#sucker for delicious fictional men

[nerdylightcrown]

He's so delicious I'm sorry-

[romanshomeonwattpad]

Girl in New York

pairings - art donaldson/reader | challengers au! |

“__” = Y/N

masterslist | next chapter

sypnosis - men would call you a siren, and women would call you a bitch. but all he knows is that you’re his.

warnings - future smut

word count - 1.5k

authors note - this fic will be having a part two. its completely out my comfort zone, and i wanted to experiment my skills as a writer to create a character super complex. any hate will be deleted and blocked. reminder that this is purely fiction!

© elliotsblunt 2024. do not repost, modify, or translate.

His pink lips glistened with beads of sweat that resembled diamonds. Unknowingly licking your own—your thighs clenched as his girlfriend pecked his cheek. You didn’t know why, but having the attention of every man in the vicinity made you feel as if you were worth something. The pain on girls’ faces after seeing their man’s arms wrapped around your figure always made you….

…….bite back a smile.

Your current subject was taken. It was perfect. A challenge never bored you—but only encouraged your habits.

Art Donaldson was on every girl’s agenda at the moment. Whenever you went to your local gym, he was playing on the tv screen at every treadmill with hunger in their eyes. These suburban women go crazy for a pretty boy with nice eyes and a fit bod. And the fact that you’ve never seen him smile, is a plus. He wasn’t a pushover.

He was a challenge.

The blonde haired girl got on her tiptoes, wrapping her tiny arms around Art’s shiny neck. You could see his defined muscles slightly bulge beneath his completely soaked t-shirt, making him look absolutely delicious. He offered her a smile, mumbled something, and she nodded before going to the snack bar.

Taking this as your chance, you dug into your purse and pulled out a cherry sucker from a few days ago. Plucking it into your mouth, you hummed at the sweet tart like taste—carrying your long legs that were hugged tightly by a pair of tiny workout shorts towards the tennis player. He had been tying his shoe when you paused before him.

You cocked out your hip, clearing your throat. His eyes slowly trailed up your figure, jaw clenching as they finally met yours. “Cute girlfriend of yours. Looks pretty young, though….” you sigh afterwards, swirling your tongue over the top of the pop. Art’s eyes slightly widened at the sight, gulping. “I’m _ _! What’s your name, pretty boy?”

You already knew it. As soon as he had shown up on your tv screen.

His eyes were bluer in person, if possible. It was as if there were thousands of diamonds carved into his eyes as the sun set on them. Sun-kissed skin had a thin gloss of sweat from his tournament, his broad shoulders quickly going up and down as he breathed heavily. He was considerably taller than you. He had to look down at you.

“Uh…Donaldson. Art…Donaldson.”

Bending over a tad, making sure your large breasts slightly spill out your bra—you smile innocently. Your lips release the suction on the lollipop with a loud pop! “Pleasure! I was wondering if you offer private lessons?”

Shamelessly, his eyes darted over your hardened nipples. His tongue poked out and slid across his puffy bottom lip, “I um, I charge 20 bucks an hour.”

“Deal. But I’m sure we can come up with a way to give me a discount,” you winked, pulling out your phone from your bra. You heard his breathing turn ragged as you handed him it. “Put your number in. I’ll let you know when I can start.”

His teeth sunk into his lower lip, narrowing his eyes at you. “Just meet me here next Tuesday same time. Make sure to bring cash,” he muttered, looking away from you. Your brow rose at his sudden dryness—but realized you probably intimated him with your forwardness. And to make matters worse, his air headed girlfriend had returned with a boba drink in her hand.

“Art, who’s this? A friend?”

“_ _ Smith. And no—we aren’t friends. I’m only a customer, a happy one at that.” Excusing yourself, you made sure to not even glance at her. You sent a brow towards Art, his eyes filled with a storm.

“See you soon, Mr. Donaldson.”

When next Tuesday rolled around—to say you were ecstatic was an understatement. Your black tennis skirt stopped right at the bottom of your ass, a black skin tight jacket hugging your breasts tightly. The side of your heel hit the bottom of your racket as your hair swayed in its ponytail. A smirk grew onto your lips as you spotted Art, waiting for you at the court.

Pulling your glasses down, you noted how his intense eyes burned holes into your body. “Hello, again. Your girlfriend here?”

“Why does that matter?” His tone was cold—a challenge. Every second seemed to get better and better.

He looked scrumptious. There was a hickey poking out from beneath the collar of his white tennis shirt. His girlfriend probably left it there so you wouldn’t try anything—to mark her dominance per se. But the problem with that is, you don’t respect anybody’s property. What’s yours….

……..is yours.

Your brow raises. “I’m getting the impression you don’t like me to much.”

He scoffs, “I know what type of girl you are. Not interested.”

You didn’t realize this was an assessment.

“I’m unaware of what—“

“I have a girlfriend for fucksake, and you’re dressed like—like—“

You innocently round your eyes at him, deciding to play it off as if you’re hurt by his words. But he didn’t actually know the real you—he was just trying to paint a picture for his own benefit. He was scared of what you were capable of. Which meant he was cracking.

“I didn’t come here to be slut shamed,” you shrug, taking a step back. “I’ve been watching your tournaments on tv for a few months now, and thought you were beyond talented. I tried my best not to act too starstruck and got carried away.”

His eyes soften.

Bingo.

“But I’ll leave—“

“Look, I’m sorry. Let’s just forget about this and start over.” He ran a hand through his hair, then leaving it on the back of his neck.

You bit back a smirk.

There were pleading undertones laced in his words, feeling guilty for judging your outfit and questioning your morality. You knew this time to come off less forward, figuring out he liked submissive women instead. Women who go with what he wants, who let him control the situations.

“Understood. Shall we get started?” You offer, in which he chuckles and agrees.

For the duration of two hours, Art accessed your abilities. He complimented you multiple times on how quick you were. Although he was significantly faster when it came to hitting the ball—you knew he didn’t expect you to be at least a little good. After the session, Art when to retrieve the both of you water as you grabbed the cash from your purse.

You should’ve paid him triple just for how good his butt looked in those shorts.

“Thanks,” Art handed you your matte black hydroflask—snatching you from your thoughts. He watched you take a couple swigs from it, a drop of water rolling down between the crack of your breasts.

He licked his lips before chuckling, hoping you didn’t catch him stare. “You hate the color black, huh?”

Looking down at your hydro, you laughed before holding out the cash for him. “It’s my favorite color. Besides, it goes with everything.”

“Hm,” his eyes fall to your hand offering the cash. Instead of taking both 50 dollar bills—he takes one and sends you a smirk.

“You get a half off discount for me being a dick. One time offer.”

You nod and chew on your bottom lip as he swallows thickly. “Perhaps I can at least buy you a smoothie or something. It’s pretty hot,” you offer, adding a suggestive tone to the end of your sentence. Noticing a hard tent forming in his pants, Art steps back, clearing his throat.

“I can’t today. I’ll see you on Thursday—same time.” He mutters, turning around and offering a sheepish smile before walking away. You wondered if he was going to rub one out in his car, or fuck his girlfriend and imagining it was your pussy he was driving into.

The thought made a pool begin to seep through your panties.

The tip of his cock poking out between his fisted palm, leaking with drops of creamy pre-cum. A mouth of pure ecstasy pulling at his features as his mouth hangs open, gripping his center console as he finishes all over the interior of his car.

Or fucking his girl from behind, imagining your bouncy ass rippling with every thrust. His fingers tugging at your strands, reaching the deepest spot inside your dripping pussy. He would think of you—not her. He would….

……cum for you.

Patrick, your cousin, had been visiting from East Boston and staying at your family’s house. He was passionate about tennis, just like you, and pretty much taught you everything you know. That’s why you were so skilled. Learning from Art was simply to get into his pants.

And of course, he wanted to crash your tennis class with Art. Said some bullshit about Art and him meeting at a summer tennis camp—whatever. You were plotting on snatching Art from his perky titted girlfriend—but with Patrick there, it may be a bit hard.

“For fucks sake, I said no!” You shout before lighting a cigarette, painting your big toe a glittery cherry color you bought at the drug-store. You heard your neighbor slam their window shut before Patrick slides open the screen door and comes out to the backyard where you were. After taking a puff, you blow the smoke into his face. “Love you, cuzzo. But you’re cockblocking me here.”

Patrick snatched the cigarette from you, taking a frustrated hit of his own. “Didn’t you say he had a girlfriend?”

“And?”

You receive a glare, causing you to roll your eyes and snatch the cigarette back from him. “Fine. Whatever. You can come.”

He gasps before hugging you, causing you to scoff and push him off you. It would be cool for him to reunite with his old friend, but this was so not the time for that. Patrick got on your nerves but you had love for the dude. It’s always been hard to say no to him. It was despicable.

You took another hit. The rancid stench filled your senses, smoke swirling around your figure. After finishing your last toe—Patrick pulled up a chair and sits on it backwards. “You like this dude or what?”

A laugh couldn’t leave your lips after. Who does he think you are?

You haven’t truly dated a guy since you were seventeen. Ever since your ex, you didn’t grow feelings for another individual. And it had nothing to do with him—you just outgrew relationships. It was fun to have options. Especially when those options, were already taken.

Men with girlfriends are harder to obtain. They had settled already, and it takes a lot for them to trust you. But once there’s a clear understanding you don’t genuinely care for them…and only what’s in between their legs—

That’s when the real fun begins.

“Hell no. He’s hot. That’s it.”

Patrick lights another cigarette, nodding before blowing out the white ropes of smoke. “Ah. I see. You wanna fuck his brains out.”

“Precisely.”

“Back when I met him, he was dating this cute tiny little thing. What was her name? Tracy? Tara? Tam—Tiffany!”

Your smirk twitched, taking another hit of your cigarette. It was almost finished at this point. “Is she blonde?”

He looks over at you, sending a brow. “You know her?”

“I’ve seen her prancing around.”

“He told me she’s controlling and shit. Wonder if that’s still true,” he pops open the cooler and pulls out a beer, tilting his head back and taking a swig. You suddenly perk up at his words as he swallows the fermented alcohol harshly.

“Heard they took therapy classes together.”

You pressed a finger on your chin, giving him a mischievous look. “They’ve been together for a while now…huh?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Hm.

It was going to feel all the much better to steal him.

[twobigears]

Tagged by: @wyrddogs and @wasatchmountaindogs

Suggestion: tag 9 people you’re interested in learning more about

Favorite color: for the longest time my favorite color was blue (like an aqua blue) but now I don’t know if I really have a favorite?? I like multiple colors equally?? mostly a tie right now between blue/aqua, red, orange, and pink depending on my mood and the item we’re looking at

Currently reading: The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird because apparently I’m still a sucker for pandemic-related fiction despite the actual hell of our real-life pandemic 🙃

Last song: Fear by Blue October 💙

Last series: simultaneously watching Heartland, Stranger Things, The IT Crowd, and Obi-Wan Kenobi

Last movie : Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Sweet/savory/spicy : all of them are good and delicious

Currently working on: Scent work curriculum

Tagging : @atheoryofmind, @uozlulu, @changeofthetimes, @discountmalinois, @losech if you haven’t done it already and anybody else who wants to join in!

[aphrodite-would-be-proud]

omg so I read this manga this morning called Sesame Salt and Pudding and it’s ab this 22 y/o girl who gets drunk and accidentally marries a stranger, who happens to be 42. it’s the cutest lil slice of life just a really healthy relationship and all i could think was this would be the funniest meet cute for Erwin.

Thanks for linking me the manga website anon omfg you're a real one💙🐛

Alright so below is my 1am thoughts while reading it as i listen to a daddy/mommy issues playlist i found online and drinking green apples monster energy.

Tw: mentions of sex | Tw: suggestive words

Chapter one

The girl is really pretty, I'm really gay.

Wait so she married him while drunk and now can't remember anything?

This lowkey does look like Erwin without gel in his hair

...why can i see Erwin as the type of drunk to not only sign a wedding registration paper but also demand both of you must go get wedding ware, paying for your dress or suit.

Consent 👏yes👏100%👏the bare minimum👏Erwin values consent above literally anything else👏Erwin wouldn't touch you without permission even while drunk out of his mind👏again it's the bare minimum👏

An older dude that cooks & cleans while staying home as i go out and provide for us? This is my dream. Stay at home husband Reiner stay at home husband Reiner stay at ho

Ngl i think Erwin wouldn't know anything past basic cooking despite him reading all these cooking books and watching videos, i think if he really was dedicated he'd sign up for a cooking class go get high level skills just to impress you but treat it like it's nothing

...he didn't wanna stare at her chest so he went to clean the fridge- Erwin would def be that kind of gentleman to change his own attitude instead of ever telling you to change or cover up.

I love her job oh my god yes.

Ooo a love rival huh👀 is this gonna turn into a triangle situation

The only love rival I'd ever see for Erwin is Nile tbh, like i think if it was Miche, Hange or Levi then he'll talk it out and either him or the person backs off.

He gets gloomy when jealous huh~

THIS IS FUNNIER THAN IT HAS ANY RIGHT TO BE DOAKDJKAKSN I CAN'T.

I can't even imagine Erwin's reaction if you said this to him, like he won't even be mad he would just be really taken back, standing there like 🧍🏼‍♂️...he'd even be amused.

Okay- okay this is a good reaction...I think Erwin would say something similar but rephrase it to he more subtle yet somehow making it sound dirtier.

Something along the lines of, "well, if you're so sure then why don't you find out yourself."

And "after all i can't deny that i haven't thought about how beautiful looked last night...how the more beautiful you would've looked laying down."

"You looked like a really delicious treat"

"All pretty and alone, tearing about your worries, i just wanted to make you forget them all and leave the rest to me"

I should stop-

Chapter two

HE SAID HE IS HER UNCLE I CAN'T BREATHE I LOVE THIS

Oh shit he overhead them oh shit

Shit is going down oh god

Man if it was Nile in this hypothetical insert then he'd be hold this information like the petty bitch he is and use it at the date instead.

Chapter three

Ngl dude, i really hate it when they treat it like a women's reputation is all she has. I especially hate the purity culture of that a young women can't be a roommate with a man because "what will people say" like...if they're fucking who cares and if they aren't literally who cares? Do they realise gay people exist too and two women have an equal chance of sleeping together too?

It feels like they treat women as children, maybe I'm just projecting bc i live in a similar kind of culture where all these rules apply here if not more.

Anyway that manga is cute, it just angred me that these two men think they're responsible for solving her problem or as if they have any right to scold her or be angry like she's some kind of child and should listen.

It's her life, it's her problem and it's her who will solve it.

DUDE SHUT THE FUCK UP. he's really acting like a bitch as if he has any right to be angry or even judge her oh my god.

"Impure background..." Get fucked.

The only ONLY reason he even can be angry is because she didn't mention being married while they were going for a date but they didn't even go on that date and nothing was official so why does she have to tell him her private life.

RED FLAG RED FLAG RED FLAG HUGE RED FLAG

"get divorced immediately" HUGE FUCKING RED FLAG

Controlling Insecure cunt.

I'm sorry anon that I'm really going off on him and I'm sorry if you like him- it's just that i really really can't stand these things

THE MANGA IS LOVELY THO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOMMENDING IT I'D LOVE MORE WHENEVER💜

Oh baby, oh angel I'm so sorry you had to go through that, in no way is it ever right to get angry and yell no matter what especially since you apologised and admitted to your mistake.

Especially since he knew it was something you did while drunk and deeply regret it but he still took out his angry on you like you betrayed his trust when you weren't even together or like you intentionally did it.

Narcissistic dick.

I'm not talking about the next scenes because it might be triggering.

Chapter five

4 is missing :( idk how her parents visit went

We just started the chapter and-

Fuck her. Like what's up with toxic abusive people being too comfortable saying these things lmao like they actually take themselves seriously omfg.

Imagine saying this about Erwin tho, like it feels powerful to say. John maloney was right after all huh

Oh

Oh

So we doing this huh

👀

....oh :( we were just getting to the god part, man Erwin wouldn't have let a phone stop him.

Also bless the translator for their note at the end, it's good we're seperating fiction from reality and clarifying things to people on how to act in these scenarios.

Like drama is fun and all, I'm a huge sucker being extra, but things are different in real life and using fiction as a guide to how to deal with these, clearly written to be extra, situations should never ever be anyone's first choice.

Well that's all the 10 images tumblr will allow me in one post, i hope you had fun anon because i sure did! And i can definitely see this as a sweet wholesome Erwin/reader story, and if i ever did a an inspired rewriting of that manga with Erwin i can definitely see it being really fun to write!

Although i will change some stuff like that guy, i know people have good and bad sides but the guy specifically made me uncomfortable for personal reasons, i also Don't like mentioning serious things like anger controlling issues without diving deep into them.

Imma go finish the manga, if you want a part two, or have a different thing to recommend, please let me know💙

[sou-ver-2-0]

7 for shin? i love your writing so much!!

Thank you!! <3 I'll keep writing then!

7) This character’s favorite character This was probably the most fun question on that list! I gotta think outside the box this time.

Speaking for myself, when it comes to fictional characters, "tragic manipulators" are my weakness! I'm a sucker for characters like Gollum from LOTR, Rumplestiltskin from OUAT, or Kreia from KotOR 2. Other sympathetic evil-doers I love include Catra from SPOP, Regina Mills from OUAT, and Cassandra from RTA. Common themes among these characters include loneliness, feeling trapped by fate, and lashing out at the person they love most. Shin/Sou fits perfectly into this mold, so it's no surprise I fell so hard for him!

But I don't imagine Shin would enjoy that character type. Complex villains. I think that hits too close to home. Actually, I think Shin views Sara as a complex villain! Part of him can see that she's just a teenage girl, but he still won't underestimate her capacity for cruelty. With her charisma, Sara has the potential to become a powerful manipulator. He fears Sara even more than he fears Keiji, Q-Taro, or Reko, who could all surely destroy him in a fight. But Sara... I think Shin sees the worst of himself in Sara, much like he sees his vulnerable self in Kanna. And that terrifies him.

However, I can easily imagine Shin being a fan of campy villains. You know; the funny, melodramatic queer-coded types common in Disney cartoons. Like Maleficent, Ursula, or Scar. Or the ones in more adult fare, like Dr. Frankenfurter in Rocky Horror Picture Show, or Joker from Batman movies and comics. This is the trope Shin is modeling when he calls everyone "worthless riffraff," or whenever he proudly announces that he was lying, or in that delicious moment when he confesses he just needed "one sucker" to believe he had amnesia.

Basically, I'm describing Original Sou's character type. That's the person Shin is emulating. Additionally, as a huge villain stan myself, I know it can feel empowering to feel control over fictional villains. Shin can't change that Original Sou was a real person in his life who hurt him, but he might vicariously enjoy controlling fictional villains who can't hurt anyone. It could give him a sense of power he doesn't have in real life.

But I also think Shin would be drawn to heroines! The fictional characters who are most like Kanna! Princesses who learn that they're worthy of love, and then they get a well-deserved happy ending, like Cinderella. That may feel like a more embarrassing trope for a young man to be invested in, but I'm sure that the message, "You're worthy of love and happiness," would affect him deeply.

So if I'm going to pick a single favorite fictional character for Shin, I'll go with my Star Wars brain and pick Princess Leia! She's smart, brave, tragic, and the story always shafts her struggles to focus on the men. To me, Leia sounds like someone Shin would root for.

[doginshoe]

Burning Up, Burnt Out

This is my work for the Nalu and Gruvia big bang @nalugruviaevents! I worked alongside @yaushie, who made the beautiful art to go with the fan fiction I wrote. Thanks to @celestial-fire-writer for being beta once again. Summary:  Set in the year after Alvarez and before Lucy's book signing. The team is on a mission to help a native village on a island, but the celebrations afterwards leave Natsu to do some deep thinking about a certain celestial wizard that won’t seem to leave his mind. 

ART BY @yaushie

The fire roared as cinders rose up in the night much like fireflies, stars gleamed in the night sky and the air tasted of smoked meat as the villagers threw their offerings into the large pit of wicked flames. The people cried out as they rejoiced, clapping their hands to the beats played by the drums. The women with sultry eyes moved around the flames like conspiring Wiccans, rising the spirits from the curling fire as they swayed their bodies in erotic and enticing ways. They stretched their arms high and grinded their hips, flicking their legs high in the air as they jumped to then push down and again use their footwork to circle around the fire.

The men sitting at the edge of the cluster of celebration hollered at the women as their skirts sashayed with their sensuous movements. Their tight bandeau leaving the skin of their midriffs exposed and subject to their hungry gazes of wonder and amazement. Many of them would stray just enough from their tight knit group of dancers to caress the cheek of a surrounding watcher, enticing and drawing them in with their deep gazes until they would lean forward in their daze. Then the women would skip back to join the large burning fire - leaving the crowd breathless and entranced. It was a game of cat and mouse and they were teasing minxes.

Natsu, like many others of the audience, watched on. His dark eyes were drawn into the soft exposed skin covered in a soft sheen of sweat, the strong and long legs that kicked up and the way their breasts were barely concealed in an orange fabric that was lined with gold trim. However, it wasn’t all the dancers that grabbed hold of his gaze. It was the billowing blonde hair that caught his breath, the deep brown eyes that occasionally glanced his way. Lucy, who was twisting and turning amongst the other women, had called him in. Her body stirred something in the pit of his stomach as she seemed to move with the fire, embodying the way the flames flickered and curled behind her.

He was completely enraptured. The thrum of the drums and strum of strings reverberating through his body, cutting off the noise of villagers who joined in the festival. Natsu couldn’t tear his gaze from her being, and he knew she had noticed his unwavering stare on her. Lucy grinded her hips more to the music, arched her back just a little bit further to uncover the view of the delicious skin of her neck, but it was her eyes - the way she peered up at him through thick lashes with flushed cheeks - that made him swallow hard and realise that he had been caught.

She knew he was captivated. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she spun on her feet in rhythm, the deep brown hue making him their victim once again as he was locked in her gaze. He couldn’t count on both his hands and feet how many times her eyes had persuaded him and made his knees weak, lungs breathless - the way they shone when she smiled, crinkling slightly at the side, and sparkling like the stars she beckoned to her side in battle. It was especially painful when they would break in front of him, becoming watery and fragile. Those were times Natsu was lost, when he felt smaller and more vulnerable than when Igneel had disappeared. He couldn’t fight away her sadness. It made him… confused. His heart would feel like stone in his chest as if it had stopped beating and would tumble from its bone cage, a feeling in his throat that threatened to choke him.

She grinned at him. The smile was large as it accompanied her bright eyes, glinting gold from the fire. It pulled Natsu from the thoughts he always found himself puzzled when he looked at the celestial wizard for too long. Her hands clapped above her head before she skipped and flew through the air, her feet coming down to land gracefully before she dipped her body low.

The long blonde locks that had been tied loosely into twin ponytails danced behind her. They shined, illuminated by the flames as they whipped in the fresh night air. The glow reminded him of a far off time, a November sunset - her smile just as wide that day when they had come back from rescuing Macao at Mount Hakobe.

The sun was shining its last rays before it would sink below the horizon. Their shoes scuffing along the cobblestone street as they left the grinning father and son after they successfully brought Macao home to Romeo. The young boy’s shout of thanks echoed in their ears and a small smile still played on the blonde’s lips as they walked beside each other in a comfortable silence. Natsu peered at her from the side. She was strange - that, he was sure of. The newly joined member throwing herself into his business and then complaining every step of the way. Natsu didn’t like people like that. She acted like every other sucker who thought being a mage was a walk in the park and some sort of title that could be thrown around. However, her blind bravery to face the Vulcan alone surprised him; as did her tending to Macao’s wounds and the way she smiled. Natsu had faulted when she had looked back at the snot-nosed kid. He had nearly fallen flat on his face, but he only shook his head slightly, eyes leaving the weirdo to focus back on the path. He hoped Mirajane had something special to eat when he got back.

Natsu tore his gaze from Lucy. The feast before him had been half picked at, which had been extremely unlike him, yet he couldn’t bring himself to pick up another mouthful. Gray was still being patched up by the giggling old crones of the village, much to his dismay, and Erza was at the Chief’s table. He noticed Wendy had been dressed in the same outfit that Lucy was wearing, but she stayed far from the show that transpired in the middle of the village. His dark eyes flicked back up to the blonde as his thoughts drifted back to her. That had been happening a lot lately.

A sigh left his lips, the sound giving life to the muddled thoughts that plagued his mind. The mission had meant to be something for them all to unwind and to let them come back down to reality - to make the war a distant memory. However, the fire dragon slayer had only become more tense. His fists clenched at his side and his chest puffed out as he gritted his teeth. It was his instincts gearing him up for a fight. Yet, he couldn’t beat this down. What was he meant to do?

He gulped as the vulnerable feeling clogged his throat. He had learned, he had grown stronger. Fear didn’t stop him anymore. It was welcomed and used strategically against his opponent. Enemies that seemed impossible were always overcome. Natsu was ready to defeat anything in his way to protect his friends - to make sure their smiles kept true.

Lucy remained a puzzle.

He couldn’t get past it. Her eyes led to his lungs dysfunctioning. Her smiles made his palms sweaty with a heart that just wouldn’t stop pounding. The way she smelled, sweet and like the books she spent so much time with; it pulled him to her.

It made Natsu want to tug at his hair. When he had set out alone he spent most of his nights frustrated as he looked up to the stars, his thoughts drifting to the blonde that he left behind. She always said that they guided her, but Natsu only saw the vast midnight sky. The glinting lights seemed to taunt him rather than to offer solace for his troubles.

The celestial wizard wasn’t in danger and he certainly didn’t consider her to be an enemy. She was much more to him. Lucy was Lucy. Yet, she plagued his mind. It felt like he was missing something. The feeling built in his stomach, a nervousness he didn’t quite understand, and it was wrong. How was he meant to protect her from that? Something that was unknown to him?

Natsu felt the drums pick up speed, the vibrations humming in his veins, as the dance was coming to a close. Lucy clapped her hands as she moved her hips along with the other villagers - the movements absolutely tantalising. And Natsu watched her. His eyes filling with longing as they glazed over. She seemed like a friend to the fire as it bathed her in its light - the flames nearly consuming her as she pushed and pulled her body alongside it.

He could always ignore it. Feign ignorance so he could be welcomed into the bliss that he had lived in before he met her. Things would go back to normal. The simple life. It would be as easy as felling the tree that had begun to bind itself in his ribcage - the centre suffocating his heart. The branches would shrivel and slowly fall, the roots no longer embedding themselves in his bones and he would be free.

A thought he had believed foolishly. Even in the beginning he had tried to ignore her. She was a friend… and that was all. He’d asked her to be his partner because her heart was true. There was nothing else. However. it was the small spark, the tiny little wonder that ebbed at his mind that he should have listened to. Even when he thought he had overcome it, she always made sure to relight it. Always putting herself in harm's way for him, and yet he was meant to be the idiot. Natsu always thought the blonde did stupid things; like when she tried to stop the raft when they were battling the Oracion Seis. The girl had no clue what she was doing, yet she held onto him even as they plummeted down a waterfall.

He could still remember the sick feeling that swam in his stomach as he was swept up in the white rapids - Lucy by his side, her arms wrapped tight around him. No one had ever really cared about his motion sickness. It was always something considered a joke in the guild, a running gag people used to get under his skin. At other times it was an annoyance. If it had been anyone else they would have let the river take him. It was his own fault his stomach couldn’t beat the nauseating waves that rocked his mind. But, she was different. Natsu had never had someone care like she did. Running after him in his weakest moments no matter how pathetic they seemed. He would often think about when they fell from the waterfall. The sound of crashing water filling his ears, blocking out every other noise except his pounding heartbeat until they hit the river below. She’d made him fault again. His mind short circuiting when he looked at her until he could push out an earnest thank you.

The fire called to him as it burned, the flames being his own as he started off the celebration in the village with a mighty fire dragon roar. If all the way back then he had acknowledged the growth then maybe it wouldn’t be a mass of vines and prickly branches that threatened to suffocate him nearly every moment. Instead it had to be crushed into him, literally. Being stuck underneath boulders and watching as she refused to run. The same determination would always flicker in her eyes when he saw her in a fight, always reminding him of the time he could’ve lost her.

“Run for it, Lucy! He’s way stronger than he looks!! I’ll figure something out. Just get out of here!” He shouted, his fingers digging into the dirt as he desperately tried to claw his way out. If she had no magic power then-

“I won’t.”

Natsu stilled as her voice cut through the air, his throat going dry as Kain’s foot came down on her body a moment later, crushing her into the ground. He could barely breathe as she screamed out in agony. He could only watch as she was beaten down. Why wouldn’t she run?

Kain kicked her forward, the blonde gasping for breath as he walked over to her limp and bruised body before gripping onto her hair, the tresses spilling through his fingers as he lifted her up to her knees.

“I don’t want… to run away by myself…” she choked as she began to force a smile through the pain, blood dripping down her chin. Those brown eyes shining before they closed, her smile picking up into a grin. “Because…”

Natsu could only remained frozen in place as Kain pulled her higher into the air, his mind screaming at him to do something, anything, but his body wouldn’t listen. It couldn’t. Even with the weight of the rocks crushing him, her words had left him stiff with shock. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her as her grin stretched wider and wider, a small blush rising on her cheeks.

“It’s always more fun when we’re together!”

Those words echoed in his heart for a long time after she had said them. It was as if his mind put them on repeat, always bringing him back to that moment at some of the strangest of times. He supposed that was when he really did begin to notice that there was something more with his partner. That moment shattered a wall he didn’t know he had built. He treated everyone at Fairy Tail like family, the people who made the guild a home, and Lucy was the same.

Except…. Lucy herself had become a home. He always found himself coming back to her at the end of a long day. She was comforting, she was strong and she was kind. His partner always managed to find the good in everything. Lucy had become a safe place and he just couldn’t stop himself from always being by her side, or noticing just how small her hands were. Or that little buzz of warmth that would linger when their skin would brush against one another, which seemed to be more often than not.

Natsu sighed as he finally leaned back, he seemed to be the only person not in the spirit of the festivities. He just couldn’t seem to enjoy the celebration even as more people began to join in with the women in the center. Even Wendy was coaxed into joining, Lucy grabbing her hands and pulling her into the group. Their smiles growing brighter as she twirled the younger girl. Everyone was cheering, the beat beginning to shake the table as it grew louder and louder.

After that day he could never stray from her side for too long. Coming back from Tenrou after seven years, he would try and protect her, be someone to rely on like he did with her. Except they were thrown into the Grand Magic Games only a few weeks later where he had to watch her fight and he couldn’t step in. Seeing Minerva torture her as she was defenceless. His hands bled as he had to sit back, nails digging into his palms as he shook with anger.

But, even when he was standing right next to her in front of future Rogue… He had come close to losing her so many times, even when he vowed to be there, just like with all his family. He could never save Lucy. That time would always haunt him. Watching as she fell to the ground, the hand where she had her guild mark... He couldn’t protect her! In two different strands of time he was useless. Lucy’s future was destroyed. She couldn’t be happy.

The tips of his fingers just barely grazed the darkness that took her away. Natsu could barely move as he watched her fall. He was too late. Even if it wasn’t Lucy from his age, from his time. He could’ve saved her. He could’ve fixed everything. It was all too real. If his Lucy wasn’t kneeling beside her he would’ve thought she was actually gone, that the only way he could’ve saved her had slipped right past him.

He knew he had to become stronger. She had dug herself too far into his heart. He would be enough to protect her future. That burned into his resolution when Lucy thanked him, the warmth of her hug still burning where her arms wrapped around him. It was then that he knew she’d always be by his side… because he had a future to protect. He had her future to keep fighting for.

Natsu loved her.

When her body laid limp in his arms, Natsu felt nothing but pain until a snap pulled him into a rage. She was stuck in Dimaria’s suspended time. He knew it now, but seeing her like that - he couldn’t even hear a heartbeat. It was all too much. The future he had promised to fight for, to live for and protect was now lifeless in his arms. That thought alone sent a blinding shock through his system, the feeling taking over his senses as he lost control. It was pathetic, but Natsu let himself to succumb to it. He would have fought the demon that was taking over, the END seed that was planted within him slowly sprouting as it filled him with poison, the whispers sometimes still echoing in his mind. He could only be thankful that Gray, and then Erza, had stepped in his way. They stalled his maniacal mission just long enough for him to collapse into her arms. He was home again and the anger washed away.

No matter what they went through they would always be together. Side by side. It didn’t matter whether they were battling some petty dark guild or stopping the end of the world. Today and everyday would always be an adventure. He knew it when he was falling out of the sky. His body battered from fighting with Acnologia, but a giant grin on his face as he knew who gave him the strength so he could do it.

He could barely contain the grin that pulled on his lips as he bared his teeth. Her eyes were blown wide as she stared at him in shock, Happy was in her arms beaming at him. When she smiled back up at him, tears filling her eyes, he knew that he was home. Lucy was home. The three of them would always be a family. A team.

“I’m home!” He chuckled, his smile beaming even wider.

She opened her mouth, a stray tear dribbling down her cheek as she managed to find her voice. Knowing they had finally won. That they had saved the world. She knew that if anyone could do it, it would be Natsu.

“Welcome home!” She cried and he felt the warmth spread through his chest.

In that moment Natsu knew that he could accomplish anything because he always had someone to return to - his guild, his best friend and a particular blonde that managed to start a fire in his heart.

His eyes were glued to Lucy as the dance came to an end. She kicked her leg into the air, following the rest of the group as they finished the song. The drums were intense as she twisted and moved around the fire, a sheen of sweat making her body shine in the fire light. With every spin and dip the flames seemed to copy her. His flames. Natsu couldn’t stop himself from staring. She had never looked more ethereal than in this moment. Her hair spun like gold thread as she turned with the fire behind her. Her hips drawing him in and alighting the embers in his chest, burning him up from the inside. The way she seemed to almost glow had him captivated - it was as if she was a goddess teasing him. Her long legs making his blood pump as they pulled down before leaping into the air. He had been in love with her since long ago.

The last hit on the drum resounded out in the village as all the dancers raised their hands, their chests rising and falling as their lungs struggled to heave in a breath from the movements of the dance. Her eyes burned into his as she grinned before being engulfed with the crowd. The people’s joyous cries replacing the beat that once hummed throughout the village.

She had been swept away from him as he sat in front of his meal. Natsu clenched his fist, offering his gaze back up to the heavens that could only mock him. The twinkling lights glinting down at him like all those nights before. Natsu cursed as he stood from his spot, glancing back at the blonde to find her and Wendy raised up by the village, the younger girl looking more sick than anything whilst Lucy laughed.

He smiled softly before he walked away. He had spent too much time caught up with the celestial spirit mage. Though he knew that he couldn’t help the pull that she had over him. It was as if Lucy was fire itself - a fire he couldn’t control. Ironic, considering the fact that fire was his to wield and command.

A sigh left his lips as his feet kept him walking to the edge of the village, where he could get away from the noise and away from her. He hoped it would ease the unwanted feelings. Yet, it never did. Natsu knew it, but he still walked - his eyes coming back to the stars as he breathed in the crisp air. When he exhaled the puff of air, it came out as smoke.

Tonight, seeing Lucy move that way, was almost earth shattering. She’d stirred up the heat in his chest once again, setting him alight and raising the flames higher and higher with every movement she made alongside the bonfire behind her. It was completely mesmerising. The heat seemed to lick at her skin and embody her very being. It only made the feelings harder to ignore as the embers rose into a wildfire.

Natsu wanted her. Lucy was just… Lucy. She was so good to him, so tantalisingly good that it made him feel weak at the knees. That vulnerable feeling that ate him up was because she made him feel like he was going to lose control. He wanted to hold her close, feel her soft flesh against his and breathe in that sent that made his mind go blank. She was everything to him. The blonde that had treated him to a meal all those years ago becoming someone he didn’t want to live without - someone he couldn't.

Natsu had to steady himself against a tree on the outskirts of the village, his heart rate becoming erratic when he thought of everything he wanted with Lucy. He wanted them to spend every moment together, each day planned with Lucy and leading her off to one mission then the next. However, as time passed he soon noticed that his plans with the blonde took at different turn. The thought of her soft pink lips and smooth skin playing on his mind. That was what had control of him now. The idea of her wrapped in his flames as he took her hard. The blush on her cheeks and how her mouth would part in a soft moan - it all made him feverish.

He was caught in a mess, Natsu shaking his head as he tried to collect his thoughts with a deep breath. He wanted Lucy, no, needed her. She had lit a fire that couldn’t be put out and he couldn’t wait to pull her into his chest and crash his lips onto her own. He loved her and by gods it was time she knew.

He had to tell her, his feet pushing him forward to where the team took rest. This feeling - the jitters that spun webs in his gut - only ushered him to continue forward and quickened his pace. He knew that Lucy was different, he had known from the very start. It had scared him. Igneel never mentioned anything to do with love. Even Makarov had only taught him one important lesson that he kept for the rest of his life, to love your family and to keep them safe.

The torches lit his way as he stumbled past people who had gotten too ahead of themselves in the festivities. Except as he rounded a corner and heard her laugh - his steps picked up into a sprint. The time was now, this is what he needed to do.

“Luc-”

Yet in all his resolve, he found himself pausing. There she was. His partner, but she wasn’t alone. He watched as she laughed, the sweet sound resonating in his ears, while waving away Happy. His best friend breezed up in the air as he yelled at the blonde. The faint traces of their conversation tell him that she’d insulted his chances of ever being the right man for Charla.

Now was his chance, but Natsu couldn't bring himself to take another step. Maybe it was the jittery nerves finally freezing up his muscles, or that she had made him falter again. All he knew was that as he watched his team, no - his family - he felt complete in a way that he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

Lucy was softly smiling as she patted Happy on the back. Her outfit from the dance was gone. It was just her. It was Lucy. Her hair had been taken back up into her pony tail that she had started wearing when he had left her for a year. Her keys were placed on the right side of her hip, the usual brown belt holding them in place. Although she had grown over the years, the blonde hair now reaching past her shoulders and her outfits always being swapped, she was still the same. Her brown eyes were still kind. Their depths drawing him in every time he stared in them for too long, Just like everyone else, she would fight till her last breath for their guild - for him. Lucy was home.

As he watched them, the fire that had been burning so fiercely only blazed brighter. For so long he had been fighting it, thinking the roots that nearly suffocated him would form a forest and leave him in the dark. Now he felt as if he could breathe easier than ever before. This was his team, his family.

Natsu barely registered what was happening before he slipped his arms around both their shoulders, pulling his partners to him in a crushing side hug. His words left his lips as naturally as all the other times before.

“Whatcha guys doing?”

Happy cried out, “Natsu!” but he barely heard his partner as he felt a familiar pair of brown eyes staring at his face. It was Lucy, peering up at him with that concerned look she always wore. 

“Where have you been? I was looking all over for you after the dance, but you were gone.”

She blinked and when Natsu turned he felt that familiar sensation, the second where his brain stopped functioning for just a moment. Those eyes would really be the death of him.

A wide grin crept up on his face, his canines flashing at her as he pulled them along forward. “I’ve been here weirdo. Don’t tell me you’re going blind now too,” he spoke before his gaze turned forward, “Come on! I heard there’s leftovers.”

“Aye!” Happy cheered as he flew from Natsu’s grip into the air, leaving him with just his arm around the blonde that nearly gave him heart palpitations. He felt the nervousness begin to swim in his gut, he knew she’d keep asking questions. The blonde blinked and to his surprise a soft laugh left her lips, her hand coming up to hide her face before she smiled.

“Yeah, I am still a bit hungry,” she breathed as she wiped her brow, “That dancing was really hard.”

Natu’s grin stretched even wider, if it was possible, as he raised his hand into the air. “To the leftovers!” he shouted, and his partners echoed his words before they dashed off. The task becoming a race in a few short moments that was soon joined in by Gray. Though, they didn’t get to destroy anything before Erza had stepped in with a giggling Wendy in tow. He grumbled as he rubbed the beginnings of what was soon to become an egg on his head, but a sweet melody lifted him from his troubles. He stared up to the smiling blonde and the grin came up on his face again.

This was his family, and he could still love Lucy. He didn’t need to change anything.

We’ll be together forever from now on

[meganelizabether]

My top 10 TV shows of 2017, 9-4

9. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

This show has managed to stay flat-out funny, genuinely heartwarming, and important without being heavy-handed. Tackling police work with optimism, integrity and humor can’t be easy, but somehow, the writers manage it every season. Plus, Santiago and Peralta’s relationship is one of the most realistic and happy (i.e. best-written relationship ever eeee fangirling a little here) on television, past and present. While they didn’t make sense as a couple in season one, the writers’ smartly let Jake grow up, and showed how he enriched Amy’s life with his childish joy and unwavering love. Now, they just make sense, and it’s a beautifully simple and magically complex thing to behold (like all good relationships).

8. Glow

I’ve always had a deep loathing for professional wrestling, based entirely on early childhood exposure to its spray-tanned, greasy, ludicrous brand of hyper-masculinity. The people who watched it didn’t seem to think it was funny, which I found very confusing, and the bombastic violence never seemed remotely entertaining. Luckily, “Glow” matches its source material by allowing its characters to be big, bold and ridiculous in and out of the ring, while slowly and delightfully subverting types over the course of the season. The parts are juicy, the characters are messy, and the women are unabashedly themselves. It’s one of the purest things I watched all year, and I can’t wait to see where the next season ends up. 

Also 8. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

One of (few) good things about 2017 was the diversity on television. Shows like Black-ish, Fresh off the Boat, The Mindy Project, Empire, Jane the Virgin and Insecure all got renewed, and as the year draws to a close, I can truthfully saw we’re living in a great age of television. Not only do we have a stunning variety of amazing shows, we have writers of color creating for actors of color, on shows produced by people of color. We have a spectrum of sexuality across all TV genres, written as main characters and not tokens or random friends who appear only on very special episodes. The diversity isn’t just on the surface anymore, and it shows. Some of the most original, important and entertaining stories on TV would never have existed if not for the diverse creators who finally got their feet in the door.

And yes, that is a preamble-apology of sorts for including a very, very white show like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on a fairly short list. Sure, the main characters are Jewish, but so far, the show hasn’t developed a sense of otherness, or tackled any anti-Semitism surely hanging around in 1950s New York (I haven’t finished the season yet, so maybe it’s there?). The moment where Midge (literally) upstages an African American band feels extremely privileged and a bit cringe-worthy as well. Historically, the Palladinos have been pretty tone-deaf tackling, or completely ignoring, issues like race, LGBTQ issues and politics, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

HOWEVER, the show is damn funny; the acting is great, the writing is crisp, the feminism is present and bourgeoning, and I’ll admit it... I’m a sucker for a period piece. It’s like Mad Men, but hilarious (and I do also have to admit that I miss Mad Men, for all its flaws). And we have not yet arrived at a time when I can say, stop with the funny women on TV already. There’s just too many of them. Why not some serious shows about serious women?

7. Dear White People

The movie this Netflix series’ is based on was funny and enjoyable, but it also felt pretty self-contained, so I wasn’t initially sure how this would play out over an entire season. However, Simien and his writing team totally blew me out of the water by taking the relatively broad character sketches from the movie and turning them into people who made me laugh, cry and cheer, episode after episode. Honestly, I can’t remember a show that made me feel so emotionally invested in 11 episodes. Despite losing the star power of Tessa Thompson, recasting Sam White turned out to be a boon for the show. Thompson’s iteration was heavily influenced by her trademark snarky, take-no-prisoners persona, but Logan Browning’s version highlights and deepens Sam’s inherent vulnerability and uncertainty. This adds nuance to her prickly, trigger-happy social activism, and underscores just how much this is an image of White’s own creation. Antoinnette Robinson as Coco was another standout for me--her performance was mesmerizing, beautiful and completely heart-rending. The moments she and Browning share crackle with energy, and it’s hard not to mourn the current state of their friendship. I’m rooting for them, guys, cuz I need more amazing female TV biffles in my life right now. 

Other things I loved:

Marque Richardson as Reggie. He’s hot, he’s angry, and he’s got layers. Richardson does Emmy-worthy work during his run-in with campus police, and in portraying the devastating emotional fallout of the violent encounter. The back half of the season allows Reggie to move from player in a requisite love triangle to fully-formed character in his own right, and I’m looking forward to seeing more Reggie-centric episodes in the future. 

John Patrick Amedori as Gabe. Ah yes, the token white boy... this could easily have been the most basic, nothing characterization, but no, not in the hands of these writers, and not with Amedori’s acting chops. Gabe is cheesy, a bit fumbling, and sometimes out of his depth, but he’s also big-hearted, brave and empathetic. It’s incredibly important that we understand and buy Sam’s attraction and deep connection, and also that his character stand up to her subconscious self-loathing, which the show deftly accomplishes.

“Dear White People” is a show that wears its heart on its sleeve, and that’s a great thing in this era of cynicism and bleakness (I’m not just talking about prestige TV). If you haven’t watched it yet, add it to your queue ASAP.

6. Master of None

This was a solid return for one of our chosen Millennial ambassadors--hilarious, awkward, expansively optimistic, and full of Ansari’s signature TRUTH. Artistically ambitious (the loving ode to Italian cinema in “The Thief”), unabashedly socially aware (Religion, First Date), and full of moments of tender vulnerability (Thanksgiving), the show proves time and again it’s as good as the hype. My only complaint: I’m not on board with Dev and Francesca. She’s cute, he’s cute, they have some cute moments... but I’m not really buying it. Maybe it’s risky to apply too much of the real world to this fictionalized version of Ansari’s life, but I can’t help but wonder if the ambiguity comes from his own failed relationships. Considering how much Ansar’s love life has played into his creative endeavors so far, it’s not that much of a stretch. Hopefully, he’ll continue to channel his life into stories that feel real, not imagined and artificial, even if that means no true love for Dev for a few more seasons.

5. The Good Place

This show never should have made it to network TV, but I’m thrilled it did. It’s a deliciously weird little anomaly, and I want MORE RIGHT NOW. I love Kristin Bell (Veronica Mars 4ever), which initially convinced me to give this pastel, candy-coated comedy a shot, but every actor is a total gem. The timing is impeccable, the pacing is ambitious, and the philosophy is... well, it’s interesting, integral, AND funny. How many shows can tackle the fundamental questions of human existence without breaking a sweat, while playing them for big, completely earned laughs? Not many, that’s for damn sure.

4. The Handmaid’s Tale

So yeah, I have concerns about the longevity of this show. As in, I’m not sure there should have been a second season. The last half of season one felt simultaneously too rushed and too drawn out, giving me pause about the writers’ ability to string Atwood’s material across 13 more episodes. 

That said, the series deserves this spot on the merit of the first few episodes alone. TV this energetic, vital and fully-formed out of the gate is always worth celebrating, and Atwood’s decades-old vision of the future proved prescient and dangerously real. The show inextricably benefitted from 2017′s political zeitgeist, where white women felt the anxiety and panic most women of color have felt for... well, I guess for always. 

This show is arresting and impossible to ignore. The actors, stripped of makeup, naturally lit, and filling the frames with pure, distilled emotions, suck you in and force you to feel what they feel. Sometimes (often), this is incredibly difficult, but others, it leads to feelings of euphoria and triumph. At it’s best, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a perfect distillation of humanity, both its ugliness and its beauty. Here’s hoping the showrunners can pull off another season with equal grace and artistry. 

Annnd I’ll be back before New Year’s with my top three shows of 2017 :-)