered, finally realizing just how high up they were as they backed away from the edge. They couldn’t see any clear path down or handholds within easy reach. “I need to find another way do-”

“Rrrowl!!!”

“--owWWN!?!” Yuu yowled as something large slammed into them, a feeling of weightlessness surrounding them as they caught sight of the gray fur and blue flames beneath them.

The moment what just happened sank in, a scream and a yowl escaped as they and Grimfang fell off the edge. Somehow Yuu managed to bounce off the smaller kaiju’s back as he landed, his own body bouncing up from the sheer force before connecting with them again–Yuu’s hands somehow managing to catch and cling to his fur. Down, down, down they slid, their yells and howls mixing in with the scraping of claws digging into stone as Grimfang tried to slow their fall. They came to a stop just before the edge, Grimfang–and by extension Yuu–barely hanging on before the kaiju managed to haul them back up. Yuu heaved a sigh of relief–

Before Grimfang’s snarl set them on edge, his head turning to face them as the bladed tendrils whipped around to hover threateningly over them. Blue licks of flame emerged from his jaw, Yuu’s heart dropping at the realization that he was going to torch them. Out of sheer desperation, they did the only thing they could think of as they reached out–

And scratched the underside of his cheek.

Cerulean eyes went wide, Grimfang going slack-jawed as the flames died out. Taking advantage of this, Yuu started using both hands to pet and scratch his ears, cheeks, and chin. Soon a low, rattling purr rose as he leaned into the touch, leaning and twisting his head to the point they thought he was going to flop on his side on top of them! When Yuu’s arms grew too tired to continue, Grimfang stayed like that for a moment before snapping out of it and standing straight with a snort. This time he looked…puzzled, staring at them with wide, curious eyes as he made a sound akin to a ‘mrp?’

“Wow. For a big, scary monster, you’re just a big cuddly kitty, huh?” they couldn’t help but say, earning a more demanding ‘mrrah!’ in response as he nudged their hand with his nose. “Okay, okay! I’ll give you more pets if you promise not to hurt me. Okay?”

“Mrrarr!”

“Alright, here.” They reached up to pet his ears once more, causing Grimfang to burst into an even louder series of purrs that made their body vibrate. With him distracted now, Yuu glanced up and noticed the cave entrance was far out of reach now…yet looking down showed they were nowhere near the ground. “How are we going to get out of this mess?” they muttered, leaning over to the left for any footholds–

Only to yelp when Grimfang turned left in place!

“Rrr?” he rumbled, looking at them in confusion. Staring, Yuu looked down at their legs and realized how close their right knee was to the trap between the kaiju’s arm and side. With a curious hum, Yuu pressed their left knee into his side–and was shocked when Grimfang turned right.

“Whoa…am I actually riding a kaiju like a horse?” Yuu said, a giddy laugh escaping as Grimfang gave an offended huff. The moment he tried to turn around and climb up, they used their knees to turn him back toward the horizon. “Hang on a minute! We still need to get down from here first.” He tried again, only for them to once more turn him back around. Thinking quickly, they reached out to pet and scratch him again and said, “Good boy, Grim! Good boy~!”

Surprisingly they only had to do this method twice more before he finally listened, moving forward only when Yuu tapped their heels into his side and saying ‘yip yip!’ and clinging to his scruff. Down, down, down they went, his body moving across the terrain with ease until–finally–they’d landed at the bottom. Snorting, Grimfang turned to face them with an expectant stare.

“That was so cool! Grim, you’re such a good kitty!” Yuu cooed, rewarding him with more pets that somehow made him smile as he purred. “Now we just need to find someone who can help me.” A though occurred to them, and they said, “Hey, MIRA?”

“Good morning, Uhm Yuu. What would you like to know?”

“Can you locate the closest human settlement?”

“Answer: there are no known human settlements.”

“Okay…what about a research place? Not the one we were at, but another one.”

“Searching…location found. There is a facility due west of your current position. Estimated travel time by foot is: nine point two zero hours.”

Glancing down at their noble steed–who was currently sniffing at a beetle-like creature before chomping down on it with a sickening ‘crunch’–they asked, “What if I’m traveling on Grimfang’s back?”

“Recalculating…your new estimated arrival time is approximately three point five hours. Would you like me to provide a map with possible routes?”

“Yes!” The screen blinked, a small beam of blue light emerging as it formed a 3D map and a green blip appeared on the topography of the mountain’s base. Patting Grimfang’s shoulder, they said, “Guess we’re going to be stuck together for a little while longer then. You up for a run, Grim?” He snorted in response. “Close enough. C’mon, Grim: yip yip!”

Compared to the downward leaps and bounds from earlier, Yuu was stunned by how fluid Grimfang’s movements were as he trotted along the rough terrain. They kept him going in the right direction according to the map, holding tightly to his scruff when he went climbing up a steep incline. As they traveled further and further away from the mountain, Yuu watched the green blip on the map move across the terrain, noting sources of water as they passed and what looked like large forest clusters, red dots appearing in the corner–

…red dots?

BWOOM!!

“Ah!?” Yuu yelped, barely managing to catch themselves from falling off as Grimfang stumbled with a squawk of his own. A loud, echoing bellow rang out, closely followed by a guttural roar before another boom caused the ground to lurch beneath them again. “What was that?!”

Grimfang chirped, looking just as confused as he sniffed the air…before a low, rattling hiss escaped, his fur bristling now. He began moving again–towards the sounds of fighting.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, no, stop! Don’t head towards the danger!” Despite their best efforts, Grim refused to listen or acknowledge their commands. “MIRA! What’s going on?”

“Answer: sensors indicate the presence of several large kaiju up ahead. Sound clip analysis indicates a potential territorial dispute between two known kaiju packs. Recommendation: avoid the danger zone and find a safe space until they have vacated the area.”

“I’m trying, but Grim’s not listening!”

“Analysis: some kaiju may feel compelled to answer the challenging call of other kaiju in an attempt to ambush and gain new territory. This instinct can be irresistible in some, as consuming kaiju stronger than their current category may grant them new abilities.”

Before they could respond, Grimfang stopped on the edge of a cliff overlooking a vast valley and froze. Not that Yuu could blame him when their own heart sank at the sight below. It was one thing to see one giant kaiju like Nevermore being docile (aside from the initial scare), but it was another to see eight massive kaiju clashing against one another.

From this vantage point, Yuu could make make out what sort of creatures each one seemed to resemble. Three looked to be based on a mix of savannah predators mixed with reptilian or insect parts, others resembled forest predators and creatures and…

“...is…is that one a giant plant or a hedgehog?” Yuu muttered as they squinted. Were they imagining the bright red leaves, or was it actually fur? They didn’t have long to contemplate that as the creature in question bristled, spikes emerging as it hissed and slammed its front legs against the ground–thorny roots exploding from the ground towards the lion-scorpion kaiju. 

Instead of avoiding the attack, however, the kaiju took a deep breath and exhaled–a cloud of sand? And right before their eyes, the roots withered and turned into dust. With a growl that made the earth rumble, the lion-like kaiju roared before its scorpion stinger lashed out, the hedgehog-looking one just narrowly dodging the attack as the barb struck the ground. Seconds later, the ground turned into sand, the hedgehog kaiju hissing as its back legs sank in, and he began to struggle. Just as he was about to get hit by the stinger again, another kaiju–which looked like a cross between a pangolin and a turtle–parried the attack with his shell, which emitted a golden-green glow as the stinger bounced off him.

“...what…the heck is happening?!” Yuu all but yelled in disbelief. “Are all kaiju super powered monsters??”

“Answer: each kaiju possesses more than just their physical abilities to survive on this island, capable of performing unnatural feats bordering on mythical levels. Studies have shown that kaiju blood, saliva, and venom carry an unusual form of energy that can trigger unique physical and environmental effects around them.”

“Effects? Like…nuclear radiation mutation effects?!”

“Negative. The energy they produce is chemically different and is considered far safer when exposed to natural organic and inorganic materials such as stone. Researchers believe that the energy produced by living and decomposing kaiju triggers an ecological ‘rebirth’, resulting in the rich resources that can be found beneath the earth. Dr. Willows referred to this phenomenon as ‘magic’, though the term itself was not readily accepted by fellow researchers.”

Magic…? Yuu would have sooner believed some mad scientist tried to create an island park full of giant kaiju to make some zoo, but watching the fighting below…they could see why this researcher thought it was magic. It was surreal…

A howl rose from the white wolf-rhino hybrid, charging at the dog-lizard hybrid with a black spade-like mark on its face. Despite the size difference, the latter somehow managed to resist the full-on body slam and even managed to push back. Meanwhile, the hyena-like hybrid managed to outpace the fox-lizard hybrid with what Yuu swore was a heart-shaped mark on its face, slim body twisting and curving around each swipe yet the red fox-lizard refusing to be bested. Seeing all this, Yuu couldn’t help but wonder:

“Why are they all fighting? Isn’t the island big enough for all of them?”

“Answer: the range of a kaiju’s territory can vary greatly depending on the resources required to survive. Ragebloom’s territory is vastly rich in nutritious fruits, berries, roots, and even prey species that can easily sustain the large number of kaiju in the Heartlands’ pack. Pridefang’s territory, however, consists of a harsh savannah-like environment that is capable of producing physically stronger kaiju and bears one of the richest sources of minerals. However, food and water resources are harder to come by in the Golden Savannah, resulting in territorial disputes. Despite being a category four kaiju himself, Ragebloom is capable of holding his own against category five kaiju such as Pridefang by utilizing his ability-negating roots and spores.”

“I’ve heard of survival of the fittest, but this is insane,” Yuu muttered, squinting as the sunlight glinted off the bracer. They looked away–

And came face to face with a giant green eye.

Compared to most of the kaiju they’d seen so far, this one had a fuzzy white face that looked almost…human–minus the beak-like lips and the compound-like humanoid eyes. Bright orange fuzzy antennae twitched as it climbed up higher, looming over them as it examined them with soft chirps and trills like a massive, fluffy wall of fur. Then, a glint flashed across the creature’s eyes, and Yuu followed its gaze to their bracers.

Their bright, reflective, and shiny bracers.

“...niiiiice kaiju,” Yuu said as calmly as they could, Grimfang nervously backing away. ��Gooood kaiju. Please don’t eat us…okay?”

“Chrr-rrr-rrrr-rrrh…” Large, moth-like wings with feathery edges rose behind them, the markings shimmering like glass with each movement. “S…nee…shee…NEEEE!!”

In an instant a brilliant flash of light blinded Yuu, their eyes burning as they and Grimfang yelped in unison. They could feel the smaller kaiju stumble beneath them, using all their strength to hold on.

////—---////

“Mrah!? I can’t see! I can’t see!” Grim howled, rubbing his eyes with his paw.

“Oop! Sorry. Forgot about the flash. My b!” Cater said, a sheepish chitter escaping as he folded his wings back again. “You okay?”

“No, I’m not okay! I can’t see a thi-iing!?” Grim started to say before his other paw slipped, sending him and his charge tumbling over the edge with a shrill shriek.

“Whoa! Hatchlings overboard!” Realizing they were sliding down into the fray, Cater called out, “Stay there! Cay-Cay’s gonna getcha!”

“Stay away from me!” Grim retorted, blindly charging forward with the tiny creature squealing on his back.

Realizing who they were heading towards, Cater’s fur began to bristle in panic as he took to the air, wings beginning to flash a series of signals as he called out, “Trey! Adeuce! Runaway babies!”

“Huh? Babies?” Trey said, turning to look at him in confusion.

“Paw. Trey! PAW!!”

////—------////

BWOOM!!

“Gyah!” Yuu yelped as the ground lurched beneath them, their vision having cleared just enough for them to see the descending claws and steer Grimfang away just in time. They had no time to breathe a sigh of relief as Grimfang continued his blind run, doing their best to guide him with their own spotty vision. Surrounded by giant kaiju crashing and stomping around them, Yuu’s heart was beating frantically in their chest as they tried to search for an opening.

There! A crack between the stone walls!

“Yip yip!” they chirped, steering Grimfang towards the blurry opening. If they could just outpace the flying camera flashing bird-bug while the others were busy fighting each other, they’d both get away and find a cave to hide i-

Wait…why were the walls closing? Why were they movi–

…those weren’t walls. They were legs!!

“Ah! Abort! ABORT!!” they cried out, grabbing the kaiju’s scruff and pulling. Snarling, Grimfang’s front legs left the ground as he reared up–only for Yuu to be shocked as he kept going on his hind legs before crashing into the larger kaiju’s toes. The momentum sent Yuu flying, landing with a grunt over one of the knuckles. Dazed, the spots in Yuu’s vision finally cleared as they sat up…and felt cold dread in their bones when a dark shadow loomed over them.

“Rrrrrrrr,” came the deep, bone-rattling growl that made the very air vibrate. A strong gust of wind knocked them over, Yuu turning around to see Pridefang’s head so close they could clearly make out the scar over his left eye. The wind buffeted them as he sniffed, his mandibles twitching as he stared at them intently with eerily intelligent emerald green eyes. Then, a low, guttural hiss escaped, baring his fangs as he leaned forward–

POOF!!

–before rearing back, coughing and gagging as the large cloud of blue powder that struck him in the face floated around him. Yuu landed on the ground on what looked like a pile of red leaves before rolling off with a grunt, Grimfang reappearing as he stood over them and snarled. He swiped at the crimson hedgehog–before wobbling in place. “Grim? Grim! What’s wrong?” Yuu asked, gasping when he collapsed with a warbling growl that faded as his eyes closed. “Grim!”

Fearing the worst, Yuu rushed to his side–before stumbling over, their head feeling heavy as they struggled to stay focused. The powder…smelled sweet yet gentle like roses, the fragrance wrapping around them like a warm blanket. It wasn’t until a resounding ‘boom’ rang through the air that they realized Pridefang had collapsed too, a heavy and loud snore erupting from him that it sank in what was happening:

Sleeping powder.

Vision swimming now, Yuu stumbled their way towards Grimfang, finally collapsing into his side where they felt the familiar rise and fall of his breathing. A massive face appeared over them, slate gray eyes staring at them as Ragebloom gave a cautious sniff. ‘Is this…how I’m going to die?’ they wondered, slowly losing the battle to keep their eyes open. For the briefest second they swore they heard Nevermore’s shriek, then–

Nothing.

////—------////

Warm…

That was the first thing they felt as they came to, followed by softness covering them. Opening their eyes, they were surprised to see a wall of white fur surrounding them. What happened? Weren’t they just outside?

“...rrf?”

Yuu recoiled the moment something large, cold, and wet got close to them, now face-to-face with a large canine-like head. Narrow gray eyes stared at them from a black and white furred kaiju with some reptilian-like features, large upward curving tusks glistening even in the darkness as it gave them the impression of a terrifying wolf appraising potential prey. They were once again buffeted by hot air as it sniffed them, and for a moment they feared that this one was getting ready to eat them…before huffing quietly and settling back to watch them quietly.

“MIRA?” Yuu uttered quietly, watching as the kaiju’s ear twitched. “What happened? Where…are we?”

“Greetings, Uhm Yuu,” came the computer’s voice, which drew the canine kaiju’s gaze. What was it doing…? “According to the location tracker, we are currently inside the den of Crewelfang, one of Nevermore’s companions. Sensors indicate that you have been unconscious for an hour. Compared to Pridefang and Grimfang, you’ve received the smallest amount of exposure to Ragebloom’s sleep powder.”

“TSEEER!!! Craaah!!! Raaack!!”

Somehow Crewelfang’s expression managed to pull off the same “really?” face of a husky as he turned to face the entrance, and Yuu managed to pull themselves up and over his arm to peer out. From here, they could make out Nevermore pacing around, feathers ruffled in agitation as he continued to squawk, caw, and hiss at…

The other kaiju from earlier?

“...um…MIRA? Just how powerful is Nevermore?” Yuu couldn’t help but ask, watching as he looked like he was scolding an annoyed looking Pridefang, an uneasy looking Ragebloom, and at their feet a grumpy looking Grimfang. “You mentioned category levels earlier…what category is he?” Glancing up at Crewelfang, they added, “And Crewelfang too?”

“Answer: Nevermore and Crewelfang–among the other companions they associate with–have unknown categories. Due to their nature, researchers believed they were potentially category four or five, yet this was disproven and set to the ‘Unknown’ category upon discovery of the kaiju packs seem reluctant to fight or disobey them when any should appear, seemingly serving as guardians to keep the island stable.”

“So...I just got adopted by a literal god-tier kaiju is what you’re saying,” Yuu said. They squeaked when they felt something large and wet brush against their body, turning just in time to realize Crewelfang had his tongue out before he gave them another lick. At that moment they realized he was grooming them, being gentle like a dog cleaning their puppies. “...wait. Did I just get adopted by another kaiju?!”