#that's not so endgame behavior

[koobyers]

it physically pains me to remember milkvans actually want el to stay in a relationship 1. she isn't happy in at all, 2. got into because she felt that's what it takes to be normal, 3. got into when she barely even understood what a friend was, 4. she didn't even have time to sort herself out and just jumped into, 5. with mike who doesn't make her feel better about herself when she feels like a monster, 6. with mike who can't say i love you to her even if she's sobbing in his face, 7. with a boy she doesn't even consider a love for the rest of her life but just her first, 8. that makes her feel like she's a monster. like be so fr milkvan are not happy together

[bluiela]

One serious thing I'd like to discuss

There is something so disgusting about reading Gwyn's story and journey and how far she's come and say, "that's suspicious" "her behavior definitely seems suspicious" "why did she investigate about something she was asked to investigate on?" and so on.

TW - talks about SA and its triggers,

One of my earlier fandom friends who ships e/riel left the e/riel fandom because she was triggered about the arguments used against Gwyn's SA against ships. Previously there were a lot of "Gwyn can't be with Az because she was SA'ed" talks even now there are but only a few from actual accounts and not trolls.

All the "Gwyn's sus" when she has done NOTHING sus just reminded her of when she filed her complaint and how the law authority did nothing for her and some of her peers didn't believe her or suspected her of lying (she was very young in a school from a very conservative country).

She left the fandom when she saw someone theorize about Gwyn lying about her SA. (yes, it is one of the many common LS theories I believe still on reddit)

(this all is posted by talking permission from her)

Even today I see a lot of people posting such insensitive stuff regarding SA and healing and it is so shocking.

see how this person manipulates the narrative into something that clearly isn't true to weaponize Gwyn's SA to hate on gwynriel. (there are SO MANY posts like this on the internet, but I will not bring every argument because the point is simple DON'T carelessly weaponize sensitive subjects)

How so regularly so many of them comment and weaponize Gwyn's SA as an argument but not for Rhys, Lucien, Lidia, Nesta.

Every gwynriel has read the series and see how SJM writes these subjects so we know what to expect for her journey so please don't worry about us thinking the next ACOTAR will be SA healing book and how SJM can't write it, and it will be boring (yeah that is an argument, yes, I have screenshot and yes, they used it)

So, I'd urge people to once think before using Gwyn's SA as an argument. SA is a sensitive subject and you carelessly using it as an argument is harmful. My friend loves e/riel and thinks they will become endgame, but she stays far from their fandom because of how toxic it is and how carelessly they throw around sensitive subjects like misogyny, SA etc.

NO ONE'S SA should be used as an argument against them not ending up with someone. NO ONE should be called misogynist just because they like a male fictional character more than a female one.

Please don't cross certain boundaries that become hurtful just to validate your hatred.

[thesapphicsoldier]

Never getting over this shot unfortunately

[lunabug2004]

I am of the unpopular opinion that even if Mike turns out to be straight, he is not an awful person nor character. And I'm saying this as a Byler shipper.

He is a very traumatized teenage boy who is still figuring out who he is and how to handle the world around him.

Yes, he's messed up. He's said some mean things. He's done things that make him look selfish or uncaring. However, we know that he is not these things. We've seen proof that he is not these things. His own best friend claims he's "the heart" (and so do the makers of the show); who are we to claim otherwise bc his actions/words don't end up being justified by internalized homophobia like many expect them to be?

Anyone who knows this blog knows that I am a massive Byler shipper. And I post about it all the time. However, this blog has always been about Mike. When I first started it, I actually didn't fully believe in Byler. I was a multishipper. This is almost purely because I can see many explanations for the things that people claim make Mike a "bad character/friend/best friend/boyfriend/etc". Some of those things being: PTSD, depression, anxiety, survivor's guilt, abandonment issues, a very distant father (or family issues in general), a feeling that he needs to be "strong" around others, as well as getting little-to-no comfort and feeling like he has no one to talk to during everything that we have seen during this show. It is so very common for children (remember, despite Finn's age gap w/ the character he is portraying, Mike is still a fairly young child throughout the show) who have experienced trauma to express it in negative ways. This is even more common when that child feels isolated/alone, whether or not it is intentionally or unintentionally their own doing, which we've seen plenty of instances of Mike seeming to feel this way.

Now, again, I do ship Byler. A lot. And I do think Mike's internalized homophobia would be a great, if not the best route to go with his story. I've said before that if he doesn't end up being canonically queer, I will feel lied to, and that's still true. But, whether he is queer or not -- whether internalized homophobia is brought into his character arc or not -- as long as they flesh out at least some of these (previously listed) issues to us in s5, I think he will still come out on top as my personal favorite character. I will even still think he's one of the best written if they actually dive into his mental health, whether that includes a secret gay love story or not.

I'm sorry if this got repetitive and I know I have mentioned this on my blog before, but that was back when I was a multishipper so I wanted to reaffirm my position. I really do feel like I'm in the tiny minority that thinks this way, and it sucks seeing people say things like "if Byler doesn't happen, Mike's just an asshole" or "Mike would just be an awful character/person if Byler isn't endgame" bc we all know there's an abundance of these types of comments. I am of the firm belief that there are ways to explain most of Mike's behavior that do not include Byler.

Mike Wheeler has always been and will always be my favorite character in Stranger Things. Whether Byler is endgame or not.

[theprinceandthewitch]

Very tragic that we never got to see Luz and Hunter kick Philip's ass like it was set-up in TTT... we never got any payoff for the Lunter hints in SAI and the Caleb/Evelyn parallels that were established in HP and made more apparent in HM... very disheartening that TOH got cancelled after TTT aired, now we'll never know how it ends 😔

[death-rebirth-senshi]

oh look an endgame picture of my elden ring paladin and he's wearing clothes

Kind of want to new game+ him kind of want to start all over and relive the journey, kind of want to leave him here at the end game and not revisit until the dlc comes out. Decisions decisions.

[tekras-iszovh]

"= in other news about the new universe thing, there is now a single small rocky but non-life-inhabited planet inside it (besides me), which at this given moment, prevents the death of anything living on it, even by force. it, ah, how do i put it. cancels the death. and, as such, is also automatic unless i myself am like. disarmed of abilities, which, i don't think is happening any time soon. it's a 'set and forget', so, i think now i can get to 'make this place livable' and then i can launch my little project. which is, getting an artificial atmosphere intact, and seeing if anyone will show up. and setting up wide transportaliser access. fuck, that will be annoying. backdoor it. fuck it. ="

"= the only annoying thing, it is unbelievably dark at night. without an actual night's sky. the atmosphere is good, the star is a little far away but bright enough. but, hm. at night, there is nothing going on up there. a little ominous. but, i think, the outdoors is a little boring. so. hm. unsure. maybe a moon. or a large but small mirror. far away. ="

[girlinterupptedsblog]

Knock you up

"Breed You Full, Keep You Mine"

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x gf!Reader

Warnings: (breeding kink / pregnancy kink, dom/sub dynamics, degradation / praise mix, overstimulation / creampie / possessiveness, obsessive behavior)

Rafe had one obsession. You. And getting you pregnant was the endgame every time.

It always started the same way.

A flick of his eyes down to your stomach—bare under the hem of your cropped tank top—and that slow, feral grin spreading across his face. The kind of grin that made your skin prickle, your thighs tighten. Because you knew what it meant.

“Gonna knock you up tonight,” he murmured under his breath, so casual like he was talking about ordering pizza. His hand slid down your hip, fingers curling against your lower belly possessively. “For real this time.”

You swallowed hard. “You said that last time.”

His eyes darkened, thumb brushing just beneath your navel. “Yeah. And I meant it. Every fuckin’ time.”

Rafe wasn’t subtle about it. Not when he had you naked and flushed on your back, your legs thrown over his shoulders. Not when his hips rolled into you with that slow, practiced thrust that always hit just right. Not when he kept his gaze locked on yours, that devilish gleam in his eye that said he was fully gone—for you, for this.

And especially not when he opened his mouth.

“You feel that?” he rasped, cock buried deep and throbbing inside you. “That’s me fuckin’ it into you. Fuckin’ life into you.”

Your breath caught, back arching off the mattress. “Rafe…”

“Yeah,” he growled, dragging out the word like he owned it. “Gonna fill you up so full, babe, it’s not even a question. Gonna keep you like this—dripping, wrecked, mine.”

His hand pressed down on your belly, applying pressure right where he was stretching you open from the inside. You gasped, clenching hard around him, and he moaned—like the feeling of your cunt milking him was the most sacred thing on earth.

“You’re so fuckin’ tight,” he groaned, leaning down to brush his lips against your ear. “It’s like your body wants it. Like it’s beggin’ me to make you a mom.”

Heat shot through you. You hated how much it turned you on. How it made your thighs shake when he said things like that. How it made your body throb to the rhythm of his filthy words.

He could tell. He always could.

“Look at you,” he muttered, glancing down at your spread legs, your messy cunt swallowing him again and again. “So desperate for it. Bet you’d let me cum in you every single day if I said I wanted it.”

“You already do,” you whispered, eyes glazed.

“Yeah,” he smirked, hips stuttering for a second. “And I’m not pullin’ out till you give me what I want. A fat fuckin’ belly. Tits all swollen. Everyone lookin’ at you like—‘Goddamn, who did that to her?’”

He slammed into you harder, and your breath hitched.

“And you’ll fuckin’ say it was me.”

Your nails scraped down his back as he ground into you deeper, tighter, more possessive than ever. “Say it,” he demanded. “Say it’s mine.”

“It’s yours,” you gasped. “It’s always been yours.”

That set him off. His fingers tangled in your hair as he buried his face against your neck, rutting into you with single-minded purpose. Filthy, wet, possessive. Every thrust made you feel like you were being branded.

He whispered it over and over into your skin like a prayer.

“Gonna cum inside you.”

“Gonna fuckin’ breed you.”

“Gonna make you mine forever.”

“Gonna make you carry my baby.”

You felt it when he started to lose control—his rhythm faltering, cock twitching. He looked down between your bodies, watching himself disappear inside you. That visual always destroyed him.

“Take it,” he groaned, voice strangled. “Fucking take it. All of it.”

And when he finally came, he didn’t hold back. You could feel every pulse of his cock as he emptied into you, warm and endless, stuffing you so full you swore it leaked before he even pulled out.

But he didn’t pull out.

He stayed there, buried deep, still twitching. His hands on either side of your face, blue eyes glazed with satisfaction and something darker—something obsessed.

His voice was quieter now, rough and dangerous.

“I’m gonna keep doin’ this till it sticks, baby. You hear me? You’re gonna walk around Malibu drippin’ with my fuckin’ cum, and when it finally happens—when that test turns pink—you’re not goin’ anywhere.”

You were still breathless, dazed, completely undone. He smiled down at you like he was proud of it.

“Hope you’re ready,” he whispered, brushing his thumb across your cheek, then dragging it down to your lips. “’Cause once you’re knocked up, I’m never gonna let you out of my sight again.”

[bluiela]

I actually understand why e/riels hate Gwyn so much..

They spent years harassing elucien and were very confident that they will have e/riel confirmation in ACOSF, that elain would help nesta heal and simultaneously have cute moments with Az, they were so sure about it, I especially remember this that many of them did not even care about Nesta but just ranted about Elriel etc,

But then ACOSF came and Gwyn, it was not Elain who did all those things with Nesta and Az but Gwyn, Gwyn received a lot of love (I remember everyone talking about Gwyn then), she was the one whose smiling image SJM put in Azriel's heart and she was the one for whom Azriel's shadows danced and sung, It was she who calmed them.

Now they invested so much energy harassing eluciens and all the expectations they had for elain so obviously they came to vilify Gwyn, the Valkyries, theorized that she is an evil creature.

Honestly, I understand why they hate Gwyn so much, but they punch out Gwyn content like anything.

[frogsinflannel]

Great thoughts here, and I just wanted to add a little to what OP said here because it’s something I’ve been thinking over. I also was very unsatisfied with how they ended things. I was absolutely expecting some variation of what we got, at least as far as the “I’m your first” but I really expected them to resolve it. For Buck to fight. And I hadn’t quite been able to articulate it, but this kind of gave me that “aha” of what I’d been thinking/feeling.

Like OP said, how could Buck get off the wheel when he keeps trying to “[fold] himself into the lives of other people and [make] himself into someone they want around.” But I really liked Tommy for exactly this reason! Because he had been portrayed as this independent, disconnected (that’s more speculation, since we know nothing about his relationships with Harbor or other friends - going off his desire to reconnect with the 118, wanting to be part of something, the group chat, bad relationship with at least his father, etc) guy who repeatedly showed up for Buck - and that seemed to indicate that he would not let Buck fold himself in. If anything, Tommy was the one inserting himself, which I saw partially because of logistics (him being a side character) but also as a defense mechanism. I didn’t think, based on their interactions and what little Tommy characterization we got, that he would let Buck fall into that pattern! Maybe he recognized in from himself or it was a defense mechanism, but I was excited that we’d see them have to grapple with this and maybe get to see Tommy open up. Even in the deleted scene with Hen and Karen, Tommy was reactive. Buck was the one setting the pace, he was the one Tommy was shaping himself for.

Even in Masks, I saw that as Tommy taking care of Buck because yes, that’s how he shows care/shows up for a partner, and also because reaching out for Buck’s heart meant he didn’t have to so quickly offer his own. He seemed to be falling in love. The timing of the “protect myself!” overcorrection made sense to me, but not how it was handled, and not Buck’s response.

Okay sorry. I guess I don’t have a point other than I am very unsatisfied and baffled by some decisions!

did buck ever tell tommy he doesn’t like basketball? was he just like, going along with it because that’s what tommy likes? going to movies when he doesn’t really watch many on purpose himself because tommy likes movies. was he runaway bride-ing tommy? was he “i’ve been thinking about what you said and i think you’re right. i do hide my true feelings from others”-ing tommy?

tommy breaking up with buck was certainly more about tommy’s issues, regardless of whatever he’s telling himself, than it was about buck. even if it contradicted what happened last season with the coffee date…people are complex and multifaceted and at this point i’m choosing to believe that tommy got very overwhelmed when buck used the words “engaged” and “married” and overcompensated in his backtrack

but maybe buck wasn’t honest with himself either. and buck wants off that hamster wheel but how can he when he doesn’t know how to keep from folding himself into the lives of other people and making himself into someone they want around (not stopping to to consider that maybe they would want him around anyway)

i’m personally unsatisfied with the ending of their relationship because tommy is gone now. i wanted to know why that was tommy’s reaction, what was going on in his head. i have the above theories but i’d like to know. we got that with abby (i would argue even before the train episode) and we got that with taylor but we won’t with tommy. i am also unsatisfied because i do not feel that masks reflected this dynamic. i was fully aware that we were losing tommy this season and masks got me to let my guard down for it happening so soon. this was their intention and i’m not sure why they would do that or what function it served

anyway, go back to therapy evan buckley

[oh-no-its-bird]

"They were roomates" obkkrn au where obito and Rin are an established couple who live together. And bc reasons, Kakashi needs a place to stay for a while. So obviously, yk, Kakashi comes to stay with his besties as he looks for a new apartment

What follows is a comedy of errors as Rin and Obito proceed to be absoloute fucking freaks about Kakashi. They are throwing themselves at him in increasingly desperate, concerning, and honestly at times kind of creepy tactics.

Kakashi makes them dinner as thanks and Rin makes a joke about how he should stay forever and be their housewife and Obito laughs just a little bit too hard (under the table he's clutching at his thighs so hard they're gonna bruise)

Kakashi's clothes begin to go mysteriously missing and Obito starts not to subtly suggest he just borrows his instead :))) as Rin is going "oh Kakashi you're soooo forgetful, it really makes me worry about you, you know... Maybe you just need someone to take care of you, there's no shame in that! Teehee <3"

Kakashi gets sick and Rin very seriously considers giving him fake medicine so he can stay sick (and under her care) longer

Kakashi complains ab how expensive housing is and how he can't afford any of this shit on his salary, and Obito "jokes" a little too enthusiastically that he should just quit his job and find a hot sugar daddy. Or something. Wouldn't that be funny. Right Kakashi? Right? Right? Hey, you know Obito himself is pretty wealthy ahahahaha—

Kakashi remains completley oblivious.

Genma comes over for dinner one day, and at that point things have escalated so much that several of the weird comments and behaviors on Obito and Rin's side are the new "normal." So Genma just sits there through, what is from his perspective, the weirdest and most uncomfortably charged dinner of his fucking LIFE.

When he leaves, Genma just puts a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and tells him good fucking luck. Kakashi remains confused.

Uhhh endgame Genma tells Kakashi to open his fucking eyes bc Obito and Rin want him BAD. And after the initial disbelief, Kakashi begins to test the waters of leaning into/indulging in Obito and Rin's newest freak behavior and seeing what they do

And just Kakashi subtly fucking with them both by playing into whatever the fuck is happening in their heads, just to see what happens. He's thriving actually

Anyways I'm coming to learn that my favorite obkkrn dynamic is just.

Obito 🤝 Rin -> being freaks about Kakashi together

To be fair tho: it's REALLY funny. And also makes total sense.

Because ofc Nohara "Obito apologist even in death" Rin, and Uchiha "Rin was a perfect angel who I will put on a pedestal till my dying day and destroy the world in the name of creating a new world she could have been happy in" Obito would make eachother INFINITELY worse!!

Obito is incapable of seeing his own or Rin's possible wrongs, and Rin literally was on Obito's side even through the genocide, Kakashi stalking, child murder, detailed plans to take over the world, etc. There is no way in hell these two could actually ground eachother, sorry. In my eyes they would only make eachothers freak factors infinitely worse.

Every time either one of them gains even a SHRED of self-awareness, the other is right there to comfort them and insist that "nooo ur soooo normal, I promise <33" and "its ok if you're a little bit of a (stalker, murderer, obsessed with Kakashi) freak... it's not ur fault u have ptsd..."

Rin and Obito both suffer from the Kakashi Illness(tm) but it presents itself in different ways and they feed into eachothers fixation on the guy in the worst (best) ways

[teambyler]

The most hypocritical anti Byler argument:

"Why can't two boys just be friends? Why do you have to make everything gay!?"

Whenever I hear this argument or some variation of it, I think back to my two cousins, one a girl and the other a boy. (He was from my dad's side of the family; she was from my mom's.) They were maybe six years old at the time, and they were innocently talking and playing and giving each other math and spelling-bee quizzes. ALL my family were giggling, saying they were going to be boyfriend and girlfriend.

I also think back to all the times I see young girls being judged on their physical beauty and told they're going to have a handsome boy when they grow up because they're so pretty.

From childhood, boys and girls have their sexuality assumed for them. Their SEXUALITY and romantic possibility are talked about openly in front of their face. They're made to look at themselves sexually before they even want to.

So when people yell at Byler fans saying "Why do you have to make everything gay?" I want to scream at them:

"Why do you have to make everything straight!?"

Why do you insist on sexualizing children to be heterosexual even before they're ready to start thinking of themselves in those terms?

Why do you have no problem with Mike kissing El in season 1 right after she asks him if he's like her "brother"?

Why do you idealize their relationship when they were children, while simultaneously trying to shame Byler fans for trying to "sexualize children" even though these are fictional characters and the actors who play Mike and Will are already adults?

Why do you shame any thought or possibility of homosexual romance, while imposing heterosexual norms on everyone?

It reminds me of people who say "You can be gay of course... just don't shove it in our faces (by holding forth that you're gay, kissing in public, etc.)." When no one bats an eye when straight people do the same thing. They might claim they're not homophobic, but actual equal treatment of LGBT+ people they don't accept.

It's Straight Privilege in action: the norms and standards that straight people enjoy quietly do not to apply to us.

This hypocrisy even distorts how Milkvans view Mike and El. We're told that if Mike and Will get together, that would mean Mike "used El" and El would never be able to forgive him.

Not only does this disregard that people can have amicable break-ups and still be close friends: it also shows that the idea of a platonic loving relationship between a Mike and El is beyond their comprehension. To them, the only loving relationships boys and girls can have with each other are romantic ones.

(Now, before anyone objects: sure many people accept Robin and Steve, but that's because Robin is canonically gay. We all know that before she came out many of us (me included!) were shipping those two as a couple!)

If someone ships Mike and El WITHOUT her confronting him about his poor treatment of her in early s4, without there being an honest conversation about that, this definitely raises an eyebrow from me. The "love confession" didn't address this: his fear of losing her did NOT explain his failing to comfort her or failing to say he loved her. Theoretically it's possible for these two to repair things. (And if Milkvan is endgame I hope that they do by addressing this!) But for some Milkvan shippers the need to address Mike's behavior doesn't even enter their minds because they're idealizing their relationship. In other words, THEY are imposing their idea of a relationship on these two, much in the same way my family was imposing their own ideas on my two cousins without regard to the people involved.

So if anyone asks "Why can't two boys just be friends? Why do you have to make everything gay?" it's purely hypocritical and dishonest. No, we just want THIS relationship between Mike and Will (which is clearly being built up as romantic) to be gay out of a sea of heterosexual relationships on TV.

No. THEY are the ones who rule out a boy and girl just being friends. THEY are the ones who insist on imposing romance on a boy and girl when they're not ready. THEY are the ones who insist on "everything" being one way.

-teambyler

[hattersrabbit]

GOODNESS INCARNATE

yandere avengers x kryptonian! reader | sfw

CW! male reader, can be seen as either platonic or romantic, toxic behavior, overprotective avengers, obsessive behavior, golden retriever! reader, ambiguous ending

Summary! at some point something fell from earth and crashed into earth. A new hero rises up in the city of Metropolis and catches the eye of Earth’s Mightiest Defenders, and it ends up getting a bit too far.

✎ᝰ.don’t ask about the timeline or anything call it an au where endgame doesn’t happen :D

next | series

˖꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷

Somewhere in Kansas a space shuttle fell to earth. It was never found, but the couple said to be incapable of having children had a child, and a dog too.

A child that was above from normal. That being you. An alien from the planet Krypton that had died. You and your dog, Krypto being the only one of your kind.

The last surviving Kryptonians.

Your new parents were a joy to have. You loved them and they raised you very protectively, and in return you cared for them.

With your strength, and Krypto you helped save your city Metropolis for the first time. The massive billionaire Lex Luthor caused massive damage and almost killed a bunch of people if not for you.

Dressed in blue and red you were a symbol of hope. The S across your chest being a family crest. One of the last of your parents own existence.

The people loved you, and you find the world was interested in you. A hero that came out of nowhere.

And certainly you were loved. Nick Fury couldn’t deny the need to get you on the team of train wrecks.

In fact, it could all be seen all the way to a Spider Boy who could only look at the footage in awe. The hero was someone who Peter Parker aimed to be.

Beside him was Wanda, the Scarlet Witch who looked on with awe in her eyes as well. As a woman who’s gone after bad thing after bad thing she couldn’t help but want goodness.

You were goodness. She could feel it, even if it was through a video.

Tony was apprehensive but even so he never seen someone so good. It was like you never faced horror ever. Your kindness and not a hint of showing off, or playing around while fighting.

Determination.

Captain America; Steve Rogers saw himself in you. Goodness that he could never achieve. One that smiled despite it all, while somberness swallowed him into a boastful mouth.

Bucky would have to agree. He was smiling once back then, and you were literal sunshine. A smile on those lips with such natural strength, and treating civilians with such kindness.

Thor found you adorable, and could feel that you were worthy of his hammer. Even through videos of you he felt like you were worthy. Absolutely beautiful he also thought. What man could fly through the air so gracefully like that. Without a care, and just as quick.

Natasha and Clint admired you. Albeit maybe it was a sense of something they never got. A man who hadn’t ever killed in his life, and was smiling. A sense of light they never got, and there you were.

Sunshine for them to bask themselves in.

Bruce felt wary but you were strong. No anger seemed to be in your body. Surely yes you seemed angry at Lex Luthor but that was for obvious reasons. You weren’t always angry like him. Angry only when necessary, unlike him.

Control of yourself is what you had.

A semblance of this world is that it was corrupt. A source of true good like you, and while you weren’t of them you believed in good.

Good in human beings.

The avengers knew better.

So when you’re recruited they aimed to make sure you’d ease into that reality. When offered the chance you jumped at it.

Imagine the surprise when Krypto arrived by your side. The avengers were no less taken aback and flustered.

You smiled big and wide. Nothing to hide and kind to them all.

Unbeknownst to you the immediate thought of you changed. A being that was good and needed to be protected. This group had been through terrible things, and it brought them down.

Made them turn darker.

Wanda knew that better than anyone.

Bucky hated himself for it.

Peter remembered the days when people knew of him, and how in those last moments back then he almost committed true murder.

They hid it well.

Steve would greet you with open arms and a welcoming smile, “Welcome to the team!” He would pat you on the shoulder. He would blink when it felt like metal.

You would laugh brightly, and saying a lot of people said that. Although it wasn’t like you were gonna say you were an alien. Not yet anyway.

They would find out anyway. Thanking Wanda for that, for she read your mind.

Imagine the wonder Peter had when he talked to you. Over the years now that he was Spider-Man he had lost his once happy attitude in being a hero.

You a little older than him was still hopeful, and hadn’t started as a teenager. You were hopeful and Peter couldn’t help but admire you. That smile; the one he lost and you still had it.

You can’t blame him when he stole one of your notebooks. The pages had tons of notes of your perceived faults and self-hatred. Don’t blame him when he shows Steve and Tony.

Don’t mind the confusion when the entire team is praising you more than usual. Any time you lift something instead of the Hulk Bruce smiles. His anger dismissed and he’s praising you despite his shy nature.

Don’t be surprised when you get hurt and spit blood that you get tested by the scientist. Tony even going as far as tweaking your suit to make sure you’re more protected. It was sweet, but useless venture to say you didn’t need it.

Of course you needed it. You were young, and even had fewer experience than Peter. You had no idea what you were talking about. Bruce and Tony were older.

They knew better, and told you that.

Naively, you shrugged it off. Krypto would only tilt his head at the them, and albeit he became much more close to you.

Wanda didn’t seem to like the change.

Once or twice Krypto would stare at her. ‘Try it.’ The dog was protective and a nuisance. He could feel the darkness. The woman was more susceptible to the darkness. The obsession of getting you to herself.

The others so far, Bruce and Tony already got hands on you when you got injured. Although never really seemed to look into your mind. What if you got brain damage?

She could fix it. Her magic would change it from affecting you. Peter had too much time with you. She was more your age, so you should be with her.

In a way you reminded her of Vision. Kind and understanding. Normalcy that she begged for and clung to.

Maybe she could change the dog but you would notice. It would make you sad, and she didn’t want that. Surely she was wanting you to herself, but your happiness also mattered.

She would be careful.

Get Krypto’s trust was her plan.

The two who have killed before were floored with the kindness. With the protectiveness you gave them.

In act of almost being killed you rang over them with your huge size and protecting them in the blast. Your scream of pain was loud in their ears.

Thor heard it loud and clear. The enemy was on the floor in seconds. Too brutal for normal, and you questioned Thor.

The god gave an excuse that you completely fell for. Too sweet and naive for this world. A sheltered kid in the Midwest fields, with protective parents.

Still too unforgiving of this horrible world.

Thor couldn’t tell you that he almost aimed to kill the attacker.

Natasha would share a look with him.

They knew. Murder was out of the question, but when you screamed like that they knew that maybe maiming was the move. Clint would talk to you as the two discussed what to do with the assailant.

Hearing the news Bucky would want to check over your wounds. There were none but it didn't stop him from getting those mental fingers on your bare skin.

You would shiver. Cold against your warm skin. Shining like the sun Bucky would think. Steve would look too.

A body like his own and invincible to harm.

At least they thought.

Kryptonite was horrible. Lex Luthor's laugh haunted them. You on the floor and holding your chest. Blood flowing from your mouth and a bullet in your chest.

Bruce was terrified.

Peter and Wanda beside themselves.

And so when you awake from your slumber don't ask about the disappearance of Lex Luthor. Don't ask why you can't hear his distinct heat beat.

Don't ask your still on bed rest, and Krypto is so much more hostile towards everyone now. Wary of Wanda and her glares to your dog.

Don't ask why Bruce's lingering touch stayed.

Don't ask why your mind seemed played with.

Don't bother with the protective members who've been known to kill before to be so close to you.

Don’t tell Peter to leave your side. Don't ask Steve to stop defending your city, Metropolis.

All the avengers ask of you is to keep that smile on your face no matter how confused you are.

To keep there goodness, and to never be corrupted.

To be good.

[harmoonix]

🃏Endgame ♣️

Astrology Observations

♥ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♥☜♥ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♥☜♥ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♥☜

🃏 Lilith square/opposition/conjunct/quincunx Neptune, the native has a hard time to come with their sexual desires and sexual illusions, you may fear that your sexual desires won't come true

🃏 Lilith aspecting the Moon (all aspects) cannot handle liars, they hate the lies and won't accept the dear people in their lives lying to them

🃏 Sun harshly aspecting Saturn natives can have a hard time with their fathers, the father's behavior/personality/mood etc...

🃏 Inner Libra Placements such as Sun or Moon can tend to be "people pleaser" because they just wanna unite people and make them happy but they can fall under others people manipulation if they're not aware enough

🃏 People often call Gemini Placements as being "two faced" but they don't realize how hard it can be for them to show themselves to the world

🃏 Capricorn & Aquarius Placements aren't cold or mean they just don't wanna waste their energy and time with people who don't deserve it

🃏 If you are a woman and you have Lilith - Mars aspects you can often find men being misogynistic or close minded around you

🃏 The dark side of the Cancer Degrees 4°, 16° and the 28° is wounded feminine energy, it can be hard for them to be in this energy sometimes

🃏 Pluto in the 10H or at 10° or 22° degrees. People hate the authority and power you have upon some things in your life so take care for others to not ruin it

🃏 Capricorn Moons or Moon in the 10H or at 10° 22° degrees often hide their pain to not worry the people in their lvies

🃏 Moon sextile/trine/conjunct the Ascendant can make the native extremely caring, but one thing about them is that you can see through the people and their emotions/feelings and fears

🃏 When someone has their 8th house sign in the same sign as your Sun, you can have a hateful relationship at first

🃏 Neptune conjunct the ascendant natives often find themselves creating their own world in their head so they forget about the bad world they live in

🃏 When you have Lilith aspecting Sun or Saturn it can feel like people don't do justice for you do you have to fight for your own rights and your own justice

🃏 Lilith/Pluto or Saturn in the 4H or 12H house don't really like to talk about their past. They better keep it only for themselves

🃏 Pluto in the 7H can attract toxic partners and sometimes even manipulative ones. You need to have higher standards when it comes to your relationships

🃏 Pluto in the 9H makes the native sensitive to others people needs and feelings, they have a very powerful intuition and feel that

🃏 Chiron in Sagittarius or in the 9H can make you to hate your own religion system or belief, can make you be close minded or not that open to others opinions, sometimes your freedom can be taken away from you

🃏 Chiron in the 11H or Chiron in Aquarius natives often attract people who want or need healing then those people leave and they basically wasted their energy to heal others for nothing

🃏 Uranus in your 2H, sometimes money come unexpectedly in your life. Sometimes they will leave. You need create a balance for your money

🃏 Virgo in the 4H natives can grow up in nurturing/naturist homes, where probably the mother had a naturist medicine for everything

🃏 The dark side of having Capricorn degrees in your chart such as 10° and 22° degrees can make you to feal weak instead of strong or powerful

🃏 Having heavy 6H placements or stelium can make the native to have a draining everyday life, you need a break and a hug for sure

🃏 Ascendant aspecting Pluto or Saturn can make you to be intimidating to others, sometimes even scary

🃏 Chiron in the 1st/2nd or 12th house have other people projecting their problems in these native's lives

🃏 Aries or Mars in your 3rd house may cause you to be overly aggressive or impulsive in communication and learning, your assertive personality may appear domineering to others

🃏 Jupiter in the 7th house natives can be the most happiest in their relationships/with their partners

🃏 Jupiter trine/sextile/conjunct Ascendant makes you a generous, supportive, and enthusiastic person. With physical good looks, charm, and an engaging personality

🃏 Natives with the Mercury in the 11th house or Mercury in Aquarius it fills their lives with peace also Mercury in the 11th house makes the native very friendly and loved among the people.

🃏 Mercury or Mars in the 9H or in Sagittarius good at mastering more or multiple languages

🃏 Uranus in the 12th house is a placement of intense transformation and spiritual growth. People with Uranus in the 12th house often find themselves exploring the unknown and pushing boundaries.

🃏 Chiron in the 5th house natives emphasizes themes related to creativity, self-expression, and romance and also self acceptance is very important for them

🃏 Chiron in Taurus natives brings a greater sense of neglect, especially about valuing themselves and their worth

🃏 Cancer MIDHEAVEN/Cancer in the 5th house/Cancer Moon are good indicators if you want to work as a teacher/pedagogue

🃏 Uranus square Midheaven makes the native fiercely independent and rebellious with almost everyone in their lives

🃏 Moon conjunct/trine/sextile Jupiter amplifies the native's intuition, wisdom and creativity. Is a great placement for discovering yourself

🃏 In my opinion I think the most luckiest time in your life astrologically talking is when Jupiter returns back into the sign where it was when you were born

🃏 Sun-Pluto aspects can indicate being exploited when young/maybe in childhood or in young ages

🃏 Pluto in the 11H natives can often be misunderstood by people, sometimes even by their friends or close people

🃏 Chiron square/opposite/quincunx Venus can have a hard time to express their feelings fearing they'll be rejected or simply out of embarrassment

🃏 Chiron in the 3rd house can get verbal bullying by other people, is important to not care about the harsh words and to not take them to heart

🃏 Having part of Fortune in the 10 H or in Capricorn indicates that a greater sense of happiness and contentment can come more easily through your achievements

♥ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♥☜♥ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♥☜♥ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♥☜

Harmoonix ♥️♥️❤️

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

So I'm putting together an In Defence of Cassie PowerPoint for a PowerPoint night with friends. Do you have any arguments for or against her? I trust your opinion and am curious.

Let's see.

"She's too powerful, too unique, too far-seeing, and not good enough for Jake! What a Mary Sue!"

Counterpoint: May I introduce you to the reigning champion fan favorite, Sad White Boy Tobias?

Only nothlit ever to regain the ability to morph

Only known human-andalite hybrid ever to exist

Regarded as savior by entire hork-bajir species

Entire existence is a time paradox the war hinges upon

Pulls the canonically "most beautiful girl in our grade", who turns down 6 or 7 other offers in favor of Bird Boy

Correctly predicted planetary ecology 65 million years in advance

Believed to be immune to 2-hour limit

In conclusion: y'all wouldn't be crying "Mary Sue" if Cassie was a sad white boy, and I can prove it.

"She's too weak and hand-wringing, and she never helps the war effort!"

Counterpoint: First of all, the fact that the same people say this in the same breath as "she's too powerful" is... telling. Secondly:

She saved the entire team's lives in #24, in #29, in #44, and in MM1, among others.

Specifically calling out #44 — that ending shows she is willing and able to be ruthless when her friends are in need. She doesn't like slaughtering human-controllers, but if the alternative is everyone she loves dying, then she'll fucking well do it.

Much like Jake (see: Sad White Boy), she's more willing to risk herself than her friends, hence the end of MM1

Her medical knowledge saves Marco from rabies, Ax from brain!appendicitis, and Tobias from bird flu.

Her survivalist knowledge saves everyone in #25 (the Arctic), MM2 (Cretaceous Era), #11 (rainforest), and #14 (desert).

In conclusion: Cassie's only idealistic-looking by the standards of this extremely morally gray team.

"She's so unfair to Jake!"

Counterpoint: Jake? The Jake who refused to speak with her for weeks? Jake who proposes marriage while they're still broken up? Jake who announces he'll never trust Cassie again because she [checks notes] saved his brother's life? That Jake?

Also:

She gives him tons of emotional support in #16, #21, #47, and other times he's feeling low.

They have a healthy argument where they air differences and come to an understanding in #9.

Did I mention he doesn't just dump her but ghosts her in the middle of the war's endgame?

They're teenagers. Their relationship isn't perfect, but it is built on open communication and mutual respect which is more than Rachel and Tobias can say

She's fighting a war, and PTSD for that matter. No, she doesn't have infinite emotional bandwidth.

In conclusion: Their relationship is fine, their breakup is mutual, and her behavior only looks bad if, once again, you're holding Cassie to a different standard than you are Jake.

"She shouldn't have trusted Aftran!"

Counterpoint: friendly reminder that the alternative was killing a 6-year-old for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If that's what you think Cassie should've done, that tells us more about you than about her.

"She spends too much time moralizing!"

Counterpoint: this is a book series about war, not a friggin' video game. If you want moral pornography, go play Call of Duty. If you want sci fi realism, then you're going to have to accept that a majority of humans prefer not to kill their fellow humans if at all possible.

"She's a ripoff of [insert character here]!"

Counterpoint: literally every single one of these says more about the commenter than about the source work. "Every dystopia is set in the U.S." is the kind of thing only people who only read books by American authors would think. "All epic fantasy is Eurocentric" => tell me you only read books by white people without telling me. I'm glad you think Cassie is too similar to Willow Rosenberg, but there are at least 6 other stories in the known world, and I hear some of them even feature sweet/dorky/caring characters who are secretly ultra-powerful.

In conclusion: You don't have to like Cassie as a (fictional) person, but 85% of criticisms directed at her are bad-faith attacks on one of the 1990s' only fat Black female gnc ultra-powerful superheroes.

[wisecura]

Sheets

megumi fushiguro x fem-reader

p.1  ( ⸝⸝꩜ ᯅ ꩜⸝⸝;) p.2

AN: this is still being edited and I'm not entirely sure if it'll be everyone's cup of tea. it'll be a slow burn, and a long fic but I have an idea laid out! each chapter will be around 3k just to keep things spaced and easy. Thank you for reading!

warnings: i'm putting these here for future chapters too, and ill sprinkle some in as I go. I want to make it clear, there is no underage sex, but later on there will be some more raunchy shit. this is somewhat non-canon compliant-make it up as I go

-ok for the real warnings: yandere, obsessive behavior, possessiveness, mommy kinks, mommy issues, arranged marriages, forced marriages, angst, eventual smut, clan politics, age gap (5 years from meg, and a little over 10 with toji), toji aint the best dad, mentions of child abuse, slowww build. I'm already 20,000 words into this shit so if your ready lets ride.

Short summary: Your arranged marriage to Toji Fushiguro had been sudden and unexpected, but now you found yourself living under his roof alongside his moody stepson. Your only directive from your clan head before moving in was clear: keep a close eye on Toji, the notorious Sorcerer Killer, and his son, a potential sorcerer prodigy.

Lets Begin

Your arranged marriage with Toji Fushiguro had been quick and unexpected.

The black sheep of the Zenin clan wasn’t exactly known for his well-rounded reputation, teetering on the edge of severing all ties to his family at any given moment.

He hadn’t been in contact with them for years, and financial support on their end was nonexistent. He was constantly broke, especially after Megumi was born. He assumed it was retaliation for marrying outside the clan—without their approval. But when his late wife passed, he had already taken on her surname, somewhat severing himself from the dingey clan he had once called "family."

After her death, he picked up side gigs, earning just enough to provide for the two of them. Megumi was older now, around thirteen, which made it easier to leave him alone for longer periods. Toji often took days-long "business" trips.

He’ll admit he wasn’t a great father, but he had kept his promise of keeping Megumi away from the Zenin clan and that sorcerer bullshit.

That was until he received an official notification from the Zenin clan head.

He hadn’t heard from the bastard in years, only to be met with a request—a demand—for his compliance in an arranged marriage. Initially, he planned to refuse. He wasn’t interested in an arranged marriage, wanted nothing to do with the sorcerer world, and even less to do with the Zenin clan. Hell, the only reason he bothered showing up at the clan house that day was to set that fucker straight.

Then he saw you—a pretty little thing. You couldn’t have been more than ten years younger than him, likely just turning seventeen, maybe eighteen. He couldn’t say for sure. But you were just too young for this shit—he knew that much.

They’d already brought you along for the proposal, as if they knew it would change his mind when he saw you. And, fuck, if they weren’t right.

You were beautiful. Polished and respectable. Speaking in low tones like the proper little housewife he was sure they’d trained you to be. He could see the endgame here—the reasoning behind pushing this arrangement on him. It wasn’t subtle.

The higher-ups likely wanted a presence in his home—someone to keep tabs on him and Megumi, no doubt. They hadn’t explicitly stated as much, but Toji had caught whispers through the grapevine about their interest in his son’s cursed technique. And with his own tendency to remain elusive, (and with all the whispers of him being titled a Sorcerer Killer) it wasn’t surprising that they’d want to keep a closer watch on him, too.

The thought of them using someone barely older than Megumi to achieve their goals left a bitter taste in his mouth. The arrangement reeked of manipulation—a calculated ploy to plant a spy in his home, someone to funnel information back to your clan, his clan, and the higher-ups.

Toji didn’t give a rats ass about his reputation, but it was clear they were fishing for confirmation. Likely hoping to uncover all of the unconfirmed truths. No matter how much he tried to brush it off, the whole setup just didn’t sit right with him.

But when he caught the way your eyes stayed steady, unwavering. You looked nearly indifferent to the situation, but he could tell this wasn’t what you wanted. It couldn’t be. You were really just a child. And yet, that dead expression of yours sealed the deal.

He accepted.

Another mouth to feed, another brat to deal with, no doubt. But maybe, just maybe, you’d be able to help keep Megumi in line while he was out working. Better that than leaving you to the wolves. He understood the clan system all too well—how they saw their women, how they treated them.

He’d seen how young brides were shuffled like pawns, in a game of chess. Paired with whichever man could best serve the clan’s interests. The thought of you being handed off to another pathetic bastard made his stomach churn. At least here, under his roof, you wouldn’t have to endure that.

Call it generosity if you wanted. But if he were honest, it wasn’t that. You reminded him of his late wife—the fearlessness bordering on defiance in your eyes. The sheer willpower it must’ve taken to show up in the first place. Most girls in your situation would have cried or begged, pleading not to marry some old geezer, especially one as infamous in the community.

But you didn’t beg. Didn’t cry. You just stood there, composed, unshaken. Bored. You could’ve been out shopping for groceries.

He could respect that.

And like that, the black sheep of the Zenin clan would become your husband. Your family. And your sole protector. 

He remembers the quiet way you stepped into his apartment for the first time, your gaze sweeping the room with a calm, measured air. There was no hesitation, no unease—just a quiet assessment of the space, as though you were cataloging everything in that sharp mind of yours.

The look on your face didn’t match someone your age. You carried the weight of forced maturity, a burden that stirred old painful memories he immediately shoved back down.

He could tell you were judging, though you didn’t say anything out loud. It was in the faint crease of your brow, the almost imperceptible way your lips tightened. It sparked a flicker of irritation in him, the kind he couldn’t entirely shake. If you didn’t like it, you didn’t have to stay, yeah? 

But, color him surprised, you didn’t say a word. You’d easily found your way to his bedroom, setting your things down, navigating the house easily. Then, as if you’d been living there for years, you got straight to work.

No requests, no questions—just quiet purpose.

It was like you’d already claimed your space, like you’d accepted the role handed to you without a second thought. He wasn't necessarily gonna ask you to do all that, but hell he sure as hell wasn't going to complain. 

Your former clan had trained you well. He could see it in the efficiency of your movements, the way you moved through the apartment as though it were second nature. No questions asked, no instructions, no unnecessary chatter. Just straight down to business.

Toji didn’t linger.

He slipped out quietly, already lost in his thoughts about the job he had to handle. He’d be gone for two days—maybe one, if he played his cards right. Not that he needed to tell you. You didn’t need to know the details. You were here to stay put, to take care of things while he was gone. Simple as that.

As he rounded the corner outside the apartment, that nagging feeling crept in—a vague itch at the back of his mind, like he was forgetting something.

He paused mid-step, frowning as he patted his pockets. Wallet? Keys? No, he had those.

His smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly shrugged it off, muttering under his breath, "Can't be that important."

Megumi had taken the long way home today.

Several boys in his class had been pissing him off to no end, and he’d been itching to punch something. He needed a distraction—something to cool him off. He really couldn’t afford to get into another fight. The pitying looks his teachers gave him felt degrading, especially when Toji never bothered to show to pick him up.

The long way home was scenic, at least. Trees and plants lined the path, offering some peace as he trudged along. He wasn’t sure whether Toji would even be home when he arrived. He never really knew for certain.

And honestly, Megumi wasn’t in the mood to hear his dad’s loud TV shows or his obnoxious phone calls. If he wasn’t, then the apartment would just be empty, cold, and silent.

Either way, it didn’t matter.

What Megumi really cared about was dinner.

The fridge had been empty for weeks, and his deadbeat dad hadn’t bothered to restock it. Megumi had been scraping by, finding ways to earn enough cash for food. Sometimes he’d deliver things for the neighbors or help them with spring cleaning. Those odd jobs usually kept him going, but lately, there hadn’t been any requests. The lack of work only adding to his frustration.

He didn’t interact with Toji much. Their relationship walked a thin line between hatred and indifference.  Most of the time, Megumi ignored his father, as much as Toji seemed to ignore him. On the rare occasions Toji remembered Megumi existed, it always ended in chaos—loud arguments, dismissive grunts, relentless teasing, or worse, painfully awkward attempts to act like a parent.

It had been that way ever since Megumi turned eleven. And today, more than anything, he was just hungry. Too hungry to fight with his absentee father, even if he was home. Too tired to care.

Walking up the stairs to his apartment, something caught his eye. The kitchen window was open. That stopped him in his tracks.

Toji wasn’t the kind of guy to leave windows open, even in decent weather—a weird thing to notice, but Megumi was always acutely aware of his surroundings, always attuned to his father’s patterns.

Megumi made his way inside, creeping slowly and so, so quietly. Peeking around the corner, he froze.

Someone was in the kitchen—a girl. No, a woman?

Your back was to him as you worked at the counter, slicing onions with quick, precise movements. He blinked, his sharp eyes narrowing. You were young—maybe just a few years older than him.

Younger than Toji’s usual type, that was for sure. You didn’t fit. Toji wasn’t a stranger to bringing women around the apartment, but they never looked like you. And they never lingered. Most were gone by breakfast, hurrying out with an awkward smile and a strained “bye” when they spotted Megumi at the table.

He watched you chop onions, noticing the glint of a ring on your finger. So, you were married—

“You can come out from there, y’know.”

Megumi flinched slightly, caught off guard. For a brief moment, he felt the sting of embarrassment—spying and getting caught really wasn’t a good look—but he quickly reminded himself this was his home.

He had no reason to feel embarrassed. Straightening his posture, he stepped out from behind the doorway, his sharp eyes fixed on you as you casually wiped your hands on a towel.

You turned to face him, a soft smile playing on your lips. The first thing he noticed was how pretty you were.

Tall and poised, you stood at least a head above him, dressed in modest, traditional clothing that seemed entirely out of place in this shabby apartment. There was something elegant about you, a kind of refinement that felt worlds away from the usual sleaziness of his father’s one-night stands.

“Who are you? Why’re you here?” His tone came out sharper than he intended. Unintentionally huffy and childish, and it made him pause a second.

You studied him for a moment, and for some reason his scowl almost endearing. You introduce yourself and explain, simply, that you lived here.

Megumi’s brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms, his voice ever defiant, no doubt pushed from the shitty day he just had. “You don’t live here. Leave.”

The attempt at a threat would’ve been more intimidating if his stomach hadn’t chosen that moment to growl, easily breaking the tension. You bit back a laugh, quickly covering your mouth, but it was hard not to find the situation amusing.

The way he stood there, furrowed brow and stubborn glare, reminded you of a fussy kitten—all bristling fur and misplaced bravado. It was clear he wasn’t used to strangers lingering in his space, and his defensiveness only made him seem all the more adorable. Still, he was being serious—you really shouldn’t laugh.

He looked so much like Toji—same sharp features, same brooding energy—minus the flat hair and scar. You’d heard about him before coming here, mentioned briefly by your clan head, but the reality of meeting him was something different. He was much cuter than you’d expected, truly embodying the “fussy kitty” vibe, and you had to resist the urge to tease him outright.

“Ah,” lightly, your tone as soothing as you could make it without giggling, “but I’m in the middle of cooking. Why don’t we eat first, and then we can talk?”

Your tone was gentle, your smile genuine, and Megumi couldn’t sense any malice from you. Besides, whatever you were making smelled incredible, and his stomach had been growling from the moment he walked in.

His gaze shifted to the counter, where ingredients and half-prepped dishes were laid out. He hesitated. Sure, his dad had brought women home before, but none of them ever bothered to cook—especially not for him. Against his better judgment, he gave a small, reluctant nod.

And before long, the two of you were sitting at the kitchen table, three plates set neatly in front of you. It was late, but you still held onto the idea that Toji might come home. You made light conversation with Megumi, trying to get a feel for the boy you now understood to be your stepson.

You’d been briefed by your clan about Toji and his son—vague instructions to “watch Toji” and “get on his son's good side.” They hadn’t been specific about why, but their motives were never selfless. Still, you had no intention of playing those games. Not fully.

What you wanted was to build an honest connection with your new family, especially with this grumpy, sharp-eyed boy who seemed to have a chip on his shoulder as big as his father’s. It’s the first time you’d really been away from the clan estate, so this was just really nice.

As the meal went on, you began to learn little things about him. He remained distant, of course, his responses clipped and matter-of-fact—but the warmth of a good meal and your gentle smile seemed to soften him, if just slightly. You managed to coax his name out of him, and though he said it without much fanfare, it felt like a small victory.

It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

It was a Friday night, and you figured Megumi would be around the house tomorrow. As you finished the surprisingly comfortable dinner, your eyes lingered on the third, untouched plate at the table—Toji’s. You wondered, briefly, if he’d show up at all.

“He probably won’t be back tonight,” Megumi said, breaking your train of thought. His voice was matter-of-fact, as if he had long since grown used to this routine. He shoveled another spoonful of food into his mouth before adding, “Probably be gone for a few days.”

This surprised you, sure, but you weren’t going to complain anytime soon. As long as you didn’t have to go back to that horrid clan house, you could put up with a missing husband. In fact, you kind of preferred it this way.

You laughed softly at Megumi’s puffed-up cheeks, causing his ears to dust red as he swallowed quickly. Your constant smiles still seemed to throw him off guard.

The conversation flowed easily—a mix of lighthearted bickering and probing questions on both ends. Megumi was really curious about the random woman that showed up in his home.

“What’s the ring for?” he asked suddenly, his sharp gaze flicking to your hand. His tone was casual, but there was an underlying curiosity, as if he hadn’t noticed the simple band until now.

Your fingers instinctively twisted the warm metal as you glanced down at it, the question catching you off guard.

“Ah, well, I’ve just married,” you replied softly, your voice carrying a faint melancholy despite your attempt to sound neutral. Your eyes zone out as you stare at the heavy band.

“It’s still new…An arrangement by my family.” You hadn’t meant to let that slip, but the truth clung to the edges of your words. Quickly, you smiled, avoiding a damper on the evening. You quickly reached over to ladle another spoonful of food onto Megumi’s empty plate.

“Arranged marriage? With who?” he asked, the concept not foreign but undeniably unsettling. You seemed like such a nice person, except for the fact that you were sitting in his kitchen—someone he’d assumed was just another one of his father’s passing flings.

But unlike the others, you’d cooked for him and his father, cleaned the kitchen till it looked better than it had in weeks. And now you were sitting down to dinner with him, as if you had nothing else you’d rather be doing.

Though he’d only known you for a few hours, he didn’t think you’d be the type to cheat on your husband or worm your way into their lives without cause. Maybe that was just his full stomach talking.

His mind caught up to him, the pieces falling into place.

“…Not…Toji. Right?” His voice faltered, and you couldn’t help but think how strange it was to hear him refer to his father by his first name.

You let out a soft laugh at his shocked expression, restraining yourself from patting his head, before nodding your own. “The one and only,”

The look on his face was comical—brows raised high, his mouth slightly agape. But beneath the initial surprise, there was something darker—an unease that settled into the lines of his frown. Wary, guarded. He didn’t like this, not one bit. 

After dinner, you sent Megumi off to bed, tidying up the plates left behind. He didn’t wait for you to finish cleaning, retreating to his room with his thoughts spinning.

As he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, he couldn’t stop replaying the conversation in his head. His father was married—to you, of all people. Supposedly. And for some reason, that knowledge left a bitter taste in his mouth.

It was weird. Megumi had left the house empty and returned to find you. If what you were saying was true, you were about to take over as his stepmother. He wouldn’t put it past his shitty father to pop up suddenly married—it was exactly the kind of thing Toji would do.

Still, the whole situation didn’t sit right with him. An arranged marriage wasn’t out of the question. You seemed way too sweet and proper to have chosen someone like Toji, willingly. Megumi’s knowledge of clan life, hierarchy, or how arranged marriages worked in the sorcerer world, was frustratingly limited thanks to his father’s insistence on keeping him far removed from all of it. 

Then there was your age. You were young—too young for his dad. Closer to his age than Toji’s. Was Toji an even bigger pervert than he originally thought? He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to settle down. What was this about, then? Did he just want a housemaid? Someone to clean up after him and Megumi while he went off on his “business trips”?

It didn’t seem fair to you. What were you getting out of this arrangement? You did say your family set it up…but what could have possibly led you to agree to marry someone like Toji?

The more Megumi thought about it, the more wrong it all felt. You seemed too kind, too proper, too... normal for this situation. Surely there was more to the story. Were you being forced into this? Did you have your own reasons that you weren’t sharing?

But then again, there was always the chance you were lying.

People lied all the time. You could be some psycho ex-girlfriend worming your way back into his father’s life. Or worse, a manipulative stranger with motives that had nothing to do with Toji at all. Maybe you’d rob the place blind, and by the time he woke up there’d be nothing left.

You might’ve seemed nice now, but Megumi wasn’t about to take anything at face value.

He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall, his thoughts racing. He didn’t know what to make of you, couldn’t figure out whether to trust the calm sincerity you projected or to see it for what it might be: a well-crafted facade.

One thing was certain—he wasn’t going to let his guard down so easily.

He’d just have to wait it out, keep an eye on you, and see what happened when Toji finally dragged his ass back home.

p.2?

AN: Thank you for reading! Please reblog and like if you enjoy this series!

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