#pushing towards you series

[cami-stuffs]

Night Visit (NSFW)

A/N: This one-shot is related to chapter 16, 'Aftermath' of Pushing Towards Series.

Warnings: Sex Toys, Office Sex, Mirror Sex, Cunnilingus, Strap-Ons, Desk Sex, Strap-on Sucking.

Tags: @weemssapphic @pllduniverse

Calista arrived at Nevermore after curfew. The students were already in their dorms and the teachers in their rooms, so the path to Larissa's office was clear. Relieved, she stopped before the office door and caught her breath. She was apprehensive about meeting someone in the hallways and explaining to them what she was doing at school on a Friday night after everyone had gathered. It would be even worse if that person were Artemis or Gaia. Although they were already aware of her relationship with Larissa, Calista didn't need them to know her intentions at that moment.

She took a minute to look at herself and make sure only her legs and high heels were showing when Larissa laid eyes on her. Making sure everything was tidy, she knocked lightly on the door, waiting expectantly for a response. A few seconds later, which seemed like long minutes, she heard Larissa's voice shout from inside the room, "Come in, please." Calista was feeling butterflies in her stomach. It was her first time doing this, and she wasn't sure if approaching Larissa at her workplace was an intelligent strategy, but it was too late. She opened the door slowly and poked her head inside.

Larissa was sitting at her desk with her eyes fixed on the laptop screen and her brows furrowed. She was so engrossed in her work that she missed Calista's head peeking through the doorway to take a look. When she moved her eyes over the screen to greet the person who knocked on her door, she found Calista standing in front of her desk, in a long coat and a bag over her shoulder. If Larissa had looked a few seconds earlier, she would have noticed the high heels, and Calista's presence there would have been evident. But her fixation with work benefited Calista's plans.

"Darling, what are you doing here at this hour? Did something happen?" Larissa's eyes moved from Calista's face to the bag on her shoulder, raising her eyebrows in a mix of doubt and curiosity.

Letting the bag slide off her shoulders until it fell to the floor, Calista slowly walked around Larissa's table, untying the knot on her coat. "I thought it would be relaxing and fun to pay you a visit after a long day at work." The coat fell open, and Calista let it down her body, revealing the lingerie underneath.

Larissa gasped, and her jaw dropped open when she saw Calista in front of her in just her underwear. Calista was wearing a red corset with lace details and a garter belt. Larissa's eyes slowly went down Calista's body to her feet, and only then did Larissa notice the high heels. She had already seen Calista in high heels, but their combination with the lingerie highlighted her body.

Calista walked towards Larissa and stood between her and her desk, sitting on the edge and resting her hands on either side. "So? Do you think you can stop working now?" It was a rhetorical question. Larissa seemed to have forgotten entirely about her work, yet she nodded slowly without taking her eyes off Calista's body.

"Let's go to the room-" Larissa started to get up, but Calista put her hand on her shoulder and guided her back to the armchair.

"No. We can start right here," she said, leaning forward and resting her hands on the arms of the chair and kissing around Larissa's mouth. "And there's a surprise for you in the bag. Can you go get it for me?" Calista whispered in Larissa's ear.

Larissa quickly got up, walked around the table, and picked up her bag from the floor. Returning to her seat, she unzipped the purse on her lap. Inside was the double-ended strap-on. Larissa opened her eyes wide and looked at Calista.

"I remember a certain text about a fantasy of me wearing the strap-on," Calista smirked at Larissa. "And I would like to fulfill that fantasy today. If you want to, of course." She stopped, waiting for Larissa.

Larissa got up from the armchair, held Calista's face, and kissed her intensely. Usually, the kiss between the two started slow. It gradually intensified as the making out progressed, but Larissa could not utter all the words since Calista's coat opened and transformed into a hungry kiss.

"I believe you noticed the lack of lube inside the bag," Calista said between kisses. "I'm going to need your help putting on the strap-on." Larissa moaned at this.

Larissa's hands traveled over Calista's body, touching her breasts over the corset and rubbing her thumb over her nipples. The kisses went down Calista's neck, where Larissa was nibbling.

"Can you keep this?" Larissa whispered in Calista's ear. "The lingerie, I mean. Can you keep wearing it?"

"Do you want me to keep wearing the lingerie while I fuck you?" Larissa whimpered when she heard those words and nodded, earning a giggle from Calista. “I’ll keep it for you, my love.”

Larissa's kisses continued down Calista's body until they reached her thighs. Calista was still leaning on the edge of Larissa's table. Kneeling, Larissa held Calista's legs and gave a slight tug, asking her to open them further. Larissa was kissing Calista's inner thighs while caressing her legs when her hands bumped into the straps of her high heels.

"You should keep them, too," Larissa said as she kissed Calista's thighs.

"Don't worry, honey. I'll keep the whole outfit for you." Calista lowered her gaze and met Larissa's.

"You look beautiful in it." Larissa maintained eye contact. "And delicious." Her mouth closed over Calista's pussy.

Calista arched her back, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. Larissa's kisses and caresses were already making her feel a tickle between her legs and a slight throbbing. Calista dripped, soaking her panties. Larissa felt it as soon as her mouth touched the fabric. She sniffed Calista's arousal and grunted softly.

With her fingertips, Larissa threw Calista's panties to the side and lightly kissed her clit. With her other hand, Larissa slid her fingers between Calista's slit, collecting the moisture at the tips.

"Oh, baby, you're so wet." Larissa put her fingers to her mouth and hummed. "As always, you taste so delicious."

Calista smiled and opened her eyes when she heard Larissa. Through the mirror on the ceiling, Calista could see Larissa kneeling between her legs, and this sight made her more horny.

"You look so beautiful, giving head." She said, looking through the mirror. Adjusting her body, Larissa looked up, and her gaze met Calista's, smiling mischievously.

“Keep watching, darling, while I eat you out,” Larissa commanded.

Calista couldn't take her eyes off the mirror even if she wanted to. She felt Larissa's tongue playing with her clit while she looked into her eyes. Larissa's tongue danced on Calista's labia, sliding down to her entrance, where she gave small thrusts with the tip. In no time, Larissa took her eyes off the mirror, looking Calista in the eyes and noticing every reaction of her body.

The pace set by Larissa was slow. She teased Calista with her tongue, and her fingertips played with her soaked entrance. Calista's tension in her lower abdomen increased, and she began to grind her hips, riding Larissa's face, looking for an extra touch.

Larissa kept her eyes in the mirror, and by the movement of Calista's body, she knew that the first orgasm was close. Her tongue circled Calista's clit, and she inserted two fingers inside her hole, feeling the walls tightening around them. Larissa bent her fingers, touching Calista's sweet spot.

Calista tried to keep her eyes open, but when Larissa curled her fingers inside her, she felt her muscles tense and her belly coiled. She came, placing her hands behind Larissa's head and grabbing her by the hair; she rode harder on Larissa's tongue until her muscles relaxed. Larissa watched the entire scene in the mirror, moaning and licking Calista's cum.

Larissa remained on her knees, kissing Calista's thighs while waiting for her to return from her peak. Calista kept her hand on Larissa's head, but now she lightly stroked her scalp. Calista finally relaxed, and her head fell forward; opening her eyes, she found Larissa watching her with adoring eyes. They smiled at each other, and Larissa leaned back to grab the strap-on.

Larissa passed the straps between Calista's legs and up to her hips. Since Calista was going to keep her lingerie on, she brought her panties to one side so that Larissa could insert the dildo into her slit. As predicted, Calista didn't need any further lubrication; the dildo easily penetrated her core, and she felt her walls squeeze it slightly.

Larissa sat on the edge of her armchair and admired Calista with the strap-on. Her breath was shallow with anticipation. "You look beautiful." She managed to say. Calista blushed and smiled. Larissa approached Calista with the chair and touched the silicone dick. She remembered the night of the school reunion when Larissa shifted for the first time. "Can I?" She asked, looking at Calista, her cheeks blushing slightly.

"Please," Calista replied softly. Larissa advanced towards the cock, swallowing its entire length. Calista hissed as Larissa's lips closed on the dong. She didn't feel Larissa's mouth, but the view she had was privileged and made her more horny. Larissa knew what to do. Her head movements guided the dildo inside Calista, causing it to poke her inner walls.

Larissa sucked the strap-on vigorously so that Calista felt the second orgasm being built. She had her hands on either side of Calista's hips, grabbing and digging her nails into her skin protected by the fabric of the corset. Calista held on to the edge of Larissa's table with one hand, and the other lightly pushed Larissa's head in thrusts. A short time later, Calista came throwing her body backward. She feels her clitoris throb with the second stimulus in a row.

Larissa got up from the chair, grabbed Calista by the back of her head, and pulled her towards her mouth. Calista was still coming back from her orgasm when she was surprised by Larissa's kiss. She moaned softly and wrapped her arms around Larissa's neck.

"Where do you want me, darling?" Larissa asked softly, biting Calista's earlobe.

Calista grunted at that. "Bend over your desk, ass up and legs spread," Calista said hoarsely, eliciting a smile from Larissa.

With one last kiss, Larissa did as Calista said. She bent over the table, propping herself up on her elbows, her hips thrust up, and she spread her legs. Calista rubbed Larissa's ass over her skirt, feeling and squeezing it. Her hands ran down the sides of Larissa's legs, grabbing a handful of fabric and pulling it up.

Larissa's pale, smooth skin was on display, and only her panties were in the way. Digging her fingers into the waistband, Calista knelt, pulling down Larissa's panties. Larissa's pussy glistened with her arousal.

With her hands on each cheek, Calista spread Larissa's ass and mouthed her pussy. Larissa let her head fall into her arms when she felt Calista's hot tongue between her legs, moaning loudly. Being eaten out from behind gave Larissa a submissive feeling. Even though she liked being on top, she had to admit that Calista's attitude turned her on.

Calista slid her tongue from the clit to Larissa's entrance. She paused for a moment with her tongue on Larissa's hole, circling the edge with the tip and thrusting inside her. Larissa writhed and moaned, placing her forehead on the tabletop and stretching her arms, holding the opposite end of the table.

After fucking Larissa long enough with her tongue, Calista turned to the clit. She widened her tongue to cover the entire bud, rubbing it slowly as her head bobbed up and down. Larissa knew she would cum quickly; Calista's position and dominance made it more tangible. Playing with the tongue speeded up the process, and when Calista started sucking her clit it was the final straw. Larissa's body stiffened, and she came screaming Calista's name.

Larissa threw her body onto the table, catching her breath and relaxing. Calista had gotten up and was rubbing her back under her shirt with one hand and with the other, rubbing the tip of her dick against Larissa's slit.

"Are you okay, my love? Shall I continue?" Calista smiled when she saw Larissa turn her head and nod with a still somewhat cloudy look.

Calista positioned her dick at Larissa's entrance and slowly slipped it inside. Larissa was beyond wet, so it easily slid in, finding brief resistance in the walls still clenching in emptiness. Larissa leaned back on her elbows, pushing her ass up more and allowing Calista greater access.

Calista waited until Larissa adjusted, keeping her body still as she stroked her lower back. Promptly, Larissa began to thrust her hips toward Calista's crotch as a silent request for her to start moving.

"Eager?" Calissa smiled, moving her hips slowly back and forth.

"You can not imagine how much." Larissa threw her head back and closed her eyes.

Calista held Larissa by the hips while pounding her hard. With each thrust, the dildo inside Calista poked her wall with the same force she applied to Larissa's hole. It was difficult to hold back the orgasm when she was fucking Larissa from behind with her bent over her desk with her ass stuck out. Larissa knew that Calista couldn't hold it for long, so she started wiggling while Calista stuck the dick into her to make the other’s life a little more complicated.

"Oh, Riss. You're not making it easy for me." Calista's breathing was shorter, and she felt her walls twitching around the dildo.

"That was never my intention, my dear. I want it harder, Lis. Harder and deeper." Larissa said, looking into Calista's eyes.

Calista felt a burning sensation in her chest when she heard Larissa, and her breathing hitched. She reached one of her hands towards Larissa's bun, intertwining her fingers and pulling her hair so that Larissa was now looking up. Larissa moaned and squirmed. Calista dug her other hand into Larissa's hip, keeping her still between Calista's legs and the table's edge.

Calista pounded her dick hard inside Larissa's pussy. She could feel that Larissa was close to cumming. She was too. Releasing Larissa's hair, Calista held her by the shoulders and increased the speed and strength of her thrusts. Larissa's legs hit the table, creaking slightly but not moving.

"Oh, Lis, keep going. I'm going to cum." Larissa moaned, and her body began to stiffen. Calista was tired, but she wouldn't stop until Larissa finished.

Larissa came, throwing her hips back and pressing the dick inside her. That movement was enough for Calista to cum, too, as she felt the dildo inside her move in precisely the right spot. Calista fell onto Larissa's back, catching her breath. Larissa was lying with her cheeks on the tabletop, feeling Calista breathing on her back. Calista moved slowly, gently pulling out of Larissa. Larissa groaned at the emptiness and remained lying for a few more seconds.

Calista unbuckled the strap-on and let it fall to the floor. She straightened her panties, hissing when the fabric touched her super-sensitive clit. She hugged Larissa from behind and helped her get up from the table. Larissa sat in her armchair, pulling Calista onto her lap. The two remained silent, catching their breath and caressing each other.

"I love you, Riss," Calista whispered, hiding her face in the crook of Larissa's neck.

"I love you too, my darling." Larissa wrapped her arms around Calista and squeezed her lightly in a hug.

"I think we need a shower." Calista laughed as she traced her fingertips across Larissa's collarbones.

"Shower? No, my dear. I'm not done with you for the night yet. Now it's my turn to use the strap-on." Larissa chuckled.

She picked up the strap from the floor and got up from the chair with Calista in her arms, bridal style.

"Let's move this to the bed." Larissa kissed Calista, carrying her to the bedroom.

Pushing Towards You Series

[berryicet]

Second no get away from that hint node!!!!

[stormyoceans]

Hiiiiii! I just want you to know that as a fellow day defender, I totally agree with you about your opinion of night and day’s situation. People keep saying that day is a bad guy since he treated night like that without knowing the reason behind it. I read the novel btw and thought that if I’m in day’s shoes, I’d probably be acting the same way as day. He just needs time to heal and I totally understand that. I hope people can consider day’s feelings too, not just night’s.

HIII FRIEND HIIIIIII!!!!!!!!

first of all, i wanted to thank you for not giving away any spoilers even if you've already read the novel!!!!! i don't take that for granted because not everyone is so considerate, so i really appreciate it!!!!!

about night and day's situation, im so incredibly glad that you agree with my thoughts on it!!!!! maybe it's because i feel very protective of day as a character, but it's been pretty hard to see him bear the brunt of people's criticism, first with the whole mork vs august affair and now with night. i know it's natural to sympathize with night because we don't have an explanation for day's behavior yet, and regardless of what happened it will never be an excuse for lashing out like that, but at the same time it's kinda upsetting to have day's feelings being constantly dismissed. like being in night's presence makes day feel SO BAD that one time he was literally willing to step in the middle of the street without being able to see rather than staying in the same space as night, and another time he was ready to give up attending aon's wedding (which he really cares about) and would have gone back to isolate himself from the world if it wasn't for mork, and i just think this should be taken into account a little bit more

i also think it's not a matter of who's right or who's wrong, because unlike what night said there are actually no villains and no heroes here. the narrative isn't pushing the audience to side with a character or another, on the contrary it's trying to make the viewers understand both points of view: night's attempts to be a good brother and reconnect with day are commendable and it's indeed both very sad and very frustrating to see day constantly reject them so cruelly, but day has only now started to accept his disability after an entire year of isolation where he was made feel like he could no longer take care of himself and live a fulfilling life, and like you said i think he should be allowed the time to heal (and eventually to forgive night, if he is actually involved in the accident that made day lose his sight)

in the end they're both just two boys with a lot of misunderstandings and unspoken feelings between them who are trying to do their best and i think it's unfair to pit them against each other

[welcometogrouchland]

[ID: a black and white animatic based on the owl house set to "Letter to an old poet" by Boygenius. End ID]

Not sure when/if I'll finish this (I have the rest planned out!) BUT I liked it too much to just sit on it forever!!! So take this messy work in progress. She's not perfect but she makes me Feel Things

(sorry about the lack of ID, I don't know how to write them for videos! If you have any suggestions/want to give it a go, feel free!)

[cosmic-walkers]

[musclesandhammering]

Friendly reminder that, even though marvel completely butchered the representation of it, Loki is still canonically genderfluid in the mcu. Canonically. Meaning it’s not up for debate and it’s not an opinion thing. You can’t just ignore it.

Queer people refusing to acknowledge it and instead passive aggressively calling mcu Loki a cis man because “lmao that rep was so bad it was nonexistent, it doesn’t even count” are just as guilty of erasing his gender as transphobes are :)

Sucky handling or not, he is a trans character. Period. That is canon.

[bonedshmarrow]

Unironically this would be a harem anime I’d watch. I just think it’d be funny for a group of women to decide that’s a project of a man and by god they’re forklift certified

[pepperyduck]

ridin' nanamin for the first time...

a/n: nsfw, riding, methinks this fits older boyfriend nanami so let’s say implied age gap😊 18+ mdni!

"ken, i wanna try to ride you."

your immodest request had taken your boyfriend by surprise, such forward ways of speaking often foreign to you. you had "tried" to ride him before, though it was more of a little grinding while you were on top. this time was going to be different, though, you were going to ride him.

"oh?" he'd all but coo, lacing his words with a slight mockery, "is that so?" kento's cunning, rare smile towards you afterwards almost makes you give in; but no, you're determined.

not without a little teasing, you set yourself up atop the older man, legs hiked up on either side of his waist with your feet planted firmly into the bed. reaching down, you guide the thick head of nanami's cock to your already sopping entrance, easing your hips down to take all of him.

you swat at kento, signaling you need some type of leverage, and his big, experienced hands come to interlock fingers with yours. it's sweet, really, how his arms hold you up so effortlessly while you struggle to remain composed on top of him. his muscles become more exposed and veinier as he continues to balance your weight against him.

conjuring up whatever strength you have, you lift yourself up with your legs and plop! back down, eyes completely focused on the reaction you're to receive from kento. yet he only finds it amusing how attentive you are to his pleasure, and he gives you to go-ahead to try it again.

this time, you try a series of multiple little bounces, each little 'plop' becoming increasingly heavier with each drop of your pelvis. but the one thing that drives you to not stop, to keep going without the need for hesitation, is the expression that comes over your boyfriend's face.

it's...intense. kento's eyebrows furrow together, his eyes close lightly, and every previous appearance of a smile is wiped from his lips as they form into a small 'o' shape. he looks as if he's focused, even with his eyes shut, on how your body tries so hard to pleasure him.

and the thing that really kills him is that you keep going. because he was so used to you being fucked dumb so easily, giving yourself up to him within the first few seconds of his intoxicating touch.

but kento can understand the thrill of the power he's giving you.

you muster up all the adrenaline left in your cells, legs burning with such fever you hate yourself for taking on this feat, pushing into your boyfriend's arms to keep yourself upright. strings of slick connect from the base of nanami’s cock to your cunt, a downright obscene sloshing and squelching coming from where the both of you interlock.

though your body aches for you to stop, you can't, not now. the constant unwinding of kento's brick wall attitude is too inebriating for you to quit.

[samaraxmorgan]

Your roommate Sukuna can’t stop staring at your lips. It’s not his fault, he’s never seen you wear lipstick before and now all of a sudden you have this glossy red sheen drawing his eyes to you.

He caught you leaning towards the mirror, mouth open in a small oh as you slowly glided the red gloss over your plush lips, and he just about froze in his tracks. Your eyes lazily half lidded as you focused all your attention onto getting perfectly straight lines, completely zoned in and not even noticing him behind you watching your reflection in awe. And god help him when you smacked your lips together, tacky tinted gloss stringing your top and bottom lips together for hardly a second before snapping away.

And now you’re sitting across from him on the couch, nonchalantly picking at your nails while you tell him… what were you telling him about again? It’s hard to focus when the only thing on his mind is how pretty you look in red. You pucker your lips and push them up underneath your nose, and when you offhandedly mention your lipgloss smelling like cherries he fears he might just faint.

Does it taste like cherries too? Sukuna wants nothing more than to glide his tongue over your lips and find out. To feel your lips stick to his own when he presses them into you, leaving a tacky cherry residue for him to swipe his tongue over. For you to leave a sticky red tinted trail from his mouth to his tattooed jaw. To have that pretty gloss that you carefully perfected end up smudged on the corners of your mouth, swollen red lips wrapped around his-

“Sukuna! You’re not even listening are you?”

He blinks in surprise, his eyes shooting up to meet your narrowed ones, “Huh?”

“I’ll be at work so you’ll need to let the guys in to fix the water heater,” You lean forward and annunciate each syllable with a gentle smack to his chest, “Don’t! For-get! I’m so sick of taking cold showers.”

A cold shower seems to be exactly what Sukuna needs right now.

Your Roommate Sukuna series masterlist here!!

Let me know if you would like to be added to the taglist!! Divider by @adornedwithlight

[demilypyro]

So I've seen a few too many people on twitter talking about The Kiss Scene from the new Scott Pilgrim anime. People saying it's fetishistic and indulgent, people calling it male gazey, etc. And while the kiss itself is certainly a bit exaggerated, I felt like writing a bit about why I disagree, and why context is important, like it always is. But it basically turned into an extended analysis on the metatextual treatment of Roxie Richter. So bear with me. It's a long post.

What really matters about this scene is not the kiss itself, but what precedes it. Not even just the fight scene just before it, but what precedes the whole anime series, really. And that's the Scott Pilgrim comic book, and the live action movie. Because in both, Roxie is a punchline.

She's a joke. Her character starts and ends with "one of the exes is actually a girl, I bet you didn't expect that." Jokes are made about Ramona's latent bisexuality, the movie especially treating it as funny and absurd, and her validity as a romantic interest is entirely written off by Ramona as being "just a phase." There's a fight scene, she's defeated by a man giving her an orgasm which implicitly calls her sexuality into question (come on), and the movie just moves on. It sucks. It really, really sucks.

The comic fares a little better. It never veers into outright homophobia like the movie does, and while the line about Ramona having gone through a phase remains, Roxie actually gets one over on Scott when Ramona briefly gets back with Roxie. But Roxie is still only barely a character. Like all the other evil exes, she's just a stepping stone towards the male protagonist's development. She barely even gets any screentime before she's defeated by Scott's "power of love." But Roxie stands out, since she's the only villain who is queer, or at least had been confirmed queer at that point (hi Todd). In a series that champions multiple gay men in the supporting cast, the single undeniable lesbian in the story is a villain. She's labeled as evil, made fun of, pushed aside in favor of the men, and then discarded. Her screentime was never about her, or her feelings for Ramona. It was about the straight, male protagonist needing to overcome her. And that was Roxie Richter. An unfortunate victim of the 2010s.

Fast forward to current year, and the new anime series is announced. Everybody sits down to watch the new series expecting another retelling of the same story, and.... hang on, that straight male protagonist I mentioned just died in the first episode. And now it's humanizing the villains from the original story. And there's Roxie, introduced alongside the other evil exes in the second episode, and she's being played entirely straight, without a punchline in sight. No jokes are made about her gender, no questions are made of her validity as one of Ramona's romantic interests. The narrative considers her important. In one episode, she already gets more respect than she did in either of the previous iterations of Scott Pilgrim. And this isn't even her focus episode yet... which happens to be the very next one.

The anime series goes to great lengths to flesh out the original story's villains and to have Ramona reconcile with them. And I don't think it's a coincidence that Roxie gets to go first. While Matthew Patel gets his development in episode 2, Roxie is the first to directly confront Ramona, now our main protagonist. This is notable too because it's the only time the exes are encountered out of order. Roxie is supposed to be number 4, but she's first in line, and later on you realize that she's the only one who's out of sequence. She's the one who sets the precedent for the villains being redeemed. She's the most important character for Ramona to reconcile with.

What follows is probably the most extensive, elaborate 1 on 1 fight scene in the whole show. Roxie fights like a wounded animal, her motions are desperate and pained. Ramona can only barely fight back against her onslaught. Different set-pieces fly by at breakneck speed as Roxie relentlessly lays her feelings at Ramona's feet through her attacks and her distraught shouts. And unlike the comic or the movie, Ramona acknowledges them, and sincerely apologizes. And the two end up just laying there, exhausted, reminiscing about when they were together.

Only after this, after all of this, does the kiss scene happen. Roxie has been vindicated, she has reconciled with the person who hurt her, the narrative has deemed that her anger is justified and has redeemed her character. And she gets her victory lap by making the nearest other hot girl question her heterosexuality, sharing a sloppy kiss with her as the music triumphantly crescendos.

It's... a little self-congratulatory, honestly. But it's good. It's redemption for a character who had been mistreated for over a decade. And she punctuates the moment by being very, very gay where everyone can see it, no men anywhere in sight. Because this is her moment. And then she leaves the plot, on her own accord this time, while humming the hampster dance. What a legend. How could anything be wrong with this.

[rhysand-vs-fenrys]

Toxic IRL: Red flags and all that jazz Toxic in Lit: What makes it fun to read

i think we as a society need to start accepting that fictional love stories need to be a bit toxic for us to go insane over them… like, sometimes you kinda need the two parties to be obsessed with each other and fucked up and willing to bring each other back from the dead instead of moving on and go to therapy i’m sorry😔

[cami-stuffs]

Pushing Towards You

Chapter 22: Rave'N

There was Larissa. Sitting in her armchair, in her masculine form, panting. Since Rebeca's visit, that scene had become commonplace. She needed to become intimate with her own body before she could introduce it to Calista. Truth be told, her male body. Years had passed since the last time Larissa had transformed into her male self. She didn't feel comfortable, but the desire to have a child with Calista was greater.

Sighing, she looked at the clock; it was almost time for her meeting with Gaia. They would start planning Rave'N. Getting up from the chair, Larissa went to her quarters to clean up. It was getting more complex every day to do it alone; Larissa was not a teenager who got turned on for any reason, and time was passing for her and Calista.

As she washed, she wondered why she hadn't included Calista initially. The answer was simple: shame and fear. She was ashamed of Calista seeing her male form and afraid that this new form would be more attractive than the original. She spent years perfecting her masculine self, trying to modify every feature of her body that she didn't like, creating an entirely new person. It was still possible to recognize Larissa, but the insecurity was evident when she transformed.

Larissa looked in the mirror, undressed and still in her male form. Would Calista like it? She wondered. Would she like me more as a man? Sighing deeply, she returned to her original form, dressed, and returned to her room. She had just decided that it was time for Calista to meet her male self when there was a knock on the door. Gaia arrived for the meeting with Larissa.

------

Patiently, Calista waited for Larissa.

A few weeks had passed since she and Larissa learned to conceive a child together. Despite not putting pressure on her loved one, Calista felt frustrated for not participating in the initial project. She knew that Larissa was insecure about herself, and that wouldn't change even if she were in her male form. In this way, she avoided bringing up the subject to give the principal more space but lived in anticipation of the day things would change.

When the idea of having a child was suggested, Calista was not prepared to get pregnant again after years. She and Larissa had resumed their relationship not long ago; the city was new, the routine was new, and the work was new. With the number of changes Calista had gone through, pregnancy was not part of her plans. But now everything has changed. Now, she finds herself planning the arrival of this child. But before Calista could say anything to Larissa, she found a package of condoms in a shared drawer.

"Honey, I thought the intention was for me to get pregnant," Calista said, showing the newly found package.

Larissa was in the kitchen, preparing dinner, and had to turn around to see what Calista was talking about when she saw the package of condoms hanging in the air.

"That's the intention." She said. "But I don't want you to get pregnant while I'm in my male form."

Calista left the package on the counter and went to Larissa, hugging her from behind. She felt Larissa's body relaxing slightly on top of hers.

"Does this mean you're ready to include me?" Calista asked with a smile.

"Yes, darling. Let's do this." Larissa kissed Calista's forehead and turned her attention to the stove.

Calista remained there, hugging Larissa for a few more seconds before turning around and returning to the bedroom to put the condoms back in the drawer.

After dinner, Calista was sitting on the sofa with her legs on Larissa's lap, reading a book, when she noticed the director looking around the apartment, lost in thought.

"What are you looking for, Riss?" Calista asked.

"We need to buy a house," Larissa replied distractedly.

Calista frowned, marked the page she had stopped on, and left the book on the coffee table. Crawling onto Larissa's lap, she made herself comfortable and wrapped the hands around her neck.

"Tell me what's on your mind, love," Calista said, resting her head on Larissa's shoulder.

"The apartment is cozy. But it's not ours and not big enough for the two of us, Artemis and another child." Larissa pondered, hugging Calista around the waist.

Larissa wanted to buy a house in Jericho because it was well located for both her and Calista to go to work. For her, the house should have at least three bedrooms and a backyard; she insisted on a backyard. Artemis should have her room on school holidays or whenever she wants to sleep at home.

Larissa described in detail the type of house she would like to have. It seemed like she had been planning this all her life, even though she wasn't sure if she would ever start a family. Calista listened in amazement and could imagine their house just by listening to Larissa speak.

"You look sexy when you behave like a head of the family." Calista joked.

"You think?" Larissa smiled, straightening up.

Calista laughed and nodded, biting her lip. Slowly, she adjusted herself on Larissa's lap, placing one leg on each side of her hips, straddling her. Larissa's hands were already smoothing Calista's back underneath her t-shirt, and her mouth was already moving towards Calista's.

Larissa got up, carrying Calista in her arms without breaking the kiss, and took her to the bedroom. Calista lay down in the middle of the bed and leaned on her elbows to watch Larissa slowly take off her clothes in front of the bed. She wanted to shift in front of Calista so as not to be awkward when entering the room as a completely different person.

Calista watched in silence a naked Larissa who, in a sigh, gave way to a man who was also blond with blue eyes but considerably shorter. Larissa has always had a problem with her height, so it was natural that she wanted to change this feature. The male version had narrow hips and broad shoulders, discreetly muscular but tending towards a leaner profile. Larissa also had a problem with her weight.

The scar on his lips was still there. The thin and long fingers were also present, now without nail polish. The male version of Larissa was just as beautiful as her original form. Calista probably let that thought show because Larissa quickly started trying to cover herself with her hands, blushing slightly.

Calista walked on her knees to the edge of the bed and reached out to Larissa, pulling her close. Calista smoothed Larissa's body, running her hands over her chest and abdomen. Larissa instinctively let her arms fall to her sides and closed her eyes, feeling Calista's touch travel through her body. A shiver ran down her spine when Calista's lips touched her collarbone.

"You are beautiful, my love." Calista whispered repeatedly as she kissed Larissa's body, moving up her neck and ending at her mouth.

Calista kissed Larissa intensely, closing her fingers in the other woman's short platinum blonde hair. Larissa grunted into the kiss and pulled Calista by the waist. Calista could feel Larissa's erection in her lower parts now that the heights were compatible.

Slowly, Larissa undressed Calista without letting their mouths move apart. Before getting into bed, Larissa took a condom from the dresser drawer. She found that extremely strange; they never needed it. But now the purpose was different, so Larissa sighed and climbed onto the bed, crawling over to Calista, who kept her eyes on Larissa the whole time.

------

Calista woke up the next day next to Larissa in her original form. The woman was fast asleep. Shifting just one part of the body was tiring; doing it with the entire body and combining it with aerobic physical activity was exhausting. Before bed, Calista made a cup of hot chocolate for a panting and sweaty Larissa.

Sneaking out of bed, Calista picked up the remains of the previous night from the floor and headed sleepily to the bathroom to shower. She was a little more sore than usual. Shifting to a man increased Larissa's strength and body mass, as well as her sexual drive. Thus, Calista had to adapt to the new style.

Larissa was still sleeping when Calista got out of the shower, indicating that the energy expenditure was more significant than intended. Not hungry, Calista lay on the couch and flipped between television channels without paying attention, letting time pass and waiting until Larissa woke up.

It wasn't long until Larissa appeared in the room, still in her pajamas and messy hair—a very peculiar image for Calista. Larissa was always tidy. But not this time. She looked tired and unconcerned about her appearance but, at the same time, relaxed. She got under Calista, letting the other lie on top of her, kissed the crown of her head, and dozed off. Calista stayed there. She was lying on top of Larissa, watching something on television and listening to her low, calm breathing.

It took another forty minutes until Larissa was fully awake. It was still early for Calista, but by Larissa's standards, it was already late. It wasn't a work day, but she still liked getting up early. However, that day, she was lazy, and Calista wanted to take the opportunity to spend a peaceful and relaxing day with Larissa.

"Eat, my love. You need to replenish your energy." Calista prepared breakfast with more food than usual—eggs, bacon, bread, butter, hot chocolate - of course - and many other things.

"I thought you didn't like cooking." Larissa's eyes widened as she took her first bite of bacon and eggs. It was delicious, and she felt her body reinvigorate.

"Not liking to cook doesn't mean I don't know how." She smiled and received a smile and a nod in response as Larissa helped herself to hot chocolate. "How are you feeling?"

Larissa shrugged. "Exhausted. I didn't expect to have my energy drained like this."

"Have you ever done this before?" Calista asked casually but with a hint of jealousy.

"Shifting for sex?" Larissa's eyes widened. "At university, those who didn't stay away from me because I was an outcast approached me to do personal experiments with me. At first, I gave in, of course. Then, it became too depressing. It's been a while since I tried that."

Jealousy gave way to anger. Calista became extremely angry when she found out people were approaching Larissa to use her in some way. She couldn't understand or imagine how people didn't appreciate her like Calista did.

"Riss, we don't need to do it this way if it brings back bad memories or makes you feel out of place." Calista held Larissa's hand and looked into her eyes. "You can keep trying on your own. I can wait as long as it takes."

Larissa shook her head, took Calista's hand to her mouth, and kissed her knuckles. "You're not abusing me or using me, Lis. Don't worry. Last night was wonderful—just a little more exhausting than I imagined." She smiled.

"Do you think it worked?" Calista didn't understand shapeshifting, but Larissa and Artemis have said several times that they simply know because they are always aware of their bodies.

"I believe so." Larissa bent her head thoughtfully as if trying to access her body's deepest parts. "It was a new feeling. Maybe a few more tries before I need to test it."

"Test it?" Calista frowned, confused.

"Yes... Well." Larissa seemed slightly annoyed at the idea. "Rebeca sent me a message a few days ago and said that the best way to make sure the shift was complete was to do a spermogram. So that we don't live in anticipation of your pregnancy."

Calista laughed. "So, you're going to have to march into a lab and just jerk off into a cup?" She was clearly having fun with the idea.

Larissa pursed her lips. "Well, that's not a delicate way of putting it, but yes, that's exactly what I need to do."

"Oh, honey. I'm sorry you had to put yourself through this." Calista was having fun. She tried to hide her smirk. "But I can give you a hand if you want." She winked.

Larissa narrowed her eyes and squeezed her lips, trying to hide her smile due to Calista's sarcasm. "I think I can handle it, thank you. But I shall give you a call if I need to." She finally smiled.

------

Over the months, Larissa took turns spending the night with Calista in her male form and taking care of business alone during the day at the office. This way, she got a few free nights in her original form.

Organizing Rave'N was on the back burner on her agenda. Gaia was excited about the planning. She and Professor Mitchell would chaperone the dance that year, leaving Larissa free to enjoy the night. Thus, the principal's participation was only to authorize the purchase of supplies and materials according to the established budget.

"You are doing an excellent job, Gaia." Larissa was at her desk, signing some papers at the end of another meeting for the Rave'N organization.

"I appreciate the trust." Gaia smiled when she received the compliment.

"You should ask Miss Micthell to the ball." Larissa suggested returning the documents.

"Perhaps." Gaia looked thoughtful. "We're going to chaperone; I don't know if that would be appropriate."

"I don't see what the problem would be, but it's up to you," Larissa smiled.

Larissa could enjoy the ball for the first time since she was a student, so she would invite Calista to accompany her. Their last Rave'N as students did not end as expected, with the murder charge against Gomez Addams and a fight between her and Calista.

"I imagine you'll be coming with Calista, right?" Gaia was getting up from her seat to leave.

"I believe so. For some reason, I'm nervous about asking her to be my date." Larissa leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows.

"I think it's the memories of the past," Gaia suggested. "But don't worry. She agreed to marry you. Rave'N is nothing close to that." Winking, she left, closing the door behind her.

She has a point. Larissa thought. I'm going to talk to Calista tonight.

------

"Artemis texted me earlier." Calista was cuddling with Larissa on the sofa after dinner with a glass of wine in her hand. "She wants to go shopping on Saturday to buy her Rave'N dress."

That was Larissa's cue. She sought to talk about the ball without being too casual or clingy. For some reason, she could feel butterflies in her stomach whenever she thought about mentioning it. 

"Talking about that..." Larissa looked down at Calista and scratched her scalp. I won't chaperone the ball this year, so I was wondering if you would like to go on a date. Our last Rave'N didn't end as planned." She was feeling eager. Why was she feeling eager? It was just a school ball, for God's sake!

A bright smile was forming on Calista's face. "Of course I would, Riss." She could already imagine both of them together, finally, at the Rave'N.

Larissa breathed a sigh of relief and only then realized she was holding her breath, waiting for Calista's response. She knew she would get a yes answer, but that didn't lessen her anxiety when asking the question. "I think I'm going to need a dress, too," she heard Calista say as she imagined what it would be like their night. "Artemis will like to help you choose it." She finally responded by returning to reality and smiling at Calista.

That was one of many topics on Larissa's mind. Another was making a silent noise in her mind. The next day, Larissa would go to a laboratory to check if the shifting worked. She didn't want to comment with Calista so that expectations wouldn't be generated, and she was eventually frustrated. But simultaneously, she felt terrible about hiding this moment from the most important person in her life.

"If it's not you, who will chaperone the ball this year?" Calista asked, breaking Larissa out of her thoughts.

"Gaia and Miss Mitchell." Larissa left the other topic aside and enjoyed the day with Calista.

"Gaia is well involved in Nevermore's affairs." Calista adjusted herself, lifting her head to look at Larissa.

"She is extremely competent and interested," Larissa commented. "For me, that's great. I don't intend to be a director for the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe she can take on that role later on."

"Do you intend to leave the directorship of the Academy?" This was news to Calista and surprised her on several levels. She knew how much Larissa loved school. "But you love that place."

"Indeed, my darling." Larissa agreed, looking into Calista's eyes. "I can go back to teaching. I'll have more free time for our family."

Calista didn't respond to it but wrapped her arms around Larissa and hugged her tight. Knowing that Larissa was willing to give up this position to dedicate herself to this new life gave Calista more certainty that the choice to get married and have a child was right.

"Thank you for that," Calista whispered in Larissa's ear, tickling her.

"For what, my love?" Larissa flinched briefly and closed her eyes as she felt the warm air in her ear.

"Giving up so much for us." She rested her head on Larissa's neck.

"I appreciate you allowing me to choose to do this," Larissa replied softly.

"The pleasure is mine." Calista giggled and gently kissed Larissa's lips.

Larissa reacted to the kiss, intensifying it and wrapping her arms around Calista's waist, pulling her close to her body. Calista happily consented to the tug.

"Bed. Now. No shifting today." Calista said between kisses.

"Yes, ma'am." Larissa laughed, jumping up and carrying Calista in her arms.

------

"You still haven't told me who you're going to the dance with," Calista asked Artemis as they walked through the aisles of a clothing store, looking for suitable dresses.

"Xavier," Artemis replied almost in a whisper, avoiding her mother's eyes. The girl was blushing heavily.

"No need to be shy!" Calista smiled, putting her arm around her daughter's waist. "He seems to be nice."

"It's not shyness." Artemis put her arm around her mother's shoulder. Now, they were walking side by side, synchronized. "It's nerves. I don't know. It's the first time someone has asked me to a dance. It's actually my first dance."

The girl's uneasiness was palpable. Before Nevermore, Artemis had no friends and, as such, was always absent from school gatherings. Calista wanted her daughter's first dance to be unforgettable, so she did her best to find the most beautiful dress. Furthermore, she wanted to know a little more about Xavier; after all, the boy's behavior would be decisive for a pleasant and memorable experience.

"So, tell me more about this boy, Xavier, what he's like?"

"He's fine." And the blush on Artemis's cheek was back. "He's quiet, he doesn't talk much, but he's curious. He likes to know what my life was like before school."

"What else?" Calista thought it was a good start for Xavier to be interested in Artemis.

"Hmm...let me see," Artemis pondered as she looked among the hangers and mannequins. He has psychic abilities, practices archery, and fencing, and is an artist. He is very good at painting and sketching. Enid often says he is a solitary artist."

"Artist? Interesting." Calista kept this information; an idea was already forming in her head. "But what about how he is with you? Besides being curious, how does he treat you?"

"He's always asking me how things are going and if I'm adapting. He offers me help with my studies. So, I think he treats me well, right?" Artemis looked for a response from Calista with a doubtful and anxious look.

"It's a good start," Calista reassured. "The important thing is that he respects who you are and that you feel good about him. And if you need anything, your mother and I will always be here."

"I know that. I appreciate it..." The girl stopped suddenly in front of a mannequin. Calista immediately knew this would be the perfect dress for a perfect night.

------

Larissa sat in an armchair in a small, dimly lit room with a small plastic pot in her right hand. A television was waiting to be turned on on the wall in front of her, and below it was a shelf with magazines to be leafed through. She had been led to this room minutes before by a male nurse with clear instructions on how to collect the sample for a spermogram. She was shifted into her masculine self, so it didn't even occur to the nurse that she was the school's principal for outcasts.

Alone in the small room of the clinical laboratory, Larissa returned to her natural shape, keeping only the complete male reproductive system shifted. It was a strange and slightly embarrassing feeling, but no one else knew she was there, so she grabbed the remote control, turned on the television, and flipped through the erotic channels until she found something that could help her. It would have been easier if Calista had been with her.

------

Finally, Rave'N night arrived. Calista had been anxious ever since Larissa asked her to the dance. Their last Rave'N had ended very badly, culminating in years of separation. But this time, everything was different. She and Larissa were back together, getting married, and even planning to have a child. Still, the memory of her adolescence caused her anxiety.

Even though Larissa didn't chaperone the dance, she and Calista decided to get ready in their rooms in Nevermore so they could be among the first to arrive. This way, Larissa could be available if Gaia and Samantha needed help. Deep down, she wishes they didn't need her because she would like to dedicate the night to Calista. However, as a principal, she must make herself ready to take action for setbacks.

Calista waited in Larissa's office while she waited for the other woman to finish getting ready. She was always faster than the future wife. That night, Calista, in fact, chose a dress, put on makeup, and did her hair. Larissa could simply shift into her party outfit, but keeping it shifted all night would take energy—energy that Larissa planned to spend otherwise. Therefore, Calista had to wait for Larissa almost 30 minutes after finishing getting ready. But the wait was worth it. Larissa looked beautiful in a blue dress that matched her eyes.

It was as if they were back in their teens, and this was their first Rave'N. Calista and Larissa arrived at the ballroom with a small group of students just as the dance began. Before they even looked for a table to sit down, Larissa went to Gaia and Samantha, praised the organization of the dance, and told them not to hesitate to call her if they needed it. Meanwhile, Calista awaited Larissa's return and looked around the hall, admiring the work done by Gaia and looking for Artemis.

The girl arrived arm in arm with Xavier. She was radiant. As soon as her eyes met his mother's, she poked the boy in the ribs and whispered something in his ear. The boy then nodded with a smile, and the two went towards Calista and Larissa.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Director Weems." Artemis was visibly embarrassed and wanted to make that conversation as short as possible.

"Artemis! You look beautiful, darling." Larissa said with a smile. "And you look very elegant, Mr. Thorpe."

"Xavier, we haven't been properly introduced." Calista held out her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Calista, mother of Artemis."

"Hello, Mrs. Cos'Anto. It's my pleasure to meet you." The boy smiled at Calista.

"Artemis told me that you are an artist who paints pictures. Do you take orders?" This question surprised Artemis and Larissa, who looked at each other, looking for an explanation.

"Sure, why not?" The boy was restless about pleasing his prom date's mother.

"Great! So, we'll talk another time. You'll have fun." Calista smiled at an increasingly confused Artemis and dismissed them both.

"What are you up to, Lis?" Larissa asked, hugging Calista from behind and resting her cheek on the other's head.

"Me? Nothing! I'm just testing the boy's skills." Calista dodged the question, turned on her feet, faced Larissa, and passed her hand behind her neck. "Shall we dance, Miss Weems?"

Larissa decided not to press any further and smiled. "Let's dance, Mrs. Cos'Anto!"

After a traumatizing first, Rave'N, Calista, and Larissa were finally able to have fun even though they were no longer students, they danced all night, and Larissa forgot for a few hours about her responsibilities towards the Academy, even though many students greeted her warmly when they passed her. Before the night ended, Larissa thanked Gaia again for her efforts in organizing the event. Everything had gone very well. The students and teachers had fun, and there were no incidents like the previous year.

"Why don't you take advantage of the room's emptiness and ask Miss Mitchell for the last dance?" Larissa suggested before leaving.

"Would she accept?" Gaia asked, biting her lip in uncertainty.

"Something tells me yes." Larissa looked towards the corner of the room and saw Samantha looking at the two of them expectantly. Gaia followed Larissa's gaze and met Samantha's.

"Have a great end to the night, professors." Larissa smiled and went to join Calista, who was waiting for her at the room's exit.

Larissa and Calista walked through the halls of Nevermore hand in hand towards Larissa's quarters, talking about Rave'N.

"Thanks for the night, Riss," Calista said, sitting on the edge of the bed and removing her heels. "I am exhausted."

"Oh yeah? I was wondering if we could start our little project tonight." Larissa insinuated, starting to take off her dress.

"Project? Are you talking about having a baby?" A smile appeared at the corner of Calista's mouth as she understood what Larissa meant. "Don't you need to do the test first? To check if the shifting worked."

"It turns out I already did." Larissa let her dress fall to the floor, revealing her feminine body with only her sex entirely shifted. "The results came back today, and we are ready to try to have a baby."

"So, it looks like we won't be sleeping tonight." Calista stretched out her arms to welcome Larissa, kissing her passionately and taking her to bed.

Chapter 21 | Chapter 23

[dunmesh]

okay i don't have anything smart to add i just genuinely love that these seemingly trivial jokes are actually an important part of his character. we see it throughout the entire manga, how he pushes aside his own frustration and discomfort to accommodate everyone else's and avoid needless confrontation- another example off the top of my head would be the barometz chapter in which he slowly gets frustrated with izutsumi but still tries his best to talk some sense into her calmly and soundly.

and in contrast, there are very few times he expresses his anger and hurt towards others, and it usually takes a lot for him to finally lose his patience and control.

i mean, even with kabru he tried to be polite despite the circumstances until the guy said the one thing that triggers an immense sense of shame, hurt and rage in laios. and you know, the manga does say it quite clearly early on. when we are introduced to namari and then to shuro, laios acts all friendly and shows his respect and trust in them despite how things ended between them, and everyone else gets frustrated with him for acting so strange- why are you the one who tries so hard to pacify the rest when you should be the angriest?

and they don't understand him. they don't know him well enough to be able to understand, but we as readers get to see during the manga that they aren't wrong to question him- he does, in fact, feel all those ugly emotions. and it's when the winged lion finally confronts him that we see to what extent these feelings he buried so deep go, and suddenly all those funny little moments where he sometimes pretends to be mr nice guy speak volumes about his character. honestly, ryoko kui is a master at using jokes in order to define important character traits and this one doesn't fail to amaze me.

and laios's hatred and rage and deep scars he can't get over aren't shown explicitly during most of these moments i mentioned before, but now you realize there are 26 years of emotional baggage to all of them and they sting. he is angry but he can't say shit, what difference would it make? it won't make his friends choose him instead of themselves when he needed them most, and it won't help his party get any farther. of course, this logic doesn't apply to them- they are absolutely allowed to get angry and it's fine to get mad at him, he can take that.

so after finishing the series it's so clear that he tries his best to avoid clashing with others not just due to the current circumstances and him needing to be a reliable leader but also because he knows that people don't even like him when he tries to show his good sides and hide all the rest, so who the hell would tolerate his rage and despair? who would stay after realizing that he is so deeply flawed he doesn't even like his own being?

but he does get mad. he can't help it, and sometimes it gets out of control and now everyone knows. and it's funny, isn't it? that most of those moments ended up bringing him closer to others. shuro admitting he is envy of him and actually becoming the friend laios thought he was all along, fighting for his sake and waiting for him to come back- believing in him even after he turned into a monster and searching for him the way he couldn't bring himself to do for falin when he learned of what became of her- or kabru being pushed to just let it all out because he couldn't bluff his way out of this one and get to laios any other way, so now they are even. they are both horribly honest with each other and they both choose to stay. a weird way of getting to know each other, but it is what it is.

it's simply... the more laios let himself just be, the deeper his relationships grew. and there's intimacy in being your ugly, weak and furious self around someone and them not leaving you. feeling safe enough to let it be known you are hurt and angry. and he knows that now, too.

[aurorawhisperz]

You’re All I Need (r.c.)

contains: swearing, angst, mentions of pregnancy, family drama.

father!rafe x mother!reader

a/n: if this goes well and finds its way into my busy schedule, i’ll turn this into a series! and guess who just hit the two-decade mark.. 🎉🎂

summary: you’re sick, exhausted, and barely holding it together while caring for your daughter, juno, alone. desperate, you call rafe, your ex and her father, for help.

who am i to want you now that you’re leaving?

•

almost a year ago, you and rafe had gotten into a big fight over the summer that left both of you saying things that couldn’t be taken back. by the time he was gone, you thought it was over for good. he stormed off and it felt like the end.

that was the same summer you found out you got knocked up.

when you finally told him about the baby, he swore he wanted to be there, for both of you. but you couldn’t do it. you didn’t his half-assed attempts at playing family. so you told him he could be in the baby’s life, but not yours.

the day your daughter was born, nothing felt real. you named her juno, inspired by a movie you’d watched a hundred times during your pregnancy. you didn’t need rafe there that day. at least, that’s what you told yourself.

and for a while, that worked. until tonight.

the fever is unbearable, heat radiating from your body as you lean against the wall to steady yourself, your legs trembling beneath you.

juno cries loudly, sharp and continuous, her small fists waving in anger from her playpen. juno was only a few months old, but the sounds she made tonight seem louder than anything, or maybe it is the throbbing in your head that is making everything clearer.

you tried to calm her down—rocking her, even her close until your arms felt like they might give out but your fever had drained every ounce of strength out of you.

rafe was in the middle of a business call when his phone rang. he saw your name on the caller ID and immediately sensed that something was off. he excuses himself from the meeting and quickly picks up.

“what’s up?" he asks, his voice filled with concern and curiosity. “do you wanna have juno tonight?”you ask, not entirely aware of what you’re doing. “i don’t don’t know..I’m just..” then you sigh. “she’s been saying ‘dada’ all day and she refuses to eat.”

rafe winced at the loud noise. juno’s cries are clearly heard from the other end. it was clear that you were having a hard time, and he felt concerned for both you and juno.

“yeah, ‘course, i’ll take her.” he replies quickly, then rafe doesn’t waste any time. telling some lame excuse to his clients, gathering his things and completely bailing on the group of people in the meeting room.

the drive to your place felt excruciatingly long, but he kept his foot on the gas, determined to get there as fast as possible. rafe offered you and juno a spot at tanneyhill but since you were too petty towards him at that time, you declined.

He rushes to his car, his mind racing with thoughts about you and Juno. The drive to your place feels excruciatingly long, but he keeps his foot on the gas, determined to get there as fast as possible.

finally, he reaches your home and practically jumps out of the car, making his way to the door and banging on it urgently.

"(name)? it’s me! open up!" he calls out, the sound of juno’s cries echoing in his ears.

when you open the door, rafe’s eyes slightly widen in worry at your appearance. he could see the paleness in your face and the exhaustion in your eyes. he quickly steps inside, his eyes scanning the room for juno.

"are you alright?" he asks, his voice filled with concern. "you look absolutely exhausted. what’s going on with you?”

“i’m fine, she’s in my room..” and rafe saw all the tell-tale signs of a fever as he watched you lay down on the couch. he knows you’re not as ‘fine’ as you claim but doesn’t push the issue for now.

a year ago, rafe cameron was chaos incarnate. consumed by his demons, or maybe he was the demon. the outer banks was his kingdom, and as much as you don’t want to admit it, the rafe walking up the stairs to go see your daughter isn’t the same man you walked away from last summer.

decades of being ward cameron’s son don’t just vanish but having a daughter changed rafe in many ways no one thought was possible. he’s more conscious, more quiet, like he’s constantly trying to prove more to himself than to everyone that he was better than the man who raised him.

you’ve seen him with juno, the way he holds her like she’s the only thing that matters in the world.

rafe watches you as you lie down on the couch, he frowns when he sees how weak you look.

he turns and heads straight to the room where juno is crying. he walks over to the crib and leans over, gently scooping up the little girl, holding her close to his chest.

"hey, little one," he coos, his voice soft and soothing. "your dad’s here." juno immediately stops crying as rafe picks her up, her small body calming at the familiarity of his touch and voice. rafe rocks her in his arms, gently shushing her and whispering words of comfort.

"there you go," he murmurs, his fingers gently stroking her soft hair. "no more cries now, i’ve got you."

he walks back to the living room, holding juno close to his chest as he approaches you on the couch.

"hey," rafe says softly, his tone showing concern. "you really don't look well." he moves closer, gently resting a hand on your forehead to feel your temperature. as he suspected, your skin was hot to the touch.

you look up to see him with juno on his hip. “just take care of her for the night.” and your eyes nearly flutter shut.

rafe saw through the way your eyes struggled to stay open. he saw how sick you truly were, but you're trying so hard to hide it.

"damn it," he mutters, his voice tight with worry and frustration. "baby, you’re in no condition to take care of juno on your own right now. you need to rest, and i can't just leave knowing you're not okay."

rafe reluctantly looks down at juno in his arms, her tiny face looking up at him with wide trusting eyes. he then glances back at you, still lying on the couch, weakness written all over your face.

"i will," he replies firmly. "but first, I'm putting you to bed. you need to rest and get better. then I'll take care of the baby."

he heads up and carefully sets juno on the crib for a moment and then walks downstairs, over to the couch, gently scooping you up in his arms.

“put me down..” you whine. "no" rafe replies firmly, his grip on you tightening slightly. "you’re burning up with a damn fever. no condition to be worrying about juno right now." he carries you towards your bedroom, his arms holding you securely against his chest. though you protest, he ignores your weak struggles.

once he reaches your bedroom, he gently lays you down on the bed, making sure you're comfortable and settled. he pulls the covers up over you, tucking you in and smoothing back your hair from your forehead.

looking down at you, he can see how exhausted you really are, the fever taking a toll on your body. but his focus quickly shifts to the crib where juno is starting to cry again, her hunger growing stronger.

rafe watches you for a moment, concerned. the feeling of your skin under his touch tells him how high your fever really is. he glances over at the crib, juno’s cries growing louder.

"stay right here," he instructs you firmly. "i’ll feed our baby, then i’m coming back to check on you."

with a sigh, rafe picks juno up from the crib and brings her to the kitchen. he goes through the motions of preparing a bottle for juno, mixing the formula with warm water and shaking it gently until it's ready. he then sits down next to your bed, leaning back against the headboard while he carefully feeds juno the bottle.

his eyes occasionally flick to you, checking on your condition. even though he's busy feeding the baby, he keeps a watchful eye on you, noticing every shiver and every sign of discomfort in your sick state.

after a few minutes, juno is satisfied, her tiny belly full and content. she starts to drift off in rafe’s arms, her small eyes growing heavy.

he carefully passes the baby back to the crib and turns his attention back to you. he returns to your bedside and sits down, his eyes studying your pale and weary face. the sight of you in this state was devouring him from the inside.

your eyes flutter open. “rafe, take her to your house..” then you turn to the side, your back facing him.

rafe looks down at you, gently taking your hand in his own, it broke his heart a little. the fact that you're asking him to take juno now.

"baby," he murmurs, his voice gentle. "you’re still burning up. i can't just leave with juno while you're like this."

it was always like this with rafe. back then, whenever you didn’t want him to care for you, when you pushed him away, built your walls high, and told him you didn’t need him, he’d force it anyway. he had this annoying way of ignoring your protests, showing up when you least expected it with that hot stubborn determination in his eyes.

if you were sick, he’d be at your door with soup, even if he didn’t know how to make it. if you were upset, he’d sit next to you in silence, waiting until you caved. it didn’t matter how hard you tried to convince him you were fine; rafe never listened. he cared in the only way he knew how to care; recklessly, even when you swore you didn’t want him to. that part of him hasn’t changed at all.

“come on, she’s your only priority at the moment.” you try sending him away. his grip on your hand tightened a little at your words. “don't be fucking ridiculous," he retorts, his voice stern. "juno will be fine with me at my house. but you're not. you’re sick and need rest and care. i’m not just gonna abandon you like this. not happening."

“you don’t have to stay anyway… you’re not my husband or boyfriend or anything. you’re just her dad.”

rafe bites down at your words. he knows he’s nothing more to you than juno’s dad, but hearing you say it so bluntly still stings.

“no, i’m not your husband or boyfriend,” he replies, his tone sharper than intended. “but damn it, i still care about you, even if you don’t want me to.”

before you can respond, a shiver racks your body, your fever making you tremble. rafe notices immediately, his frustration giving way to concern.

“jesus, you’re burning up,” he mutters, leaning closer to place the back of his hand on your forehead. “why didn’t you tell me you were this bad?” he doesn’t wait for an answer. standing up, he moves to the kitchen, returning with a cool cloth. he gently presses it against your forehead, his jaw tight with worry.

“you’re in no condition to be alone right now,” he says firmly. “especially not with a fever this high. you need someone to take care of you, whether you like it or not.”

“take her,” you whisper, your voice weak. “i can take care of myself. you don’t have to do both.”

“damn it, will you just listen to me for once?” rafe snaps, his voice low but laced with irritation. “you’re not fine. you’re barely holding it together, and you want me to just walk away? why are you so goddamn stubborn?”

“i don’t need your help,” you insist, glaring at him weakly. “just watch juno. that’s all.”

rafe exhales sharply, trying to keep his temper in check.

“what’s it gonna take for you to get it through your head that you need support too?” he demands. “i care about both you and juno, you idiot. why can’t you just let me help you when you clearly need it?”

“and why does this concern you?” you ask, your voice barely above a whisper. his eyes narrow at your question, frustration bubbling over again.

“why do you think it concerns me?” he bites out, his voice rough. “you really have to ask that? you think i don’t care about you? you think i only see you as juno’s mom?”

you manage a breathy smirk, too weak to move but pleased nonetheless. “i knew it… son of a bitch.”

“knew what?” he challenges, his tone sharp. “that i actually give a damn about you more than you think? if you know, then why are you still fighting me on this? why are you so damn stubborn about letting me help?”

your smirk stays on your face, though your eyelids are already drooping from exhaustion.

“yeah, i care about you,” he admits, his voice quieter now. “you drive me absolutely fucking insane with how stubborn you are, but i still care. happy now?”

when you don’t respond, too tired to argue anymore, he shakes his head and adjusts the cool cloth on your forehead.

“i’m not leaving,” he says, and there’s no point in arguing. “someone has to take care of you since you clearly can’t be trusted to do it yourself.”

the room feels smaller with him in it, like his presence is closing in on you from all sides. he settles next to you, the mattress dipping slightly, and it’s awkward, too close for comfort, too familiar for what you are now. exes. nothing more.

“you’re gonna get sick,” you mumble, your voice scratchy and weak. “you don’t have to do this.”

“don’t care,” he says, not even looking at you. his voice is calm, steady. “you’re burning up. if i get sick, so what?”

you try to sit up, even though your body feels like it’s made of lead and your head pounds with every slight movement. the fever’s still got you in its grip, but lying there next to rafe feels like too much. too intimate. too close.

but the second you push yourself up, the world tilts. your balance wavers, and before you can steady yourself, your head drops against something solid.

his shoulder.

rafe lets out an annoyed sigh as he watches you struggle to get up, knowing full well that you're too weak to stand on your own.

"damn it, woman," he mutters as you collapse back onto him. "what did I tell you? you’re supposed to be resting, not trying to get up and walk around like a lunatic."

he gently wraps his arm around you, supporting your weakened body against him.

"just stay still and don't move," he whispers. "you’re in no condition to be up and about. you need to rest and recover. you know i’ll take care of you, right? stop trying to do everything on your own."

rafe gently runs his fingers through your hair, his touch light and soothing.

your hand finds its way to rafe’s arm, fingers gripping him weakly, as if holding on to him will keep you steady. rafe freezes at the touch, his gaze dropping to where your hand rests against his skin. it’s a simple gesture, but it feels like everything all at once.

he doesn’t pull away. instead, he shifts slightly, his own hand coming up to gently squeeze yours, his grip warm and steady, like he’s anchoring you.

“you’ll get better,” he murmurs. “just give it time and let yourself rest. let me look after you for once, okay?”

you think about the way things used to be. sneaking off when you had the chance, meeting him at the beach under the cover of darkness. stolen kisses, the kind that made your heart race. rafe was always the one who pushed boundaries, the one who made you feel alive in ways you hadn’t thought possible.

“are you sleeping over?” you ask weakly, your voice barely above a whisper.

rafe looks down at you, the question pulling him out of his thoughts. he takes in your pale face, the tired lines around your eyes, and sighs. part of him wants to say no, to avoid whatever this is turning into, but he knows he can’t leave you like this.

“yeah,” he says finally, his tone gentle but firm. “yeah, i’m sleeping here. someone needs to keep an eye on your stubborn ass so you don’t try to do chores at three in the morning.”

you let out a weak laugh, but it fades quickly. “you shouldn’t be here,” you mutter, shaking your head slightly. “it’s—it’s awkward. it’ll just make things weird.”

rafe arches a brow, his lips twitching into something between a smirk and a frown. “why are you acting like something’s gonna happen between us?” he counters, his tone light but laced with something deeper. “it’s fine. stop overthinking it and just… lay down. you’re not gonna win this argument.”

before you can protest, he gently guides you back down, his hand steady at your back. the warmth of his body against yours is impossible to ignore, but you’re too drained to fight it.

then, out of nowhere, he leans down and presses a soft kiss to your forehead. the gesture is so tender it takes your breath away, but you’re too tired to react.

as your eyelids grow heavier, your mind drifts back to the first time rafe said he loved you. it wasn’t in a quiet, romantic moment, it was in the middle of an argument. his voice had been loud, angry and raw, but it was real. rafe always let things spill out when he couldn’t hold them back anymore.

now, as sleep pulls you under, you hear his voice again, quieter this time.

“i miss you,” he whispers.

you don’t respond. maybe you’re too far gone, maybe you don’t want to. but maybe you miss him too.

[rizsu]

he's married ?! nanami kento.

sum. he's easily the top most handsome guy within his job. his relationship status is unknown, so what happens when his co-workers ship him with a female worker?

nanami is well known within his company. tall, insanely fit, and an attractive voice. it's not uncommon for men and women alike to find themselves thinking about him often. what's not common is knowing about his love life. no one knows anything and he would've kept it that way. but when push comes to shove, and you're shipped with someone who's not your beloved, nanami will make it known that he's not only taken but married.

in the coffee-break room there are three guys. now, there's nothing unusual about this — no, no. they're just three guys that are co-workers... except there's a twist. they aren't your regular co-workers, they're your uncommon trio of male gossipers and nanami just so happened to be their newest victim.

"shh, shh! he's here," guy one, tichi, whispers to the others, raising his eyebrows and pointing his chin to nanami's position.

the other two take a quick glance, nodding their heads when they've seen nanami's back faced towards them. it's a perfect moment to strike up a conversation, especially since it's just four men here.

guy two, tacho, shuffles his feet to the empty space near nanami. he pretends to open a sugar packet, fiddling with it as his eyes peep over nanami's shoulder. his heart skips multiple beats when the man himself turns around.

"morning to you, tacho," nanami greets, nodding his head before he turns his attention back to his cup of coffee.

"y-yeah, morning!" he stutters, awkwardly smiling in return. he turns his head to the other two in the background, mouthing the word 'help' to them. unfortunately, they do not give the aid to their friend. instead, tichi fakes a series of coughs and guy three, toeny, gives him a confident double thumbs up. there's no hope, tacho sighs.

it's a silent moment between the men — only the sounds of coffee brewing and a spoon coming into contact with the mug can be heard. tacho's mouth itches him, he happened to remember his group's recent conversation about nanami. he must ask — even if it costs him a mutual co-worker.

"so, nanami," he begins, waiting for nanami to give him the undivided attention.

nanami doesn't face him, but he hums in response. tacho doesn't mind this as an answer, so he continues, "i was wondering if the rumors of you being with the new worker, yeri, are true?"

there is one big lie in that question: there are no such rumors. it's just a theory the trio has been gossiping about every night. nanami's been helping out yeri for quite some time, one can only think that they have a special connection going on.

"that is bullshit," nanami gives a firm answer. nothing more, nothing less.

tacho's stunned, he blinks a few times to recollect himself. "oh — so you're not with her?"

nanami doesn't answer yet, but the two in the back give their unwanted reactions. tichi clicks his tongue three times, shaking his head in disappointment at tacho's second question. it's obvious dumbass, he thinks. toeny, on the other hand, presses his lips in a thin line, pretending to read a magazine that's been on the counter.

nanami reaches into his pocket, whipping out his phone. the trio's confused until nanami speaks.

"i am married man. this is my wife," he educates, pressing the power button to show you as his lockscreen.

he collects three gasps, internally nodding at their shock. that's right, i'm gladly taken.

"all this time you've been... MARRIED?!" tacho's voice heightens, he drops his spoon in shock. it's unbelievable yet somewhat believable.

nanami breathes out a 'yes', raising his arm to show the wristwatch. "she bought this for our five-years anniversary recently. it's quite expensive, going over four-thousand," he brags, emphasizing on key words.

he's been waiting for the precious day where someone indirectly asks for his relationship status. the day has come and he will spend it bragging about his beloved.

nanami doesn't give them a chance to speak, he carries on with his bragging, "she's a very lovely woman. all my bentos are made by her and she writes little notes for each. some may think it's childish but that's bullshit! they just haven't experienced the love of a woman. matter of fact, her most beautiful moments are when she's freshly awake. the smile she gives me is nothing but angelic."

his speech doesn't stop there, but it did for the trio. his words went in one ear and out the next. nanami's blabbering about his wife immediately set a blank face upon tichi, tacho, and toeny. they're jealous and also surprised.

"the way a woman can change a man will never not be amazing," toeny whispers, blankly gazing at nanami's ongoing speech.

[ervotica]

you’re an angel, i’m a dog — a.donaldson

pairing; older!art donaldson x fem!reader

warnings; roughly written, badly edited, not beta’d (because when is it ever?), allusions to smut, implied age gap (reader is early 20s, art is early 30s), slight tashi x fem!reader if you squint, infidelity (but tashi is kinda cool with it), just some thoughts about older!art and his pretty girl

a/n; this concept has been eating at me for daysss so i had to write it at least roughly! should we make this a series? (maybe get patrick involved?🫢) let me know what you think! ART & CHALLENGERS (poly!art & patrick) REQUESTS ARE OPEN! any questions / conversation starters about this particular au are highly appreciated and encouraged!! please come to my inbox 📥 <3

older!art is fucking obsessed with you— you, who comes to every one of his matches, who sits next to his wife in those adorable little tennis skirts you sport just for him, who whoops and cheers from the stands whether he wins or loses.

you’re forbidden fruit. so, naturally, he adores you.

tashi knows, because of course she does. she never pries, never so much as spares you a second glance when he wraps his arms around you and buries his face in your neck and huffs hot air against the shell of your ear. she doesn’t care — you’ve made art better at tennis.

his confidence has skyrocketed since having a pretty thing like you cheering him on, his biggest and most enthusiastic supporter. he plays better, he second guesses himself less, he’s more relaxed.

you’re what’s been missing. the last piece of the puzzle.

an obedient little thing, glued to his side, wagging like a dog at his every command.

he fucking loves it. loves having someone relying on him for love and validation. loves the way you preen under his fervent gaze and flutter your lashes at the slightest touch.

when tashi asks you to join art’s team officially, you almost keel over.

“look, i don’t care that he’s fucking you… or that he’s in love with you. he has a shot at the us open this year, and he needs you by his side to do it.” she says. you’re quick to agree, ever obedient and desperate to please.

“he’s in love with me?”

she scoffs. “you’ve seen the way he looks at you. he almost creams his pants every time you’re in the same room as him.” she tilts your chin upwards with a crooked finger, giving your cheek an affectionate - albeit condescending - pat.

“you two can have your fun— but he has to win this year.”

art’s perched against the doorframe when you turn, corded forearms crossed over his chest. you scrunch your nose, pushing back a smile that crinkles at your eyes despite your efforts.

fucking smitten.

tashi rolls her eyes, a half smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and she nudges you towards him.

“go on.”

he opens his arms in greeting and you’re quick to fall into them, your fingers knotting in the shorn hair at his nape. his chest expands beneath your own as he takes a long breath, and he presses his nose to your pulse point, shuddering.

“love you.” he murmurs into your skin.

“love you more.”

he could cry; he doesn’t remember the last time someone told him they loved him and meant it. you’re obsessed with him, almost as much as he is with you.

at his next match, you carry his rackets and send him off with a good luck kiss that has him breathless, grinning as you roll his wad of gum between your teeth that you sucked right from his waiting mouth.

he wins.

how could he not with his pretty girl watching?

and that night, he rewards you with a thorough fucking, whispered love confessions against your lips, and a breathy moan as he cums that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

so, yeah. maybe this life isn’t so bad, after all.