#so figuring out and realizing I actually know what I want

[lo1k-diamonds]

Every hour, every minute, every second, he’s in love with you.

As soon as I read the summary, not only did I think it was a clever idea for a series and someone had to do it, but I also knew I'd end up feeling very personally about it.

Cards on the table: I have a 5-year gap with my partner, with me being the oldest, so as soon as this story started, I instantly was like, "Oh shit, it's going there." Now, truth be told, this story made me realize even more that I'm surrounded by amazing people who don't pressure me in any way and have let me live my life at my own pace, but I'm aware of these types of narratives going around, so I'm happy to see them discussed in a fic.

Two people being together should be just about them, but others will naturally and inadvertently interfere. I don't think OC and JK are necessarily surrounded by bad people (even SoHee 🤷‍♀️). I will say, however, that the people around us matter a lot. Other problems in life are bad enough without the most important people to us making us feel inadequate just because we're not letting our life play out as they envision it should be.

This being said, JK and OC go through a nice arc. At least they're not burying their heads in the sand and will go forward together by the end. I wish I could say that OC had a bigger growth, but I honestly feel like JK did. In reading a second time, I wasn't as focused on her emotions, and I understood him sooo much better. For him, it wasn't even about the age; it was about the lack of certainty and vulnerability. He might be a bit careless, but he doesn't actually care about anyone's age - he mimics what others tell him, including OC. And then he says this:

“I’m sorry, Princess,”

And the next day, this:

"I would not lose myself in you just last night to turn around and date someone else less than 24 hours later."

And then I got it. I was at a loss, same as OC, as to why he had apologized, but then I got it. That moment was not him apologizing for using her or for not wanting a relationship or IDK what else. That was him apologizing for loving her, making love to her, and not wanting to go through the heartbreak of losing her. He just had to figure out when - in the present, thus letting fear win, or later, after a well-lived life beside the love of his life. He didn't just confront his fears by the end; he chose a way to live, and I was very touched by it.

Meanwhile, OC is stuck in other's perceptions of her, and while playing strong, lets it destabilize her to the point that everything crumbles. The thing is that the story ends with an admission of feelings and vulnerability, but the real issue (her insecurity about other's perceptions of her life/age and may I add the fact that she doesn't exactly know what she wants to do next) was left unresolved, so... they have some stuff to figure out... but there's always another week... and another.

Seven Days Masterlist | JJK | complete

🗓️ pairing: nurse!jungkook x teacher!reader 🗓️ au/genre: non-idol au, brother's friend au, fwb, age-gap(reader is older), f2l, fluff, angst, smut 🗓️ series rating: M 🗓️ total wc: 34,413 🗓️ series warnings: emotionally constipated pairing, reader is older, adult worries, growing older, dating younger, time passing and not hitting milestones everyone else is, biological clock ticking woes, angsty argument, feeling like being emotionally cheated on despite being single, parents with toxic viewpoints, judgemental people, self doubt, explicit sexual content: each chapter will provide specifics, but in general, there will be sex in every part, each one showcasing jungkook and reader in various types of sexual situations including sleepy sex, oral sex (m & f receiving), light bondage sex, quickie sex with one partner not breaking off another night, drunk sex (dubious consent but neither feels taken advantage of), make up sex, and semi-public sex.    🗓️ an: please, please, please, blame @colormepurplex2 for this. It was not something I planned to do, but she talked me into it (she did not have to try hard, let’s be honest) and she is 100% right. This story needed to be told. Leah also helped me create the banners, so if you like them, it’s because of her creative input!  @downbad4yoongi also deserves blame now, but in the best way, for helping to expand the characters depth, and @heathfritillary-blog for her writing knowledge helping me find the motivators and reasons for the characters, challenging me to be a better writer. @mrsparkjimin18, @peachiilovesot7, and @abitjess, thank you for all that you do, hyping me up and helping me to piece together this story! 🗓️ an 2: reader being a teacher plays no real role in the story other than to help link the characters, it is summer break, so school is not in session! 🗓️ series summary: “Leave you with that afterglow, show you what devotion is, deeper than the ocean is…” Jungkook has been your best friend since you met him when he was still in college thanks to your younger brother, Yoongi. Despite your age gap, he easily fell into your world, your life, and your bed. Forced to confront the growing feelings as the pressure to meet adult milestones like your friends grow stronger, you struggle to be honest with yourself. “What you waiting for, better come and hit ya goals.”

Monday - wind it back, i’ll take it slow

wc: 1,741 summary: “Wind it back, I’ll take it slow, Leave you with that afterglow…” Jungkook has been your best friend since you met him when he was still in college thanks to your brother, Yoongi. Despite your age gap, he easily fell into your world, your life, and your bed… 

posted: Monday 7-24-23 @ 9 am

Tuesday - “lemme swallow your pride”

wc: 3,629 summary: “Open up say ahhh, Come here, baby, let me swallow your pride…” Jungkook comes over for an impromptu movie night that triggers some internal angst. You share a little, and he shares a lot... and your angst turns a little green. To change the topic when it gets a little too deep, you deepthroat him.

posted: Tuesday 8-1-2023 @ 12 am

Wednesday - “it’s the way that you can ride”

wc: 4,622 summary: “It’s the way that you can ride, it’s the way that you can ride…” Picking an outfit for a wedding is hard enough without your friends with benefits turning you on. Especially when he makes a tie look so sexy, you can’t help but use it to get him right where you need him to be. Ties make great reigns, and Jungkook is willing for you to be the leading lady, in more ways than one.

posted: Wednesday 8-2-2023 @ 12 am

Thursday - “so break me off another night”

wc: 3,596 + text messages summary: “So break me off another night” might be what he says, but after a day full of meddling parents, a quickie, and meddling friends, some things come to light, and there might not be another night for you to break him off...

posted: Thirstday 8-10-2023 @ 12 am

Friday - “i must be favored to know ya”

wc: 5,665 + text messages summary: “I must be favored to know ya.” Having Jungkook in your life is so much sweeter than you ever thought. It would be great if you could just tell him, but showing him is as good as it gets for now…until you slip up and let the cat out of the bag. But it turns out, you aren’t the only one who has feelings for him, and you definitely aren’t the only one who wants to ride him. When your biggest fears come to light, knowing Jungkook the way that you do might become a thing of the past. 

posted: Friday 8-18-2023 @ 12 pm

Saturday - “i kiss your waist and ease your mind”

wc: 6,323 + text message summary: “i kiss your waist and ease your mind.” The only thing that could make you feel better is the same thing that made you feel worse. You and Jungkook are both confused with your emotions, but two different stories help you both see a bit more clearly. The only problem is that when the two of you get around each other, clarity goes bye-bye. don’t let these soft lyrics fool you; make up sex doesn’t actually solve any issues if sex is the only communication that happens.  

posted: Monday 9-4-2023 @ 10:57 am

Sunday - “i'll be loving you right, seven days a week”

wc: 8,837 + text message summary: “i’ll be loving you right, seven days a week.” Yoongi's wedding has brought up a lot of feelings, but with so many things left unsaid, it's hard to know where you and Jungkook stand. Can the two of you wrap around each other and bring life to a relationship?

posted: Sunday 10-8-2023 @ 10:01 pm

↣ all rights reserved © hisunshiine 2023. please do not repost. translations & modifications are not allowed.

[caitified]

more of paige bueckers family series pleaaaase i beg u 🥺😭

FIRST MONTHS

PAIGE BUECKERS X FAMILY

warnings:none. sorry for the wait, this is my most requested series so more to come.

the first few months with your daughter weren’t what you’d call smooth. you and paige knew having a baby would turn your world upside down, but knowing it and living it were two entirely different things. your once semi-organized life had turned into a constant balancing act of feedings, diaper changes, and figuring out how to make it through the day on three hours of sleep.

but somehow, amidst the chaos, you found a rhythm. it wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t always pretty, but it was yours.

at first, neither of you knew what you were doing. the first night home from the hospital, you and paige had stared at each other in panic when the baby started crying at two in the morning.

“what does she want?” paige whispered, holding the baby awkwardly in her arms like she might break.

“i don’t know. food? a diaper change? emotional support?” you whispered back, equally clueless.

“great. so, all of the above,” paige muttered, already heading toward the changing table.

over the next few weeks, the two of you learned quickly—or at least, you learned to fake it. paige became the diaper-changing expert, able to handle even the most catastrophic blowouts with an efficiency that made you jealous. you, on the other hand, mastered the art of the middle-of-the-night feeding, figuring out how to balance a bottle in one hand and keep yourself awake with the other.

“we’re basically superheroes now,” paige said one morning after you both managed to get the baby down for a nap.

“superheroes who need coffee,” you replied, already heading toward the kitchen.

you quickly realized that sleep wasn’t something you could count on anymore. at best, you’d catch a few hours here and there, usually in shifts. there were nights when you’d both be awake at the same time, passing the baby back and forth as she cried like she’d been personally offended by the universe.

“this is payback,” paige said one night, her voice barely audible over the baby’s wails.

“for what?” you asked, half-asleep as you tried to rock her back and forth.

“for all the times we said, ‘how hard could it be?’”

you both laughed, though it quickly turned into groaning when the baby’s cries only got louder.

despite the exhaustion, there were moments that made it all worth it. like the first time she smiled which made you and paige almost cry.

“she likes me!” paige had said triumphantly, holding her up like a trophy.

“don’t get cocky,” you teased, though you couldn’t stop grinning either.

then there were the quiet mornings, when the baby would fall asleep on paige’s chest while you sat beside them on the couch. paige would be half-watching something on tv, one hand resting protectively on your daughter’s back, her face soft in a way that made your chest tighten.

“she’s obsessed with you,” you said one morning, watching the way your daughter’s tiny hand clung to paige’s hoodie.

“she has good taste,” paige replied with a smirk, though her eyes stayed focused on the baby.

and, of course, there were milestones that felt bigger than they probably were: the first time she rolled over, the first bath she didn’t scream through, the first time she actually slept for four whole hours straight.

“is this what winning the lottery feels like?” paige asked that morning, blinking at the clock as if it might be lying.

“better,” you said, though you’d never been so happy to sleep through an alarm.

the days were long, and the nights were longer, but you got through them together. paige took over baby carrier duty, insisting on wearing her whenever you went on walks, even if the baby drooled all over her hoodie. you were in charge of documenting everything, snapping pictures of every milestone and filling your phone with blurry shots of paige making faces at the baby to get her to laugh.

“don’t post that one,” paige said one day, glancing at your screen as you scrolled through photos.

“too late,” you replied, already uploading it.

“you’re lucky i love you,” she muttered, shaking her head but unable to hide her smile.

by the time the three-month mark rolled around, you’d started to feel like you had a handle on things—or as much of a handle as two sleep-deprived people could have. your daughter was growing more every day, her personality starting to peek through in the way she laughed when paige tickled her or the way she stared at you like you were the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.

“we’re doing okay, right?” paige asked one night as you both lay on the couch, the baby finally asleep in her bassinet.

“we’re doing better than okay,” you said, resting your head on her shoulder.

she kissed the top of your head, her arm wrapping around you as she relaxed for the first time all day. “yeah. we’ve got this.”

and even if you didn’t, you were figuring it out together, one day at a time.

[reiyaus]

imagine construction worker! toji being in the crew who’s helping you build your dream home.

visiting every week to almost everyday because it was your only way to see him, the thought of just asking him out never came to mind. you weren’t exactly as slick as you thought, however.

it’s when you only approached him everytime you had a question did he realize you had a thing for him. not that he minded, though. he liked how flustered you’d get when he’d flex his biceps or when he’d grunt extra loud if he sensed you getting near.

the way you took so much time to prepare talking to him was cute too. how your throat bobbed up and down before clearing your voice; gently poking his arm (intentionally) before muttering his name.

toji would pretend not to hear at first, and ask you to repeat until you were practically yelling- only because he liked the sound of his name with your voice.

if honest, he didn’t actually know the answers to half of your questions. like how you didn’t know what the stuff you were asking him about meant anyways. for both of you, it was just an excuse to hear each other’s voices a little longer, and to see each other before your house gets complete.

it’s so obvious to his boss and co-workers that you’re absolutely smitted, like he is with you. it frustrates them when the building process fails to meet the deadline, having to work overtime because of a little work romance.

it doesn’t bother you though. there was nothing wrong with staying at your grandma’s a little longer. and he had no problem ditching his friends to have lunch with you.

yet, when the house does get finished, you felt a sense of loneliness, failing to remember that you can still contact each other outside of work. he becomes gloomy too, but watching you walk around and surveil the interior made him proud to have taken part in making your life better.

you’re about to thank all of them when he pulls you aside and brings out a little flip phone, almost like a bread crumb in his hands. his lockscreen was a low-quality photo (fitting to his ‘old-man’ persona) but 3 figures were you able to make out: two furry friends and one young boy in between.

it takes you some time to realize that the picture isn’t him as a young boy, but rather this child. you glance at him, his face practically sweating bullets and a shaky grin on his lips.

“this probably isn’t the best time to say this but, do you want to go on a date… someday? an actual one this time- i mean. i’ll introduce you to my son, and hopefully we can take things further now.”

[letstalkaboutshtufff]

A Love that Burns

Marcus Acacius x f!reader

A/n: You don’t understand the chokehold this man has on me ughhhhh. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy, I wrote this very fast!

Pairing: Marcus Acacius x wife character (I usually do x reader but I really like the name Aurelia so I used that!)

Warnings: fluff, angst, arranged marriage, Curse words, mention of fire, minor injuries, burns. A bit of suicidal ideation. Allusion to smut hehe. 18+ to be safe please. No minors!!

Summary: General Marcus Acacius’s new bride is troublesome, he doesn’t seem to mind though. After an incident occurs she pulls away from him and he can’t figure out why.

****************************************************

“He’s going to be furious…”

“Such a shame…do you think he’ll throw her out?”

“He might… we always knew she was trouble but this time she’s gone too far…”

“Poor dear, I doubt even her father will take her back…”

The roaring flames had long since died down, leaving now only crackling embers and dark clouds of smoke. How much time had passed you didn’t know. You hadn’t moved from the ground, knees planted on the hard stone, eyes glued to the scene before you.

What was once a grand structure, beautifully carved and molded for someone equally as impressive was now nothing more than a pile on the ground and it was completely your fault.

How had wanting to get a book out of your husband’s study and lighting a candle to see had gone so wrong?

You should’ve listened to your conscious, it told you that you shouldn’t go into your husbands private building but you knew he had an extensive selection and while you were newly married, barely even a few months he was your husband and you didn’t really think he would mind.

In the short time you were married the general had been accommodating and civil, more than civil actually, he had been doing his best to make you feel comfortable. That being said you did barely see him at times due to his duties and when you did it seemed all you did was cause him trouble.

Like that time you accidentally visited the animals one early morning when you were bored and didn’t shut the door behind you. Acacius had been abruptly woken up by the clucking of chickens ascending the staircase and running around the halls like it was a party. You had been redder than a pomegranate when you realized your mistake.

Or that time you lost your wedding necklace and spent hours wading in the lake where the laundry was washed thinking it fell there. You’d never forget the feeling when Acacius strode through the gates in tow with fellow commanders for a meeting but everyone froze seeing the comical sight of you, a highborn lady dress pulled up and soaking wet. That time made you want to drown yourself right then and there.

Oh and how could you forget the time you wanted to show your appreciation by baking his favorite dessert according to the maids and thought adding some cinnamon you’d bought in town was a good idea. Not even bothering to wonder why the kitchens didn’t have cinnamon in the first place… turns out the reason was a good one, the general had an allergy.

This time it was his face that was redder than yours… you didn’t face him for days after that..

There were so many moments like that but somehow each time he didn’t get angry like you expected. He didn’t yell or scold you.

When you bit your fingers nervously watching the servants try to catch the chickens he slowly walked out, surveyed the scene in what you could guess was mild disbelief and perhaps a bit of amusement, looked at you then turned back to go back to sleep.

When you were soaked in the lake he quickly regained the men’s attention, led them inside then a few minutes later reappeared with some haste. You didn’t get a chance to protest when he stepped in and pulled you out by your arm. Still he didn’t yell, he did start to scold a bit though because you were shivering, but when you suddenly yelped and squirmed reaching in your dress and pulled revealing a flopping fish with your necklace around it he lost all his words. You celebrated while he just started in disbelief.

And when you literally poisoned him you sobbed beside him as the healer frantically gave him several mixtures and an injection of some sort. You apologized over and over like a parrot. When he could finally breathe again, he closed his eyes exhausted but said, “Don’t cry, it tasted great..”

All those times he was so kind, unlike any other man you’d met before. To think you had been so afraid of the arranged marriage and now all you could think was how he deserved someone so much better.

He was older and saw you as a child you were sure of it. You wished you could act like the other wives, but you just couldn’t.

Your eyes glazed watched the flickers before you as if in a trance.

You’d burned his favorite place in the villa. A building constructed years ago that served as his study, his place of comfort, his safe space. He’d showed it to you when you first got married. You’d been amazed at how beautiful it was on the inside.

You could see on his face how this place made him relaxed compared to the rest of the villa.

And now it was gone..

The whispers of the servants were muffled around you but you caught them all the same.

You couldn’t find the strength to move, maybe you should have at least moved back, away from the falling ash and debris but you couldn’t.

You ruined everything, just like always…

There was some more muffling amongst the crackling, some sounds you didn’t register, couldn’t register… then a sharp yell. A tone you didn’t recognize.

“Why is she-!”

There was pressure on your shoulders but still you couldn’t look away.

All gone… all your fault…

You think you heard something loud but couldn’t understand it.

The pressure increased… so did the shouting but still you couldn’t look away.

It wasn’t until you saw the burnt pile get smaller that you realized you were being pulled- no carried away.

You felt so disoriented, everything in your vision jerking and you realized whoever was moving you was running.

The scene was still in view but further away, your eyes not daring to look away. You did however register that you abruptly stopped moving and were sat on something upright. The pressure returned to your head then arms then body.

Yelling, someone was yelling in your ear but it wasn’t until the pressure reached your face and you were forced to look away from the scene.

Eyes, wide and frantic, searched yours. Lips opened and shouted something you still could not understand. But the face you knew all too well. The one you wronged, the one you did a horrible misdeed to. Acacius.

You inhaled loudly, more of a gasp then coughed. Suddenly you felt everything crash into you at once, from when you were numb a moment ago now you burned in pain, lungs on fire, skin itchy and stinging, eyes feeling like the sun itself were upon them. You coughed and sputtered uncontrollably, breathing a foreign concept to you.

His strong hands at your back and arm. Almost cradling you was a strong contrast to his shouts that you could now hear louder than ever.

“Breathe, easy, easy- Dammit why did no one move her! Call the healer now!” He barked behind him.

Angry he was angry. Of course he was, even gentle and kind men like him had limits, limits that you’d crossed by battlefields.

Hot tears came, still you coughed, you wondered how long you could continue like that before losing consciousness, there were already spots in your vision. The sobbing now made it worse.

“Shh shh breathe it’s alright, just breathe for me wife, all is well, shh look I’m here, you’re safe” he pulled you into his lap holding you firmly in the hopes you’d calm down. He kept whispering to you, pleading and eventually the coughing stopped. You wondered how much more smoke it would’ve taken to kill you…

“That’s it, you’re safe, shh just breathe, I’m here” more tears emerged as you registered his words for the first time. How horrible you felt to have this angel of a man cradling you and comforting you when you just burned down his sanctuary.

It would have been easier on your heart had he yelled and thrown you aside.

“The healer is here!” Someone called out, your eyes were closed on his chest but you heard everything around you.

Swiftly you were lifted in his arms and carried to his chambers. The healer immediately got to work peeling back the fabric you only now noticed was dark as ash and singed in many places. Acacius stood behind her as close as he could without getting in her way. You watched as his eyes scanned your form, concern etched as he took in all the burns and scrapes. Your heart couldn’t handle it, he deserved a woman 100times better than you. You shut your eyes of the heartache ignoring the healer telling you to stay awake, moments later you were unconscious.

**************************************************

Stinging pain roused you, you wanted to cry out because your body was screaming at you. You were alone in the room, but by the moonlight shining through and how exausted you felt you didn’t think you had been unconscious long. Fresh tears escaped and you didn’t bother to wipe them.

You sat up in raw agony realizing just how many injures you sustained. Your skin was covered in loose bandages and shiny from salve. Sitting so close at the time you didn’t feel anything but clearly you were affected.

Shouting from below had your head whipping to the window.

With great effort and pain you stood on shaky legs and approached the opening peeking your head outside, you squinted and saw figured in the yard.

You choked out a sob when you realized what was happening. Acacius was yelling… yelling at the servants and guards for not moving you. Yes they put out most of the fire but didn’t bother with you. You hardly blamed them, you were a burden, an embarrassment of a lady to the great house hold. Perhaps they wanted you to die, actually it would have been easier if you did.

You couldn’t bare to listen to it anymore, guilt eating you alive. For some reason you had to see it again. To confirm what you had done…

You ignored all the pain and like a ghost descended the staircase.

When you reached the bottom you sucked in a breathe before walking forward where the smell of smoke was still heavy and thick.

And there it was, like a brand on your heart the scene of your crime. There were no more embers, just wood and ash. You walked closer until you stepped on something.

You moved your sandal revealing a silver medal covered in soot. You remembered how proudly it hung on one of the walls. And now it was beneath rubble and dirt.

Two hands found your mouth as you let out a cry.

“Heavens What have I done?” The strangled voice sounded stranger to you.

“What have I done, what have I done” you whispered achingly.

“Aurelia!”

You choked again hearing his voice, you couldn’t bring your self to look just yet.

“Aurelia what are you doing!? Why are you up!?” He rounded you hands finding your shoulders.

Acacius waited for your answer but you had none, only fresh tears. He barely hesitated before reaching down and scooping you up.

“I can walk-“ you tried to say but it was unintelligible through your tears, you didn’t want to burden this man ever again, not for anything.

He glanced at you for a moment but continued his quick pace to the bedroom. He laid you gently on the bed, his concern growing at the endless tears.

“Are you in pain? Let me call the healer back-“ he was already halfway out again.

“No-! no I’m fine I’m fine don’t call I’m fine!” You cried out but tried to collect yourself to not worry him more. The truth is your body was on fire but you would never burden this man again.

He hesitated but listened and approached you again, “Then what is it? Are you afraid? Everything’s alright now, your safe”.

You bit your lip to keep in the cry. How could he be so kind?

“Aurelia? Tell me please, what is it?” He kneeled beside you a helpless expression on his face.

“I-I I’m so- im so sorry, I’m sorry- I don’t know how- I was in there for a b-book and lit some candles I don’t even know how it h-happened I-I-“

Your breathing was becoming erratic again but once you started apologizing you couldn’t stop

“I’m so s-sorry Acacius I’m so sorry” you buried your face in your hands.

“Aurelia shh it’s alright, don’t cry, it’s nothing that can’t be replaced, don’t apologize, you need to breathe alright?”

You barely heard him, but you needed him to know how sorry you were, even if you didn’t deserve forgiveness.

“I’m so sorry, I’m sorry” you continued.

“Aurelia-“

“I’m s-sorry”

“Aurelia stop you’ll hurt yourself more!” He kneeled on the bed pulling you closer to him, worried that if you didn’t calm down you would go into another coughing fit.

“Shh it’s alright, I’m not angry, all that matters is you’re safe. Please calm down, can you breathe slowly for me? Look, follow my breathe…”

“That’s it, breathe in and out just like that, good girl…” he held you close and you felt your eyes begin to droop, exhaustion taking its toll. He sighed when your last words were a whispered apology.

***************************************************

The next day you were miserable, the burns although mostly shallow still caused great pain. Mentally you were a wreck, replaying the events over and over.

The healer told you you needed to rest for several days so that’s what Acacius made sure you did. He visited often but you couldn’t bring yourself to speak hardly a thing out of shame. Most times you just pretended you were asleep.

A week passed and you were allowed to get up as normal just to take it easy. Acacius had gone out for some business luckily because you didn’t think you had the strength to face him.

As you descended the stairs you tried to ignore the whispers of the servants. They all thought the same thing you were repeating in your mind.

Burden

Shameful

Useless

You sighed shakily nearing the now cleaned land where the structure once stood. His kindness made you feel horrible. You wish he would yell and scream at you, for you deserved all the bad words

You spent the day aimlessly wandering and thinking until you tired yourself out and retired to your chambers.

A jar of salve was left by your bed from the healer for the pain but you didn’t open it. You deserved every single sting and ache.

The next day you hardly felt like getting up so you didn’t. Food was brought, you didn’t bother eating it, instead you gave it to the birds outside the window.

In your solitude you came to a resolve. You would resist every urge, every inkling of your old reckless self. Acacius deserved someone who was 100 times the woman you were but since you were bound all you could do was at least not give him any more trouble. Another week passed, Acacius had been gone for some military business and it was easier that way.

It had been a whole nother week when Acacius finally arrived back to the villa. He dismounted his horse with a sigh. He did not want to be gone so long but he could hardly deny the emperors requests.

Tiredly he walked through the gates, scanning for signs of you. It was unusual to not see you flitting about.

A servant approached and helped him remove his cape.

“The Lady, how is she?”

The servant frowned a bit, “My Lady has been… resting these past weeks. We’ve not seen much of her.”

He frowned at that. Her wounds were not so terrible to have her bedridden so long. So what was wrong with his wife?

He nodded to the servant and made way directly to her chambers.

He knocked on the door listening for her voice.

“Come in” you called expecting a servant with food.

You were sat on the bench by the window staring out.

“My Lady..” he said almost hesitant.

Your head whipped to the side, eyes widened seeing your husband.

“A-Acacius… I didn’t know you were back…”

He walked inside and shut the door behind him.

“Are you well? The servants tell me you haven’t left the room much..” he stepped closer taking you in. Your sunken face, the way your eyes weren’t lit up with that sparkle he loved.

“I’m alright, thank you..” he frowned, not quite satisfied with the answer.

“Your wounds are healed?”

You nodded quickly.

He nodded then cleared his throat in the awkward silence that followed, “Then why haven’t you been out?”

You thought of what to say for a moment, “I… no reason, just resting I suppose”

Another answer that didn’t satisfy him but he decided not to pry. If you didn’t want to speak he wouldn’t make you uncomfortable.

“Well I’ll be in my chambers should you need anything…”

“Thank you..” and with that he left shutting the door behind him. You bit your lip forcing the tears not to come. How dare you cry when he’s the one who should be upset. Get it together.

Several more days pass and Acacius was growing frustrated. You barely left the room, choosing to take your meals inside even when he was home. He only caught glimpses of you here or there on the occasional walk around the garden but even that was becoming rare. Where was his wife who was always flitting around singing something off tune or getting into trouble. He recalled the time he awoke to clucking outside his door, and the time he found you skirts tied comically splashing in the lake, then of course when you so happily baked for him flour marks on your face. He smiled fondly at the memories, then frowned.

Why had you suddenly changed so much? Had he done something? He knew the fire shook you up but perhaps he said something unintentional? Did you overhear him yelling at the staff and resented him for it? He was going mad.

It took another few days before his patience finally ran out and he all but burst into your room.

“A-Acacius?! What-“ you startled dropping the book in your hands.

“Tell me what it is” he demanded a bit out of breathe.

“W-what?”

“Tell me what’s wrong or what I’ve done to upset you into seclusion”

“Acacius you’ve done nothing wrong I swear…”

“Then what is it? Why have you been avoiding me? What has upset you so much that you’ve locked yourself away?”

You didn’t expect this, so you really didn’t know what to say.

“I… I think it’s better this way…”

His eyebrows furrowed a bit trying to make sense of what you just said. “I don’t understand, what’s better?”

You fiddled with your hands and had a hard time making eye contact so you chose a lovely spot on the floor instead.

“It’s better that I don’t…. cause problems..” heavens was that a lot harder to say out loud than you thought.

This definitely took him aback.

“What?”

Oh no was he upset now? He surely looked it.. maybe you should have explained better.

“I-I mean… I’m always causing you trouble and getting into situations that I shouldn’t… I figured it would be better if I spent more time here….”

He was quiet for a while, his face undeniably confused and upset.

“And you decided this all on your own?” He said in a tone that you were a bit nervous about. Calm but hidden anger.

“I-I… yes..”

“So your plan is to live out the rest of your days between these four walls?” He couldn’t hold back a scoff. His annoyance seeping through his usually calm demeanor with you.

“….It’s better-”

He clicked his tongue in annoyance “Better? Better for who exactly?”

“Acacius all I do is cause you trouble! I’ve been embarrassing you since we wed, the entire household thinks I’m a burden and they’re right, I cannot-I will not burden you anymore especially after-…” you couldn’t bring yourself to mention the fire. With a shakey breath you gathered yourself and continued.

“I just don’t want to upset you anymore…” you confessed.

The silence was deafening, your heart squeezing so much you were afraid it was going to burst.

“You know out of everything that’s happened between us I think this is the only time I’ve been truly upset.”

You eyed him swallowing dryly taking in his clenched jaw and crossed arms.

“Acacius…”

“You don’t get to decide this all on your own, and you especially don’t get to decide how I feel.”

“…”

“Have I ever been cross with you? Made you feel as if you’ve shamed me?”

“Well no but-“

“Then why?” In two strides he was upon you looking down.

“Why did you suddenly decide that I would like it more if you hid yourself away?”

“Because if I’m here not causing you problems then wouldn’t it be easier for you…?” You wrung your hands together, anxiety heightening with every moment.

“Fuck that”

You jumped a bit startled that those words came out of his mouth.

“W-what?”

“Cause me problems”

“Acacius-“

“Break things, scream shout, bring the whole villa down if you wish it but you will not lock yourself up like a prisoner. You’re my wife, I’d like to actually have you around.”

“You… you’re just saying that because you’re too kind Acacius… but my heart can’t take it anymore. I did something so awful and I know you must be upset…”

“Is this about the fire then?”

“…”

“Things can be replaced, nothing that burned cannot be bought again or rebuilt.”

“B-but you loved that place. It was your sanctuary”

“I did love it, but it’s gone now and I hardly think about it, it’ll be rebuilt soon enough not that it really matters. What matters is that you’re safe and sound.”

“How can you be so kind? So patient so-so perfect” he scoffed at the last one in mild amusement.

“Acacius it’s true! I’ve never met someone so gentle and sweet”

“Gentle and sweet..I’ll be sure to add that to my title right after general or Rome”

“You joke but it’s the truth…” you look down at your sandals.

He sighed before lifting your chin up with his warm fingers then caressing your face, wiping away your tears with his thumb.

“Tell me something wife, have you seen me act that way with anyone else?”

“Well…” you thought about it. He was civil with everyone.. stern a lot, with servants and his men and well everyone else…

“And why do you think that is hm?”

“Well… I assume it’s because you see me more as a child…”

“A child.” He repeated.

You nodded.

“Aurelia you are never allowed to assume anything ever again”

“What?”

“You truly think that’s how I see you? That I treat you kindly because I pity you?”

“Well…then why?” You asked genuinely confused.

“Why treat my wife with care? Why worry for her? Why speak gentle words? Why shower her with gifts? Tell me Aurelia why does a man do those things for a woman?”

“I… I assumed-um well I believed that you were just..”

“Just what? Doing that out of duty? Is it so impossible to imagine that I love my wife and want her to be happy?”

“….” Your eyes widened larger than the sun. You hardly believed the words. So you asked him in a whisper.

“W-what did you s-say?”

Instead of answering he leaned forward closing the distance with a soft kiss.

“Does that answer your question?” He breathed in the few inches between your lips.

You shook your head no and leaned in. You felt the smirk against his lips. After several moments you pulled back to regard him.

“I never imagined you’d feel the same way…I still don’t think I believe it…”

“Like I said, you’re forbidden to assume things from now on wife”

“I… I’m sorry…” his hands settled at your waist, his smell flooding your senses.

“Make it up to me…”

You felt the heat rise in your cheeks but didn’t want to disappoint. You wrapped your arms around him pulling him into a deeper kiss full of emotion.

“Never allow such thoughts in your mind again, and you’re wrong, you’re not a burden. Yes I’ll admit you have a habit of getting into unique situations but I don’t mind, in fact I look forward to what surprises await me each day.”

“Do you really mean it? Even if I do awful things…? “

“Yes I mean it.. although I will draw the line at one thing, never do anything to put yourself in danger. When I saw you by the flames I-“ he paused sucking in a breathe.

And that moment you heart finally caught up with your head because no man could fake the emotions on his face like that.

You hugged him whispering an apology into his shoulder.

“You’ve apologized enough for a lifetime, come, dine with me, you’ve lost weight…” you nod letting him pull you by the hand out the door.

You heard some voices and frowned, anxiety creeping up again.

Ever the perfect man he caught on immediately.

“What is it?”

“The servants… it’s been hard to be around them… you might accept me for who I am but they haven’t…”

“I wouldn’t worry about it”

You cocked your head a bit at his amused tone, “why?”

“Because I fired them all”.

“Acacius!”

“Don’t protest, it’s done. I blame myself for not realizing what heartless people resided in my home. Besides I think you’ll like the new staff a lot better..”

You descended the staircase still confused why he seemed so smug until you heard voices you hadn’t heard in months.

“My Lady!”

“My Lady we’re here!”

“Oh how we’ve missed you!”

You couldn’t contain the loud gasp when your eyes landed on the familiar faces below. The staff that practically raised you was beaming up at you with joy.

“Oh my- Marika! Cicero! Diana! Felix! Ahh you’re all here!” You practically jumped from the staircase onto the group of your favorite people in the world.

Acacius couldn’t help but chuckle as the group enveloped you pulling you in, hugging and kissing you. Hardly the kind of servants he was used to but now he understood why you were so saddened to leave them behind. After your embraces you pulled back.

“What are you doing here? Is Father here?”

“You mean you don’t know?” The words would have worried you had everyone not been smiling ear to ear.

“Know what?” The general has employed us all here.

“W-what?!” You snapped your head to your grinning husband.

“B-but how did you- father must’ve been- h-how!?”

He laughed and descended the last couple steps, “I can be very persuasive if I need to be dear wife.”

“Oh- oh I don’t believe this!” you couldn’t contain your joy and parted from the group to jump on your husband who stumbled a bit but caught you of course. You kissed him then and there not caring who was watching- well in fact you didn’t care because everyone in the room were people you loved and felt safe with.

He was a bit surprised but when you pulled back his face was quickly morphed into fondness and satisfaction that the gleam in your eye was back.

“There she is..” you sighed happily hugging him once more then ran back to the awaiting group.

Well actually you made it halfway before pausing, turning around with an unsure look, and walking slowly back to him.

He tilted his head curious, “Acacius… will you… will you allow me to properly thank you… tonight? If that’s- if that’s something you’d like… or-“ your face that lovely shade of red he’d come to admire.

“Something I’d like?” He scoffed and for a moment you were afraid until you saw the expression in his eyes.

“Well I didn’t want to assume… you’ve forbidden it remember.” He smirked leaning down by your ear so only you could hear him.

“Listen well wife. This is the only exception you may always assume...” You shivered feeling his breathe caress your ear.

Gentle and sweet and now you had a new word to add, although you couldn’t quite find the right one just yet. But oh were you ever so eager to find out…

***************************************************

Is it getting hot in here guys?? No? Just me? Anywayyyy hope you enjoyed. I threw this up in one sitting so forgive all the mistakes. I finally saw the movie and wow, who knew they could fit so many hot men on one screen.

Also can anyone think of a better title lol😅

[bewaryofpity]

jack's sooooo clingy he follows you everywhere like a lost puppy, especially after a long day of not seeing you.

jack has been following you around since you came back from work, yapping about anything and everything that has happened to him since you left this morning. and you’re not surprised because he has the habit of lingering close to you when you’ve been gone for a while, especially on his rare days off. today is no different.

he does follow you everywhere like a very grown and very loyal puppy, today more than ever as he followed you to the bathroom where you're trying to get ready for your night routine. he’s sitting on top of the toilet seat, babbling about his day out with nico that obviously consisted of hockey related things.

you snicker to yourself when jack doesn't realize that you're taking longer than usual to get unready, or that he’s talking for this long, but you know how much he hates boredom so you let him be. it’s just that you weren’t expecting this.

it’s cute, yes, but now you’re more interested in seeing how long he’ll yap for or rather how long he’ll stay here with you. so you finish taking your makeup off before pulling the shower curtain back and twisting the knob to turn on the water and adjusting it to the right temperature. the idea that he could easily stalk you into the shower makes you smile so you play along to his not so little rant.

“and then nico lured me to the rink because apparently the kids were practicing and he wanted to surprise them. not that i didn’t like that but then their coach didn’t look too pleased, the kids were distracted for the rest of the practice, obviously.”

you hum, “is it because they took nico’s attention off you?”

“Uh, n-no. i mean i was the one hanging out with him first, so.” he mumbles “but that’s not the point!”

jack huffs, changing into a criss cross position on top of the toilet. and it’s taking everything in you to not laugh at him because he looks like a child, pout on his lips and looking so small in this position.

“well then, was it fun at least?”

“duh, baby.” hands flailing around him. “the kids loved it, they kept asking us questions and some didn’t make sense –they were like four years old, you know– and like, we had to stop for even longer because they wanted us to sign some of their stuff.”

that must be why he also took longer to text you throughout his day.

“i bet, love.” you nod along, pulling your hair up in a bun so it doesn’t get wet in the shower, finally at the right hot temperature. “i’ll shower now if you don’t mind.”

“oh, now?” eyes wide like you told a child you’ll leave him in the parking lot.

“i mean, we’re in the bathroom, and i’m in a towel, and it’s been a long day. so yes, now.”

and jack’s cheeks have a faint pink tint as he shamelessly watches you unravel your towel and step in the shower. totally not because he saw you naked for a split second, it’s just the steam from the really hot shower, right?

“uh yeah, okay” he says as he stand up. “i’ll get unready too before i go then.”

you hum in reply as you go on about your shower, but you’re actually simply standing under the water, trying to keep an ear out for his movements and words.

suddenly he’s taking his sweet time to wash his face and you think he might start brushing his teeth soon too for the hell of it.

but his talking doesn’t stop at all. he blurts out random thoughts in between before going on to ramble about some hockey plays he’s been looking over, asks you what you had for lunch. he even asks you which body wash you’re currently using –which is none yet because trying not to laugh is revealing to be harder than you thought. he’s truly finding the most random topics to fill the silence.

and the talking does finally stop, but it’s replaced by jack’s whistling, clearly out of things to say. yet you know your boyfriend better than he thinks so you know very well what he’s thinking about.

“you still there, jacky?” you call wittingly. you can see his blurry figure through the shower curtain, an excited nod coming from his silhouette.

and you bite your lip as one of his hands reaches to scratch at the back of his neck. “i guess i’ll go now. uhm… i’ll wait for you to come out. i’ll get us take out, anything you’re craving? because if you want there’s a new italian place down the street that luke suggested to me and he says it's really good, so i think maybe–”

omg he’s so cute.

you pull the curtain back, just with your head peeping out to find jack with one hand hovering the door handle, still lingering around.

“jacky?”

“yeah baby, what’s up?”

“do you want to shower with me?”

and like a kid opening presents on christmas morning, his eyes light up so quickly. his head shakes with an overly enthusiastic nod, and he’s already clumsy in pulling off his clothes that he almost trips getting his sweatpants off. you’re not surprised at all, the lack of grace and coordination are not exclusive to when he’s on the ice.

a stupid, wide, boyish grin spreads over his lips when he finally steps into the shower in front of you. 

“hi, baby,” he grins, leaning forward to hold your face in his hands and peck your nose.

“you know, if you wanted to join me, you could’ve just asked.” your smile now matching his. jack squishes your cheeks between his palms, “well, where’s the fun in that?”

[rotationalsymmetry]

So, once a long time ago I had a boyfriend. And there were a couple times we had misunderstandings. Where I didn't want a sex thing and he did the sex thing. And I knew they were misunderstandings, because he used to talk, a lot, about how he used to have a hard time figuring out when women wanted to have sex with him because they wouldn't say so directly. (I was 20. He was in his mid 40's. I'd rather not get into the age gap stuff right now, it's not like I didn't know that people didn't approve of 40 somethings dating 20 year olds.) (although, if you happen to be pretty young and reading this: this sort of bullshit does seem to happen more often in these situations.)

Several years later, I was dating new people again for the first time in a while, and I didn't want more of those misunderstandings, so I was trying to figure out how I could communicate better. You know how it is. The thing is though, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the number of things I could have done differently in the situation were actually quite limited and also not clearly better. Whereas what he could have done differently, well.

I do not, in fact, think my ex was confused. Not any more. I think he knew damn well what he was doing and was covering his ass. Creating plausible deniability. (Which, clearly, worked. At the time.) So, yeah. I know what the song means. And I know neither that song nor any of the many other songs I could name that have blurred lines around consent caused him to do what he did. But, that song and things like it -- rape culture -- and more importantly the absence of counter narratives that describe rape and consent accurately, did contribute to how *I* saw things, did mean that when I was raped I didn't think it was rape. I figured it was understandable, because of course sometimes women don't say when we want sex or play hard to get, so of course some men have trouble telling real no's. I thought he was confused, not malicious.

I don't hate It's Cold Outside because I think it describes rape. I hate It's Cold Outside because I think it and songs like it contributed to me seeing my own violation as an honest mistake.

And in general I think adding information, ideas, stories is better than taking them away. And also. I do not want to have to listen to that damn song.

*sigh*

Yes, I know that Baby It's Cold Outside is supposed to be fun and naughty and flirty. I know the social context in which original listeners heard it. I know the social scripts they were playing with.

But - and here's the kicker - I don't exist in those contexts, and in my context, where the vast majority of people listening to the song don't have that context, it feels fucking gross and creepy and I don't like it. And! No amount of lecturing and hectoring people about what it's really about is going to change that we aren't in the same social context anymore.

Lecturing people about how they're wrong about how they feel about a song because that art doesn't land on them the same way it does on you just makes you look like a smug twat who doesn't get how art works.

"Let people enjoy things" comes with the correlating idea "let people fucking hate things."

And I just didn't like that song before I had to go through the annual ritual of listening to the lectures on why I'm wrong to dislike the song at all.

Now?

Now I violently fucking hate that fucking song.

[mqrrstarr]

Gladiator Headcanons! (1/?)

How the Characters would act if you: Had A Cold!

Character x GN! Reader

Warnings: s3x implied

Characters Featured: Maximus, Lucilla, Commodus, Acacius, Caracalla, Geta, Lucius, Macrinus (edited: I never actually wrote anything for him but I did now)

A/N: First Tumblr post in a while, and I'm actually writing things too! This is the first time I've written elaborate headcanons, so please forgive if they seem a little off. I apologize for any historical/character innacuracies, and I hope to get better!! xoxo -mqrrstarr

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Maximus would immediately notice something is off. You kept complaining about a headache that didn’t seem to stop, and your temperature was high. 

“Darling, I don’t think you should fight today…”

You could only cough in response, and the guards wouldn’t let you rest. As the day’s challenge was fighting in pairs, he rapidly volunteered to fight with you. Maximus protected you from the other gladiators, and killed them as fast as you could sneeze. By the end of the day, Maximus gave you his blanket and other amenities, ushering you to a more comfier cell. (He had placed a bet with another gladiator.)

“There darling, rest up nice and easy.”

I can also see Maximus getting the other gladiators to create a soup/stew sort of mixture. Not good. But he’s very fatherly, if you can get that?

- - - - - - - -

Lucilla knows everything. After taking care of Lucius as a child, she can rapidly tell when you’re not feeling well.

“Sweetie? Do you feel alright?”

She’d do the mom thing, put her hand on your forehead and try to figure out what was wrong with you. Your head was practically boiling, so she’d get her servants to make tea, lay you in her triclinium and keep you company.

“The servants will prove useful sweetie. You’re a strong warrior, so keep hanging on.”

She’d hum a lullaby, read poetry (the same she’d read to Lucius) and tell stories until you fell asleep. 

- - - - - - - -

Commodus was rarely comforted growing up, so he knew how to handle sickness easily. Growing up semi-independent, he knew homemade tricks and tips to feel better.

“Y/N, are you not feeling well? Just get some herbs and drink an elixir. You’ll be fine.”

He realizes that he sounds a bit harsh, and reminds himself that he never wants to treat you how he was treated; with solitude and no gratitude. Commodus gets you all the snacks and food you want, and even hugs you for as long as you want. 

When you question him after it’s been a whole afternoon of him on your chest, he simply says,

“Y/N, do not question the Emperor. I wish to lay with you, and I do not fear sickness. The Gods can protect one of their own.”

He keeps hugging you and falls asleep, and the next day you’re both coughing and sneezing. 

- - - - - - - -

Acacius has been through so many battles and massacres, yet he’s never truly encountered a cold. The soldiers that cough, are usually dead. Coughing up their own blood, that is. He really doesn’t know how to help you properly, but he’ll try his best.

“Angel, can you tell me what’s wrong? I’m not really sure what to do. Should I get a doctor? Are you feeling a certain way?”

and as he says this, Acacius would use his hands to caress yours, and treat you even more like a princess/prince. He’d lay you in his own bed, and give you massages until you’d feel better. He’d also do a little more if you’d want. Iykyk. You’d fall asleep quickly, and you’d wake up to Acacius either next to you, or on a chair by the bedside and he’d be all sprawled out. His soldier senses would wake him up though.

“Angel? Angel? You’re all right now, that’s wonderful. My lovely Venus, you’re all healed.”

And his words, he would seal with a forehead kiss. GOD HE’S SUCH A SWEETHEART I NEED PEDRO PASCAL

- - - - - - - -

Caracalla had his own sickness, the one of syphilis. His wild mentality usually was what kept him going, and the love of ruling over Rome. Yet the Emperor cared for his significant other, and refused to let anyone else; even his closest servants touch you.

“My Wife/Husband, the most holiest of them all, I shall take care of you. Please tell me what your most vivid desires are? Allow me to assist you.”

He’s such a sweetheart, and he’d definitely tell you so many stories of him and Geta in their childhood, Roman mythology, and anything to keep you entertained. As he also has mommy and daddy issues, he also do a Commodus-esque move and lay on your chest and probably fall asleep first haha. When the both of you awake, he'd hear your stomach rumble.

“You’re hungry? Well then I shall feed you. Anything for you my love.”

He’d keep you filled with food and him to help your weak state. (CARACALLA COME HOME THE KIDS AND I MISS YOU)

- - - - - - - -

Geta was always stressed.  Getting much more to do as Emperor, as Caracalla had his own “duties” to fulfill. When you started coughing and sneezing as you strolled in the palace garden, he’d send the servants away to prepare a room where you could quarantine. As much as he loved you, he’d refuse to get sick. (Rome needs a healthy representation.) So you’d be alone the first few days with the occasional knock on the door. When you seemed less sick than before, he’d spend all the time with you.

“My love? I’m here for you. The Gods have finally allotted time for our get together. It will be only the finest in Rome for the night; us.”

He’d definitely turn the situation into a fun (fucking) night and then the days after that would be a cycle of laying together, fine dining meals, and caressing. (your bodies, of course.) When he has to return to his Emperor duties, he’ll leave with a long romantic and passionate kiss, one that made your entire body warm.

“Won’t be long. I’ll be back in the night.”

(if you couldn't tell i love the idea of geta as needy all the time)

- - - - - - - -

Lucius knew what it was like to feel sick and tired constantly, so he took care of you. Like a shepherd tending to his favorite sheep. Both of you grand warriors and gladiators, so there was no time to feel bad. He reassured you he could fight without you, and vowed to come back every time.

“Dearest, I promise to return safely. I couldn’t leave my soul with you, it has to be me truly here always. I vow on our love to fight for freedom and the peace of Rome. I will also fight for you.”

You trusted Lucius, (WHO WOULDN’T WITH THOSE BLUE EYES) and he is a man of his word. Day after day, you slowly healed and was able to rejoin Lucius and the others again.

“See? I knew you’d heal. The Gods give power to those who are great. And you are great.”

You fought as usual, but he’d still protect you a little more to ensure you were actually okay. 

- - - - - - - -

Macrinus would see you and get together some gladiators in your presence, hoping they would entertain you and help you ignore the pain.

“Sickness is nothing but temporary Y/N. You can and have the power to move on.”

You’d take his advice and eventually keep doing your work as his assistant, and he’d make sure you were well taken care of.

“Y/N? A true warrior does not dawdle. Good job keeping up with your tasks.”

Surprisingly, you were able to keep up with work and healed faster than expected. (THERE I WROTE FOR MACRINUS)

[gatorbites-imagines]

on my hands and knees begging for a victor creed/sabertooth fic. one of the finest mutants in the comics and he gets so little attention

Victor Creed x male reader

Headcanons

Love this fellow… big fan of cats… Heres just some all over the place relationship headcanons :3c

The silly… the very very deadly silly. He really has you going “what murderrrrr, he’s the best guy around???” because he’s actually nice to you. Or well, as nice as Victor can be.

You obviously know all the shit he’s done and that Victor is very much a hater down to the very bone, its very obvious. But you love him anyways. And how can you not, hes very handsome and warm.

Victor is not the most verbal when it comes to his feelings for you, like, at all. He has only said I love you on very rare occasions, and that’s when he or you are near death, or if you guys are getting married.

He shows his care and love in other ways, like beating up anyone who looks at you wrong. Or bringing you dead stuff, like some kind of big cat.

Speaking of cats. Victor purrs, because I said so. He also likes to lay and laze in the sun and will drag you along to lay against his chest as he just basks in it, rumbling deep in his chest and snoring.

Victor can sleep 16 hours a day like a cat, something you always joke about when you catch him. Logically you know it’s because he gets less sleep than he should and needs to catch up, but teasing him is just very fun.

Victor is a very gruff and mean guy in every way, hes a huge dick to say the least. Even to you, in the beginning. And the beginning of your relationship was a lot of arguing or tension. You honestly have no idea how you guys really started dating.

A lot of the issues stem from Victor just leaving whenever he wants for however long without telling you or keeping you in the loop. Theres also the issue that he just doesn’t communicate anything that might be wrong, instead just letting it fester.

But with a lot of work, you two figure it out. Sure, he still runs off to throw down with Wolverine on the semi-regular, but he gives you a timeframe he will be home, and actually looks sorry when he doesn’t make it.

At times when you are extra angry you’ll make him sleep on the couch or in the guest room, and Victor will stand at the foot of your bed, holding his blanket and looking so sad and pathetic. This should be impossible for a guy like him, but somehow, he does it.

Speaking of cuddling, I think Victor thought he wouldn’t like doing it. but then he realized how good it felt when you scratched your nails across his chest or through his hair, and that he could actually purr, since he first started purring with you.

If you are a mutant, then you have lunch or dinners with some of the x-men, if you aren’t a member. Victor gets dragged along, and he and Logan have to behave for the day. At least Victor bakes a great pie for these luncheons.

You make sure to reward him for behaving, as well as Victor is able, when you guys get home. How that reward goes depends on the day ;)

[scary-grace]

(secret) santa, baby - part 8 of a shigaraki x f!reader fic

Shigaraki doesn't want to participate in the office's Secret Santa exchange, but when Toga promises to make it easy on him, he gives in. But making it easy for him makes it a lot harder for you -- you're the one who got his list. Office AU, no quirks. A fic in 12 parts. Divider by @ wcnderlnds

part i part ii part iii part iv part v part vi part vii part viii part ix

part viii (gift-wrapping)

You don’t know what the last-minute staff meeting is for, but the email looked important, so you show up outside the building’s biggest conference room on the hour, as ordered. As soon as you set foot inside, though, you know this was one you could have skipped. There are piles of gift bags and rolls of wrapping paper on every table, as well as packets of tissue paper and spools of ribbon and actual jars of confetti with scoops in them. On the whiteboard at the front of the room, someone’s written REMEDIAL GIFT-WRAPPING.

You didn’t think your gifts were wrapped that badly. Tomura hasn’t complained. Then again, Tomura doesn’t know you’re the one leaving his gifts, so he wouldn’t know who to complain to if he had a problem. In spite of showing up on time, everybody else somehow got here before you, so you hesitate just inside the doorway, looking for an empty seat. Before you can find one, something moves in your peripheral vision, and you glance over to find Twice beckoning to you. He’s sitting with Spinner, Dabi, and Tomura, and they’ve got an empty seat nearby.

A few weeks ago, you’d have found somewhere else, but you’re much more comfortable with Tomura and his friends than you were before. Seeing them outside of work at Toga’s party probably helped. Seeing them the next morning, waking up with bedhead and low-grade hangovers that could only be cured with diner food, moved them firmly from the category of scary coworkers to people you could call friends. And waking up at one end of Toga’s couch to realize that you’d spent the entire night sharing it and a blanket with Tomura moved him from Secret Santa recipient to something else.

You’re not sure what else, exactly. You’ve been keeping a close eye on him since the Secret Santa thing started, just so you could figure out good times to sneak down to the basement and leave things on his desk, but for the past few days you’ve felt different about seeing him out and about. Instead of being relieved, and using your next free second to race downstairs and plant a gift, you’ve gone to talk to him. Or you’ve stayed put wherever you were and hoped he’d come talk to you. He’s different at work than he is out of it, but now that you’ve seen him the other way, you can’t fail to see that the person who slept on the couch with you is there when he’s here, too.

Work doesn’t bring out the best in him, and work-related holiday festivities are even worse. You can hear him complaining as you make your way over. “I don’t need to learn gift-wrapping. The stuff I leave is fine.”

“No. Spinner’s gifts are fine. Yours look like you’re dropping off a sperm sample,” Dabi says. He’s organizing the pile of gift-wrapping supplies and ignoring the way Tomura swears at him. “It’s not going to kill you.”

“With everybody else here, Toga’s probably not just picking on us,” Spinner says. He spots you coming over and waves. “Hey. You got an invite, too?”

“My gift-wrapping must be worse than I thought,” you say. You drop down into the chair between Twice and Tomura. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Tomura glances quickly at you, then goes back to screwing around with a mostly-empty roll of ribbon. “You have a gift in your mailbox. I saw it when I checked mine.”

You didn’t put a gift in his mailbox today – it’s on his desk again, waiting for him whenever he gets back. You dropped it off after you saw him walk back on the way to the conference room. “I’ll look after we’re done with this. Does this happen every year?”

“No. It’s new.” Tomura scowls. “It sucks.”

“Hi everybody!” Toga’s standing on a chair at the front of the room, waving to catch the room’s attention. “Thanks for stopping by. It’s come to my attention that some of you guys don’t know how to wrap a gift to save your lives, and even though it’s the gift that counts, the way it’s presented matters, too! So for the sake of your Secret Santa recipients, we’re going to go over the basics of gift-wrapping ��”

“And we’re going to practice on these,” Midoriya announces, holding up a clear plastic bin that’s full to the brim. “The gifts from the toy drive. Which we need to wrap anyway.”

“I told you we weren’t in trouble,” Spinner says to the group at large.

“No, we’re just free labor.” Tomura’s scowling worse than before. “I can’t wait to count my papercuts afterwards.”

“To help with this,” Toga continues loudly, “every table has at least one person who knows what they’re doing. Compress and Yaoyorozu will go over the basics, and then your group’s expert will help you get going.”

Where’s your table’s expert? You glance around, only to find everyone else looking at you. “We need to work quickly,” Iida announces, even louder than Toga. “It’s imperative that we get these gifts mailed this afternoon. If they’re delayed by the storm, they won’t reach their recipients in time. Do you want to be the reason why needy children go without presents this year?”

“Hey! Iida! That’s kind of harsh,” Midoriya says hastily. Dabi is snickering. “Just do your best, everybody!”

There’s a bin of toys under the table. Compress and Yaoyorozu order everybody to start with something in a box, since they’re easier to work with, but you have a bad feeling you’re the expert, and the things that are weirdly shaped are going to take longer. You take out a plastic dinosaur toy and get to work, listening with half an ear to the instructions. You don’t want to contradict anything they’re saying. It’ll slow things down, and based on the size of the toy bin, you can’t afford that.

You overhear the other supposed experts at the other table, and they seem pretty comfortable giving instructions, but you decide to keep quiet unless somebody asks you something. And somebody does. “Are girls born knowing how to gift-wrap or something?” Spinner asks, staring at the dinosaur toy you’ve successfully mummified in candy-cane wrapping paper. “How did you do that?”

“Practice, I guess?” You don’t really remember somebody teaching you. “It was probably just watching my mom.”

“Maybe you should handle all the weird-shaped shit,” Dabi says. He abandons the box he’s wrapping and starts sorting the toys in the bin. “I want to get out of here sometime this year and that’s not going to happen if you put me in charge of that.”

You nod and pick up the grotesque-looking nutcracker at the top of the pile. To your surprise, everybody else settles down to work quickly – even Tomura, who’s still scowling, and handling the wrapping paper like it might take a bite out of him. The other tables are chattering, but everybody at yours is quiet. Focused. When Midoriya swings by to pick up any wrapped gifts, he has to make two trips to collect all of them from you.

It’s not until you’re starting on the second round of presents that Tomura speaks up. “This isn’t so bad,” he says, and you almost amputate your finger in shock. “I thought it was going to be like that movie.”

“Which –” Dabi interrupts himself, then makes a weird noise. “The one where the guy’s cheating on his wife?”

“And he’s trying to get the clerk to gift-wrap that ugly necklace he bought for his mistress before his wife gets back?” That scene made you cringe. There are lots of scenes in Love Actually that make you cringe, but that one stands out. “Did he actually cheat on his wife or was he just trying to cheat?”

“He’s cheating.” Dabi measures out a huge scoop of glitter and drops it on top of the present he’s wrapping before he tapes the wrapping paper down. “My dad pulls shit exactly like that. Except he was fucking my boyfriend, not his secretary.”

You almost choke on thin air. “He – what?”

“That was ages ago,” Twice says. “They didn’t talk for like – five years. Then Dabi’s sister made them go to family therapy and now Enji makes up for it by giving Dabi money whenever he asks.”

“And when he doesn’t,” Spinner says. Dabi is making a face. “You’re better off, dude.”

“You know how Shigaraki hates Christmas? That’s how Dabi feels about Valentine’s Day,” Twice says. You probably would, too, if your dad had hooked up with your boyfriend. “If you’re still around by then, you can hang out with us. We always celebrate by maxing Enji’s credit card.”

If you’re still around by then. What does that mean? “Sounds fun,” you say, watching as Dabi adds two scoops of glitter to his next present. “Uh, what are you doing?”

“It’s there. We’re supposed to use it,” Dabi says. “The kids will get a kick out of this shit.”

“Yeah, but their parents will hate it.”

Tomura takes a scoop of glitter and pours it in the gift bag he’s been screwing around with. “It’s not about them.”

You remember who the gifts are for all at once. Kids in foster care, whose parents probably suck as a rule. They deserve to have some fun, and you’ve never met a kid who wouldn’t go crazy over a glitter bomb. When you start wrapping your next present, you add some glitter to it, too.

At some point the department heads come looking for all their employees, which is how you find out that Toga didn’t clear the meeting with anybody before she called it. Most of your table takes the opportunity to flee – Dabi first, then Twice, and Spinner after a second’s hesitation. Tomura stops halfway out of his chair when he realizes you’re not getting up. “Aren’t you leaving?”

“My supervisor hasn’t come looking for me yet,” you say. “And there’s still a lot to do.”

You know there’s work waiting for you back at your desk, but it shouldn’t take too long, and Iida’s guilt-trip about the presents definitely got to you. You empty the rest of the toy bin onto the table and grab a box with a model train printed on the front. A chair scrapes next to you as Tomura sits back down, and he lifts the train box out of your hands. “Give me that. I can’t wrap the weird ones.”

You stare at him. You can’t help it. “What are you doing?”

“My supervisor hasn’t come looking for me, either.” Tomura shrugs. “It’ll be faster if I help.”

“You hate this stuff,” you say.

“I’m not going to be the reason needy kids don’t get presents this year.” Tomura’s Iida impersonation is pretty on point, especially when he adds in Iida’s trademark hand gestures. You laugh. “And I haven’t gotten a paper cut yet. Nobody will put up with my bitching next year if I don’t get at least one.”

He says that, and it sounds like him – but somehow you don’t buy it. He’s not making eye contact, and his ears are turning sort of red, and your heart kicks up a weird, fluttery jolt. “If you want to hang out, you can just say that,” you say. “You don’t have to do – I know you hate doing this.”

“This is what you’re doing,” Tomura interrupts you. “That’s the important part.”

That one’s hard for you to parse, so hard that Tomura manages to wrap the train and start on the next gift before you can get even sort of a handle on it. And once you do, you’re not sure you want one. Tomura hates Christmas. Every Christmas thing you’ve seen him do has been done under pressure or threat, and he just got a golden opportunity to escape. Why would he give it up to hang out with you?

There’s one answer. An obvious answer. One you’d believe if it was coming from anybody but him. “I can use the help,” you admit. “Thanks for keeping me company.”

“Yeah.” Tomura reaches for the wrapping paper at the same time as you do, and your hands collide. You thought he’d flinch. You thought you’d flinch. But your hands stay still, poised against one another, for a long moment before Tomura draws away, his fingertips skimming the back of your hand as he goes. “Any time.”

<- part vii part ix ->

[hpgal]

DC X DP: VACATION TO A DIFFERENT UNIVERSE Pt. 1

CW: mentions of death

TLDR: Danny is stressed and depressed feeling like despite all the changes in his life, he feels like he is still the same.

Word Count: 1310

a/n: I plan on making multiple parts to this one but it will take some time. This is more a draft to part 1 than anything else and will most likely end up on AO3 in the future as a more completed version of itself once it is done here on Tumblr. Any feedback and suggestions (or even if you want to continue this plot with your own spin on it as long as I am credited/ tagged so I can read it too!) is very much welcomed!!

Danny wanted a change.

Not just for fun either. Though fun would be nice between all these Ghost King responsibilities he had been forced to start learning for when he comes of age, or well not, technically?

He doesn't know! It's complicated! He was 17 now, but his ghost age was only 3! The Observants said to fully assume the throne his ghost age was supposed to be 18 at the youngest but they'd make an exception for when he was 18 in the living realm.

Ghee, thanks you weirdos, because I totally wanted my adult life to already be over so I can manage my undead life.

Anyways, between trying to graduate and learn his forever job, he had been going to therapy now that he isn't the only ghost fighter in town. He has breaks! A support system! 14 year old Danny would never believe his parents accepted him for his ghostly side!!

His friends learned to fight and trap so well over the years that they don't even need him by their side anymore for every fight. The GIW was chased out of town and supposedly disbanded by the government because "it was a scam and ghosts don't actually exist." Even his parent's business was booming in town.

They started leaving the field work to others and focused on research. They hold ghost defense classes 3 times a week for any and all citizens. They build home defense gadgets and other anti ghost equipment to sell to the town, too. There are even kids from his class who want to get into the field now and intern at FentonWorks.

Over the years, everyone in town has grown incredibly capable of handling ghosts themselves that there is a city funded ghost protection task force. And that is all to deal with the ghosts that are more on the unruly side.

The reality is that it is not exactly necessary anymore to always be prepared for the next daily ghost attack. Since it became public knowledge for the Ghost Zone that he'd be assuming the throne, most ghosts have opted to leave Amity Park alone since it was his haunt. However, he has opened it up to any ghost who wants to visit as long as they do not leave Amity Park. And so, ghosts and the living live in harmony in the town.

In his senior year, the town has become so open to ghosts that when a ghost whose obsession is teaching, they hired him at Casper High! Danny is even in the class. He teaches an elective on astronomy, something the school could never afford. Ghosts didn't want to be paid in cash, so it helped! All Dr. Denver wants was to teach and to be allowed to claim the observatory for his research.

But while all this was great, Danny felt depressed. Which leads him back to why he was in therapy. It felt like all these amazing things have happened. That everyone has changed, except him. Thanks to his halfa status, his physical state isn't changing as much either. He discovered he is aging much, much slower.

Talking to his therapist, she helped him realize that what he craved was for a change for himself. Sure, he IS going to become The Infinite Realms king and that'll be a big change but it isn't what he wants.

He doesn't know what he wants, really. Which meant his therapist has given him an assignment to figure it out. So he talked to Clockwork, naturally hoping for some help. And Clockwork told him something surprising instead.

"Yeah, I'm ready for a change, but I don't know what to change." Danny told him in hopes the wording would draw Clockwork to give him an answer instead of something cryptic. He really didn't want to do the legwork to figure it out while he had midterms to study for and more ghost king lessons with The Observants later.

Clockwork paused as if in thought, "You could take a vacation to your universe of origin," he suggests. "That may help give clarity in what you need to change to be happy."

Danny floated next to him. He couldn't bring himself to be frustrated with the being of time for knowing exactly why Danny was here. Instead, he stared at him in confusion, distracted by what he just said, "What do you mean? I am not from here?"

He grins, his form flickering from old to young, "When you became a halfa, you changed universes from the complicated process you went through to become one."

Danny contemplated for a moment, confused but intrigued. A different universe? I wonder how different it would be from here. Without a second thought, Danny grins eager.

"I wanna go!" He exclaims like a young puppy who discovered a new toy for the first time.

"That would not be a problem, time runs differently between there and here. A week there will be an hour here so you won't need a time medallion." Clockwork simply looks off into the space surrounding them before continuing, "I have a friend who will act as your guardian while there. Head through the star shaped door near the Yetis whenever you are ready and he will be standing by, waiting for you" He shifts back into an older version of himself, pleased with himself for already knowing Danny would be taking this chance to go and made the preparations for this moment weeks ago.

Danny does a small dance in midair without a second thought and starts to drift off in that direction, "Oh, and Danny?" Clockwork calls out, "Legally, you are dead in that universe and.. well, much is different from what you know, so do be careful. Due to how time and the laws of that dimension for being such as myself, I am not the main ruler of time there, so the protection spells I placed on you are not guaranteed to save you this time." Clockwork grins knowingly towards Danny as Danny speeds off, oblivious to how serious his warning was.

---

Danny flies like the wind through the vastness of The Ghost Zone until he arrives at the door Clockwork described. His thoughts start to sour at the thought of this universe where he is considered dead despite it being his origin.

The door he arrives at is huge. Like he was not sure how to open the door huge. But wow, was it beautiful. It was like staring into space itself. It sparkled unlike any night sky he has even gazed upon. As he approached the beautiful door, he hesitated.

He was technically returning home, but he didn't feel any attachment to the universe in front of him. To him, nothing seemed different. Everything was exactly the same when he woke up after the accident, so he never noticed. The entire idea that he abandoned his family and friends by dying here was a horrible thought, but it wasn't his fault. He didn't know what happened here.

Wait, did that mean Vlad wasn't from that universe either? Danny shakes his head at the thought. It was pointless to fall down that particular rabbit hole now.

Maybe he should've asked Clockwork more before flying off without a thought. Clockworks words echoed inside him for fear of what he might find. Was this really a good idea? To return to the place he no longer existed? Could he handle seeing what the grief of his passing had done to those he loved?

A moment passes, and Danny shakes his head and steels himself. He needs to know how much changes, if he really did make an impact. Was he important?

With his decision made, the door seems to open itself. A bright beam of a soft white light floods through the threshold, and Danny steps through.

[mixingandmelting]

Hello! I was wondering if you'd quite something based on the bat boys (or just Jason) reaction to realizing they liked having a normal life?

Like they go to visit the readers' family for Xmas, but their family left without letting them know, so they had the whole house to themselves, so they got to play house. It was in a whole other state, so no needing to be vigilantes. Just them with their s/o getting ready for Christmas, being shown around and just living a normal life for a few weeks.

A/N: Hope you don't mind me not writing about Duke and Damian since they're both minors so legally speaking they can't really travel out-of-state alone. Plus to be real, I highly doubt Batman would want to leave Damian unsupervised considering what happens when he's alone 😔

Dick:

His whole life he was anything but normal, being raised in a circus and now, fighting crimes 24/7. Excitement, action, danger, and adventures are what defines him and how he had always dreamt of how his life would go on. But here he is, tasting “normal” for the first time in his life by spending the holiday with you in the house you were raised in. Snowball fights and building snowmen delays the process of clearing the snow. Not to forget the snow angels that are made once he playfully tackles you down into the snow after you manage to get more on him than yourself. Putting up the lights and decoration both inside and outside of the house was more fun than the times he helped out at the Wayne manor, while finding out shopping for anything during the holiday season is a battle of its own. Adding that to the daily routine that’s usually gone through on his days off every day,  it’s… quiet and peaceful. He doesn’t wake up to sirens or violence. He’s not worried about another mission, instead figuring out how he’ll get your present under the tree without getting caught. You greeting him at the door, placing a kiss on his cheeks that are slightly bitten from frost when it’s decided he’s moving the snow on his own makes him so fuzzy, he starts calling you honey over babe. The most mind boggling about this? He doesn't mind it. It’s hard to accept that he actually likes “normal”. He’s confused over liking a concept that’s completely foreign to him and with his personality, he won’t last long with living with “normal” forever. The happy couple/marriage vibe though? He’s on board and digs it, one-hundred percent. Especially in a house filled with childhood memories, it’s giving him ideas and changing what he perhaps would want in the future in ways he wouldn’t think of back then.

Jason:

Considering his childhood and how he went through the whole reincarnation cycle of dying and then reviving, it’s a desire he had as a kid but gave up right away. He didn’t even fathom that a day would come where he would experience what it would be like to be normal. Walking around and staying in the typical home most average people live in made him tense the first three days, even more so knowing this was where you lived since a child. Moving snow with you becomes his favorite pastime, where you’d distract from getting the job done and have him chase after you from the snowball that hits his back. Or bringing out steaming hot chocolate so his nose and hands would stop feeling as if they’re ready to fall off from the cold after cleaning up and helping you build a snow fort of all things. His hands are frequently on your waist from holding you up to string the lights and hang the decorations after you frown from his “aesthetic” way of placing them, pushing him to move aside so you could show how a real pro does it. It’s also his first time struggling to find time to get a present behind your back from being with you all the time. Eating meals together, taking walks together around the neighborhood and city, acting as bodyguard during grocery and Christmas shopping, spending time together as a couple in general in a house that’s warm, cozy, and peaceful as Jason Todd is a first. Not as Robin once dead and revived or Red Hood, the violent outlaw.  It’s a wish once buried in his heart on top of another where he’s spending time with you that comes true before the holiday. He’s emotional from being so happy, he doesn’t think of anything else other than wanting to live like this for the rest of his life.

Tim:

Contrary to the stereotypes depicted by the media, rich kids don’t spend time with their family; it's usually spent with their nanny as their parents leave them for long periods of time in a house too large for two people. Sure over the years he has healed with his friends and a new family. But it feels like a dream come true with you. He’s laughing and enjoying the soft fluffiness of white that gets all over him, freezing his nose and hands when he tries to clear the snow. He gets into it with you over how the lights and decorations should be placed inside and outside the house when you mentioned you want to outdo your neighbors, a set of blueprints and sketches drawn while debating that rainbow lights were better than the flickering, white ones. To much of his chagrin, he’s fumbling with all the things you toss at him when he helps you shop, him being in charge of the shopping cart as he stays in-line as you grab and bring back what’s needed in the store. Not that he’s complaining, his face suddenly tinted in red when you come back and slip your hand between his hand and the handle during the wait for the next opened cashier. Surprisingly enough, he doesn’t struggle with getting you a Christmas present and placing it under the tree. He had been keeping tabs since the day after Valentine’s Day on the things you’ve been looking at while relying on your habits he memorized to time things perfectly. Similar to Jason, he, too, wanted to live normally like any other person. Him getting to do that by prepping for the holiday with you heals the child in him, making him content and wishing the time the two of you currently have lasts forever.

[angeldiarybook]

𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬

𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐦𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦

You were there when his mom first left

It was late at night

Billy stood outside from your window

Your lights were turned off

He opened it you never left it locked

He crawled into your window sneaking in your bedroom

You were sleeping peacefully

He was breathing very heavily as he tried to contain himself

He stared at you as he dug his nails into the palm of his hand

Which caused his palms to almost start bleeding from his deep he was digging

he started shaking you somewhat violently

You quickly shot awake quickly

As you gasped

“Geez what the hell?”

You said confused and slightly scared

You squinted your eyes to see the figure Infront of you

“Billy? You scared the shit of me.what are you doing?”

You asked very confused and tired

You turned to look at your alarm clock

2:34 am

“Billy it’s late what’s going on?”

You asked once more yet got no response

You couldn’t be anymore confused

You noticed his uneven breathing

And his firm posture

Even though it was pitch black in your room

You could still see his features due to the moonlight reflecting on him

You squinted your eyes

‘Are those tears in his eyes?is he crying?’

You thought and question yourself

He did have tears in his eyes they were angry tears yet he wouldn’t dare let them fall

You grabbed his wrist softly as he continued digging his palms

“She left.”

He bluntly said finally speaking words

You looked at him confused but before you could ask who

he told you

“My mom she left.She’s abandoned me”

He said roughly as you furrowed your eyebrow

“She found out my dad cheated on her and I just found out he was having an affair with Sidneys mom”

He Bluntly told you everything

He’s never been this opened with you

You were surprised he was telling you all this and you were even more surprised by the information you were hearing

“I need you to steady your breathing Billy”

You said softly to him

You scooted to the side of your bed

Giving him space to sit next to you

He hesitated as he sat next to you

You got him to stop digging in his palm

You looked down at his palms as you saw bloody palms

You allowed him to grip your hands

To let him cope

He was harshly gripping your hand which started to hurt

But you didn’t mind or care at the moment

Thats not what mattered to you

You could see it in his face that this whole situation was rough

You stared at him hoping he would realize it was okay for him to cry

“It’s okay to cry you know that”

You reassured him

It was like he was glaring at you

Not wanting you to see him so “sensitive”

But at last he let the tears he was holding in finally fall

You put one hand around his neck caressing it

He froze but then grabbed your other hand and engulfed you with a hug

Which surprised the both of you

He was gripping onto you

As he 𝐬𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 into your chest

After you got him to calm down and actually communicate with you

You decided for him to stay the night not wanting him to go back to his place

Who knows what violent shit he might cause

You put psycho on the tv you know he loves that movie

You weren’t really paying attention to the movie but more to Billy

You didn’t care for the terrors on the screen but more for the one laying next to you

Even after everything

He was happy here with you

His face would say otherwise but his body language and the way you guys were snuggled up to each other

told you everything

He would never admit to how much he actually likes your comfort and being near you

But he didn’t have to

You both knew

Ever since his mom leaving and you comforting him he would stay and sleep at your house

Not wanting to go back to his old place

Y’all I have not been to woke abt billy in a min😫 like that was literally my man before Stu? What happened 💀 literally loved his character sm some dude online that looked liked Billy/“cosplayed” Billy tried to get into an argument with me almost 2 years ago that shi was embarrassing ✋🏼💔and left me traumatized 😔

[arc852]

Gifting Myself to You

Summary: Jimmy has been living in the walls of Tango and Skizz's restaurant for a few years now. It's been a little less than a year since he was discovered and since then, he's become friends with the two of them. And as friends, Tango and Skizz are constantly offering Jimmy to come and live with them. Up until now, Jimmy has said no.

But after a lot of thought and more time, he realizes he does want to live with them. And with Christmas coming up, he comes up with a special way to tell them.

Warnings: some anxiety

Word Count: 3467

AO3 Link

Merry (very early) Christmas everyone! I got this idea when a group of us in discord were talking about tinies being given as gifts or gifting themselves to humans. I went with the latter and now this exists! I hope you guys enjoy!

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 “Did you bring the stuff?” Jimmy asked as he hopped off of Scott’s hand and onto one of the many counters within the kitchen. He heard Scott scoff as Jimmy turned back around to face him and saw Scott pulling out a bin of supplies from underneath the counter. Jimmy figured he must have stored it there at some point after the two of them had made their plan.

 “Of course, you know I’m always prepared.” Scott answered and then started rummaging through the bin. “I wasn’t sure what kind of thing you were going for so I just brought a little of everything.” Scott explained.

 “Oh, uh, I just figured I would leave that to you.” Jimmy said with a slight laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I-I wouldn’t know what looks good or anything.”

 Scott hummed and thought for a moment. He looked Jimmy up and down and then started his rummaging back up. He pulled out a small box, well, relatively, it was still a lot bigger than Jimmy, and then the lid for said box. “I think this box is cute. And it’s small but big enough to fit you comfortably inside.” Scott explained. Jimmy went up to it and looked it over. The box was cute, with little snowmen and snowflakes dotted around.

 “I think it’s perfect!” Jimmy said with a grin and so Scott grabbed a pin and poked a few, needle sized holes in the box so they wouldn’t have to worry about Jimmy losing air. Not that he should be in there long enough for that to happen but it was better to be safe than sorry. Scott put the box back down when he was finished and then looked between the box and Jimmy.

 “It’s still missing something though…” Scott trailed off and then went back to the bin. Jimmy simply watched as Scott pulled out an icey blue ribbon. “Here we go. I can wrap this over the box once you're inside.” Scott said.

 Jimmy looked between the ribbon and the box. The two really did fit perfectly together and it would keep the box together without having to use tape or anything like that. Jimmy nodded. “Sounds good! Are we…ready to do this then?” Jimmy asked, feeling a bit nervous all of a sudden.

 Scott hummed, once again in thought. He looked between the ribbon and Jimmy and the smirk that started appearing on his face made Jimmy’s heart rate spike. “Actually,” Scott started. “I think we can take this a step further.”

 And that was how Jimmy ended up tied up in the blue ribbon.

 Jimmy pulled against his binds, frowning slightly as it gave no give. Scott had carefully tied the ribbon around his chest, wound it down his legs, and then went back up to wrap it a few more times around his waist before tying the last little bit into a bow that rested in front of his stomach. He also made sure his arms were pinned at his sides as he tied Jimmy up, making his arms just as trapped as the rest of him and basically leaving him motionless. “Was this really necessary?” Jimmy asked, looking up at Scott.

 “Of course! You look so cute all wrapped up with a little bow.” Scott said with a small laugh as he adjusted the bow on Jimmy’s front slightly. “If you're giving yourself as a gift, then you gotta look the part.”

 Jimmy grumbled a bit and pulled against his restraints one last time before sighing. “I guess you’re right…”

 “I always am.” Scott said with far too much confidence. At least in Jimmy’s opinion. “Trust me, Tango and Skizz are going to love it.”

 “I hope so.” Jimmy said, more to himself than anything. 

 “Are you ready to get in now?” Scott asked and Jimmy nodded. Scott scooped the borrower up and gently slid him off his hand and into the box. With Jimmy now sat within, Scott lifted up the lid with the intent to put it on.

 “Oh, wait!” Jimmy suddenly said and watched as Scott froze. Concern crossed Scott’s features as he met Jimmy’s eyes.

 “Yeah? Is everything okay?” Scott asked and Jimmy smiled a bit. Despite how Scott could be sometimes, he still cared. Jimmy of course knew this but sometimes the reminder was nice.

 “Yeah, sorry, I just…thank you Scott, for…for helping me with this.” Jimmy said, his tone a bit shy as he glanced away from Scott’s eyes. Scott blinked but then smiled at him fondly, letting out a little sigh.

 “You know I’m always happy to help when it comes to you.” Scott’s smile turned more into a smirk as he winked at Jimmy. Jimmy felt his cheeks warm a bit. “And I’d say this is a long time coming anyway.” Scott continued, before he finally placed the lid over the little box. Jimmy was washed in darkness, his only bit of light coming from the needle sized holes Scott had poked through the box earlier. 

 There was some shuffling as Jimmy assumed Scott was wrapping the blue ribbon around the box. “There we go. Alright, I’m heading back out there now.” As Scott said this, Jimmy felt his stomach somersault as he suddenly felt himself being lifted into the air. Jimmy settled in quickly though, doing his best to stay quiet as Scott started to walk out of the kitchen area and back toward the front and main eating area of the restaurant.

 He thought back to Scott’s words as he squirmed slightly against the ribbon, feeling the smooth and cool silk against his skin. This really was a long time coming. Tango and Skizz had been offering up their place to him for months now. Ever since they discovered Jimmy within the walls of their restaurant, they had offered for him to come and live with them.

 Jimmy had said no every time. He was fine at the restaurant, it was his home and had been for three years now. And…it was one thing to see Tango and Skizz for short amounts of time during a work day and another thing entirely to actually live with them. And, to be honest, the thought still made him nervous. But over time, the more Jimmy spent time with them, the more Jimmy began to like the idea of seeing Skizz and Tango all the time.

 He had only just made up his mind a couple of weeks ago. He had initially planned on telling them that day, but that night, Tango and Skizz had stayed late at the restaurant to hang out and they ended up watching a movie on Tango’s phone. His humans had called it a Hallmark movie, which was apparently a really cheesy Christmas romcom. It was a fine movie but it was one scene in particular that sparked an idea in Jimmy’s head.

 In one of the scenes, the man held out a closed box to the women. At first, Jimmy thought he was proposing. But then the women opened it and it wasn’t a ring but a key. The man’s gift to the woman was inviting her to move in with him.

 And that’s what gave Jimmy the idea to gift himself to Tango and Skizz, as a way to tell them yes, he wanted to move in with them. Essentially, he would be the key.

 …Okay, so it was a bit of a silly idea. But Jimmy was known for doing silly things anyway and so he still decided to go for it. Jimmy ended up going to Scott, a friend of his who he met through Tango and Skizz, to help him with his idea. He went to Scott above the others because, while Scott would still tease him about the idea, he knew Scott would also help him and find the importance in what Jimmy wanted to do.

 And so, at Tango and Skizz’s yearly Christmas party that they hosted for all their friends at their restaurant, Jimmy and Scott put Jimmy’s plan into action.

 And now Jimmy was here, wrapped up and about to give himself to his two friends as a way to say, hey! I do want to live with you guys!

 …He really hoped this turned out well.

 He tuned back into his surroundings as he heard Scott speak from above him. “Wrapping things up then?” Scott asked, his voice casual. Jimmy realized then that the once loud sounds of the party had quieted considerably.

 “Yeah, it’s getting pretty late. And I know we all still have to get ready for actual Christmas.” Tango chuckled.

 “You two need help cleaning up?” Scott asked and Jimmy thought back briefly to the mess the restaurant had been in before he had disappeared with Scott. It would definitely take a while to clean up.

 “Nah.” Skizz’s voice chimed in. “We were just gonna leave it for tonight. We’re closed for the holiday’s anyway, so no reason to get things in shape yet. But we appreciate it!” Jimmy could just see the big grin on Skizz’s face and even the mental image of it made Jimmy smile too.

 “If you say so.” Scott chuckled and then Jimmy felt the box rattle a little more as he assumed Scott brought the box forward. “By the way, Jimmy wanted me to give you this.”

 “Oh?” Tango said, perking up. Jimmy felt the box switch hands. “A present from Jimmy?” He sounded excited.

 “A present from Jiggles!?” Skizz exclaimed with even more excitement.

 “Yep. I helped him out with it. But he said he wanted you two to wait until you got home to open it.” Scott said, telling them what Jimmy wanted him to. He wanted this to be a private moment between the three of them and so having them open him at home was the best way to do that. Besides, he thought it would have more meaning if they opened him in the place he would soon be living in.

 “Speaking of, have you seen Jimmy? He seems to have disappeared and we wanted to say goodbye before we headed out.” Tango asked, pulling the box closer to him as he did so. Jimmy only knew this from the sudden fluid motion and the now faint heartbeat he could just barely make out through the cardboard.

 “Actually, I think he went to bed already. Said he was really tired from all the excitement.” The other reason Jimmy got Scott’s help was because of how good of an actor he was. He lied to Tango and Skizz like it was nothing.

 “Aww man.” Skizz said with a pout. “I guess that’s fair though. This party probably had more humans than he’s ever dealt with at once.”

 “I guess we’ll just have to talk to him tomorrow.” Tango said, though he too sounded disappointed. Jimmy bit his lip, feeling a bit guilty about having Scott lie to them. But hopefully it would be worth it for the surprise.

 “Well, I’m heading out. It was a great time!” Scott said, his voice getting a bit fainter, more far away as Jimmy assumed he was walking toward the door.

 “See ya Scotty!” Skizz shouted.

 “And make sure you’re careful with that present! It’s fragile!” Scott yelled back one more time before Jimmy heard the familiar bell of the door open and soon close behind him.

 Jimmy continued to simply sit and listen as the rest of their friends left, the restaurant getting quieter and quieter until it was just Tango and Skizz (and Jimmy) left. “I guess it’s about time we headed out too.” Skizz said and Jimmy heard some shifting of items. Skizz must have just been doing a quick clean.

 “Yep, time to close up shop.” Tango said, despite their ‘shop’ being closed for most of the day already. Though at this point Jimmy knew it was more of a human expression than actually what Tango meant.

 As they started to move, so did the box, swaying him gently. As they entered outside, even from within the box, Jimmy could feel the cool night air nip at his skin. The ribbon, though covering a lot of him, still did little to keep out the cold. 

 Thankfully, they weren’t out in the cold for long. Jimmy soon heard the signs of a door opening and felt some rough movement that was quickly followed by Skizz’s voice. “Hey, careful! Scott said it was fragile, remember?” Neither of them had even been that rough but it was sweet that they cared so much about a gift he had given them. And that was without them knowing he was the one in there.

 “Right, sorry.” The slight tilt of the box was fixed and then the engine of the car roared to life. Jimmy jumped, surprised by the sudden noise. He had never been in a car before though he should have expected it to be loud.

 It got even louder as the music was turned on and Skizz started singing loudly to it, Tango jumping in shortly after some coaxing from Skizz. It was loud but Jimmy also couldn’t help but enjoy it. They sounded like they were having fun, singing and laughing. It was not unlike what he had seen while in the restaurant but here, right now, they seemed so much more…relaxed. Jimmy had only seen them like this a few times before. It was nice. He was excited to be able to see it all the time.

 The car ride wasn’t long. Tango and Skizz always told him they only lived about 20 minutes from the restaurant. So, before Jimmy knew it, the engine cut, the music turned off and the box he was in started to move again as both humans got out of the car. Jimmy pushed against his bindings slightly, his muscles starting to ache just a bit from his stiff position. Why had he let Scott tie him up again?

 Well, it didn’t matter too much now. Tango and Skizz would be opening the gift any moment now and he would be free soon enough.

 His heart pounded at the thought that after months of being asked, of weeks planning this whole thing to tell him he accepted, that this was finally happening.

 He was starting to second guess himself now, just a little bit. As Tango and Skizz entered their home, talking above him, Jimmy hoped this wasn’t the wrong way to go about this. Scott had liked the idea but would Tango and Skizz? He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down, there was no backing out of this now anyway.

 “Should we open up Jimmy’s present now?” Tango asked after a moment of hanging up their coats and toeing off their shoes. Tango’s tone was filled with barely contained excitement that had Jimmy’s heart racing.

 “Absolutely!” Skizz all but shouted, sounding just as excited as Tango and even more so than he had back at the restaurant. He could feel them walk a bit more before settling down again. Jimmy could only assume they were both sitting on a couch or something similar. “I can’t wait to see what Jiggles got us. What do you think it is?” Skizz asked after a moment and Jimmy could just picture the big grin on his face.

 “Not sure. Scott said he helped him out with it so the possibilities are all over the place.” Tango answered in reply and then Jimmy’s stomach did a little flip as the box was suddenly lifted up higher. “Thankfully, we don’t have to guess, cause we can open it right now.” Tango said with a laugh.

 “Right, let’s not waste anymore time!” Skizz exclaimed and with the brief silence that followed, Jimmy could just picture them untying the ribbon that wound around the box. Even if there was no audible indication that they were doing so. And then, the moment of truth, the lid of the box was carefully lifted off, drowning Jimmy in light as he suddenly found himself staring up at Tango and Skizz.

 Both humans’ eyes went wide as they saw Jimmy, Skizz’s mouth even fell open in shock. Jimmy cleared his throat, feeling his nerves spike. “Um, surprise?” Jimmy said, a little less enthusiastically than what he had initially planned but he was also a lot more nervous than he had been expecting.

 “Wha-Jimmy?” Tango said, leaning in just a bit more to get a better look at Jimmy within the box. “What are you doing in there?”

 “And why are you all tied up?” Skizz chimed in, shock and confusion overlapping each other as he leaned in on Jimmy’s other side, since Tango was the one holding the box.

 “Well, uh, Scott thought tying me up would make me more…present like.” Jimmy answered, a slight flush on his face. “It’s uh, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable though.”

 “Aww, well come here, let's get you untangled.” Skizz said before scooping Jimmy out of the box, shifting him to one hand as he started to untie the ribbon wrapped around Jimmy’s body. He pulled at one of the loose pieces on the bow and from there it seemed easy for Skizz to unwrap the rest of the ribbon. Jimmy shivered slightly at Skizz’s touch but he was mostly still.

 Tango put the box down onto the coffee table and leaned in close, watching. His brow furrowed but his features no less fond. “That still doesn’t explain what you were doing in there though.” Tango spoke up after a moment, just as Skizz pulled the rest of the ribbon off of Jimmy and placed it back in the box. Jimmy stretched his limbs and then turned to face Tango. He flushed and then quickly turned away, fidgeting with his hands as he looked down at them.

 “Well…remember how you've been asking me to move in with you guys?” Jimmy asked.

 “Yeah, but we understand why you’ve said no.” Skizz said, reassuring Jimmy of his previous responses.

 “We don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to.” Tango chimed in as well. Jimmy glanced up at the two of them, a small smile forming on his face. And that was exactly why he felt ready now to live with them. They had proven time and time again that they cared about him and they never treated him like any less of a person just because of his size. Even now they were reassuring him that he was in charge of himself and that they understood why Jimmy had said no to them in the past. And they had always respected his decision too. Never doing more than putting the offer back on the table every once in a while.

 They really were the best.

 He took a deep breath.

 “I know, and I really appreciate that.” Jimmy looked up at the two humans fully. “But this whole thing is…me gifting myself to you guys. As a way to say that I want to live with you two and be a full part of your lives.” There, it was out in the open now. Jimmy felt his heart flutter with nerves but they were quickly reassured as two giant grins formed on Skizz and Tango’s faces.

 “Really?” Tango said, his tone full of barely contained excitement. Jimmy could practically see him trying his hardest not to bounce up and down from it.

 “Yes!” Skizz exclaimed, not trying as hard to subdue his reaction. “Oh Jimmy, dude, we are going to have a blast with you living here.” Skizz said, his grin big. Jimmy couldn’t help but match it.

 “I’m excited for it.” Jimmy said, looking at his two humans fondly. “Thank you for offering.”

 “Thank you for accepting.” Tango said and then gently scooped him up off of Skizz’s hands so he could hold him close. “I think I speak for both Skizz and I when I say this is the best present we’ve ever gotten.”

 “Oh, by a mile!” Skizz responded with a laugh.

 Jimmy smiled fondly at the two as they started talking about setting up a space for Jimmy and what kind of stuff they could plan for their first Christmas all together. As they talked, Tango continued to hold Jimmy up against his chest, his thumb subconsciously rubbing at his back. Jimmy sighed in relief as he leaned into the touch, wondering how he had ever been worried about what the outcome of this would be. Of course they would be happy, they were amazing.

 As their voices washed over him, excited and coming up with idea after idea on how to include Jimmy in their lives, Jimmy knew he had made the right choice.

[szariahwroteit]

FUNGIRL A Trent Alexander-Arnold + Original Character Erotic series.

Chapter 7

18+ Minors DNI

The thin cotton of Amber’s T-shirt clung to her pert nipples as she raised her arms, pulling her hair into a messy bun. Trent smiled lazily over the FaceTime call, melting into his seat as he relished the visual.

As he sat there, his gaze drifted to the three elegant bouquets of velvety roses arranged neatly behind her. The vibrant red of the petals caught his eye, pulling at the corners of his consciousness. A cloud of uncertainty settled in his stomach, and his smile wavered slightly. “Someone’s pleased with you,” Trent remarked, trying to mask the surge of anxiety that twisted within him, betraying his feelings at that moment.

“Thank you! We closed on a case that I’d been working on for a few months. My colleague Kenneth gave them to me,” Amber explained, a soft smile spreading across her lips as she glanced over his shoulder at the flowers she’d been gifted earlier.

“Congratulations!” Trent smiled, clearing his throat as he attempted to stop his mind from going to the worst places.

Outside of her—her body, the way she viewed the present world, her surface-level likes and dislikes, and physical wants and needs—he didn’t know much about Amber’s life, and the revelation made his heart sink.

He had always been drawn to her vibrant energy and infectious laughter, but the more he learned about her professional life, the more he realized how little he truly understood her. The roses were a symbol of her success, but they also highlighted the distance between them—both physical and emotional.

“Thanks! It was tough, but I’m really proud of the outcome,” she said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “Kenneth helped me with some of the finer details of the case, we spent months and countless late nights working to get a win, I’m over the moon.”

Trent nodded, forcing a smile as he tried to mask the unease brewing inside him. “Congratulations. You deserve it. You’ve worked hard.”

The truth was, Trent had no real grasp of the effort that had been poured into the case that she had successfully championed for her client. As he reflected on their relationship, he began to understand the depth of her words when she remarked that he saw her as little more than a source of pleasure. The woman who existed beyond the warm, intimate cocoon they had spun around each other was an enigma to him, a puzzle he was increasingly eager to solve, yet felt wholly unqualified to approach because of his own doing.

He felt terrible.

Every match he asked her to attend, she attended. Whenever he asked her to make the commute from London to Liverpool for him, she did so without question, and he didn’t know much about her day-to-day life outside of what she did as an occupation. 

She’d even faced scrutiny from his friends, degradation and disrespect yet Trent hadn’t paid any attention to the world around her that made Amber Webb the woman she was. 

He finally understood why she was so hesitant to accept the earrings he sent her and threw his flowers out. It was Trent doing what he thought was right, not what she actually needed of him. 

“Are you doing anything to celebrate?” Trent asked in an attempt to mask his current inner turmoil.

“Not really, we’re having after-work drinks on Friday and then it’s on to the next case I guess,” Amber shrugged. 

“Do you have any other plans this weekend?” Trent asked, the knot in his stomach tightening ever so slightly. 

“No,” she confirmed. 

“Then would you like to come up to Liverpool after your work drinks?” Trent asked, the cogs in his head already turning. 

“I’d like that, but the commute…” Amber trailed off. 

“Leave it to me,” Trent interjected. “I’ll figure it out,” he continued, surprised by the vulnerability present in his voice.

And so, when Friday rolled around Amber and her colleagues made their way out of the office for the weekend, she messaged Trent to let him know the name of the bar they were heading to and left the rest up to him. 

She knew that yesterday evening’s football match against a team she couldn't remember the name of was the last game of the week for Trent and his teammates and that was about it. 

Whenever they exchanged words over the phone, he had consistently kept his plans under wraps, leaving her in a state of suspense. Despite the flutter of nerves that churned within her, Amber found herself relishing the thrill of uncertainty and spontaneity that came with it.

“I need a whole bottle of wine to myself,” Amber’s colleague Isabella sighed dramatically as both women climbed into the cab set to take them over to the bar. “This week has been tedious.”

“It has,” Amber agreed, a smile creeping onto her face when her phone vibrated in her hand, the black screen coming to life as a response from Trent came through. 

Trent: Have a good time with your colleagues, we’ll have our fun later 😏

The message was rather flirty and made Amber’s cheeks warm as she read it over, before responding and putting her phone back into her purse. 

“Who has you smiling like that?” Isabella asked teasingly, playfully poking Amber’s dimpled cheek as she attempted to sneak a peek at her phone. 

“No one,” Amber blushed, dulling any suspicion as Trent took over her thoughts, holding them captive as they drove through the city. 

“Is it Kenneth?” Isabella asked, her eyes widening in shock. 

“No, it's not Kenneth. It's someone else, he's…a friend.” Amber explained trying not to give too much away. 

“Would you ever go there with Kenneth?” Isabella pressed, her curiosity piqued.

Amber hesitated, the question hanging in the air. Kenneth was a great colleague, she appreciated his mentorship, and he was incredibly easy on the eye, but the thought of anything romantic with him felt off. “No, I don’t think so. He’s more like a big brother to me. I really value our professional relationship.”

Isabella nodded, but her expression remained skeptical.

“What?” Amber asked in amusement as she took in Isabella’s expression, it was clear she had more to say. 

“It's obvious he likes you, have you never noticed?”

Amber rolled her eyes and laughed, shaking her head as she leaned back in her seat, the soft hum of the taxi driving through the night serving as background noise. "Isabella, we're colleagues. Yes, I think he respects and maybe even fancies me, but professionally, nothing's ever crossed the line. He's never made a move, and I've never considered him as anything more."

"Sometimes as women we don't always notice these things," Isabella argued with a raised eyebrow. "Your job's high pressure and your focus is always elsewhere, it's not unusual for people to feel unnoticed if someone's interested but never expresses it."

"Fair point," Amber conceded, though she still didn't see Kenneth in any other light than a valued mentor. As for potential suitors, she had no room in her mind for anyone besides Trent, and lately, that connection had become increasingly complicated.

“As handsome and friendly as Kenneth may be, my attention is elsewhere,” she continued vaguely. 

Isabella pressed her lips together, still appearing unsatisfied with Amber's response. "Well, if he's such a good colleague, you should at least consider being kind to him. Someone might miss out on feeling special if you keep passing him up."

"Who says I'm passing him up? Like I said, he's more like a brother to me. I value the professional relationship we have," Amber defended, her tone a touch firmer now as they pulled up to the bar.

The neon lights of the establishment cast a gaudy glow over the vehicle as they climbed out onto the sidewalk, their heels clicking against the pavement. As they stepped inside, the familiar hum of conversation and clinking glasses enveloped them like a warm blanket.

Isabella stopped at the bar, ordering a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for herself before turning to Amber. "I'm heading to the ladies' room. Do you need anything while I'm in there?"

“Just for you to come back out with a change of heart and at least flirt with him,” Isabella smirked. “The same for you?” she asked as the bartender placed a crisp glass of wine in front of her. 

“Yes please,” Amber smiled before turning on her heels and heading in the direction of the restroom. 

After relieving herself, she lingered at the sink, enjoying the refreshing feel of cool water as she thoroughly washed her hands. Once dry, she reached into her purse and retrieved her favourite lip gloss, the shimmering tube catching the light. With a careful application, she coated her lips in a glossy, vibrant hue, adding a touch of glamour to her appearance. Satisfied, she ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing the strands into place, before making her way back out to the lively atmosphere of the bar.

“There she is!” Isabella smiled as she held up Amber’s glass to her, now joined by a few of their colleagues including Kenneth who had changed out of the suit he wore earlier in the office into a more casual outfit of jeans, sneakers and a knitted sweater. 

Amber felt a flutter of nerves as she approached the group, her heart racing slightly at the sight of Kenneth. He looked effortlessly handsome, his dark tapered waves shaped to perfection and his smile warm as he caught her eye. She returned his smile, but the moment was fleeting as she was quickly swept into the lively banter of her colleagues.

“Amber! You made it!” one of her coworkers exclaimed, pulling her into a friendly hug. The atmosphere was electric, laughter and chatter filling the air as they settled into their evening.

“Cheers to a successful week!” Isabella raised her glass, and the others followed suit, clinking their drinks together in a toast. Amber felt a wave of camaraderie wash over her, the weight of the week lifting as she took a sip of her wine.

As the night wore on, the conversation flowed easily, and Amber found herself enjoying the company of her colleagues. They shared stories, jokes, and laughter, but every so often, her gaze would drift to Kenneth. He was engaged in conversation with another colleague, but every now and then, he would glance her way, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“Are you going to keep staring at him, or are you going to say something?” Isabella teased, nudging Amber playfully.

Amber rolled her eyes, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “I’m not staring! It's… you made things awkward now.”

“I didn't do anything wrong,” Isabella winked, and Amber couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, okay, maybe I’m a little distracted,” she admitted, her heart racing at the thought of Kenneth’s attention. But her mind quickly flickered back to Trent, the anticipation of their plans later that night sending a thrill through her.

“Speaking of distractions, what’s the deal with that guy you were texting earlier?” Isabella asked, her tone shifting to a more serious note. 

“It's a little complicated,” Amber said honestly, her heart fluttering as she thought about the rather complex situation she’d found herself in. 

As if Trent had a sixth sense Amber’s purse began to vibrate as her phone rang inside of it. Placing her glass down on the bar, she lifted the flap on her bag and pulled out her phone. 

She couldn't help the smile that took over her features as she Trent’s call and placed the phone to her ear. 

“Hey,” she greeted, her voice warm and inviting, cutting through the ambient noise of the bar.

“Hi, beautiful,” Trent replied, his voice smooth and familiar, sending a rush of excitement through her. “How’s your evening going?”

“It’s great! We’re just getting started, actually. Everyone’s in here,” Amber said, glancing around at her colleagues, who were laughing and chatting animatedly. “How about you? I watched your game last night, congratulations.”

“Not too shabby on both of our parts. We’ve both won,” he chuckled, and she could almost picture the lazy smile on his face. “But I’m more interested in hearing about your night. Are you having fun?”

“Definitely! It’s nice to unwind after a long week,” Amber replied, her heart fluttering at his praise.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Trent asked instantly, making Amber’s eyes widen in surprise as she looked towards the entrance of the bar.

“Are you here?” Amber asked, her voice tinged with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Her cheeks flushed a warm shade of pink as she envisioned the intricacies of her arrangements. The thought of her Premier League star friend with benefits mingling among her colleagues sent a flutter through her stomach, blending excitement with a hint of anxiety about how the evening would unfold, and the questions that would be asked. 

“I’m outside, but I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first,” Trent replied, his tone light but earnest. “I didn’t want to crash your evening.”

Amber bit her lip, weighing her options. She could feel the energy of the bar pulsing around her, the laughter and chatter of her friends creating a warm atmosphere. But the thought of Trent being there, of seeing him in person, sent a thrill through her. “No, I’d love for you to come in! Just… give me a second to prepare myself,” she said, her heart racing.

“Okay, I’ll give you a second,” he replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “See you soon.”

Amber hung up and took a deep breath, her mind racing. She quickly scanned the room, spotting Isabella and the others still engaged in their conversations. She felt a rush of excitement mixed with nerves. What would they think?

The volume of the bar seemed to increase towards the entrance of the bar, bringing with it the patter of Amber’s heart in her chest. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard someone utter Trent’s name. 

When their eyes met across the room, a jolt of electricity surged through Amber. He stood at the entrance, tall and confident, his presence commanding attention. The dim lighting of the bar highlighted the sharp angles of his jaw and the playful glint in his eyes.

Clutching her glass Amber let out a breath she’d been holding as she walked towards Trent, who had been pulled into a conversation with a group of men who asked if he'd take a picture with them. 

Amber slowed down slightly as she made her way towards Trent, trying to calm her nerves. She couldn't help but notice the way his broad shoulders filled out his casual grey sweater, and the way his dark curls had grown slightly since she’d seen him last, his hairline lined to perfection as if he'd just stood from his barber’s chair.

He took a deliberate step away from the conversation, letting the noise around him fade into a dull hum. He could feel the weight of curious gazes upon him, each one filled with a mix of intrigue and recognition. He sensed the silent speculation in the air as onlookers tried to piece together why his face seemed so familiar or, more than that, concluded his identity.

Trent's eyes traced over Amber’s figure as she stood before him, the lowcut blouse, jeans and heels she wore equal parts casual and sexy. 

“Wow,” he breathed, his voice low and husky as he took in the sight of her. “You look stunning.”

Amber felt a blush creep into her cheeks at his compliment, her stomach fluttering with excitement. “Thank you! I wasn’t expecting your company, but I’m glad you’re here.”

Trent stepped closer, the warmth of his body radiating towards her. “I couldn’t resist crashing the party when you’re celebrating a win,” he said, his tone teasing, but there was an earnestness behind his eyes that made her heart race.

With a fleeting glance over her shoulder, Amber noted her colleagues, engaged in their conversations and completely oblivious to the presence of her unexpected guest. She turned her focus back to Trent, her expression softening into a warm smile. Gently, she extended her glass towards him, the polished surface catching the light as he reached out, fingers brushing against hers. He took a careful sip, savouring the drink while their eyes locked for a brief, electric moment.

“Are you going to introduce me to any of your people?” Trent inquired, his brow furrowed in curiosity as he scanned the crowd, trying to decipher which group Amber belonged to. Just then, Isabella turned away from her conversation, her gaze suddenly drawn to Amber. He noticed a flicker of surprise cross her face, her eyes widening as she recognized the woman standing a short distance away.

“Amber, is that…?” Isabella didn’t even finish her sentence before her expression shifted to one of realization and excitement. “No way!”

Trent chuckled, his confidence soaring as he caught the eye of several of Amber’s colleagues, who were now gaping at him in shock and awe. “Hi,” he said playfully, flashing a charming smile that only seemed to terrify them even more.

Amber’s heart raced with a mix of pride and nervousness as she leaned closer to Trent, feeling his warmth seep into her. “Okay, come on. I’ll introduce you,” she said, trying to shake off her wide-eyed disbelief and pass it off as normal behaviour. She led him toward the small cluster of her colleagues, who had momentarily paused their banter, captivated by the presence of the football star.

“Guys, this is Trent,” Amber announced, gesturing towards him. “He's a friend of mine.” She felt her cheeks grow warm as she admitted it, unsure of how her colleagues would respond.

“Trent, this is Isabella and Kenneth,” she continued, pointing out each one. Kenneth's expression was bemused, his mouth slightly agape, as he absorbed everything unfolding before him. 

“Wow, nice to meet you!” Isabella said, flashing a smile of genuine enthusiasm while the other colleagues introduced themselves, their excitement palpable.

Kenneth, however, was still standing a beat too long in silence, assessing Trent with a guarded expression. “So, you’re Amber’s, um, friend,” he remarked, tone casual but with an edge of something more possessive underneath. 

Trent turned his attention fully to Kenneth, eyebrows raised with playful challenge. “You could say that.” He shot back with a sly smile, his teasing tone igniting an internal tension that sparked to life igniting the air between them.

Trent had never been an insecure man, nor was he a controlling one in arenas he didn't have to be, but there was something about Kenneth, something about his proximity to Amber that he didn't feel. 

She wasn't his girlfriend, but given their situation, there was a level of possessiveness that Trent had adopted when it came to Amber. 

The idea that the two good-looking twenty-something-year-olds spent hours on end together was a fact he didn't want to ponder on and in an instant, he'd to his verdict. 

He didn't like Kenneth.

Trent stayed close to Amber as he engaged in small talk with her work friends, doing his best to keep his wandering hands at bay. 

“Can I get a round of drinks?” he asked, purposefully slipping his hand around Amber’s waist, leaning into her as she said something enthusiastically to Isabella. 

“Wines good,” Amber confirmed, holding up her half-empty glass, her breath hitching in her throat when she felt Trent’s fingertips on the skin of her stomach as he listened to the orders of the rest of the group. 

As Trent carried their drinks back to their cluster, his fingers brushed against Amber's lower back, sparking a tingle that ran through her. He placed her glass in her hand, his touch lingering just a beat too long, making it clear that he was as affected by their intimate moments as she was. 

Trent's gaze softened as it met Amber's, the air between them charged with a current of tension and desire. For a fleeting moment, the noise of the bar faded away, leaving only the two of them suspended in a cocoon of raw emotion. 

But reality snapped them back in an instant, their surroundings demanding their attention once more. Amber sipped her wine, her thoughts racing as she tried to process the surreal situation; Trent standing among her colleagues, making small talk as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

As the evening went on, Amber found herself fully at ease in the moment, slightly giddy from a combination of the wine she’d consumed and Trent’s presence. 

But beneath the surface of her carefree laughter, she could sense the tension; Kenneth and Trent were exchanging glances, a silent battle of wills playing out in the backdrop. Kenneth’s practised charm felt a touch too deliberate, while Trent’s confidence exuded a raw, lingering energy directed solely at her.

“Another round?” Kenneth asked, attempting to divert the attention back to the drinks, his voice smooth as he regarded Amber. “How about a shot to celebrate your victory?” He leaned closer, his fingers brushing against her exposed collarbone. The contact sent an involuntary shiver down her spine, though she couldn't ignore the discomfort that flickered in Trent’s eyes as he watched.

She noticed Trent’s relaxed demeanour shift slightly, tension curling at the corners of his mouth.

As Kenneth leaned in closer, Amber could feel the warmth radiating from him, but it was an oddly misplaced warmth—one that made her acutely aware of Trent's presence just a breath away. She turned her gaze back to Trent, whose expression had shifted. A subtle tension gripped the space between them, and Amber's heart raced in response.

“Maybe we should skip the shots,” Trent interjected, his tone light but layered with something deeper, an underlying challenge that only Amber seemed to notice. 

“Oh come on, Trent,” Kenneth said, his voice dripping with casual confidence. “Amber has just achieved something incredible; she deserves to celebrate.” The way Kenneth's gaze lingered on Amber made her feel exposed as if she were caught in the crossfire of a power play.

“I have a surprise waiting on her,” Trent replied, his smile never faltering, but the intensity in his eyes spoke volumes.

“Oh really?” Kenneth’s brow furrowed slightly, leaning back as he assessed the situation. “What kind of surprise?” The amusement in his tone was at odds with the tension radiating from Trent, who stood protectively close to Amber, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back.

Trent didn’t break eye contact with Kenneth, his expression a mix of amusement and defiance. “Let’s just say it’s something that’ll take us away from this place for a while.” 

Amber’s heart raced at the thought. She felt a rush of excitement and curiosity flood through her alongside the growing tension. “What do you mean?” she asked, looking back and forth between the two men, trying to gauge Kenneth’s reaction and Trent’s intent.

Trent’s eyes flickered toward her, softening momentarily. “I arranged for us to take a helicopter ride back to my mansion in Liverpool after your drinks. I thought it might be a fun way to kick off the weekend.”

Kenneth’s demeanour shifted. The confident smirk slipped from his face as the reality of the situation set in. “A helicopter ride?” he repeated, trying to mask his surprise and jealousy.

Amber bit her lip, trying to process the grand gesture. The idea of soaring through the night together, feeling the wind tousle her hair as the city lights twinkled below them, sent a thrill through her. Yet she couldn’t ignore the weight of Kenneth’s glare, a silent challenge in his gaze.

Amber wasn’t sure what any of this was, but until Isabelle had taken the time to point out Kenneth’s behaviour towards her, she hadn’t noticed it. 

The unspoken energy between the two men was palpable, hanging heavy in the air like a storm cloud on the horizon. Kenneth seemed to bristle at the suggestion, his earlier carefree attitude evaporating, replaced by an uneasy silence.

Amber felt caught in the middle, torn between two different worlds—the life she led with her colleagues and the whirlwind of intimacy she shared with Trent. She could sense the undercurrent of jealousy emanating from Kenneth, an emotion that stoked the simmering tension.

“Are you ready?” Trent asked, his voice low and inviting, drawing Amber's attention back to him. The warmth in his gaze made her heart race, and she felt a thrill of anticipation ahead of the adventure he had planned.

Isabelle and Kenneth watched the interaction between Amber and Trent, as they readied themselves to leave the bar and head to Liverpool. 

“Do you have everything?” he asked softly as she pulled her thick winter coat over her shoulders and fastened the buttons. 

“Have a good weekend,” Isabelle smirked knowingly, already anticipating her catch-up with Amber on Monday morning at the office. 

“Be safe,” Kenneth added, his tone a mix of concern and something else—perhaps a hint of possessiveness that Amber couldn’t quite place. She caught his eye, and for a moment, the air between them crackled with unspoken words. 

“Thanks, Kenneth,” Amber replied, forcing a smile as she felt Trent’s presence beside her, a reassuring warmth that made her feel bold. 

“Let’s go,” Trent said, his voice steady and confident as he gently placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the exit. The gesture sent a thrill through her, and she couldn’t help but glance back at Kenneth, whose expression was a mixture of disappointment and something darker.

As they stepped outside, the cool night air hit Amber’s face, invigorating her senses. She looked up at the starry sky, feeling a rush of excitement at the thought of the helicopter ride. Trent led her to a sleek black car waiting at the curb, the driver stepping out to open the door for them.

“Ready?” Trent asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he slid into the back seat beside her.

“Absolutely,” Amber replied, her heart racing. She felt a mix of exhilaration and nervousness, the thrill of the unknown ahead of them.

As the car pulled away from the bar, Amber glanced out the window, watching the city lights blur by. She could feel Trent’s gaze on her, and when she turned to meet his eyes, the intensity of his stare sent a shiver down her spine.

“Tell me more about this case you won,” he prompted, leaning in slightly, his voice low and inviting. “I want to know what you’ve been working so hard on.”

Amber smiled, grateful for his interest. “It was a complex case involving the separation of a merger that joined in the early 2000s. There were thousands of documents to go through and hours of emails, but I was able to come to an agreement that both parties were happy with. It was exhausting but rewarding to see it all come together in the end.”

Trent nodded, genuinely intrigued. “It sounds like you put your heart into it.”

“I had to,” she agreed. “My dad always says you either took up law because you're crazy or you love it,” Amber smiled softly, making Trent do the same. 

“Sounds like you’re a little bit of both,” he teased, his eyes sparkling with admiration. “But seriously, it’s impressive. I love that you’re so passionate about your work.”

Amber felt a warmth spread through her at his words. “Thanks, Trent. It means a lot to hear that from you.” She paused, her expression turning slightly more serious. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am, and it’s nice to have someone recognize that.”

Trent leaned back in his seat, his gaze steady on her. “You deserve all the recognition and more.”

Amber’s heart fluttered at his sincerity. “Thank you, Trent,” she blushed. “I really appreciate it. It’s been a while since someone told me they're proud of me.”

Trent smiled, his expression softening and his heart cracking, he pitied her. 

“I’m proud of you, Amber. You’re doing incredible things, and I want you to know that I see you,” he said, his voice sincere. “Not just as the woman I’m attracted to, but as a talented professional who’s doing something and making her mark in the world.”

Amber felt a rush of emotion at his words, a mixture of gratitude and something deeper. “That means a lot to me, Trent. I sometimes feel like I’m just wading.”

“You’re not a distraction,” he replied firmly, his gaze unwavering. “You’re someone I want to be around, and I want to be part of your life, not just the fun parts. I want to know everything about you—the good, the bad.”

Amber smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her. “I want that too. Life is just crazy, I guess.”

Trent reached out, taking her hand in his, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a soothing gesture. “We can figure it out together. Just take it one step at a time. And tonight, let’s enjoy this adventure. No pressure.”

Amber nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. “You’re right. Let’s just enjoy this.”

As the car approached the helipad, Amber’s excitement bubbled over. She could see the helicopter waiting, its blades spinning gently in the night air. The sight sent a thrill through her, and she turned to Trent, her eyes wide with anticipation.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked, his voice low and playful.

“More than ready!” Amber replied, her heart racing at the thought of taking to the sky. 

As they stepped out of the car, the cool night air enveloped them, heightening Amber's senses. She looked up at the helicopter, its sleek design gleaming under the moonlight, and felt a rush of exhilaration. Trent's hand remained firmly clasped around hers, a reassuring presence as they approached the aircraft.

“Just a few safety checks, and we’ll be on our way,” Trent said, his excitement palpable. Amber could see the thrill in his eyes, and it made her heart race even faster.

The pilot greeted them with a nod, and Trent helped Amber into the helicopter, ensuring she was securely seated before taking his place beside her. The interior was surprisingly spacious, with plush seats and large windows that promised breathtaking views.

“Ready?” Trent asked, his voice low and filled with promise. 

“Yes,” Amber replied, her pulse quickening. She could hardly believe this was happening.

As the pilot began the pre-flight checks, Amber turned to Trent, her heart swelling with affection. “Thank you for this. It’s incredible.”

Trent smiled, his gaze warm and sincere. “You deserve it. I wanted to do something special to celebrate your success. You’ve worked hard, and I want you to know how much I admire that.”

Amber felt a flutter in her chest at his words. “It means a lot to me, Trent. I’ve never had anyone go out of their way like this for me before.”

“Then let’s make it a night to remember,” he said, his voice filled with promise.

The helicopter lifted off the ground, and Amber felt a rush of adrenaline as they ascended into the night sky. The city below them sparkled like a sea of stars, and she couldn’t help but gasp in awe. The view was breathtaking, and she turned to Trent, her eyes wide with wonder.

“Look at that!” she exclaimed, pointing out the twinkling lights of the city. “It’s beautiful!”

Trent leaned closer, his shoulder brushing against hers. “Just wait until we get higher. It’s even more crazy up there.”

As they climbed higher, the world below faded away, and Amber felt a sense of freedom wash over her. The worries and stresses of her life seemed to dissipate, replaced by the exhilaration of the moment. She glanced at Trent, who was watching her with a soft smile, and her heart swelled.

“Thank you for being here with me,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“You’re welcome,” he replied, his gaze steady and sincere. “You deserve it.”

Amber felt a warmth spread through her at his words. Everything felt a little too perfect and it scared her. 

The journey from London to Liverpool was filled with laughter and shared stories, the hum of the helicopter blending with their voices as they navigated the heights together. Amber felt a sense of connection with Trent that she hadn’t fully grasped before, a bond that transcended their physical attraction and ventured into something deeper.

As they soared above the city, the lights twinkling like stars beneath them, Amber couldn’t help but steal glances at Trent. His profile was illuminated by the soft glow of the cockpit lights, and she admired the way his eyes sparkled with excitement.

Her heart raced as the helicopter climbed higher, the wind whipping through the open windows, creating a thrilling sensation that added to her excitement. She could feel a heady mix of adrenaline and longing as she reached out, her fingers brushing against Trent's arm as she pointed out various landmarks below, her excitement bubbling over.

“This is amazing! I can see the river! And look at the skyline!” she exclaimed. The world below was a patchwork of lights, shimmering like diamonds scattered across velvet fabric.

Trent turned to her, his expression a mixture of pride and endearment. “Just wait until we’re over the water. The view is even more breathtaking from there.”

His words sent shivers down Amber’s spine, not just because of the awe of the scenery, but because of the intensity of his gaze. At that moment, she realized just how much he meant to her. As the city continued to fade into the distance below, she felt liberated—free from the constraints of her thoughts that often weighed her down.

As they flew over the shimmering waters of the Mersey, Amber couldn’t help but turn to Trent, her voice barely above a whisper. “This is the most incredible thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

Trent’s expression softened, his eyes never leaving hers. “You deserve everything good in your life, Amber.” 

A flutter of warmth spread through her at his words, and she felt a thrill course through her veins. Their eyes held steadily, each heartbeat echoing like drum beats, further closing the gap between the two, bringing them closer to that tension they both felt but had yet to fully acknowledge.

Within those electrifying moments, the helicopter banked gracefully over the coastline, the night sky wrapping them in a cocoon of serenity and allure. Amber marvelled at the rolling waves illuminated by the moonlight, casting an ethereal glow over the water.

By the time the helicopter landed Amber felt as though she was stepping out of a dream as Trent helped her climb out of the aircraft. 

“That was amazing,” Amber gushed as took in the sprawling fields around them, turning to look at Trent who had pulled out his key to unlock his car parked a few yards away from the helicopter. 

Holding out his hand to Amber, he guided her towards the svelte black car, the way he moved with confidence making her heart flutter. 

When they finally made it to Trent’s house, Amber removed her heels eager to rid herself of them before heading upstairs to his bedroom to finally decompress after a long and rather precarious day, with Trent following close behind. 

“Finish whatever you’re doing and come to me,” he murmured softly against Amber's lips, his breath warm and inviting. With a teasing grin, he pulled away, playfully catching her lower lip between his teeth for a brief moment before releasing it.

Amber felt a shiver run down her spine as she watched him turn on his heel, his confident strides carrying him across the room and out of sight. Left alone in the intimate setting of his bathroom, she could hear the faint sounds of his movements in the distance as he settled on his bed, awaiting her.

Her heart raced with anticipation as she reached for the hem of her blouse, she pulled it over her head, the fabric grazing her skin before she tossed it casually into Trent’s laundry hamper. Next, she turned her attention to her jeans, unbuttoning and sliding them off with a fluid motion, sending them to join her blouse in the hamper. Now standing in Trent’s bathroom clad only in her delicate lingerie, she felt an intoxicating mix of vulnerability and boldness, the anticipation of what was to come taking over her movements. 

Making her way out of the bathroom Amber slowly made her way into Trent’s bedroom, her breathing steady as their eyes met. 

“Come here, Amber,” Trent commanded, his voice soft yet filled with dominance as he eyed her hungrily. 

Amber stepped closer to him, the anticipation that hung between the palpable as she stood at the end of the bed. 

Sitting up, Trent shifted toward the end of his bed, his eyes never leaving Amber's as he reached out for her, pulling her to stand between his parted legs as his hands traced the curves of her shapely hips and thighs, leaning forward to press a soft kiss just above her pantyline as his eyes flicked up to her face.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his voice filled with want. “I want you in every way.”

Feeling a wave of desire come over her, Amber titled her hips towards Trent’s lips, her breathing uneven as she looked down at him. 

“I want you too,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper, filled with a mix of longing and urgency. The heat radiating from Trent's body was intoxicating, and she felt herself drawn closer, as if an invisible force was pulling her into his orbit.

Trent's hands moved with a gentle yet firm touch, exploring the delicate fabric of her lingerie, his fingers tracing the lace edges as he savored the moment.

Amber's heart raced as she leaned down, her lips brushing against his in a soft, tentative kiss. The connection ignited a fire within her, and she deepened the kiss, feeling Trent respond with equal intensity. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer until she was pressed against him, the heat of his body enveloping her as he pulled her into his lap.

Trent's strong hands roamed over Amber's body, feeling the softness of her lingerie beneath his fingertips as he devoured her lips in a passionate, dominating kiss. She melted against him, her curves fitting perfectly into the contours of his muscular frame.

As their tongues danced, Trent slid a hand up Amber's side, his thumb brushing the side of her breast before finding the hard peak beneath her bra. He pinched gently, eliciting a gasp from Amber that he swallowed as he deepened the kiss.

Breaking away, he leaned back to trail kisses down her neck, his breath hot against her skin as his hands found the straps of her lingerie. He worked at them, uncaring of the scraps of fabric that fell away until Amber was bared to him, her skin glistening in the dim light of the room.

There was a lack of control that Amber brought over Trent that no other woman was able to conjure from him. 

And despite being a man of self-control and discipline, with her he loved to exercise his reckless side and lean into his lack of control. 

Despite the vacant king-sized bed above them, Trent and Amber had found themselves on Trent’s bedroom floor, his hands gripping Amber’s behind her back as she rode him. 

“There you go, sit all the way down on it,” Trent coached through his teeth as he looked up at Amber through heavy, hooded lust-filled eyes. 

Amber moaned lowly, her hips rolling languidly against the rigid length of Trent’s dick, their bodies slick with sweat as she adjusted herself to take him fully.

"Just like that," Trent grunted with a furrowed brow, his grip on her wrist dropping so he could palm her ass, his grip tightening as he watched her work him into her pussy.

Amber’s muscles clenched around Trent as she started to move, rocking her hips in a sensual rhythm that had them both panting with desire. She leaned down to kiss him again, her tongue dancing with his as she set a pace that left them both breathless and needy.

“Trent, I’m going to cum,” Amber whimpered helplessly, her mouth falling open in a silent cry as her back arched into him. 

As Amber’s orgasm moved through her, her body flopped against his before going stiff as she moved through the motions of a powerful climax. 

Trent let out a moan as he felt her teeth press into his neck, her lips brushing over it as she whispered sweet nothings against his warm flesh. 

Raising his hips, Trent tangled his fingers in the hair at the back of Amber’s head, tugging it backwards as he peeled her face from his chest so he could look her in the eye as he rearranged her from the inside out. 

“I’ve been thinking about fucking you since I woke up this morning,” he grunted as he felt his end nearing. 

Drawing out their sex for as long as he possibly could, Trent decided to exercise the power he knew he had over her. 

“Who do you belong to?” he asked as he buried himself inside of her, his filled with a mix of desperation and possessiveness. 

“Only you,” Amber gasped, her voice laced with surrender as her words hung in the lustful air between them. A declaration of their undeniable connection and the ever growing passion between them. 

Trent's hands left imprints on her skin as they reached the peak of passion, her eyes rolling shut as she caught her breath far too suspended in pleasure to do anything but sit there, Trent’s softening cock still buried inside her. 

As the final waves of their shared ecstasy faded, Amber remained in her blissful daze, resting her forehead against Trent’s. 

Much like the effects of alcohol, the act of intimacy had a profound ability to unearth deep-seated emotions. As Amber nestled her head against Trent's broad chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat provided a comforting backdrop to her thoughts. A haunting melody, begging for reflection and clarity, clarity that she had been trying to avoid the admittance of.

In the case of Trent Alexander-Arnold; she was his without regard—even though she knew he wasn't ready to give himself to her in the same way. 

[gamingavickreyauction]

Without a proper understanding of which elements of the causal path are active, and which elements of the causal path are passive, the problem cannot be properly resolved

I reject this because the active/passive distinction is not an empirical one.

and blame and punishment will fall on innocent or only weakly guilty people, wastefully causing more suffering.

I reject this because I reject retributive justice—if you aren't punishing people for the sake of punishing them, then you aren't going to change your mind about where fault lies and realize you've been torturing someone innocent for years. More pragmatic things, like whether someone is likely to do the same thing again, and whether not punishing someone means there's an incentive for others to do the same, aren't going to change like that, unless you're just bad at figuring out what's practically going on.

In your example you regard the landlords as passive, and the politicians as active, but you provide no hard-and-fast definition that this arises from. It seems like you are using these as synonyms for 'at the start of the causal chain' and 'not at the start of the causal chain.' You don't see the landlords raising rents as a step in the causal chain that could have been broken, or that anyone had a responsibility to break—you see the landlords as passive, because they are just doing what is 'natural' in a more demand-dominant market environment. You see the politicians passing the legislation as the start of the causal chain, and you see them as culpable, so you see that as active.

I certainly agree that you need to get to the root of the problem to know how to address it, and many political problems are caused by people not doing that. I agree that in your example, it would be an unhelpful distraction to blame the landlords. I disagree that this is an objective judgment. And if this is what you mean by the active/passive distinction, I think that is unhelpful framing, as it clouds your thinking by biasing you towards accounts where agency is concentrated, not distributed.

Because there were steps in the causal chain before the politicians: a politician voted for it because that's where their party was at, and they didn't want to rock the boat—they were just going along with social forces, in the same way that landlords were just going along with market forces. And that culture, while self-sustaining to a degree, also comes from polling that says building prohibitions are popular with the residents of the city, and that's because for most of them it really does benefit them by increasing their house price. So the real problem is the arrangement of government where the only people politicians are accountable to is people who already live there, and there is no consideration of the interests of the people wanting to move into the city. I'm not saying that is the correct view, but it illustrates another place you could put blame, and illustrates that you can always go back a step in a causal chain. There is no start, and everyone sees themselves as passively, naturally responding to the situation they're placed in. Of course, they aren't actually wholly passive, but at every step people have limited agency, so agency ends up very distributed.

But moreover, causes rarely actually come in these neat chains—there are generally many conditions that lead to an effect. A building falls down killing 3 people, because it hadn't received necessary maintenance, because the previous owner had given inaccurate information about a previous renovation, but also because the renovation hadn't been as sturdy as it was meant to be, because the plans the builders received were for an earlier version of the plan, because the architects had gotten their documents mixed up, because that was been done by an intern and their secretary didn't do a good job of that part of the training.

Where does the blame lie here? It lies in lots of little pieces. Everyone was just trying to passively follow procedures. And this is still a simplified cartoon version of causality. This is why law is complicated. Maybe you have an opinion of who in this chain of events is actually responsible, and maybe other people who believe in the active/passive distinction do too, but I bet you wouldn't all agree, because it comes from a judgment that is ultimately subjective.

But maybe you do have a criterion to decide what is passive and what is active without leaving it to judgement. If so, please share it, so I can see how objective it really is.

"How can I be privileged? I struggle constantly and no one understands."

That's not how privilege works. Privilege does not mean other people struggle and you don't.

Privilege often means that society is designed to traumatize you and make you angry then direct your anger at the socially acceptable target.

Male privilege does not mean it's easy to be a man. Male privilege means it's traumatizing to be a man and you're expected to take out that trauma on women instead of fighting back against those causing it.

White privilege does not mean you have everything handed to you. White privilege means society is designed to make you suffer then blame your suffering on black people or immigrants instead of the capitalist class who are causing the suffering.

[gingerkunoichii]

☆ Yandere Naruto Men and their Obsession with You ☆

Characters: Naruto Uzumaki, Shikamaru Nara, Sasuke Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha.

Warnings: abusive relationships, control, emotional manipulation, lovebombing, obsessive crazy love, isolation, intense jealousy, violence, almost physical abuse.

His Loving Obsession • Naruto isn’t just obsessed—he’s everywhere. His sunshine demeanour means no one questions it when he’s constantly by your side, always checking in, always making sure you’re okay. But behind the smiles and laughter, there’s something darker—a need so strong it borders on suffocation. Every time you smile at someone else, every time you talk about your plans without him, his stomach twists, and that friendly grin becomes just a little tighter. • Naruto doesn’t just love you—he worships you. He remembers every little thing about you, from your favourite snack to the way you like your coffee. He’ll show up with small surprises—your favorite candy, a new book you mentioned in passing, a blanket because he noticed you shivering the other day. He’s always thinking about you, always looking for ways to make you smile. • Naruto is a master at making you feel guilty without ever outright saying it. If you spend time with someone else, his expression falls just enough to make your chest ache. “Do you really think they care about you the way I do?” There’s no malice in his voice, only a quiet vulnerability that makes your chest ache. He’s not trying to control you (or so it seems)—he just can’t bear the thought of losing you to someone who doesn’t love you as deeply as he does.

• His jealousy is weirdly explosive. If someone flirts with you, his entire demeanour shifts. The laughter stops, his voice drops, and his eyes harden. It's like he's a whole different person. He’s quick to insert himself between you and the “threat,” acting like the person speaking to you is some sort of strange pervert, making it awkward for everyone.

• Naruto’s love becomes all-consuming. His hugs are tight, his hands always on you—your waist, your arm, the small of your back. He needs the reassurance of your presence, needs to feel your warmth under his fingers. His kisses are soft but desperate, like he’s trying to pour all his feelings into every movement, whispering against your lips, “No one can take you from me, Y/N.” You're so bombarded by him that you have no space to ever question it.

His Toxic Obsession

• Shikamaru doesn’t just watch you—he studies you. Every word you say, every nervous habit, every glance you throw at someone else—it’s all meticulously catalogued in his mind. He knows you better than you know yourself, and he uses that knowledge like a weapon. When he speaks to you, it’s with a precision that leaves you reeling and self-doubting, his words cutting straight to the heart of your insecurities and desires. • He isn’t loud or obvious when he cuts people out of your life. He does it quietly, methodically, in ways you don’t notice until it’s too late. Maybe he “accidentally” forgets to tell you about a group hangout or makes plans that conveniently overlap with your commitments to others. Before you realize it, he’s the only constant in your life, the only person you can turn to. “See? It’s just us now. It’s easier this way.” • Shikamaru doesn’t need to raise his voice to control you. His calm, measured tone is enough to make you second-guess everything. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Y/N? I mean, do what you want, but…” His words always trail off, leaving you to fill in the blanks. And when you do change your mind, he’s there with a lazy smirk, like he knew you would all along.

• When Shikamaru finally confesses, it’s not a plea—it’s a statement. “I’ve been patient with you. I’ve let you figure things out on your own, but it’s time you see what’s obvious.” His voice is low, steady, leaving no room for argument, your self-worth is so battered down from everything he's done you actually believe him, actually want to be with him.

• Shikamaru’s love is suffocating, an intricate web of manipulation and control that feels impossible to escape. But beneath the darkness, there’s an unsettling tenderness—a quiet devotion that makes you hesitate. “I only do this because I love you,” he says, his voice soft, almost vulnerable. And in those moments, you wonder if he truly believes it. If maybe, somehow, he’s convinced himself that this twisted, obsessive love is what you need.

His Unrelenting Obsession

• Sasuke’s fixation is nothing short of paralyzing. His eyes follow you everywhere, dark and unblinking, like he’s dissecting you piece by piece. It’s suffocating, the way he can hold you in place with just a look, his intensity seeping into every interaction until it feels like there’s nowhere to hide. He had never been so entranced by someone or something before you. • Sasuke wouldn’t hesitate to dismantle anything—or anyone—that threatens his control. A co-worker who’s too friendly? Suddenly, they’re fired over a baseless rumour. A friend who tries to intervene? They start receiving anonymous threats. It’s never loud or messy; it’s surgical, precise. He’s a ghost in the machine, orchestrating your isolation with a chilling efficiency that leaves you wondering if you’re imagining it when he acts the same as he always does - cool and detached. • Sasuke would make you dependent on him without you even realizing it. He’d insert himself into every aspect of your life—your confidant, your protector, your only constant. When things fall apart (because he made sure they would), he’s the one picking up the pieces, whispering, “You don’t need anyone else. I’ll take care of you.” And in your weakest moments, it feels like the truth. • If you ever try to leave him, Sasuke’s calm exterior would shatter. He wouldn’t yell or beg—he’d act. Your phone? Smashed. Your keys? Gone. Every avenue of escape meticulously closed off until the only person you can turn to is him. His voice would drop to a dangerous whisper: “Everyone has left me. You don't get to do that, Y/N.” And when he says it, it feels like a vow—a terrifying, irreversible truth. • Beneath the darkness, there’s a twisted form of love—a desperate, all-consuming need to keep you safe, to keep you his. Sasuke genuinely believes that what he’s doing is for your own good, that no one else could possibly love you the way he does. And in his mind, it’s not obsession—it’s destiny. You were meant to be his, no matter the cost.

His Devoted Obsession

• Kakashi’s tactics are subtle and insidious, cloaked in warmth and care. He’d insert himself into your life in ways that feel natural, like he’s just a dependable friend who’s always there when you need him, always appearing when things are going dire. But it’s calculated. Every comforting word, every thoughtful gesture, every perfectly timed “coincidence” is part of his plan to weave himself into the fabric of your life. “You looked a little overwhelmed, so I thought I’d step in.” • Kakashi convinces himself that his obsession is rooted in a desire to protect you, that it's normal he would be like this after everything that had happened to him throughout his life. If you’re in danger, he’s the first one there, stepping in with a calm authority that leaves no room for argument. “You don’t need to thank me. I’d do anything for you.” • His charm is his greatest weapon. He knows how to put you at ease, to make you laugh, to make you feel safe. His lazy demeanour and soft-spoken words hide the intensity of his obsession, lulling you into a false sense of security, that he would never do anything to hurt you. When he teases you, his tone is light and playful, but there’s an edge to his smile that makes your pulse quicken.

• Kakashi doesn’t need to be loud or aggressive to isolate you—he’s far too smart for that. Instead, he subtly plants doubt in your mind about the people around you. “They didn’t seem very supportive of you earlier, did they?” “Are you sure they have your best interests at heart?” His tone is so soft, so thoughtful and seemingly wise, that you don’t realize he’s slowly nudging you into relying on him alone. • He doesn’t see his actions as manipulative or controlling—they’re protective, necessary. “I can't lose you, not after losing everyone else,” he’ll say, his voice so soft and convincing that you genuinely believe him. But the truth is, Kakashi’s love is a cage, and no matter how warm and comforting it feels, it’s one you’ll never escape.

His Desperate Obsession

• He loves you so desperately, so tenderly, with full unrestrained love. It feels like you were swept off your heels by him and his intensity, the way he knew he wanted you from the beginning and the way you completely crumbled underneath him was almost pathetic. He loves you like no one has before, gifting you thoughtful things he knows you like, listening to everything you say with genuine interest. He protects you, no one bothers you whilst you're with him suddenly - and you don't quite understand. • Itachi carries the ghosts of his clan in every step, every breath, every calculated action. He’s spent his entire life sacrificing, losing everything to protect what he loves. But you? You’re something he can’t sacrifice, something he won’t. He tells himself that this time, he won’t fail, won’t let the people he loves slip through his fingers. This time, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, no matter the cost. • Itachi’s protectiveness goes beyond reason. He’s already failed once, letting his clan fall under his blade for the greater good, and he refuses to fail again. He doesn’t trust the world to keep you safe, so he takes matters into his own hands. The friend who’s too nosy? Gone without a trace. The ex who tries to reach out? Shows up in the news dead. You don’t see the strings he’s pulling, the shadows he’s working in, but the world around you becomes eerily smooth, free of threats. “You’re safe with me,” he’d say, his tone so calm, so certain, that you believe him. • His obsession is fuelled by guilt as much as love. He knows he doesn’t deserve you, not after what he’s done, but that only makes him cling to you harder. You’re his second chance, his proof that he can protect something without destroying it. He doesn’t tell you this—he doesn’t want to burden you with his darkness—but every glance, every touch carries the unspoken weight of his guilt. “You make me feel human again,” he’d admit in a rare moments of vulnerability. • If you ever tried to leave, Itachi wouldn’t react with anger or desperation. His voice would stay calm, his movements controlled, but there would be a finality in his words that makes your stomach twist. one that you know you can't resist because at this point he had made himself the top of the pyramid in your life. “You don’t understand what you’re saying. The world isn’t safe for you without me.” And if you push further, he’d step closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “I’ve already lost everyone I’ve ever loved. I won’t let it happen again. Not with you.”

His Masked Obsession

• When you first meet him, when you're only friends he keeps up the guise of Tobi. Tobi is a harmless goof, all smiles and playful antics. He makes you laugh, brightens your day, and slips into your life so easily it feels natural. But Tobi isn’t real—he’s a shield, a distraction from the storm brewing beneath. Every laugh, every clumsy joke is calculated, a way to draw you closer, to make you trust him. “See? Tobi’s a good boy!” he chirps, his eyes gleaming with something darker than innocence. • As Tobi, he drowns you in affection. He remembers every little thing you like, shows up with thoughtful gifts “just because,” and tells you how much you mean to him at every opportunity. “You’re Tobi’s favourite person! No one else compares!” His voice is light, his tone warm, and it’s easy to feel safe around him. • The switch happens when you least expect it. The moment you cross a line he doesn’t like—talking to someone else for too long, brushing off his affection, or even hinting at distance—the mask shatters. His voice drops and lowers, his posture stiffens, and the playful Tobi disappears. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asks, his tone sharp and cutting. It’s a complete shift, like you’re staring into the eyes of someone you don’t recognize. • Losing Rin shattered Obito, and the thought of losing you pushes him over the edge. Every moment he isn’t with you feels like a threat, every smile you give someone else feels like a betrayal. He projects his pain onto you, his desperation spilling out in violent outbursts followed by trembling apologies. “I can’t lose you,” he growls, his hands fisting in your hair as he pulls you closer. “Not again. Not ever.” • After every outburst, Tobi returns, full of apologies and desperate affection. He showers you with gifts, clings to you like a lost puppy, and whispers tearful apologies. “Tobi’s so sorry! Tobi didn’t mean to scare you!” His voice is trembling, his hands gentle as he cups your face. He tells you how much he loves you, how he can’t live without you, how he’ll do better. • Obito’s love is suffocating, destructive, a wildfire that consumes everything in its path. He doesn’t see his violence as cruelty—it’s protection. He doesn’t see his obsession as wrong—it’s love. “I’ll destroy anyone who tries to take you from me,” he says, his voice calm but his eyes wild. “Even you, if I have to.” And in his mind, that’s not a threat—it’s a promise.