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froggiewrites · 4 months ago

Text

Did I Say That Out Loud?

Pairing: Ace x Reader

SFW

Summary: You and Ace get lost in a snowstorm. While Ace is fine in the cold, you need warming up, and he's willing to help. Warnings: Fluff, Huddling for Warmth, Accidental Confession Word Count: 1.2k Notes: This is a short thing I wrote to break myself out of a funk I got into with a different, longer piece. I just had to write about Ace huddling for warmth, he's perfect for it! Crossposted from Ao3

There are few things you can rely on in the Grand Line. There’s danger around every corner, both from the environment and the pirates filling every inch of it. There’s few people you trust, and fewer who deserve it. But up until now, you would have said you trusted Portgas D. Ace with every fiber of your being.

And then he got you lost.

“I could have sworn it was around here.” You have no idea where here even is, your vision filled with nothing but white as the snow continues to fall. You’d always trusted his directions, knowing his survival skills were finely honed from his childhood, but you’re suddenly reminded he grew up in a jungle nothing at all like the snow capped peaks of the mountain you’re currently stuck on. He’s scratching his head, checking a map that looks absolutely nothing like the terrain around you.

“Ace.” You try to keep the anger out of your voice, but with the way his shoulders tense you can see you failed. “Do you have any idea where we are right now?”

“Um.” He looks back at you, puppy dog eyes wide and asking for forgiveness. “We’re on the mountain?”

“Oh my god.” You put your head in your hands, which are rapidly losing feeling from the cold. Your gloves are not thick enough for the temperature right now, the gentle snow from when you docked slowly growing closer and closer to a blizzard. “We’re gonna die.”

“We’re not gonna die.” You feel a warm hand on your head, grounding you and pulling you from the panicking bubbling in your chest. “We brought food and water, we’re gonna find shelter, and we’ll wait out the storm. It shouldn’t last long.”

“How do you know that?” You peek up at him through your lashes, and see nothing but his smile, soft and reassuring.

“A storm like this shouldn’t last longer than a day at most.” He sees the panic on your face again, and he continues. “I know a day sounds like a long time, but we have enough supplies for at least a few, if we ration, and we passed a cave on the way here that seemed pretty protected from the elements. We’ll really be fine, I promise.” He gives you that boyish smile that makes his face light up like the sun, the one that always makes your heart race.

You nod at him tiredly. The hand on your head shifts to fall around your shoulders easily and effortlessly, and he pulls you under his arm for a quick side hug. You expect him to pull back, but you see his brows furrow as he pulls you closer. “You’re freezing.” His free hand grabs one of yours and he hisses slightly at the feeling of your ice cold fingers. “Oh god, you’re really freezing. Let’s hurry.” His hands warm further, the heat seeping through your thin gloves and inadequate coat, and he begins to pull you forward in the snow.

You find the cave relatively quickly, thankfully, and Ace quickly makes a small fire for you two. He looks especially beautiful in firelight, like he was born for it. You don’t often get to admire him like that, usually only seeing him bathed in flame in battle, but in this peaceful moment you finally get to take your time memorizing his face in the gentle orange light. His freckles look particularly charming like this, and you suddenly have the urge to kiss them.

The cold must be getting to you. Another shiver racks your body, and you realize that it really is, your lips feeling numb and the cold floor beneath you doing nothing to help the situation. You wonder how long it would take for someone to die of exposure.

“You alright over there?” He gives an easy smile, but you can see the tension behind it. He’s genuinely concerned.

“I’ve been better.” You struggle to speak over the chattering of your teeth. He seems entirely unbothered by the cold, of course, with his powers, though he’s still wearing a thick black coat just for the sake of it. His face is painted with concern as he approaches you, nose scrunched adorably in thought, but you see his eyes light up with an idea. He reaches you, settling close, before he begins unbuttoning his coat and revealing his bare torso.

“Ah–um–Ace?” He slips his coat off, and you’re torn between admiring his physique and worrying about him catching a cold, no matter how impossible you know that is. He doesn’t acknowledge your confusion and concern, instead wrapping his coat tightly around you, engulfing you in his scent.

“Are you still cold?” He leans closer, and you can barely focus on his words over the smoky scent of his coat.

“Um, a little?” It comes out as a question.

“Hm.” He puffs out his cheeks a little in displeasure. “Well. I have one more idea.” Without any warning, he abruptly pulls you into his lap, his strong arms wrapping around you as your frantically adjust to keep your head from pressing directly between his pecs. You end up with your thighs on either side of his hips, your hands on his chest, your noses brushing together.

“Is that any better?” He’s staring intently into your eyes as he asks. You can feel his breath on your face, feel his heartbeat beneath your hands, see every freckle painted across his face.

God, what I wouldn’t give for you to kiss me right now.

“What?”

Oh.

Oh no.

“I–” You try to push away in panic, but his arms keep you in place.

“Do you mean that?” His breath is against your lips, so hot compared to the chill around you.

You want to tell him no, to insist he misheard you, salvage some of your dignity, but then you register the intensity of his eyes as something you weren’t expecting: hope.

“Yes.”

His lips crash against yours as he pulls you impossibly closer, the heat radiating off of him seeping into you down to your very bones. His strong hands come to rest on your hips, and your hands wander up to tangle in his raven hair. You can hardly feel the icy cold anymore, can hardly feel anything but Ace pressed against you and his soft lips on yours. He nips lightly at your bottom lip, and you easily part to allow his tongue to explore.

His hands begin to wander up your back, under your shirt, and you feel your skin heat beneath his touch. You can’t tell if he’s using his devil fruit or if it’s simply the chemistry between you, but either way you feel warm and safe. You’d stay like this forever if you could.

Eventually you’re forced to part for air, panting, and he gives you a cheeky smile. “Are you warmer now?”

“Hmm…” You trace your fingers down his chest, trying not to grin too widely when he shivers. “I think I’m still a bit chilly, actually.”

“Want some help with that?” He’s smiling so wide the edges of his eyes are crinking with joy.

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

His lips meet yours once again, and you completely forget about the storm raging outside.

#ace x reader #one piece x reader #portgas d ace x reader #ace x you #ace x y/n #portgas ace x reader

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servicpop · 8 months ago

Note

AUGH THE COWBOY FIC WAS SO FUCKING CUTE FHSHJSBUSKFDSKUS I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!!!! OUUUUUU

I ALREADY HAVE ANOTHER IDEA FOR THEM!!!! so the reader eventually has to get to the next town for a week or two for a series of shows, reader tells Cole where he’ll be and where he’ll preform so Cole can send him a letter if he’d like. Cole obviously send a him letters and reader writes back every time. But one day Cole doesn’t send reader a response and this makes him think Cole lost interest for some reason, so readers moping around and complaining about it to other show girls until Cole shows up at the place their preforming. Reader spots Cole in the crowd and gets excited immediately and the rest of the show he has a wide smile up until he can go out and talk to Cole who has flowers for the reader!!!

THIS CAN END FLUFFY OR SMUTTY OR BOTH IDC I JUST LOVE THESE TWO SO MUCH YOU DONT GET IT IM CRAZY RAH :3

-🎱

✶ ﹑ㅤletters & flowersㅤ﹏

NOW STARRING : Cole the cowboy x 'showgirl' m!reader

「ㅤSFW & NSFWㅤ」ㅤhalf is sfw and half is nsfw (the nsfw part will be separated and labelled as nsfw!)

✙ NSFW warnings — sub!top cole, dom!bottom/power bottom reader, cole is a virgin, riding, tummy bulge, cole is more vocal than reader, first time

notes ,, go to part one if you haven't read it already! Not proofread !!

You were able to extend your stay at Pinecrest just for a little while, and during your time here you were able to meet so many people and learn so many things about agriculture, farming, taking care of animals, and you even got to meet the local dog, Scout. More importantly, you were able to spend more time with Cole. He took you out almost every night to go sightseeing, taking you to his favourite spots whether it was in the mountains or by the lake. He even taught you how to ride your own horse and named her Taffy after you; since you were so sweet.

Nothing could've replaced those star-filled nights where it was just you and Cole with your horses, Taffy and Spirit, enjoying the cool breeze and endless conversations that seemed to meander. However, you were a busy man, especially while being in the entertainment industry you didn't have time to stick around forever. You could feel your heart sink just a little bit when your manager had announced that another show would be held in the next town for a few weeks. Of course you enjoyed your line of work, you loved performing, loved being on stage and hearing the cheers of others, but you also loved Cole's company. You knew that Cole had a role here at Pinecrest and it would've been selfish of you to ask him to come with you. But, it wasn't like you were going to keep this whole ordeal a secret from him.

"Cole?" Your voice seemed to break the silence; his head turned to look at you, "Yeah?" Cole's voice was warm, and gentle with a hint of ruggedness like honey dripping over gravel, and the way his eyes glittered when they met yours was enough to make your legs weak under the eye contact, causing you to splutter when you decided to speak again. "I– I have to leave tomorrow, I got another show I need to do at the next town," You mumble, shying away from his entrancing gaze. The cogs in his rusty little brain were visibly turning as Cole stared at you blankly with his lips parted like he was trying to comprehend your words. You can tell it finally settled in his mind when his face deflated like a sad puppy, "You're leavin' sugar?" His voice wavers as he stared at you; the fingers that were once tracing the rim of his glass paused, and the bartender took this moment of Cole's sad expression as a cue to refill his cup with root beer.

Oh, you couldn't do this to him. It was almost like kicking an abandoned puppy on the side of the road — totally cruel. You proposed the idea of sending letters and his sad puppy expression lifted just a little. Fishing in your bag you pulled out a flyer of your next show, sliding it across the counter so he could keep a copy for himself, "Here, send them to this address," you tapped the words in bold that say where you were performing. Cole — of course — takes the flyer eagerly, scanning over it to mentally note down the information written on it, "I'll definitely be sendin' you letters honey," Cole smiled with his dimples peeking through. He picked up his glass of beer and placed it between his lips to take a swig before he started blabbering about whatever came to his mind, a common habit of Cole, and you were always keen to listen to his rambles. You could listen to his voice all night long.

Unfortunately, Cole's most dreaded day came when you had to leave for the next town. He most definitely was one of the first people to wake up at the crack of dawn to catch you before you left, pressing a light, lingering kiss on the back of your palm as if you were a prince and he was nothing but a humble knight. After the townspeople waved you off, you and your fellow performers left via the vans. It was approximately a four hour ride, it would've been quicker if you took the train but your manager insisted to go by car for the scenery. You felt yourself missing Cole more than ever, more than anyone else that you've met and being in multiple towns and countries, you've met alot of people.

Your show was held over four days with a one day break in between and a few free days to explore the area — a total of one week and 3 days. As promised, after settling down in the new town, you received letters every morning from Cole. They usually contained heartfelt messages about his day, his animals, what he ate for every meal, some local gossip, and of course expressing how much he missed you. He even signed every letter with small doodles of what you assumed to be him and Scout. Sometimes, he'd even attach small poloroids of himself usually with Taffy and Spirit in the back. Every night when you had time to spare you scavenged your hotel room for a spare piece of paper and a pen, writing back a response with your signature and some doodles that were definitely not as good as Cole's. It's corny, but you kissed the envelop after sealing it before sending it off back to him.

One day after your 2nd show, you stopped receiving letters, and it really messed up your mood. Did Cole lose interest? Had he found someone better than you? Was it because you were away? All these thoughts ran through your mind and you found yourself slumped at the vanity, complaining and whining to the other showgirls on how you felt like he didn't like you anymore. Knowing how supportive the girls are, they always attempted to comfort you, patting your back and reassuring you that he might’ve just not had any time to write back, that he was busy tending the cattle and whatnot. But no matter what they said, that feeling if a pit in your stomach lingered for the 3rd show. Your aura wasn't the same, your energy wasn't the same, you couldn't perform as well as you did the first two shows.

But suddenly, you felt a strange, familiar pair of eyes staring at you from the crowd. Mid dance, your eyes scanned the sea of people and caught on that dear smile that seemed to light up even the darkest of nights. Cole. That stupidly charming cowboy was nestled in between the bodies of others looking at you. Just you with those eyes filled with admiration. Your heart skipped a beat — or multiple — and you felt your lips involuntarily curl up into a smile.

"That's it. That's the smile I love."

With a new-found burst of energy, your limbs no longer felt sluggish and that fake smile was replaced with a genuine one. All of the sudden, the spotlight seemed to focus on you, highlighting the sequins that glittered on your costume and your bright smile. The other showgirls seemed to notice your change in mood and they all shot you small smiles, watching at how your hips swayed with the beat of the music and how your dance lightened up the atmosphere. You couldn't wait to see him.

Once the performance ended and you and the other performers bowed, you immediately ran out into the crowd, searching frantically for Cole but no matter how hard you looked and pushed through the people, you couldn't find Cole. Your feet picked up in speed as you ran outside, looking around to find Cole leaning against a streetlight with a bouquet in his hands. "Hey," You huffed, catching your breath from all that running around. "You were— amazing, sweetheart," Cole smiled, extending his arm out for you to take the bouquet of dasies, "U–uhm, the daises are hand picked if— if you were wonderin'." From the way he was stuttering over his words like a highschool boy confessing to his crush, and how his eyes focused on anything but your face, you could tell he's never given flowers to anyone in such a romantic way. They were beautiful, all thoughtfully placed together to make the bouquet aesthetically pleasing with a white ribbon tied around the stems with a small bow. You took the bouquet before wrapping your arms around Cole in a warm embrace. He didn't expect you to hug him so abruptly but he for sure did not complain, taking only a second to return the hug, wrapping his arms around you protectively. "I've never seen you smile so wide before darlin,' were you excited to see me?" Cole chuckled, keeping your face pressed against his cheek as he tangled his fingers through your hair. A small laugh escaped your lips too as you teased back, "Don't get ahead of yourself now."

After catching up a bit on the way back to your hotel, you found out through Cole that one of his cows gave birth to an adorable baby he named 'Choco' from its brown coloured fur. He really did have a quirk in naming animals. Once back, he helped you find a vase for your daisies, filling it up with water before carefully plopping your flowers in them. You flopped onto the bed, bouncing slightly from how plush the mattress was, and Cole followed shortly, laying right beside you. As you laid on the bed with your eyes staring up at the white ceiling, you felt a hand tangle with yours, turning your head to meet Cole's grin and his hands holding yours tightly. "Thanks for coming tonight," You were more than happy that he actually took the time out of his day to come all the way here to watch you perform again, "You know I'd do anythin' for you sugar," He cooed, squishing your cheeks between his fingers before he brought your face to his, giving you a small peck on the lips. You always loved how soft and gentle Cole's lips felt agaisnt yours, and they always had a faint taste of strawberries on them.

"That's too corny,"

"You want corn? We can go to the corn fields sometime if that's what you want"

And that earnt a pillow straight to his face.

One kiss turned into two, maybe three, with you leaning over Cole's body while he was still laying down. His arm snaked over to hook around your waist, pulling you closer to him and tangling his legs with yours. As he presses his body agaisnt yours, you felt him poke at your thigh. He was excited, something that you didn't expect from sweet little Cole. He seemed to notice and it was evident through the blush that creeped up his neck, "S–sorry... it's instinct y'know?" His words stumble over eachother and he brings a hand to his face, hiding behind the comfort of his palms as embarrassment ate away at him. It was adorable! This guy being such a flustered mess just from a few kisses and you haven't even done anything that intimate yet.

You reassure him, obviously; you tell him that it's natural and that it's okay to react this way. But then it strikes you. He seemed so inexperienced, so shy about everything. Was Cole a virgin? "I've never done anythin' like this before... I've never felt this way about someone else," His usually loud and confident voice was now reduced to a soft, nervous whisper. He shuffled slightly, pulling you up and onto his lap, his eyes glittered with nervousness and excitement, "D'you think you could show me a thing or two?" Damn. The way he's looking at you with pure love and sincerity made your blood pump faster from how quick your heart was beating. You've been dying for this too, so why not?

You helped him undress before following shortly after, discarding your clothes somewhere in the hotel. He was surprisingly big— like really big. His pretty pink tip was already glistening with pre-cum from the previous kisses and he had a prominent vein that ran down the underside of his cock that was bound to be a sensitive spot for him. Cole was also more built than you expected, he had toned muscles that were most defined in his arms and he had pretty big pecs. They were like pillows, you'd have to convince him to let you sleep on them later. Cole refused to look you in the eyes while you rummaged the beside drawers for lube. You put a generous amount on your palm before placing the bottle down and turning to face Cole, who was trembling like a little mouse.

"Relax," you cooed, wrapping your lubed up hand around his shaft, pumping slowly to coat him. His body physically jerked once he felt the cool substance around his cock, and a low whine slipped from his lips. Cole's breathing became more heavy as you slowly stroked his length, his eyes fluttered with every movement. Once you deemed that to be enough, you slowly moved to hover over his lap and Cole's hands immediately went up to grip your hips for stability. You knew this would hurt; you weren't properly prepared but you didn't care that much. Slowly, you sunk down on Cole's cock, feeling the slight burn as you bit back small whimpers. "You okay sugar? 'Mnot hurtin' you am I?" Cole grunted, his fingers gripping your hips even more, guiding you down his length. He was concerned, yes, but he also couldn't help from twitching inside you.

"I'm fine," you replied with a small huff once you were able to take Cole in fully, relaxing a bit so you could get used to his size. Cole on the other hand was certainly not relaxing. You could almost see the muscles on his arm tense and he had this unfamiliar look in his eyes like he was desperate for something, any sort of movement from you. After awhile of just silence and stillness, Cole's resolve finally caved in, "Oh, please sweetheart, please move. Anythin'! I need to feel you, please," he whined like a little puppy, staring into your eyes as if he was going to die if you didn't give him any sort of relief. But that wasn't any fun now was it?

You leaned down, your hips rolling slightly in accord to your movements, and pressed a honeyed kiss on the outer corner of Cole's lips. That little movement with your hips almost made Cole cum on the spot. "You can't do that t'me," Cole's eyes gleamed over with tears, dampening his eyelashes. All wet and pretty. He swore he'd actually start crying if you didn't move. "Alright, alright, sorry," you apologised but didn't really mean it — he was so adorable begging you just to move. But, you weren't that cruel. A string of 'thank you's poured out of Cole's mouth as you rocked your hips rhymically, grinding down on his cock. His head tilted back against the silk pillows, his brown hair cascading across the pillowcase like flowing water. Cole's lips were slightly parted, and his chest rose and fell intermittently, some breaths short and stuttered, while others were deeper.

"It feels so good," Cole muttered out between pants. His voice was nothing short of a whiny mess mixed with a few moans and grunts. You lifted yourself off of him, almost lifting completely off of him before dropping your hips back down, earning a muffled whimper from you and a loud moan from Cole. He was undoubtedly alot more vocal in expressing his pleasure. His eyes opened with heavy eyelids, as he looked up at you; you could practically see the hearts in his eyes. Cole's gaze flickered down to your tummy and his mind went blank when he saw the small bulge in your stomach, "Oh mercy," he breathed out, his hand moved to touch your stomach, "You're gonna be the death of me if you keep— hah, keep teasin' me like this."

Your mind was just as lost as Cole's with the way his dick was able to reach your prostate so easily. It drove you crazy; his cock angled perfectly to hit it over and over again with each bounce. Your own neglected cock was sliding along Cole's happy trail, the warmth of his body made you twitch everytime you grinded your hips. "I'm— im close, so so so close, please— please let me cum." Beads of sweat rolled down Cole's temples and his forearms flexed, digging his fingertips into your hips hard enough to leave an indent — he was careful not to use his nails, Cole would never want to hurt you. "Im—" Cole sat up from his laying position, enveloping you in his arms and buried his face in the crook of your neck, needing something to hold onto while he orgasmed. His moans were muffled by your neck as his thigh spasmed faintly while he spilt his seed inside of you, filling you up to the brim. Your own orgasm followed after his, coating his abs with your fluid.

You two sat in the comfort of eachothers arms and the sound of your heavy breathing; your own arms were lazily draped over his shoulders with one hand stroking his hair. "When's your next show?" Cole asked, moving his head off your shoulder to look at you, "The day after tomorrow, but I have rehearsal tomorrow morning," a small pout spreads across Cole's lips as his eyes flicker to loon at your thigh instead. "Do you think you can walk properly tomorrow?" "Oh right..."

Bonus ♡

You winced as you settled down into the chair infront of the vanity. A few of the showgirls walked up to you, noticing that something was off, "You okay honey bun? You seem to be in alot of pain today," one of the girls ask, placing a comforting hand on your back. "He obviously got some action last night with that cowboy guy." "No I did not!" "It's obvious in the way you're limping sweetie."

Cole on the other hand, was still soundly asleep in your hotel bed, curled up with the blanket he stole from you during the night.

a/n ,, Cole oh sweet Cole . To be honest ,, I'm still not used to writing smut . I guess it's because I'm trying my hardest not to make it sound off or weird ,, maybe I'm just immature . The word cock sounds funny to me . Anyways !! I kinda rushed the smut . To be fair my main focus with Cole is how he's an innocent n' sweet guy but ya know ,, nsfw is what gets people going these days

#bottom male reader #male reader #oc x male reader #male x reader #mlm #male x male #servicpop — fics/drabbles #servicpop — ocs #sub character #dom male reader #x bottom male reader #original character #smut #gay #gay fanfiction #oc fluff #oc smut

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miheartsedthings · 9 months ago

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Long Drive

SFW

You can’t sleep. Your body too full of a thrumming sadness you can’t be rid of. The source of which you can’t pin down. Your heart feels stuck to your sternum and you turn over in bed again searching for some kind of relief.

“Can’t sleep?”

Billy’s husky voice finds you in the dark.

“Not even a little.”

The two of you climb into the car, you bring your thin blanket and he doesn’t bother putting on a shirt. He’s warm enough to brave the spring chill without one. You let the passenger seat back and watch dark trees slide by the window. A navy sky empty of stars. His hand comes groping under the blanket, searching for your hand and you offer it, lacing your fingers with his.

“What’s got you sad?”

“How’d you know?”

He gives you a skeptical look.

“All this time, you still think you can keep a secret from me?”

It makes you smile, however sadly.

“Just feeling…far away…don’t know why.”

He nods slowly, his eyes watching the horizon while he mulls over what you’ve said.

“From me?”

You shrug.

“From everything. Just…feel like I’m missing something.”

He brings your hand to his lips.

“I’m here.”

You smile.

“I know.” You say “I know you’re here. I know I’m not really on my own I just…” You don’t have the words to finish this feeling. It has no particular name. “Why couldn’t you sleep?”

He heaves a deep sigh.

“Steve texted me.”

This rings alarm bells, you raise the seat to sit up and look at him.

“Yeah? Is he okay?”

He shakes his head.

“The nightmares came back. Bouncing’ off the fuckin walls over there.”

You groan, your heart filling with worry.

“How can he still live in that town?”

He shrugs.

“The kids are there. He won’t leave till they graduate.”

“Fuck.” Your head falls against the rest. “I worry about him,” you say. “A guy like that shouldn’t live alone. He needs people around.”

“I told him,” Billy grumbles, clearly worried about his friend. The sensitive boy he sometimes thinks of as a brown-eyed puppy. He rifles through the glovebox, retrieving his cigarettes with a huff.

“You told him he can live with us, right? If he wants to?”

“I fuckin’ told him, baby,” he says around the cigarrette. He rolls down the window a second too late, filling the car with the heady musk of smoke. “He’s a stubborn asshole.”

You cough and he apologizes, giving your knee an affectionate squeeze. You tell him it’s fine and crack your window as well. The two of you sit in silence for a while. Winding through streets in no particular order.

“You think people can feel it when you're thinking about them?” Billy glances over at you. Unsure how to answer. “I mean, psychically. Like…I think about it with celebrities sometimes. When there's thousands of people thinking about you all at once, it has to have some effect. Maybe it just makes them sneeze.” He grins a little, taking another long hit from his Marlboro. “So maybe Steve’s sneezing his brains out right about now.”

“I hope so. I hope he knows we give a shit.”

“I think he knows you care. You tried hard after everything. He trusts you now.”

“Hmm.”

He takes another long pull from his cigarette and angles the smoke toward the window. He avoids downtown and all that traffic, choosing instead to wind through the empty streets curving toward the San Bernadino mountains.

“Are you gonna call him?”

He sighs. Already his cigarette is nearly gone.

“And say what?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes people just need to hear they’re gonna be okay. And it means something coming from you.”

He scoffs. The cigarette is done, and he scrubs it against the heel of his shoe before flicking it out the window.

“You don’t think he listens to you?”

“If he listened to me he’d leave that asscrack of a town.”

You shrug, slumping down in your seat.

“Leaving your home can be scary.”

“So fuckin’ what? Shit gets scary, do it anyway.”

You can’t help laughing.

“I knew it, I knew you read that book!”

You can see him start to blush in the cool blue light from the dashboard. You’re talking about the book his therapist recommended the year after moving out of Hawkins. Do It Scared. He’d insisted he wasn’t interested in reading it, yet here he was quoting it like scripture. Your teasing gets to him, and he retaliates by jamming his fingers into the ticklish spot on your side. You’re forced against the door where you can’t wiggle out of his reach. Instantly you’re apologizing, begging for him to stop through painfully uncontrollable laughter.

He’s smiling when he relents, satisfied to have taken his revenge. You settle back in your seat with a sigh. Followed by a yawn.

“There it is,” he says, affection softening his tone.

He brings your hand to his mouth again. Each of your fingers gets a turn against his lips. You watch him, taking in the details of his profile. You've looked at him so many times you've completely lost count, but every time you do it feels new. You discover something in the beauty of him that makes you realize again how much you want him nearby. This time, you watch his careful gaze as he looks out onto the road ahead. His lashes, tail lights shining into ocean blue. He’s worrying.

“Anyway. Not everyone can just barrel through stuff. He’s scared and he could use a call from you.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll check on the little dweeb. Happy?”

“Very,” you answer with a sleepy smile.

You find yourselves far from home, wondering on and on as the hours roll by. You both have class in the morning, but there’s something so comforting about the car and the darkened streets. You waste time, long stretches of it going by without a word spoken between you. Not much needs to be said in company as familiar as this. You’re able to be together, letting go your tensions with every new scratch of mile. Drowsy and quiet until sunrise.

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove x reader #stranger things #billy hargrove imagine #billy stranger things #fanfic #story

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sunflowerzyk · 5 months ago

Text

DRAGON X READER

(drable)

Contiene: Dragon X Fem!Reader, Monster Romance, Slow Burn, SFW (por ahora) .

You travel through a portal, To a stereotypical Medieval to fantasy era with all kinds of magical creatures and different mythologies, just myths in your previous life. Wonderful monsters in your eyes.

But you must continue to work even here, as an assistant to an elf apothecary who offered you work, sending you in search of ingredients where you cross paths with your next opportunity to explore new places. A dragon.

Version en Español

— Just get these plants, the map is in your bag, and there's the usual transportation.

That grumpy goblin muttered with little patience, pointing to the faucet that was a few meters away from the two of you. Sometimes-you wonder how that tiny body of your 'boss' can contain so much anger and bitterness without exploding into streamers and brightly colored paper.

— Roger that, ....

You hummed, with your boss in the palm of your hand you gently set him down on the window frame of his store. Opening the bag that hung at your side, pulling out the piece of paper, drawings of the herbs you needed to find with their names written carelessly in a language you knew very little of even now, your pronunciation was horrible.

You looked at everything out of the corner of your eye without giving it much thought next to the map<<snowy mountains>> you managed to decipher, your brow furrowed slightly.

— Will Comet reach those heights?

you asked hesitantly, glancing sideways at the griffin that was easily twice your height, before returning to your boss, who was frowning at you.

-—He will if he has a good rider.

He hissed, before turning and leaping out of the frame and into the hut. You were definitely hoping he'd explode into rainbow sparkles someday.

You let out a snort flying between amused and frustrated. Stashing the map and list in the bag again, adjusting the strap so it wouldn't fly off.

— Well boy...I guess it's you and me against this world.

You whispered, making an awkward attempt to climb into his saddle. It would be just like any other day of collecting. Just coming and going, following directions with no incidentals. Pulling on the straps of the griffin unfurling its massive wings, flying off in a northerly direction.

— She's not coming back.

Murmured your boss's wife, a little golden-haired, pointy-nosed elf with worry in her voice.

— If she's worthy to live she will, if she doesn't, it's one less burden for us, winter is near.

He muttered coldly.

— You could have given the job to someone else more capable.

— No one accepted, they're smart.

— So is she.

— But she trusted us.

Yes, a mistake, or a little nudge to a different story...

— Oh Shit!

You hiss, falling to the side of the griffin mount as you try to turn as if you were going to run away.

Everything was fine, Except for the torturous autumn winds whipping through the snowy mountains (no snow hard.

It was almost noon, there was an embracing sun that could not penetrate the strong winds at all. Although you had adequate clothing, a fur sweater, boots and pants to withstand the cold, the wind almost blew you off the road more than once.

Thanks to Comer your huge scream that broke the path of the blizzards you recorded it to sneak under it and collect those herbs you needed, too impressed with how resistant they were, hidden among the stones not to fly away.

But. a gale much stronger than the rest flanked your moaning stance as you pulled it up to take off on your return.

You were on the ground, wide-eyed.... watching him, him a fucking Dragon over four meters tall, the whole package complete with scales, teeth wings claws and piercing eyes that seemed to gnaw at your soul.

Your griffin immediately lowered its head in the dragon's presence, like a scolded little puppy. You no..... could not move and bow.

Since you arrived in this world you first asked for dragons, receiving mocking or accusatory looks from others in your direction. Everyone said they never left their territories. Caves or whatever you call them. Being extremely territorial, for you, a small human it would be better to be far away.

And now? You understood why.

Just stretching your head back painfully just to look at him.... or look directly into his eyes was uncomfortable.

You observe her features...you always had a thing for dragons in particular, perhaps a reverence or fascination for such elegantly terrifying and lethal creatures.

The Dragon. He watched you from his full height, you didn't know what he thought, he was probably like the others and was debating whether you were a dwarf, a deformed offspring of a giant or a fairy without pointed ears.

And it wasn't incorrect your guess, Because in his head, He was genuinely debating to find out your race and whether you were too stupid to understand that you should lower your head in his presence. Or very very very stupid to know that you weren't intimidating with...those huge eyes.... Staring at him.

<<What kind of a creature are you?>>

You asked yourself barking your head, leaning closer.

Immediately Comete stepped between the two of you, placing his body smaller than the grafin but larger than yours on top of you, still with his head down. But unable to be at ease without trying to protect you, the only rider who had any regard for him.

— Get out of the way.

growled the huge Dragon. It moved its huge armored paw toward Comet, wrapping it firmly around him and ripping him off of you. Throwing it over the edge of the mountain.

— Comet!

You gasped. Finally aware of your situation, seeing your transport being tossed around like it was nothing turned your stomach.

And hearing the Dragon's growl sent its considerable amount of electric shocks into you.

He turned his gaze immediately to you when he heard you speak, completely intrigued by the softer, squeakier sound of your voice in comparison to his own.

You quickly became mute without knowing what to do. Returning your attention to the huge dragon with a dry throat.

The Dragon was as anxious as you, finding a different creature wandering in its territory would merit death by incineration, but you were bold and did not lower your gaze no matter how fixed it looked at you....es interesting.

Until you break the silence,

Beginning with a quick introduction of your name, making a small bow in the mother tongue of that kingdom.

— I come in peace

You added with a tense jaw. Raising your hands in surrender.

<<....., little one, Foreigner with a terrible accent>>

He hummed in his head, moving a little closer to you, just a few centimeters.

When Comet comes back flapping awkwardly against the wind current that doesn't affect you because of the dragon's huge body and its wind-repelling body heat. Making you feel vapor in place.

— You are with life..... Comet!

You whisper excitedly, almost comically, prancing in its direction.

The dragon instead lets out a cloud of steam in your direction so that you shut your mouth. Glaring at the gryphon again, who stood with a firm composure, ready to protect you (try).

You didn't know you could be eaten because if Haci were the dragon he would have done it from minute one.

A small shiver ran through you as you returned your gaze to him and he to you.

The growl that came from deep in his chest and made his scales vibrate and the ground filled you completely, leaving you unable to stop looking at him again.

You left him captivated with your menacing stare.

#monster fucker #monster x human #monster x you #monster x reader #dragon x reader #dragon x human #size difference #draft #slow burn #medieval #fantasy #dragon #If I see support there will be more parts #I need to get all my ideas out randomly.

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sphylor · 1 year ago

Text

Kitty Dew Master Post:

A collection of links to kitty Dew posts (will be updated as time goes on. if ive forgotten anything or if the links are wrong lemme know)

EVERYTHING IS UNDER THE CUT BECAUSE ITS GETTING TOO LONG

What is kitty Dew:

Pet regression

Important to bear in mind

Fics:

Kittentails

I'll Always Be There For You - by the incredible @gh-woah-st

Nowhere Safer

FIclets:

Kitty Dew and puppy Mountain during a storm

Kitty Dew and Rain - by the wonderful @divine-misfortune

Extra cuddly kitty Dew and Rain

Rain thinking Dew's kitty but he's actually little

Kitty Dew and Mountian cuddles

Kitty Dew and puppy Mountain cuddles

Posts:

Fiber arts ask

Miscellaneous thoughts

Favourite places to be pet and scritched

Zoomies

Bonking horns

Little mousey

Head tilts and favourite places to be pet

Cat tree

Sharpening his claws

Cookies and safe food

Why kitty Dew calls Rain "Mousey"

Catnip

How to play with kitty Dew

The origins of kitty Dew

How kitty Dew reacted to the other ghouls

He loves his Mousey so much

Kitty Dew's feelings about water

KIssies on his forehead and scritches between his horns

Kitty Dew's feelings about fireworks

Making biscuits

Making biscuits on tibbies

Some kitty Dew pics and how sleepy he gets after playtime

How kitty Dew reacts to sensory slugs

Kitty Dew loafing

Catnip snow angel

Kitty Dew losing little mousey

Kitty Dew napping in someone else's bed

The kitty Dew pics ever

Kitty Dew and his hats

Kitty Dew tidbits - by the incredible @gh-woah-st

Kitty Dew laying on Mountain's back

Weirdest kitty Dew sleeping positions

Kitty Dew uppies

Kitty Dew and Copia

Kitty Dew hunting a fly

Kitty Dew and big emotions

Kitty Dew giving gifts

Kitty Dew loving baubles and christmas

Kitty Dew needing a shower

Kitty Dew after the shower

Eepy kitty Dew

Kitty Dew loves Mousey so much

Kitty Dew loves laying on laundry

Soot Dew

Eepy kitty Dew pics

Misc kitty Dew pics

More misc kitty Dew pics

Kitty Dew being silly with Rain's plushies

Kitty Dew stealing Rain's phone

Featuring friends!!:

Kitty Dew bapping puppy Mountain

Would kitty Dew and Puppy Mountain be friends?

Kitty Dew and puppy Sunshine resting in the sun

Puppy Mountain makes kitty Dew feel safe

Bunny Phantom and Bird Aroura

Puppy Sunshine

Kitty Dew and kitty Rain while Aether works on ministry stuff

Puppy Mountain tidbits - by the incredible @gh-woah-st

Kitty Dew and otter Rain

Kitty Dew and puppy Mountain's favourite snacks

Kitty Dew and puppy Mountain protect each other from nightmares

Kitty Dew and puppy Mountain bathtime

Puppy Mountain's halloween costume

Puppy Mountain's leaf blanket

Puppy Mountain and puppy Phantom walkies

Puppy Mountain catching sniffies

Age regression:

Little!Dew who's also kitty

Little!Rain and kitty Dew

Little!Phantom and kitty Dew

Art:

Kitty Dew and little mousey - by the lovely @golden-rats

#kitty dew #puppy mountain (sfw)#puppy phantom (sfw)#puppy sunshine (sfw)#bunny phantom #bird aurora #little rain #little dew #little phantom #rain ghoul #dewdrop ghoul #mountain ghoul #sunshine ghoulette #phantom ghoul #aurora ghoulette #aether ghoul #regressed ghouls my beloved

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lipglossanon · 1 year ago

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Road Trip

puppy!Leon S. Kennedy x fem!reader - SFW

warning: hybrid Leon/puppy Leon, cuteness 🥰

not proofread ✌️

“Why is there so much fog?”

You cut your eyes over to see Leon nearly pressing his face to the window, one ear flopped back showing off the soft tan fur inside.

You giggle and tug on his arm, drawing his attention to you.

“It’s because it’s still early. I wanted to get to the cabin as quickly as possible,” you ruffle his hair, righting his ear in the process.

He hums, preening under the head pats while his tail thumps against the seat.

“Kay.”

He pouts and whines once you pull your hand back to grab onto the wheel.

“Now be good,” you murmur, “it’s only a few more hours.”

He huffs but settles back in the seat, eyes returning to the window.

“It sure is pretty up in the mountains.”

You nod, “Yeah, I thought you might like a change of scenery. We can go on all kinds of hikes while we’re out here.”

“Really?”

He raises up in his seat, unbuckling his seatbelt so he can worm his face underneath your arm and nuzzle into your chest.

“Leon!” you half laugh, half scold, “I’m trying to drive.”

He squishes his face into your stomach, “Just wanna be close,” his muffled voice makes your heart melt.

You drop one hand down to pet through his hair and rub his ears making his tail wag.

“Okay, but once the road gets less paved, you’ll have to go back to your seat, alright?”

“Yes’um,” he slurs, laying his head out on your lap, half lidded eyes staring up at you.

“You’re so cute, Leon,” you coo.

A pink blush covers the bridge of his nose and he grins bashfully, “Thank you.”

Letting go for a second, you turn up the radio, letting your fall ‘mixtape’ softly play from the speakers. You put your hand right back onto Leon’s head and card your fingers through his hair, relaxing into the driver’s seat.

Stopping for gas, you coax Leon out to stretch his legs. He bounds off into the store and you’re mentally thankful you remembered to snap his collar around his neck. After paying at the pump, you pull up to the front of the gas station, getting out to go inside after Leon.

“Miss owner!” He practically bowls you over as he presses into your side.

“They have beef jerky,” his blue eyes widen as he grabs your hands to kiss the back of them, “can I have some, pretty please? I’ve been so good!”

You bite your bottom lip to fight down the urge to smile and let him pull you over to the aisle with the aforementioned beef jerky. He gestures broadly and turns to you with the biggest puppy eyes.

“Alright,” you laugh, watching his ears perk up and tail wag, “but you can only pick one, okay?”

“Okay!” he grabs one off the front and presses it into your hands.

You grab your own little snack and make sure to grab more water before checking out and guiding Leon back out into the car. Once you’re both buckled in, you notice him staring at you making your eyebrows raise in an unasked question.

He smiles and licks a stripe up your cheek before giving you a messy kiss.

“You’re my favorite, Miss owner.”

Your chest flutters and you smile back, “You’re my favorite too, Leon.”

divider: @firefly-graphics

#lipglossanon #lipglossanon masterlist #lipgloss masterlist #promptober 2023 #lipglossanon promptober 2023 #promptober 2023 day 10 #puppy!leon kennedy #puppy!leon s kennedy x fem!reader #puppy!leon s kennedy #fem!reader #hybrid!leon s kennedy #hybrid au #hybrid!leon kennedy #fluff #short and sweet

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rotdistressxox · 7 months ago

Note

Hi... can i ask a little thing?

I dont know if you do this but...

Pleaseeee can you write something about mountain x reader x aether?

I was thinking about a lil fic but choose whatever you feel inspired to do (sfw and/or nsfw, i dont care at all)

(If you dont like poly trio can be at least mounty x reader? He's a little giant puppy, i would cuddle 🥰 him all day if he was real...)

Oooo today's your lucky dayyy

A Spring's Soft Greeting

Mountain x Reader x Aether

Established relationship (Poly) No Warnings! Just lots o' fluff / kissing n stuff

The air was crisp just as it was gentle when the ministry's willow tree swayed with the breeze. Though one could still feel a chill when the wind blew, the sun was warm and comforting. Blanketing the green grass and the wildflowers as their colors reached their peak. Spring was here, finally.

Aether and Mountain had planned this day with you for weeks. They made sure the weather was perfect, even going so far as to cast a few good weather charms. The Ghouls and the Sibling's of Sin had off from their duties today, and nothing would ever get in the way of their perfect picnic Mountain and Aether had planned for you.

Aether was carrying two hefty baskets of dishes and food. A ghouls' gotta eat. Meanwhile mountain had flowers hidden behind his back. With a pep in their step, they headed over to the Willow tree where you said you'd meet them. And there you were in all your beauty.

You were sitting on a checkered blanket, sunning yourself with a hat over your face. They smiled and picked up their speed as they approached you. Though they were thinking about catching you off guard. Aether gently set down the picnic baskets, the of them got on their knees and crawled towards you. Their tails flicking in anticipation.

They sprung at you, attacking your face with kisses on both sides. "Guys!" You shouted in surprise as they sandwiched you into a hug. "Hey Love" Aether purred in your ear, his sideburns tickling your face.

"Hello my handsomes, glad you showed up" you sat up from your position, a little dazed after the sneak attack. Mountain held a bouquet of flowers under your nose. It was clearly a fresh batch, hand picked by the ghoul himself. Gasping, you give him a giant smooch on his nose and he chuckles.

The day was spent lounging on the blanket and eating whatever Aether brought along with him. Everything was perfect, down to a dot. It was moments like this that you had to take a step back and feel the world around you. Nobody made you feel as loved as Mountain and Aether did. They were similar, yet very different, and they enjoyed eachothers company as much as they do yours.

Spring was around now, which means the ghouls were as cuddly and lovey dovey as ever. Their moods changed with the seasons, and in warmer climates the ghouls certainly prospered.

With a full stomach, you rested your back on the blanket, looking at the branches of the Willow tree. The two ghouls joined you, squishing you between them. "What's up beautiful?" Mountain chimed into your thoughts, taking your hand and kissing it.

"I can't wait to go skinny dipping" Aether almost choked on his spit when you replied. "How blunt" Mountain laughed "I get to join you, right?"

"Duh!" You looked at Aether with a smirk "You're also invited if you want." The quint grinned "How could I refuse?"

With Mountain and Aether tucked into both of your sides, you couldn't help but blush. Mountain had his tail wrapped around your leg with his head next to yours. While Aether had his head resting on your stomach, his strong arms relaxed around your hips.

The quint ghoul slightly lifted your blouse and left small pecks on your stomach, and the earth ghoul decided to join in. He lightly suckled on your neck, and all of a sudden it was kinda like you had two cats giving you affection.

"So warm" Aether mumbled into your abdomen face first. "So soft" Mountain said into the skin of your nape. You massaged Aethers scalp and placed your palm on Mountain's cheek.

"You two are very touchy today" you commented, but it certainly wasn't a complaint.

Aether detatched his face "It's not our fault, you're just-" "irresistible" Mountain finished. "Took the words right outta my mouth"

You sighed "Just don't do too much, we don't want to give the others a show"

"And why not?" Aether pouted.

Mountain chuckled and rubbed the quint's head "If anyone here is needy it's you." Aether face planted back into your stomach, groaning as his tail swished around.

"Don't tell me it's that time of the year" You sat up on your elbows, furrowing your eyebrows as you looked at him.

His tail fell and he looked up at you "Well-"

#the band ghost #ghost band #nameless ghouls #aether ghoul #mountain ghoul #namelessghouls x reader #polyamory

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tokkishouse · 2 years ago

Text

I have yet to acquire Scaramouche, so to cope I am writing fluff. Incredibly self-indulgent fluff.

(Sfw) In which you get sick after traversing to Dragonspine

Characters: Scaramouche, gn!Reader (neutral descriptors that don’t point to any gender, race, size, etc.)

Warnings: None!

WC: 432 words

“Tell me again how you got in this predicament,” Scaramouche muses, watching your illness-ridden body sink deeper into your bed. You had asked the Traveler to send him over to your house as soon as you felt how stuffed with snot your nose was. However, the smug look on his face was making you regret seeking him out.

The previous day, despite his warnings, you went out to Dragonspine in search of Starsilver. It is not a region that is to be taken lightly, but you promised him you wouldn’t be long and that you’d bring warming supplies like goulash and warming bottles. However, you were halfway up the peak when you realized you had forgotten to pack some warming bottles and your goulash was running low. Instead of turning back or even calling for help, you pushed on. So, it was no surprise that after spending hours in the tundra of a mountain, you would fall ill the next day.

“If I tell you, you’re going to laugh,” you whine, trying to avoid admitting to your mistake.

“If it’s any comfort, I’m laughing right now.”

“Yes, let me find comfort in my own partner laughing at my illness,” you roll your eyes, adjusting your body so you lay on your side to avoid Scaramouche’s gaze. He hums in response, crossing his arms. Truthfully, he was beyond concerned. He had an inkling you’d get sick and initially offered to come with you, but you insisted it was unnecessary. He wishes he had just gone with you.

“Do you expect me to be your personal nurse?” He bites at his tongue as he watches how fast you twist your body to look at him, hope shining in your eyes.

“Will you really?”

“As if! You got yourself in this mess.” He turns away just as you begin whining, no doubt trying to use your puppy dog eyes. “I still have my own responsibilities.”

Neither of you say anything, and he starts to think that maybe you’ve gone back to pouting silently. Until...

Sniff.

Sniff sniff.

He groans and looks back at you, narrowing his eyes as he sees the crocodile tears bubbling in your eyes and the quivering of your lip.

“Shut the waterworks down or I won’t make you soup,” he hisses, setting down his hat on the hat hook near the door to your room. You let out a cheer, the tears nowhere to be found as Scaramouche mumbles under his breath.

He’ll never admit it but being able to dote on you and help you recover made his stomach flutter.

#scaramouche x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact fluff #scaramouche fluff #wanderer x reader #wanderer fluff #genshin impact scaramouche #genshin imapct wanderer #tokki writes

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pastafossa · 2 years ago

Text

🎄The Biggest Tree In All The Kitchen 🎄 (Matt Murdock x F!Reader, Fic)

Right so despite the craziness of the plagiarist and the BIGGEST BLIZZARD MY CITY HAS EVER SEEN IN ITS HISTORY, I managed to get this done! As promised, Matt and TRT’s Reader deserve a goddamn Christmas tree, and you all deserve some fluff after the rough few chapters we’ve just hit in TRT!

Rating: SFW, some language and slight innuendo and a few kisses, but other than that, just fluff and humor and Matt being absolutely determined to get you the biggest goddamn tree he can find and Foggy’s Christmas movie/ references. Wordcount: 5,855, you are going to get FED. Ship: Matt Murdock x F!Reader. Specifically TRT’s reader, but the fic isn’t required reading. Just know you haven’t had a Christmas in a very long time due to Enhanced Abilities reasons.

The second Matt heard your heart skip, he made his decision.

“What do you mean, ‘it’s not a big deal?!’” Foggy bellowed, throwing his hands up as you circled the pool table for your next shot. “It’s absolutely a big deal!”

“It’s just a tree, Foggy.” You wrinkled your nose while lining up your next shot. “Ciro’s daughter was allergic, so we had a fake one. After I left at eighteen, I never saw the point of getting one if there was no one but me around. It’s not like it bothers me.”

Lie.

Matt, waiting at the bar for all of your drinks, tipped his head as he listened. Slowly, a devious plan began to form in his mind.

“I’m with Foggy. I call bullshit,” Karen laughed, her shirt rustling as if she’d just crossed her arms. “We’ve all seen you stopping at windows that had Christmas trees.”

“You look like a puppy staring up at a cookie jar,” Foggy sighed. “Tell me you and Matt are getting a tree for your first real Christmas together. I’ve seen your ceilings. You could fit a giraffe in there.”

“Or a giraffe-sized tree,” Karen snickered.

You shrugged one shoulder, eyeballing your next shot. “I figured we’d get one of those little plastic ones and put our ornaments on it. I haven’t really thought about getting a big one.”

Lie.

“I swear to God,” Foggy said grimly, “if I walk in there and see some sad little Charlie Brown plastic tree, we cannot be friends. Just admit you want a big tree.”

You took your shot, your stick sliding smoothly forward. The crack of the cueball rang out a moment later. “I admit nothing outside a court of law.”

“Or inside the court, let’s be honest,” Karen said, biting her lip. That turned into another snicker when you rolled your eyes without actually denying it.

“Swear!” Foggy demanded, jabbing a finger towards the bar where Matt stood. Matt helpfully waved. “Swear on Matthew!”

You snorted. “Foggy, I do not—”

Lie.

“—want—”

Lie.

“—a big Christmas tree.”

Huge lie.

Matt frowned.

“Besides,” you said, moving to your next shot. “All I need for Christmas is Matt and you guys. That’s all I need to be happy.”

Truth.

His lips quirked up in a little smile.

Foggy sighed. “That was sappy, even for you. Get it? Sappy? It’s because you’ve got Christmas sap inside you, I just know it. You’re one step away from dancing yourself into a Christmas movie.”

“Hey, Joe,” Matt asked, tilting his head at one of the regulars at the bar. “Do you know if those guys with the Christmas trees have set up on 43rd yet?”

“Think so,” he grunted, reaching up to scratch at his beard. “Saw them hauling their shit by earlier. Got some big fuckers this year.”

Perfect.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he hummed as he crawled up over your blanket-covered form, dropping a fond kiss here and there to the blankets as if it were your skin.

You let out a muffled grunt but didn’t otherwise stir, buried somewhere beneath the mountain of blankets. Like this, to his senses, you were a sleepy lump, only vaguely shaped like yourself, and a lump that barely moved even when he straddled your waist. Or what he thought was your waist, anyway; it was a little hard to tell, even with his senses. He’d already tried and failed to lure you out with the scent of coffee, which meant it was time for a more serious attempt.

He leaned forward to nuzzle at what felt like your head, a sleepy growl buzzing beneath him. It took him a minute to get the angle just right as he hunted for where the heat from your breath had warmed the blankets, but eventually, he managed to orient on just how you were laying. Then he veered off to the side, aiming for what he hoped was your ear, and murmured, “I know you’re awake.”

“Birds are awake,” came the muffled, grumpy reply. “The love of my life is awake. I am not awake. ‘S eight. Come back at nine when I’m open.”

He snorted, rearing up and grabbing the blankets. Before he could so much as tug, you’d burrowed in deeper. From there it became a tug of war, as he yanked and you squirmed around beneath him, the motion oddly familiar.

“You… are you rotating—” he laughed in disbelief, and you were, growling and spinning, rolling over and over again like a rotisserie chicken, winding the blankets around yourself. A moment later he lost the blankets as the edge was yanked underneath you, every last blanket on the bed now wound around you.

“Checkmate,” you said, your smugness losing some of its impact now that you were shaped like a particularly large and beloved burrito.

He shifted around until he could pick up the massive, fuzzy cocoon you’d become. Your noise of protest was muffled, but he ignored you, settling himself back against the headboard with your blanket cocoon in his arms. But that was fine; he knew exactly how to lure you out.

“I suppose we could stay in today,” he said innocently. “I may have had something planned, but it’s not important.”

The you-shaped blanket cocoon vibrated, as if mildly curious. “…Planned?

There it was. You could never resist that tone.

“Mhm.” He sighed theatrically so that you could hear him. He had you on the line. Now he just had to reel it in, very slowly. He adjusted you until your blanket-covered legs lay over his, your body tipped sideways to lay against his chest. “I thought maybe we could go out and do a little shopping.”

You grumbled, settling in as if you were determined to fall asleep again. “‘S too early. Shops are closed.”

“Not this one.” He laid his head atop yours, and with your head still covered in blankets, there was no way for you to see his grin. Still, he kept his tone innocent as you squirmed around, getting comfortable. “Besides, Foggy told me all the good trees go early.”

The rustling went still, and even beneath all the blankets, he heard your heart start to race.

“…Tree?” you said hopefully. And yet the barest edge of skepticism lingered beneath the word as if you couldn’t quite believe you’d heard him right. “Like… a real tree?”

“Real as I can find. They open at nine.” He rolled one shoulder, his smile softening. He wound his arms around you a little tighter. “I thought we could… go look for one.”

There was a long pause, and he rubbed his hand up and down the blankets over your back. He knew this was something of a sensitive topic for you—allowing yourself to do what you wanted after having been in hiding for so long, after being alone for years. But if this was something you wanted, he’d find a way to make it happen. You deserved this, after all the things you’d missed out on in your life. It wouldn’t make up for all of it, not even close, but it was a start.

And maybe… maybe it was for him, too. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a tree. Even as a kid, it was a rare thing to have enough money laying around for one. Him and his dad made do where they could, and every now and then managed to snatch up a small tree for cheap. God, those Christmases had seemed so magical, no matter how many needles fell off the patchy branches strung with paper ornaments and glittering tinsel. Funny how all that magic could drain away so quickly in a darkened alley, drain away like drying blood over cracked asphalt.

He’d lost interest in Christmas for a while, after that.

Foggy’s insistence on a dorm tree had been the first time in years he’d had one, and after that, the Nelson and Murdock office tree had been enough for him. There’d been no reason to put one up in his apartment. It wasn’t like he could see it, and he hadn’t… had anyone else who might want one. The few ornaments he’d managed to save from before his dad died hadn’t been enough of a reason to get a tree, not when it would feel… feel so empty, and remind him of just how alone he was in the world.

But now…

What would it be like to have a real Christmas, one with someone he loved, in the home that you and he had both created?

God, he wanted that with you.

“Wouldn’t the smell bother you?” you asked hesitantly, your face still hidden. The blankets, if he had to guess, had now become less of a tactic to retain warmth and more of a defense mechanism as you hunted for the catch. “Some smell really strong. Or so I heard, I haven’t, uh, really looked.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” he purred, “you’ll need more blankets if you want to hide a lie that big.”

You snorted, the blankets shaking as if you’d sneezed. The mountain of fabric began to shift as you squirmed around inside, and eventually, your head popped free, a ball of warmth and scent and stirred air currents. You rocked yourself around a little until you could get one arm free, too, and then you lifted your hand to cup his face. You considered him for a moment, as he leaned into your hand, pursing his lips to kiss your thumb fondly when it swept over his mouth. The taste and scent of your skin made him sigh, his eyes fluttering closed. And when you spoke, your heart beat truthful and steady. “I don’t want one if it’ll bother your senses. The tree’s not worth it if you’re miserable.”

Something in him softened at that, and he leaned in, dragging his nose against yours just for the way it made you smile before he tipped his head and pressed his lips to yours. He stayed there for a time, sighing with you as he pulled you in, his mouth working gently against yours. You stroked your thumb against his cheek, stubble rasping under your touch, tingling ripples of pleasure when you curved your fingers to gift him a little scratch with your nails. He let out the softest little moan, content as he’d ever been, warm and happy and loved here with you. “I love you, and thank you, my little burrito alleycat.”

“A burrito alleycat that loves you, too, Devil-man.” You kissed him again, short, fond kisses that made him feel slack and lazy, the usual aches and pains in his body fading beneath the warmth of your touch. You lifted your hand to scratch lightly through his hair, making him purr into your mouth. “Tree. Bothers those senses or no?”

He tilted his head to lazily kiss your wrist, before he groaned and lolled his head back into your hand when you hit a sore spot, his voice growing thick and glutted beneath your affection. “I, mm, may have called ahead and asked about some trees with gentler scents. They’ve got some that should work. Big ones, too.”

And oh, the way you drew in a slow breath, your fingers pausing in his hair. He knew, then, that even if there hadn’t been a mildly-scented tree for miles, it would have been worth it to travel farther still.

“A big tree?” you whispered, something like awe in your voice. “How big?”

“How big do you want?”

“I measured the apartment, we can fit an eighteen-foot tree in here right by the stairs, it’d have room to go up and spread out and there’d still be room for you to get your suit and also I found bulk ornaments for sale that we could use to fill it out until we have enough special ones of our own—”

“You… you measured—”

“I drew a diagram, do you want to feel it?” You lurched away from him and before he could catch you, you’d rolled yourself out of bed with a thunk and a low grunt, the blankets padding your fall. He listened in disbelief as you rolled along on your side, the blankets unwinding until at last, you were free.

Abruptly a laugh burst out of him as you scrambled up, darting out the bedroom door.

“Matt, put a shirt on!” you shouted, practically bouncing as you tore around the kitchen. “They open at nine, there might be a line!”

“I’m going to point out that you’re also still in your pajamas, sweetheart.”

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump—

You raced back into the bedroom like a tree-obsessed gazelle, and he caught you with a grin as you leapt back onto the bed with him. That grin only got wider as you kissed him, kissed his cheeks and his forehead and then his smiling mouth, your hands in his hair, affection he soaked in with a quiet sigh as you whispered, “Thank you, thank you, thank you—”

“Don’t thank me just yet,” he huffed in amusement. That huff turned into a groan when you dipped to kiss along his throat, too, blatant affection along vulnerabilities that he bared only for you. He melted beneath the touch, his eyes fluttering shut, head rolling back in invitation when your warm lips passed over his pulse. “Mm, we still haven’t figured out how we’re going to get it into the apartment.”

“Trust me. I have ideas.”

“Not this one,” he said with a hum. “Smells too dry.”

“Not this one either.” You stepped back to narrow your eyes in thought. “Trunk is crooked.”

The worker had long since left you both alone to browse the tree lot. Even though you both had a short list of preferred trees, it had seemed wise to work your way from the front to the back and inspect every tree currently available, just in case there was a surprise hiding somewhere. One by one, the two of you had gone through a rigorous, solemn inspection with all the gravity given to one of Matt’s legal cases.

Too small.

Too many open spaces between the branches.

Needles smell like cat pee inside.

You hadn’t known that was something to worry about, but you trusted Matt’s judgement, just like you trusted the stinky cat face he made upon circling that tree in particular.

Neither of you were looking for perfect. Perfect didn’t exist, you knew. All you wanted was good: a large-ish, relatively-healthy tree, and one that wouldn’t make Matt’s nose itch or fill the entire apartment with prickly needles. You’d made note of a few potential trees, keeping them in mind as you approached the back of the lot. You’d seen a noble fir halfway down that had looked promising—it wasn’t all that tall at eight feet but it would still look good by the stairs. You were halfway into a turn, intending to track the tree down again when you saw it.

The one.

“Oh,” you breathed, your head tilting as you stared up.

And up.

Matt taped his cane as he stepped up beside you, his head tipped as he considered the tree with you, his brow furrowed.

“Scent level?” you asked him softly.

He twitched his nose, the tip of it red from the cold. “Not bad. It’s a white fir, I think. I can definitely smell it, but it’s not unpleasant. The scent’s a little like citrus, actually. Density? Shape?”

“I can’t see the trunk at all. Room for ornaments. Perfect triangle shape. Rot? Damage inside?”

He started a slow circle around the tree, his lips parted minutely as he tasted the air. With each step he tapped his cane a few times, his head tipped towards the tree as he listened to the way it resonated. You watched nervously, biting your lip as you waited. There had to be a problem with it, there had to be. No tree was perfect, especially not your first real tree.

Matt came back around the tree, humming as he returned to your side. “It’s fresh. One of the freshest here, I think, or it sounds like it. And it smells clean. No rot.”

You reached out to take a branch gently in your hand, and when you pulled your gloved fingers down the line of it, your hand came away clean and free of needles. Another test passed as you sighed longingly. “Oh, Matt, it’s perfect.”

You both stepped back, staring up. Or, well, you did. Matt stared in spirit, if not in body.

It was perfect.

It was also… absolutely huge.

If it wasn’t eighteen feet, it was damned close, easily one of the tallest trees in the lot. The tree easily towered over you both, thick branches reaching up towards the heavens as if it longed to achieve the same height as the trees of the steel-and-concrete forest around it. That presence was undeniable, and even bound as it was, it was wide: broad and thick, its branches as big around as your wrist, each needle a vibrant blue-green touched with silver. It was the type of tree you’d only ever seen in movies, likely meant for building lobbies.

Or…

…for a couple with really, really high ceilings thanks to roof access.

“We could fit so many ornaments on it,” you breathed.

“How big did you say the ceilings were?” Matt asked, the cock of his head making you think he was running the numbers himself.

“Technically twenty. I left two feet for space at the top,” you said absently, already envisioning just how you might decorate this tree. Which was ridiculous.

It wasn’t even your tree yet, the common sense voice in your mind said. Besides, there were smaller, more suitable trees back up the lot.

It would cost too much, the sensible part of you said, even though you’d… maybe sorta been setting aside money for a tree this size for months now.

It was too large to be practical, the logical section of your brain howled. It would be a nightmare to get inside. An absolute, full-fledged, Christmas nightmare.

But it could fit.

You could make it fit.

You would make it fit.

“I can hear your pupils dilating,” Matt chuckled, the corner of his mouth tilted up into a small smirk. That smirk grew into a full-blown grin when you poked him, and he leaned over to press his mouth to your ear, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Is this our tree? I know you’ve been setting money aside just in case.”

You reached out longingly to pet the branches, soft needles kissing at your gloved fingertips as if to return your affection. God, even the needles were perfect, far less prickly than some of the other trees. It would make it easier for Matt to help you decorate. This tree… it was like it was made for you and him: made for your home, for his senses, for your first real Christmas since fleeing Los Angeles years ago. It had everything you wanted. It was healthy, and ready for a mountain of ornaments and tinsel and as many strings of lights as you could get your hands on.

“Do you think we can?” You bit your lip again, daring to glance at him out of the corner of your eye. “I know it’s big, and it’ll be hell getting it inside. More practical to get a smaller tree.”

“When has practicality ever stopped me?” He tipped his head, kissing your temple as you laughed, letting him wind an arm around your waist. He tapped his cane again a few times, humming thoughtfully. “It doesn’t sound like it’ll fit through our front door, but the new rooftop door’s a bit wider. If we come through that one, I think we can get it inside. We can make this work.”

“Jesus,” you breathed, staring up as he set his chin atop your head. “We’re really gonna do it. We’re gonna drag an eighteen-footer into our apartment.”

“We are.” He let out a pleased noise when you sidled in, nudging at him until he wound both arms around your waist, draping himself contentedly against your back. “There is admittedly one thing I’m not sure about.”

“What, transport?”

Matt shook his head. “I had Foggy drive over. He’s borrowing one of his family’s delivery trucks. Him and Karen should be here in about ten minutes, and they’re very excited to see what we picked out. No, the real question is…”

Oh.

“How,” you said slowly, “the fuck are we going to get this onto the roof?”

“Pi-vooooooot!” Foggy howled from one flight up.

“I understood that reference, so ha, but also: which way do we pivot?!” you wheezed, shoving at the tree. “Matt, push.”

“I am pushing,” he groaned from down near the base, his teeth grit, feet wide.

“I’m sor—” you started.

“Don’t you finish that sentence,” Matt growled, ducking his shoulder and heaving. The tree shivered and moved a half-inch. “You-you wanted… a-a big tree for our first Christmas, and we’re getting one, so help me God.”

“And he’s Catholic so he means that literally,” Foggy puffed, yanking at the ropes. The tree sympathetically moved another inch, its needles shivering as if in apology over its own size. “And he’s—gah—right, cause this’ll take an act of God to-to get it inside. Ok, I don’t know what direction you’re pivoting, but it’s the wrong pivot. Pivot the other way. Pivot.”

“You guys are doing great,” Karen said innocently. Probably because there was only room for three of you on the stairwell and she’d drawn the good straw.

Matt groaned again. “There are three other directions we can pivot, Foggy.” And yet he tried, tendons straining in his neck, his jaw clenched as you and him tried to shift the tree in a new direction. He was, admittedly, taking the majority of the tree’s weight of the three of you since he was the strongest, but he was also the only one who’d rather let the tree crush him to death than admit he couldn’t simply levitate it up the stairs through masochism and sheer stubbornness, so you got your own shoulder farther under it, taking more weight while Foggy decided where to go.

“Uh, left pivot, left pivot.”

There was a crunch as the three of you hit the wall.

“I swear to Catholic Jesus, Foggy,” you announced grimly, “if you Friends-pivot our tree into breaking, I will come up this tree at you like a rabid squirrel.”

“Merry Christmas, shitter was full!” Foggy bellowed, yanking hard enough that the tree, surprisingly, moved another inch. “Karen, how we lookin?”

“I’m going to get so many views on this,” Karen snickered, her phone aimed upwards.

“Karen!” Foggy barked, and you squawked beneath the increased weight of the tree as Foggy let go with one hand to point back down the stairs. The motion almost took you out until Matt shoved a leg out, bracing when your feet started to slide back, his face covered in sweat, teeth bared as if he were fighting someone in an alley and not the laws of physics and the equally dangerous laws of girlfriends who wanted very large Christmas trees. “Don’t you—ok, actually, send me this video later. But mechanics first! Status?”

“Right, you guys are, uh…”

“Are we almost to the landing?” you wheezed hopefully, spitting out a pine needle that had, somehow, wound up in your mouth.

Unfortunately, Matt was below you.

“I love you, too,” Matt said tiredly, the wet pine needle now stuck in his hair.

“Sorry.”

Karen cleared her throat, and you leaned your head over the railing… to meet her eye where she stood, roughly two inches below you. She gave you a weak thumbs up.

Matt groaned, leaning forward to faceplant on one of the branches.

“Right,” you said. “I have… a different plan.”

“You stole this from While You Were Sleeping, didn’t you?” Foggy said, his voice crackling through your cell’s speakerphone where you’d set it on the rooftop’s A.C. unit.

“Admitting to nothing,” you wheezed. “Just-just keep an eye on the-the tree. Right, again!”

You, Karen, and Matt all yanked.

The ropes groaned once more, drawn up taut as the three of you attempted to pull up the massive tree over the side of the building. You’d been at this for ten minutes, and managed to make it to the second story, according to Foggy. But it had taken a lot out of the three of you, even Matt. He, of course, declared that he was fine, but you’d once heard him say the same thing about a bullet wound roughly three minutes before passing out, so you took that with a container’s-worth of salt grains.

Karen growled, digging her heels in as you all huffed and puffed, Christmas spirit driving you forward like the crack of a whip. “W-when did you—ugh—say your friend was… gonna get here?”

“Not quite a friend,” you grunted, leaning back so sharply you almost rammed into Matt behind you, who was making a strange wheezing sound as he no doubt attempted to pull the entire tree up by himself despite there being two additional people. “And she just kinda—ngh—shows up if she feels like it. Fifty-fifty chance. Matt, do not tear something.”

“Can meditate—”

“No!” you bellowed, gritting your teeth as you all yanked, the rope slowly coming with you. “N-no meditating! Need your-your back healthy for ornament hanging—”

“I knew you loved me for something,” he mumbled.

“—and tree-topping—”

“And the other kind of topping,” Karen said, somehow sly despite the fact that you were all soaked in sweat and wild-eyed, smelling like pine needles and rabid determination.

“Oh my God, Karen,” you wheezed, your feet skidding on the cement.

“What? It’s true.”

“It’s fine,” Matt grunted. “She can top if my back goes.”

“Are we talking about trees or…?”

The wind picked up.

Which wasn’t that unusual. But then again, you weren’t normally all hanging onto ropes tied to an eighteen-foot hanging embodiment of all your Christmas hopes and dreams.

Just like that, the rope snapped you all forward as if a giant had taken hold and yanked. Matt crashed into you, and together, your tangled bodies took out Karen at the knees. You all tumbled forward, the rope flying free.

Oh, no you don’t.

You did not go over a decade without a fucking Christmas tree just to lose your first eighteen-footer.

You were going to have a merry fucking Christmas if it killed you.

You leapt for the rope with a snarl, and Matt, predictably sensing that, for once, he was the one with an excess of self-preservation, darted after you. You only just managed to snag the rope, throwing yourself back, your feet shoved forward to brace yourself against the edge of the rooftop. Unfortunately, while you did a lot of walking and running, you didn’t quite have the muscle to hold it. Few did.

Matt caught you a moment later, bracketing your own legs with his, his arms around you until he could grab the rope, too. And, not for the first time, you found yourself grateful for all the muscle in those massive thighs of his when he shoved his feet up against the wall, locked up with a growl, and held.

The tree lurched to a stop.

"Fuck, I love your beefy thighs," you panted. "Remind me to show them appreciation later."

He groaned, trying to lean his body back farther. "Now's not the best time—nngh—to make me think about you and my thighs, sweetheart."

“Right,” Foggy’s voice crackled. “Unless that was intentional and you tried to throw your tree down like Hans Gruber off the Nakatomi Building, I’m glad to inform you that you stopped it six inches from the ground.”

“Matt—” you panted, shoved up against Matt's chest. Karen had already caught the slack behind you both, but there wasn’t enough leverage for you both to back away. If even one of you let go… “I don’t know if we can-can make it—”

“Don’t say that!” he hissed, muscles straining, his chest heaving at your back. “I-I can save it, we need the tree, so we can have Christmas like you wanted—”

“The only thing I need for Christmas is—nngh—you, Matt.”

“Should I be filming?” Karen panted. “This is-is touching, but—”

“Really?” Matt asked you quietly. “You’d be happy… even if we—”

“I’m always happy with you.” You leaned your sweat-soaked head back against him, twisting as best you could to kiss his chin. “Tree, or no tree.”

“Jesus Christ, that was disgusting. You owe me an extra bottle for this.”

The rope suddenly tore free from your hands—

—and snapped taut as someone lifted it up and began to pull.

And it went, with all the ease of a dog being tugged along on a Sunday stroll.

“Holy shit,” Karen whispered.

“Karen, Matt,” you puffed, waving back. “This is—”

“I’m not drunk enough for introductions so don’t bother,” Jessica grunted as she walked backwards, casually winding the rope around one hand as she considered the bottle in her other hand, one you’d left by the door as an offering in hopes that she might smell what amounted to paint thinner and show up like the world’s most foul-mouthed elf. “Not my usual shit, but it’ll do.”

“Second one will be delivered to your office as promised,” you panted, still leaning back against Matt.

“Now it’s three for having to listen to that sappy display. Now unless you want that tree to fuck you into the ground, I’d get the hell away from the edge before it comes up.”

You and Matt both scrambled out of the way as the first branches appeared over the edge, and even Karen took a few steps back.

“Right, I have no idea what’s happening,” Foggy’s voice crackled. “But holy shit, whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.”

“Open this,” Jessica said, shoving the bottle into your hands as she walked back down the rope, hand over hand before she got to the edge. She shoved one hand over the edge, snorting once she got a good look at the tree. “Shit, you’re one of them, aren’t you? Christmas psychopath.”

You shrugged one shoulder, unscrewing the top of the bottle—God knew it wasn’t expensive enough to need a cork or have a bottle cap. “If I’m in, I’m in.”

“Go big or go home,” Matt said, his grin only barely hidden behind mock solemnity.

“Applies only to good fucks and bottles,” she snarked back, casually lifting the eighteen-foot tree in one somehow-disgusted hand, pulling it up and over the roof like one might pluck up a filthy, crusted spaghetti noodle from the floor.

Karen’s eyes were wide, and even Matt had tilted his head beside you. “Is she…?”

“She is,” Karen breathed. “Jesus. I guess that’s one way to get the tree up here.”

“Don’t count on this next year. And you owe me, even with the booze.” She grunted and tossed the massive tree down, dusting her hands off. The sap on her fingers made her scowl. “Why everyone’s obsessed with nature is beyond me.”

“Christmas nature,” you corrected. “At least it’s not the giant turtle guy. I heard he’s gone to you since I wouldn’t go down again.”

“Don’t remind me,” she muttered. “He’s been in my office three times in the past month ranting about them coming up out of the sewers.”

You handed her the bottle as she passed you by, throwing her a salute, as did Karen. “Thanks for the help.”

“Remember: two bottles, my office. Then we’re even.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Matt said, the corner of his mouth tilting up as if he already knew the response that was coming.

“Nicer to leave,” she said, waving one hand before disappearing down the stairs, leaving nothing but the tree and the scent of discount whiskey in her wake.

“She sounded lovely,” Foggy said. “And also hilarious. Can we invite her to the Nelson and Murdock Christmas party? Is the tree up there at least?”

You stared at the tree.

The tree now on the roof.

“Matt, I’d open your arms,” Karen said with a grin. “Incoming.”

Matt grinned and pivoted, throwing his arms open as you leapt up into them. He spun you both in a big circle, your laughter torn away by the wind, the first snowflakes of the day beginning to drift down. “Fuck, we did it, Matt! We got our Christmas tree!”

“If my girl wants a big tree, she gets a big tree,” he said, his grin softening to a smile when you buried your hands in his hair, dark strands dusted with white, and tipped his head up so you could kiss him warmly, safely held in his arms, and if your eyes were maybe a little wet, he wasn’t willing to say anything but, “Love you, sweetheart.”

There was a quiet click as Karen took a picture.

“Thank you,” you whispered, as his nose brushed against yours. “Thank you for giving me a real tree, Matt.”

It took time to get it inside, but once you managed, things came together perfectly. It was the perfect height, filling the open space with a mass of brilliant blue-green touched with silver, its branches stretched wide. It took you and Matt a good ten strands of lights to wrap the whole thing and at least five boxes of standard ornaments. Here and there, between them all, hung more personal touches:

Paper ornaments, carefully folded and cut by quiet memory alone.

A little penguin couple in Santa hats, flippers held tight above both script and braille that read, ‘Our First Christmas.’

And now…

“I like this one,” you murmured, hooking the final ornament onto the tree and standing back. Matt wound his arms around your waist, his head on your shoulder. “I’m glad Karen took that picture.”

“Do we look happy?” he asked you quietly. “Is it… does the tree look right?”

And you heard the unspoken:

Did I do this right?

You turned and let your gaze slide over his face. He looked… more content than he had in a long, long time. And yet there was a hint of vulnerability there, too, hidden beneath the softened glow of the Christmas lights, painted in shades of red and green and blue. You leaned in and pressed your lips to his cheek, and he turned, nuzzling in so he could kiss you back. “It’s the perfect tree,” you told him softly. “It’s bright and full of colors with all the lights and our ornaments. All our little ones look even more special. It looks like something out of a movie, or a Christmas card. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

He sighed, dropping his head to your shoulder and relaxing at last, as you lifted your hand to brush through his hair. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

“Merry Christmas, Matt. And here’s to many more, until we’re old and grey.”

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samaellevampire · 1 year ago

Text

Waffles

Paring: Phantom and Mountain

Genre: Fluff

SFW

Words: 1,242

Summary: Swiss is sick today so he asked Mountain to take care of Phantom for him. They're going to make waffles together.

Warning: Regressed!Phantom, age regression, regressed ghoul, caregiver Mountain.

Read below the cut people please.

Around three-quarters of the way through the film, small gurgling are heard in the common room. Television doesn't even succeed in masking these noises.

The quintessence little ghoul folds his legs on himself, curling up even more on the couch. He blushed slightly as he hid his face in his knees and chewed on the wing tip of his plush bat.

The large earth ghoul looks at his friend with a small smile and gently tickles his ribs while speaking to him in a teasing tone. "Oh little monster, are you hungry? I thought I heard growls coming from you. Are you planning to attack me to eat me?"

Phantom giggles and raises his head, pouting a little. He gently strokes his cheek with the little bat's other wing, the one that isn't wet from his drool. Feeling the soft fabric of his stuffed animal helps him stay calm and reassured. "I'm not a monster Mounty. My tummy making weird noises. 'm hungry!"

"If you're not a monster, what are you then?" Keep talking in that little teasing tone of yours. "And yes, I suspect it, I heard it gurgling. Do you want us to go eat something?" Gently stroke the little ghoul's hair, smiling at him.

"I'm a ghoul. Wanna finish the movie. Eat afterwards."

"Okay let's finish the movie then, little bug." Kisses his head between his two horns.

The young ghoul lays his head on the arm of the older one and purrs while repeating chewing on the wing of his plush.

They finish watching the film and during the end credits, the earth ghoul accompanies his friend in his little joyful applause.

"Looks like you liked the movie, little one." He said with a big smile, ruffling his hair.

"Yeah it was great. But...I'm really hungry now." Gently move his head while giggling and putting his hair back properly after placing the little bat on the sofa. "Want you to carry me on your back to the kitchen. Pleaaase." He said making puppy eyes with a big smile to show off all his fangs.

Mountain chuckles and makes an exaggerated sigh so that the little ghoul understands that he is not really annoyed. He turns his back to him and barely a few seconds later he feels a weight clinging to him. He holds the youngest's legs firmly to make sure he doesn't fall and walks into the kitchen. They begin to rummage in the cupboards and the fridge together but without being convinced.

"Um bug, there's not much here anymore. The only cupcakes left are the ones for Dew when he's tiny." He said, continuing to search in vain while thinking of a solution.

"But I'm hungry !" The quint ghoul said, tapping his feet on the ground and frown as he grew impatient.

"I know honey... I might have a solution. If you can wait a little longer to eat we can cook waffles together and eat them afterwards. Do you want to do that? Would you like to eat waffles?" He gives a small reassuring smile while holding his hands to try to calm him down.

The little ghoul's eyes light up and he quickly nods with a big smile. He jumps up and down repeating the words waffles several times while Mountain places all the equipment and ingredients on the table.

The big ghoul washes his hands then weighs the right amount for each food. He then helps the little ghoul wash his hands and settle into a chair around the table.

“If you are ready you can start by pouring the flour, sugar and yeast into the salad bowl in front of you and mix afterwards.” The earth ghoul said confidently, smiling.

The quintessence ghoul flow nods its head then looks for the three ingredients mentioned. He pours in the flour first then the sugar and...stops there. His gaze continues to scan the different ingredients on the table then he looks at Mountain a little lost and confused. “What is yeast?”

"That's it. It looks a bit like flour." He said, gently pushing the bowl with the yeast in front of the little ghoul. “This is what makes your dough rise when it cooks.”

"Ok thank you." He said as he put the yeast on top of the other two ingredients. “Now I can mix.” He puts his hands in the salad bowl and stirs them gently, being careful not to spill everything.

"Stirred with the big spoon, Phantom..." He sighs, half-desperate, half-softened by what he sees even if he can't help but chuckle slightly.

"Oh sorry." He said innocently, removing his hands from the salad bowl.

He doesn't even bother to look to see if there's a tea towel he wipes his hands on his stomach quite naturally. His black t-shirt is now covered in white handprints from the flour. The large ghoul smiled in despair and amusement once again while he watches his friend stir with the big spoon this time.

Mountain cracks the eggs into a bowl and the texture of the yolks makes Phantom giggle as he tries to catch them between his fingers. Then he whisks the eggs and lets the quint pour them into the large salad bowl. He then adds the melted butter himself for fear that the little ghoul will get burned with the heat of the bowl. He adds a pinch of salt and stirs a little, explaining that the dough is too hard at the moment for the little one to do it. He then asks him to pour the milk very slowly while he stirs. Phantom listens attentively and is very focused in his task, which makes Mountain smile. Once the dough is a little more liquid he makes him stop pouring in the milk. He lets him mix to please him while he prepares the waffle iron.

About twenty minutes later, which seemed endless to the little ghoul, the salad bowl no longer contains any dough and there is a large plate filled with a pile of hot waffles. Half of the stack is soft while the other half is crunchy to suit everyone's tastes. Mountain quickly washes the dishes and Phantom helps him by putting the utensils away.

Once finished, the big ghoul takes out icing sugar, dough spread and two different jams. The quint rushes to the dish, takes a waffle and roughly spreads some dough spread on it using a small spoon. Mountain also takes a waffle and puts icing sugar on it. The two start to eat and the older one laughs when he sees his friend take a big bite and get chocolate all over his mouth and on the tip of his nose. The little one doesn't pay attention and continues to eat quickly, taking big bites as if he were starving. He really seems to like the waffles a lot.

They eat a few then Phantom makes a new waffle with jam on it. He takes a paper towel and places the waffles on it. He took it in his hands and was very careful.

“What are you doing little one?” Mountain said, raising an eyebrow in intrigue.

"Going to bring Swiss a waffle to comfort him since he's sick today. That way I can tell him about my day so good with you." He said innocently and happily as he left the kitchen accompanied by the earth ghoul.

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