#some confused and scared human(s): PUT THOSE AWAY

[404-art-found]

Decades after total nuclear war wiped out the bulk of humanity, a few roaming populations spent their days city-hopping for supplies. Before the war, City Nexi were an emerging form of artificial intelligence built for managing how a city or district functioned. These were typically used for weapons-making and were either destroyed or went rogue post-war.

Ari is the unofficial leader of a group of survivors familiar with how bloodthirsty these AI can be, because they're running on broken code, following a purpose to protect their weapons despite their purpose being long since past. Because of a drastic loss in information, it was presumed every Nexus was hostile, but Ari's group stumbles upon a Nexus built not for churning out war machines, but, of all things, urban planning. And, most startling of all, it is strikingly sentient, in a quiet, enigmatic way.

The Nexus's hub was in complete overgrowth and disrepair after so long, and quickly got attached to the first humans to fill its empty streets in years. Ari, an engineer, is thrilled to be able to repair and learn about such an endlessly complicated latticework of intelligence and steel.

[corpsekiller]

pls can you write gintoki finding out her s/o is pregnant? would he be happy? would he not? your choice (you can make it fluff or angst and i will be happy either way)

thank you so much for sending this request, i absolutely adored this idea! i was honestly considering writing this incredibly angsty, but i don't think gintoki would let his partner down if he truly loved them, so fluff it is. i hope you enjoy <3

PAIRING. sakata gintoki x fem!reader

WARNINGS. unexpected pregnancy and so much fluff

MASTERLIST

It's one of those days — one that drags out in tranquility, with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Gintoki slouches in his usual spot at the Yorozuya, draped over the blue sofa with no space left for anyone else to sit as he absentmindedly pokes at the remains of his parfait and he flips through the newest Jump magazine. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't even look up when you come in, though at least he puts in the effort to grunt lowly in a half-hearted greeting.

"Gin?" You ask carefully, nervously shifting your weight from one foot to the other as if the movement could ease some of the unbearable anxiety that churns in the pit of your stomach. "I really need to tell you something important."

"If it's about some new bill, just add it to the mountain in the corner over there." Your boyfriend doesn't take his eyes off the page he's currently reading, only raises his hand to give you a dismissive wave that gestures towards his desk where stacks of papers and unopened letters rest, right next to his wooden sword and a few coins of loose change that wouldn't even be enough to buy a bottle of strawberry milk.

For a moment, you just stare at him — to be truthful, you always admired his unheeding act, this mask of utter boredom that never seems to crack, no matter what kind of danger he faces like a rock amid the crashing waves of the sea, but right now, it's nothing more than infuriating. The thought of turning on your heels and leaving crosses your mind for a fleeting second, followed by dreading fear that tries to convince that he'd kick you out anyway if you tell him the reason for your unannounced visit and yet—

"Gintoki!" You snap, raising your voice just enough for him to actually look at you this time.

Just as you hoped, that catches his attention. Immediately, he straightens up and turns to face you, a glint of genuine surprise flickering across his face before it dims behind the furrow of his brows.

It takes him exactly five seconds to notice that something is definitely wrong.

Five seconds in which he lets his gaze linger on you, studying the way your hands fiddle with the hem of your sleeve and your chest heaves as you draw in a shaky breath, noticing the soft pout of your lips and the glaze in your eyes as if you're on the verge of crying before he speaks up.

"What's going on?" He asks tentatively, his voice gentle, now that he's realized how serious the situation truly is. There's a glint of confusion in the maroon of his eyes and you fight the urge to run away, try to keep your feet in place as you bury your fingers in the fabric of your clothes and push out the words before you can think too much about their weight.

“I’m… I’m pregnant, Gin.”

The silence that follows fills the entire Yorozuya and spills out into the busy streets of Edo. Your heart thunders in your chest, loud and violent, and tears prick at the corners of your eyes, blurring your vision as you stare at him, waiting for a reaction no matter how much it scares you.

Your boyfriend's eyes widen and his mouth drops open, perhaps to offer you a stupid joke or a sarcastic remark, but no sound tumbles from his parted lips as your statement slowly sinks in.

Instead, he blinks once, twice, gaping at you owlishly.

Then, as if on mere instinct, he jumps back like you just announced you're carrying an alien parasite inside your body. "Pregnant?! Like... with a tiny human? In there?" He asks, wide-eyed and stuttering, pointing at your stomach in disbelief. "Are you sure it's not just a food baby?"

Exasperated, you roll your eyes, though you can't help but crack a small smile at his idiocy. "Yes, I'm sure."

"How could this happen? I mean, I know how it happened, but—," Gintoki mutters to himself, stumbling over every syllable as he paces around the room, gesturing wildly and occasionally running his hand through his hair, tousling it in a frenzy — even worse, he looks like someone just told him strawberry milk has been banned for all eternity. "I was careful, I swear! I don't even eat my snacks without a napkin!"

Now, that's just a blatant lie.

Yet, despite the former shock, you can't help but chuckle, which only makes him pout more.

"Alright, alright," he finally mutters, seemingly trying to pull himself together. "So, I'm officially gonna be a dad, huh? It's not like I've been pulling this job off for two other brats... Just give me a minute process that — this is a big deal, like finding Jump's on break for the week kind of big. Y'know, traumatizing."

That comment earns him a slap on the back of his head.

"Yeah, okay, I deserved that," he huffs, rubbing over the sore spot where you hit him to ease some of the ache. "Guess I can’t get by on nothing but dango and parfaits if there’s gonna be another kid around, huh? My wallet was already dying, but now it’s going to be a corpse."

But even as he complains, you notice how his expression softens and a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, dreamy and even a little proud. Slowly, he steps closer and wraps his arms around you, surprising not only you but himself as well as he pulls you against his chest and presses a chaste kiss to your temple.

"Y'know, I'm not exactly what you'd call dad material. Most people just call me lazy, reckless, a walking sugar crash waiting to happen," he murmurs into your hair, trailing off as he loosens his arms around your shoulders and pushes you back just enough to get a good look at your face. "But I guess if you’re crazy enough to want me in this with you… I’ll try not to screw it up. Too much, anyway."

Your lips curve upwards and you quickly cover your mouth with one hand in an attempt to stifle the laugh that dares to escape, but he already picked it up — he might not have reacted how a loving partner should have to such news, but he knows exactly how to ease your tension and bring back that smile he always loves to see on your face.

"We'll do this together, okay? Just promise me one thing," he continues, mischief glinting in his eyes. "If this kid tries to start eating my parfaits or cuts into my dango stash, you’re the one who has to deal with it. I’m not above grounding my own kid for a stolen snack, got it?"

With that, Gintoki gives your hand a reassuring squeeze and pulls you with him to settle on the sofa, cuddled against his side as things slowly return back to normal. Well, as normal as life can get now that he knows a child is on its way. But even if he has no idea what the future holds, one thing is certain—he’ll be facing it by your side.

Taglist: @jaerang @justwolosers @imjustaweirdnerd

[silkythewriter]

Could I request zim x reader where the reader really loves horror?

We've all seen how not well zim handles horror and I think some comfort fluff after a horror movie would be cute!

Zim with a S/O who loves watching horror movies

꧁𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬꧂

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲: silkythewriter, formally known as weirdowithahat

𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐲/𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: Nickelodeon Animation Studios

𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝/𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: sublieu

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: Production companies Wumberlog Productions (pilot), Nickelodeon Animation Studio, MTV Networks, and Jhonen C.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: a bit or gore only if you squint

𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝:

💫👽Zim👽💫

“Why do you humans torture yourselves with these disgusting visuals!” Is most likely the first thing he says/ask. He honestly doesn’t understand the concept of it

The minute you express your love for the genre he tries liking it too (he’s a people pleaser to those he cares about) but ends up shaking himself up and just staring at it in disgust and horror, he probably can’t last for the whole movie 💀

He tries to hide his fear and just act like he doesn’t care, but it’s like putting a bandage on a split bridge and hoping it stays together. So it doesn’t last long when he sees the horror character wilding a chain saw and slicing people into dices. That scene itself sent shivers down his spine and activated his flight or fight response, so he ends up clinging to you or Gir without realizing

Oh and don’t get me started on jump scares!, he gets startled easily so any jump scares he ends up yelling his head off while jumpy back 20 feet, it tariffed him. His heart was beating faster then drums in a band, he honestly thought he would die there then. But once he heard you giggling he just pouted while screaming that he isn’t scared at all. But you could tell easily by how bad his body was shaking

He never lets you or gir pick out a movie to watch ever again. The many times this man literally almost died of a sudden jump scare is unreal so he doesn’t trust you with the remote anymore 💀

Even though he hates to ambit it, when you pull him closer to comfort him after a scary scene it helps tremendously. After a while of trying to pull away and scream some vengeance esk things he finally gives in and just goes lump in your arms while sighing and just hugging back. It does help calm down his heart beat when you do this so he is thankful just never expect him to ambit it

After any horror movie he some how ends up in your arms as he nuzzles his face into you, but he mostly prefers nuzzling your stomach or arms. Only time he does this is when he falls asleep on you because lord knows how this guy love putting a tough guy per-sod

Fun fact: he actually thought those horror movies where true actions being filmed till you explained to him what acting and actors are so yea his first horror movie experience was filled with horror 💀

He’s a bit iffy on gore, I feel like he can kinda handle it but at the same time not? He just feels weird when blood splatters on the screen or when heads roll off the body. I mean he can handle it but at the same time is confused on why you like seeing your own race get slaughtered

He definitely questions your sanity with each horror movie you make him watch.

Only thing that can comfort him after a horror movie is probably you, maybe cuddling with him or staying up a bit later to watch over him as he sleeps cause if not he’ll be awake for a year 😭

Gir loves watching horror movies depending on how much horror is involved, he usually takes a spot next to you and cuddles up to you. Which annoys Zim but he can’t really say anything without being called out so he just watches from the side while crossing his arms

Overall this man is not good with horror and is so confused about it but if your like it then he guesses he can try it out, just don’t expect him to last long (￣^￣)💧

♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎

AHHHH I love Zim so much I really in joy this show still it’s truly an awesome and hilarious show!!(>_<)!!!!!!

[galaxyblast23]

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 4

Third Person P.O.V

They tore through the stormy night along the dark country roads, wind slammed against the Camaro.

Rain lashed the windshield, (Y/n) didn't know how Sally could see anything, but she kept her foot on the gas.

Every time lightning flashed (Y/n) would look over at Grover and debate if she was going insane or not at what she was seeing.

All she could say was, "so you know our mothers?" Grover looked away from the window at the girl.

"Not exactly," he said, "I mean, we've never met in person, but they knew I was watching you guys."

"Watching us?"

"Keeping tabs on you two, making sure you guys were okay, but I wasn't faking being your guys friend," he added hastily, "I am your guys friend."

"Um...what are you exactly?" Percy popped in the conversation.

"That doesn't matter right now," Grover told him.

"It doesn't matter? From the waist down our best friend is a donkey-"

Grover let out a sharp, throaty "Blaa-ha-ha!" Both Percy and (Y/n) have heard him make that sound before but they both assumed it was a nervous laugh.

"Goat!" Grover cried.

"What?" (Y/n) looked at him confused.

"I'm a goat from the waist down," Grover explained, annoyed.

"You just said it didn't matter," she pointed out.

"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you underhoof for such an insult," he gave Percy a pointed look.

"Woah, wait, satyrs? You mean like... Mr. Brunner's myths?" Percy asked.

"Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?" Grover squinted.

"So you do admit there's a Mrs. Dodds?" (Y/n) called him out quickly.

"Of course," he replied in a tone that said 'duh.'

"Then why-"

"The less you two knew, the less monsters you'd both attract," Grover said, like it should be perfectly obvious.

"We put Mist over the humans' eyes, we hoped you'd both think the Kindly One was a hallucination, but it was no good, you both started to realize who you are," He explained.

"Who we-wait a minute, what do you mean?" (Y/n) stressed.

The weird bellowing noise rose up again somewhere behind us, closer than before.

Whatever was chasing us was still on our trail. "Kids," (M/n) said, "there's too much to explain and not enough time, we have to get you both to safety."

"Safe from what? who's after us?" Percy questioned.

"Oh, nobody much," Grover said, obviously still miffed about the donkey comment, "just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions."

"Grover!" Sally scolded.

"Sorry, Mrs. Jackson, could you drive faster please?" (Y/n) tried to wrap her mind around all this madness but couldn't come close to doing so.

Sally made a hard right causing them to swerve onto a narrower road, racing past darkened farmhouses and wooded hills and 'Pick your own strawberries' signs on the fences.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked.

"To the summer camp we told you about," (Y/n)'s mother's voice was tight; she trying for the two demi-gods sake to not be scared, "the place your fathers wanted us to send you."

"The place you both didn't want us to go to," Percy spoke up.

"Please, kids," his mom begged, "this is hard enough, try to understand, you both are in danger."

"Because some old ladies cut yarn," Percy stated in disbelief, making (Y/n) confused.

"Those weren't old ladies," Grover said, "those were the fates, do you know what it means-the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you're about to...when someone's about to die."

"Whoa, you said 'you'," Percy freaked.

"No I didn't, I said 'someone,'" Grover said.

"You meant 'you', as in 'him'" (Y/n) jumped in, Percy nodding in agreement.

"I meant you, like 'someone,' not you, you."

"Kids!" Sally scolded.

She pulled the wheel hard to the right, causing (Y/n) to catch a glimpse of the figure that Sally had swerved to avoid-a dark fluttering shape now lost behind them in the storm.

"What....What was that..." (Y/n) asked, fear evident in voice.

"We're almost there," Sally said, ignoring the girl's question, "another mile, please, please, please."

(Y/n) nor Percy knew where there was, but both found themselves leaning forward in the car, anticipating, wanting to arrive to their destination.

Outside, nothing but rain and darkness-the kind of empty countryside you get way out on the tip of Long Island.

(Y/n) thought about Mrs.Dodds and the moment when she'd changed into the thing with pointed teeth and leathery wings.

(Y/n)'s limbs went numb from delayed shock, Mrs. Dodds hadn't been human, she'd meant to kill Percy and (Y/n).

The girl then thought about Mr. Brunner...and the sword he had thrown at Percy.

Before (Y/n) could ask Grover about that, the hair rose on the back of her neck, there was a blinding flash, a jaw-rattling boom!, and their car exploded.

(Y/n) remembered feeling weightless, like she was being crushed, fried, and hosed down all at the same time.

She peeled her forehead off the back of the driver's seat,"Ow."

"Kids!" (M/n) shouted.

"We're okay..." Percy spoke up.

(Y/n) tried to shake off the daze, they weren't dead, the car hadn't really exploded, they had swerved into a ditch.

Their driver's side doors were wedged in the mud.

The roof had cracked open like an eggshell and rain was pouring in.

Next to Percy was a big motionless lump.

"Grover!" (Y/n) exclaimed, he was slumped over, blood trickling from the side of his mouth.

Percy shook Grover's furry hip, both him and (Y/n) worried for his safety.

Grover then groaned, "Food," and they knew there was hope.

"Kids," Sally said, "we have to..." her voice faltered.

(Y/n) looked back, in a flash of lightning, through the mud-spattered rear windshield, she saw a figure lumbering towards them on the shoulder of the road.

The sight of it made her skin crawl, it was a dark silhouette of a huge figure, the top half of the figure was bulky and fuzzy, his upraised hands made it look like he had horns.

"Who is-" Percy started.

"Kids," Sally said, deadly serious, "get out of the car."

Percy's mother threw herself against the driver's-side door, it was jammed shut in the mud.

(Y/n) tried her's which was stuck too. She looked up desperately at the hole in the roof, it might've been an exit, but the edges were sizzling and smoking.

"Climb out the passenger's side!" (M/n) told them.

"Kids-you have to run, do you see that big tree?" Sally urged.

"What?" Percy questioned.

Another flash of lightning, and through the smoking hole in the roof the kids saw the tree the older woman meant: a huge, White House Christmas tree-sized pine tree at the crest of the nearest hill.

"That's the property line," (M/n) said, "get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley, run and don't look back, yell for help, don't stop until you both reach the door."

"Mom, you guys are coming too," (Y/n) said to her mom, (M/n)'s face was pale, her eyes as sad as when she see the sun rise and set.

"No!" (Y/n) shouted, "you and Sally are coming with us, help us carry Grover."

"Food!" Grover moaned, a little louder.

The figure kept coming towards them, making grunting and snorting noises.

"He doesn't want us," Sally told them, "He wants you two, besides we can't cross the property line."

"But..." Percy started.

"We don't have time, kids, go, please," Sally urged them.

Both (Y/n) and Percy were mad at everything withing this situation.

(Y/n) and Percy climbed across Grover and pushed the door open into the rain, "we're going together, come on," (Y/n) said, too stubborn to leave them behind.

"I told you-" (M/n) started.

"We are not leaving you guys, help us with Grover," Percy said.

They didn't wait for either of their mothers to answer, they scrambled outside, dragging Grover from the car.

He was surprisingly light, but they couldn't have carried him very far if their moms hadn't come to their aid.

Together, they draped Grover's arms over the two kids shoulders and started stumbling uphill through wet waist-high grass.

Glancing back, (Y/n) got her first clear look at the monster.

He was seven feet tall, easily, his arms and legs were bulging, he wore no clothes except underwear, which would have been funny, except the top half of his body was so scary.

Coarse brown hair started at about his belly button and got thicker as it reached his shoulders.

The kids recognized the monster, all right, he had been in one of the first stories Mr. Brunner told them, but he couldn't be real.

(Y/n) blinked the rain out of her eyes, "that's-"

"Pasiphae's son," (M/n) said, "I wish I knew how bad it really would be for you too."

"But he's the Min-" Percy started.

"Don't say his name," Sally warned, "names have power."

The pine tree was still way too far-a hundred yards uphill at least, (Y/n) glanced over her shoulder again.

The bull-man hunched over their car, looking in the windows-or not looking exactly.

More like snuffling, nuzzling, (Y/n) wasn't sure why she bothered, since they were only about fifty feet away.

"Food?" Grover moaned.

"Shhh," Percy told him, "Mom, what's he doing? Doesn't he see us?""His sight and hearing are terrible," Sally said.

"He goes by smell, but he'll figure out where we are soon enough," (M/n) continued.

As if on cue, the bull-man bellowed in rage. He picked up Gabe's Camaro by the torn roof and threw it down in anger.

"(Y/n)," (M/n) started, squatting down to her daughter's eye level as Percy listened as well, "when he sees us, he'll charge, wait until the last second, then jump out of the way-directly sideways, he can't change directions very well once he's charging. Do you understand?"

"How do you know all this?" (Y/n) asked.

"We've been worried about an attack for a long time, we should have expected this, we were selfish, keeping you both with us," (M/n) said before reaching into her pocket, taking out a bracelet with a shiny sun and putting it on (Y/n)'s wrist.

"Your father wanted me to give this to you when you were ready, it's called Ilios, which means sun."

"Ilios? What-" Another bellow of rage, and the bull-man started tromping uphill, he smelled them. The pine tree was only a few more yards, but the hill was getting steeper and slicker, and Grover wasn't getting any lighter.

The bull-man closed in, another few seconds and he'd be on top of them.

Sally and (M/n) must've been exhausted, but they shouldered Grover, "go, kids! Separate! Remember what we said!" (M/n) exclaimed."

The kids didn't want to split up, but they both had a feeling their mothers were right-it was their only chance.

Both kids sprinted to the left, turned, and saw the creature bearing down in them, his black eyes glowed with hate, he reeked like rotten meat.

The bull-man stormed past like a freight train, then bellowed with frustration and turned, but not towards the kids this time but towards their mothers, who were setting Grover down in the grass.

They reached the crest of the hill, down the other side they could see the valley, just as both older women said, and the light of the farmhouse glowing yellow through the rain.

But that was half a mile away, they'd never make it.

The bull-man grunted, pawing the ground, he kept eyeing the kids mothers, who were now retreating slowly downhill, back towards the road, trying to lead the monster away from Grover.

"Run, kids!" Sally told them.

"We can't go any farther, run!" (M/n) yelled.

But they just stood there, frozen in fear, as the monster charged at them, they both tried to to sidestep, but the monster had learned his lesson.

His hands shot out and grabbed them both by their necks as they tried to get away, he lifted them as they struggled, kicking and pummeling the air.

"Mom!" Both Percy and (Y/n) yelled. Sally caught their eyes, and managed to choke out one last word: "Go!" Then with an angry roar, the monster closed both his fists around their necks, and they dissolved in front of their own kids eyes as they turned into golden dust. "

NO!" Both kids scream.

Anger replaced the fear that the kids had, newfound strength burned in their limbs-the same rush of energy they'd gotten when Mrs. Dodds grew talons.

The bull-man bore down on Grover, who was laying helpless in the grass, the monster hunched over, snuffling the saytr, as if he were about to lift Grover up and make him dissolve too.

(Y/n) took off her (f/c) raincoat and started waving it frantically, "HEY!" She screamed.

"Hey stupid! Ground beef!" Percy shouted.

The monster roared and turned towards them, shaking his meaty fists.

(Y/n) had an idea-it was an incredibly stupid idea, but better than no idea at all, she put her back to the pine tree as Percy waited at the side.

(Y/n) waved her jacket in front of the bull-man, thinking she'd jump out of the way at the last moment, but it didn't happen like that.

The bull-man charged too fast, his arms out to grab her whichever way she tried to dodge, time slowed down. Her legs tensed, she could jump sideways, so she leaped straight up, kicking off from the creature's head, using is as a springboard, turning midair, and landing on his neck. How did she do that? She didn't have time to figure it out.

A millisecond later, the monster's head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked (Y/n)'s teeth out.

The monster staggered around, trying to shake her, but she locked her arms around his arms as to not get thrown.

Meanwhile, Grover started groaning in the grass, (Y/n) wanted to yell at him to shut up, but the way she was getting tossed around, if she opened her mouth she'd bite her own tongue off.

"Food!" Grover moaned.

The bull-man wheeled toward him, and pawed the ground again and got ready to charge.

(Y/n) thought about how this beast had squeezed the life out of her mother and her best friend's mom in front of them.

Rage began to fill her as she got both of her hands around of the horns and pulled backward with all her might.

The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then-snap! The bull-man screamed and flung the young girl through the air, she landed flat on her back next to Percy, who immediately checked if she was okay.

Her head smacked against a rock, and when she sat up, her vision was blurry, but she had a horn in her hands, a ragged bone weapon the size of a knife.

The monster charged, without thinking, Percy grabbed (Y/n) and jumped to one side and came up kneeling and (Y/n) sitting by him.

As the monster barreled past, (Y/n) suddenly drove the broken horn straight into his side, right into his furry rib cage. The monster roared in agony, he flailed, clawing at his chest, as he began to disintegrate- but not like her and Percy's mom who disappeared into a gold flash but into dust.

The monster was gone, the rain had stopped, and Percy and (Y/n) were both dizzy and exhausted.

They were too tired to even cry, which they had really wanted to do after losing their mothers, they were weak, scared, and in grief.

But Grover needed their help, so they both managed to haul him up and stagger down into the valley, toward the light of the farmhouse.

Percy had a sad look while (Y/n) was crying over losing the only person who stuck around for her.

The last thing (Y/n) remembered is collapsing on a wooden porch with her best friends, looking up at a ceiling fan circling above her.

Then seeing the stern faces of a familiar looking man and a handsome boy around her age, his short blonde hair was curled like a prince's.

They both looked down at them, and the boy said, "they're the ones, they have to be."

"Silence, Andrew," the man said, "their still conscious, bring them inside.

[ahyesthesufferingoftvteens]

Hi again! :3

Before reeve's reveal in the fic and once moon fever was mentioned in the fic and how it affects those who have it, I had (and still do kind of have) this little theory where not only can moon fever mess up with you and throw in hallucinations at you, but can also affect your physical appearance as well... here it is!

fun fact: when I finished doing the silly on the left I called it a night and went to bed. Then the next day i finished putting on my uniform then came here and check the latest in the hollow tag, only to be jumpscared by a depressed old man that looks like he could die from sleep deprivation at any moment XD

(it also BRUTALLY debunked my theory but let me be delusional for a bit if you don't mind)

The reason why they have galaxy-like spots is pretty obvious, because it's MOON fever, I took it literally and got carried away. moon fever is of course related to jackawock but it could also be related to the moon and stars......and galaxies..... ye

the spots act kind of like vitiligo but not really since they follow a pretty specific pattern before making their entrance

sometimes and entire limb or more can be full of these spots, but it's not that common :p

they also have horns, because yes, horns are pretty cool B) (I have a little hyperfixation with horns if you could not tell)

jackawock shapes the horns for those who are bound to be cursed, if you get a set of horns that is like on the side of your head or prevents you from sleeping in a more comfortable position.... then it must suck to be you I guess xd

there are very few times the horns can be perfect to sleep with and not be a burden, but it's very rare

jackawock can make a human's appearance as fucked up as he wants it to be if he feels very silly one day, but a beautiful kind of fucked up

because of this, those who are cursed use illusion stones to help cover up their appearance in order to not scare others

the only downside to these stones (that I can think of atm) is that their effect only works during daytime, and wears of at night

because of this, it's best to sleep during the day since that solves the issue of being stuck with an unfortunate set of horns and help them to at LEAST get some sleep, it's like the horns were never there to begin with! :D

the patterns will also be covered

by the looks of reeve's design, I'm just gonna assume those who are accursed with moon fever all have eye bags under their eyes and look like they haven't slept in a g e s XD

the galaxy spots can morph into weapons like the example in my doodles, because it's cool B)

although I said the lil guy on the right's horns might be what reeve's horns could look like, I feel like the appearance of the guy on the left is what reeve would look like without the illusion stone, just a bit more fucked up looking..... just a small portion. A part of me wants to believe this theory could come true in later chapters (i'm delusional :3 :heart_emoji:)

alright enough of me rambling, after thinking about how cool and terrifying of a concept moon fever can be, at what age does it usually develop? cause if remember correctly, reeve's case started when he was still a teenager or when he became an adult (speed reading is bad for your memory guys), if that's the case then MAN he's been tormented by hallucinations for a long.. LONG time.

why do I always wait till last minute to start doing things like drawing?

reeve needs a hug, lots of love and affection too! Vanessa will be there, right? :[

speaking of her, are they like..... engaged?... married??.... are they dating or hanging out??? I'm confused :""v

I'm sorry if this is too much for you to answer or give your honest thoughts and opinions on, I'll get out of your hair now GOODBYE!!! i'm going to bed :3

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW TOUCHED I AM I'M LITERALLY CRYIIIIIIINNG?!?!

You don't understand how little The Hollow fandom engages with each other. Someone drawing things for my AU? A dime a dozen! This is the highest order of a compliment to me!!! Please do this more often?!?! I don't care if this was just debunked theories I literally love all of this and I'm debating if I should add some aspects to this in the fan-fiction after all! Your art gave me an idea for Reeve having hallucinations of having a monstrous appearance. It would fit his issues perfectly!

To answer one question for you and those on my blog. Vanessa and Reeve in Realm of The Forgotten are not necessarily dating. They are friends with benefits. RTF Reeve and Vanessa are both very sad 30-year-olds that hold immense guilt and shame and disgust and feel they share a responsibility with what happened with Adam and what happened after Adam was comatose. They view themselves as Lilith and Brutus. They're both very stuck in the past. They drink mead and get together every family gathering and then mostly write each other letters otherwise. They do care for each other, it's just...very much closely platonic, but also they are "comforting" each other. Plus Vanessa really really really wants a child and Reeve is willing to help Vanessa achieve that goal; He heavily isolates himself in his temple. He's a man that wouldn't mind relieving some stress.

I'd be willing to answer some other questions, but that requires Mutual Access, which comes with the added benefit of knowing some of the non-revealed plotpoints...so @shadowx16 hurry up and become my mutual already! You're so coooooool!!! I wanna be your tumblr buddy! ^O^

[heyclickadee]

Okay…thoughts on “The Clone Conspiracy”:

1.

2. Kind of like with “The Solitary Clone,” my thoughts on this one are more along the lines of *stares in disbelief* and *sad whale noises* so this is going to be somewhat shorter than normal.

3. That said…my god, the clones in this episode. The atmosphere at 79’s. “We’re not bad men, but what we did…”. These men are haunted by order 66 and what they did to Kamino, by what they were used to do. And they don’t know why. None of them understands why they did it and they’re haunted by what they think was their choice to follow orders. And on top of that they’re scared to speak up and terrified of being replaced. And losing their purpose in a galaxy that isn’t grateful for all the lives they lost and doesn’t want them anymore. The betrayal of the clones was the worst thing Palpatine ever did, full stop. He orchestrates the creation of an army of manufactured human beings who have it drilled into their heads since decanting that they don’t matter, that they’re expendable, that their purpose is to die for a cause that they never chose to believe in, and then, oh! He makes sure the Jedi are going to be their generals. And the jedi, for all the ways in which their dealings with the clones was flawed, for all the ways they failed, for as corrupted as the structure of the order was, happened to be the one group of people he could trust to at least bare minimum see the clones as people. And it turns out that the clones are, by and large, good people, right down to their bones. It doesn’t mean they can’t be complete bastards, immature, or even downright mean sometimes, but there’s a goodness there, nonetheless. And then he lets them spend three years building up camaraderie and that heartbreakingly complicated but close relationship with the Jedi, he puts the end of the war and the possibility of a life afterwards in their grasp and THEN! Then he forces them to murder their generals, their friends, some of the only people in the galaxy who had the decency to use their names, their friends. He makes them murder children. And then he passes down a command to make these men, who are already confused and reeling, bomb the closest thing they had to a home into the next parsec and then (getting into the next episode but whatever) has the audacity to throw them away (and worse!) because they’re “too obedient”and follow bad orders without hesitation knowing damn well that his whole plane hinged on robbing them of the capacity to say no? I mean, yes, of course, that’s why his whole plan was to pin the blame for Kamino on them, they’ve served their purpose and he doesn’t need them anymore but Anakin could you please hurry up and throw this block of evil down an elevator shaft already?

4. Riyo!! Is…that always how her name was pronounced? Either way, I loved her in these episodes, and the way she was so determined to give the clones a voice.

5. “What about when you’re too old to fight?” I’m…none of the men in that room thought they would live to see the end of the war. I’m going to step on glass.

6. This is one of those episodes where I’m glad that one of the head writers for the show (Jennifer Corbett, in this case) is, from what I understand, a navy vet. I think that experience is bringing a perspective to the show that we maybe wouldn’t be getting otherwise.

7. I was so scared that the clone assassin was Crosshair for a minute. In retrospect it was super obvious that it wasn’t him—Crosshair’s a better shot than that—but from the moment poor Cade got shot by a sniper to the moment Rex took the assassin’s mask off, I was worried.

8. So…hey, yeah, that clone assassin, right? I’m kind of with everyone else in thinking that the poor guy is an early stage version of what’s going to become either the death, purge, or dark troopers, or perhaps a common ancestor or all three. And the fact that he knew Captain Rex has me worried, because who was he? Was he in the 501st? The 212th? Have we seen him before, and just don’t know it?

9.

Edit: 10. Oh yeah, one more thing. So you know how we keep getting new clones and we keep getting their names, and how every time we get a clone with a name they die almost immediately? And how it’s typically the named clones who are dying at this point? It’s killing me. I’m dying, Scoob.

[emotionally-naked]

so this man administered Narcan to someone overdosing on the way to the movies. when the EMS arrived, he let them know, both the number of doses and how long ago so they could take over care. as the EMS walked away, he said under his breath, “people shouldn’t have that shit.”

if this man had Epi-Pen’d some white dude in a polo having anaphylaxis, he’d be on the evening news (not the goal, just a point); but because it’s a drug user experiencing fentanyl poisoning, it’s “i wish you wouldn’t have bothered.”

that is someone’s kid, friend, [possibly] sibling, cousin, uncle, [possibly] spouse, etc. hell! it could’ve been this person’s first time as an impulse choice. it may not have even been what this person thought it was. it may have been laced. what if it was someone you cared about? what if it was you?

i recognize that a majority of this country thinks drug users should die, that they’re lazy and good for nothing, just taking up space/money/air only to play with their lives daily. “they choose to use/they continue using despite knowing the consequences and how it effects them and others (they don’t care about anything other than getting their fix)/they steal/they act out/they do it to themselves/why are my taxes paying for free food for those who spend theirs on drugs/why are my taxes paying for healthcare for those who put themselves at risk/etc.”

i acknowledge that family members/friends/significant others/healthcare workers experience burnout, fatigue, and overall, quite a wide range of emotions from being effected by someone close to them in this position. y’all’s thoughts and emotions are validated. many users are aware as well, just as confused, just as frustrated, just as scared, just as tired.

[substance] abuse and addiction is quite heavily misunderstood; it is complex. it is not just “one thing,” it is multiple things coexisting at once; there is not one answer. addiction is never purely psychological; all addictions have a biological dimensional purpose: to create an altered physiological state in the brain. it is “a complex interaction between human beings and their environment(s).” it is a chronic neurobiological disease. in more simple terms, the function of the brain is impaired resulting in reduced and abnormal brain activity (electrical brain-wave patterns are measured to gauge energy levels used during different emotional states and various responses to activity). when there is an abnormal number (less than) of receptors presenting activity, the brain is more willing to “welcome” external help <substances> that would help “normalize” or balance it; bring the body/brain back to homeostasis. typically, addicts are already set in stone; in other words, there are predispositions induced by genetics AND (typically early) life experiences; the addict brain is already susceptible.

**the receptor im referring to is dopamine.

drugs, themselves, do not cause addiction. it is the feeling for the [developed] craving that will eventually result in compulsive seeking, that is addicting. there is already a preexisting vulnerability with significant ongoing stress.

divine energy is the immortal essence of existence that lives within us, through us, and beyond us. when there is a disconnect, spiritual deprivation occurrs, which allows addiction to settle itself in. this can be influenced by social/political/economical status. this can also be influenced by personal events, family history, genetics, and physiological condition. at this point, there exists a spiritual void, an empty hole. that hole, sense of deficiency, is loss of essence. we develop behavior patterns and coping mechanisms to cover and “fill” this emptiness. anybody is just one bad day away from addiction in their life. those whom are dismissed as “junkies” are not creatures from a different world, remember that.

it’s painful to see and feel how heartless and cruel people are to those in the grips of addiction. people who use drugs deserve love, life, to flourish, friendship, medical care, support and grace as much as anyone else. if you agree, PLEASE SPEAK UP!!

save a life. harm reduction!!!

[daddy-suguru]

Ooo what about monster men getting jealous from someone hitting on their s/o. Could be another monster or some human 😂

this turned into jealousy hdcs

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠/𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ▸ nsfw/sfw, possessive!monster king!suguru, jealous!incubus!satoru, jealous!toji, jealousy sex, making a creepy who harassed you watch you get railed by suguru, Satoru wants someone to spend time with him, toji’s insecurities, toji’s knife/blood kink

𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭/𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮

✎ There are those who when the attend the balls that is thrown by Suguru more so to show off his castle assume that Suguru is only with you in title alone. So they make the mistake of trying to be your side piece.

✎ Sometimes they just ask to dance with you and if you agree and their hands start to slip after you warn that your husband is watching. And then they try and encourage you to be unfaithful which after the dance ends and you go back to your seat. You let them know if their suggestion, and depending on how persistent they were towards you Suguru could act in a number of ways. From having a conversation with them to even getting you to lure on very persistent man to a room. So he could watch Suguru satisfy you since that’s the closest he going to get to you. After that it was off to the dungeon for some time in prison for sexually harassing you. And oops they starved to death when the guards forget to feed him.

✎ Suguru is to full of himself, he is the king, and he knows he can turn that pussy into a waterfall so why would he be worried? Instead Suguru gets possessive, it’s part of his nature as a half - demon. Which he gets more possessive and protective during his heat. In which he doesn’t anyone else to see you during the week of his heat, and your’s. Only you put out pheromones that makes everyone else around you horny to encourage those near by to fuck. Which means it’s preferable you stay away from other’s for a week. With Suguru he still having to leave occasionally to fulfill his duties as the King for a two-three hours before he has to come see you to help both you and himself.

𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐮

✎ Fat jealous and insecure, he knows he is prettier but at the same time he knows human’s eyes can wonder. That it doesn’t matter who you are, you can still be cheated on. Which he doesn’t think you will cheat but he is worried of someone clicking with you more. Since he sometimes struggles with the emotional aspect of a relationship after being an incubus for so long.

✎ So it’s when someone makes you laugh and smile, when you start wanting to spend more time with them he gets jealous. But with some reassurance, alongside spending time with him Satoru calms down. His favorite ways to spend time with you, are movie marathons, joint videos games, self care such as mud masks and hiring a person to massage you both at the house. Or oddly enough camping, he loves being in lost in nature as if it’s just the two of you.

✎ If the person is making sexual advances Satoru starts kissing you and groping you before flipping them off. If they still don’t get the message his eyes shift from blue to red then back again leaving them confused and scared as they piece together Satoru might not be human. Alternatively if they touched you he puts them in a trace and makes them believe they are a random animal for the next three day before telling them they will feel sick when they touch another person. Which leaves them effected by his suggestions when he takes them out of the trace.

𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞/𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫! 𝐓𝐨𝐣𝐢

✎ He gets jealous he can’t give you a family and that he can’t grow old with you. He hates that other people are warm all the time so their hugs wouldn’t sometimes make you shiver. More than anything he wants to be human again, a wish that he had given up on accepting his fate to hunt till something hunts him. That is until you have him wanting a family and a normally peaceful life. Yet he knows that not even a chaotic hunting family is possible with you.

✎ This means when a human flirts with you he gets envious. Since they can do the main two things he can’t; growing old and starting a family. He quickly chases them off. If they touch you or get too sexual with their words he remembers the scent of their blood and he hunts them down to bleed them dry.

✎ Toji will never tell you why he gets jealous but he gets better not projecting it. Instead he tries to cover his jealousy by making you call yourself his for him. He has a knife/blood kink so he wants to carve his name into you, bite you and get you covered in blood and filled with cum for him. He gets so needy and rough, but he is comforting and gentle afterwards.

▸m.list

[gaybitchfx]

I loved the head cannons! Thank you!!

Could I get a Kyojuro x gn demon reader where the reader actually defends Kyojuro in a demon fight. Like Kyojuro is fighting upper moon 3 again (my heart hurts from the movie) and before Upper moon 3 can actually land a hit, the reader appears out of nowhere and using all their body strength just slams into upper moon 3 cause confusion for both Kyojuro and upper moon 3. So, in that confusion, the reader just picks up Kyojuro and bolts. They get back to the demon slayer hq and all the Hashira are there waiting for Kyojuro to come back. They look up to see a demon just placing the flame Hashira down. Dusting his cap off and then clinging to his arm. Like, they sensed the others looking at them and just cling to Kyojuro knowing full well that he could kill them but could sense he wouldn’t. So through the meeting, the reader ended up shifting and sitting Kyojuro’s lap while playing with his hair not caring that the others where saying that the reader could kill them. The reader just snorts and says something along the lines of, “I would rather protect humans. Muzan lost all control over me the minute I didn’t burn in the sunlight. I’ve saved a lot of humans before meeting him.” and pointing to Kyojuro smiling. The Hashira end up liking the reader and train with them, and before the reader leaves, kisses Kyojuro and bolts for the next town to save.

A/n: I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my sockets when I saw how long this request was. Ngl I love long requests! You’re welcome in advance. Hope you enjoy!

A GOOD DEMON?

Character(s): Kyojuro Rengoku

Type of reader: Demon Gn!Reader

Category: Fluff 🥰✨

Warning(s): Mugen train arc spoilers

Edited: ❌

When Rengoku was about to be impaled by Akaza’s fist you randomly appeared and slammed into Akaza making him fly into the train.

‘What the hell?’ Akaza thought confused completely forgetting what he was doing.

While Akaza was trying to process what had happened you picked up Rengoku bridal style and just runs off with a confused flame Hashira.

After some time, you had finally arrived at the demon slayer headquarters and all the hashiras were there waiting for Rengoku’s arrival. When they saw you, they all quickly drew out their katanas.

“Hey hey hey, I have your friend here you don’t wanna accidentally injure him now do you? Plus, those little katanas of yours won’t have any luck slicing my head off.” You said and carefully placed Rengoku down.

All the Hashira’s had a strict glare on their faces with their blades still pointed at you even though you said they wouldn’t work. You waited for Kyojuro to finish dusting his cape off before clinging onto him like a baby koala.

Kyojuro didn’t look scared at all as he told the others to put their blades away. He knew you could kill them all in seconds, but he knew you wouldn’t. Just a gut feeling I suppose.

“As I was saying…” Ubuyashiki continued keeping a close eye on you, so we’re the other slayers but that didn’t bother you one bit.

You sat in between Rengoku’s lap enjoying the warmth his body provided. You played with the ends of Rengoku’s hair that were closer to you.

“How are we allowing another demon here Ubuyashiki-Sama?! We don’t even know what they’re capable of!” Uzui shouted and pointed a finger at you. A snort sound came from you as you laughed.

“I would rather protect you pitiful humans instead of killing you. After I found out I could walk in the sun Muzan was no longer able to do anything to me so I have my own will to do anything I please. Over the decades I have saved a bunch of other humans before I met him.” You said and pointed a thumb at Rengoku with a smile.

The Hashira’s offensive mode had slowly disintegrated once they finally realized you, indeed, meant no harm just like Nezuko. You helped the Hashira’s train for a bit teaching them different ways to kill a demon quicker and other pressure points that had.

“I should take my leave now. It was wonderful meeting you all and I hope you all have many great years ahead of you.” You said with a bow before going over to Rengoku and giving him a kiss on the lips with a small wink.

Rengoku stood there flabbergasted as he watched you disappear in thin air. Rengoku would hope to see you someday no matter how long it would take. He just wanted to see you again one last time.

[merakiui]

Diluc, Kaeya, Xiao, and Childe Finding out That You’re Being Abused HCs

cw: mentions/descriptions of (physical and emotional) abuse, injuries, depressive mood/thoughts, implied violence **please proceed with caution and do not read if this is triggering! note - submissions are confusing for me, so I wrote it in this format. I hope that was okay! 

@tuestika said: Hi! Sorry that I send my request through submission, tumblr has sometimes eaten my asks either wholly or have omnomned whole ask xD Usually my requests sent through submissions arrive intact so…. I saw that you had done Scaramouche reacting finding out their s/o is being abused headcanons, may I request headcanons for Kaeya, Diluc, Xiao and Childe finding out their their s/o is being abused? Keep up good job! <3

🔥 Diluc 🔥

Diluc might not be the most vocal person in the world, but he’s definitely observant. He’s gotten rather skilled at picking apart your social cues because he’s spent a lot of time with you. 

So when you barge into his tavern one evening, looking absolutely disheveled and asking for one of the Knights, he’s feeling two emotions: confusion and irritation. 

For one, you shouldn’t even entrust your issue to those inadequate Knights. Nevertheless, you are his friend and he isn’t going to kick you out just because you mentioned them. 

He waves you over to the bar and is thoroughly shocked when you beg him to let you hide behind it. Then he notices your split lip and the fresh injuries on your face and forearms, and he wastes no time in getting to the point.

“Why were you out so late fighting hilichurls? I hope you haven’t led any here. We don’t need that sort of trouble right now.”

“Sorry. No, that’s not it. I just—you’re the only one...” You’re struggling to piece a coherent statement together, too busy looking over your shoulder to keep track of your thoughts. “I didn’t know where I could go. I mean, I thought of you and—“

“Please slow down. Start at the beginning.”

More concerned over your safety than professionalism, Diluc allows you to slip behind the bar counter, where you cower on the ground to avoid being seen. 

You gesture for him to come down to your height and he sighs, silently complying when he finds there aren’t any new customers to serve. Bending down to your level, he holds onto the countertop to keep his balance and then he locks eyes with you. 

“What exactly happened?”

You inhale a shuddering breath, wrapping your sore arms around yourself for comfort. Tears are gathering in your eyes as you recall the event. Your abuser had found you after you’d left to get some fresh air, they’d cornered you in a secluded alley, and—you can’t finish the rest of the story.

Diluc doesn’t expect you to continue. He nods as he lets the information sink in, already harboring a deep resentment for this despicable individual. 

“Wait here. I’ll close the tavern early. In the meantime, we should see to your injuries and then we’ll look for that person.”

“I really think we should tell the Knights...” you mumble, knowing he’ll disapprove. “They’re more suited to these types of cases.”

“The Knights are incompetent. The investigation will take days, if not weeks. What happens if your abuser knows they’ll be coming for them? They’ll try to escape and then there’ll be no telling where they’ve gone.”

“I know, but it wouldn’t hurt to—“

“I’ll take care of it.”

You try to object because it’s dangerous and you don’t want him to get injured on your behalf. But he’s insistent in his decision, claiming that if the Knights can’t help you no one can. And you really wouldn’t feel safe if your abuser was still roaming free, so you have no other choice but to allow him to carry out the investigation himself.

And Diluc can be quite clever at times. It won’t be hard to traverse the interior of Mondstadt at night, where his identity melts away into that of the sneaky Darknight Hero. 

He’s going to protect you no matter what. Your abuser won’t receive an ounce of sympathy from Diluc. All he feels is cold hatred when he catches them. Someone as precious as you does not deserve to be put through such torment, and he’ll see to it that your abuser pays a hefty price to make up for all of the damage they’ve caused.

🧊 Kaeya 🧊

Kaeya can’t understand why you’ve started isolating yourself from everyone. In the past, you were always such great friends with the Knights, always catching up to talk to one of them.

He’d spent a lot of time with you and has since gotten to know you through lighthearted conversations and gossip from the people of Mondstadt. 

For someone so appreciated and well-known, he can’t wrap his head around why you might want to suddenly disappear, hiding yourself away as if you didn’t exist. 

And then he happens to catch you in town one day while you’re out running some errands. It’s so like him to pop in with a few flirty lines, but the words stick in his throat when he notices the bandages stuck to your arms and legs. 

“That can’t be good,” he says as he approaches you, leaning ever so gracefully against a wooden support beam. “Why don’t we find Barbara? I’m sure she’ll have you patched up in no time, my dear friend.”

You don’t think you’re worth it so you shake your head, nervously hoping he’ll take the hint and go away. 

“I hope you’re not accepting those dangerous commissions again,” he adds, half teasing and half serious. You can’t tell whether he’s trying to sound chiding or not. 

“Please just...leave me be. I’m a little busy right now.” You try to leave the stall you’re at, walking stiffly to avoid limping in front of him. “I’m not feeling well, so if you’ll excuse me—“

Kaeya pushes off from the beam, standing in front of you with a posture that appears immovable. “By order of the Calvary Captain,” he’s saying, a playful glint in his eyes, “you aren’t allowed to move from that spot until you tell me what’s bothering you and why you’re covered head to toe in bandages.”

You can easily object to such an order, but you figure it’s better to answer instead of arguing over your physical condition. So you explain a modified version of the story, telling him that you simply got into a disagreement and it ended in bruises on both sides. 

Kaeya hears the tremble in your voice when you say it; you’re lying. His expression softens at once and he steps away, indicating that you’re free to leave. But you don’t; you’re looking at him with such a helpless, pleading look. It breaks his heart.

You break before him, lips quivering as you beg for his help. You’re so scared and alone, and you’re not sure how long you can suffer through this before it seriously hurts you. 

“This is the first time I’ve gotten out in weeks.” So that explains your sudden isolation. “Please... I don’t want to go back home anymore. I’ll do anything. Just don’t let them hurt me again.”

Kaeya’s absolutely stunned to hear the silent revelation in your words. You’re awkwardly reaching to undo one of the bandage wrappings to prove your point, but he stops you short. That’s all the proof he needs.

You’ll be brought back to the Knights of Favonius’ Headquarters to be tended to while he gathers a team to search for your abuser. Since you gave him a solid description, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. 

And once they��re apprehended, Kaeya will subject them to a grueling interrogation. There will be no gentle punishment; it’s going to be as unforgiving as the abuse you had to suffer through. 

☁️ Xiao ☁️

You’ve never really been keen on physical touch and Xiao understands that completely. He usually avoids any sort of interaction to begin with, unless it’s absolutely necessary, so it’s not a surprise whenever you shy away from large crowds.

He has grown rather fond of you, which has lead to the two of you meeting at Wangshu Inn for some Almond Tofu and relaxed chit-chat.

During one of your many conversations, you bring up a few alarming statements. They’re just personal points you’d like to change, such as your weak fighting spirit or the way your joints brokenly click when you stretch. 

Xiao wonders why you’d want to change yourself. You’re not usually this doubtful of yourself. In the past, you would always play the role of his smiling friend, putting on a positive face even when he was in a disagreeable mood. 

Xiao is examining your movements as you awkwardly explain yourself and when your arms move he catches the sight of a rope burn etched into your wrist. 

“What happened?” He gestures to your sleeve, to which you react in a nervous manner, shyly pulling your sleeve down to hide it. Xiao frowns a bit. “Did you get into an accident?”

“No, of course not! I’m fine. It’s just a result of my clumsiness.”

It really doesn’t look like that to Xiao and when he truly looks at you again he finds that you appear abnormally tired and exhausted. He isn’t going to sugarcoat anything and he could be making a giant assumption, but he still asks.

“Is someone hurting you?”

Your eyes widen for a split second and Xiao catches that movement like a cat drawn to a laser pointer. He won’t force you to explain unless you feel comfortable doing so. The last thing he wants is upsetting you or pressuring you into something you don’t want to talk about.

Eventually, though, the story will come to light and he’ll hear all about the horrors you’ve gone through. That rope burn was just one of many punishments you’ve had to endure, and Xiao’s just about ready to snap. How dare someone lay their filthy hands upon you in such a violent way?

Xiao will calmly tell you to stay at Wangshu Inn or anywhere else in Liyue where you’ll be safe. He’ll watch over you while you take time to recuperate and heal. He’s going to make sure you’ll never have to go through something like that ever again.

Having Xiao by your side makes the healing process all the more comforting.

And when you fall asleep in a soft, warm bed, Xiao slips out into the night to search for your abuser. It won’t be a pretty sight once he gets his hands on the human trash who dared to hurt you.

💧 Childe 💧

He’s very perceptive when it comes to your health and overall well-being. After all, he’s got brothers and sisters to care for; perception is absolutely necessary in order to keep them happy and healthy.

So it doesn’t take long for him to realize your behavior is uncharacteristic. You’re jumpier than usual, always apologizing for the littlest of things, and you’ll look over your shoulder whenever you sense something.

It’s almost as if you expect someone to suddenly come at you, which isn’t all that odd. Childe has been known to keep you on your toes when he’s looking for a fight.

But on one particular day he manages to give you a spook when he comes up beside you, grinning and showing up in your peripheral so suddenly that it nearly gives you a heart attack. 

You’re so frightened as you back away, practically folding in on yourself in an effort to protect yourself from an imaginary blow. Childe pauses, that silly grin fading when he realizes you’re shaking.

“Hey, it wasn’t that scary. Come on, comrade!” He’s approaching you warily, not entirely sure why you’re acting the way you are. He’s always been spontaneous; you should be used to this by now.

But you refuse to let him come any closer, having to distance yourself so that you can ease your racing heart and hyperventilating lungs. Once you’ve calmed down, embarrassment floods through you at the fact that Childe just witnessed all of that. 

Childe will ask if you’re okay with him stepping closer and if you nod he’ll be on you like a hawk, pulling up your sleeves before you can stop him. 

For once, you catch an expression you normally don’t find on Childe: surprise. He’s genuinely shocked at what he sees: dark bruises and shallow lacerations from something sharp. 

Either you got these in your many sparring matches or there’s another factor at play here, and Childe is almost certain it’s the latter.  

His voice is gentle as he asks you to explain what’s going on and once you do he’s already set on finding the one who did this. He seems to forget all about his Fatui work, wanting to capture your abuser and give them a piece of his mind—and subject them to more than a few pieces of his strength, too. 

He’ll have you protected in no time, offering to take you to the best healer. You’ll be treated wonderfully and he’ll even lay off on your sparring matches for a while. 

In the meantime, once he gets his hands on your abuser, everything becomes fair game. After all, someone has to handle the brunt of his anger and pent-up bloodlust from the lack of a fight. And your abuser is the perfect match to pummel into the ground. Childe shows absolutely no mercy for them. 

[infernalrevenge]

Hey there😊 I was wondering if I could request some headcanons for house dimitrescu s/o coming out as ftm perhaps reader is nervous to tell them afraid that he'll get kicked out and broken up with. I've been in a really bad funk lately and this would help thanks in advance

Hey bro, I feel you on this one. I hope this helps lifts your spirits in some way, this funk will pass and you'll be groovy once again :P

(CW transphobia in the form of non-acceptance but just as the reader's fears. Spoiler alert: They never materialize hehe.)

Alcina Dimitrescu

You were quite nervous to approach Alcina about this, as much as anyone would be about something this personal.

She always projected this image of an old-fashioned matron, whether she knew it or not. You knew she loved you, but it was still hard to shake the possibility of her not understanding.

You were prepared for the best case scenario to at least be some confusion on her part, and focused on that instead (and not the possibility that she would deem you disgusting and make you leave her presence at once.)

You steeled your nerves and knocked on the door of her office, swearing you felt your heart jump when she invited you in.

As soon as you mentioned wanting to talk about something important, she put her things down and had her full attention directed towards you. You weren't sure if that was worse.

With as calm of a tone as you can muster, you came straight out with it.

You hadn't realized you were looking at the floor the whole time, too afraid to look up and see her live reaction.

However, you didn't really have to wait long for a reply as she leaned down and tipped your chin up to her.

The disdain you feared would be on her face was completely absent, instead her expression was soft and loving. It made your heart skip in a different way than earlier.

"Thank you for telling me this, my love. That must've taken a lot of courage to say. Just know that what I feel for you has not changed -- I love you for the man you have always been, and always will be."

Bela Dimitrescu

Your relationship with Bela was all about "comfortable existence" -- you two count reading different books in the same room as doing something together.

The news you wanted to share with her, however, wasn't something you're sure would fit the "comfortable" atmosphere you two fostered over time.

You didn't want to ruin anything by coming out, but at the same time you knew you couldn't keep it from her forever. You wanted to be yourself around her, and telling her would be the first step to that reality. You just hoped she would understand, or at the very least was willing to understand.

When the time came, the two of you sat back to back while you did your own thing -- you were writing something, and she was drawing.

What she didn't know was that you were basically preparing a whole letter to come out to her and explain your situation as best as you can.

At this point, your parchment was full of crossed out lines and blotches of ink where your pen idled for too long -- you wondered if she noticed the pile of crumpled rejects on the other side of you too.

After a while, Bela was just about to turn around and ask you if something was wrong, she could feel how tense you were against her. But then, you slipped the paper to her and had her read it.

All the while, you had your back turned, knees tucked to your chest as you wished a black hole would swallow you up the longer the silence dragged on. You really wished you had telepathy or something right now, because you couldn't tell what she was thinking.

But all she did was take her place next to you, taking your hand and resting her head on your shoulder. Physical affection was rare from Bela, so this might even be enough of a confirmation of her reaction.

"I still love you, you know? If this is who you are and what makes you happy, then I'm more than okay with it. Thank you for trusting me with this."

Cassandra Dimitrescu

You and Cassandra talk about anything and everything under the sun. She's always been the type to speak her mind, especially when she gets excited.

You felt comfortable discussing anything, but this... well, you didn't really know how to get into it.

You wanted to tell her, of course. You just never found the right opportunity to (possibly because Cassandra led the conversation most of the time.)

But you knew you couldn't avoid this forever, not if you wanted to be with Cassandra for as long as you could. A part of you nagged at the fear that this would be cut short if you did say it, though.

You decided it was best to just be out with it before you could lose your nerve. After spending the night pondering over it, she barely even got to greet you before the words "I'm trans!" came tumbling out of your mouth.

"Uh... what?" (Was that a confused 'what' or an angry 'what'?)

"I'm... transgender...?"

"Oh okay. That's nice, good for you."

"You don't know what that is, do you, Cass?"

".......not exactly."

After some explaining and a crash course on terminology, you get a gentle nudge on your arm as a response -- her way of saying it was more than okay.

And that she wished you weren't so scared of telling her, but even you had to explain that, perhaps if you had any past experiences of coming out situations gone very wrong. She would seethe in anger on your behalf if you told her those stories.

If no one else were around at the time, she would definitely kiss you, just to assure you of how much her feelings for you remained the same. She didn't want any of your worries or insecurities from before this moment to stay in your mind, and she would do anything to make them melt away.

"You didn't have to be scared of telling me, but I'm glad you did. Tell me, not be scared of me. Guess from now on, you can be my handsome little man-thing, huh?"

Daniela Dimitrescu

Daniela is easily the most carefree (and oftentimes, careless) among her sisters. She also doesn't take a lot of things too seriously.

As a consequence though, you feared that it meant she wouldn't know how to handle the news. What if she didn't get it and would be weirded out by you?

Daniela wasn't dumb, you knew that, but you were still prepared to explain things if needed. She had always been curious so you weren't afraid to answer any questions she might have. You wished she would have some tact about them though.

She often drags you into mischief and a lot of the time you would relent, but the one time you stopped her first and mentioned needing to tell her something important, she was the one who tensed up.

Was she in trouble? Did you realize you stopped loving her all of a sudden? Were you going to die?! (She's a bit of a worrier when the words "we need to talk" come out of anyone's mouth.)

You were silent for a little too long and she starts to tear up, her worries getting the better of her before you stepped up to give her a hug. This already wasn't going how you planned.

After you managed to calm her down, you decided it was best to just spit it out already.

Fortunately, the revelation didn't hang in the air for too long. Daniela responded almost unexpectedly.

"Oh... wait, is it male to female, female to male, or something else?"

"Uh, female to male. So I'm a man. A trans man."

"Oh cool!" She takes your hands. "You got a new name picked out? If you're taking suggestions, I think--"

Wait what?

Turned out, she was pretty aware of what being trans meant and had read up on it in books before. She didn't just read for entertainment, she retained other information too.

Still, you couldn't help the sigh (and maybe a quiet sob) of relief when she pulled you close for another hug, this time in celebration of you and living your truth.

"Of course everything's okay, babe! You're still the same wonderful human I fell in love with. I always know how to pick the cute ones."

[milliedazzledust]

Somewhere Only We Know (Bucky Barnes imagine)

Request: @the-craziestone story about Bucky x Reader, where Bucky is really obsessed with Reader - But not in a creepy way, more like he's really really in love with her and he can only see her, like she's his world Anon: can you do something with reader gifting Bucky Barnes the 3 Lord of the Rings books? They were published after WWII, and reader knows he liked The Hobbit so she thinks it's something he'd like

Words: 2943

A/N: this is pure fluff with no warning, also I changed a tiny bit the second request to fit the story - enjoy ;)

He couldn’t explain the sadness he constantly felt every time he was walking through the streets of the city he used to know by heart. A stranger in a strange land was the best way to describe him. More than seventy years had passed, and he hadn’t witnessed any changes. While he had been a puppet deprived of freewill and controlled with the sole purpose of killing, he had missed the birth of a whole new world. Now, as he strode around the streets, he could easily remember each of their names, but none of them were familiar. His mind remained in the 1940’s and in the middle of the noises, surrounded by the sound of first responders vehicles, the children running around and cars piling up on the road, he was a stranger in his own home. It was an unsettling feeling, a pining melancholy that reminded him in every step he made that his Brooklyn didn’t exist anymore. 

He was furious in a way, but mostly confused. Haunted by memories he had gotten back a second ago, and they didn’t fit this new reality. He wasn’t even nostalgic, but the loneliness was getting heavier every day. He could still picture the park he used to take his sister, the alley where Steve had gotten beaten up one day, the bakery his mother used to go to every morning. Treasure of souvenirs he would keep forever. And although the park, the alley and the streets names were still here, he was left alone walking down Brooklyn. 

“Hey, Y/N!” He heard a voice shouting. “Where do I put those ?” 

His head mechanically turned to a young boy carrying a heavy box of what looked like antics. Without thinking he crossed the road and when his eyes laid on the small shop, he gasped. There it was, one small piece of his past still here. It was an old bookstore he used to go to with his sister. The man, a friend, an immigrant from France with a thick accent, would let them stay for hours. Bucky loved reading to Rebecca. They would sit inside and she’d insist to hear The Hobbit. François, the man owning the store, would make coffee and stay with them, relating the stories he had heard around the world, telling them all about the France he had known. It was all still here. ‘Au Nom de la Rose’ was still here. 

He didn’t hesitate a second and rushed inside the place, an honest smile on his face. His eyes roamed over the room and he took a deep breath. It was just like he remembered, a place filled with murmurs and whispers floating above his head and through the roof, indistinct conversations between friends, huge windows bringing in a powerful light at this hour of the day, plants in almost every corner. Even the atmosphere was the same, this powerful smell of imagination coming from the laying books on the shelves, begging to be read, mixing with a distinct smell coming from the dust. The small couch and the old table he used to sit by with his sister were also there. The wooden pieces had many rough and sharp edges but looked just as smooth and clean as he remembered. Finally, his eyes landed on a woman there. He watched her rearranging a bouquet of daffodils, breathing in the perfume of the vibrant flowers as she tended to them meticulously. 

For some reason, he couldn’t look away. She felt familiar, like he had known her all his life, yet he had never seen her before. When she turned around he took an instinctive step toward her. She noticed, raised her head and that was the moment their eyes met. His breath caught in his throat when she smiled at him. He stood, frozen on the spot, staring at her. He couldn’t comprehend that instant connection. There was an inexplicable sense of excitement yet weird feeling that they had known each other forever, that they were meeting each other again after a long journey. He was transfixed, almost stuck by the confusing mixture of emotions but oddly comforted by them - all at the same time. 

“Can I help you ?” She asked him.

He surprised himself thinking there was something eerily calming about her voice, that he could listen to her for hours.

“Do I know you ?” He quickly wondered out loud, mentally facepalming himself for his lack of tact. 

“Shouldn’t I be asking that question ?”

“Why ?”

“You’ve been staring at me for the past five minutes” She grinned.

“I’m … I’m sorry” He apologized profusely. “I didn’t mean to…” 

“Look weird ?” 

He could swear his heart skipped a beat when he heard her laugh.

“This place is beautiful”

“Thank you” 

“How long have you been working here ?”

“Forever” She smirked. “The store belongs to my family. Passed on from generation to generation” 

Bucky raised an eyebrow, surprised.

“You’re related to François Y/L/N ?” He questioned.

She tilted her head, crossing her arms.

“Now I’m intrigued” She told him. “How do you know about my grandfather ?” 

“We’ve met,” He answered without thinking. He rapidly realized his mistake when she narrowed her eyes in utter curiosity. “I … I didn’t mean … I mean … It was … It was a long time ago”

He gulped, hoping she wouldn’t push it. She looked him up and down, assessing him. 

“What’s your name, weirdo ?” She inquired, giving him a skeptical glance.

“Bucky. M’am” 

She smirked.

“Let me guess, a soldier ?” 

“How … ?” 

“You all have the same manners, and the same eyes”

“What do you mean ?”

She was now standing in front of him, staring at his face with the most adorable smile he had ever seen.

“You carry the same sadness and the horror you’ve seen” She replied honestly. “My father was a lot like that too” 

Her answer had the effect of a punch in the gut he hadn’t been expecting. He felt naked under her gaze, a stranger with the power to see through his soul.

“I’m Y/N” She introduced herself, raising her hand to shake his.

It was rare for him to smile truthfully but the unexpected bliss slowly growing made his lips twitch before he could even acknowledge it.

“Hi, Y/N” He greeted her.

She chuckled, amused. 

“Hi, Bucky” She murmured. 

After that encounter, he made a point of coming back as much as he could. He stayed for hours sitting on the couch, reading the same book over and over again. They shared quick words but he didn’t dare to start up a conversation, too afraid he would say something he shouldn’t, something that would scare her away. He was content like this. There was no Winter Soldier, no war, no fight, no one else than Bucky. Being next to this girl was in itself a medication for him. It made no sense but she was so bright and radiant. Like a magnet, he was sucked into an invisible gravitational pull toward her.

By the second week of him coming into the store, she started to notice the small marks of attention. He would come so silently she wouldn’t hear a thing, bringing a fresh cup of coffee he would lay on her counter when she wasn’t looking, replacing the daffodils before they could fade, carrying the heavy boxes filled with new books. When she wasn’t working, she would grab something to read and sit next to him. They would exchange a smile but wouldn’t talk. The proximity was enough. Their presence was louder than any word. A quiet routine they were slowly creating. 

By the fourth month, nothing had changed and that day was no different. Rain was pouring outside and the store was empty, except for Y/N and Bucky. Just as usual, he was reading in a corner while she was working. New stacks of books had arrived and she was methodically putting them on the shelves. Standing on a ladder, on the tip of her toes, she was so focused on the task she had failed to notice the soldier walking up to her. 

“Do you need any help ?” He offered. 

Surprised to hear his voice so close to her, she lost her balance and slipped. She yelped as her ankle hit one side of the ladder and automatically closed her eyes, anticipating the fall. She tried to brace herself but before her body could touch the ground she felt something cold holding her waist. Suddenly, instead of laying on the floor, she was against his hard chest, in a protective embrace. She recognized his arms around her and shivered at the odd coldness. He  felt it immediately and was quick to put some distance between them, making sure his metal arm was no more on her body and only his human hand was steadying her. 

“Are you alright ?” He questioned. She pursed her lips, trying not to show that she was hurt when she heard how worried he sounded. 

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m fine”

He looked skeptic but didn’t say anything about it.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” He apologetically told her.

He took the books scattered on the ground, putting them away, and helped her walk to the couch.

“You know, if the goal was to literally make me fall for you, I’d say you did a pretty good job there” She flirted, making him chuckle. 

He sat on the table in front of her and grabbed her calve, gently laying her leg on his thigh to assess the damage. From the corner of his eyes, he could see her blushing. It made him insanely happy to know he wasn’t the only one affected by their closeness. They tried not to look at one another, too embarrassed by the situation. This was the closest they had ever been and the touch on his skin on hers was more than enough to make her heart ready to jump out of her chest. When he clasped her injured ankle, she cried and instinctively pushed him back. 

“Fine, huh ?” He repeated her own words with a smirk.

She huffed and rolled her eyes.

“It’s not a big deal, Bucky” She reassured him. “I’ve got to get back to work”

“You’re not moving from this couch” He ordered.

“Is that an order, soldier ?” She ironically threw at him, crossing her arms in annoyance.

“You bet it is”

She watched him, intrigued, as he stood up and piled up some books on the table to put her ankle to rest on it. 

“No moving around, got it ?” He made sure she would follow his advice.

“Aye, aye, Captain”

He chuckled 

“Technically speaking, I’m not a Captain” He confessed as he continued what she had been doing earlier and started putting the books carefully on the right shelves. 

“Would you have preferred Sergeant ?” She replied, bitting her lips, unsure this was the wrong moment to admit she knew who he was.

He instantly stopped what he was doing and slowly turned around to stare at her.

“What did you say ?” He asked, more scared than ever.

Up until that moment, he had avoided telling her who he was. Becoming part of the Avengers meant his identity wasn’t a secret anymore, and although he had done a terrific job staying hidden among the mass of people, it wouldn’t have taken more than a little push to find who he really was. He stood in front of her, frozen, not having a clue how to react.

“Sergeant Barnes, isn’t it ?” She sounded nervous, almost frightened to say his name out loud.

“I… “ He tried to say anything, but as the rain kept pouring outside, slowly turning into a thunderstorm, he blankly stared back.

“Would you have told me ?” She whispered.

“Eventually”

She humorlessly snorted. 

“We’ve known each other for more than three months, Bucky. I see you practically every day. Be honest, eventually would’ve never come” 

“It’s not like that” He tried to explain.

“I’m not mad, don’t worry” She sadly smiled. “I just wish… I guess I wish you could’ve trust me” 

He rubbed his jaw in frustration and made a step toward her. Without breaking his gaze, he slowly took the glove off, revealing his metal hand. Still, he didn’t look at her, too afraid of her reaction. The cold metal had never felt so hot against his skin, a burning reminder of the stranger he had become.

“I didn’t want you to be scared,” He admitted in a broken voice. 

“Of you ?” She was surprised. “Why would I be ?”

“I’m not a good man, Y/N”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that ?” 

“You don’t understand…”

“The red box under the counter” She interrupted him. “Can you take it for me ? And turn the sign of the shop, we’re closed.”

He gave her a puzzled look, but did as she said anyway. He locked the front door and took the box she asked for before walking to her and putting it directly in her hands.

“Sit” She instructed him.

He didn’t dare to stay near her and chose to stay on an opposite chair.

“I found this a little after you and I met” She told him, motioning to the box. “It was in the basement, hidden under old junks my parents had kept over the years”

He let her speak, not understanding where this was going or why she was telling him about that. She slowly opened the mystery box and took a small envelope out of it. It looked old, so old the paper had turned into a deep shade of yellow.

“My grandfather wrote this” She confessed. “In 1957. It’s addressed to Bucky and Rebecca Barnes. I believe it belongs to you” 

She handed him the letter that he took with shaky hands.

“How did you… ?” He started to ask.

“It was a long shot,” She explained. “The first time you were here, you said my grandfather's name like it meant something to you. Like you really knew him. When I found the box, and the envelope, I didn’t make the connection with you right away. But your name was all I needed to start my research. My parents kept pretty much everything so it didn’t took me too long to find an old photo with you and him, back in the 1930′s” 

He wasn’t moving at all when she showed him a picture François had taken of them right before he was enlisted. 

“I wanted to wait for the right time to tell you, I guess. I mean, you have enough ghosts as it is”

“Still not scared ?” He inquired in a humorless chuckle.

“Not one bit” She didn’t hesitate to reply.

She softly smiled and motioned for him to come closer. When he sat next to her, she moved the box from her lap to his. 

“We were friends, François and I” He recalled, his eyes glued on the letter. “He was married to Eloise. This bookstore was their treasure. He kept repeating that I shouldn’t go to war when I could stay hidden under the pages of books that would take me around the world without risking my life”

She took his metal palm between her fingers when she heard his voice breaking. He almost tried to remove it but she tightly entwined their hands together.

“Maybe he was right” He muttered under his breath.

“Or maybe you and I were meant to meet almost a century later” She shrugged.

He snorted before turning around the envelope to open it. Y/N gently laid her head against his shoulder and let him read in silence. She didn’t move when she felt his body shaking with tears but only held his hand harder.

“They’re originals, from 1954 I think. He kept them for you” She told him as he slowly took what was in the red box. A set of three old books. “Why Lord of the Rings, though ?” 

He laughed,sniffing, before brushing the tears off his face and staring down at the woman. At that very moment, he felt like the journey was done. His soul had stopped the search it had been on for a time that felt like forever. Like a century. 

“My sister and I, we used to come here often,” He said in a melancholic grin. Sorrow was finally starting to be replace by something much better, happiness. “We would sit on this very couch and she would make me read the Hobbit. She used to love that story so much.”

“How many times has she make you read it ?” The woman smirked.

“Enough to remember every single word” He exaggerated, making her giggle. “When I told François I was leaving, he said he would send me books to help me travel away from the war, even just for a moment. I guess he kept them, hoping I would come back. Even after I was declared dead” 

“Maybe deep down he knew you weren’t”

“And he planned this whole meeting with his granddaughter ?” He ironically added.

“Oh no, that was beyond him. That was fate, Barnes”

“I was meant to find you” He agreed, a deep feeling of love and utter contentment forming in his heart. He bent his head down and let all he needed to say be spoken through the kiss they shared. 

“Will you read it to me ?” She playfully requested.

Overflowed with joy, he smirked and kissed her forehead before opening the old book on his lap. There it was, the only choice he needed to make. The only home he had yearn to create. Her. 

[alisonsfics]

scare you away

pairing: steve rogers x reader

summary: steve rogers has always been someone you looked up to. you always ignored your romantic feelings for him because he was much older than you. when he starts ignoring you, you realize you can’t hide your feelings anymore. (requested by anon)

word count: 1.6k

warnings: significant age gap, swearing

You walked into the kitchen, still only barely awake. You were greeted by Steve, who was chopping up an apple for breakfast. “Someone’s tired” he said, smirking as he looked over at you. You just leaned into his side, too tired to hold yourself up.

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around your shoulders. You were so small in comparison to the muscular super soldier. You felt the butterflies appear in your stomach, just like they always did when Steve was around.

It was a stupid crush. He was old enough to be your dad even if you ignored the fact that he was technically over a hundred years old. You knew that he probably thought of you as just a kid.

What you didn’t know about was the huge crush Steve had on you. It made him feel horrible and creepy. You were so young and innocent, and he was an old man lusting over you. He was raised in a time where it was taboo to marry someone that was more than five years younger/older than you, but there he was: in love with a nineteen year old.

“Do you want to spar after breakfast?” He suggested, really only desperate for any excuse to see you. You slowly nodded your head. Your sleepiness was visible to the eye, from your half-open eyes to how you were practically moving in slow motion.

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle and point towards the coffee machine. “I made coffee. It might wake you up” he said, amused as he watched your eyes light up.

You quickly walked over to the cabinet and reached for a coffee mug. You struggled to reach, even on your tiptoes. “Here you go, sweetheart” Steve said, easily grabbing it and handing it to you.

Once the coffee had passed your lips, you felt ready for the day. He handed you a bowl of apple slices. “Is this where you give me a lecture about how important breakfast is?” You teased, gladly accepting the bowl.

A small grin slipped onto his lips. To him, you were the human form of perfection. He loved hearing you giggle or watching you get excited. All of your silly jokes managed to put a smile on the old man’s face.

“I still hate that they made me do those dumb high school videos. They just made me seem like an old man” he said. You loved to tease him about those videos. It was a nice little inside joke that the two of you had.

You both ate together in quiet silence. Once you finished, you jumped down off your stool. “I’ll take care of your dishes” Steve volunteered, already taking them from you. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself.

“Thanks. I’ll go get changed and meet you in the training room?” You suggested. He nodded in agreement, giving you a peck on the top of your head. You froze, shocked by the sudden action. He quickly apologized and bashfully looked down at the ground.

You felt the heat radiating off your cheeks as you walked back to your room.

Steve had always been a mentor to you, and you both were normally pretty affectionate. It wasn’t out of the normal for you two to be cuddling and watching a movie on a Friday night. There were sometimes when things would get a bit too affectionate, whether it was a kiss on the forehead or holding hands.

He always left you with a fluttering feeling and a schoolgirl smile on your face.

You grabbed a sports bra and some leggings out of your dresser and got changed. After throwing your hair into a ponytail, you headed down to the training room. You didn’t normally opt for a sports bra, but all of your athletic tank tops were dirty. So, you threw a light jacket over your sports bra.

You saw Steve through the giant glass windows. He was already lifting some weights. You opened the door, and he looked up to meet your eyes. He greeted you with a small smile.

When he turned around to set down his weights, you took the opportunity to admire his back muscles. You set down your workout bag and unzipped your jacket, throwing it on top of your bag.

Steve turned around to face you, and you saw his eyes go wide. You noticed his eyes roll down your body. Then, he forced himself to look up at your face. “I—ummm. I’m sorry” he mumbled over his words.

His cheeks were on fire as his face became bright red. He didn’t know where to look, so he settled for the floor. He was too ashamed to look into your eyes, but couldn’t stare at your body anymore.

“Actually...I can’t—I mean, I have to go,” his words were rushed and frantic. He didn’t even pick up his bag before quickly jogging out of the door. You were left all alone.

You looked back at where he had just stood, feeling nothing but confusion. You didn’t even know what to think. He hadn’t said much of anything before running out the door.

You slung your bag over your shoulder and went back to your room. You set your stuff back on your bed and heard people talking outside your door. You peeked out the door and saw Steve talking to Tony, Nat, Wanda, and Sam, who were all sitting on the couch.

You kept your door only cracked open, so they couldn’t see you. “Oh come on. Just tell her how you feel. It’s better than running around avoiding her” Natasha told him. Steve put his head in his hands. He had no idea what to do.

“She probably knows anyway. You aren’t exactly the most subtle. You two and your little movie nights” Sam said, chuckling. You wondered if Steve liked you and that’s what they were talking about. “You knew about that?” Steve’s cheeks became an even darker shade of red.

You could hear Wanda and Natasha whispering to each other about how cute you both looked when you were cuddling. You could feel your heart racing.

Did Steve really like you?

“Come on, Cap. How do you feel about her? Do you love her?” Tony asked, aiming for a serious answer.

The room was quiet for a moment. You thought they could hear your heart pounding as it rang in your ears. You stepped into the room, so you could hear better. They all saw you, but didn’t make any gesture so Steve wouldn’t know.

“Of course I’m in love in her. I think about her all the time. How could I not? She's the sweetest person I’ve ever met, and I love being around her. I love how she giggles when she tells jokes, and how she gets flustered when anyone compliments her. But at the end of the day, I am so much older than she is. She’d probably think I’m a creepy old man if she knew how I felt. She definitely doesn’t feel the same way, so what the fuck am I supposed to do?” He asked, running his hand through his blonde hair.

You couldn’t form the words to respond.

“Steve?” your voice sounded weak and vulnerable. He spun around and met your eyes. You saw the panic wash through him. “Oh shit” he mumbled to himself.

You could only think of one thing to say. “Is all of that true?” You asked him, still having a hard time believing. He nodded, but hung his head in shame.

“We’ll give you both a minute” Wanda said, before they all exited the room. You walked closer to Steve, but he still couldn’t look you in the eye. “Look at me” you said, softly.

His big blue eyes met yours, and you could see all of his worry. “So do you think I’m creepy yet?” His voice broke. You let your fingers slip through his, interlacing your hands. His eyes darted to your hands.

“I don’t think you’re creepy. I think you’re kind of cute” you said, bashfully. He tilted his head towards the side, confused by your words.

You watched his eyes glance down at your lips. “Can you just kiss me already?” You practically begged him. He chuckled before slipping his arms around your waist. He leaned in and slowly connected your lips.

He hesitantly pressed his lips against yours. Your grinned as you noticed his nervousness. You slid your tongue against his bottom lip, encouraging him.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, toying with the ends of his hair. You both pulled away as you heard whistling. You looked over your shoulder and saw Sam watching you both.

“Come on, let’s go” Steve said, taking your hand and pulling you towards your room.

Sam wolf whistled again at the both of you. “Ignore him” Steve whispered in your ear, before closing the door behind you.

You laid down on your bed and pulled him down with you. “How about we watch a movie?” You suggested, running your fingers through his hair.

He nodded his head before adjusting himself on the bed. He sat with his back against the headboard, and let you sit in between his legs with your back against his chest.

You ran your fingers up and down his legs beside you as you started the movie. He pressed a kiss to your temple.

“So why did you run out of the training room this morning?” You asked, glancing back at him. He chuckled to himself before answering you. “The sight of you in that sports bra. I felt like a creep ogling at you. I knew I couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t want to freak you out” he told you, scratching the back of your neck.

You felt the heat rush to your cheeks. “I wish you would’ve told me that. I was having a hard time not staring you, Mr. Muscles” you teased, leaning into his touch.

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[edoro]

Also when do they get teleported out of belos' mind cause I assumed that it was when babybel was summoning the palisman souls, when Luz grabbed him she just didn't let go so she and Hunter scream for Eda to take them out and luckily she could but Luz didn't let go of babybel when grabbing Hunter so now Hunter knows the truth (probably still going to have his panic attack sadly :( ), but Luz realizes that she also brought the 'kid' with her. Now to think about it wouldn't babybel kinda be out of it for a while, since the form came from the dream realm so his body is literally trying to exist.

this is one of the questions i am trying to answer for myself! because when they get taken out really changes some things - well, mostly it changes what i think Hunter's attitude towards Babybel and the whole situation is.

so i'm considering it in terms of those three memories - the staged 'wild witch' attack, the first attempt at coven sigils, and the Collector conversation post-Eclipse Lake.

they should definitely, i think, see at least the first one. i want Hunter's perception of Belos to be shaken for sure, and for him to be confused and uneasy about the previous Golden Guard(s). he knows he isn't the first, but they didn't just have the same rank - they sounded exactly like him! and he clearly noticed.

the more i think about it, the more i feel like my sweet spot here is after the coven sigil attempt memory?

it gives Luz enough info that Owl Team more or less knows what Belos is planning (genocide) although she doesn't have the context of why (witch hunter), and it's something that Hunter can't actually excuse - he was trying, but in the end the best he could do was 'well maybe i'm completely wrong about everything i know to be true', which is not solid grounds for long-term denial.

so Luz has her confirmation of Belos's plans that she can tell Eda and Lilith, while still leaving room for her to realize/find out that Babybel is a human and therefore Philip in the way i outlined in this post

and Hunter also has all of these doubts and fears - suddenly Belos isn't the harsh-but-fair benevolent Emperor who is leading the Boiling Isles into a utopia, but a liar and a manipulator who's been hurting and killing people for a very long time and is clearly trying to do it on a mass scale.

Hunter can say he was 'just perfecting sigil magic' (he's not even wrong!) but they both heard Belos say those witches still being alive meant he had more work to do. and there was that Guard - same voice, slightly different clothes, but we don't know how much time passed between those memories, so it could still be the same guy under the mask.

but there's that seed of doubt there too, that little nagging sense of existential horror. who is that? is that his uncle's brother - his own father? a son he never knew Belos had? is that the same Guard who was Darius's mentor? how many of them have there been? what happened to them? who were they?

so i think cutting it off there, between that one and the scene with the Collector, puts Hunter in an interesting place. his faith in Belos has been badly bruised and his sense of self and purpose suddenly taken away. he can't deny that whatever Belos is planning, it's bad, or that he's been complicit in it. he can't deny that Belos has been lying to everyone, including him, for a very long time. and he doesn't know what's up with those other Golden Guards, but there isn't a non-horrifying answer, really.

however, his perception of Belos hasn't been completely shattered, nor has it been revealed to him that he's just the latest in a long line of murdered clones. he doesn't know that the 'Titan's plans' for him are just a lie Belos uses to make him easier to manipulate.

he knows he's seen things he wasn't supposed to see, but he's still loyal. he doesn't know that previous Golden Guards have been killed for 'betraying' Belos. he doesn't know that he's just a replaceable object to Belos. he's hurt and betrayed and scared and confused, he isn't sure what his place is anymore, he isn't sure if he can or wants to go back to the castle, he doesn't want to help Belos bring about the Day of Unity anymore, and the residents of the Owl House definitely aren't going to let him take Babybel back

but i think that because those crucial revelations have been withheld from him, it means that he might fall back on his position as his uncle's caretaker when he's faced with Babybel. with almost everything he thought he knew turned on its head, he might cling onto what feels familiar.

his relationship with his uncle has been forever changed, but by taking care of Babybel the way he used to take care of Emperor Belos, he can still have some vestige of a relationship - a simpler one, even, where he doesn't have to fear being hurt, where he can care for and love this man who he's spent his life serving without suffering for it.

which also sets him up for Babybel to be able to try to manipulate him into helping him back to the castle and into his adult body. normally he would get rid of Hunter after what Hunter saw and just make another one, but he really doesn't have time, and right now he can't give up such a powerful ally

(of course, he'll have to play his cards right - Hunter doesn't trust the real him anymore, and similarly to Luz, sees his child self as kind of a do-over. he can't just reveal it right away, but he's going to have to manage Hunter's wounded expectations and sense of betrayal from being strung along and lied to when he does, so he's going to need to have Hunter wrapped very firmly back around his nasty little fingers, or else find some way of convincing Hunter to take him back to the castle without actually revealing that he's For Real Belos)

it seems like Hunter really wants to find a way to be loyal, so who is Belos to deny him that? at the very least, he can try to play on Hunter's loyalty and love for him to get back to the castle so he can continue with his plan, and then figure out what to do with Hunter from there. maybe this one is salvageable. maybe this one will finally turn out right. maybe this one is the version of Caleb who loves him more than anything else.

[zukkoxx]

mha boys doing the hickey prank on you

(w/ bakugo, kiri, shinsou)

bakugo 💥

you and bakugo’s relationship started with bickering and annoying each other till you drive the other crazy.

and that didn’t stop when you started dating.

now, it’s more of pulling silly little pranks on each other.

and each time you would try to one up the other.

well, the last prank you pulled in bakugo had him fuming, he was mad for a week.

so obviously he had to get you back even worse.

he got mina to help him, figuring she’d be best at making the makeup look like the actual thing.

she berated him the whole time, telling him if he broke her best friend’s heart she’d shoot acid in his eyes.

he brushed off her comment. you deserved this.

it was a little late in the evening after you get to bakugo’s dorm, finished with all the tasks you had to do today.

“hey kats.” you greet, placing your things on his desk and joining him on the bed where he was sitting on his phone.

he looked up at you, almost feeling bad when you gave him a genuine smile before snuggling up next to him. “whats up?” you say when he doesn’t respond.

“nothing. how was your day?” he quickly asked.

the two of you talked for a while about random stuff, and at some point you went up to kiss his cheek, laughing at a comment he made.

but you freeze when you see a dark, purplish mark on the side of his neck, in plain sight.

you furrowed your brows, wondering how you hadn’t noticed to before.

“katsuki...what’s this?” you ask, making him turn from his phone and look at you.

“what’re ya talkin about dumbass?”

“don’t call me a dumbass, what the hell is this on your neck?” you speak louder, pressing a finger under the mark.

“it’s nothing, probably a bruise from a mission-”

“bakugo.”

the blond widens his eyes at your deep tone and the way you said his name. he never really heard you speak like this unless it was towards a villain. but even then, you never sounded this serious.

“you and i both know that’s not a fucking bruise.”

he stares at you silently, not knowing if he should end the prank or not.

he decides to push on.

“i don’t know what you want me to say.” he shrugs, looking away from you. he couldn’t stand seeing the hurt in your eyes.

you scoff, trying to get rid of the pressure building in you throat. “you really are just a big asshole, aren’t you?”

he stayed quiet. “if you wanted to break up with, you could’ve just told me.” you try so hard to keep your tears at bay, not letting them cross your waterline.

but it feels like a dagger had been stabbed through your heart.

“and to think, i thought you could have actually loved me.” you chuckle darkly before trying to get off the bed.

upon hearing your words, bakugo quickly grabbed your hand, pulling you against him.

“i do love you-”

“let me go you asshole!” you push his chest, tears finally escaping. “we’re done! that’s what you wanted right?”

“y/n it’s not real! calm down.”

he holds your waist so you were sitting on his lap, keeping you still. you look at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about. “what the hell do you mean it’s not real?”

he stared at you for a second, almost scared that if he looked away, you’d be gone. but he eventually reaches to the table beside his bed and grabs a makeup wipe mina lended him. he quickly wiped the mark, staring at you intensely.

“see?” he turns his head, and you find the purple mark gone, only a slight red pigment left from where he wiped so harshly. “fake.” he holds up the wipe so you see the purple stains covering it.

“it was a prank.”

you felt like you could finally breath again, but your relief quickly turned into anger, and you punched bakugo’s chest out of instinct. he didn’t react.

“i hate you. why would you do this?”

“you pranked me last week!” bakugo states, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“i put pink dye in your shampoo katsuki. this was overboard.” you mutter, wiping your cheeks to get rid of sparse tears.

bakugo frowned, feeling even more bad about the whole thing. he had to admit, he took it too far. “you’re right. i’m sorry.” you didn’t respond, but accepted his apology.

“hey.” bakugo lifted your chin to look at him. “you know i love you, right? more than fucking anything.” you nod. “don’t ever doubt my love for you, or i may have to blow myself up for making you feel that way.”

you laugh slightly, bending down so you could hug when, pushing your face into his neck.

“you know i’m getting you back for this.”

kirishima🪨

kirishima often does things without thinking ahead.

not fully comprehending the consequences of his actions.

this was one of those moments.

it was april fools day! great right?

except kiri and the boys made a bet, wondering who could pull the best prank on someone in their class.

kiri took a while thinking about who he should prank. and eventually, a perfect prank to pull on his precious s/o came to mind.

a hickey prank. haha....ha. -_-

he had seen tons of videos where someone made a fake hickey and pranked their s/o with it. he always laughed his ass off at them.

this would be the perfect opportunity!

so he sprinted to ochaco’s back room, hers being the closest, and asked for some makeup he would return quickly.

he went to his room, doing his best at imitating the red, purplish bruise you’d often give each other.

when he thought he did the best he could, he leaves his room, trying to find you so he could get the prank over with.

he sees you in the kitchen, eating a bowl of fruit, chatting with jiro.

he makes his way over slowly, nervousness creeping up his spine with the amount of people in the common area at the moment.

he didn’t want to embarrass you, but he didn’t want to give any of the boys 50 dollars either.

he stood behind you, awkwardly waiting for you to finish talking to jiro.

jiro looks past you, motioning for you to check. you turn, eyes brightening as they land upon your boyfriend.

“hey kiri, what some fruit?” you push the bowl towards him, and he shakes his head with a dopey smile. “no thanks babe. just checking on you.”

you melt at his kind words, about to respond when jiro speaks up beside to. “i think you should be checking on yourself kiri. jeez y/n, are you human or a leech?” she covers her moth to stifle a laugh, pointing to a very specific spot on kiri’s neck.

you halfheartedly laugh, confused, and glanced at the area yourself.

you breath stops when you notice a big purple mark covering the side of his neck.

you didn’t do that to him...

kirishima stands uncomfortably still, not real really knowing what to do this far into the prank.

“kirishima? wha...” you can’t even speak, just utterly astonished at what you’re seeing.

you stare at him and shake your hands, waiting for him to explain himself.

“are you going to say something!?” you ask, the hurt in your voice making his heart break.

he didn’t like this. not at all. why did he do this?

“...fuck you kiri.” you spit, ignoring the fact that you still used his nickname while you were mad at him.

you walked away in a hurry, leaving jiro glaring at kirishima.

“what did you do?” she asked.

“i-it was a joke! a prank! i...it’s april fools!”

“well go tell them that!” jiro says, pushing kiri to go follow you.

kirishima runs after you, getting to you as soon as you enter the elevator to go to your dorm. he sprints inside, crashing into you in the process.

he looks at you with wide eyes when he sees tears running down your face. “why are you here?” you quickly yell.

“y/n it’s a prank! it’s april fools day, please baby! i’m sorry!” he goes to hug you. you don’t return it but you don’t push him away either.

“what the heck eijiro! that wasn’t funny!” you yell in distress. you were happy it wasn’t real, but the feeling from being absolutely heart broken to feeling better in the span of seconds was overwhelming.

“i know. i know it was stupid of me to even attempt this. i made a stupid bet with the others. i am so sorry. you know i’d never do this to you. please, forgive me.” he begs, holding onto you for dear life.

“i’m really upset with you right now, eijiro.”

“you should be. i don’t blame you y/n. but please, don’t leave me.”

you sighed, finally going to hug him back. “i’m not going to leave you kiri. i was scared you were leaving me!”

“i’d never! never in a million years!”

“i know, just don’t do that again. you really scared me.”

he nods against you. “never again.”

shinsou 🌀

shinsou was never good at expressing his emotions.

he was very reserved and even though you were his s/o, you often had trouble figuring out what was going on inside that complicated head of his

so when you laughed at izuku’s jokes, or praised shoto’s quirk

of course he wouldn’t tell you how jealous it made him feel. how it made all his insecurities rise up.

you didn’t mean to make him feel this way, god no. you had known the two boys longer than him and were used to having the comfortable playful conversations with izuku and serious quirk related talks with shoto.

but shinsou didn’t like all the attention you gave them.

and he couldn’t find a way to let you know how he felt that didn’t involve telling you. which he wasn’t going to do.

so he ended up doing the next best thing that came to mind.

make you feel what he was feeling.

he gets some makeup from someone he had already forgotten the name of and went to his dorm, doing his best to make the fake hickey at least a little believable.

he didn’t want the prank to be too serious, just to hit you with a quick realization that you had been making him feel this way.

so he waits for you to meet him in his dorm like you always do, and even leaves the makeup out in the open to see if you’d catch on yourself.

“hellooo my love.” you say cheerfully, and shinso smiled at your happy mood.

“hi y/n. had a good day?” he asked, sitting on the edge of his bed as you approached him, standing between his legs.

“mhm. but i missed you.” you muttered, pushing his face against your stomach as you hugged his head.

hitoshi frowned at your words. maybe this wasn’t a good idea. maybe he’s been overthinking and this stupid prank will just make things worse.

“so, what did you do today-”

you pull back from hitoshi and catch a glimpse of a bruise on his neck. you grip his chin, turning it to the side with slight force and narrow your eyes.

“what happened here?” you asked curiously

“nothing babe.” your boyfriend shrugs

“hitoshi is this a fucking hickey?” you asked after getting a better look, hoping to whatever god there was that his answer would be no.

“what does it look like?”

“don’t talk to me like that, you prick.” you seeth, and push his head away until he falls on his back on the bed.

“we’re over! i hate you.” you say the last part quietly, still not wanting to believe what you saw was real.

“wait y/n, it’s fake!” hitoshi yells before you could leave his dorm.

“how is it fake hitoshi? what, you had no real feelings for the bitch that sucked on your neck? do you think i’m stupid or something?”

“the hickey is fake y/n. i made it.”

you stared at him with deceiving eyes, crossing your arms and tapping your foot. “is this some type of mind joke hitoshi? i told you don’t use that shit on me.”

“please babe, c’mere. wipe it off.”

you slowly made you way back to him, gripping his chin to turn his head again and swiped at the mark. it smeared a little, but didn’t come off. you licked your thumb before rubbing it into the mark, finally making it disappear.

you pushed him back slightly, eyes still angry. “what was that all about? why’d you do that?” you ask.

“just thought it’d be funny.” he lies, looking away from you. you knew he was lying. he always looked directly at you when talking about something. especially something serious.

“do not make me even angrier than i already am shinso. fess up.”

hitoshi groaned, putting his hands over his face before looking at you with tired eyes. “fine, i got jealous of you hanging out and being friendly with midoriya and todoroki. i just wanted to get you back in a way.”

“so you pretend to cheat on me?”

“i’m sorry. it was really immature of me and i should’ve just talked to you. the makeup is right over there if you still need proof.” he points to his desk and glance at it, seeing the makeup sprawled on top.

you sighed, not wanting to forgive him so easily. but you couldn’t help it with the way he rubbed the back of your legs soothingly and looked at you with love filled eyes.

“ugh, you’re lucky i love you.” you state, trying to stop the smile growing on your face as you see him smirk softly.

“and i love you. more than anything. thank you for forgiving me.”

“and...i’ll try not to make you jealous. i really didn’t mean to.” you say, remembering the reason for the whole situation.

hitoshi shook his head. “you can hang out and be friends with whoever you want. i know you wouldn’t leave me or be unfaithful. and i’d never be unfaithful to you. i’m so thankful for you.”

.....

“stop getting all mushy on me.”

i always see hcs where the boys get pranked, i thought it’d be cool to do the reverse. i can still do y/n pranking the boys if you guys would like that! hope you enjoyed this! leave a request here! -> 🥀

[teawithkpop]

[M] - PhysCom - Pt 7

pt 1 - pt 2 - pt 3 - bc 1 - pt 4 - pt 5 - pt 6 - pt 7

Pairing: BTS - OT7 x Reader

Rating: Mature [18+]

Length: 5.4k words

Genre: PhysCom AU - smut with dashes of angst, and a shitload of romance and complicated feelings,, uhuhu (porn with plot??)

Warnings: swearing, a lot of emotional turmoil, talk of pregnancy scares (birth control, contraceptives, etc.), implied discrimination towards sex workers (not by any of the boys dw), mentions of sexual acts

slowly hands you a cake that says "I haven't updated this fic in 14 months and I don't know when the next part is coming but here's an update thanks for being patient" in comic sans

-------

The rush to the hospital goes by in a blur of tears and shouting and panic and questions that you can't bring yourself to answer. The only constant is Min Yoongi's hand, firmly locked in your own throughout the ordeal, tethering you to reality.

You now sit in a private room on a sterile medical table and wait to be seen, too numb inside to feel the sting of the cold metal as it cuts into the backs of your thighs. Yoongi stands beside you, still holding your hand, his fingers are laced through yours and squeezing as if it could sap away the fear that eats away your insides, leaving you hollow and empty.

"It'll be alright. Don't worry about a damn thing, okay?" He shifts his weight anxiously, betraying his own underlying worries.

You barely remember him throwing his jacket over you before being rushed out of the house, and you don't feel deserving of the modest coverage. Though the leather is worn and soft against your skin, all you can feel is the harsh metallic zipper, scratching at your chest as though reminding you of your wrongdoings.

"Yoongi…" you start to say, but he cuts you off, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"Don't you fucking dare. Don't apologize."

You feel tears well up in your eyes. Your chest grows tight with the words he's forbidden you to say.

"I've already called Namjoon, it'll all be fine. Don't worry." He works his jaw and rubs your hand with surprising tenderness, glancing to the little window in the door every other second.

He's been assuring you with those same words for the past half hour, but it feels like it's been an eternity. As you glance at the clock on the wall, watching the hands tick by, you imagine a scene like that of a health documentary. Tiny sperm, swimming up your insides… fertilizing your previously dormant eggs.

Fuck. You've fucked up.

You might be pregnant with Min Yoongi's child. Your Opticon birth control implant could send you into toxic shock at any moment.

You don't see how things can get much worse than this.

The door finally opens, and what appears to be a nurse steps inside. She holds a clipboard, and examines it while she lets the door close behind her. "Let's see now, Miss..." Her shoulders slump marginally as her eyes reach your name. "Oh, right. The PhysCom."

You don't have the energy to ignore the change in her tone from friendly to disinterested, and simply nod. However, you feel Yoongi stiffen beside you.

The nurse lets out a brief sigh and dons a professional expression. "So, what appears to be the problem?" She directs the question to Yoongi.

"We think her birth control implant isn't working." Yoongi explains, his eyes darting furtively between you and the nurse. "She, um… she reached orgasm."

You flush at the memory, ashamed of your failure to adhere to even the most basic of rules set before you.

The nurse makes a noncommittal noise and jots something down. "Says here it’s an Opticon. And you didn't turn it off, sir?"

He shakes his head.

The nurse touches the end of her pen to her mouth, a note of sympathy forming in her eyes. Not for you, but for Yoongi. "How long have you had her?"

"Excuse me?" Yoongi raises an eyebrow.

The nurse tucks the clipboard under her arm, giving him a weary, patient smile. “With PhysComs, we have a list of probable scenarios we’re supposed to check for, to better inform the doctor of the situation, and speed along the treatment process.”

She barely spares you a glance before returning her attention to Yoongi, her voice lowered just a fraction. “It’s not uncommon for newly hired female PhysComs to try and… well, intentionally get pregnant from their clients. Especially if those clients have any amount of wealth or status.”

Yoongi seems lost for words.

She nods as if to agree with his surprise. “It’s some psychosis associated with the job,” she says with a shrug, then straightens her posture once more. “So has she been acting strangely at all? What are her symptoms?”

Your ears burn a bit at being talked about like you’re not in the room, but this isn’t the first time you’ve been in such a position. Oftentimes checkups during training were the same way, the physicians would speak exclusively among themselves and Madame while they examined every inch of you, inside and out.

Yoongi, however, is not used to such an experience.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” He says, in a voice much calmer than you would have expected. But one glance at his face tells you all you need to know. His eyes are burning like hot coals. Molten and dangerous.

The nurse doesn’t pick up on his irritation, and busily flips through the pages on her clipboard. “I need reliable information, sir. If you please,” she prompts him.

You can feel Yoongi’s hand clench around yours, and you turn to quiet him.

“It’s okay,” you murmur, hoping to reassure him enough so he’ll talk to her, but he stands his ground, his eyes glued on the nurse.

“Get out,” Yoongi says.

The nurse does a double take. “Excuse me, sir?”

“I said get the fuck out of here.” He points to the door. “Send us someone who will actually help.”

She fumes silently for a moment, but decides not to argue with him, and heads for the door in a huff.

Yoongi scoffs as you two are left alone once more. “What the fuck kind of bedside manner was that supposed to be?” He mutters, staring at the door.

“It’s okay.” You place a hand on his arm.

“No, it’s not.” He’s adamant, and you sigh wearily. How do you explain that this is only what can be expected?

You pick out a few haphazard words from the maelstrom in your brain, too tired to find the best phrasing. “Medical personnel… they don’t really get it.”

“Get what?” He asks, turning to you in outrage. “Being a fucking decent human being?”

You flinch, withdrawing your hand. You’re too tired to try and get your point across. But he notices you wilt and immediately comes closer, lowering his voice and placing both his hands on your arms. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs, the edge of anger fading away to gentleness. Kindness. “What do you mean?”

You sigh, looking off to the side. You don’t deserve to have him look at you like that.

You carefully remove his hands, trying to maintain some semblance of a professional distance, even in the face of disaster. “Most hospitals don’t look favorably at PhysComs. We were given a few lectures about it in training. We use up their resources and time that could instead be given to patients who didn’t willingly put themselves at risk.”

You remember how your fellow trainees had reacted after those discussions. Many of them found the treatment to be unfair, but you yourself felt that, in a way, the medical field’s viewpoint was reasonable. Your choices are what landed you here.

“What the- what are you talking about?” He huffs, still seemingly in the dark. “You didn’t ask for this… this scare. It wasn’t your fault.” He tries to meet your eyes, but your gaze is fixed firmly to the linoleum floor.

A mirthless smile paints your lips. “But I chose this life. And these risks along with it.”

Before he can question you further, the door bursts open and Kim Namjoon enters the room, both his dress shirt and his hair are rumpled, and his eyes are frantic. “Sweetheart?” He rushes to your side and crushes you in a hug. “Are you alright?”

You hear Yoongi let out a breath of relief. “She’s okay, for the moment.”

Something about the way Namjoon holds you feels like a lamp being held against your cold skin. You’re too damp inside to light a flame yourself, but his own body warms you from the outside in the meantime. You want to let yourself enjoy it, but the memory of your unresolved questions leaves you limp in his arms, filled with nothing but misery and confusion.

He pulls back after a moment, checking you over for signs of injury. His eyes are wide with concern. “What happened? Tell me everything.”

A flare of shame rises up in you at the notion of telling Namjoon about your rule-breaking and everything that occured since this morning.

Thankfully, Yoongi seems to sense your hesitance, and he fills in most of the pieces for Namjoon. Namjoon’s expression remains stoic as Yoongi recounts what happened - you being brought home unconcious, seducing Yoongi - up until the mention of your orgasm. Namjoon’s jaw slackens slightly at this, and his eyes scan your face, searching for something.

It’s at this moment that the doctor walks in, a different nurse at his side. He’s a slightly older man, a few wrinkles creasing his brow, and a smile that appears kind until it lands on you. His face is then tinged with that same indifference that most medical professionals give you.

You wish it was your usual physician, but since this was an emergency, you didn’t have time to take the trip to your usual practice. Whatever hospital is nearest, that’s what Yoongi had told the driver.

The man turns to Namjoon, who arguably commands more presence than Yoongi, and the kindness returns. “Sorry for the delay. Busy night. From what I understand, your PhysCom has malfunctioned, is that correct?”

“Her Opticon malfunctioned, yes.” Namjoon corrects him. His diplomatic tendencies are a blessing right now. You just want to know if you’re pregnant or not. You want to know if you’re losing your job. You want to go home.

The doctor runs a few physical tests on you, feeling your breasts, peering down your throat, and examining your vaginal canal, checking for any other symptoms of malfunction from your Opticon. “All’s well so far.” He says, pulling his forefingers out of you, snapping off his gloves, and disposing of them. “May I take a look at the ComGear?”

You feel a flash of panic, waking you out of your stupor. Fuck, was it still in the group chat? You pull out the slim device, heart hammering as you check. Nope. Just settings. Thank god.

You hand it over, and then remember with a looming feeling of dread exactly why it might have been left on the settings page...

“You do so much for us, jagiya.” Taehyung keeps his hands braced on your arms, his thumb rubbing gently against your skin. “You’re always there for us. Always giving… Now it’s time for you to receive.”

“I’m sorry! It’s my fault-” Jimin’s eyes fall to your compromising position, Yoongi’s dick still out, your leaking core exposed, and claps a hand over his mouth. He looks like he might cry. “Oh no...”

The pieces fall into place, and there’s no doubt in your mind. They must have switched it off.

But why? Why, why, why…?

The doctor - you’re too frazzled to read his nametag - pulls out a pair of reading glasses and takes a look at your ComGear, poking around the device with his pointer finger. “Hm. Strange.” He squints. “The Opticon does appear to be switched off.”

Namjoon blinks. “That’s impossible.”

“I’m afraid that’s the case.” The doctor shows him the setting, the toggle very much in the off position. Namjoon takes the device and looks at it in shock.

The doctor coughs. “I know that, um… for some individuals, the temptation and the… risk associated with no protection during intercourse can be sexually arousing. It’s not the first time we’ve gotten a case like this.”

He removes his glasses, folding them back into his pocket. “However, I would remind you and anyone else who uses this one’s services that although Physical Companions may be virtually expendable, it can become quite expensive for your own sake to impregnate them on a whim, using and discarding them, what with the standard fees for breaching their contract and-”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Namjoon interrupts him, and you notice the iron grip he now has on Yoongi’s arm. Likely the only thing restraining him from throwing a punch. “We’ll be more careful.” Namjoon glances at you, confusion making a little crease between his brows. “Is there some sort of morning after pill she can take, or…?”

“I’m afraid the lingering effects of the Opticon implant render any outside hormone blockers ineffective.” The doctor says, his smile turning thin. “It’s a bit of a blessing and a curse. The hormone production and ovulation suppressant in the Opticon normally make the chance of fertilization zero percent while in use. After it’s switched off, chances are still fairly low at 30 percent, for up to 24 hours. But the chances of fertilization after taking a morning after pill are significantly lower than that, at only five percent.”

He shrugs. “We’ll just have to wait and see. Chances are, your PhysCom will be right as rain and ready to pleasure clients again in about a week.”

A week.

First a week of suspension on Namjoon’s terms… Now it’s on medical advisement.

“A week? What should we do until then?” Namjoon voices your very thoughts, Yoongi seething silently beside him.

“Well, we won’t have any results until three to five days from now.” The man clarifies. “But I highly recommend you leave the implant switched off and keep her on traditional contraceptives until we know for sure. I strongly recommend utilizing other PhysComs in the meantime, just to be safe.”

You’re finished.

The doctor hands Namjoon a paper bag, most likely containing birth control pills and condoms. “She may be somewhat volatile for the next few days. You can bring her in for another checkup in a week.”

You’re weak.

“Thank you.”

You’re numb.

-------

It was a silent car ride back to the house, and as Namjoon helps you step out of the vehicle, one hand holding yours for stability while the other rests on your lower back, you can’t help feeling utterly useless. Detached from your surroundings.

What’s the point of any of this now? There’s no way they’ll want to use you until this is resolved. You’re of no use to them as a sex toy until at least a week from now, and by then it’ll be far too late to earn their favor back.

“We need to have a meeting. Call the others into the living room.” Namjoon speaks to Yoongi in an undertone, and you feel a small ache of hope. Maybe things will work out if everyone just talks to each other.

But when you enter the house and Namjoon begins to steer you upstairs, you finally find your voice.

“No.” You resist against him, turning around at the base of the stairs. “No, I want to be part of the meeting.”

The surprise quickly fades from his face, instead turning to concern. “You need to rest."

Something about the look on his face, about being told yet again through his actions that this doesn’t concern you, it causes something inside you to snap, your apathy vanishing in the wake of this new beast beginning to rear its ugly head within you.

Your throat closes up and a scream erupts from your aching chest. "You don't know what I need!"

Namjoon matches your desperation with an infuriatingly patient look of sympathy. He approaches you, his hand outstretched, but you stagger back away from him. He smiles sadly and drops his hand. "Stay here. It's what's best for you."

What's best for you.

The words throb in your mind, like the memory of an old wound. They bounce listlessly off the walls of your grandiose prison long after Namjoon shuts the door, sealing you away again.

You don't know what comes over you as you see visions of launching yourself at the door, pounding and scratching at the wood like a wild animal.

You could just open the door and follow him downstairs. Some part of you does register that.

But you want them to hear you. You want them to hear you rip your throat raw as you exorcise your demons.

You blink and you're standing still.

You haven't moved.

Your spacious room feels stifling. Like the walls are closing in on you, suffocating you.

Silken ropes sway in the dusk, catching your eye from beyond the balcony window. Your escape route from earlier that day.

You don't think twice before stuffing a few meager belongings into the long forgotten backpack kicked beneath your bed.

You need to leave this place.

You can't stay here.

-------

It had started drizzling not long after you left the house, and even now as you sit on the damp curbside, waiting for the next bus to take you far away from this place, it strikes you as funny, in a way, that the weather is crying for you, since you can't muster any tears of your own.

It's cold and misty, a foreboding atmosphere, by all accounts. It makes you question if what you're about to do is the right call.

But you shut down the arguments in your head as quickly as they appear.

Second guessing was what had gotten you into this situation. You need to follow your instincts.

And your instincts are telling you to flee.

It won't be so bad, you try to convince yourself. After the first night on the road, you'll eventually find a new town, a new home, a new place for yourself in this fucked up world. You've done it before, you can do it again.

You're considering suitable aliases for your new persona, when you sense another person approaching, their shoes tramping through the wet grass.

You don't look up at them, hoping they'll pass by and leave you alone. But they come to a stop beside you.

You keep your gaze on the road, droplets rippling the puddled potholes.

Then the stranger goes to sit on the curb too, and you can't help but look at them.

You'd recognize those lips anywhere, even beneath a baggy hooded sweatshirt.

"It's a bit late to run errands, don't you think?" Seokjin says, pulling his sleeves down to keep out the chill as he perches beside you.

He glances at you, then looks ahead at the road, the same way you were. You return your gaze forward, too exhausted to make a run for it. Though you don't get the sense that he would chase after you, even if you tried to escape.

Maybe that's exactly why you decide to stay put, but you don't give the suspicion any more thought.

"What do you want?" You finally ask, your voice croaky from being silent for so long.

"Nothing."

"Liar," you mutter, hugging your knees to your chest. "Everyone wants something."

He chuckles. Rests back on his hands. "I guess you're right about that."

Damn right you are. You didn't study the human condition through your years of training to be fooled so easily by pretty words.

"So?" You prompt him, still staring at the dreary horizon.

He takes a moment to respond. The silence is punctuated by the distant noises of traffic, an occasional car passing by, its headlights shimmering in the mist before disappearing down the road.

“The others are all out looking for you, you know,” he says simply. “Why do you think that is?”

If it were anyone else that had run away - their manager, a friend - you know what the answer would be. Because they care about that person. But how can you believe that about yourself, when you know you can never amount to anyone with that level of importance to them?

Ironic, since you’re the person with which they can be most intimate and vulnerable.

“I’m a liability,” you reply halfheartedly.

His silence serves to confirm your suspicions. A runaway PhysCom? Far too risky for a group at their level. You could become one of those anonymous sources like you saw in the news. A firsthand account of the BTS members’ secret sexual urges. Unacceptable. Snatches of words from the NDA you signed buzz around the edges of your mind like stray flies.

But since you're no longer connected to your network, then your tracker is probably disconnected. If the bus had come just a little earlier, you might already have escaped without a trace.

“You really think that’s the only reason?” Seokjin’s voice pulls you back to the moment.

His abysmal attempt to divert from the problem gets a hollow laugh out of you.

“Any other reason has ulterior motives. It’s just business.” You check the time on your ComGear. The bus should be here any minute. “I’m leaving, and I won’t let you stop me.”

“I don’t intend to,” he agrees, to your surprise. “God knows you’ve been put through enough.” He then leans forward, resting his forearms across his legs. “But for what it’s worth, you deserve to know the truth.”

Your ears perk up at this.

Seokjin seems to take your silence as permission to continue. “The reason we decided to suspend you. It wasn’t… entirely selfless.”

You purse your lips in irritation and fix your gaze upon the horizon, settling your chin beneath your crossed arms. “Right. Ulterior motives, like I said.”

He clicks his tongue. “Touche.”

You wait for him to continue, but he doesn't.

Your curiosity gets the better of you.

“So, what… were you planning to replace me?” You ask, trying to sound contemptuous. “I heard you all having your little group meeting in the kitchen. There are plenty of shiny new whores at your disposal, take your pick.”

He still makes no noise.

You wait, preparing to accept a bitter confirmation of all your fears.

But then he finds his voice. “We could never replace you, dear.”

You stop. Look over at him. His eyes are half lidded, his smile bittersweet as he stares off into the distance. After a few moments, he fishes around in his pocket and pulls something out, then hands it to you.

His smartphone.

“Here,” he murmurs, sympathy in the quirk of his lips. “In case you need to call anyone. Those devices they give you don’t have a cell plan, I assume.”

He seems to sense your wariness, and waves the phone a bit in a gesture of insistence. “I can buy a dozen new ones. It’s no trouble.”

You very hesitantly take it. “Thanks.”

Of course, he has no way to know that your ComGear is now jailbroken, for all intents and purposes. But… is this a trap? What if there’s a tracker in the phone? But why would he need to put a tracker in it if he doesn’t know your ComGear is off the grid?

The rumble of an approaching motor pulls you out of your cyclical thoughts, and you get on your feet, slowly coming out of your dissociative sulk.

But you still feel numb. Nothing matters anymore.

Nothing at all.

Jin gets up along with you, slipping his hands into his hoodie pocket. “Stay safe, alright?”

You give a brief nod of acknowledgment, only half in his direction as you shrug your bag onto your shoulder more securely. The hydraulics of the bus screech as the vehicle comes to a stop and lowers slightly, allowing you to step onboard.

You glance back, fully expecting Jin to stop you. But he doesn’t. He blinks raindrops out of his eyes while you board, and gives you a small smile once the doors close behind you. He lifts a hand in farewell, then turns and starts to walk away down the street.

He’s really letting you go.

You pay your fare and find a seat towards the back of the nearly empty bus. Rain pelts at the windows, picking up in earnest, and it feels like yet another layer, another barrier, separating yourself and creating an ever-growing chasm from the life you knew up until yesterday.

You pull out Jin’s phone, staring at the dark screen and wiping away stray raindrops from the surface with your sleeve. Why had he come to find you, if not to stop you?

“But for what it’s worth, you deserve to know the truth.”

Maybe he felt guilty. Or remorseful for the hell you’ve been put through recently. You would normally have felt immense satisfaction at such a thought.

But you can’t feel much of anything right now.

You don’t think you’ll be able to feel properly again. At least not for a long, long time…

Hm? The screen lit up. You must have pressed a button by accident. You swipe at it again, and to your surprise it unlocks. Who doesn’t put a passcode on their phone?

Is it possible… he disabled it before he gave it to you? Maybe. Whatever. You’re so tired of thinking, playing investigator and second guessing people’s motivations.

You scroll over to the phone icon, and tap on it, briefly considering calling your parents. But the wetness on your fingers messes with the touchscreen and you open the messages app instead.

You’re about to wipe the screen and try again, but… the most recent messages are… all about you. You tap on the group chat among the seven of them, currently bustling with activity.

[ Kim Namjoon ]: has anyone found her [ Park Jimin ]: hyung I’m so sorry [ Park Jimin ]: it’s all my fault [ Min Yoongi ]: she’s not at the studio [ Kim Namjoon ]: we’ll talk about it later Jimin [ Kim Namjoon ]: everyone keep looking [Jeon Jungkook]: manager said they can call her network to track her down [Kim Taehyung ]: should we do that? [ Jung Hoseok ]: no! she could get in trouble :( [ Min Yoongi ]: she’s not a stray pet [ Kim Namjoon ]: exactly [ Kim Namjoon ]: we need to keep this quiet for her sake [Kim Taehyung ]: she hasn’t replied to my texts or calls [ Min Yoongi ]: me neither [Jeon Jungkook]: hyung... will she be okay? [ Kim Namjoon ]: everything will be fine don’t worry [ Kim Namjoon ]: we’re going to fix this somehow [ Min Yoongi ]: whatever it takes [ Jung Hoseok ]: where could she have gone... [ Park Jimin ]: what if she doesn’t come back?

You scroll further up, past days and weeks and months of texts between them… not even a day between mentions of you. Wondering if you’re alright. Hoping you’ve eaten enough. Wanting to do more with you.

The thread of texts Jimin sent to Seokjin just yesterday.

Hyung I wish things were different I want to hold her I want to tell her she’s enough I wish I could kiss her… I think I love her Do you ever feel that way?

And Seokjin’s reply.

I do I know just what you mean Why do you think I turned those secondaries away last night, hm? No one can compare She really is special…

He didn’t… fuck the secondaries? After you broke at dinner, he… didn’t...?

You switch to his thread with Namjoon from a few days ago.

I know you’re our leader but I don’t think this is the way to go You need to be more cautious

Namjoon’s reply.

What we need is action, hyung If we work together on this, we could get rid of these unnecessary rules We could all have what we want Including her It’s what’s best for everyone

Seokjin took several minutes to reply.

You’re going to lose her.

Jin knew. He tried to talk Namjoon out of writing that stupid essay, or maybe it was about your suspension.

Either way, he defended you.

You open his thread with Hoseok. Dimly, you recognize that you shouldn’t be snooping, but you’re too absorbed to stop.

Hyung, I think she really wants this All of us ♡ I don’t know how, but we need to show her that it’s okay That we want it just as much

How do you know that’s what she wants?

I can’t say ♡ But I know now She wouldn’t reject us Our feelings She feels something too

The date and time lines up with this morning. The morning after he made love to you.

He didn’t tell them. He kept your secret.

“Our feelings”? What does he mean? Him, Jimin, Taehyung… Seokjin? Do they all…?

Your head spins, the hollowness of your heart filling with a rush of jumbled emotions, like a tide crashing in. All your numbness is washed out with light, just a pinprick at first, that grows rapidly into a ray of warmth as you consider what all this could mean. The chasm starts to narrow, and you get the urge to jump ship, to turn back and figure this shit out. To know once and for all what they want from you. What you mean to them.

But how can you trust this isn’t a trap? How can you be sure?

The answer is as simple as they come.

You can’t.

You can’t be absolutely certain that their intentions are pure… that this is the right thing to do… that you won’t be hurt again.

But maybe... trust isn’t about being infallible. Being right. Being sure.

Maybe it’s built on what ifs. On trying again, even with no guarantees.

Guarantees are only as good as their word, and talk is cheap. Lies are easy. Your Opticon had a 100% guarantee, and look where that got you.

But you remember the way Hoseok held you that night, and made love to you like you’ve never felt in your life... When Jimin kissed his way down your body, with only the best of intentions. Namjoon’s strong arms embracing you when you felt powerless. Yoongi’s hand never leaving yours, even while you waited in the hospital. Jungkook carrying you home after you fainted, breaking your door to make sure you were safe in bed. The look in Taehyung’s eyes when he finally kissed you, breaking the ice you’d been growing around your heart.

How Seokjin let you go.

Maybe...

You get up with a start, rush to the front of the bus, and hastily ask the driver to let you off, much to the old man’s disgruntlement, but the moment the doors whoosh open, you take off at a run.

You want to go home.

You want to try again.

No matter how much you try to bury it, to forget the way they make you feel, you care about them. All of them. On a much deeper level than that of a PhysCom and client. And it scares you.

But you’re done running from fear. From uncertainty.

Now you’re running towards it willingly, as you give chase down the torrential streets, searching for that familiar hooded figure and hoping you’re not too late. You’re embracing the doubt, the fear, the uncertainty, the paranoia... letting their shadowy claws sink into you until they can’t hurt you anymore. Until they fade away, cowering under the glow of your determination.

You’re setting some new rules for yourself, no longer letting fear control your thoughts and actions, barring you from any chance of happiness.

You see Seokjin in the distance, trudging home through the pouring rain. You run faster.

You’re fucking terrified. But you’ve never felt so free in your life.

“Jin!” You shout to get his attention, still a block away. He turns around, and shakes his head, seemingly confused, but a smile starts to appear. You smile too.

Finally, you catch up to him, and without warning, you throw your arms around his shoulders. Damn, he’s always taller than you remember.

He laughs, shocked by your change of heart. “What are you doing?”

“I want to hear you say it.” You reply, looking up at him as rain dashes down your face. You don’t know when you started crying, but you’re grateful to the weather for masking your tears.

“Say what?” He asks, his hands resting on your waist to support you. Thunder rumbles in the distance, rain sliding down his perfect face.

“How you feel about me.” You reply, studying his eyes. “Be honest.”

He seems to sense the gravity in your words. He holds you closer. His eyes soften.

“I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

For the first time since all of this started, you sense no deception in his words, no double meaning, no hidden agenda.

Because you aren’t searching for reasons to doubt this time.

You’re searching for reasons to trust, and you find them.

You want to kiss him. So you do.