#taking a look back cuz someone has a big birthday soon

[dancingdonatello]

HI ITS 🦆 ANON THE ONE WHO MADE AN AO3 CUZ OF YOU! AND YES I DID MEAN REQS I JUST CANT TYPE FOR SHIT 💀

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD DO LIKE VILLIAN!TURTLES HEADCANONS?

LIKE DONNIE AND MIKEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY DRAXUM, AND DRAXUM NUTURED DONNIES LOVE FOR SCIENCE OR SMTH AND MIKEY MYSTIC POWERS WERE TRAINED BY DRAXUM TOO

AND MAYBE LEO WAS RAISED BY BIG MAMA

IDK ABOUT RAPH BUT YEAH!

BASICALLY THEY'RE RAISED TO HATE HUMANS, BUT THEN AFTER MEETING/ENCOUNTERING Y/N THEIR PERSPECTVIE CHANGES (ATLEAST ON THE READER)

MAYBE LIKE WRITE ABOUT THEIR VEIW ON THE READER, AND MAYBE THEY INVITE THE READER OVER TO THEIR HOME, OR MAYBE EVEN TELLING THEIR VILLAIN PAERNTS THEY LIKE A HUMAN, OR ALL 3!!!-

IM SORRY I JUST GET SO HYPED SEEING YOUR WORK AND I HAVENT REQUESTED ANYTHING IN A WHILE AND I JUST SAW ONE OF YOUR POSTS AND STIMMING AND KICKING MY FEET AND OVERALL JUST AKSJDHKJFHFKJH

ANYWAY THX FOR TAKING TIME TO READ THIS AND TYPE IT IF YOU DO! FEEL FREE TO PUT THIS ON PAUSE OR JUST DELETE IT

MAKE SURE TO DRINKS LOTS OF WATER, AND EAT! AND CHECK WHAT TIME IT IS, DONT WANNA FUCK UP UR SLEEP SCHEDULE ANYMORE THAN IT IS LMAO!!!

AND STRETCH YOUR WRISTS BESTIE

🦆 anon @duckanon

<3 <3 luv u duck anon.

villain rise turtles x reader

You have something that Raph needs. He’s been tracking you for months and he knows that you have a piece of the armor he needs for the resurrection of the Shredder.

And he’s never been one for plans, so…

He breaks in through your window.

You scream and then he screams and you’re holding on with an impressive grip on the armor piece and….

And you’re…. you’re so… cute. He suddenly lets go of the glove and you go flying back, knocking your head against the wall. He lets out an eep and rushes over, cradling your head.

You look pretty freaked out at his change of heart and he doesn’t blame you.

How he’s going to explain this to the Foot Lieutenant and the Foot Brute, he has no idea.

They take your introduction pretty well. So do you, by how you actually willingly hand over the glove.

But… your reaction when you find out about the Shredder at the baseball game destroys any loyalty he has left for the Foot Clan. He can’t bear to see that terrified expression on your face when you look at him.

Leo may have snuck up to the part of the hotel Big Mama told him to stay away from. But how could she blame him? People watching was his favorite past time! Who better to watch than some stupid humans?

And when his eyes landed on you, he just knew he had to have you. He wouldn’t regret it even when Big Mama punished him. If he hadn’t have snuck up to the floors above ground, he wouldn’t never seen you.

And anyways, his was birthday was coming up… and Big Mama said he could have anything he wanted. He grinned to himself, deciding to sneak into your room that night to ‘introduce’ himself. He’d leave a sticky note and scare you. Just a little.

Big Mama adored you. She gave you all these clothes so that you could look as perfect as her and Leo. She used for entertainment for the other Yokai, even when Leo glared on with jealously.

Soon enough, she was going to get her hands on some mysterious green ooze from three other turtles that looked suspiciously like Leo. As long as Leo didn’t find out about it, you would be the perfect test subject. And wouldn’t it be so sweet to see a lover’s quarrel in the Battle Nexus? She giggles at the thought.

Donatello has been bugged by you for a while.

In one of his rare outings to New York, obviously not letting Draxum know, he had run into you. He had been trying to break into a tech store and then you had appeared behind him.

He broke your nose but he hadn’t been left i scratched.

Then he just kept running into you again and again. He was half inclined just to kill you, but he feels like it would annoy him more with how much effort that would be towards someone like you.

You were annoying and just as mean as he was to you. It irritated him whenever you came back with a comment just as sharp as what he gave you.

One day, in one of his complaining rants to Mikey, Draxum overheard. Even though Donnie denied that it, Draxum was convinced he had a crush on a pathetic human. So, he decided he would kill you. As if you were nothing. Just scum on the Earth. All so Donnie wouldn’t be ‘distracted’ any longer. By that he meant he just wanted Donnie to work insane hours so Draxum wouldn’t have to work as hard.

And Donnie… couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t let a single hair on you be injured.

There’s an angry turtle staring you down. Michelangelo and you had run into each other. One looking beat up and the other looking flabbergasted.

“You’re a… turtle?!”

Suddenly, you’re wrapped up in chains. That burnt badly.

“Ow!” you shriek and suddenly, just as quickly as they had come, they vanished. Big brown guilty eyes stare at you.

His face twitches before it turns disgusted. “Ugh. You smell disgusting.”

He was talking about the smell of your brunt skin. You glared at him angrily before seeing how bashed up he was. “What… happened to you?”

He was very reluctant to follow you home. And he kept asking you weird questions about other green turtles. Had you ever seen anyone that looked like him? Where? When? All these questions while you tried to stick a bandaid on him.

He also didn’t hold back on his mean comments about the human race. But as long as he sat still as you tried to rub the ash and debris off of him, you just let him talk.

Quickly, he warms up to you. It’s as if he never hated humans. He enjoys learning about everything you do and seeing all of what New York has to offer. He knows you can never meet Draxum. And even though he’s getting suspicious the more he leaves and the longer he’s out, Mikey continues to see you.

[enby-jellyfish]

I See The Light

Part of the Baldur's Gate 3 Fairytale AU Collection

Rapunzel!Gale Dekarios X GN!Flynn Rider!Reader (POC friendly)

Pronouns: You/Your

Summary: You meet a strange man in a tower. Also he's magic. What?

Warnings: Grooming (cuz Mystra), kidnapping, eye trauma, reader yearning against their will.

Word Count: 4671

A/N: This took way too long to write for someone who loves both Rapunzel and Gale...

Once upon a time there was a humble farmer who lived in a cottage in the forest with his pregnant wife. Everything was perfect for the happy couple, until one day the farmer’s wife suddenly fell ill.

The farmer consulted many healers, all of whom told him they didn’t know what was wrong or how to cure his wife.

As she got worse and worse, the farmer’s desperation to save his wife grew. He heard rumours, whispers, about a witch, living not that far from his home.

Unfortunately for him this witch was not a witch at all, but a disgraced goddess, cursed to live in human form.

As soon as he could the farmer bid his wife goodbye and left in search of this goddess. When he found her, the farmer pleaded for her to save his wife.  The goddess agreed on one condition: his firstborn.

Without a moment of consideration, or consulting his wife, the farmer agreed, and he was sent on his way with a magical golden flower from the goddess’s garden.

When back home, the farmer used the flower to brew a tea, which instantly made his wife feel better when ingested.

With her regained health, the wife delivered a healthy baby boy who she named ‘Gale’ for the joy he brought her. This joy however was soon snuffed out by the goddess coming to take what was owed.

She screamed and kicked and cried, but to no avail. Her son was taken from her.

The goddess took the infant to a lonely tower, hidden in the forest. She took great care to make sure no one but her could find it and having only one way in and out of the tall structure, great thorn bushes surrounding the tall structure to ensure no one climb it.

She went through these great lengths to keep Gale hidden from the world because he is special. Gale has magic.

Magic is a rare thing nowadays; many believe it to be extinct. The disgraced goddess can feel it, and with it her only chance of returning to her former glory, slowly ebbing away from this world.

Keeping the young wizard close and grooming him and his power to serve her, they lived for many years in that tower. Gale growing into a handsome, strong, clever man.

He is lonely though, aside from Mystra his only company is a Tressym he named ‘Tara’ he accidentally summoned during one of his exercises.

Gale spent most of his time studying the books Mystra brought him. His favourite time of year is when hundreds of floating lights fill the night sky. According to his calculations, it happens once a year, every year, on the same day: his birthday.

You on the other hand are nothing but a humble thief, currently being chased through the forest by several guards of the castle you attempted to break in to. You don’t see why they’re making it out to be such a big deal. They have plenty, and you don’t. It’s not like they would miss a few trinkets or a couple of coins.

Oh well.

Pretty sure they’ve lost your trail; you dare to stop and catch your breath. You don’t recognise this part of the forest, an eery fog covers the landscape. Looking around, you try and find some form of landmark that would lead you back to familiar soil.

You notice a giant boulder, covered in vines. Maybe if you climb it, you’ll have a better vantage point.

And so, climb it you did. Or at least you tried. When grasping the vines to pull yourself up you notice behind them a hidden entrance through the boulder.

Suddenly you hear the sound of the guards chasing you nearing closer. You quickly pull aside the vines and hide inside the boulder. Listening to them pass your hiding place you release a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

Looking further into the cave you see a small valley with a lone tower surrounded by thorny bushes. Your curiosity getting the better of you, you reach the tower. Looping around it you notice it doesn’t seem to have an entrance. There is, however, a bell attached to the old walls, almost unnoticeable, hidden behind the thorny branches.

You, being the sane, reasonable person you are, decide to manoeuvre your hand through the prickly plant and ring the mysterious bell attached to a creepy tower in a hidden valley.

The second the ringing sound pierces the quiet of the valley you are surrounded by a purple hue. When the purple fades away you are no longer standing in the valley but instead a room. Before you can thoroughly start to panic about being magically teleported, you hear a loud ‘CLANG’, and everything fades to black as you fall to the floor.

When you awake, you notice you are sitting in a chair. You try and reach for your throbbing head in an attempt to soothe the pain but notice you can’t move your arm from its place on the armrest.

Trying to blink away your dizziness you find yourself tied to the chair with, purple tendrils? Is this… magic?

What in the ACTUAL HELL?!

“So, what exactly were your intentions here? Kill me? Kidnap me? Extort me for my magic?” The voice comes from a shadowy corner.

“Uh, no? The only thing I want with your magic is to get out of it?!”

“Oh.” The figure in the corner turns and whispers something to something to a cat you hadn’t noticed before, and to your surprise, it whispers back.

“Did- did that cat just talk?” Magic? Talking animals? A few minutes ago both seemed like something out of a fairy tale, with magic having been long extinct. You can’t tell if your head hurts from the bad hit you just took or the insanity of the situation.

“She’s not a cat, she’s a Tressym.” The man corrects you, carefully stepping out from the shadows, clutching a frying pan. The source of your headache, no doubt. The cat- Tressym follows close behind. As she properly comes into view you notice her birdlike wings.

“My name is Tara!” she says with an offended tone.

The man is dressed in simple, yet well-made clothes. His shoulder-length hair is brown, as are his eyes, and swept back in a half-up-half-down style. A stubble of facial hair decorates his kind, yet stern, looking face. A silver earring, shaped in the form of an eight-pointed star, dangles from his left ear.

An attractive man, you think. If not a bit odd.

“Oh-kay! Nice to meet you?” The odd duo stares at you for a moment, you staring back, before turning to each other. They whisper back and forth for a bit; you can make out Tara telling the man that you ‘don’t seem that bad’ and that he should ‘ask’ you. They seem to come to an agreement and turn back to you.

“Alright intruder-”

“You teleported me up here.”

He ignores your interruption. “We have come to a decision of what to do with you. In return for your freedom, you shall take me to see the lights.”

“The lights?” The man puts up a finger as if gesturing for you to wait and moves to a writing desk, taking some scrolls and showing them to you. “See, they show up every year. According to my calculations they will come again two days from now.”

You look at his notes, they contain astronomical equations, maps, and drawings of his ‘lights’. They seem awfully familiar.

“W- the lanterns? Listen wizard-”

“Ah, I’m Gale.” He interrupts you.

“Whatever. Even if I wanted to take you, I couldn’t. I’m kind of wanted around here.” Taking him with you would only slow you down.

“Oh.” His disappointed eyes remind you of those of a sad baby cow.

He suddenly perks up. “Wait, I could cast a spell so no one could recognise you! What do you say?” You weigh your options and make your decision with a heavy sigh.

“Alright, fine, I guess I can take you.” You cave.

“An excellent choice!” With a flourish of his hand, you’re no longer tied to the chair. You rub your wrists and stand up, glad to be able to move freely again.

“So, a simple cloaking spell should do the trick. Now you just keep standing there.” Having grabbed a thick book, Gale turns to a page halfway through, taps it with his index finger, and speaks some words in a language you don’t understand.

A warm, tingling feeling surrounds your body for a second before disappearing. “Is that it?”

“Yes, anyone who looks upon you from now until after the lanterns won’t be able to recognise you.” He punctuates his sentence by closing his book. “Great. Now, let’s get out of here.” Gale bids Tara, who upon an invitation to come along states she has a prior engagement with a particular comfortable pillow for a nap, goodbye and teleports the two of you out of the tower where your journey begins.

The two of you walk through the forest in silence for a while until Gale breaks it. “Lovely day, this. For now.”

You look at him. He seems a bit skittish, staying close to you while keeping his vigilant gaze on his surroundings. Like he expects an attack to come from behind every tree, rock, and bush. “You don’t get out a lot, huh.”

���No! No. I don’t know if you can tell, but” he leans closer to you, lowering his voice as if telling you a secret “I’ve never actually left the tower.”

That explains a lot. “You don’t say. Well, we’ll have to take the scenic route then, don’t we.” Maybe you can find a way so you don’t have to take him on this little side quest.

“I- Well, a bit of sightseeing can’t hurt, can it?” You give him a pat on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit! I know just where to go first, are you hungry?”

You lead him to the infamous ‘Ugly Duckling’, a tavern known to shelter all sorts of thugs and criminals. The perfect place to take your recluse wizard and scare him back to his tower. You almost feel bad for him. Almost.

Opening the heavy door of the unassuming building, you gently push him inside. “Salutat- ions…” Gale exclaims, his excitement ebbing away half-way through the word when he sees inside the dimly lit tavern.

It is quite busy inside; all sorts of unsavoury types fill the old seats and halt their conversation upon hearing Gale’s out-of-place exclamation.

“Don’t mind us gentlefolks! Isn’t this place great? You should try their rotisserie rat, a true delicacy!” You push Gale past a particularly large thug wiping his bloody nose with his long, no longer white, beard. “How unseemly…” You reach the bar and order some food and drink.

Gale surprises you, you figured he would back out from the musty smell of the place alone, but here he sits trying his hardest to make polite conversation with the bartender. “Charmed, I’m sure.”

The bartender gives you a look. “’Charmed’?” You give an apologetic shrug. “He’s not from around here.” The bartender looks Gale up and down one last time before seemingly accepting your answer with a scoff.

You sit and enjoy your meal for a bit, Gale less so, until guards suddenly barge into the room. You’re thankful they won’t be able to recognise you, if Gale’s spell worked, but still get ready to run at any moment.

“We have been commissioned to find a wizard. We’ve received word he’s here. Hand him over now, and there won’t be any bloodshed.” The captain’s loud voice fills the room as everyone looks around suspiciously. You feel Gale grasp your arm, squeezing slightly. He’s shaking. You can’t tell if it is due to the adrenaline of the coming fight or the fear of being caught.

The guards draw their swords, making everyone stand up and draw their own weapons. The fight that breaks out starts with a plate being thrown at one of the guards, food still on it. In the chaos you briefly consider slipping away, leaving Gale to fend for himself.

“Swords, meet sorcery!”

Dork.

Wait, idiot! He just gave away his identity!

The fighting continues and suddenly you come face to face with your companion. Gale looks relieved to see you, but relief quickly melts into something else when he sends a purple blast over your shoulder. You look behind you to find a familiar guard unconscious on the ground.

The fighting continues as you and Gale manage to make your way out of the tavern. Finishing off your last opponent you turn to Gale to find him knocked on the ground.

“Get me up, would you?” He pants, clearly not used to using his powers for this cause. “You fought well.” You try to assure him, unsure as to why you’re bothering putting in the effort, pulling him up.

“Well, one can’t always be a gentleman.” The laugh that escapes you is genuine, much to your surprise.

A crashing sound from the tavern pulls you out of your daze. “We should go.” Gale agrees and the two of you rush away to safety.

It is dark when you decide to stop and rest. You gather firewood and Gale sets it ablaze for a perfect campfire. Only then it is you notice a wound on your side. Something must have nicked you in the chaos you think as you peel the fabric of your clothing aside.

“You’re hurt.” Gale states the obvious, taking a seat next to you. “I know a simple spell to remedy that, allow me to demonstrate.” And you do.

With your permission he places a purple glowing hand over your wound, causing you to hiss in pain, before a warmth flows through the tender flesh.

Upon Gale’s hand leaving your body, your skin looks untouched. You gently trace where your wound used to be. Despite having seen it several times now, magic is still a shocking concept to you.

“Thank you.” His gaze is soft, an unreadable look in his gentle eyes. “You are most welcome.”

Oh no, you may be starting to like this guy.

You snap out of your daze, clearing your throat. “Sooo… How long have you been a wizard?”

Gale lets out a surprised chuckle. “Uh. Forever, I suppose. Mystra says people tried to kidnap me for my power when I was a baby. Hence the tower, she says it keeps me, and my gift, safe.”

His eyes grow distant at the mention of this ‘Mystra’. “She must be something special.”

He gives a sad smile as he turns his gaze to the flames. “She is. The Goddess of Magic. She was my guardian, my teacher, muse, and eventually lover.”

Ouch.

And gross.

“Must be a complicated relationship.” Gale chuckles sadly. “It is, I suppose. But it’s the only one I have. Except for Tara, I accidentally summoned her when I was ten. Thankfully Mystra allowed me to keep her.” He smiles as if it’s a good thing.

“’Allowed’? And you’re sure you want to go back?” You can’t stop yourself from asking the question.

Gale startles. “Yes! Maybe- I don’t know. It’s complicated.” He splutters out, scrambling to defend himself, and her.

He clears his throat and turns back to you. “But enough about me. What about you? Have you always been a thief?”

You laugh. “Touché. Ah, no, I haven’t. I didn’t have a lot growing up and had to make do.”

He gives you a sad smile. “Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose.” His voice is soft. You give him a sad smile back. “Exactly.” A warm, fuzzy feeling you can’t exactly place fills you.

You inhale sharply. “It’s getting late, we should probably get some shut-eye.” Gale smiles. “A pity. I’m sure I could talk to you all night, but, as you wish. I bid you goodnight.” You watch him turn away to prepare for the night.

Oh no.

The next day the two of you make the final stretch of your journey into town. Decorations for tonight’s spectacle cover every street and alley. Gale is having a great time drinking it all in, dragging you from stall to stall, from view to view. The food, the sights, the sounds, he simply can’t get enough, and you’re happy to indulge him.

He smiles oh so sweetly at you when you do.

When the day comes to an end and the sun begins to set you take Gale on a small rowing boat on the lake.

“You’ve been looking forward to this for so long, I figured you should have a decent seat.” Gale smiles at you, but you can tell it’s forced. “Is everything alright?”

He sighs, brows furrowing. “I- I don’t know. All my life I’ve been dreaming about what this very moment would feel like. What if it’s not everything that I dreamed it would be?”

You grab his hand, an impulsive decision meant to comfort him. “I’m sure it will be.” You squeeze his hand. “And if it isn’t, you’ll get to find a new dream to look forward to.”

His soft gaze and small smile gracing his lips make your heart clench and butterflies erupt in your stomach. It makes you both afraid and excited. Adrenaline flowing through your veins like electricity.

“Gale I-” You hesitate, Gale’s thumb caressing the back of your hand in a comforting motion. “You have my attention.” He gently encourages.

You take a breath to speak again but interrupt your confession when you notice a small light rising from behind the trees. “Look.” He does.

Hundreds of lanterns start filling the night’s sky, casting a soft yellow light that showcases Gale’s bright smile as he watches them being carried by the wind towards you.

You look at him instead. How the lights’ twinkle reflects in his eyes. His excitement when the lanterns float close enough for him to guide one back into the air.

As the lights slowly drift away Gale turns to you, grasping both of your hands into his. “Thank you. Truly. I wouldn’t have even left my tower if it wasn’t for you. I am so very glad you came, to share this with me.” He looks at you so earnestly. It feels like your very soul has been set ablaze.

“I have enjoyed our time together. A little too much, perhaps.” There is a shake in his voice that wasn’t there before.

“With you, I feel happy, safe. You must know you’re- you’re very special to me.”

A breath.

“With you, I forget my goddess.” That last bit is spoken as if it is a secret only meant for your ears. It makes your heart skip a beat.

“I don’t think I want to go back to the tower. You’ve shown me there is so much for me to see, to learn, to experience out here.” One of his hands releases yours to reach up and take out his earring.

“Mystra gave this to me as a token of our relationship.” With one quick motion he throws the silver earring into the lake, for it to sink into its inky depths.

“But that is in the past. I want to move forward now,” His hands clutch yours again, the same shake present as in the tavern.

“, with you, if you’ll have me.”

Time seems to stop.

Your brain, seemingly unable to present an eloquent agreement, instead moves your hand to softly cup his cheek.

You lean in closer, his breath tickling your face, yours probably doing the same to him. You can feel his face starting to heat up underneath your palm.

Just when you are about to meet in the middle Gale suddenly halts his movement, his suddenly stern gaze fixed on something behind you.

“Is everything alright?” It isn’t, you can tell, but can’t stop yourself asking.

“Yes. I just-” He takes a breath, steadying himself before turning his gaze to you again. “I need to take care of something before we leave.”

Once back on land Gale nervously asks you to wait by the boat until he comes back before disappearing into the dark of the forest.

You sit there, anxiously waiting for him to come back as seconds turn to minutes which turns to close to an hour.

About to lose hope of Gale coming back you let out a sigh of relief at the sight of a dark figure emerging from the forest. “There you are. I was starting to think you’d ran back to your tower and left me.”

Your smile leaves your face when the figure comes closer, revealing not Gale, but a tall, slender woman with dark hair.

Mystra.

“He did.” Her voice is smooth, powerful.

“What?” You start to feel nauseous.

“Gale came to realise the mistake that was leaving his tower.” You’re shaking now, tears welling up. “No, he- we were-” She interrupts you. “You were what? Come now dear, you didn’t think any of it was real, did you?”

“Now, dry those tears. He’s back where he belongs. With me.” She then disappears.

Confused and hurt you head back to town. You aimlessly wander the cobblestone streets, wondering if it indeed was all fake.

“Rough night, hon?” You stop and turn to the source of the voice. An older woman, dressed in a purple cloak. Her long, brown hair, decorated with silver streaks, pulled into a loose bun at the nape of her neck.

“I suppose you can say that.” She looks at you with, oddly familiar, dark eyes, framed by crow’s feet and laced with a melancholy sort of pain.

“It happens to the best of us. I can never find it in myself to be particularly joyous on this day.” She takes you by the arm. “Come child. I’ll put on the kettle for you.”

Her cottage is warm, homely. The tea is comforting, and so is the crackling hearth. You fall into easy conversation with the woman, Morena, as she introduced herself.

“Hmm, you know I started with the lanterns?” She reveals. “I hoped that one day my son would see them, and they would lead him back to me.”

“You have a son?” It would explain her motherly nature. “Yes, but he was taken from me when he was but a baby.” Her brows furrow. “His father sold him, so he could cure me. A witch took him. Apparently, my son had, has, a gift.” She takes a shaky breath. “I dropped that man as soon as I found out. Never saw him again, nor my son.”

Wait a minute.

“Your son. What was his name?” She looks at you, confused by your sudden desperation.

“Gale. I named him Gale.”

Oh.

Oh.

Oh no.

“I am so very sorry, Ms Dekarios, but I suddenly realized something, I have to go.” Surprised by your sudden rush she allows you to borrow her horse after you promise to bring it back.

“C’mon boy, let’s see how fast you can run.”  You ride through the forest, arriving at the boulder that shelters the hidden tower, dark clouds make it seem even more menacing than before.

You jump off your horse, rushing to the tall structure and ring the bell, thorns scratching at your hand in your rush. “Gale? Gale, I need to speak to you!”

Nothing seems to happen for a moment, then, instead of the familiar purple, a white haze surrounds your vision. When it clears you are back in that room. It is dark and in disarray, books strewn from their place on the shelves over the floor. Gale is nowhere to be found.

“Gale?” You call for him. A muffled sound catches your attention.

Gale is gagged and bound to a chair in the familiar way you were previously. Instead of purple, white tendrils hold him in place.

“You should have stayed away.” Mystra comes slithering into view behind Gale. “He. Is. Mine.” She traces her perfectly manicured nails across Gale’s face, causing him to flinch away. “And now you’ve forced my hand.”

Before you can reply you feel yourself being violently pushed by an invisible force. You go flying through the room and out its only window. The last thing you hear before hitting the ground is Gale’s panicked, muffled voice calling for you and the wind rushing through your ears.

The first thing you notice when you wake up is the drops of rain hitting your face, the second is the darkness, and the third the pain.

You try and blink your sight back, to no avail, as you attempt to get up. As you wrestle your way out of the thorns you realise, they must have broken your fall, blinding you in the process.

Freed from the plants you kneel to the wet ground, breathing shakily. Bringing your trembling hands up to your face you gingerly feel around, finding cuts and torn flesh. You find yourself unable to tell the wetness of your blood apart from that of the rain. You bring your hands back to the ground, trying to find stability in the wet earth.

Unable to tell how long you’ve been out; you use your remaining senses to try and figure out what is going on.

You hear voices above you, though it’s hard to understand what they are saying above the clattering of the rain, the rushing of the wind, and the occasional clap of thunder.

“NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

Your suddenly hear a blast, loud enough to make you cover your ears. The earth beneath you shakes and a gust of what you can now clearly identify as magic passes through you.

You sit with bated breath, hands still digging into the ground. It has stopped raining.

A gush of wind, clumsy footsteps, a sharp gasp.

“You’re- I thought you were- I thought I would never see you again.” Gale’s voice shakes, heavy with emotion.

He collapses next to you, clutching your shoulders as if they are his only lifeline. You cry his name through a sob, bringing your hands up to hold onto his arms.

“Your eyes.” He breathes, his warm, gentle hand brushes over your cold, wet cheek.

You let out a nervous chuckle, shaky with adrenaline. “I’ll live. What happened up there?” You feel his forehead resting against yours. “She’s gone. I’m free.” He lets out his own shaky laugh as you feel your tears mixing with his.

When you go to blink the wetness from your ruined eyes you suddenly notice your vision growing better with each blink.

“Gale.” He hums and pulls back slightly, a shocked expression gracing his face when he does. “Your eyes!”

You laugh, honestly and earnestly, as does he, pulling you into a tight hug, which you gladly return.

“I have to tell you something. Something I didn’t have a chance to on that boat on the lake.” He pulls back slightly, looking at you intently. “I could go hours waxing poetry about how I feel about you, but I feel this situation calls for something simpler. I love you. Plainly and completely.”

You can’t hold back the smile tugging at your mouth. “And I love you.”

He then pulls you into a gentle kiss, filled with desperation and relief. It tastes of blood, and rain, and tears.

It is perfect.

“I hate to interrupt this sweet moment, but I would like to know where we are to go now?” You had almost forgotten about Tara you think, Gale spluttering excuses at her.

“I don’t think that is something we have to worry about. Gale there is someone I met while we were separated. I’m sure she would very much like to see you again.”

And there, back in that small town, after a tearful reunion with his sweet mother, you and Gale lived happily ever after.

Masterlist

Tag list: @glitterandgoldfinds

Thank you for reading <3

[annonniiiiieeeee]

so my niece has been going through a tangled phase, and the idea of a leosagi tangled au won’t leave me alone but i can’t decide between

1. leo being rapunzel, kidnapped by big mama

2. leo being rapunzel kidnapped by draxum

3. leo being rapunzel kidnapped by Hikiji

4. usagi being rapunzel kidnapped by Hikiji

i’m leaning towards 1 or 3 cuz leo being rapunzel just like feels right idk maybe cuz magic power lmao

but my other dilema

how do leo’s bros and usagis gang fit in

idk the idea is in beta, thoughts?

Oh I love tangled it’s one of my favorite Disney movies. (It and Cinderella 3 are tied for my favorite princess movie)

Oh you have so many good options. May I give you two flavors.

Option one

I shall go with Big Mama taking Leo

Maybe Lou Jitsu is king and wants to have kids. Not a wife (tried that it was a disaster) but kids. Maybe local alchemist offers a solution. Empyrean. They go and get it and four children are born in a three year time span. Raph, the twins, and the Mikey.

Big Mama was using the Empyrean either to stay young, create warriors, or to maintain her human appearance. I think I like the last option best. She used it to disguise her true form so she could do business with humans.

So she needed a power source. The boys are all toddlers, Raph at age 2 is already showing a protectiveness and hardheadedness, he will not be a good candidate. Plus he’s the biggest and would have the most painful bite. Donnie is a good option. Even at one he’s intelligent for a baby, but he’s delicate and might not survives ruff journey, at least not at the speed she will have to take it. Mikey is the smallest and easiest to grab but he’s also the most heavily guarded, being the brand new baby. Leo it is. Small, less guards, more sturdy.

So she takes him one night and disappears forever. Leaving the royal family one prince short.

She raise Leo as her own and if he turns out to be just as cunning as her, we’ll she proud of that. But he can never leave the tower she made for him. (She thinks he’s stuck there but red eared sliders are one of the turtle species that can climb.) she also finds that the boy is skilled in portal magic, something she seals away.

One day close to his eighteenth birthday. A Ronin that got himself into a tight spot hides up in the tower.

And off they go on their adventure.

Leo wants to see the floating lights and Usagi needs to go that way anyways. Maybe he has a delivery for someone in the Hamato kingdom

The Tenshu crew would be the snuggly duckling patrons.

Big mama looking for them, slowly reverting to her more spider like state. She has teemed up with Kenichi a jealous samurai.

She finds them and approaches Leo when he is alone and comments about how Usagi is just completing a task. Leo is a tag along. As soon as their destinations no longer align Usagi will leave him. It’s the way of a Ronin, to always be traveling. He’s not going to stay for Leo, who would. And he won’t want Leo tagging along. Look how much slower he travels with Leo, look how much trouble Leo has caused him. As soon as Usagi has the chance he’ll leave. “I doubt he’ll even say goodbye, it’s in a ronin’s nature to leave.” Leo is shaken but doesn’t want to back down just yet.

They make it to the kingdom and are enjoying the festivities (Usagi has never been there before he knows about the lost prince but has no idea what he looks like.

After the romantics day out and the lantern scene in the boat. Usagi lands their boat, by now he’s already completed his job in the kingdom. He sees something near by and asks Leo to stay out, worried it might be trouble and not wanting Leo near it.

It’s a set up by Kenichi and Usagi falls for it, and when he leaves Leo’s side Big Mama is there to show Leo that his beloved Samurai is leaving him without a goodbye. Leo returns with her.

Kenichi has approached the roual family with Leo’s mask, a gift since infancy, covered in blood and claiming he found Usagi with it. This does not put Usagi in a good position.

Of course their is a jail break sequence. I’m thinking Mayhem as pascal and maybe April or cassanrada as Maximus. (A guard who takes their job very seriously but gets won over by leo)

Orion two

Usagi is Rapunzel and Hikiji is gothel.

Maybe Hikiji has an old grudge against Katsuichi and takes his adopted son as a way to break his spirit.

No magic here just a mad man.

He is raised to be a servant, no sword fighting skills in sight and he is never aloud to leave.

But you can’t keep a sword out of his hands and he practices in secret.

One day a ninja stumbles in and while Usagi has been raised to see all ninja as evil, this is also an opportunity out. He wants to see the world.

Leo get bullied into taking the bunny to the Tenshu.

On the way there they have to stop at run of the mill for food and meet Leo’s family (the snuggly duckling crew)

Hikiji is tracking them and tries to convince Usagi to leave telling him that Leo will just kill him once he’s board of him. But Usagi doesn’t waver just yet

Once in town they hear tales of the missing rabbit. The son of the lord’s best friend. Leo makes a joke about Usagi looking like the kid.

After a romantic day together Leo gets separated from Usagi and Hikiji swoops him back up.

This idea needs more flesh to it but I can see Tomeo ame as Maximus and Chizu or Kitsune as pascal. Probably Chizu as she would also work under Hikiji.

Which do you like better

[hospitalterrorizer]

diary209

4/11-12/2024

thursday - friday

got 2 werk tomorrow.... guhh.

not looking forward to getting up and stuff, and i need to sleep very soon so i can get up soon enough to not be like, messed up or late or whatever.

but right now i am on the last export of the last song i think, so now it's gonna be an effort regarding vocals, and then i'll do another pass over the record, see what needs tending to, very exciting, i think that tomorrow my gf might be out for a bit? but we'll see, maybe not.

but the time will come soon enough for me to do all that, so it'll be done soon.

anyway today was errands day, and it went basically well, slightly stressful but i am losing the need to be so wrapped up in the emotional stuff w/ my gf's mom, who is always on re: anxiety, just letting that go and stuff, it is making things smoother.

today i am also frustrated w/ a lot of my friends, my birthday is coming up and whatever which doesn't really matter honestly but i wanted to go out, and i don't really want to like, go out in a big group right now, or like, it just feels like wrangling cats, cuz it's on the next monday, and stuff. frustrating but whateverrrr. there's also a bunch of tension rn and people prod at these relationship things and it's like getting hairy and i just want to go out w/ my gf now. it bite but what can i do, i guess i can try harder, i could have tried harder for sure but them like, not showing up to her thing is just like, what the hell, what is the point of even trying. it's always at their convenience and i guess we are inconvenient people becuz no car or whatever but gosh it just bites to feel like that, and then to see that blow up in their lives in ways, especially w/ my long time friend. he has gotten away with a lot, nothing awful but tiny things, nothing really, idk, i can't go into it but it's not like cruelty or whatever, just a lot of things people say are normal but maybe one should question, he's never been put in a place to question it, and now it's like, him being faced with that, by someone very very mad at him, her anger it's like, what's going to nourish that, the way i see that nourished/utilized online in specific discourses wigs me out! it's a not fun situation to think about and they are both very good people, i love them, but now i just think like, what can go wrong, what will go wrong. am i too involved? yeah, mentally at least. god knows they do not think i am fucking thinking about it this much. my life is tiny, continuous and every step i take feels like it throws things off, everything is wrong, that's beautiful in a way or it nourishes me, but it's also not really good for being socially present i guess. it makes me withdraw. i am in a withdrawing phase.

okayyy, one last export actuallyyy lol... dumb, needs to be brighter.

alright, i think it's better now, maybe i'll have to go back in and bump vocals up again tho, but we'll see on re-listening which i'll also try to do tomorrow. yayayayay, getting closer and closer to completion,,,whoa...

okay so, since i need to sleep soon,

byebye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[samyamzd30]

Kathryn Bigelow photographed by Firooz Zahedi for Point Break (1991)

[butwhyduh]

Hello! I absolutely adore your stories! ❤️💖 I was hoping you could write a funny batsis (who is the biological daughter of Batman and is between Dick and Jason in age) story about her getting caught in one morning (or whenever) doing some "bedsheet sparring" with like Conner Kent or someone with powers that shouldn't be in gotham without Batman's permission (lol) and her entire family are who catch her because it's her birthday or something and they came in to surprise her with breakfast! I think it would be hilarious!

Warning cuz it has smut lol

Batsis x Kon kent

Conner pulled you on his lap, setting the pace faster than your hips wanted to go, pulling a moan from your lips. He quickly swallowed it in a rough kiss. He could feel the way you were clenching tight around him, 4th time that night (technically morning) to be exact, that you were going cum soon.

“Oh Kon!” You whimpered while throwing your head back and clenching him tightly. Conner groaned and thrust up to find his own high. You rocked together in pleasure. He could hear your heart pounding in your chest and feel the sheen on sweat on your body that this was the last round. You were only human after all.

A loud rapping at the front door made you jump. You looked at Conner confused. Who was at your door at 6 in the morning? You grabbed your robe as you climbed off Conner.

Conner used his x Ray vision to look thru the door, “babe, that’s your-“

“My baby sister’s birthday!” Called Dick thru the door. “Open up!”

You froze and looked at Conner who was clearly debouched and oozing sex from every pore and you knew you didn’t look much better. You tried to smooth your hair down and you grabbed a wet paper towel to wipe at the streaked makeup from the night before that you’d been too busy to remove. You hadn’t gone to bed yet.

You and Conner had gone partying and hadn’t gotten home until past 2 am and you both had gone to bed but certainly not to sleep.

“Answer the door! I know you hear me!” Dick called.

“Maybe she doesn’t want her brothers to bother her,” Jason replied. Fuck, both of them??

“Maybe she was actually out partying all night and is dead asleep right now,” Tim added. That was when you knew that Conner was going to die that day. Your birthday. The windows on the small apartment were all on one side that were visible from the front door so no flying away.

He was hastily throwing on his pants and shirt before moving to your bedroom closet. You pulled it close while calling to your brothers, “just a minute!”

A final look in the mirror caused you to blanch at the sight of a fresh hickey on your collarbone that you hurried to cover with your robe. There was no way that wasn’t going to be visible today. Your heart pounded like you were tracking killer Croc when you opened the door.

Dick, Jason, and Tim were standing there with balloons, a box from a bakery, and a present bag.

“Hi,” you said. You suddenly realized how much water you needed. You were just lucky to not pull something with everything Conner had done to you.

“Woah sleep head,” Jason teased while handing you the cupcake box as he walked in. Dick and Tim followed.

“Well it is a little early,” you admitted. “Wha-what brings you here? Now?”

“We wanted to tell you happy birthday first,” Dick said and you huffed out a laugh with a nod.

“Right,” you said. “And you figured the crack of dawn was a good idea because…”

“Tim couldn’t sleep and you didn’t reply to his meme so we came down,” Jason finally answered.

“Seriously? You do know I’m a big girl that can take care of myself, right?” You replied with a huff. You sat on the arm of the couch as exhaustion finally hit. It made sense. You’d been up 27 hours straight, danced at clubs for hours, and then bed acrobats for half the night with your literal superhuman boyfriend. And when was the last time you had anything to drink.

“We know but it’s nice to see you without the whole family,” Dick added.

“Without Damian, bruce, and Alfred you mean?” You said.

“Maybe,” Tim shrugged. “Are you hungry? We can go get food? A waffle house?” He suggested. It did sound good but so did spooning with your boyfriend until midday.

“I don’t know. I’m a little tired,” you said and that was a hell of an understatement.

“We’re all tired. Get dressed. Get waffles. And then take a nap before Bruce’s party,” Jason said, tossing you your bag. You caught it but your robe dipped down your shoulder.

“What the hell?” Dick said. They all stared at the mark clearly visible before you yanked it up your shoulder.

“Who did that? Is that why you’re tired? Did we interrupt a booty call?” Jason asked.

“Ew, booty call?” Tim said to Jason who pointed at you and shrugged.

“No! No one did anything. It’s none of your business,” you stammered.

“Is he or she going to the party tonight?” Dick asked. “Are they in here?”

Your eyes widened involuntarily. “That’s none of your-“

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” Jason called as he and Tim started looking over the apartment.

“Stop them,” you begged Dick.

“They’re really here now? This whole time?” Dick asked.

“Jason, don’t!” You called as he went in your bedroom. Tim followed him and you ran after them. “Don’t!” You gasped just as he opened the closet door to show Conner Kent standing beside your shirts. His shirt was on backwards and he definitely looked like he recently had sex.

“You?” Jason said roughly with clear shock. Dick blinked and froze.

“Wow,” Tim added. “You’re gonna die today.”

“Stop it,” you said pushing Jason from the closet. He moved with your shove but he wasn’t the one you should have watched. Dick shoved Conner in the closet and punched him in his face before you could act.

“Dick!” You gasped in shock. Dick groaned and shook his hand but to his credit, Conner rubbed his lip where he was hit too.

“I’ll see you tonight,” Dick replied angrily to you. He stormed out of the room.

“Hey!” You called after him. You turned to Tim and Jason. “I don’t even know why he’s mad. I’m an adult.”

“That’s just being a big brother,” Jason said patting you on the shoulder. “Come on Tim. We’ll see her tonight. Happy birthday.”

“Jason!”

“Bye,” Tim said with a little wave before both left.

“Kon,” you said, looking up at him feeling lost. He simply pulled you into a hug.

“Let’s take a nap and we’ll fix it when they aren’t as mad,” he suggested. You let him pull you to bed where you hugged him tight. He ran his hands along your back before you finally fell asleep.

You woke a few hours later with a strong arm wrapped around you and you could feel your body hot and sweaty. Your robe was still on. The events of the night flooded back in your memory. You groaned and leaned into Conner who hugged you and kissed your temple, half asleep.

“Morning,” he said in a sexy husky morning voice.

“Morning. I can’t go to this thing today. I’ll cancel dinner and say I’m sick,” you said. Conner sighed.

“And hurt Bruce’s feelings that his little girl doesn’t want him around on her birthday?”

“Crap. What do I do?”

“If I could suggest,” he said, sitting up on his elbows as you still laid on his chest. “Bring me as your date. You didn’t introduce me because of your brothers, right? Now that isn’t a problem anymore.”

“That’s…. A good idea, actually,” you said after a second.

“That would sound insulting if I didn’t know you,” he muttered as you hurried out of bed.

“Bring you as my date and then Dick can’t get mad because you’re my boyfriend, not some random guy. We won’t have to sneak around anymore; even though that’s fun. Dad never needs to know any details because the boys telling him would just be weird. Conner,” you said, cupping his face. “You’re a genius!” You kissed him with a grin.

“And yet, I feel like a pawn,” he muttered as you tossed him a dress shirt.

“We need a shower,” you said, ignoring his commentary.

“Together? I’m interested in that,” he replied causing you to roll your eyes.

“We were ‘together’ all night. As long as the shower doesn’t lead to anything else then fine,” you replied.

“I mean, I also just enjoy seeing you naked so there’s that,” he said with a shrug.

———————————

The dinner was far from small. Your birthday party was a great event to invite Wayne Enterprise investors and frequent private donors to your favorite charities. Bruce had decorated the ballroom in your favorite color and theme. It was beautiful and full of people in fancy dress.

Conner adjusted his tie. “Shouldn’t have worn this stupid tie. That guy isn’t wearing one,” he motioned towards a man in the crowd. Jason had already flipped Conner off from across the crowd and Dick ‘accidentally’ knocked his drink from his hand with his own bandaged hand.

“He’s publicity. Not a guest,” you said quietly with an eye roll while straightening the tie. “And you want to make a good impression to my father.”

“I’m already preparing to get my ass beat by Batman,” Conner muttered under his breath.

“No. It’ll be Bruce Wayne and if you don’t take the hit and break his hand, then Batman will beat your ass later,” you replied. “But none of that will happen if you act like a polite journalist from Kansas.”

“I have many reason to hate that cover but it’s fine for now. Oh god, here he comes,” Conner said, standing straight as Bruce walked thru the crowd.

“Sweetheart,” Bruce said warmly, giving you a hug. “Kent,” he added, looking at Conner suspiciously over your shoulder.

“Hi Mr Wayne,” Conner replied. Bruce glared at him.

“Why is he here?”

“Dad,” you chided. “Conner is here as my.. date,” you said with a nervous smile. You watched Bruce Wayne go thru every emotion a man could have in 30 seconds.

“I see,” Bruce replied coldly. Your heart froze.

Conner looked between you both.

“Kent. You better treat her well or I’ll put a boot so far up your ass, you’ll taste kryptonite,” Bruce said calmly before walking away to talk to another guest.

“I’m gonna die,” Conner whimpered. “I had to date Batman’s daughter and now I’m gonna die.”

[xenizaation]

10 ways to get fired

Warning! Sexual content ahead! Minors please dni!

pairing: jeong yunho x fem! reader

genre: smut, co-workers, barista! yunho

word count: 1.5k

warnings: !!!cheating!!! (which i do not condone or think it's right in any way, shape or form but yk...it still happens), unprotected sex in a public bathroom, explicit language, praising, a bit of banter, choking, creampie, manual stimulation.

a/n1: hi i haven't posted in a thousand years but here's my peace offering! a little birthday present for both yunho and me cause my birthday is tomorrow lol. hope you guys enjoy this, i wrote it in between work shifts🤠🤠.

a/n2: if you're wondering 'is this bitch ever gonna post the last chapter of 'the real ◜멋◝'..........yes, i will. i'm gonna quit one of my jobs actually cuz this shit's just too much for me. so it's gonna come pretty soon me thinks hihi. love you guys, stay safe! xoxoxo

"we should stop fucking around," you say as you let your hands travel down to his belt, doing their best to unbuckle it.

"why?" yunho asks, lips burrowed deep in the soft flesh of your neck.

his hands grip your hips roughly, pulling you closer to him and leaving no space for air to travel in between your heated bodies.

"hmm...maybe because you have a girlfriend?" you tease when your hands make their way into his boxers, stroking the already erect member. "a girlfriend that is my boss." you complete as you brush his sensitive head with your thumb, feeling how he jolts under your touch when he stops devouring your neck and opts in exhaling a groan.

"maybe you should find another job then, so we can keep fucking around without you worrying you'll get fired." the tall male stands straight as he looks into your eyes.

you scoff as you roll your eyes as a reply to his words. being a barista was one of the little things that brought you joy in your life. quitting, even for yunho, wasn't much of an option. of course, fucking your workmate (who also happened to be your boss's boyfriend) in the lunch breaks may be one of the things that makes the job more enjoyable, but still, your pride stands tall in the face of some things.

"or you could stop working for your girlfriend like a loser and make it better for both of us, right?" you sing-song into his ear as you hold a steady position on your tippy toes to reach it.

"oh, so i'm a loser?" he raises a brow as his gaze darkens when he pulls away to look into your eyes.

you already know what you've caused.

his strong arms turn you around quickly, pressing you against the wall in the bathroom, your hands are pulled away from inside his pants and you quickly place them on the cold tiled wall. he grabs them quickly, holding your wrists with one big hand behind your back, right above your ass, when he presses himself on you.

"let's make a bet," he says as he rubs his clothed dick on your ass, you exhale abruptly, excitement already building in your lower stomach when you feel him. "whoever cums first loses," yunho adds.

you anticipate his words with accuracy. working with yunho for six months, and fucking him in secret for three of them, you already know him well enough to make more than assumptions.

"we already know what the loser has to do, right?" he whispers in your ear as he uses his hand to roughly pull down your pants and leave your ass cheeks bare for his eyes.

somehow, every time you have sex with yunho feels like the first time. the same butterflies in your stomach, the same terrifying excitement that you are going to be caught any minute but every time, tenfold the pleasure you felt last time.

undoubtedly, you sometimes wonder if what gives yunho the amazingly desirable allure is the fact that he has a girlfriend, and that you feel like you are taking someone's toy away, and making it yours. but every time you remind yourself that you would've fucked yunho under any circumstances given.

you realized from the way his gaze always dropped down to your lips while you were talking, or from the way he was licking his own secretly whenever he watched you do your thing at the coffee machine that someday, somehow, there will be something between the two of you.

it was a pretty quiet day when it happened, not many costumers, not many things to do, so you both decided to clean the storage room. the problem was when you got down in front of him to tie your shoelace, and looked up to him with every ounce of lustful intention hidden behind your eyes. he hooked his index finger under your chin and brushed his thumb over your lips, and you realized that all the perverted jokes and insults you always threw at each other were already bloomed in both of you when he said "maybe you should stay there a little longer".

and you did stay there a little longer...and sucked his dick. something every respectable woman should do at least once in their life if they come in contact with yunho and his astonishing dick.

yunho's hand snaps you back into the present when it brushes over your ass cheek sweetly, squeezing it gently as he is contrasting the gesture by holding your wrists tighter. you feel him shuffle behind you as he pulls his own pants down, pulling out his dick and positioning himself better behind you so his head brushes over your entrance in a teasing manner, not rushing to get past the wet patch staining your panties

yunho was building it up inside of you so he could get you to cum in a matter of minutes, and the awareness of it brought adrenaline inside your veins.

"are you afraid you're gonna lose if you put it inside, big boy?" you tease on a superficial tone, almost sounding like you pity him.

the scoff you hear from behind you is enough to let you know that you're in for a good one, the more you teased yunho, the better he fucked you.

he pulls your panties to the side and pushes himself inside you swiftly, eliciting a too high pitched moan from you when he buries his whole member in the comfort of your throbbing hole. his girth stretches you deliciously and your warm walls embrace every inch of him as he starts thrusting in and out at a rather fast pace.

he positions himself so good behind you that his dick reaches your g-spot over and over again, making your back arch involuntarily, a silent way of your body begging for more.

"you feel so much better than she does." yunho groans in your ear and you moan loudly upon hearing his words, your core clenching with lust around yunho's cock at the same time your chest swells with pride. "so much tighter, wetter...you even taste sweeter, have i ever told you that?" he whispers in a tone filled with desire, snapping his hips harder into you and creating a rhythm that has you crying his name out loud.

his words help you realize just how seriously he takes this bet and you wish you would lose your hearing sense right then, so you could last longer in the entrapment yunho has made for you in between him and the rigid wall. the man's movements don't falter even for a second, his dick gloriously sliding in and out of you with an insatiable need to bury itself deeper in the velvety warmth of your pulsating walls.

the hand that was keeping your hands pinned in place suddenly disappears and you are quick to search for support with your palms against the wall when yunho's skilled fingers come in contact with your aching clit. the fingers you admired many times before as he was steaming the milk were now trying to milk an orgasm out of you. it seemed that cat got your tongue, how the feeling was so good that you couldn't even moan anymore, but desperately gasp like you were coming up for air from the bottom of the ocean.

yunho's wide chest comes in contact with your back as he kisses your temple, sliding his other hand upwards on your torso and wrapping around your throat. he pulls you towards him as he starts squeezing the air out of you, making you lean back on his chest as his hips roll into you slower, matching the pace of his finger on your clit.

when you woke up in a good mood today you didn't think it would get even better by yunho fucking you slowly in the bathroom.

even if all your senses are now being overwhelmed, you still realize that you would hate to lose any bet that involved yunho- so when you feel like the air enters your lungs slower as his grip tightens on your neck and his fingers draw unknown shapes on your clit, the only thing you can do is squeeze your walls as tight as you can, eliciting deep moans from him when his hips stutter at the same time you feel your high tip off the edge and fall down into a pit of dizzy pleasure that takes over your whole body. yunho's warm seed shoots inside of you right when you coat his cock with your own release and your body starts to tremble in his hold.

as if he feels your legs buckling beneath you, yunho hugs you from behind and holds you steadily, his member softening inside of you as he strokes your abdomen.

"did we just cum at the same time?" he asks raspily, and you smile with a little huff of air coming out your nose.

"yeah, we just did," you answer, patting his thigh behind you as he nuzzles his nose in your hair just behind your ear.

"who's gonna quit then?" you ask after a few seconds, reminding yourself of the bet and what the loser had to give up.

the problem was that you were both losers now.

"i think we're gonna have to try that again and find out." yunho answers with a sly voice.

well, there are still fifteen minutes left of that lunch break, right?

[slashingdisneypasta]

Gotham Villains x Hotel Owner!Reader || Headcanons

Explanation / Topic: You run one of the cities dingy hotels except this one, in all of its glory, is only ever visited by bad guys. Your hotel is well known as the place rogues hide away in when they're planning or they're just out of action for a while because you refuse to give up information to the police no matter what (Its proprietor-client confidentiality! Ha ha) and you're treat them fairly (Although- on the kinder side of course)

These are the many ways they show their gratitude, no matter how small.

Character involved: Most, if not all, of Fox Gotham's rogues. Except Ra's Al Ghul because he bores me. Nevertheless, not just the Legion Horrible's like the picture might lead you to believe- that's just the picture with the most villains that I could think of.

Warnings: Probably too much fluff. I'll make a sequel to this with the less-then-pretty, nitty grotty details of this hotel too probably XD

Barbara likes to invest every now and then, "Just making sure my affairs are in order baby- gotta make sure my hidey hole's still there when I need it." but she always adds a little something for you to buy yourself 'something pretty' (Since your style is SO plain, according to her but then again who isn't plain compared to her XD). This little something is always upwards of a hundred dollars. She's such a sugar mommy you cant convince me that she isn't-

Butch (Or Cyrus Gold, or Grundy. he has too many names) has made it clear that if you ever need help, you can always call him and he'll be there. Very gangsta about it. He's such a big, tough guy but such a softy on the inside XD When he had Grundy brain, he still had some kind of tracker in his mind like dogs do that took him 'home' (To your hotel), dragging Ed along with him. He gave you a big, bone crushing hug when he got there.

Dr Strange is not allowed in as he'll steal your guests and experiment on them.

You don't know Ecco too well yet and vice versa but when she turned up with Jeremiah and Jervis- you definitely appreciated her presence more then that of Jeremiah's. You were still sore over Jerome and didn't trust this new brother. Still, you complimented the bullet in Ecco's skull, saying it was pretty cool, and now she loves you XD When she's in the neighbourhood she occasionally likes to pop in and say hello; Spread a little chaos, you know the deal.

Honestly you probably new Bridgit long before Strange forcing upon her the heat resistance thing and her becoming Firefly. She of course didn't remember you but soon *warmed* up to you after you gave her one of the few rooms with a fireplace and easily forgave her when she accidentally set the couch in her room on fire (I mean its for sure not the worst thing that has happened within these walls- no worries). She has been known to go around lighting the fireplaces for you under the pretence of having fun (Which is true) but also so that you can worry about one less thing. Firefly is also one to come chat with you if she's bored.

Fish Mooney obviously doesn't stay with you very often at all, because this lady can find better dwellings (As, no offense but your hotel is kiiiiinda dingy. What can you do about it, though? You house rogues and a lot of them don't have a lotta money) but she still absolutely appreciates what you do. She'll send bad guys that she does business with that have deeper pockets then your usual client, your way. She's also kind to you, which to me is even better honestly haha XD

Headhunter stays with you a lot when he's on business and often reminds you that you get a discount from him if you require his services. Hey, you keep him in milkshakes! He's gotta repay you somehow.

Okay, the twins. You knew Jerome first and got off to a bad start with Jeremiah due to that. Still, we aren't talking about relationships; We're talking about nice things. So moving on. Just assume that you warm up to the brainier twin.

These two are hard XD Cuz their 'good' and 'bad' sides kinda blur together as they're so unpredictable and don't really care about anyone.

Still, I can see Jerome being pretty light with you and valuing the fact that you can keep up with his banter- so he keeps you alive. You're basically his mother actually, despite the possible lack of age difference. Like, he wants to show you stuff he does and tell you about chaos he's created.

And Jeremiah honestly appreciates that you'll listen to his long speeches (You've gotten pretty good at just sitting and nodding your head and you've perfected the art of the well placed understanding noises like 'Hmm' and 'Ah!' and 'Oh dear' in your line of work)- so obviously, you're invaluable to him. Must keep you around. I mean, Ecco listens, but does she really understand? That is the question.

When he's around, Jervis is very polite and gracious. He'll duck into the kitchens after dinner and start helping you with the dishes and clear dining tables, he'll ask you how you are and mean it (Like, he'll stand there and discuss it with you), he'll try to keep Jerome from barging into your room in the early hours of the morning, etc. Just nice things like that ^^

Magpie tries not to steal from you... Haha XD Like, she'll pick up a pretty clock off a mantle piece and then go to leave with it... then realise that this is yours and go 'Oops!!' and put it back, giggling nervously.

... When she leaves you still find various items from other places in the hotel, in her room, but still. The fact that she tries is enough!

Mr Freeze is a pleasure to have around, of course!! He's quiet, he nods to you when he passes, and he's there to freeze assholes that harass you (And then take them outside so they don't melt all over your carpet). A respectful dude. He has frozen Jerome multiple times... particularly when Jervis has been unsuccessful in persuading him not to wake you up at 3 in the morning.

Ivy gets so happy whenever she sees you. Lots of hugs and telling you all about how she's been. Her energy is enough to cheer you up, and on your birthdays she always brings you a new plant that has meaning to her. Like, a sunflower for how kind you are, a Ficus for abundance, etc. Always in a pot of course, never dead. So of course, you have to take care of them but its a small price to pay for the sweetness ^^ And the not being murdered thing.

Like Mooney and Barbara, Oswald doesn't stay often due to having that mansion from his father but he remembers your kindness from when he would fall on hard times before that (And after the fact, too of course) and whenever he's making some kind of mafia deal he always ensures your and your hotels safety in the contract.

Pyg / Lazlo (I cant decide which name I like best XD) is just very polite, like Jervis. Gentlemen. Also his impressions- God. Have fun with that. He might just do your favourite Looney Tune character if he's in a good mood.

With Ed... look, if you even try with his riddles without being prompted, he'll do anything for you. It's well documented. I'm not sur about nice deeds, cuz Riddler's kind of a dick, but he'll for sure send you a birthday card every year! Christmas probably too ^^

Scarecrow: I will not spray you today. You: Gee thanks. // No but seriously, he's quiet about his gratitude but he is definitely once of the good ones ^^ Would absolutely take it upon himself to come save your ass if you got abducted.

Tabitha... well, you know how Headhunter will you get a discount if you want someone killed? Tabitha will do it for fucking free.

Hey, if you feed Victor (Zsasz), you have a friend for life. He will bring pizza and just hang out together. He is also willing to murder someone for you.

[retrievablememories]

picture me | johnny (m)

title: picture me pairing: vampire!johnny x black!reader genre: fantasy, romance, smut, fluff, angst summary: you meet a vampire-slash-photographer whose self-identity is increasingly lost to him, and you try to help him find some purpose again. word count: 18.3k warnings: age gap (cuz you know, vampires...but everyone is legal), mentions of discrimination/prejudice based on species, self-identity issues/self-deprecation, general angst, sheltered!reader, mentions of blood and drinking blood, oral sex (female and male receiving), fingering, thigh riding, loss of virginity, corruption kink, use of lube, unprotected sex (do not try at home), creampie, johnny is packing in this fic ok! a/n: today (the 28th) is my birthday, so i’m posting this 100% self-indulgent fic that i’ve been working on between requests since september. it was very hard to get johnny’s characterization right for this fic and idk if i actually succeeded but i’m not revising this for the 1000th time lol. i love this fic with my whole heart tho.

i haven’t seen many vampire fics that really explore the whole “doesn’t show up in mirrors/photos” concept (shout em out if you know em) and...there’s probably a reason for that, this shit is hard af to write and there are some logic issues but whatever 🤪

(the beginning quote is from “criminal,” stan taemin!!)

The moment I fall for you is the end of my innocence

—

He sits in the same coffee shop everyday, like it’s a habit he just can’t break. But who are you to judge? You’re there, too. Watching him like a creep. Or maybe like an interested coffee shop patron, trying to be discreet and failing at it.

He wasn’t hard to notice. You’d never been to this coffee shop before, but your friend recommended it to you mostly for their in-house-made pastries; she claimed the coffee was good, too, but she wasn’t much of a caffeine person. You decided to give it a try when you had time between classes and a moment to breathe, not needing to talk to this advisor or that professor.

You saw him immediately when you walked past the shop window. He was sitting at a table near the front, staring down at his phone with a small cup of coffee sitting in front of him. Its miniscule size was almost comical in contrast to his...everything. He was tall—that much was obvious even with him sitting down—and imposing, wearing all black. His hair was equally pitch-black, his bangs hanging to one side and the rest shaved in an undercut. If you didn’t know much better, you’d think you’d stepped back into 2007 and landed dead in the middle of the emo craze.

He was interesting to look at. Not in a bad way, but in a way you don’t see very often. Deciding to walk in before you made yourself look totally weird staring at him through the window, you’d stepped into the coffee shop, the small bell dinging above your head. A barista greeted you at your entrance. Out of the corner of your eye you saw the man, to your left, still looking at his phone.

You’d given your order and waited for it to be ready before taking it to a table on the other side of the shop. From that vantage point, you had a good view of the man. You tried to keep your eyes on your food and your phone, not wanting to spend the whole time looking at him, but it was a little hard not to.

When you took a bite of your pastry, you quickly discovered it was just as delicious as your friend promised—probably even more so. You made a noise of approval before you could catch yourself, and you glanced around the shop in embarrassment to see if anyone nearby noticed. Didn’t seem like it, at first. But then you glanced over to the man again only to find him looking at you below his eyelashes with a small, amused smile on his lips. He only kept his gaze on you for a second before returning to his phone.

What? You hadn’t thought you were that loud. How did he hear you from over there, and above the noise of the café? Even now, you remember how embarrassed you’d felt, ducking your head and looking away.

The man finished his coffee not long after that; he slipped his phone into his pocket and stood up. You glanced up only momentarily when he stood, but your eyes soon slid back to his form when you noticed something odd. On the wall behind him, there was a big oval mirror sitting pretty in its elaborate silver frame. He stood just a few feet in front of it, yet there was no reflection of him. The only thing you could see was the other side of the café reflected back, with another man sitting alone at a booth enjoying his own coffee. The tall man’s reflection was nowhere to be found.

That was when you figured he must be a vampire.

You’d never met one before. At least, you didn’t think you had until then.

Unbeknownst to you, vampires are notoriously able to blend in more easily than most other supernatural beings—until faced with situations like that one in the coffee shop. Ultimately, there’s no faking a reflection no matter how hard you try to remain inconspicuous.

The man had caught your eye again. Thinking back on it, you aren’t sure of what expression you had on your face or what it must’ve looked like to him. It must’ve been something akin to surprise, though; you weren’t quick enough to disguise your reaction at his lack of a reflection.

He gave you another smile, though it felt sadder than the previous one, and walked out of the store, the small bell on the door ringing at his departure. He disappeared down the street in a swirl of black fabric, almost like something out of a movie, and you watched him retreat until you could see him no more.

You scraped your index fingernail over the wood table your food was resting on, your mind whirring with all kinds of thoughts. Your interest was piqued. And yet there was no way for you to know if you’d see him again.

—

At least, that’s what you believed then. Luckily for you, your subsequent visits to the coffee shop have proven fruitful; the strange, tall vampire is there more often than not, always in the same spot in front of that same mirror. Sometimes he reads a book, other times he looks at his phone, and other times still, he stares out the window at the passersby.

He acknowledges you whenever he sees you, either with a nod or a smile. You’ve never spoken to each other, though you know what his voice sounds like from hearing him talk to the baristas. It’s a nice voice, rich and handsome like him, and you find yourself gradually wanting to hear it spoken in your direction. But you aren’t sure how to talk to him, or what you should say.

There’s a lot you want to know about him and his vampirism, but you don’t think it’s fair to bombard him with questions right after meeting him—if you could somehow work up the nerve for that first step.

When you were young, your parents made sure to keep you safely sheltered away from anyone who could potentially be a vampire or any other nonhuman being. This game kept up until you went to college, where they could no longer “shield” you. Because of their lifelong fear and disgust, your knowledge of nonhuman beings is scarce and mostly inaccurate.

The man’s skin isn’t deathly pale like you’ve heard others say vampires always are. It’s nicely tanned, in fact. Nor are his eyes red, or his canine teeth abnormally sharp. And obviously, he has no aversion to sunlight, otherwise he wouldn’t be out here during the day. The only visible marker of his inhuman nature is his lack of a reflection. Maybe he’s not a vampire at all? Maybe he’s another type of being entirely. That only makes you more curious.

It’s not rare to come across supernatural beings, but they only make themselves known if they want to, or if it’s imperative to their survival. Most of them would rather quietly assimilate amongst humans or stay safe and hidden within their own communities. Humans are still too judgmental towards those who are different from themselves for nonhumans to feel truly safe or welcomed—at least not on a global scale. Small pockets of communities forged with human allies are helpful and sometimes vital for survival, but not always enough.

These small tidbits of information cycle through your mind as September gradually bleeds into October. You continue watching the thoughtful man in the coffee shop and making up your own secret theories about his life. You haven’t told anyone from school about this, because you already know the reaction would be nothing short of awful. Your parents would only let you go to school at the one university in the city that explicitly didn’t allow supernatural beings; it goes without saying that your classmates don’t view them in a positive light.

Part of you feels like you might be breaking the unspoken rules just by being at this coffee shop all the time and allowing this man to take up space in your mind. But who will know what’s inside your thoughts except you?

One day, your friend decides to accompany you on your lunch break, finally stopping by the café she recommended to you. The man is already there, as usual, and he smiles slightly when you and your friend enter. She doesn’t catch this, too busy wondering what she’s going to get off the menu today.

“I haven’t been here in forever, I wonder if Sam still remembers me?” You know Sam to be one of the baristas there, having read it on their name tag before.

“I doubt there are very many people who’d forget you,” you answer.

When you both have your food, you take a booth farther away from where the man sits, though you can still see him easily from this distance. Your friend settles into the seat in front of you.

You try to keep things inconspicuous throughout your conversation, but you must glance over at him one too many times, because your friend eventually raises her eyebrows questioningly. She turns around in her seat, making it obvious that she’s looking, and you groan as you keep your eyes in the opposite direction towards the window.

“Who’s that guy you keep staring at?”

You cough. “No one.”

“He’s obviously someone. Someone interesting enough to hold your attention.”

“I don’t know the man,” you say curtly. You shuffle your napkin and spoon aimlessly, your nervousness rising. What if he has some kind of enhanced hearing and can hear what you’re saying right now? He definitely heard you make that noise that first day.

Your friend looks at the ceiling and blows air out of her mouth. “Whatever. I’ll find out who he is sooner or later.”

You take a sip of your drink and lower your voice to just above a whisper. Although you want to leave the subject alone, you’re curious about one thing. “You mean you’ve never seen him before? This café was your hangout spot before it was mine.”

She shrugs. “No, I think I would’ve remembered someone as...visually striking as him. Why are we whispering, anyway? It’s not like he can hear us above all this noise.”

You think to yourself, I’m not so sure about that, but you merely shake your head.

You spend a few more minutes talking before movement catches the corner of your eye. At this point, it’s practically a reflex for you to look in that direction. You try not to, but your friend has already caught you and turns her head to spy, too. The man has gotten up for whatever reason to say something to one of the baristas at the counter. Your gaze darts back to your cup after you’ve gotten your eyeful, but you’re nearly startled into dropping the cup at your friend’s gasp.

Oh. The mirror.

She grips the edge of the table. “He’s a vampire…?”

You don’t know what to say to that, and you feel oddly guilty for some reason you can’t pinpoint. Like you’ve been caught with your hand in the cookie jar. “U-um, I don’t know…?” You can hardly finish your thought before your friend is scrambling to grab her purse. She hurriedly stands out of the seat, tugging your arm as she does.

“Come on. We shouldn’t stay here.”

“Are you serious—?” You feel embarrassed heat rip through your body at her display; some other café-goers are already looking at her curiously, probably wondering what the hell she’s doing. She tugs more incessantly, and you already know she’ll get louder if you don’t get up now and defuse the situation. Leaving your half-full cup behind, you grab your things and follow her out of the store, keeping your eyes firmly on her back as you pass by the man. You don’t know if he looked up, or if he could sense the reason for your sudden departure—you’ve never left the shop before him until now—and you don’t want to know.

Neither of you talk until you’re well down the street and around the corner. “That wasn’t necessary,” you huff, your hands still sweating from the spiked adrenaline at suddenly being rushed out.

“Yes it was! We all know bloodsuckers and all these other weirdos are dangerous...even if they think they’re being well-intentioned by living among humans. I hope you don’t go back there.”

“Whatever...you’re the one who told me to visit the café,” you mumble, unable to muster up the energy to say anything more. You both know very well she can’t tell you where to go, but you hope she doesn’t mention this to your other acquaintances on campus and make it into a bigger deal than it is.

When you part ways with your friend and get back to your dorm, you realize you’re missing your planner. The planner with all your upcoming assignment dates in it. You sigh heavily and roll your eyes, knowing it must’ve happened in the chaos of her pulling you out of the shop. Maybe if you’re really lucky, it’ll still be there, picked up by an employee or simply left untouched. Knowing how many people go through that café in a day, you’re not optimistic.

For the first time since visiting the quaint little shop, you’re not anticipating returning and seeing the man again, afraid he’ll ignore you or look at you with distaste—like you’re just another unsympathetic human. And would he be wrong to think that? You’re only strangers to each other.

You try not to dwell on it too hard when you go to bed that night.

When lunch rolls around the next day, you hesitate a couple times on your way to the café, not wanting to show up. However, the desire to see what became of your planner pushes you forward. You don’t even have to stay; if it’s there, you’ll take it and leave. If it’s not—oh well. You can still leave. It’s not hard to buy another.

He’s there when you arrive, of course.

He nods at you when you step inside, though he doesn’t smile as he’s become accustomed to doing. You nod back, but you can’t ignore the renewed rush of embarrassment you feel. You linger at the entrance for a second longer, wondering if maybe you should say something. Apologize, even? But what if he really didn’t know what was going on yesterday? Then how odd would you look for bringing it up?

You decide to move on and go back to the booth to search for your belongings, but his voice stops you. This takes you by surprise.

“Did you come back for this?”

You turn to him to see him holding your planner in his hand. You stare, momentarily dumbfounded, and almost shake your head before realizing it is yours. Definitely the same sticker-covered, scribbled-all-over planner.

“Oh—y-yeah. Thank you.” He passes it to you, though you notice he’s very careful not to let your hands touch. You’re a little perplexed about why, but then the rumors about vampires having cold skin pop up in your mind. Maybe that’s actually true, too. “I usually don’t lose things so easily, but…” Your voice falters, and you don’t know how to finish that sentence without bringing up the other day’s events.

He doesn’t seem to mind as he replies, “It happens to all of us sometimes...I don’t know what I’d do if I lost my camera.”

“You take pictures?” you ask, a tinge of curiosity in your voice.

He nods. “I take photos of anything that interests me. Which often ends up being everything I see. I work at an art museum, so I guess having an eye for photography comes in handy.” He hesitates for a second, then says, “I could show you some?” He waves his phone, indicating that the photos are there.

“Oh, sure.” The man gestures for you to sit down in the empty chair in front of him, and you do so. He swipes through his phone a few times until he settles on what he’s searching for, then puts the device on the table and slides it to you. You lean forward to look at it and see that it displays an album full of pictures, simply titled with the emoji “🌌.”

“It’s okay, you can pick it up.” He chuckles. You pick up the phone and swipe through the numerous pictures. Many of them are nighttime shots of the moon, trees, half-empty streets, darkened storefronts. Others depict nature scenes at sunset or the beginning of sunrise, with the sky colored in darker hues. No matter what the subject matter is, they all look to be professionally taken, even for an iPhone.

“Wow, these are nice. You said you work at a museum…are you a professional photographer, too?”

The man shrugs, and as you look at his slight grin, you realize you still don’t know his name. “Something like that, I guess.”

“You should be if you aren’t already,” you say, looking through more photos. “I’m sure you’d make a lot of money.” When you reach the end of the album, you go to hand the phone back to him but realize he’ll probably want to avoid contact again, so you slide it across the table. He takes it and slips it into his pocket.

“I don’t really care about the money,” he responds. “I just like it because…” He trails off, unsure how to convey his thoughts, wondering if he should even get that personal with a stranger. “It...helps me pass the time.” He’s not quite satisfied by that answer—it doesn’t feel like enough—but it’s all he can think of on the spot.

“Well, that’s nice too. It’s always good to have a hobby just for the sake of it...not for anyone’s benefit but your own.”

“Do you have one?” He takes a sip of his coffee. You don’t expect to be asked about your own interests, and your mind goes blank as you try to think. Why does this always happen when I’m asked these kinds of questions?

“Um, just different things here and there.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he says, amused.

“It’s not that, I just don’t have a ton of hobbies or anything. I’m kinda boring, so…” And wasn’t allowed to do much of anything until I left home.

“Being boring isn’t always a bad thing.”

You lean back in your seat, shrugging slightly. “Maybe if you see it that way. My friends don’t.”

“Would one of those happen to be the same one who dragged you out of here yesterday?” He speaks casually, putting his cheek in his hand. You slump further down in your seat, feeling exposed. Of course there was no escaping this topic. He notices your mood shift and shakes his head. “You don’t have to feel so bad about it. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.”

“I’m sorry for all that mess,” you murmur, unable to meet his eyes. “Really, I am.” You stand up from the seat, gripping your planner. “Thanks again for this. I don’t want to take up any more of your time today.” You’re about to turn to leave when he speaks again.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me, you know…you could talk with me whenever you feel like it.” That’s the last thing you expect him to say. His voice takes on a quality that’s...not what you’d call begging, but it’s clear he’d enjoy some company. Maybe he’s doing this for your benefit as well as his own, because it’s obvious how your eyes always stray to his little corner.

You nod, giving him an apprehensive smile. “I’ll keep that in mind, then.”

The rest of your day after that is uneventful, full of classes and unexciting lectures, but you keep thinking of one thing. Though he appears to enjoy his time in the coffee shop, how lonely must he really be? There’s never anyone else around him. His eyes when he’d spoken to you held a certain sadness.

And you still didn’t get his name.

You don’t see him for the next few days, mostly because you aren’t at the café. You’ve gotten busy with a new project and haven’t had as much time to return to the coffee shop, mostly spending your time in the library instead.

When you finally get a chance to buy lunch outside campus, he’s not there. This disappoints you more than you thought it would, and you wonder what his absence means. Did he just decide not to come today, or has he found another place to frequent? You kind of hope the second option isn’t the case, though you also don’t know why you’re even caring this much about where someone else goes on their own time.

You get a drink to-go this time, deciding you’ll just take it back to the library and continue your studies there. The entryway bell rings behind you as you wait for your order to be made, though you don’t pay it much attention; half of your mind is still occupied with what you need to do next for your project.

When you turn around to leave the shop with your drink, you’re surprised to see the man standing there, waiting to get his own coffee. “You’re late,” you blurt out. You immediately feel silly for saying it, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

He gives you a slight smile. “Yes, I am.” Then he spots your to-go cup. “Are you leaving?”

“Uh, well,” you glance at your drink, “are you staying?”

He nods as he steps up to the counter. “Yeah, I’m staying. My offer’s still open, by the way.”

Right. The offer to talk to him sometimes. You’re tempted to stay awhile and talk to him now, though you don’t even know what about. Your project? That’s boring. Him being a vampire? Too invasive. Your school? Also boring, and probably not the best idea considering which one you attend.

“I...think I’ll stay, then.”

You both sit at his usual table, with you grinning nervously.

“How are you? I noticed you hadn’t showed up in a while,” he asks, settling back in his chair.

“Yeah, I’m doing fine, I’m just busy with school stuff. These teachers don’t give us a break.” You laugh a little, shaking your head.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He grins. “I never did go to college, but I’ve always heard others talk about how tiring it is. And expensive.”

“They’re right.” You roll your eyes at the thought of it. “But I guess it’ll all be worth it in the end. Maybe. If the economy isn’t in the toilet.” The sound of his laughter is nice, and you’re glad you could make him laugh. “Also, I’m sorry—I don’t know how this flew under the radar, but I don’t know your name.”

He shrugs. “Nothing to apologize for, really. It’s Johnny.”

You tell him your name, too. “Since I haven’t seen you lately...how are you doing?” You circle your hands around your to-go cup, feeling its warmth transfer to your palms as you await his answer.

“I think I can say I’m the same as always—which is fine. Life slows down a little when you have a lot of time on your hands.” Johnny’s lips quirk up at that, and you think he might be referring to his vampirism. Your eyes widen a little.

“What’s that like? Having so much free time. I wouldn’t know much about that right now, but…”

“Maybe not as pleasant as you think it’d be. But there’s good in it. Like coming and going when you want to. And you can take up whatever interests you want without worrying as much about busy schedules.” You already know he’s alluding to his photography. “I do like having a job, though…it gives me structure.”

“You’re probably right…I wouldn’t know the first thing to do if I had a ton of free time…like, which hobbies to pick up first.” You consider how you initially thought about him being lonely and wonder if that’s one of the unpleasant parts he hinted to. “Speaking of hobbies...did you take any new pictures lately?”

Johnny nods. “Most of them were on my camera this time, but some are on my phone. You want to see?”

“Yes!”

Johnny lets you have his phone again to look through the newest pictures he’s taken. There are varying shots of car-lined streets and storefronts, some of the latter decorated with glowing jack-o-lanterns for the onset of October. A pigeon sits on a streetlamp during the daytime, holding its head up like royalty upon a throne. In another image, a stray cat and her kittens huddle in an alley, the babies grooming each other while the mother looks quizzically at the camera.

You recognize a few photos from the nearby park; he also had some pictures of it the last time you looked. “Do you go to this park often?”

“Yeah, it offers some great shots. It’s especially pretty if you go just before the sun sets...the light filters through the tree leaves and it looks kinda like a kaleidoscope.”

“Ah, I’ve never seen that before…” you say a little sadly. Your parents didn’t much like taking you to that park when you were younger because of how far it is from their house. And since living away from them, you’ve only been able to visit it during the early hours of the day—like now.

Johnny looks closely at you. “Would you ever want to?”

“If it’s as pretty as you say, I should.” You slide the phone back across the table to him, not catching what he’s trying to hint at as you keep talking. “Do you go anywhere else besides here and the park?” As soon as you say it, you realize this might sound a little rude and try to make a quick save. “I mean, do you have any other favorite places? I’m not trying to say you don’t have a life or anything!”

Johnny laughs at your slight panic at thinking you’ve offended him. “Nothing too out-there, I guess. The bookstore, the photography store, the theater. Pretty much all the same places others visit.”

“The movies are fun.” You trace your finger across the table’s surface, thinking of your own favorite spots. “Me and my friends like to go downtown. There are a lot of cute little shops down there…”

You and Johnny talk for a while longer, and you almost forget you have to get back to campus until you glance at the wall clock. “Oh no, I’m gonna be late.” Flustered, you jump out of your seat and crumple your empty cup. “Sorry to cut it short, Johnny, but I gotta go back now.”

He smiles good-naturedly and nods, his dark bangs sweeping his face. “I understand.” As he watches you gather your things and get ready to go, he speaks up again. “Actually, if you want to see the park at sunset sometime...I could show you? It’s up to you.”

You pause, suddenly curious at the thought of seeing him outside the café. In the back of your mind, you feel a little paranoid and afraid of your friend or maybe even your parents seeing you there with him, though the latter is extremely unlikely. It’s hard to shake that familiar fear of judgment and ostracism when it’s been ingrained in you since childhood. “That sounds good. If it’s not any trouble for you…?”

“Never too much trouble. I usually get off around 4 on Fridays, just before the sun sets at 5. Unless the weekend is better for you?”

You nod, holding your books tighter to your chest. “Friday will work for me! I’ll meet up with you then.”

Johnny smiles. “Great; I’ll see you then, kind stranger.”

Maybe he says it to be joking or quirky, to sound like one of those characters in a movie or drama, but it makes you smile. Nodding to him again, you step out of the café and rush towards the direction of your school. Johnny watches as you retreat, your roles reversed.

You meet up with Johnny at the park that Friday, just as you both agreed. You spot him sitting on a bench near the park entrance, waiting on your arrival.

Johnny’s wardrobe is still mostly dark, but it’s a little lighter than usual today. He’s changed things up with a white polo shirt underneath his black sweater. Seeing him dressed like this, you wonder what he’d be like as a student, or maybe even a university professor.

He stands up when you get closer, hearing the sound of your footsteps approaching and turning towards you. His camera sits safely around his neck, the lens catching in the light of the sun.

When you stop in front of him, he smiles at you warmly. You try to relax into the genuineness of that smile and ignore the still-lingering traces of anxiety about being out with him. “Hi, Johnny!”

“Hi, Y/N.”

You and Johnny walk around the park as he looks for something interesting to shoot. He snaps a few shots of the trees, fallen leaves, bushes, and other natural elements along the way, though it seems like he hasn’t quite captured what he wants yet.

“Are you looking for something specific?” you ask, peering at his camera as he holds it in his hands.

“There’s an aster bush around here,” he responds. “It hadn’t fully bloomed yet the last time I was here, but it should be open by now.”

It turns out he’s right as you two finally come up on the bush. Its blooms make bright purple smudges against the rest of the landscape, which is a monochrome red-and-orange palette from the leaves changing their hues. You watch as he comes up to the bush carefully and quietly, like it’s a small animal he’s afraid to scare away. Johnny is very attentive while taking pictures of it, always conscious of getting the correct lighting and securing the exact angles he wants to capture. “Compassionate” is not a word you’d usually associate with the act of taking photos, but that’s the only word you can currently think of to describe this display. He treats the flowers with a peculiar sense of respect, as if they’re a human subject.

After he’s gotten the images he wants, Johnny offers you his camera to take a few of your own. You’re anxious about holding his prized possession and are afraid you’ll find a way to mess something up, but he promises you it’s fine. You take a few shots of the sky, still with a few wisps of clouds left, and a nearby tree that’s almost stripped bare of leaves. You know the shots will probably end up blurry from your unsteady hands, but Johnny tells you you’ve done a good job anyway.

Something about getting his approval makes a pleasant warmth settle in your chest.

As you both walk down a long trail, you finally ask him, “Sorry if this is invasive, but I was wondering how old are you? Like...as a vampire.” Your voice becomes hesitant on the word vampire, even though you’re the only two in this part of the park.

He chuckles a bit. “I’m 85.” You try not to look surprised. “I’ve been turned for 60 years. Old, but probably a little younger than most vampires you’d think of.”

“Kinda,” you say quietly. “They’re always like 2,000 years old in movies.”

“The ancient vampires are purebloods. They keep to themselves and avoid mingling with turned vampires, let alone humans. Some people are even skeptical if they exist. Supposedly, they use humans as servants or blood banks.” He gives you an apologetic look after saying this, though you don’t really know why. You don’t get the feeling he’d do that to another being, but he is still mostly a stranger... “At least, that’s what my mentor told me.”

Your curiosity is roused at all this new knowledge. “You had a mentor?”

“An older woman. She was also a turned vampire.”

“Turned, huh…”

Johnny nods, toeing at a small pile of leaves on the ground. “She went away eventually, said people are meant to pass in and out of each other’s lives. I don’t think she ever had intentions to stay. But I enjoyed her company while she was there.” Johnny stops at a short bridge above a small manmade lake, and you both look down into the water.

You place your arms on the bridge railing so you can lean over more. You notice he doesn’t have a reflection in the water, and this startles you more than you expected. Before meeting this strange man, you’d never thought much before about why vampires don’t have mirror reflections, but it seems even more unnatural to see this phenomenon happen again in the lake.

You find yourself looking at the side of Johnny’s face, trying to read his expression as he peers into the water’s depths. He turns to you, and you flinch at being caught staring, but he only smiles slightly. You force yourself to form words and break the silence. “What—what did you do after she left?”

“Lived on my own. She taught me a lot of things to help me live independently as a vampire, so it wasn’t too difficult to get along without her...but emotionally? A different story.”

“You sound like you had a very close relationship with her.”

“Yes. Quite close…” Johnny’s tone suggests something deeper, more intimate than a regular friendship. You feel a bit astounded at the idea of him having an older, more worldly lover while being only a newly changed vampire. Your reaction makes you feel foolish, inexperienced. Still, you can’t help imagining a scenario of them living in a big, dark mansion somewhere in the mountains, rolling around in a bed with bloody red sheets—and maybe drinking from the occasional naïve, misled human hiker.

Strangely, too, you feel jealous at his freedom, his ability to go wherever and do whatever with whoever he wants without overbearing relatives always just a step away.

You continue staring at the ripples as they circle in and out of the water’s surface, the motions triggered by a small orange leaf falling into the lake. You’re unsure of what could be the right thing to say to his admission, so you blurt out whatever comes to mind next. “You said she taught you to live independently as a vampire. What does that mean? How do you get...you know. Blood?”

“There are ways,” Johnny says cryptically, which makes your own blood rush faster. He turns to you with a grin, like he finds your naivety endearing. “It’s nothing drastic, though. At least, not for me. I never drink directly.” It does make sense that there are other ways to drink human blood without taking it straight from their necks, though you can only speculate on which methods he prefers. “Drinking directly is lethal, and often not worth it.”

“So, it’s true that vampire bites can kill?” You watch as Johnny pushes himself off the railing, and you follow him as he continues down the trail.

“It’s not false. But it’s never really that simple.” Johnny’s answer is mysterious, and he doesn’t elaborate further. He turns to you. “Where did you hear that, anyway? Your university? The one that bans all nonhuman beings?”

“You know where I go to school?” You feel embarrassed, thinking he must assume you’re like the rest of the student body who hates nonhumans but still nurtures an odd obsession with them.

“I saw it on your notebook one day, the school insignia. I’m not a stalker, by the way.” You laugh only slightly, and Johnny seems crestfallen when he notices your apprehension. “I don’t care if you attend school there. Just because you do doesn’t mean you think the way they do.”

“You must think I’m some weird opportunist, then,” you mutter, heat finding its way to your face. “Asking you all these questions...I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think anything except that you’re a pleasant person to be around.”

You’re quiet for a moment, letting the compliment sink in. You think you should probably give him one of his own, but before you can, he says, “Look. The sun’s already setting.” Just like he told you before, the dying rays filter through the tree leaves and create impossibly intricate patterns on your surroundings. You hold your hand out and watch the latticework that the leaves create dance over your open palm.

You let Johnny take a picture of your hand with the tree shadows flitting over it, but you shy away from the camera’s lens when he points it higher to your face, a questioning look in his eyes. “Maybe some other day.”

You walk around for a while longer until the sky bleeds into a dark purple. “I guess I should be going soon. It’s getting late,” you say, though you’re also a bit sad over your evening with Johnny meeting its end.

“Do you want me to take you back to campus? You shouldn’t walk back alone. My car is just in the parking lot there.” He points to it where it sits in the distance.

You look at Johnny with a confused gaze. “But you can’t come on campus. They have...things to ward off vampires.” Like gates made of pure silver, displaying intimidating, elaborately designed crosses. You don’t know if any of it actually works, but it’s probably better not to find out.

Johnny doesn’t seem bothered by this information. “Yeah…I know. I can just drop you at the street across from the main gate.”

You hesitate a moment longer but eventually agree. He is right; you’d rather not walk alone at night, and getting a ride with him is better—and cheaper—than calling for a rideshare.

The ride to the college is fairly quiet, with the radio filling the silence. It’s not an awkward type of stillness, at least, which you’re grateful for.

As he said he would, Johnny parks on the side of the street that sits in front of the main gate, just outside the immediate vicinity of the campus. The metal crosses stare back at the both of you, glinting in the light of nearby streetlamps. You turn your face away from them, biting the inside of your cheek.

You unbuckle your seatbelt. “Thanks again for the ride. I guess I’ll see you back at the shop next week, yeah?” Again, you get the urge to say something, anything, to remedy or cover up the foreboding source of discomfort sitting just in front of you, but there’s no one sentence you could say to wipe away decades of hatred.

Johnny nods and smiles, and still he shows no signs of being disturbed. He doesn’t cast another glance at the gates. “It’s no problem. See you then.”

You get out of his car and cross the street to get inside the gate; it’s early enough in the evening for it to still be open. Any later, and it’d be locked shut to even humans. You risk another wave at him before turning back around and heading for your dorm, which sits a few yards from the entrance. Johnny lets the car idle on the side of the street until you’ve walked into the dorm, and only then does he drive away.

It doesn’t take very long for you to warm up to Johnny inviting you to other places. The next time you and him go somewhere other than the coffee shop, you accompany him as he buys some film for his camera on one of his free days. You don’t know a ton about photography, so you’re more than happy to let him tell you all about how film works and why he buys certain kinds over others.

The place he frequents is a specialty photography shop that still carries older varieties of film—ones that fell out of favor once digital cameras became a thing. The store looks noticeably old, but not in an unkempt or decrepit way. You can tell it’s been around for a while, holding all kinds of history in its structure.

“There are so many different types.” You look over a shelf of film rolls in awe. “How can you tell them all apart?”

Johnny laughs. “It gets easier if you’ve been doing it for a while…or a few decades.” He picks one up from a row of them and holds it in front of you. “35mm is the most common type, which is what you’ll find the most of when you look through any film shop. That’s what I use.”

He sets that one down and walks past another display of film rolls, gesturing toward them. “There’s also 120 and 220 film formats here…those work for even older cameras, sorta like ones you’d see in 1930s movies. You can even turn a film camera into a digital camera.”

You nod to his words, looking over what seems like millions of film canisters—and occasionally glancing at the lines of his broad back as he walks ahead of you. “You should teach a photography class. I’d be more willing to listen to you than some old professor.”

Johnny snickers. “Huh, I don’t know. Not a professor, but I am old.”

You both continue walking through the store, with Johnny giving you the rundown on every item that catches your interest.

Like the coffee shop, there’s another mirror in this store. Many more, actually—there are whole rows of them on a series of shelves, all in varying sizes and shapes. They create a fragmented view of your form as you stand in front of them, though you don’t initially realize you’ve crossed into their glassy line of sight. You’re busier with looking at a roll of film Johnny’s handed you. When you notice your reflection shifting in your peripheral view, you look up.

Johnny’s only a few feet behind you, and you know this because you can hear him and feel his presence. Yet, it’s strange to see yourself as the only person in the aisle.

Eventually, he notices what’s got you preoccupied and comes to stand next to you. Though you see him clearly in front of your eyes, there’s no trace of him in the glass reflections.

Suddenly, you’re hit with the aching loneliness of it—how it must feel to never see yourself. You can see him with your own eyes, and so can everyone else who encounters him, but what must it be like to be virtually invisible outside of other peoples’ perceptions of you? You almost feel utterly alone even though you know he’s beside you.

Noticing your sudden melancholy, Johnny takes the film roll from your hand and tosses it up in the air, making it look like it’s moving on its own in the mirrors. He means to lighten the mood, if only to see the cloudiness disappear from your expression. It works to a degree, though you still feel downcast deep below.

“It’s not good to dwell on it.” Johnny presses the film roll back into your hand, still carefully avoiding skin contact. He has no problem meeting your eyes, though, and you shyly look away from his dark gaze after a few prolonged moments.

“You’re right,” you say softly, turning back to the aisle and away from the rows of mirrors.

—

You and Johnny head to the coffee shop after your trip to the photography store. Once you get your drinks and sit down in your usual spot, he speaks suddenly. “Something’s wrong.”

Your eyes dart around the shop, thinking he’s referring to one of the patrons around you. “What? What’s wrong?” Your voice comes out a bit panicked. He doesn’t want to laugh, but he does.

“No, I mean...something’s wrong with you. You seem far away.”

“Oh…” You wonder if you should even bring it up and potentially ruin the mood. But you have been curious for weeks now, and you don’t think you’ll get a trustworthy answer by asking anyone other than him. “I just...I was wondering why you don’t have a reflection. I know it’s a vampire thing, but I’ve never really known why...you don’t need to answer, though. Like you said, it’s not good to dwell on it.”

Johnny makes a motion like a half-nod once your question is revealed, his eyes darting to the window and back to the table. His fingers trace across the rim of his coffee cup, a thoughtful but stormy expression on his face, and you’re afraid you shouldn’t have reawakened this topic. “You know...being undead means being in two places at once.”

“Two places?”

“We are caught between the living world and the world of the dead. Something that’s not really supposed to exist, yet…” He’s quiet for a moment. “You can only imagine the kind of issues and side effects that can cause. One of them being no reflection.”

“I never thought of it like that,” you say. “Two planes of existence...what does it mean to be a part of the world of the dead?”

“Our blood runs slower. Ours is more like sludge compared to yours. The heart beats only a few times per minute. Don’t need to eat or sleep, either, though many vampires still do.” Johnny pauses. “How much do you really know about vampires?”

“I don’t know much about any of this...stuff.” You gesture vaguely, meaning all supernatural beings and not just vampires. “No one ever told me these things growing up, and it’s hard to tell truth from fiction at school. People will say anything, horrible things, and you just take it at face value, I guess. I never really thought to try to find the reality.” You sigh. “Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world who doesn’t know anything.”

“Learning is good. You can always learn. I don’t think it’s too late for that.” Johnny’s voice is a little lighter. “Anyway, everyone’s knowledge is different. Sometimes it slips my mind that everyone doesn’t know what it’s like to live as a vampire, though the world never lets me forget for long.”

“Then…do you hang out with other vampires who do understand? Or…maybe humans who can sympathize?”

Johnny gives a humorless laugh. “Most humans are hesitant to interact with us, if not full-out terrified or disgusted. At the museum...it’s less pronounced because all the employees already know. They…tolerate it. But every time someone else realizes what I am and doesn’t take well to it?” He shakes his head, acts like he’ll say something else, and then abandons that line of thought. “And do you really think I’d want to spend my free time around other bloodsuckers?” He tries to play it off as a joke, but you’re more inclined to think he actually feels that way. You can only nod, feeling bad for him but also a little disturbed by his view of his own kind.

“I think you’re a kind person, and you being a vampire doesn’t affect that,” you say hesitantly. “I like talking to you. And even if you feel that way about other vampires, I…wish you wouldn’t feel that about yourself.”

Johnny remains quiet, but he nods. You wonder about the struggle occurring in his mind. The only outward hint of his uneasy state shows in the furrow of his eyebrows and the tense set of his mouth. With his right hand resting on the table, he rubs his fingers together absentmindedly, like he’s analyzing your words. You have a sudden and startling desire to hold his hand, to twine your fingers together and feel his skin on yours for the first time, but you don’t dare cross that boundary.

He finally replies with, “You’re much kinder to me, an old and bitter vampire, than you probably should be. But maybe that’s a good thing about you.”

“I think it’s a good thing,” you agree, your voice low. “Every living being needs companionship. Good companionship, anyway.”

The corners of Johnny’s lips shift in something reminiscent of a smile. He turns a rueful gaze once again to the window, lifting his coffee cup to his lips. “Aren’t I lucky to have yours, then.”

On a day when you don’t have as many responsibilities to juggle, you visit Johnny at the art museum after his working hours are up. He’d already invited you to come to the museum any day you felt like so he could show you around. 

When you get there, he’s waiting in the visitor’s lobby for you, framed by receding sunlight as the day starts fading into night. He looks the same as he always does when you see him in the café on his lunch breaks, but within the context of the museum, he suddenly seems more…alive? Vibrant? He could’ve served as a muse for one of the many statuesque, perfectly proportional sculptures in the museum, and you’d never know anything different.

Your heartbeat increases at the sight of him, just enough to be outside the normal range.

“Hi, Johnny. I hope your day went well?”

“It was fine, nothing too crazy. But it’s better now.” And he smiles at you, sincere enough to make your heart ache.

“Oh—that’s great.” That’s it? You scold yourself internally, but you aren’t quick enough to think up a witty reply to his comment before the topic shifts.

“Is there anything in particular you wanna see first?” Johnny asks, leading you further into the museum.

“I guess I hadn’t thought too deeply about that…do you have a favorite exhibit? I want to see what you like.”

Johnny smiles faintly. “Let’s see, then.”

The dark-haired man takes you to a section of the museum filled with oil paintings, all by one singular artist. At first, all you see is varying shades of black and gray and red, with some white splashed in between. When you begin looking at the paintings more closely, it’s easier to see that each one depicts a different scene of chaos. Maybe a sort of organized chaos, but disarray all the same.

There is one picture that holds a clearer subject than the rest. One of the oil paintings is of a vampire—obvious by the fangs—with bloodied lips and anguished eyes. You pause when you catch sight of it, your steps stilled by the sheer frenzy in the other being’s painted eyes. Their hands reach out for the viewer as if begging for an escape that can only be provided by whoever’s observing.

“This one was painted by a fellow vampire, you know. The same one who did all the rest of the paintings in this gallery,” Johnny explains. He points at the placard next to the painting that displays the artist’s name and a short description of the piece. The word fellow comes off his tongue wrapped in cynicism. “And it was one of the ones I personally chose for this exhibit.”

You glance at him, a tinge of surprise blooming in your chest. “Really?”

He nods. “Who better to depict the ills of vampirism than a vampire themselves? I thought it was a…fascinating change of pace from all the humans who try and fail to do so, ironic as that is.”

If you look at the painting for long enough, you think you can recognize sadness in the corners of the vampire’s eyes—pure, unadulterated sadness. Different from anguish or panic. A similar mask of sadness you’ve seen on the man next to you.

You say nothing for a while. You simply feel the painful throb of your heart in your chest and listen to the small sounds around you. Even now, there are still other people exploring the museum and walking through this very exhibit, but you can’t hear or see any of them. Johnny notices the disconcerted look on your face, and his forehead creases. “But I’m sure you want to see something less…morbid than this, right? Come on.”

“Uh, I-I don’t mind,” you insist, even though you feel like you’ve just awoken from a painful trance by the sound of his voice. But he’s already gesturing for you to follow him elsewhere.

The next set of paintings you end up in front of are a series of sunflower studies. One frame depicts the long green stems; another provides an up-close view of their lined petals. One zooms in close on the flower’s brown center, only small glimpses of yellow left at the edges of the frame.

“This is definitely very different.” You look at him, a small smile pulling at your lips. “But it fits you. I see why you like it.” You remember him back in the park, taking careful pictures of the aster bush and of your hands…and then offering to take one of you. You don’t know why that last one makes your stomach jump.

“I thought you might like it.” Johnny’s eyes linger on your face as he observes your reaction to the paintings. He’s seen these flowers probably a hundred times by now in this permanent exhibit, but the wonder in your expression is new to him.

—

You both walk through a few more exhibitions after that, all with different subjects and mediums—some consist of sculptures, others are clay vases and figures. There’s still a lot to see in the museum, but you’re starting to get hungry, and you know Johnny has already heard your stomach growling.

After the 2nd time it happens and you think you might melt from embarrassment, he grins at you and makes a suggestion. “Let’s go to my office. I’ll get my things and we can eat. The restaurant here is pretty good—or at least that’s what everyone else says…”

When you get to his office, you feel almost like you’ve stepped into a room from years past. Your gaze drifts across his desk immediately; it’s not sleek and modern like you’d expect, considering the rest of the museum’s aesthetic, but wooden and heavy and vintage-looking. It’s olden quality resembles everything else in his personal space. Even his desk chair, a big and plush thing, feels vintage with its soft leather and rustic design.

This feeling is far from a bad thing, though. You enjoy the aged look of the bookcases, the picture frames, the chairs, the small decorations here and there—everything about this room.

Johnny notices how you look around, studying everything in sight, and smiles. “It’s not the most modern, but I like it.”

“It’s perfect. Like a world of its own.”

“A woman of taste, I see.” Johnny puts a hand over his heart, giving an expression like he’s truly touched, and you can only grin sheepishly. When he has his belongings, he leads you out and locks the door behind him.

“Let’s see what they have on the menu today, then.”

—

You get dinner at the museum’s restaurant, just as Johnny recommended, and he even decides to eat too. Maybe he does it so you won’t look odd being the only one eating, or because he really just wants to; he doesn’t let on. Either way, sitting across from him like this in a fancy restaurant with both of you having a nice meal feels almost like a date. You let that thought amble around for a few minutes longer before tucking it back into one of your mind’s many small niches.

“I’ll probably be digesting this for the next few weeks,” he says jokingly, pulling a mock-disappointed face at his plate.

“That sounds like the worst constipation in history.” He snorts at your comment, his eyes creasing as he laughs. You notice he has a dimple when he smiles, and your grin mirrors his. You don’t think you’ve seen him laugh quite so genuinely before, but now that you’ve experienced it, you want to hear it again and again.

Anything is preferable to the perpetual gloom, always slinking around the corner.

—

When Johnny gets back home after dropping you off at the university, he undresses himself and showers and pulls on his bedclothes, which are nothing more than his underwear and a pair of sweatpants. His upper canines ache in his gums the entire time he goes through these motions, like two pulses of red-hot heat positioned on either side of his mouth.

He takes a blood bag from the fridge and drinks it in bed, leaning his arms against his knees. A sudden remembrance manifests itself in his mind; he hears the hazy echo of his mother’s decades-past voice in his head, reprimanding him for eating in bed. A sharp pain grips his chest, and he tries to send it back to the depths where it belongs.

When the blood hits his stomach, the pain is eclipsed by the bloodlust, which is no better. His fangs drop immediately, spiking into his lower lip. Johnny closes his eyes and, very gingerly, allows himself to draw a picture of you in his mind, of your blood in his mouth and your heartbeat roaring in his ears. The way your blood would flow out so delicately, crashing into his tastebuds like the high tide. He is usually better than this at curtailing his bloodlust, not even letting it reach the point of his canines hurting—he can’t remember the last time that’s happened—but being around you sets him on edge. Awakens him in some strange, raw way.

That only makes him more wary. And more guilty about imagining himself drinking your blood. He shouldn’t even be around you if he’s losing his grip on his hard-won control. But although it makes him feel ashamed, it also causes his heart to rush.

He drains the blood bag to the last possible drop. To his relief, it calms him significantly, though the thoughts of you don’t leave. More innocent ones now, of your outing earlier in the evening. Deep beneath, they are tinged with his ever-present guilt at his vampiric nature.

Johnny doesn’t need the sleep, but he drifts off anyway, if only to quiet the conflict sending daggers into his mind.

You’ve known Johnny for a few weeks now, not counting the time you spent silently staring at him in the café, but you find yourself intertwining yourself further into his life. You end up visiting his apartment sooner than you anticipated. You didn’t think of anything as ridiculous as him living in a coffin or sleeping in the rafters like a bat, but you also had a hard time imagining what his place might look like.

You come over on a weekend when you have more time to simply hang out and not worry so much about anything else.

Like usual, he waits in that spot on the side of the street for you to come out. In the daytime, you’re more apprehensive about him being here and someone potentially seeing him and trying to cause trouble for him, but there’s a part of you that likes the rebellious aspect of it. And if he truly doesn’t mind coming near the campus to pick you up, you don’t have much issue with him doing it.

Johnny’s apartment is clean—and a little sparser than you’d expected. Maybe he’s a fan of minimalism. One side of the wall is taken up by a wide bookcase, which features a bunch of different knickknacks, books, and a collection of larger hardcovers that look like photo albums. On the other walls are a few framed pictures of different scenes, and you assume they’re ones he must’ve taken.

“This is a nice place,” you say as he takes your jacket for you and puts it up. “It must cost quite a bit, too…” You sit down on the couch, stroking the soft material of it.

Johnny shrugs. “Thanks. It’s nothing I can’t handle...being nearly a century old gives you plenty of time to save money.” He appears charmingly self-satisfied when he’s able to make you laugh. “Do you want anything?”

“Water is fine…thank you.” Johnny nods and goes off to the kitchen.

Despite trying to keep your eyes on the wall photos, your gaze follows him as he leaves. You discreetly watch him move around his kitchen. With his dark clothes, he’s like a splash of black paint against the pale tile and stainless steel.

There are blood packs in Johnny’s fridge. Lots of them. You know because you saw them from your vantage point on the couch when he opened the fridge door. They look like the blood bags you’d see in a hospital, which makes you wonder how he even gets access to those. Another mystery you struggle to wrap your head around.

He comes back to the living room with your water, and you take it gratefully, though you also feel a little awkward. You think maybe the blood bags are something you shouldn’t have seen, although you know he probably would’ve made more effort to hide them or put them away if that were the case.

“You have a good supply of blood, a nice apartment, and a great job. Does every vampire get these kinds of perks?” Admittedly, it sounded better in your head. Your attempt to stave off the awkward feeling—which was really only coming from your end—only makes it more intense. Johnny laughs dryly in response. You can’t tell if he actually finds it amusing or is just trying to humor you, which makes you feel incredibly silly.

“All of it’s government-issued if you promise never to bite any humans.” Johnny gives a wry smile. “But it’s a mistake to think vampires live glamorous lives, filling up on blood and having no cares in the world.”

“N-no, I get it,” you stutter. “Bad joke.”

“I’m not trying to embarrass you or be mean. It’s just the way things are.” Your roles are suddenly reversed, and now he seems to feel some sort of sympathy for you, like you’re just an ignorant little human who doesn’t know any better. The last part of that is more your insecurities speaking out than anything else, but you try to ignore that and take him for his word.

Johnny gets up from the couch to go over to the bookcase as you sip your water. After looking through the photo albums intently, he takes one off the shelf and hands it to you. You set your water down and hold the album carefully as you open the front cover. The cover itself has a neat little label that reads Telluride 1976 - 1980, so you can already expect what you’ll find in it. There are numerous photos of trees, bushes, snowy mountain ranges, lakes, brilliantly vibrant flowers, and woodland creatures. You stop at a picture of a deer looking straight ahead, its black eyes wide and curious as it examines the lens.

“I lived in the mountains back then, a little after my mentor had left. I spent some time trying to reconnect with nature...and all that other hippie shit people used to do back in that era.”

You chuckle. “Did you wear the same kinds of clothes, too? Bell bottoms and tie-dye T-shirts and all?”

Johnny laughs and shrugs. “Maybe…but that’s only for me to know.”

You grin and look at the photos again. “Well…did your plan work, at least?”

Johnny gives a wistful smile. “In some ways, I think it did.”

You continue looking through the rest of the album, which you could probably do for hours if you had the time—just sit and trace every possible line, curve, and ray of light. Johnny sits beside you as you do, occasionally explaining some pictures and their backstories.

“Lately, I’ve been wanting something else to take pictures of...someone else, maybe.”

“What, like a subject?” you ask.

“Yeah, it’d be nice...I haven’t taken pictures of another person in a while.”

You nod quietly as you flip through the pages—another possible hint flying right over your head. Then a thought comes to you—one that makes your skin warm. “Have you ever taken pictures of anyone you were...involved with?” You don’t say it directly, but you hope he can get the gist of what you’re asking.

Johnny nods as if he doesn’t want to admit to it, a nervous smile gracing his lips. “A few different people…but I always gave them the pictures after we, you know, stopped seeing each other...so there’s none left here.”

“I see…” For a few moments, your thoughts circle around that concept. What was it like to bare yourself in front of someone else like that, immortalized on film? What might it be like to allow Johnny to see you like that, to take pictures of you in your most vulnerable form? The idea doesn’t make you as downright anxious as you expected it to, though you can’t completely shake the lingering embarrassment about it.

After you finish looking through the entirety of his Telluride adventures, Johnny shows you some recent pictures he’s developed, and you’re giddy to see your own blurry creations among them. Now that you’re holding them physically in your hands, you can agree that they look nice, each with its own little personality.

“I thought about putting them in a new photo album,” he says, “but you can keep them, if you prefer.”

You hold them to your chest. “Yes, I’d like to keep them. Thank you.” You smile. “I’m sure I’ll leave you with plenty other photos to put in your album, anyway.”

—

The sun is close to setting again. You aren’t ready to leave yet, though, and Johnny is content to let you stay longer. He pulls out another album for you to look at, this one dated with 1960 - 1964. Unlike the others, there’s no title to describe what’s in it except for that year range.

“This is a picture of me someone took before I was turned,” Johnny murmurs, sitting back down beside you. He turns the album to you, and in the middle of the first page is a sepia-toned photo of him sitting on a bed—or maybe a couch?—wearing a suit. White, handwritten lettering on the bottom right of the photograph reads August 4, 1960.

“Oh wow...” You touch the photo gently over its protective lining. “You look exactly the same. Of course.”

“It’s the only photo I have left of myself,” he sighs, leaning back on the sofa. “If it weren’t for that...I’d feel almost like I didn’t exist at all.”

“Do you remember this day?” you ask.

“…Vaguely.” His answer doesn’t feel like the whole truth, and the way his eyes dart anxiously as he says it confirms your suspicions. Then he sighs again, heavier this time, and he seems to be exhaling all 60 years of his burden along with it. “I was...going to be married. It was for our wedding shoot.”

You’re surprised for a reason you’re unsure of, never even imagining that Johnny could’ve been married at one point in time. Could’ve had an entire life and a family, if it hadn’t been for...

“I’m sorry, Johnny.” You know you never would’ve met him if things hadn’t happened this way, and that knowledge tugs at your heart in a way that makes you feel intensely selfish.

Johnny shakes his head and avoids your eyes. “It was long ago.” He wets his lips and his jaw clenches like maybe he wants to say something else, but he remains silent for a while.

You continue exploring the photo album in silence. With its thin size, there aren’t as many pictures in it as the others—much less, in fact, but each one is still enough to keep your interest. Your mind keeps drifting back to the one of Johnny.

You hand the album back to him when you’re done. He takes it from you, but in a gesture you don’t foresee, he allows your hands to touch for the first time. You make a tiny flinch at the unexpected coolness—not ice-cold, but enough to be noticeable—but you don’t draw away from him. You let his fingers slide across yours as the photo album leaves your hands, and it sends electricity racing up and down your spine.

“S-sorry.” You’re not sure if you’re apologizing for flinching or for making contact at all, though there is no reason to because he initiated it.

“Doesn’t it ever disturb you at all that I’m not human?” Johnny asks softly, still holding the album.

“What?”

“You’ve taken all this so easily...much more easily than many others. You aren’t even disgusted at my cold hands.” A ghost of a grin comes over his face.

“If I were disgusted, I wouldn’t even be here,” you say, trying to lighten the tension. It’s not the kind of tension that arises from anger, offense, or upset, but something else that you are lost on comprehending in this moment. “Some of it’s unfamiliar, obviously, but I’m not disgusted.”

He glances down at the album in his hands, as if contemplating something. Maybe thinking about the only living photo of himself beneath the cover. Or maybe he’s thinking back to how he was turned in the first place and subsequently lost the life he was about to have. He still hasn’t told you anything about how he became a vampire, and though you’d like to know, it’s obviously a sore spot for him.

Eventually, he nods, willing himself to smile at you. “I’m glad.”

—

Night has fallen by the time you’re done exploring the decades of his life, though there is still much you haven’t seen and don’t yet know. You let him drive you back to the school as you stare out at the passing cars, wondering how many more of these people sitting in their vehicles are nonhuman and you’d never know it.

You hesitate after he pulls up across from the main gate.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Uh, nothing really, it’s just—I still don’t have your number or anything.” And I want to talk to you more often. I want to hear your voice more often. You don’t want to say anything overly dramatic or cheesy, so you just keep those last thoughts to yourself.

Thinking it had been something serious, he smirks at your concern. “Oh, I see. I’ll give it to you now, then.”

Once your numbers are safely in each other’s phones, you finally bid each other goodnight. 

Though you try to steer your thoughts towards other things, you keep veering back to Johnny. His apartment. His fridge full of blood bags. His photo albums full of years of history. Even when you get into bed that night, you can’t keep him off your mind.

You wake up gasping and sweating when you dream of him with his fangs in your neck, your own blood running down your neck and chest. You glance over at your roommate to make sure you haven’t woken her and rest your head on your knees, trying to catch your breath and settle your racing heart. Your skin still prickles with how you could practically feel his heated breaths on your neck, ice-cold hands gripping your shoulders.

The worst part of it is that you can’t quite say you completely disliked it.

“It doesn’t make much sense to have a Halloween party and dress up as the very beings that you hate, but whatever…” you mumble, looking through a rack of costumes with a certain impassivity. You’re not very enthusiastic about going to this Halloween party, but your friend refuses to go alone. You haven’t been spending as much time with her anymore—partly because of Johnny and partly because you feel even more out of place around her than normal—and with all her begging and pleading, she refuses to let you opt out of this one.

“It’s about having fun, no one really cares Y/N. They’re freaks, aren’t they? That’s why people dress up as them, they’re practically meant for this.”

You become even more apprehensive about the party after hearing that, if that’s even possible. You smooth your hand over the fabric of a witch’s robe and sigh again, shaking your head. It doesn’t feel quite right to keep spending time in her presence—or anyone else who goes to your school—but you feel trapped on all sides, left without much of a choice. You would never hear the end of it if you tried to switch universities…or even drop out.

Your mind strays back to Johnny as always, with his melancholy aura and weird jokes and pretty pictures and monochrome clothes. The smell of his cologne, the lingering scent of roasted coffee beans, and his toothy smile, when he does show it to you. Something in you makes you want to drop everything you’re doing right now and go to him. It might even be nice to settle in his arms, feel them strong and solid around you—though he’d probably need just as much comforting as you.

“Dress up as this!” Your friend breaks the reverie as she prances over to you with a pair of fake fangs, the tips of them painted in acrylic blood. She holds them up to your mouth, and you struggle to manage a smile, if only to sate her enthusiasm. “It actually reminds me of…that vampire at the café. Say, have you seen him since then?”

You shake your head, moving away to sift through another rack of outfits as you try to maintain a detached expression. “Nope, not a glimpse. Haven’t even thought about him.”

When your friend doesn’t suspect anything, you let your expression drop just a tad, breathing out quietly.

The night of the party, the full moon is heavy and bold against the black blanket of the sky, which feels horribly cliché. You wonder if there are any werewolves out tonight, and what they might be doing right now.

“We’re going to have a good time tonight,” your friend insists as you both walk up the front steps of the host’s house. It’s someone you only vaguely know, a friend of a friend of a friend, but clearly a person who has an abundance of money judging by this expansive home. You don’t know why she feels the need to convince you, but maybe it’s because you haven’t seemed very enthusiastic so far. You only give a thumbs up to her words, which feels like an unconvincing gesture. Luckily for you, it works.

After a few hours, the party is still going strong but your head is starting to hurt from the music, and you’re growing weary of all the men crowding in too close, looking at you in your angel costume like you’re something to be devoured. You’ve rolled your eyes at way too many of them and their haphazardly put-together costumes, dressed up as vampires with terrible fake fangs or werewolves with manes of matted up fur.

Your friend keeps flitting around the party, talking to whoever she recognizes from classes or campus organizations, and you’ve given up on trying to follow her around any longer. Every time you turn around, she’s somewhere else. Noticing that you’re currently solo, a guy from one of your history classes comes up to you and begins what he thinks is an interesting conversation on how angels actually look more like Eldritch abominations than the cherubic humans depicted in paintings—so your costume is “technically inaccurate” —and your eyes glaze over as you pretend to listen to him.

You eventually manage to get away from him and get to an undisturbed corner, wedged next to two girls drinking cider and critically rating all the guys’ costumes. You pull your phone out and think about calling for a ride back to campus, but your thumb hovers over the message icon. You press it without thinking too much about it, and Johnny’s name appears as one of your most recent conversations. Though you feel somewhat nervous, you will yourself to open the box and begin typing.

To: Hi Johnny. I hope I’m not bothering you, but can I come over? 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 I’m over this party

You put your phone back in your purse, trying not to get your hopes up for a quick response. You know there’s a good chance he’d still be awake at this time of night since he doesn’t need to sleep, but he has his own life and is probably off doing...vampire-y things. Whatever those things could be.

However, your hopes are met when your phone pings only a couple minutes later.

From: Of course. You’re not scared about spending your Halloween with a vampire? 😏

You smile at that.

To: I think I’ll be fine…as long as you don’t bite me.

From: 🦷🩸

—

You get to Johnny’s studio apartment not too long after, and you hang around outside his door for a few moments before knocking, suddenly feeling bashful about your costume. Maybe you should’ve changed before coming over here; what if he thinks it’s childish? Or maybe too revealing? Does he even care about that kind of stuff? Doesn’t matter now, though. You’re here, and there’s no way you’re turning back around.

He answers a few seconds after you knock, wearing a sweater and black pants. You notice his sweater is a cream color and not the usual black. He looks a little surprised to see your costume, and his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows.

“Wow, you look pretty. Nice of you to visit me after falling straight from Heaven.” You cringe at his cheesy line, though you also cannot deny that you secretly enjoy every bit of it.

“Thanks, Johnny...” you say timidly, stepping into his home as he lets you in. “Nice work with changing up the color scheme.”

He’s confused for a moment before realizing you’re talking about his clothes. “Oh yeah, that...um, haha. Thanks.”

Unbeknownst to you, the back of his mind is buzzing with a form of excitement he hasn’t felt in a while. Not the clawing, frantic spikes of bloodlust, but a more physical kind of desire. It’s pleasurable, but he also feels guilty about pining over how sweet and innocent you look in your all-white outfit, stockings hugging your legs perfectly and your dress just short enough to tempt the imagination. Really, you’ve painted a picture of perfect purity, and the only thing he can think about is ruining you. Putting his hands on you and peeling your dress off to reveal the soft skin underneath.

He casts those thoughts aside as you sit prettily on his couch, legs crossed at the ankles—though it’s hard to do so. “Do you want something to drink? Or eat? There isn’t a whole lot of food here, but I can order something…”

“Do you ever make your own coffee?” The question seems a bit random at first, and you try to explain. “You know, since you always get it from the café.”

Johnny smiles. “Do you want coffee? I can make it.”

You nod. “That would be nice…whatever you have.”

“I pretty much have your usual order memorized by now, so I should be good on making it.” Johnny walks to the kitchen. “You can look through the albums while you’re in there. The ones you haven’t seen yet.”

“Oh, thanks.” You feel a little nervous to be looking through the shelf of his treasured photo albums by yourself, but you’re also glad he trusts you enough to let you do it. It makes you feel important. Maybe even important to him, as silly as that might sound.

It isn’t long before the scent of coffee wafts out into the living room. Johnny returns soon with two cups of it, and just as he promised, yours is made just the way you like it.

“Thank you.” You set the album back on the shelf and take the cup from Johnny. For a while, both of you talk of nothing important—just filling the space with the details of your days.

“So how was the party?” Johnny finally asks, and he raises his eyebrows as he scans your outfit again. You grin halfheartedly.

“It was…alright. Kinda weird. I think it’d be more fun if I went to a regular university, but you know…”

Johnny shakes his head. “I can’t blame you for bailing out.”

“Yeah…I’ve been to college parties before, but the Halloween theme was a bit…”

“Strange for an institution that bans all supernatural beings?” Johnny finishes your sentence. He doesn’t look offended or irritated by it—only slightly amused.

You shrug, biting your lip. “Yeah, that.”

“Well, look on the bright side. I wouldn’t have gotten to see you in your natural form otherwise.”

This one almost goes over your head, too, but you catch it just in time. Johnny’s compliments make you feel warm all over, like you’re sitting under the sun. You grin and look down into your cup of coffee, unused to receiving such bold praise and unsure how to respond to it. Something pops into your mind, though, and you think it might be a good idea to run with it.

“You could...take a picture of me, you know. If you want to...since I’m all dressed up now anyway.” You meet his eyes only for a second and then look away, twisting the mug in your hands.

Johnny sits up a little straighter at your words, trying to catch your eyes, though you don’t hold his gaze for long. “You’re sure?” he asks.

“I’m sure. Go ahead! Before I change my mind.” You laugh nervously and carefully set your half-empty mug on the table.

Johnny’s camera is never too far away from him, so he grabs it and plays with the settings for a bit before looking back to you, a small smile on his face. “I’m gonna start, okay?” His voice is surprisingly soft. This, yet again, reminds you of him and the aster bush. He acts as if you might run away at the first shutter click, which makes you feel babied, but you don’t totally hate it.

The first few photos are a little awkward—at least to you. You aren’t sure how to pose, or if you should try to look more casual, though Johnny assures you you’re doing well. He gives you directives throughout, telling you to look in his direction or angle your face a certain way, and you follow his instructions to the best of your ability.

At one point, one of your dress straps slips down. When you go to fix it, Johnny says, “Wait. Could you keep it like that?”

You look at him, your body heating from the suggestion.

“Is that okay with you?”

“…Yes.” Your throat is dry, and your body reacts in a way you don’t expect—little nervous thrills in your hands and feet, though you try to internally explain it away as the coffee’s effects. Johnny takes a few more photos like this, and then he steps closer to gently touch your chin, guiding your face to the angle he’s looking for.

“So good for me.” It slips past his lips in a reverential murmur before he can really consider what he’s saying, and you both freeze. Your heart rate increases, and you wonder if he can hear how hard the red organ is beating in your chest. Probably.

You want to hear him say it again.

Johnny laughs awkwardly, his hand coming back to his side almost a little too quickly to be natural. “Um, I’m really sorry. That was a bit...”

“It…it’s fine.” You avoid his eyes. Johnny takes a few more photos, but the set of his mouth is a little tight, as if he’s stressed about something. Or regretting what he let slip, maybe. You want to tell him you really don’t feel bad about it, but you aren’t sure how to do that without making things more awkward…or revealing your true desires.

When Johnny has taken enough pictures of you to be satisfied with, he sits next to you on the couch, setting his camera on the coffee table and looking suddenly timid.

“I can’t wait to see them,” you say, attempting to break the tension that never really cleared the room after his earlier comment. He blinks for a moment like he doesn’t know what you mean, and then realizes—obviously, he’ll be developing the photos.

“They’ll come out nice, I’m sure. I think you’ll photograph well.”

“Thank you,” you murmur, and now it’s your turn to be unsure of how to resurrect the conversation.

“You’re beautiful.” It’s an abrupt comment. It makes your stomach twist in a pleasant, fluttery way, and you become hyperaware of his form sitting next to yours.

“Haven’t heard that one much, but thanks.”

Johnny turns to you. “Anyone who’d think otherwise is a fool.”

There’s a pause after this where you both simply study each other, watching for hidden reactions that can’t be read on the surface. The way he says it is…decisive, assured. But it also manages to be tender, as if he needs you to know what he thinks of you. Needs you to see yourself the way he does—the same way you do for him. You don’t know where the confidence comes from, but maybe his tone and his words and his endlessly dark eyes have pulled it out of you. “I want to kiss you.”

Johnny’s lips part. “Are you certain?”

“I’m certain.”

He doesn’t hesitate anymore. Johnny moves closer to you and cups the back of your neck. Something awakens in his eyes in the seconds before he presses his mouth to yours. Though he wants to drink eagerly from your lips, his kiss is languid to avoid overwhelming you, and there is an audible smack of your lips whenever he pulls away and presses back in.

His mouth tastes like the coffee you just drank, but underneath that you swear you can taste a hint of the deep iron of blood, and you don’t know how to feel about that. You think about what his fangs would feel like scraping against your bottom lip, if he’d ever show them to you, and you moan quietly.

“Do you want this? With me?” Johnny confirms once more, pulling his gaze away from your lips and up to your eyes. His own eyes are yearning, but there is also an element of something like fear roiling in them. As if you’d turn him away, even though you’ve already shown your desire for him.

“Yes. Just you. No one else.”

Johnny’s body gravitates towards yours, and you think he’s going to push you down onto the sofa, but he scoops your legs up and carries you to his bedroom instead. Even his hands on your waist and legs makes you burn inside.

This is the first time you've seen his bedroom. The sheets are cloud-soft when he sets you down on them, and his window lets moonlight shine through the open blinds and scatter in thick beams across the floor. The only other light source is the bedside lamp, which emits a comfortable yellowish glow.

Johnny joins you on the bed and lets you climb into his lap—encourages you to do so. His cool hands pulling at your thighs as you settle them on either side of his waist makes tingles go through your body. You don’t hesitate to bring your lips back together, kissing each other deeply as one of his hands cradles the back of your head and the other settles on the small of your back.

You are certain vampires don’t have any powers of enchantment—that’s for magic wielders. And yet, you feel like you’ve been put in a trance by his kisses alone, and you wonder how you could’ve lived this long without knowing how his lips feel—how they fit perfectly against your own. As if everything up to now has purposely led you together.

You shift in Johnny’s embrace, and the movement causes his thigh to slide between your legs. Your heat is pressed against his thigh directly now, your silken panties catching against the denim of his pants. You murmur against his lips, not really saying anything of substance but wanting to vocalize your desire to him. Johnny’s hand tightens slightly on your back, and he experimentally lifts his leg higher and slides his thigh across you. That draws a gasp from you.

Noticing your positive response, Johnny continues rocking his thigh up against your pussy and kissing you until you’re breathless and your nipples are straining against the fabric of your dress. You pull away from him for a moment to try to ground yourself, feeling like your nerves are already being singed with fiery pleasure. Johnny’s face is noticeably more flushed than before, but he also looks much more composed than you feel at the moment.

“It takes longer to get hard,” he explains, as if reading the lingering question in your own expression. “Since...you know. Slow blood.” You rock your hips over his thigh more enthusiastically, motivated to get him hard underneath you, and you listen to his choppy breaths as you move. Your movements aren’t the smoothest, but he helps you guide your hips in a way that feels good for you both. You’ve never been with anyone before, so it doesn’t much matter to you how long or quick it takes for him to get there as long as he does.

Feeling the bulge grow underneath you excites you. Johnny groans against your lips as you kiss him and rub yourself over his member. The sound comes from somewhere deep inside him, as if it’s something he’s been containing for a long time. Your hand goes to his waist and tugs at his belt loops, then drifts closer to his belt buckle, pulling the leather and metal apart. Johnny pauses when you get off his lap and slide further down, grips your arms like he doesn’t want you to go. “Are…you sure? You don’t have to…if it’s too much—”

“I want to, Johnny.”

With your affirmative, he lets you kneel between his legs, pull his zipper apart, and trace your curious fingers over the bulge beneath the fabric of his underwear. Johnny loses his breath when you drag his underwear down, sliding it over the heated skin of his dick. His length is thick and long—even with him not being fully hard yet—and the tip glistens wet with precum. You weren’t sure what to expect, but this is much bigger than you think you might be able to handle. It makes your face warm and your stomach do another series of flips. Still, you want it and you want him, so you aren’t going to stop now.

You lean closer to press your lips against his shaft, leaving a few soft kisses behind. Johnny’s mouth parts when your mouth touches him.

Johnny gently holds the back of your head as you leave small licks over his shaft, tasting the salty skin on your tongue. He lets out a shaky breath as he watches you, his other hand brushing the side of your face.

“Just like that…” he murmurs, his voice heavy with lust as you circle your tongue around the thick, darkened tip, catching drops of his precum. He never takes his eyes off you, and this makes you feel a little exposed, but you continue with your actions. When you suck Johnny’s tip past your lips, his thighs tense under you, the thick muscle reacting beautifully to your actions on his body.

More precum drips from him, and you find the taste strangely pleasing. It makes you want more of him, of whatever he has to offer you. You wrap your hand around his shaft, though it doesn’t fit entirely around, and begin stroking him in a way you hope feels good.

Johnny’s hand slips over yours to guide your movements and show you how much pressure to apply, what pace to stroke him at. “Like this, baby…yes, that’s so good…” He showers you with praise as you get the hang of it, and he eventually lets your hand go so you can do it on your own, his own hand drifting back to the bed to grip the comforter.

It’s hard to quantify just how much seeing you like this turns him on, you kneeling between his legs with his cock between your lips while wearing your pretty, angelic outfit. His previous guilt about “corrupting” you descends to the very back of his mind as he savors every moment of your hands on his cock and your tongue circling his slit.

“I’m close,” he whispers. You quicken your movements on him, hollowing your cheeks tighter around his dick, and the moan he gives shoots straight between your legs.

Johnny carefully pulls your head back so you won’t choke before he comes, streams of his seed shooting into your mouth and running down his cock. Your hand still squeezes around him as he comes, and he slowly thrusts into the tight circle of your fist as you milk every drop from him. By the time he’s spent, your mouth and hand and part of the sheets are completely sticky with his release. You imagine it must have been a long time since he’s last had an orgasm.

The vampire watches intently as you swallow his cum, which causes his softening dick to throb in your hand. He takes your face in his hands and kisses you deeply, uncaring of the taste of himself in your mouth. His hair tickles your face as he kisses you feverishly, his nose bumping yours and his tongue prodding past your lips.

“Come here, angel.” Johnny pulls your body up onto the bed before you can get yourself up there first. The pet name makes warmth flood through your body, like drinking a hot chocolate at the café, except a thousand times more satisfying. Johnny’s hands are once again caressing your thighs, though this time they slide up underneath your dress and squeeze your hips. “Can I take these pretty panties off you?”

“Please.”

He hooks his fingers into the sides of them and pulls them down your legs and past your ankles. One of his hands goes underneath your dress to feel you soft and wet against his fingers, and you both moan at the same time. He slides his digits through your lips and over your clit, and him leaning forward to bring his mouth to your throat is enough to have you nearly overwhelmed. His fingers tease your entrance but don’t push inside until you nearly have to beg him.

“Please, Johnny…” You push your hips up to get his attention.

“Do you want my fingers?” he asks softly.

“Y-yes…” At your words, he eases the middle one into you, slowly enough to avoid discomfort. It feels strange to have someone else’s fingers inside you. His finger reaches further than yours can, touching you more deeply than you’ve felt before; it makes you gasp a bit too sharply.

“Are you hurt?” he asks, freezing and thinking he might’ve done something wrong.

“N-no, I’m fine. Keep going.”

Johnny’s mouth edges closer to the cleavage of your dress as he starts thrusting his finger into you, warming you up enough to take a second digit. Shakily, you bring your hands up to slide the straps down and make it easier for him, and his breath hitches when you pull the top of your dress down.

His mouth envelopes one of your nipples as he slides the second finger into you. His fingers encounter a part of you that makes you moan unexpectedly and grab onto him, a little surprised at the sudden spike of pleasure.

“You’re so pretty,” he purrs, his lips moving against the curve of your breast as he speaks. “And so responsive.”

As Johnny’s mouth and fingers work you closer to an orgasm, you marvel at how handsome he looks and how good he feels. He opens his eyes to see you staring at him, your pupils wide and mouth desperate, and he separates himself from your chest to kiss you deeply once again.

When you come around his fingers, Johnny whispers more compliments to you about how good you are and how he wants to watch you come undone because of him all the time. When he thinks you might be on the brink of overstimulation, he takes his fingers out of you, slipping them into his mouth to taste you.

“I’ll take this off now. Is that okay?” He whispers this into your ear with his hands on either side of your hips, caressing the fabric of your dress.

“I-it’s okay.”

Johnny slips your dress off, leaving you in nothing but your white sheer stockings. The sight of you sitting there on his bed, breathing heavily from your climax in your pretty thigh-highs, has his cock throbbing and rising to life once again.

“Lay back on the bed.” You do, and he settles himself between your legs like you did for him earlier. When you glance at him, his eyes are heavy and piercing. In this moment, you are acutely reminded of the fact that he is not a human, with how he looks like a beast of prey about to devour a meal. You are too nervous to look back at him for long, so you stare at the ceiling with your legs shaking from anticipation.

Johnny’s mouth on you is almost jarring in how wet it is, and you arch up into him in surprise and a rush of pleasure. He gently presses your legs back onto the bed and continues licking into you, parting your lower lips with his tongue and making your thighs tremble under his grasp.

If you had to describe it in words, you probably wouldn’t be able to. He kisses your pussy the same way he kisses you on the mouth, passionately and with more than enough tongue to satisfy. Johnny slips his fingers into you again as he curls his lips around your clit, and you moan unabashedly.

You’re quickly spiraling towards another orgasm, maybe quicker than you expected; but it makes sense with you still being so raw from the climax you just had. You gain enough courage to give another glance down at Johnny, and you see the way his other arm moves back and forth from beneath the bed, stroking himself while he eats you out. Something about that pushes you over the edge, and you cry out as you come on his tongue.

As Johnny gives you time to calm down again, he stands and finally pulls his clothes off, baring his body to you. You’re not sure if you’ve ever seen a man so beautiful.

He goes to get a condom, and your words stumble from your lips before you can psych yourself out of saying them. “I-I’m on birth control.” Johnny looks back at you, his gaze filled with something you can’t quite read. He comes closer to you, holding himself above you on the bed so his face is hovering just above yours.

“You want to feel me raw?” he whispers.

You nod under his burning stare, feeling like you’re on a high you won’t be able to get off of. “I need you, Johnny.”

Johnny climbs fully onto the bed then and positions himself between your legs. His cock is thick and heavy between his thighs as it bumps against your inner thigh and leaves a smear of precum behind. After putting some lube in his hand, he slicks himself with the sticky substance, preparing himself to fuck you open. Something deep in your abdomen shudders, and your walls clench around nothing as you watch him stroke his shaft, the squelching, wet sound of his hand on his dick loud in the quiet room.

When he’s done, he grabs your thighs and pulls you a little closer to him. “If it hurts, tell me, okay?”

“O-okay.”

The slick tip prodding at your hole makes you want more, though you are a bit afraid of how this is going to feel. When it finally pushes inside of you, you gasp. Johnny watches your face for signs of pain as he slides forward further.

With two previous orgasms and the lube to help, his cock stretches you open with some discomfort, but not the kind of sharp pain you expected. Your nails leave little half-moon shapes on Johnny’s biceps as you squeeze his arms and try to keep your lower half relaxed, wanting to take all of him in—or as much as you can manage, anyway. You try to keep your breathing even as he pushes into you slowly.

Your eyebrows crease and your mouth tightens when he slides deeper still, and he pauses. “Johnny…” You worry your lip with your teeth, feeling like you’ve been stuffed to the brim—and he’s not even all the way in yet.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” you beg, maintaining your grip on his arms. “Just…try moving.”

Johnny pulls out and slowly thrusts back in again, angling his dick to find that sensitive spot within you. Your mouth falls open silently when he does; this feels much, much different from his fingers. This is better.

Johnny repeats the movement, being mindful not to push himself too deep—only enough for you to handle. Beneath him, your body begins unwinding at the pleasure he’s delivering to you, and your eyes flutter closed as the ecstasy takes over your mind. One of his hands goes to tease your clit as he settles into a good rhythm, and you cry out at the extra dose of pleasure.

“You’re taking me so well,” Johnny mumbles as he sits back and watches himself slide into you, both of your lower halves slick from lube and your own wetness. “So warm and wet, angel…” You can tell he’s using a lot of his energy to keep his pace controlled and gentle enough for you to actually enjoy. The idea of being fucked harder makes you ache deep inside, but you figure it’s best to save that for when you’re more used to this. You already know it’ll be difficult to walk in the morning after this.

Johnny leans forward to kiss your lips, changing the angle again and circling his pelvis into you, and a choked gasp escapes your mouth at the slow wind of his hips.

Johnny lavishes your neck and throat with kisses, and though he is a vampire, you aren’t worried about him biting you. His fangs have not made an appearance since all this started, and you doubt if he would ever bring them out in front of you. You don’t know if you should ask about it, either, wondering if it’s too soon after only a month and a half of knowing each other—but maybe you could say the same about him being inside of you right now.

“Johnny…” you whisper into the air, your fingers scrabbling against his sweaty skin. The mounting tension in your abdomen is close to snapping, and you are almost frightened by how intense it already feels. He moves his face from your neck to be face-to-face with you again and plants a heavy, dizzying kiss on your lips.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs against your kiss-swollen lips. “I’ve got you, Y/N.”

Falling apart in Johnny’s arms feels like a form of Heaven that’s meant to be kept hidden, because you might become addicted to it otherwise. Your inner muscles squeeze around his dick as you come. His name flows from your lips in a high song. You can’t imagine any physical sensation that could be better than this, his hips rocking into you as you tighten and cream around him, and you know innately that Johnny has ruined all chances of you ever feeling this fulfilled with anyone but him.

The constant pulse of your walls against his dick is too much to withstand for long, and Johnny’s muscles pull taut with pleasure when he comes, groaning into your neck and spilling overflowing streams of thick cum into you. His hips falter in their former rhythm, and he resists the urge to push himself as deep as he can into you.

When he pulls out, you whine from the discomfort of it, but also because you wish he could stay in you forever. You know you’ll be sore when you wake up—and you can already feel the very beginnings of exhaustion and ache settling in your body—but you’d do it a hundred times over without changing a thing.

—

Johnny curls himself around you after he’s cleaned the both of you up, as if he means to shield you from the world. You’re quiet for a while as you listen to his slow-beating heart and feel his cool skin against yours.

You look up at his face, which is hard to see distinctly in the dark of the room. With the lamp turned out, the only source of light comes from the moon now, but you can decipher enough to make out the shape of his lips and his glittering eyes. You know he can see much better than you in this light, and he takes his time tracing his fingers across your face and cheek, studying your features.

“Would you ever…make me a vampire?”

His body tenses at your question. “Don’t say anything ridiculous. You still have a whole life ahead of you to live. What I have here...this is no existence.” He’s not mad, at least not at you, but his voice hardens at the very idea of it.

“But what if I wanted to live it with you?”

Johnny takes a breath, but he doesn’t say anything to that. He just continues stroking your face and looks at you for a long time, like he’s searching for something. You don’t know if you truly expected an answer from him, or how you would feel if he did give one.

Eventually, your eyes begin to fall low, and sleep overcomes you. The last thing you register is Johnny’s chilly hand touching your cheek. When he notices you’ve drifted off, he pulls the covers tighter around you both. Then he presses you to his chest as he tunes out the sound of cars rumbling on the streets below in exchange for the beating of your heart—still alive, so red with blood.

[moonlit-imagines]

Headcanons for being Tony Stark’s son (Part 2)

Tony Stark x son!reader

warnings:

a/n: had to split it into 2 parts bc i hit the text limit dhshaggags

prompt: continued

part 1

~sokovia was ur first big mission~

“why is y/n here, stark?” -cap

“the first mistake was letting me become a father”

“good god, tony...”

you having the time of your life crushing robots

“WHEEEEEE”

also proving useful by saving avengers a handful of times

“thanks for the assist, stark clone” -clint

rip pietro

rhodey was actually the most worried about you if we’re being honest, he didn’t understand why they let you in this one???

“y/n? y/n, talk to me! are you alive?”

“yes, uncle rhodey! i’m perfect, stop worrying!”

“i love you, kid! be safe!”

✨a good family you’ve got✨

soon the avengers broke up bc your dad cant get along with steve and it was just really awkward

but you chose your dad’s side

“sorry, steve! he pays my allowance!”

peter was actually a little okay, you know!! spazzy at first, but he was cool

“dude, you’re y/n stark! you’re tony stark’s very own son! i’m talking to mr. stark’s only child!”

“yep, that’s me. i’m what earned tony the title of ‘DILF’”

teenage teamup? ofc

“am i doing alright?”

“looking a-okay, pete!”

tony was worried fighting steve would traumatize you so he made you wait at the hotel with happy and peter

“don’t do anything to embarrass me, y/n. i dont want to see you on the news for something stupid”

you and peter ended up hanging out in your room and watching tv and ordering room service

“how do you do that so smoothly? i’d just freak out and go get it myself”

“years of experience as a spoiled rich brat”

absolutely positively being up all night and trying to fight your exhaustion

“you two seem to be getting along well. couldn’t be me” -happy

“for someone named happy, you never seem to be happy”

“not around teenagers, no”

“i remember when you loved me, ‘uncle happy’”

peter texted you every day after that

whenever flash picked on peter for “never meeting tony stark” he’d show a picture of you and him taking selfies in the lab together yes you invite him over much to the dismay of everyone else around you

plus tony was out of town and you were finally trusted enough to be left alone unchecked so like, happy would just leave at the first sign of peter

“that’s not real!”

“jealous?”

you actually showed up for homecoming on a dare (but in disguise)

didn’t wanna attract all the attention, you just wanted a high school experience

but you got called into avengers tower to help move early on :/ bad timing too cuz peter had to fight his first villain and u missed it

“dude, how do you feel?”

“bruh sound effect number two”

“oh my god”

FRIDAY heard him and pulled up the sound and you were WEAK you couldn’t stop laughing

“please....i think i broke a few ribs. cant laugh until tomorrow”

tony offered peter the avengers gig and peter said no, you were very disappointed but u understood that not everyone wanted to be in the spotlight like that

but you and peter obviously still hung out

oh, tony proposed! they interviewed you on sight!

“y/n, how does it feel to know that you’re going to have a stepmom soon?”

“you guys are aware that pepper helped raise me, right? right?!”

moving on, life was smooth for a while, there was some wedding planning, talk of you being a best man (which rhodey fought you on)

“no, i’ve known your dad longer!”

“i’m his son!”

i n v a s i o n

oh boy that was rough

bruce was surprised that you had fucking grown so much in the past 3 years good lord

“y/n...your VOICE”

“puberty, i know. when’s it gonna happen to you?”

“it hurts more when it’s from a teenager”

“uh, did you forget my birthday?”

peter’s back! peter’s back!

finally, man

“spider-kid, i could use an assist!”

“on the way!”

“aliens, why did it have to be aliens?”

up up and away for tony and peter, leaving you on the ground with all the earthly chaos and fear

“you two are the absolute worst, you know that? DAD, PETER, GET BACK DOWN HERE”

“no can do, kid. i—” *cuts off*

“oh great, no service on the space donut, huh? find a damn wifi password and call me back you asshole”

pepper was probably having a heart attack bc the news stations were having a field day but you were one of the only active avengers left, meaning you had to help clean this up

“bruce, we gotta get going”

“what? where?”

“upstate”

patching up the avengers as best as you could to take care of the threat

but you guys always win, this should be a cake walk, right?

wrong.

this was bad, very bad

after a lengthy battle with thanos in wakanda, you had failed. thanos got the stones, he snapped. the world was in ruins. but you didn’t get to see that part

you dusted away

“tell dad i’m sorry and i love him”

tony finally came back to earth hoping to see you, but upon seeing pepper’s face, he knew you were gone

“he did everything he could, tony! he didn’t deserve it!”

she was extremely upset, she saw you like a son of her own

soon, her and tony restarted their life and had a daughter, dad always wondered what it’d be like to have a little girl. it was different, it really was

she was eager to meet you

morgan stole pictures of you to hang up in her room

“when i meet y/n, im gonna give him a big hug! then we’ll have a tea party!”

tony has a picture of you and peter in the kitchen, he misses the two of you, but found comfort in the fact that you may be with each other

an ounce of hope, he had to try something

save his only son, and his other son

when he got to 2012, he was disappointed that he hadn’t let you become an avenger yet because he couldn’t see you here

yada yada he fucked up now he’s in the 70s and he fixed the fuck up and now hes in 2023

and bruce snapped

and you were all brought back and the way you kicked ass was inspiring

tony had to see his son now. right now.

“y/n, dear god! you’re okay! oh, man. i love you so much, kid. i missed you”

“i love you too. and i can’t believe you went to space without me, meanie”

“get over it”

ah, back to old times

peter and you obviously had to team up for this one! come on, what a story to tell!

and then, a snap and the warriors began to fade. you turned around and saw him on his knees

“no...”

you rushed over to where peter already was and tried to hold back tears, to be strong for him

“hey, dad. i’m here. no more missed goodbyes, okay? i’m here.”

you sat beside him and held his hand while the rest of your family made their peace with him and he finally slipped away

“y/n...are you okay?” -peter

“not even a little”

peter was worried about you, but you were worried about peter

mutual worry

meeting morgan was...surprising

pepper forgot to tell you they had a daughter while you were gone

she was so sweet and for the first month you lived at the cabin, she slept in your room

you got NO space

“i love you y/n”

“love you too” *thinking about dad bc she just reminds you of him so much*

“i love you y/n”

“love you too, morgan”

over and over

peter and you had sleepovers a lot, usually at his house bc you were the only one besides ned allowed over bc of all the spider-stuff

ned fanboyed over you

also sleepovers at peter’s were a nice break from being at tony’s cabin where you were constantly reminded that he wasn’t there

“y/n, i’m going to europe for a field trip! it’s gonna be awesome!”

“dude, you’re gonna love it. are you bringing your suit?”

“no, this is my offical vacation. no spider-manning”

“good for you, man!”

peter sent you all the pictures he took on his phone

all of them

Peter-Man: And this one is me and Ned in our crappy hotel room. And here’s the river. And here’s MJ covered in birds, and here’s the airplane, Mr. Harrington fell asleep on me

you had to come to europe once you heard what was going on

happy and you picked up peter and he was a mess

“you gave away dad’s glasses?”

“i think we’re past the point that i am not smart”

“jesus, peter. you should have called me about them. i would have taken them off your hands if you weren’t ready for them”

having to make sure that you guys didn’t get hurt bc this was honestly your guy’s first solo pair-up

there wasnt much backup here

finally, you defeated the evil (who apparently held a very large grudge against you. sorry mister beck) and were able to go back home

“call me if you need anything, pete”

“i will. i promise.”

and the next thing you know...peter’s identity was exposed

“i left him alone for one day!”

taglist: @alwaysananglophile // @rorybutnotgilmore // @locke-writes // @sweetheartliz07 // @queen-destenie // @natasha-danvers // @lokihiddles // @frostedgiant // @emygirl // @lotsoffandomrecs // @johnmurphyisbisexual // @teenwaywardasgardian // @pappydaddy // @captainshazamerica // @freya-xo // @ravenmoore14 // @purpleskiesstorm //

[ivushk]

HELLO. MAY I PLEASE HEAR MORE OF YOUR VAMPIRE AU…. 👉👈

OH MY GOD I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Okay, SO. BUCKLE THE FUCKLE UP 'CUZ here's what I've got so far:

Nishiki and Kiryu are still orphans at Sunflower. They come from a tiny village just a few kilometres west from the orphanage. It's a very close and closed-off community. The boys' parents died in a fire when they were very little (which is a common theme for the kids at Sunflower and isn't that a crazy coincidence? *smiles mysteriously*), however the Nishikiyama family house wasn't as badly damaged as Kiryu's so it's just sitting there, waiting for its former residents to reclaim ownership as soon as they're able to (I imagine Kazama would help them with that).

In the next years it becomes a home for Nishiki, Yuko and Kiryu (and Yumi, too, though she feels like a visitor for the most part) in everything but name. It's their hangout spot, their "base of operations", their not-so-secret meeting place. When Yuko's health deteriorates so much that she can't stay at Sunflower anymore, the siblings actually properly move in to make arranging the doctor's visits easier.

It's Nishiki's 17th birthday and all three of them are celebrating and playing games and eating cake and having a good time at the edge of the woods not far from the Nishikiyama residence. They're young and loud and stupid (and ignoring the fact that several people went missing over the course of the last few months) and if Nishiki's heart beats a little too hard in his chest when Kiryu gives him his gift - a beautiful, heavy silver pendant on a slightly-worn leather cord - he doesn't think about it too much (and if he notices that Kiryu stares at him just a bit longer than usual without saying a single word but his gaze is so, so, SO fond-- he doesn't think about it either). (he leaves these kinds of thoughts for restless nights because thinking about his best friend in that way during the day... it hurts. the hurt is good sometimes but it's overwhelming).

They're drunk on the cheap beer they've smuggled from Gen-san's fridge and high on happiness. Unaware that the very same night it would all go crashing down.

At some point they all quiet down and go a little further into the woods than they normally would but no one pays any mind to that. And when suddenly their trio turns into a duo with the sudden absence of the birthday boy himself no one immediately starts panicking. He's been gone for ten minutes, twenty, half an hour. Kiryu tells Yuko to go back to the village, to gather everyone, make them start a search party or something while he keeps looking for her brother (the only things he'll find are the pendant he's gifted to Nishiki with the leather cord torn and the broken shards of his own hope). They never find him.

A year goes by and they hold a funeral for Nishikiyama Akira. Even though there's no body for them to bury. Yuko doesn't cry (she doesn't believe he's really dead). Neither does Kiryu (he used all of his tears up that night, the guilt choking him, and the night after that, and the night after that, and the night-). Yumi does, however. And the nice old lady who gave both Nishiki and Kiryu money for helping her do chores around the house. And the man who gave Nishikiyama a part-time job at his shop (to put at least something towards the cost of his sister's treatment, he felt so indebted to Kazama, and that debt weighed down on him). And a few of the girls and boys from Sunflower too.

Another two years pass. Kiryu moves away to the big city at the behest of Kazama. "It's important for you to continue your education," he says. ("It's important for you to move on," he keeps these words to himself). Kiryu really tries his best. Even makes a few friends (although he's still on the fence about whether he can actually call Oda his friend). It goes as well as it could have considering his circumstances. They say that time heals but Kazuma Kiryu never finds out if there's any truth to those words because he recieves a very short letter - an invitation, actually. To another funeral. But this time it's Yuko they're burying. This time they actually have a body to bury.

Tachibana offers his condolences. Oda offers him a ride to the village and back. Kiryu accepts both.

He can't help but compare this funeral to the last one he's been to. There are fewer people. Fewer tears, too. More flowers. It's quieter and feels something like closure (in truth, it's anything but). Yuko also left behind a will (more like a bunch of wishes since it wasn't an official document but the community decided to honour them anyway). Almost all of her possessions went to the kids from Sunflower, except for the Nishikiyama family house (which on paper actually belonged to Shintaro Kazama) which she left to Kiryu. He can't quite believe it when he hears it and feels his heart break under the onslaught of childhood memories. Still, he goes there later that evening. He finds that little has changed in the time he spent away from the house, from the village, from... all of this, really. There are the same pictures on the walls collecting only slightly less dust. The same books on the shelves and under the broken legs of the old pieces of furniture. The same medicine bottles and equipment in the bedroom, though doubled in quantity. Kiryu's not as devastated as he thought he'd be when he walks around what he used to call his home.

He goes through all the rooms, taking notes of every single thing he finds and every single thing he doesn't. He probably misses a bunch of things (he's not as good at that sort of thing, Nishiki's always had a much better eye for details). Once back outside, he looks for the secret stash they made back when they were teenagers. It's like going through a time capsule. There's a pack of cigarettes he and Nishiki once stole from the teacher's bag, copybooks filled with ugly doodles, dreams for the future and dried flowers and leaves, caps from soda bottles, rocks they thought looked cool, photos and birthday cards damaged by time and weather... the pendant Kiryu gave to Nishiki the last time they saw each other. And a small notebook Kiryu's never seen before. A diary of sorts, a recounting of their days together and their days apart. The handwriting is unmistakingly Yuko's.

It fills him with nostalgia, tears welling up in his eyes, unshed. His heart sinks when he finally reaches the pages where Yuko recounts the last few weeks before she-

She writes about her brother, which is understandable. What's less understandable is the fact that she speaks of him as though he was there, with her. Physically present. Kiryu could chalk it up to the girl being delusional in her dying moments but it doesn't feel right to do so. It's stupid, it's absolutely impossible, he's confused, he's hopeful, why would Yuko hide her notebook there?

The last page. A message. For Kiryu. "Please, Kazuma-kun, help my brother".

Against his better judgement, Kiryu decides to spend the night in the house. Sleep doesn't come to him but that's fine. He sits in the living room, trying to make sense of everything. He sits there until it's way past midnight, until the distant barking of the dogs quiets down, until the rustling of leaves stops, until the very air around him grows still and silent and somehow charged with strange energy. And then he hears it. Three uncertain taps against the window. Kiryu turns his head. It's him.

"Kiryu... Let me in. Please."

He does, without thinking. (He could never very well say no to Nishiki. Even if it got them both in trouble. Even if he's not real.)

The quiet is deafening. It really is him. His best friend (whom he thought dead). His kyoudai. Before Nishiki could say anything, Kiryu wraps him in a tight hug. The only heartbeat between them is Kiryu's own, thundering against his ribs. Nishikiyama doesn't let the hug last, putting some distance between them. He looks guilty, tired; looks at Kiryu with sadness, with longing and something else that he can't quite decipher yet (and it makes him scared but why?). Nishiki also looks older than Kiryu remembers. Not a 17-year-old boy anymore, no. About the same age that Kiryu is now.

Has his gaze always been so sharp? Have his fangs always been this pronounced?

They talk until their throats are hoarse. Until Nishiki pulls out a bottle with some liquid that smells strongly of iron and drinks from it and in that moment Kiryu believes everything his friend has told him. It's crazy, but he does.

Nishiki was abducted that night. Taken from them. By vampires. They hurt him. Forced him to fight other humans (just like him then) for his survival. They fed on him.

It went on and on and on... Days turned into weeks, turned into months, turned into years. Only thoughts of Yuko, and Kiryu, and Yumi kept him going. He wanted to see them again. He hoped he would. That hope was crushed when Nishikiyama met his match in the arena. No, not his match. Someone far stronger. He lost and was tossed out to die. But another vampire saved him. It was a woman, whose face he saw often among the spectators of his fights. She stood out from the crowd, since she never cheered for any of the humans. Never put any bets. Only looked at all that madness with quiet horror. "Reina" she said her name was.

She gave Nishiki blood. Her own blood, and the blood of the vampires that were much stronger and more powerful than her (but not wiser), and human blood.

He turned and it was even worse than the years of anguish he had experienced. The pain and constant thirst almost drove him mad until he was taught to deal with them.

Nishiki was given a second chance. He escaped. And ever since that moment he's been trying his damndest to help other victims of those monsters. Both, the poor imprisoned souls and the villagers who might have shared his fate otherwise.

THAT CONCLUDES MY MAD RAMBLINGS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT THAT WELL

also i don't remember the last time i wrote this much in one sitting and i'm tireeeeeed. i'm not cut out to be a writer and it shows nghghghhhhhh

but! but! but! i have a couple thoughts on where the story goes:

kiryu decides to stay in the village and help nishiki

they uncover the vampires evil plans and recruit a few other characters to fight on the side of JUSTICE (i.e. kazama, who up to that point has been kind of in cahoots with the vamps - hence trying to atone by means of creating the Sunflower orphanage; kashiwagi; yumi; reina; tachibana and oda; majima, and yeah he was actually the one that defeatead nishiki and unknowingly caused him to become a vampire, also majima himself turns into a vampire later in the story thanks to a certain mad simp nishitani)

yuko comes back as a vampire

at some point the scene from my fanart happens; something along the lines of kiryu and nishiki being found by the evil vamps and being attacked. then of course nishiki saves kiryu (who's still baffled that this shit is happening to them and vampires are REAL) and tells him to run which he doesn't but it works out fine in the end

the scene of nishiki drinking kiryu's blood is a MUST because i. love. that. shit. (it's also extremely horny dfjvhsdkfhiasdfhisd)

nishiki's personality is somewhere in between his ykz0 and ykz k*wami self (like, he's much colder now but he still cares about others and does things not just for the sake of his own ambition)

idk about the end but immortal boyfriends? sounds nice?

[thotsforvillainrights]

So we know Hojo's crystals are fake and that he was beaten up pretty good cuz they where fakes before he joined the Hassaikai. So how would he react if one day his S/o made a little braclet/necklace out of his crystals cuz to them, his crystals are special and remind them of him?

(This is so soft oh my God. I definitely needed this after the day I’ve had.)

~To Cherish Someone Special~

headcanon|scenario|imagine|match-up

“I aint nothing too special so why are you always looking at me like that?” The question came up in the middle of dinner and knocked you right back to reality. You shook your head and smiled warmly, twirling your fork into the pasta sitting in front of you. “You’re special to me. Sometimes I just can’t help myself Yu.” You looked up at him and he chuckled. “Leave it to you to find a criminal special.” You laughed lightly and continued eating together. Later that night you tossed and turned, trying to grasp just barely at the edge of sleep. He rolled over and pulled you into his arms instantly causing you to become drowsy. That next morning he had to leave for work extra early, but before leaving he left a cooked breakfast with a little note just for you. 

He always did so many things for to show you how much you mean to him, but he never feels like he deserves anything in return. On more than one occasion he has reminded you that he’s essentially worthless to most of the world (outside of the hassaikai) and he isn’t worthy of the love you give him. For a while you’ve been trying to brainstorm up ideas to show him the opposite of this. It was essential to not be pulled off on any important holidays like birthdays, Christmas, or Valentines Day. It had to be a regular day so that it would show more importance in your actions. 

“Staring off the wall again?” His voice pulled you back once more. “This is the millionth time you’ve done this at dinner. If there’s something you need to tell me then you ought to spill it by now.” He waited patiently for an answer but you played it off once again. “No big deal. I’m just thinking of what to watch later on.” You lied smoothly. He nodded and continued to eat, leaving you to think just a bit longer about your next move. In the dead of the night it hit you like a truck. The very next morning you devised your brilliant plan and by the time he came home for lunch break you sprung it on him. 

“What? Why do you want them again?” He was thoroughly confused as to why you were asking for his crystals out of the clear blue sky. The last time you asked him was when you both first started dating and you were curious above all. He remembers the awe of your expression even after he had first told you that they were fake. He sighs and shrugs his shoulders before giving into your demands. He didn’t have time to say much more about it because he had to hurry back to work to clock back in. Now that you have enough time alone before he gets home, you quickly grabbed your bag and headed out the door. You had to search around at a couple of shops that could possibly have what you need considering you couldn’t do it yourself at home (unless you had a quirk that was suited for it). Finally you found just one shop nearby that could get it done in time....hopefully.

You entered through the doors with a very hopeful expression apparent on your face. To be greeted with such kindness by the manager was really just what you needed to be reassured instantly. “Hi, I’m sorry if this is too much to ask but is there a service here that I can use to compress my jewels into something smaller like little versions or maybe beads? I’d love matching necklaces and bracelets!” The manager took a moment to think before having an ‘aha’ moment and pointing to a desk in the back of the store. “If you go see Takashi at that table over there, he’ll get them shifted for almost little to no price.” You nodded and thanked her. Everything spoken about was true. The shop definitely had your 5 star review after today. You made it home just in time to wrap things and have a little self-care time. Hojo came home and (as usual) wasted no time in pulling you into a hug and kiss. “What’s that you got behind your back huh?” He questioned and you smiled brightly before handing it straight to him. “Didn’t know it was my birthday today, special occasion then?” He teased you lightly. “The only special occasion is you.”

“There you go again with the sappy stuff. I don’t deserve it and you should-”

“Shut it and open the damn box!” He shook his head and chuckled at your abruptness but the laugh was soon cut short when he saw what was inside. “How did you...?”

“I went to a special shop and had them made for you and I specially. They’re like these matching bracelets and necklaces. I mean I guess you can see them so I’m probably prattling on about nothing right now. Anyway, I figured we could wear them if you wan-” Before you could even get the rest of the sentence out, he quickly enveloped you in a firm hold. “Every single day I keep reminding you of how much I love you and how I don’t deserve you but this just takes the cake. Y/N, give me at least a day in between to get you back for this.” He kissed the top of your head and you sighed happily. “I’m so glad you like it.” 

»—————————–———————————————————–✄

Instagram: @pastelbattydraws & @pastelbattystore

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRNMJH7vHL7APNobUykhK4w?view_as=subscriber

[potterology]

fave dylb scenes bc I can't get over and I’m already rewatching and noticing little things heheee 

- first meeting outside the restaurant. ohh how I love how awkward yet endearing they both were when they finally introduced themselves to one another. rewatching it made me realize that JY was already smitten by SA since the start. (like literally since the start y'all!!! he didn't even know her yet and wanted to stop the car to get SA an umbrella and this was in the first ep!!)

- when JY switched coffee cups with SA bc she spilt her cup and he started drinking it so she can’t refuse even though he doesn’t like coffee. Like he just did it bc he was compelled to do so?? like dude what if she already drank from it??? This scene was so funny to me and I love it cuz I dont think SA is used to being the one taken care of like that so it was just v cute

- when the noona was trying to get them to talk banmal but SA was like oh noooo he’s a superstar. This was cute bc you can actually see that JY was disappointed. Also they keep sneaking peeks at each other lol cute fools 

- waiting for taxi scene- this was so freaking adorable. shows how considerate they both are for each other and it’s so freaking awkward when they both realized they were standing there waiting for each other to get a taxi- but like in the cutest way

- when they were both outside that restaurant and SA asked if JY enjoyed his performance at granny’s house and I think this was the first time someone asked our boy if he likes what he does for a living and you can just tell his heart went soft for her(same dude same)

- spontaneous non-date date. ohh I love the first time they ate together at that beer place. they really started to get to know each other there. the mood and how that scene was filmed was just chef’s kiss~~

- rehearsal room we should be friends scene. when homeboy transitioned from moonlight sonata to happy birthday, y'all knew it was over for SA- god damn I would have swoon over too

- by the river “I wanted to see you” scene- high key JY sucks at communicating but I love how he is just so taken by SA that he just flat out says he misses her and as soon as he says it he was almost shocked himself. so pure

- the midnight call. I MEAN. guys. guys. he wanted to just talk to her and ask her out but tried to be nonchalant about it. ahhh they literally portrayed the first stages of dating so well I'm goo for it !!!!!!

- first walk together in the walkway. this was just so adorable. the almost hand holding. the chemistry!! the shy smiles :’’’) 

- SA’s birthday when she thanked JY for just being there for her. I love how she quietly acknowledges him and it was such an intimate interaction between them. I replay that scene a lot in my head

- when he ran to SA to give her his signed CD. He was so worried about her he forgot about JK lmaooo. Also the fact the he validated her as a violinist when SA was at a very low point... I mean... boyfriend material ugh

- the scene when SA told JY every little thing he does concerns her and that she didn’t want to feel that way about him anymore. As soon as SA said that homeboy PANICKED!!! I don’t even think he knew how much he liked SA until she said that :’)

- the lunchroom scenes 1) when they were teasing each other and 2) when JY announced that they were dating lolol I love how stoic he normally is but for SA he becomes a softie hehe

-ice cream day date; lol when SA won’t let JY tie her shoelaces bc she didn’t want to fall for him lol ok girl

-night ice cream/ stairs date. y'all know already. shit was just adorable. SA going for the kiss. I melted with the ice cream

- when JY asked SA for her handkerchief!!! it’s such a small gesture but they both knew it had a special meaning and I love how it put SA over the moon. (Also let’s include all the other times we see JY actually use that handkerchief- especially after they broke up. like homeboy was holding on to it for his dear life bc it was the only thing he had of SA~~ my fragile heart!!) ps did we ever see SA get a handkerchief from him???? No??? Sbs give me that pls

- when MS was telling JY in the car that SA has only openly confessed liking two things in her life and one them was JY. He was so flustered and couldn’t hide his smile and dimples... bruhhhhh he was full on swoon. Also when JY heard SA say that she really likes JY like he was so proud of himself lmao he’s like “yeah my gf LIKES ME” lolol

- when the lovebirds fought who was gonna clean up the broken glass at JY apartment. I love loveee this one bc SA has been beaten down so much by everyone calling her talentless that she didn’t even consider how important her hands is to her as a musician. And JY being like honey ur a violist and a musician too- UR HANDS ARE PRECIOUS. This was just v touching. Again showing how JY has always considered SA as an equal despite all the shit people say about his gf. luv him :’)

-all the moments JY just stood by SA’s side and held her hand when she needed comfort. I love how he’s just there for her. His silent support was just enough. (One thing that would have been nice is if we saw SA do the same thing, I felt like the writers were almost there but just didn't go all the way which is a shame tbh)

- Their lil day trip to JY’s hometown. I like how JY was so open to SA here. When he proclaimed that he never felt “this way before”  I screamed!! It was at that moment you clearly knew as a viewer that JY never really loved JK. He might have he loved the idea of her, yes. But he never truly loved her the way he loves SA. And his realization of this in that particular episode just made me so so so happy

- Handholding in the bus scene. That shit was so freaking tender bc you can tell how content JY was. He was beyond smitten- homeboy was IN LOVE AT THIS POINT

- when JY dropped SA home. I mean everything about this scene really makes ur heart soft right?? How both of them were beaming? How SA feet probably hurt bc homegirl was wearing heels the whole day and walked another 30 min just so she can spend more time with JY? How she literally ran back to him and JY just had this impression watching her like “my gf is cute af”?? How SA said something along the lines of JY having somewhere to belong to now and you can tell this had a double meaning for him bc at this point he prob considered SA as his home..I was literally mush oh my god. 

-break up scene. I know, v painful- but this was a rare one in kdramaland where I actually thought it was necessary for them to split (still wish it was done earlier but alas I'll take it) It was a graceful and needed breakup. Also when JY pulled out that umbrella for her.... bish it was over for me

- SA’s recital. I MEAN HOW IN SYNC COULD THEY BE. I normally skip the musical performances whenever I watch dramas that are music related- but this show makes it so magical I simply could not. PEAAAKKK ROMANCE

- JY’s recital- when he played that last song I was a big mess cuz we all knew it was dedicated for SA :’’) (I listen to this piece all the time now and im so emo when I hear it bc like god WHEN)

- First I love you scene. JY just going for it and chasing his happiness without caring if SA might reject him. We love to see it

-Second I love you scene. YALL. YALLLLL the way JY just releases his breathe when SA said she can't be friends bc she loves him more than a friend will forever slay me. Kim min jae’s acting here was real good. I love how JY said I love you four times and just went for it. top kissing scene in a krdrama for me hehee 

- dubokki date. lmao at JY with the spicy level. just plain cute

-the quick side by side peek to JY new album in the last episode. the way it showed how their relationship evolved. how he signed it as “for my love song ah” BISH I WANNA DATE A MUSICIAN TOO NOW

- that lil scene where JY wrote SA’s name as the planner bc he knows she works just as hard as the musicians and deserves the recognition. get u a boy who will vandalize a program notice for u :)

- basically all the scenes at the end of ep 16. I wish all of them were longer. I wanted to see more of them dating and happy!!! But I just love how they are both so INTO each other and you can see how happy JY is bc he finally has that person back that understood him since the beginning and it makes you feel so warm knowing they’re each other’s support system ahhhh I love their love !!

- also just all the scenes that JY looks at SA lovingly ~~ which literally happened since ep 1 I mean they are literally heart eyes emoji for each other every time :’)) 

- oh oh OH special shout out to ep 11 when JY just can’t stop holding SA’s hands !! the way he does it is so freaking INTIMATE like if I can only describe how I feel whenever I see compilation gifs of that episode where JY just reaches out and holds SA’s hands so steadily and tightly...it’s literally the most heartwarming thing.. idek how to explain what I’m trying to convey but I just vibe with it so much?? it’s so intimate and romantic.. Kim min jae I will die 4 u my love

[gaetoeinhaler]

deadass wish diavolo was real tbh. snack looking mofo.

n e wayz, enjoy.

basically, this is just a oneshot of how i feel most of the time. its correlated to the reader's birthday, which is your birthday and i will NOT make one up for the reader since that would be unfair as hell. but this is what i would like to happen for when my birthday comes around pwq but it wont tbh

people forget my birthday a lot and its mainly because i was born on November 1st which is after Halloween. :,))) the only people who do remember my birthday is my mom TvT but its not like i forget other people's birthdays >:0

i've always remembered my family's birthdays, my friend's, and i had to remind them that it was my birthday until i gave up and said fuck it.

𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

diavolo x female reader fluff

words : 1.3k+

_____________

it was like always. i shouldn't have gotten my hopes up so high. just like in the human world, it happened here. people forgot my birthday. and to make it worse, the brothers forgot it. they can remember everything else, but they can't remember something like this. they never once said happy birthday, not one of them. it hurt, knowing that those who i was close to here didn't even care to remember. though, its best not to tell them. then they'd be apologizing constantly and do things they wouldn't.

heading towards the exit to RAD, i could hear someone calling out my name. a voice i know way too well. turning around, i could see diavolo, waving his hand around to get my attention, coming towards me with barbatos, who looked dead inside as always, following after him. "(y/n)! i'm glad i found you!" the red-head said as he smiled. "happy birthday!" he cheered, barbatos smiling and saying a happy birthday to me as well.

staring at them with wide eyes, i watched as diavolo's expression changed. "what's wrong? is today not your birthday?" he asked. i shook my head and smiled, giggling softly. "no no, it's today. its just i didnt think anyone would remember."

he shook his head. "nonsense! i remembered! didn't lucifer and his brothers remember as well?" he asked, tilting his head to the side a bit. "no, they didn't. though its no big deal, honestly."

he mumbled something about lucifer and his brothers under his breathe before grabbing my hand. "nonsense! it is a big deal! i'll make sure you have the most wonderful birthday then!" his childish aura came back, barbatos looking more dead inside now. i feel bad for him sometimes, but then again, that's the job he agreed to having. well, i'm not exactly sure if he agreed.

____________

with diavolo and i sitting at a table, he was talking about his day. so far, it mainly consisted of his shenanigans with lucifer, not that i minded though. it was interesting to hear how much lucifer suffers with diavolo by him all the time. giggling at one of the stories, barbatos soon walked in carrying a small cake. he set it down gently and stuck in a few candles.

"happy birthday." he smiled as he lit them. diavolo thanked the overworked soul before turning to me. "happy birthday, (y/n)!" he moved the cake closer to me. staring at the sweet in front of me, i gently blew out the candles before barbatos started to cut it. he couldve cut it from the beginning, but i didn't mind. them remembering my birthday was good enough.

____________

        frosting on my nose, a red blush upon my cheeks, i stared at the camera with wide eyes as diavolo snapped a photo of the scene in front of him. "i'll be sending that to lulu," he giggled like a highschool girl and most definitely posted it on his devilgram. seconds later, i got a notification on my d.d.d. saying "happy bday (y/n) 😝" with the photo of me in it.

        moving my eyes from my d.d.d. and towards the demon king, i stared at him with disbelief. he had a mischievous look upon his face, he muttered out a few words.

        "now everyone in devildom will know its your birthday."

____________

        "HEKSDSNS liPSTIcK iN mY ValEnTinO wHitE bAg"

        "hi welcome to chilis."

        "mOthEr tRuckEr DooD! that HuRt like a bUttChEek on a stick!"

        with vines playing in the background, and as messed up as it sounds, diavolo and i were cuddled up together in his room. with his arms wrapped around my torso, keeping him close to me, he hummed in delight as he watched the vine compilations. he was most likely confused as to what they were really doing, and why they were doing it, but he still watched and enjoyed.

        "ahahahHaha wHy yOu mAd? CuZ mY puSsY pOpS moRe SevEreLy, anD yOurS doNT haH!"

        "hey, (y/n)." diavolo whispered, turning his head away from the screen and towards me. i looked up at him, confused. "yeah? what is it?"

        "i want to be honest with you." he sighed, removing his arms from around me. he sat up, and looked away. as if afraid to say what he wanted to. "i want to tell you that, i want to become more then friends. not best friends, but as in a dating scenario."

        i sat up and hugged him tightly, nesting my face into his chest. "glad to know, i feel the same." i stared up at him with a small smile. it was true. maybe or maybe not i had fallen for the child like demon prince who could kill me whenever he wants. okay, yeah i did fall for him. he was too much of a snack, and damn he dummy thicc doe.

        and before i knew it, our cuddling session turned into a full make out session. him looming over me, the vines still playing in the background. lips moved against mine, tongues brushing against each other. his hands pinning my wrists above me, pulling his head away as he panted and stared down at me. we both knew where this was going to go, and we were willing to take it to that level so soon.

        "what's worse than a rapist?"

        "boom!"

        "a ChiLD!"

____________

        sitting at the table, lucifer wondered where (y/n) was. she hadn't come home from RAD and hadn't seen her there either when he went to check. anger was fuming inside of him. the least she could do was answer his texts and calls.

        it wasn't until a notification popped up on his d.d.d. that caught his attention. a new post from diavolo's devilgram account. opening up the app, he stared at the picture that was taken.

        "happy bday (y/n) 😝"

        he sighed and set his d.d.d. back in his pocket. he forgot that today was her birthday, and to make it worse, diavolo's use of words and the emoji after it didn't help him. he needed to confront diavolo about emojis and their uses before he makes himself more of a cringe then he already is.

        asmodeus, on the other hand, grumbled to himself. his brothers, who had no clue at what was going on, looked towards the fourth eldest. "what's wrong, asmo?" beel asked, chewing on his food. "today was (y/n)'s birthday and i FORGOT! ugh! and now she's spending time with lord diavolo!" he squirmed around in his seat "does she even KNOW how many times ive tried to get laid by him? ugh! and now she has a free ticket!"

        the rest weren't surprised about asmo wanting to get a taste of thiccavolo. but when he mentioned it being (y/n)'s birthday, guilt rushed over their past emotions.

        "it's (y/n)'s birthday?"

[huearmy]

The Smell of Truth - II

Summary: After years being forced to fight in clandestine hybrid ring, Jungkook is now living in shelter, but life remains bad, the place is abusive, and nobody seems to want adopt him. Until one night a pro-hybrid activist group invades the shelter, and a woman in black smelling like truth promises that things will get better, and he decides to follow her wherever she goes.

Pairing: pitbull!Jungkook x human!Reader

Genre: fluff, angst, future smut maybe.

Words: 3291

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: N/A.  Jungkook continues to be just a cute pie here ok dont touch me.

Chapter I  -  Chapter III  Chapter IV  Chapter V  Chapter VI Chapter VII

You have always been enchanted by hybrids. You grew up surrounded by them, they were friends and family. Literally. For exemple, your favorite uncle adopted your cousin, a cat hybrid, when you were five and she was three, he and his wife wanted a second child but could't have one biologically anymore, and you got a friend as a gift. You never saw your cous being treated diferently from her older sister, indeed they were equaly loved by the whole family. You two would run and play for hours together. 

You learned some diferences between you and hybrids when living with your cousin in childhood. The first one was that you, unfortunately, don't have fluffy beautiful ears and tail like they do, more than once your mother needed to comfort you before going to sleep cuz you were crying, wanting to be cute too. The second was that you were always at a disadvantage in games like hide and seek and tag you it, but you still had fun. The third is that hybrids can't go to school like normal kids. Until a certain age you were home schooled, taking classes with a tutor, when you turned eleven things changed a little bit, and you started studying at an elite college. Your world expanded, you started to study more hours a day and met new people, new teachers, classmates, you made new friends that gradually showed you a cruel world that you didn't know. Most of your friends were also daughters of politicians and entrepreneurs, just like you, and just like you, they grew up surrounded by hybrids. But while they were family to you, to your classmates they were butlers, maids, pets. Soon you started to understand the injustice of it all, of why you were bullied when you talked about your cousin, why you didn't like to go to some friends' house where you would see them treating their hybrids coldly. 

The last straw came when you were fourteen, more specifically your birthday. Until then you kept your friends from meeting your cousin, for fear that the situation would be strang, but it was you birthday, you wanted all your friends in your sleepover, including her. At the beginning of the night you were apprehensive, but your friends did nothing but find your cousin cute and be kind to her, so you relaxed. Everything was going well until one of her best friends decided that she liked your cousin so much that she was going to "ask her father to buy her".Your cousing didn't understand at the time, it was the first time that she was treated as something and not as a person. You were so angry that the party ended right there, most girls left, even though it was two-thirty in the morning. Days later you were expelled from school for getting involved in a fight and assaulting one of the girls who used the wrong word to define your family. You went back to school at home, with the best private tutors, and the world outside was no longer so beautiful. That's how you, already in college, joined a radical activist group for the sake of hybrids.

The concept of owning someone was disgusting for you, that's why you never adopted any hybrid, just fought to free them, in and out of law.That's why you don't recognizes yourself in the decision of getting Jungkook home. But here are you, driving your SUV with him sitting next to you in the passenger's seat. You want the best for each hybrid you have ever rescued, but never before have you been so involved that you are directly responsible for one as you are now doing with him. 

Jungkook have followed you to your car, where you gave him a oversized hoodie of yours to wear - the nigth got cold - and snacks that you had prepared for your trip back home. He was really entertained comparing flavors of three diferent chips, that he didn't even noticed when your black outlaw clothes are gone, replaced by a summer dress in a cardigan. Well, he couldn't remember the last time he had a chance to eat chips, it was probably when he was a kid, and there weren't that many flavors. Of couse, he was refraining from asking you too many questions, that were filling your head like: How is house? Will it be long before we arrive? Do you live with someone else? Do you have other hybrids? Do you do these jobs every night? ... But he kept silent, like a good boy.You said the drive to your city would take about two hours, that he could sleep, but he wanted to keep awake and looking out the window at the landscape, the trees he had never seen so many together and other cars, once in a while passing by with their lights on. It would be beautiful during the day too, he thought. The music playing softly on the radio is also cool.

"Ok." You brake the silence. "We have sometime before we get home, we can talk and get to know each other until then."

Jungkook took a sip of his soda before answering. 

"To know each other?"

"Yeah. Like a  game where we tell things about ourselves and ask each other something..."

"Got it. How do I win this game?" Jungkook got excited.

"It wasn't supposed to be a competition." You laughed, and then got thoughtful. "If you make a question you got one point. If you tell a fact about yourself without being asked you got two points..."

"Whoever has the most points wins. Ok." Jungkook softly clapped his hands with a happy soud coming from his mouth, the gesture doesn't go unnoticed by you. You showd him where to find paper and pen in the glove compartment for him to write down the points. In one side of the page he writed your initials and in the other, his - JK.

"I go first. Hummm... My full name is Y/N Y/L/N and I'm twenty-three. And you, what' is your age?"

"Woaaaa, Y/N! You already have five points, you are good at it." Jungkook excitedly wrote down your points, already thinking about what to say. "I'm twenty-two, but not for long, my birthday is in september. I'm a virgo. What's your sign?"

"Y/S." You responds. "You are into zodiac?"

"Not exactly. But it was a fact about me." Jungkook smile to you making you look away from the road for a moment longer than insurance so you can look at the dimples under his eyes. "Among these three chip flavors, which is your favorite?" "Both cheddar and bacon, I can't choose between them" You answered without hesitation. "Actually I love cheddar and bacon in any context. Did you decided wich one you like the most?"

Jungkook thoughtfully compared the chip packs.

"Nope. I like them all together. I like sweets more. Do you live with someone else?" Jungkook took the courage to ask something that was really on his mind.

"No, is just me in my apartament. But theres always a friend or relative visiting me, almost everyday. " 

Jungkook he felt a confusion of feelings, he did not know if he should be happy or disappointed that you lived alone, and as a result, that he will live only with you. It would be nice if you live with siblings or your parents if they are good like you, but at same time if they are bad he prefers to be with just you.

"How is your family?" He asked before you could make your next question.

"They are great." You said, your tone of voice and eyes ligthing up with affection. "I'm single child, but my family is quite big. We are all focused on progressive thinking of liberating hybrids. That's why I'm part of activist groups ... Of course, only I do this more clandestine work, and my mother doesn't even know. She would be crazy worry. You will like them I think. I have like six cousins, two girls and four guys... Oh my God, they will tease me so much for bringing a boy to live with me..."

Clearly your family is a trigger for you to talk non-stop. Jungkook concluded that your family must be really cool, for you to like them so much, making him wanting to know them too. It got him a little nervous. What would them think about him? Your talking makes your family look amazing, while he’s no big deal. Worse than being uninteresting is not being liked, and there are really bad things about him ... More bad than good things actually. Your family not liking him is scary, and thinking that you might know about his bad past and not liking him any longer suddenly made him anxious. 

You were bragging about your great-aunt's cooking skills when noticed Jungkook got too quiet.

"You are ok, Jungkook?"

He looked at you awkwardly, eyes round like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Yes."

"Sorry I talked too much." You let a weak laugh out, feeling embarrassed. "Is your turn now. Go ahead."

Jungkook looked through the window, avoiding looking to you.

"I don't know what else I have to say... You already won anyway." He showed you the score, your inicials with no space left to write down points. 

"Oh I bet you have a lot of things to say."

"Not good things." Jungkook dared to say, already regretting it as soon as the words left his mouth.Your voice softned.

"You don't need to tell me anything you are not ready to tell. Even if you're never ready. But I know that you are a person, and people are made up of many things, not just bad things." A moment of silence followed, you thinking about the next thing to say. "If you don't want to talk about past things... Lets talk about the future. What do you want to have for lunch tomorrow?"

________________________________________________________________

At some point Jungkook finally fell asleep. You drove an entire hour alone, slowly sipping an energy drink, his soft snores beside you not letting you forget about his presence. Everything you want is to sleep too, your eyes heavy, your body numb. You were thinking of it an how you would be in your bed about time, in your fluffy pijamas and warm socks, when blue and red lights appeared in your rear view mirror.

 You pulled over and waited to the cop to come closer to lower the window

."Good nigth, officer." 

You greeted in a low voice.The man just nodded writing down your license plate. 

"Do you know why I made you pull over?" He said, louder than you.

"No, sir." You calmly answered, shrugging. "I was not above the speed limit and my tail lights are ok."

He made an approving sound.

"Papers please."

You turned on the light and reached out to get your documents from the glove compartment, making Jungkook open his sleepy eyes with a groan.

"Y/N?" He called with a pout. The ultimate pout."Shhh. Keep sleeping, babe. We didn't arrived yet."

He obeyed immediately, leaning his head on the window, and you can tell he didn't really wake up in the first place. He was with his cap and hoodie on, so the cop couldn't see his ears and know he is a hybrid. And theis way is better, you thought. 

"Your boyfriend?" The cop asked while analyzing your driver's license.Time to improvise with your acting skills.

"Kind of." You timidly put a lock of hair behind your ear.He scanned the trash in the car."Any alcohol?"

"No, sir. Just energy drink and soda." You smiled.

He did the breathalyzer test on you anyway. 

Since it didn't point to guilty results, you were released to continue your journey.

 You took a deep breath, glad he didn't asked to inspect the car, he would surely find something that would link you to the terrorist act against the shelter, as the newspapers would for sure report the next day.

The good part is that forging Jungkook's adoption document in your name with a date prior to the rescue will be super easy, as the shelter's records blew up in the explosion. That thought made you relax and start driving normally. ________________________________________________________________

"Jungkook. Jungkook wake up." You shook his shoulder, his sleep too heavy. His head fell forward, making him jump in his spot, blinking heavily, the ultimate pout making another appearance. "We arrived, Jungkook."

Jungkook slowly regained consciousness, seeing you standing outside the car, beside him, holding the door open for him to get out.

"We're at home?." His face got bright.

"Yeah. Come."

It was a courtyard at the back of a small old building, it was still early in the morning, the sky was still dark and no one in town was awake. You turned on the car alarm, and guided a still sleepy but very attentive to the details of the new place, Jungkook, to the back door of the building, taking the bunch of keys out of his pocket - of your hoodie that he was wearing. He liked the proximity, the soud of the keys and the smell of the place. Actually the smell was pretty amazing, specially when you opened the door and everything inside got your smell, and others good things.

 You noticed his nose working in the air and laughed.

"Is a flower shop. Do you like it?" You asked.

Something made sense to Jungkook, it's not that the place smelled like you, you smelled like flowers because of the place.

"Yeah. Is pretty good." He said still sniffing the air.

"On the first floor we have the shop, on the second the shop office and a photo studio that I rent to a friend... And on the third and fourth is our home." You tell him as you go up the stairs, he following you closely. "Early on, both the store and the office are open, but this should not be a problem if you want to sleep till late."

"Ok."

You two whispered up to the third floor, a small corridor with two doors on one side and windows on the other. You stepped forward to the first door, the entrance to the living room and struggled to fide the rigth key in the dark. 

Jungkook noticed a faint light coming from under the door and a murmur inside. There was someone in there. He got alert and slightly apprehensive.

You finally oppened the door and got inside, dropping your heavy bag on the floor, the keys in the corner table, kicking off your boots. Jungkook got inside with short steps, looking around cautiously, looking for the person who would ambush you both. The light was the TV... He smelled a cat. 

"Y/n?" A sweet and sleepy voice reached your ears, a little form lifted on the couch. A sniffing soud and the sweet voice got hostile. "Who is this?"

"Yeri, you are here." You smiled, not really caring for the mood changing of her. Jungkook stepped behind you a little. "This is Jungkook. Jungkook, this is Yeri, my cousin."

"Hi." Jungkook tryied.

"What's he doing here? You never brought anyone home ..."

And by anyone she meant hybrids, and Jungkook knows it. He couldn't see her face in the dark, just her luminous cat eyes with vertical pupils, the dominant presence of those who had their territory invaded radiating from her. 

"There is always a first time I guess." You say, still ignoring the awkward atmosphere, taking off your cardigan and hanging it on the rack behind the front door. "Are you in the guest room?"

Yeri got up and turned off the TV.

"No. I'm sleeping with you."Clearly she didn't trust Jungkook yet. If you bet, she was ready to sleep in the guest room, but now she decided to sleep with you to protect you from the stranger. 

"Ok." You said.

"Ok." She said. 

She turned on the light in the corridor, taking a few steps to the top floor, with bare feet and cute pijamas, and then stopped looking at Jungkook. Now he could see her face. The scariest cat he has ever seen. "Welcome to the family." And than she disappeared up the stairs.

Jungkook gulped, not sure what to think about it.

"She liked you." You told him, putting a hand in the small of his back.

"How do you know?" He asked you with round eyes.

"She didn't say she disliked you." You smiled. "Yeri is pretty honest about her feelings."

You took him to a room in the hall, with a messy cat-smelling bed in the middle, an empty desk and an armchair close to the window, and an empty closet. Beside the bed on the floor was an open handbag , with women's clothing showing up.

"She said she wasn't going to sleep here..." Jungkook pointed.

"Yeah, she lied about it. She wouldn't let me put you to sleep on the couch, though..." You went down the hall and came back with another blanket. "Aaaand, this will be your room. You'd better get used to it."

You fixed the sheets and changed the blanket and pillowcases, probably to help with the cat smell, odorless bedding help to make the bed more of him.

"That's what I can offer you for now, after all I wasan't expecting to adopt you. We can fix it later." You tiredly said, picking Yeri's bag from the floor.

"Ah... Don't worry.". Jungkook wanted to say he was already happy with what he got, that being adopted in firts place was more than he expected, that he was greatfull of your caring so far. But he couldn't find the words to put in on.

"Good, bucause I'm dead tired... I need to sleep, and you do too." You gave him a pat in his back, and went to the door. "If you need it, theres a bathroom in the end of the corridor. Good night." And than you closed the door behind you.

Jungkook waited for the sound your staps desapeard to start moving and breathing again. He was in his room! He ran to the window and opened the curtains a little to see outside, it seemed to be a main street in a small town, but Jungkook had never stepped in a small town before to have reference. He tryied the armchair and conclued it was confortable enouth to take a nap on it. The closet was big enough for him to fit in - he tested it - another possible place for good naps. With leaps of joy he imagined all the things he could kept there, the clothes and shoes he didn't have yet but dream of having. Fantasizing about when you were going to take him to shopping, he put the hat on one of the top shelves and closed the double doors carefully, to make any noise. And then threw himself on the bed, scenting the sheets, sighing contentedly. He took off his shoes and placed beside the bad, his wallet in the nigthstand - open like a picture frame, showing the photo of two hybrid little boys embracing and smiling - , and the suffed bunny lying next to him with it's own pillow.

All in this room felt so real to him, as much as your smell. If you said it will be his room so it's true, because se believe in you, and he is so happy.With the thought of a bright future with you Jungkook finally fell asleep again.

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Tag list: @stayunderthelights​ ​  @deolly​ @panconte​

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Thakyou!!! Let me know if you liked it... <3 <3 <3 This is a sub blog so I wont respond coments, but I read it all.

[trashcanwrites]

Captains! Break Up Headcanons

► Sawamura Daichi, Bokuto Koutaro, Oikawa Tooru, Kuroo Tetsuroo with Gn!Reader

▸ 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀!: Angst✨

♚ This took me ages to write lmao but I’m planning on making more of these with the other captains and vball members! I got too carried away with the Bokuto one •́ ‿ ,•̀ Hope you guys like it!! 💖

“We need to talk”

“Meet me at the park at 3”

“Sure”

Over the past few weeks you and Daichi’s relationship has been in a tight spot. Daichi barely having time for you because of volleyball and him going to cram school and such.

You, not having time for him either because of you preparing to move soon for college at the end of the school year.

You see Daichi, at the park sitting by the benches, waiting for you, looking a little worried, making you feel guilty for what you came there to tell him.

You walked up to him and took a seat next to him, exchanging pleasantries as an air of awkwardness surrounds the both of you.

“So, I’ve been thinking…”

“I think we should break up.”

Daichi flinched, he expected this to happen but even so, he still couldn’t prepare himself enough to hear it.

It pained him to let go of this relationship both of you built together.

But he eventually had to let go of it someday… Relationships don’t last forever after all.

He took a deep breath to compose himself and gave a nod in understanding

“Okay, if that’s what you want…”

You didn’t expect him to accept it so easily, then again you wouldn’t expect him to beg to stay together either.

“You know I still love you right?”

You told him, your voice quivering, as your eyes became glossy.

“I know…” Daichi reassured you his voice low, as his had reached out to grab yours.

His hand much bigger than yours, his were also littered with familar calluses and yours is softer in comparison.

You both stayed silent as the two of you basked in each other’s presence, knowing this was the last moment you would share together as a couple.

After the break up Daichi seemed fine.

He’s acting like his usual self, like the ordeal didn’t affect him at all

And that exactly what worried the team, especially the third years. They would always approach him and ask if he was okay and to that he would answer “I’m okay, really”

When in reality Daichi has been felling heartbroken ever since the recent event, thoughts of what he could have done better to save your relationship flood his mind, internally beating himself up for letting you go so easily.

But what more can he do than to just accept your decision and move on?

He had to be strong for the team, he had to show them that their captain can handle all this agony.

At home he would distract himself from the thought of you by studying but… flashbacks of the study dates you both used to have in his room would surface in his mind.

The laughs and the playful fights you two had, once good memories, would now cause his heart to twinge. 

In the end he gave up trying and he just thought that he’ll get over you eventually.

You both have part ways already, he can’t do anything but just accept it and move on.

You’ve lost interest in Bokuto.

It’s been a couple of weeks since you’ve realized.

You had been in this relationship for about a year or so, the cuddles, the kisses and the moments you two would have hasn’t felt the same as before.

It felt like empty actions to you. It’s not that Bokuto hasn’t given enough in the relationship ‘cuz believe me he has.

Once he even went out of his way to throw a gigantic party for your birthday, he would apologise to you when he’s done something to upset you and he would always, I mean always make time for you.

You’ve just simply lost all interest.

You hadn’t told Bokuto yet because you were afraid of how he’d react, knowing him he probably wouldn’t take it well.

But telling him how you feel is better than dragging the situation out and being dishonest.

You wouldn’t want to make it a big issue and hurt him a whole lot more than it was supposed to.

So you call him. Told him that after practice you’d like to see him.

“Hey, Kou? Can we meet after school tommorow? I mean if you don’t have practice, if you do though I can wait.”

“Anything for you, babe! I don’t have practice today so I’ll be early!” His voice through the other side of the phone was as cheerful as ever. Not knowing what was to come next…

“Great. Meet me at the school gates.”

The wait was long, as dusk came. Practice was about to be over and you prepared yourself what’s to come.

“HEY HEY HEY!”

Bokuto’s loud voiced disturbing the peace and making you jolt.

His was walking towards you, as the closer he got to you the more on edge your nerves were.

He was infront of you now, gazing at you with a big bright smile on his face.

God did that innocent smile of his made you feel bad

You grabbed his arm and pulled him to a more secluded place, away from crowd of students swarming the gates of the school.

“Kou, I’m sorry for doing this now but, I have to I don’t wanna lie to you anymore”

“Wha? What are you lying to me about?”

“I don’t love you anymore.”

With those words, you could hear Bokuto’s heart shatter into pieces as the phrase repeated over and over in his head.

“I’m sorry” You whisper to him, as he stood there, stiff as a statue.

“I’m so sorry, Kou” you gave him a hug, thinking it would make everything better.

Sniffles could be heard leaving his mouth as he hugged you back, savoring this moment because it’d become the last thing you experience together.

“I’m breaking up with you”

“Why?” He asked, wanting an explanation as to what he did wrong.

“It’s just that you seem like you don’t gave enough time for a relationship… I’d rather you focus on your passion right now. ”

In other words ‘Your too obsessed with volleyball, you don’t have enough time for us’

Oikawa Tooru is familiar with these words, it was always the excuse to break up with after all, the effect that it had on him dulled out with every partner he’s had. He’d rather focus on volleyball instead.

But this time it was different. The moment he heard those words come out of your mouth, he couldn’t help but feel his heart break.

Why is that the same old excuse had a different effect when it came to you??

It’s probably because Oikawa has loved you more than he’s loved any of his other partners, and he still does.

“Y/n please, don’t leave me. I’ll do better I promise” he begged, he was desperate not to lose you. You were way too important for him to let go.

“No, Tooru,” You put your hands on his shoulders for reassurance “I want you to focus more on volleyball. We can still be friends though.”

Those were the last words you uttered to him after you left him.

After the break up Oikawa was often seen spacing out or would sometimes become hostile towards others.

Whenever someone pointed it out to him he would just smile, scratch his nape and say “I had a bad day that’s all!”

The break up affected him to the point where Iwaizumi had to step in and show concern for Oikawa, giving him advice and listening to him ramble.

During breaks a school he would see you by the corridors talking to your friends, a bright smile on your face.

As if the break up never affected you at all.

And that fact hurt him, a lot

He would actively try to avoid you whenever he did see you though, both of you being in the same class didn’t help his situation.

The sight of you smiling and talking to everyone made his heart ache.

You look so happy, it’s a shame he wasn’t the reason why.

You would come up to him and try to talk to him from time to time but he would always give you short responses, not enough to make a conversation.

It made him feel bad that he would do that to you but, he just didn’t want you to be near him for the time being and see how much of a mess he is.

Even though he was in misery due to what happened, he still manages to put on his cheerful facade.

When he’s home however that facade breaks, he would often be seen cooped up in his room, his expression blank as he lay on his bed, as thoughts fill his head with regret and despair.

“You dumbass, how could you just let go of someone so important…?”

Were the words the came out of his lips, as a tear streamed down his face.

You and Kuroo had been fighting a lot recently…

It’s to the point where the arguments would get so overwhelming that one of you storms away in the heat of the moment, not wanting to deal with the situation in the state that the both of you were in.

Today was one of those days again, apparently…

You had ran out of Kuroo’s house wanting to cool down from the quarrel that the both of you were having. The reason for it this time was that Kuroo couldn’t make it to the date, again.

This was the fourth time he’s missed a date, his excuse this time was that practice had gone late today, so he couldn’t go…

You understood that he was busy but for his schedule to overlap with the date that you two had planned a week before and for it to happen for four consecutive times…

To make matters worse it was your one year anniversary date…

And he promised you that he would make it this time. Unfortunately, he didn’t.

You didn’t want to think of it but, you were considering breaking up with him. It was for the best though.

The constant fighting and emotional baggage that came with it was too much for you to handle, you weren’t prepared enough to deal with it…

You’re now currently at home bawling your eyes out on the sofa, as you were reminded of the dispute you and Kuroo had, causing new tears to brim in your eyes.

The thought of breaking up with Kuroo swarm your head, although hesitant you wanted to go through with it, you figured that the two of you aren’t ready for a relationship yet.

Even though the both of you have lasted for over a year…

The loud sound of a doorbell ring interrupted you thoughts, as you hurried to the door and composed yourself, your eyes still red but you tried to hide it the best you could.

You opened the door, only to be surprised by the person behind it, it was none other than your boyfriend, Kuroo.

“Hey…”

“Look, Tetsu, we need to talk.” I said my voice raspy from all the crying, yet stern enough for him to understand that this is serious.

He gave a nod to tell you he was listening, you guided him to the living room to sit, if you were gonna break up you wanted it to be a proper one.

The both of you sat across from each other, your face still a mess from all the sobbing you did.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Kuroo’s voice sounding worried.

“I… I want to break up”

He nodded “I understand, it’s fine…”

Even though it hurt Kuroo to do so, he just knew that staying in a relationship like this wasn’t good for either of your health.

Kuroo stood up from the chair he was sitting in to come and approach you, a hand reached behind his back, a rose hidden behind him now presented to you.

“I was supposed to give this to you on our anniversary, but now I guess there’s no use now,,, I’m sorry Y/n.”

Those were what he last said to you as he left your house, not knowing when you’ll see him again.