#the attraction whiplash is real

[goldheartedsky]

Man, Django is too much for me

[lo1k-diamonds]

A woman's best friend 💜

PAIRING: Taehyung x (f)reader

SUMMARY: When you met, you and Taehyung hit it off instantly, becoming the closest of friends. You thought he was off limits, meanwhile, he’s been begging for a chance to put an end to your friendship.

WORD COUNT: 6,992 

GENRE: friends to ?, smut

RATING: R (explicit)

WARNINGS: mutual pining, dirty talk, body worship, nipple play, oral (both), rough, sweet, bittersweet, mentions of alchool, talks about Tae's sexuality

A.N. I heard Fri(end)s and had the idea for this fic... I love this song sooooo much 💜 Thanks to @downbad4yoongi for the beta! I don't know if I should do a part 2... we'll see 😁

Masterlist | Scroll my stories on Tumblr | Schedule and WIPs | AO3

“Fuck, what I wouldn't give for cock right now.”

Your voice came out in a low groan right before you brought your cold beer bottle to your lips to take a few swigs. The TV was blaring a new episode of Physical:100, and you understood everyone’s obsession with Amotti’s body. For you, it was the lack of sex mixed with alcohol, hormones, and being exposed to hot guys on the TV on a Saturday night. Well, and in real life.

You looked at Taehyung out of the corner of your eye. He had taken off his black leather jacket, but his tight black shirt accentuated his chest and wide shoulders. His dark eyes had jumped to yours at your words, but he was drinking his beer and didn’t stop. He was very handsome, something you had noticed the moment you met during photography class when he asked you for help in a project. Your heart had fluttered hard, but had since calmed down — he didn’t look at you that way. He was there to admire Amotti’s abs with you. 

At least you had a friend to share these debaucheries with.

“I mean,” he voiced as soon as his lips were free. “I have one right here.”

You threw your head back laughing, “I know.” You made sure to tap his chest playfully before reaching for another cherry in a bowl on the coffee table, pulling it from the stem between your teeth. “But you know…”

He was looking at you with his usual nonchalance, with legs spread, beer in his hand, and completely relaxed into your couch, but his eyebrow twitched.

So you nodded, “Alright, let me put it better.” You suddenly realized you could be offending him somehow: it was not because a person with a cock was present that they would want to have anything to do with you. So you corrected yourself, “What I’d give for a good fucking.”

He nodded, seemingly understanding, and you smiled, turning to the TV again. You were happy your friendship was like this; you used to talk about who you were attracted to and help each other out, and now you could openly comment on your thirst. It was perfect.

“Still applies.”

You turned to look at him so quick you almost got whiplash. Your eyes were wide, and your mouth blabbered before you could think, “What? But I helped you get it on with what’s his name a few months back.”

Your head was spinning, you were so confused. That night out had been the proverbial nail in the coffin of your secretly harbored hope. 

“Yeah, so?” His voice was monotone at best. “I’m pansexual.”

Your eyes widened comically as your cheeks flushed red. “Oh… I… I…”

“Assumed?” He raised an eyebrow again, and you were flustered, but still noticed him fidgeting, with his knee jumping repeatedly.

“Well… Yeah, kind of,” you admitted, with shame forcing your eyes down. Amotti showed on the TV again and you glanced. “You only ever talk about guys in front of me.”

You knew it before it was out of your mouth that it was a lame excuse, and he did too because he scoffed, “Yeah, well. What else do you want to talk about?”

“That’s not fair,” you complained, frowning with embarrassment burning your chest.

“Didn’t think you’d be interested in hearing my thoughts on women.”

He was looking away now, and you could hear a tinge of bitterness, and it pricked your heart. 

“Tae, that’s not true,” you insisted, reaching to put a hand on his arm so he’d look at you. Was that resentment? It hurt you deeply. “I want to hear your thoughts about everything,” you admitted with a shy smile, and his eyes softened. “And I’d wish we could talk about anything. I mean, look at what I just said.”

His lips twitched before he reached to catch your hand in his. He couldn’t see you sad, especially not about something like this. It could be that you had the wrong impression because he never bothered clarifying, and that was on him too. The reason he was deeper in his feelings for you, than he had ever been with anyone else, was you saying things like those, treating him like that. It was the reason he had canceled his weekend plans to be with you last minute, it was why he wanted to hold your hand, and at long last, why he was done being just friends with you.

“Fair. You’re right,” he relented, turning on the couch to you more comfortably. “Sorry, that’s not why.”

Your eyebrows furrowed, and you braved through it, “Why, then? Why haven’t we ever discussed this before?”

It would have been so easy to deflect, or act offended about his sexuality even being a topic of conversation, but he wasn’t doing that. He was putting the cards on the table tonight.

“I thought… You were so open-minded and welcomed me to join your friends and… I thought that if you knew, you’d treat me differently. Like just any other guy, and then we wouldn’t have become friends.”

“Tae…” You shook your head lightly, disappointment pulling the corners of your lips. He thought that of you?

“I also needed your help with that midterm project, so it was a life-or-death situation.”

He said it sheepishly, caressing your hand in his, and you chuckled, “That was so long ago.”

He nodded, lowering his eyes to your hands, and you kept a sigh from coming out. Maybe you were wrong to presume, but it was easily done when he blended in so easily with your group of girlfriends. Not because he wasn’t manly, but because he acted with grace and care, and had no qualms holding your hand or showing affection when most guys wouldn’t be caught dead doing that to a friend.

You nodded, “I thought we became friends…”

“We did,” he agreed, though his voice was an octave lower.

“So can, or can I not, say I’m craving a good fucking?” You squeezed his hand with a grin on your face before bringing your beer to your lips again. You didn’t care about his sexuality, and you’d been friends for so long you couldn’t read more into his actions, even if you wanted to delude yourself. 

You had hoped to lighten the mood and get back on topic, and you did. Sort of.

“You can always say it,” he mused, eying you with a darker look in his eyes once they locked with yours. “The question is: do you want to do something about it?”

“What can I do about it?” you asked with amusement before taking another swig.

“Fuck me.”

You would have choked if you hadn’t already swallowed. Instead, you gaped at him with eyes like a deer caught in headlights, “What?”

“I’m down if that’s what you want.”

You blinked for a second, taking in his casual demeanor as he sat on your couch, totally chill. Then you grabbed a pillow and swatted him right across the face.

He jumped in place, checking if he hadn’t spilled anything over the couch or himself. “What?!”

“What what?” You asked, pulling the pillow and throwing it away on the floor so he’d check on himself comfortably.

“What was that for?”

“I’m being serious, and you’re messing around!”

You couldn’t help your blushing cheeks, but you could keep things casual by taking a bit of inspiration from him.

You just didn’t expect him to shuffle in his spot with a pout, “I’m not messing around, I’m serious.”

You grimaced, shaking your head in disbelief, not even able to contemplate such an outlandish thought.

But he stayed put looking at you, as laid-back as always, and you felt the consciousness sober you up a little. That was him being serious.

“You… You’d—” You swallowed, annoyed by your own hesitation. “You’d fuck me?”

“Fuck yeah.”

His reply was instantaneous, and he bit the inside of his bottom lip. Maybe he shouldn’t have said that. Or better yet, said it like that. It wasn’t like that was all he wanted to do. It wasn’t like he was proposing a one-night stand, for you to become fuck buddies, or— What was he even suggesting?

“Well,” you spoke up before he could chastise himself internally. He could only look at you with bated breath. “Even if you’re into women, I never thought you’d… be into me.”

It could have made his head spin, but instead he sat more upright and frowned, “Why not?”

“I’m not all fit and pretty and shit.”

You were mumbling with your eyes on the floor, and he had to keep himself from scoffing, “Are you serious? There is nothing wrong with how you look.”

“No, just—” You glanced at him and instantly knew you wouldn’t be able to explain it properly. Or, better yet, that he’d never let you have your way. So instead, you huffed and rubbed your face, “Ugh, but… you always see me bare-faced and—”

“Fuck if that matters,” he shook his head, more irritated than you thought he’d be. “You know damn well none of that matters. You look good without makeup, your curves are crazy, and you have other attributes that top it all off.”

You couldn’t help laughing and pulling your legs under you as you got more comfy. The action got you closer to him, but you didn’t mind that. You were pretty convinced he was just messing around. “Like what? My wonderful personality?”

He smiled; he liked seeing you laughing and even more that you were leaning into him, with your arms pressed to each other. “I was going to say a significant chest size, but your personality is wonderful.” You burst out laughing, hiding in his shoulder, and although he liked you being relaxed and touchy with him, he wanted you to truly hear it. “I mean that.”

“Yeah, right!” You managed to say, still laughing. “Did we drink too much?”

You were grinning and shook your nearly empty bottle before putting it on the coffee table. You sat back, still leaning into him, and saw worry on his face for the first time. “Have you? If you have, then this conversation stops here.”

“I only had one bottle…”

“Me too.”

He raised it as if to imply it was that one and took it to his lips to finish it in one go. The gesture gave you a time-off from his gaze and allowed you to try to process what you two were talking about. You knew him well enough to gather he wasn’t pranking you, but you were unsure where that landed the two of you. You couldn’t possibly reevaluate your interactions, talks, and bond over this new light. That wouldn’t be justified, and regardless, you wanted his friendship. You wanted him in your life, by your side, being a part of everything, while you made sure to be a part of his everything.

He leaned to put his empty bottle next to yours before sitting back, “Would you fuck me?”

His tone was neutral, and suddenly your stomach lurched. Fucking wasn’t the word on the top of your head, but that wasn’t what you two were talking about.

You scoffed, “I’m not fucking blind.”

“What does that matter? I’m asking you seriously.”

His gaze had all the certainty someone as handsome and amazing as he could have. Your instinct was to cover your face before your feelings could be easily read and groan, “Ughhh.”

“What?” He sat closer, facing you, though your legs were already touching.

“I don’t know!”

“You don’t know what?”

“Ughhhh!”

“Yes or no, come on!”

“Ughhhh!”

You couldn’t see how frustrated he was becoming. Why were you groaning into your palms instead of answering his very important question?

He called your name, you groaned, and he almost tried ripping your hands away. Instead, he brushed your arms, “Words! Come on, use words! Why don’t you just say it? Yes or no? Must be a no if you’re—”

“Shut up!!” You exploded, revealing your wide, glistening eyes and pink cheeks. He was surprised. “Why?? Because it could ruin our friendship!”

“Saying if you’d fuck me or not will not ruin our friendship, even if it’s a no.”

Your face scrunched up in a mix between a plea and worry, but your lips remained sealed. He let his head fall back with a sigh, then faced you again.

“You know what might?” He paused, waiting for you to raise your eyes to him. That was all he needed to spill it out, “Saying that I want to give you the fucking you’re craving.”

You clenched around nothing right as your heart somersaulted, spreading a burn down your chest. You couldn’t even blink away from his stare, locked as you were. Instead, you swallowed, and he continued, as if spurred by your silence.

“Fuck you into a slobbering mess, and right now, I can think of like five different ways of doing it.”

You blinked, and that was the extent of your capabilities. He raked his fingers through his dark hair, and your only thought was how easy that would have been — you, a drooling mess in whatever one of those five ways. You only needed one, and it didn’t even need to be that complicated. He could start with his fingers in your mouth and—

“Starting by taking that stupid bra off and licking your n—”

You squealed and reached to cover his mouth with your hand. Your cheeks burned; thinking it and saying were two very different things!

He grabbed your wrist and pulled it away, uncovering his mouth but choosing silence. And you realized that saying something could only make it worse. You had gotten on your knees and were almost straddling him at this point. He had stayed put and, funnily enough, your deep breaths were raising and lowering your chest closer to him than before. He seemed to notice this too because his eyes roamed over your legs, your shorts, your white top, your chest, your neck, and finally made it to your eyes. You didn’t just watch him attentively observing you, you felt it in the tingles tracing you under his gaze, as though you needed to feel him somehow.

The tension was climbing up your spine, reminding you to move your neck just a little to release it, making your long hair fall over your chest instead. The simple motion was enough to draw his eyes and tighten your nipples, and your underwear clung further to you inadvertently. 

His eyes on yours had you shuddering, and his thumb rubbing your skin only amplified it. “Just say the word. If that’s what you want, just say the word.”

The last drop was his velvety voice. That wonderful trust inducing, hypnotizing, delicious voice that you’d follow to the end of the world.

You were already nodding, and you still managed to hoarsely voice, “Yes.”

His eyes read your lips, but he didn’t move, and you faltered. You were unaware of how you were leaning into him, eyes fixed on his lips, absolutely bewitched. At that moment, all your hesitation melted away as you licked your lips. You were not beyond asking for a taste when he shortened the distance between you in the blink of an eye, making you gasp.

His big, warm hand instantly reached your jaw, supporting your head gently. His lips grazing yours with the utmost softness were what convinced you to close your eyes. Screw the shock trying to freeze you and steal this opportunity from you. You pressed his lips harder, removing any hesitancy from what you were doing — you wanted this.

You wanted to feel Taehyung’s kiss. You wanted to feed your curiosity, give sense to the fantasies sprouting in your head when you were lonely and heated, and learn what that forbidden fruit tasted like. 

Truthfully, you thought your lips were the only way to feel and taste him because at any moment it would all end. But as he kissed you back, matching your eager curiosity, you sighed. You succumbed to grabbing his dark hair in your fists, breathing in shakily when his hands framed your waist without an ounce of reluctance. You kept fearing you were acting crazy, that he would push you back and laugh this off as being drunk. It was why you couldn’t stop pressing him closer, sighing into his mouth every time his hands moved on your curves, licking against his tongue when it dared teasing you, and nibbling his bottom lip whenever he dared to stray.

You hardly noticed when he moved over the couch because his lips never left yours. And whether he’d pull you to his lap or lay you under him, it mattered little as long as he didn’t stop. All he did was kneel on the couch in front of you, kissing you harder. His fingertips touched the skin just beneath the hem of your top, and you jumped, bringing them further up your sides under the fabric. You were breathing heavily just at the feel of his wide hands exploring the expanse of your stomach, but when he reached your bra, your breath hitched. His words were still burning inside you, making you clench at the thought he evoked.

You opened your eyes and found him looking at you, puffy lips bruising yours as he sneaked his fingertips under the bra, digging gently at the supple skin. His tongue peeked, licking your lips slowly in a tease as his thumbs brushed your hard nipples over the fabric, and you groaned.

You didn’t care anymore, you were irrational. Yes, you had covered his mouth out of embarrassment before — the embarrassment of how much you wanted him to do what he was saying, and now he would. You were a train about to derail and nothing could stop you.

His dark eyes were still locked with yours as you squirmed to unclasp your bra at your back, trying to get rid of it. As soon as you did and the fabric no longer protected you, he leaned down and licked through your white top, finding a nipple all too easily. You squirmed but pressed his head to your chest harder, ignoring the bra almost around your neck, looking to feel exactly what he wanted to do to you.

He, on the other hand, found the bra obstructing the view of your face contorting in pleasure annoying, and got rid of it quickly by passing one of the strips down your arm. You were so immersed in gripping his hair and feeling him lick and pinch your nipples that you didn’t even notice. Only when he caught your lips again, grabbing and squeezing both breasts hungrily, did you notice there was no bra anymore, only your moan inside his mouth. He was devouring your whimpers, drinking every sigh as you enjoyed his hands on you, unable to hide it.

His lips trailed down your jaw and neck, and you squirmed, disliking what you thought was growing distance between you two. Instead, it made you realize that he had kneeled on the floor in front of you, and that his hands were squeezing your sides before dragging your top up. His open mouth kisses between your breasts gave you goosebumps, making you eager to roll your hips against him, but it was when his hands cupped your breasts and squeezed them to his face that you moaned, melting between your legs.

“Tae,” you breathed a moan, half in wonder, half in a plea. You wanted him to have you like you never wanted anything else before.

His name on your lips wantonly like that made his dark eyes flick to yours in what you believed was a line being crossed. He pulled the top above your head, parting from your chest only the time needed for this, before finally licking and biting your nipples, squeezing and groping whatever his mouth couldn’t catch. Your moans were shooting pure desire through his veins, especially as you let your head fall back to enjoy. Your nails were holding onto his shirt by his shoulders, not trying to stop him as he traced your hips and played with the hem of your shorts, but quite simply letting his mouth work you up.

You squirmed beneath him to let him drag your clothes off, and barely contained a squeal at his mouth trailing lower. You were feverish, wet, hot, absolutely derailed not just with the view, but with the anticipation. This was why you almost keened when, feeling him kiss your legs down to your knees, you looked down. Your panties were still on, and he was pecking your skin, feeling the smoothness of your legs with his hands before stopping. His eyes fixed on yours, glistening with just as much desire, but then his eyebrows twitched.

You were already exposed, winded, flushed, dazed, and there was only one thing you wanted. “Are you going to eat me?”

“If you let me.”

“Please,” you breathed, raising your knees to your chest in an offering.

The corners of his mouth twitched as though you had promised him candy, and he didn’t hesitate to lean down. His nose rubbed at your clothed center, and just him breathing deeply before nuzzling the skin around your panties made you hold in a shaky sigh. You would fall apart so easily if he kept teasing you like that. Your legs were trembling, you could barely take in enough oxygen, and then he pressed his lips to you. A low groan stayed inside your chest, as though the very sound could distract you from his kiss. It was both breathtaking and short of a tease to feel him pressing, grazing his lips across your covered slit, nuzzling your core to maddening effects. You couldn’t help your squirm or your hand shooting to his head with your request, and he obliged.

As though he was done with waiting, the same as you, he pulled the fabric aside and dove in. His groan was subtle, covering you with goosebumps right before you lost all sense and fell back. You didn’t know if it was the anticipation, the fantasy becoming reality, or the sheer hunger, but it floored you. His hands pressed your legs harder, almost as if he couldn’t let you get away, and he groaned. You felt it deep inside you, right as his tongue collected your slick on his way to your clit. He licked over it, driving you to squeeze your eyes shut, and in waves, barely kept you afloat. You bucked your hips to increase the friction, and he pressed his face harder, letting you feel the tip of his nose, tongue, and lips in open-mouthed kisses, but whenever you thought you would peak, he drew back. You didn’t realize your own push and pull, lulling yourself to his rhythm, until a louder whimper drew him to cup your ass and raise you to his mouth. He latched on, keeping a steel rhythm on your clit that was impossible to deny, regardless of how much you tried to writhe and keen. Your core burned with how tense you were, a sensation so consuming, you stopped breathing. You wanted the moment it sparked and covered you ablaze, and it did.

You melted from that point on, trembling and moaning so hard that you lost touch. Taehyung’s mouth was latched to your core, lavishly mouthing you as you wiggled and squirmed, grabbing onto his hair so crudely, it probably hurt him. Yet he groaned, sucked and breathed you in, and you wanted it even harder. Your peak dissolved despite your wishes, and although you had to pull him away so he wouldn’t hurt you, the vision that met you was shattering.

The sight of him covered in your come was like nothing you had imagined, quite simply because it was real. He was really kneeled between your legs, kissing your inner thighs, with his hair tucked in your grasp. Your legs were still trembling, and you wanted only to relax into the pillows with your much sought release, yet in an instant, you realized that was not what you wanted at all.

You pulled him to you as you lowered your legs to give him space, wrapping them around his waist. He let you, almost caught off balance, but you left no margin for errors. You grabbed onto his shirt for good measure and crashed his mouth to yours, kissing him with as much hunger as you could muster in your dazed, satisfied haze. You didn’t want to leave it there, and if licking your come out of his mouth didn’t convey this, then you didn’t know what did.

Taehyung kissed you back, smiling almost tenderly before scrunching up his nose at your tongue tickling him. Yet, despite your glued cores, he wasn’t trying anything else. He wasn’t pushing, or exploring you anymore, and you would have cowered, if it wasn’t for the bulge pressed to you.

You rolled over him, getting him to sit on the couch before pulling away to kneel between his legs. No way he could eat you like that if he didn’t like it or was turned on, and you weren’t over your curiosity. You wouldn’t stop until you hit all stops.

“I always wondered,” you started, reaching your hands inside his shirt so you could scratch down his chest. “What it would be like for you to touch me,” you licked your lips as he smiled. “To touch you,” you mused, reaching his flat stomach. “For you to want me,” your hands cupped the bulge in his pants, and you shuddered at the harness twitching back. “Like I want you.”

You were brimming with desire, and knew he was too when he reached to grab your hair and crash your mouths together. To your surprise, he didn’t pull or push you in one direction or the other; it was as though he simply wanted to kiss you. If anything, he only hardened under your hand.

You couldn’t think about what that meant, only that you wanted to continue and fulfill all your dreams tonight. You unbuckled his belt and opened his pants, and he helped you get them and boxers off. Your chin almost fell in awe at the cock imposing before you, so hard and stiff it was pointing at you. So close to your face, it could only have been an invitation.

You touched it tentatively, feeling the soft, warm skin covering lengthy veins from base to top. Its puffy pink tip was the perfect size for you to lick, and you did. There was usually an order to these things, but not tonight. He looked pretty and hungry, and you wanted to eat him too.

Your tongue only took a taste before you sank your mouth on him. There was no way you could take him whole, as he was already poking the back of your throat, but it didn’t matter. You were there for the experience, for his taste, for that fucked out look on his face as he closed his eyes and let his jaw slack. Taehyung was fucking gorgeous, like the peak of human perfection, and it turned out it was even better when his cock was stuffing your mouth.

You couldn’t stop yourself. Your plans escaped your mind; all that mattered was bobbing your head, lapping your tongue, sucking him and doing all that with your eyes fixed on his expression. It was the sweetest part of all — he liked it. He was breathing heavily, biting his bottom lip, blushing, and finally fluttering his eyes open. They were like candy; all his strength and power surrendered to your mouth, and you drooled. You finally closed your eyes and let your head fall as deep as you could take him, just to keep him there while you braced yourself for what you wanted.

You pulled away, letting him breathe a groan before facing him, “Said you’d fuck me.”

He blinked, almost stupefied, and you got up from your knees. You moved swiftly to the entryway to search in his jacket for what you were looking for, and when you turned around, you almost stumbled. Physical: 100 was still on the TV with the contestants showing off their physique, and yet they didn’t even come close to that view. Taehyung was tall, towering over your entire living room as he stood there, naked, hard, with dark, glistening eyes set on you. Not even his disheveled hair or the pants at the bottom of his feet made him look any less heavenly. That view was perfect, and you didn’t allow yourself to think too much about it.

Instead, you waved the condom you had just found, and he nodded, getting rid of the clothes by his ankles in the time it took you to reach him. The moment your hands were cupping his cheeks, he was already pulling you by the waist, eager to hold you and kiss you. He didn't hesitate to feel your curves, reaching your ass to pull you to him, and you molded yourself to him, arching your back into him.

You were dizzy with his attention, with his big hand squeezing your ass while the other gripped your hair, but when he meant to sit down, you pulled him to stay put. You grinned, giving him the condom, then got on the couch on all fours.

You didn't see his surprise, only felt a soothing hand on your ass down your leg, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, please,” you sighed.

It wasn't much of a logical thought, but the idea was to have him in as many positions as you had fantasized. You doubted you'd get far — as soon as he was inside you, all ideas would evaporate — but doggy was good to start. You wanted him raw and deep, reaching places inside you no one could. Of course, you couldn’t have him raw, but if he fucked you without holding back, you'd already consider that a win.

Taehyung got on one knee on the couch behind you after covering himself and eyed you. You were vulnerable like that, with your unblemished back arching and long hair falling over your shoulders. He’d like you in any position, but he couldn’t help pursing his lips. He touched your soft skin again, and you wiggled your ass for him, and although he bit it playfully just to make you jump and sigh, he still second-guessed it.

It felt impersonal. In all of his dreams of you, he rarely pictured being with you like this without at least a mirror so he could see you, so you two could communicate. He wanted to be with you, to feel and watch you writhe in pleasure, in the ways he could make you feel; not to turn your face away so he could use you. If anything, your face was what made it special.

You wiggled your ass again with an impatient sigh, and this time you pleaded, “Please, Tae.”

You looked over your shoulder and saw his expression softening before he got behind you. The feel of his cock brushing your folds had you shaking, but it was his nails scratching down your spine that did it. You fell back on him, unwilling to wait for him, and he let you, groaning. He helped your hips as you wiggled and searched to get him deeper, and as you did, you both sighed.

You could feel him stretching you despite your previous orgasm, and you smiled. In another circumstance, you’d just enjoy the show without thinking much of it, but just the fact that it was Taehyung turned you on again. And when he started moving, he delivered.

It wasn’t just his hips smacking yours, the crown of his cock teasing your cervix and making you groan and curl your nails around the couch armrest. It was the way he held your waist, leaned over you to peck over your spine, and responded to every reaction of yours. You mewled and tried fucking into him? He fucked you harder, adjusting the angle so you’d keen mindlessly. You moaned and hid into the pillows, feeling so tense you didn’t know your name? He reeled back, slowing down his thrusts to let you breathe. You whimpered and called his name? He was instantly all over you, kissing your neck near your ear, asking if you were okay without ever stopping giving you what you wanted.

You looked over your shoulder, meeting his eyes as he kissed your skin there, and you thought that was impossible. You knew Taehyung was attentive, but that bordered on perfection, and you didn't know how to deal with that.

“Harder,” you whispered, glistening eyes boring into his.

“Are you sure?”

You grinned, “Said you’d leave me a slobbering mess.”

“You sure look like it,” he teased, and you laughed. You knew you were drooling onto the couch, but you also knew he was holding back.

“Give everything to me,” you sighed, and your lightness earned you a nod.

The second he pulled away, you wondered if you knew what you asked for, and the second he showed you, you knew you did. He grabbed your hair in a fist to keep your back arched, and your mind melted. The way he rutted into you, holding your waist so you’d stay in position to take every thrust, only made you keen and moan louder. He felt so good it was unbearable; how did he reach deeper and harder when you thought you were at your limit? His groans, his scent, his nails piercing your skin to hold you in place; you could barely function in the frenzy.

You knew you were tightening because his focus was faltering, but when he stopped, you were worried. “Tae?” You asked, trying to swallow the dizziness and figure out why that stairway to heaven had suddenly halted.

“I can’t—” His voice was a whisper as he tried regaining his breath. “I’ll come.”

Your eyebrows jumped, and you almost smiled, but you bit your lip to keep it in, “How’s that?”

He was still squishing your flesh in his hands, but he took one hand to brush his sweaty hair out of his eyes, “You’re so tight and warm and—” You clenched involuntarily, and he grabbed your ass again, “You fucking tease.”

You stifled a laugh and could swear he’d spank you, but instead he covered you and bit your shoulder. You finally laughed, “Let me ride you.”

He hummed, and instead of answering, he let you take the brunt of his weight as he held your hips. You groaned with the effort, still shuddering at his lips tracing your cheeks to your neck, but then you moaned lavishly. He was pressing himself slowly to you, reaching inside you and twitching, and you thought you’d be too desensitized, but it was the opposite. Your core hugged him, sucking him in with the subtle rolls of your hips, and he groaned into your ear, making you flutter even harder. It was as though he couldn’t help himself, ensuing that small push and pull enough to get you both crazy.

But you insisted, “Tae.”

And he was off of you in a second. He sat down and helped you turn around and straddle him. You were flushed, covered in sweat, but he didn’t seem to mind. You were so wet you were sliding, but he guided your hips as you grabbed his cock. Just looking at him beneath you, you knew it would feel amazing, but something about staring into his eyes as you sank onto him rewired your priorities. Instead of looking to give a show or tease him, you let your chin drop the same as his and reached to hold his head in place. Your nails grazed his skin as you gripped his hair by the back of the nape and rolled your lips to feel him inside you as deeply as possible. His eyebrows knitted as he looked down, and you burned under his gaze, wanting for nothing more than for him to feel as good as you did. And by the way his fingers were digging into your hips and his droopy eyes came back to yours, you knew he did. You knew that every jerk of your hips stole his breath too, squeezed his tip to your smooth walls, and ground on him in a way that made you hover even though you were sinking.

Your fingers curled around his hair, “I can’t hold— I’ll come—”

If he was surprised at how easily you fell apart, he didn’t let on. You searched for his kiss right before your orgasm swept you away, and he held you, kissing you and receiving your deep moans onto his skin as though it was praise.

You were dizzy when you came down and held onto his shoulders, and it was almost funny when he grabbed you to lay over you on the couch. A euphoric giggle almost burst out as he pecked and nuzzled every inch of your face — you could swear you were with Taehyung, but that wasn’t—

“Can I finish?” He whispered against your mouth and you opened your eyes.

Taehyung was really holding you in his arms, balls deep inside you, smiling with a hint of amusement.

You nodded, and he hummed, “Sure you had your fill?”

You shuddered, aware of the state of things. No.

As it was, you’d never have a proper fill because you didn’t want it to end. But as reality would have it, Taehyung was just fucking you. Just like you asked.

So you nodded and kissed him, refusing to let those feelings surface right now. You started, you’d finish. The final destination was just ahead; you had to know what he felt like when he came.

He kissed you back and restarted the sweet movement of his hips, and you sighed. He held your legs high so you could wrap them around him, and grabbed onto your hair to keep your chin up. You could barely breathe without a moan, and looking into his eyes while he fucked you made it all the harder. His lips were parted for soft sighs, and you squirmed under him, adjusting your hips. It was enough for him to falter and let you hide in his chest. You breathed him in, biting down on the soft flesh out of sheer frustration. He felt so good you could lose yourself again, but that wouldn’t happen. He wasn’t yours.

Still, his love felt like heaven. So when he pulled your head up again to face him, you did. You moaned your pleasure so he’d know how amazing he felt, scratched him closer, and looked into his eyes just like he wanted. In an instant, he groaned, and his hips faltered. He crashed into you, kissing you between stifled moans, before he nuzzled your neck and stilled.

You hugged him to you with your eyes closed, taking deep breaths. He was breathing down your neck, recovering, and you matched him, feeling deeply every time your nose picked up a mix of his cologne with the sex scent still in the air. For as long as that lasted, you were free of thoughts and worries.

But then he got up, pulling out of you to get rid of the condom. And although he laid back down next to you, pulling you into his arms with a sweet smile, the spell had been broken. 

You started trembling and he noticed. He took your fingertips to his lips to kiss them, ready to ask you cheekily if he had given you more than you bargained for when you sniffled.

His heart fell through; he looked at you, and you tried to hide in his chest.

He brushed your hair behind your ear, “Hey.”

You couldn’t face him; your eyes stayed shut so you wouldn’t cry.

“What’s wrong?”

His voice was low and laced in worry, and your heart hurt even more. You didn’t want him to worry, he was just doing what he said he would. He just had no idea how you felt.

You shouldn’t have done this. You were terrified to lose him. Nothing was worth that.

“I don’t want this to ruin our friendship,” you managed to say before a sob shook you. “You’re my best friend.”

Taehyung almost smiled; if he had only heard those words, he would have promised you that nothing was lost. That you two together never spelled just friends in his mind, and that he wanted so much more than that. 

But he could feel you, and see you: the lines on your face that spelled the unshed tears, the way you were trembling in his arms, and your refusal to face him.

His heart sank. A storm of questions raged inside his mind — was it him, was it the sex, did he hurt you, was it not what you expected, did you never want this to happen, did you regret it — but he asked none of it. The more you tried to stay put and not cry, the more sad and certain he became that you were distressed. That you wanted him just as a friend, and that nothing he had done had convinced you otherwise.

You opened your tearful eyes, “I don’t want things to change.”

He opened his mouth then closed it, a lopsided smile showing instead. He couldn’t help eying your lips and regret with his whole heart not having stolen one last kiss to remember you by, to settle his heart, but there was nothing to do about it. Instead, he looked up at your teary gaze and brushed your cheek, “Don’t worry about it.”

[spencerreidenjoyer]

want you tonight | aaron hotchner x reader

wc: 675, rating: teen/mature (no smut)

tags/warnings: boss/employee, fem!bau!reader, they're drunk but they don't do anything yet, kissing and sexual tension

a/n: i am a spencer girl at heart but jesus christ does hotch make me feel some type of way. i just wanted to get this little drabble out, but if you'd like to see more please leave me a comment and i might follow up with the smut!!! (ao3 link here!)

Hotch presses you up against his front door, closed behind them when you entered his apartment. While Hotch has been eyeing you all night, you feel pinned against the door by his gaze right now. His eyes bore into you, studying your face, studying you. He looks like he wants to kiss you.

“Hotch.” You rest your hands on Hotch’s shoulders, letting your hands slide down his arms. “You– Do something.”

All of a sudden, as if he hadn’t been eyeing you up like a starving man in front of his next meal, he pulls away, head in his hand, massaging his temples like you’re the thing giving him a migraine right now. “No. No.”

The whiplash is enough to sober you up. You step forward towards him, reaching out. “What? Hotch–”

“No, we can’t–” Hotch shakes his head, keeping you away with one hand on her shoulder.

You frown. “Hotch, you invited me here. We’re both drunk. You pinned me up against your front door, and I know you want–”

“Don’t. Don’t say it,” Hotch’s voice comes out shakily. He looks conflicted, but you know he’s dead serious. “If you say it then– Then it becomes real.”

You can’t take it any more. It can’t just be a coincidence. Hotch is always asking you to stay by his side when the team splits up. You know the way Hotch looks at you means something, more than just a concerned boss. His dark eyes always regard you in a way you can’t put on paper, but they give you some glimmer of hope that your boss is just as attracted to you as you are to him. You’re both drunk. Hotch invited you up to his apartment. There’s no way he hadn’t intended for… something. Right?

“Don’t you want it to be real?” You ask. “Even just for one night? I know you want me, Hotch. Just because you’ve been doing this for longer doesn’t mean I can’t read you just as well.”

Hotch says your name, his tone grave. Then, “You have no idea how badly I want you.”

“You have me. In your apartment,” you say simply.

Hotch shoots her a glare. “But I’m your boss. If we… Whatever I do with you, I– We’re going to be in a lot of trouble.”

“No one has to know,” You say, feeling a little desperate. Yeah, maybe you are hot and bothered by the way Hotch pushed you up against the door, and yeah, maybe you do want Hotch to do something about it. “You’ve done things under the table before.”

“I know I have, but they’ve always come to light, one way or another. I can’t.” Hotch’s guard has come down, surprisingly vulnerable as they stand in his hallway, but his hand is no longer keeping you away.

“But you want to,” You affirm, taking a step closer to him. You try to meet Hotch’s gaze, and when you do, you can see the worry in his eyes. “I want you too, Hotch. Even if it’s just for tonight.”

Hotch exhales sharply, mind seemingly busy as he weighs out his options. After a moment too long of silence, a silence that has you thinking you should start making your way out, he says, “Just for tonight. And don’t call me Hotch. It just reminds me that I’m supposed to be your boss.”

“Aaron,” You start, hesitant, your boss’ first name unfamiliar on your tongue. “Do you want to kiss me?”

“God, yes,” Aaron sighs, like he’s relieved, and closes the distance between you and him. His hands reach for your waist like they’re magnets, pulling you close. There’s a tenderness in the way he presses his lips to yours, one hand holding your cheek as he sighs into the kiss.

Your hands are on his arms as you kiss him back. You feel up his strong arms, his sturdy body, feeling so secure while he holds you close and kisses you. Your head spins: finally, finally, you have Aaron, and it feels like heaven.

[captainwans]

AM ERA! (smau)

— ALEX TURNER

arabella series

pairing: alex turner x fem! actress! reader

summary: some iconic and memorable moments on social media during the am era.

timeline: 2014

note: to clear up any confusion, the song arabella in this universe/series is based on a movie y/n did. + and also this format / layout is heavily inspired by my love @ithinkimokeei 🩶

masterlist!

Liked by yourbestfriend, katiee_cook_ and others

yourinstagram she’s got a barbarella silver swimsuit … 🪽

 ㅤ View all the comments

username THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ‼️

username doing cartwheels across the highway- 🤸‍♀️ why are they so attractive

username mom and dad looks so hot

breanahelders looking beautiful wifey 😙

yourinstagram got it from you <3

elizabetholsenofficial because i love waking up in the morning getting hit by visuals 😩

username lizzie is so real for that

username mother

username alex looks so fucking good i wanna jump off a cliff

username the fact that y/n didn’t know arabella was about her until a fan told her during a comic con panel will forever not be iconic

username lmao even the mcu cast was shocked that she didn’t know 😭

username had to replay that funny moment between y/n and scarlett where scar almost had a whiplash bc y/n had no idea

username our baby is so clueless it’s so cute

mileskane who’s that sexy cinnamon bun on the left? 😏

yourinstagram definitely not your man

username IM CACKLING SO LOUD

username pls y/n is so savage i love her

mileskane and you’re claiming him as your man?

username ohh dramaaaaa

yourinstagram and what if i did? 👀

username GASP- does this mean that alex and y/n are dating?!!!

mileskane it’s okay luv it’s just a phase it will go away ❤️

username hahaahahahahah miles

username i’m crying this is too funny

katiee_cook_ this comment section is so funny me and jamie are dying from laughter

yourinstagram mileskane unfortunately it is not just a phase 🥲

username wait y/n does this mean you and al are together?!! hello??

username girl you can’t just leave us hanging like that 😭😭 we NEED TO KNOW

username wait so arabella is actually about her?

yourbestfriend those of you who haven’t watched arabella clearly shows

username fr the song doesn’t even make sense if you haven’t watched the movie

username CAN SOMEONE PLS CONFIRM IF THEY’RE DATING??

Liked by yourinstagram, marvel and others

enews to answer the question on y/n’s famous instagram post… the answer is YES! (📷: unknown)

 ㅤ View all the comments

username I KNEW IT

username IM CRYING HAPPY TEARS FINALLY

username idk if i wanna be him or be with her

yourbestfriend same

username y/bsf/n is so real for this

username they look so happy

username mileskane has been real quiet ever since enews posted

username i’m fine (i’m not)

username now who leaked these pictures of me and my man? 🤫

yourinstagram first miles and now i have to fight my way through fans 😭 this is a battle

mileskane yeah username get in line 🙄

username speaking of the devil… hi miles!!

username and he has arrived!!

username good luck dealing with seventeen year old girlies who want you dead 🥲

username bro what is marvel doing here liking this post i’m cackling

marvel don’t blame us we were just as curious as you folks 🙈

 ㅤ Liked by 34,4k users

username alex could do better than this pretentious hollywood whore

username who are you calling a whore???!

yourbestfriend say that again i dare you bitch

breanahelders if you don’t have anything nice to say then keep it to yourself.

officialelizabetholsen jealousy doesn’t suit you honey. keep that energy elsewhere and let us celebrate this beautiful couple ✨

mileskane yourinstagram do i need to kill someone? just say the word love

username username the gang coming at your bitch

Liked by breanahelders, yourfriend and others

yourinstagram okay… this is the last one i promise 🤭

 ㅤ View all the comments

username queen we don’t mind post all you want

username THE HAND REPLACEMENT ALEX

username bi panic

katiee_cook_ obsessed 😍

yourinstagram with you 😙

username the way this music video has a chokehold on me-

youtube the visuals, artistry, lyrics, aesthetics, cinematography is just *chef kiss* ✨✨✨

 ㅤ Liked by 99k users

username even youtube is speaking facts

officialelizabetholsen gorgeous gorgeous 💗 we miss you on set, babe!

yourinstagram miss you more, bug!! 🎀

username a match made in heaven

mileskane we get it you guys are couple goals 🙄

matthelders here we go again 🤦🏻

yourinstagram do i complain when you get to have him all by yourself on stage?

mileskane that doesn’t count!

yourinstagram you’re such a drama queen

username their dynamic i love them sm

username miles and y/n fighting over alex is so real bc same

username yourinstagram how does it feel to be a rockstar’s gf 😩 how does it feel to live our dream

yourinstagram it feels amazing 🙈💗

[mrchiipchrome]

27 with haley raso

FIRST FIC OF AUSSIE WEEK, there's a prompt list linked in my masterlist if your want to request :)

prompt 27. -So, can I call you tonight?

--------------

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Motherfucker. Putain. Merde. Mierda.

The hot coffee stains the gray hoodie covering your upper body, burning your skin like hot coal. The next sensation’s the freezing cold of an iced coffee, your body in the ultimate whiplash.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry” The girl’s Australian accent gives you your second whiplash of the day, not used to Aussies in Spain, especially not very attractive and very off limits ones.

It’s not like you don’t know exactly who she is. When you’re a sports commentator working with women’s football, you have to know all the players. It’s non-negotiable.

“It’s fine” Her hands are still pressing into your torso, having landed there when she bumped into you. The wet material of your shirt sticks to your body uncomfortably, a cooling effect on your reddening skin.

“No, I’m so sorry. Let me help you get that stain out” The Real Madrid player gives you no choice as she leads you towards the bathroom of the establishment. Her hands push you forward by your hips, looking around you so as to not make you run into anyone else.

When she locks the door behind you after you’ve both entered the bathroom, you can’t help but cross your arms across your chest.

“So, do you have an undershirt or not?” The brunette walks over to you with confident steps, her fingers grasping at the hem of your shirt.

“Uhm, no?” You cough out, breath caught in your throat at the breathtaking girl’s proximity.

“Let’s just hope you’re not shy then, take your shirt off” The girl fixes you with an intense look, almost challenging you.

“Take a girl out for dinner first, ey?” Your voice is muffled by the shirt going over your head as you strip for the stranger. When it’s finally off your head, you hand it to the unusually attractive girl.

You feel her eyes running over your upper body as she runs the hoodie under cold water, arms soon crossed over your chest.

“So are you in Madrid for long?” She questions, trying to fill the awkward silence that’s appeared between you two.

“No, I’m only in town until tomorrow. Work stuff.” You look on as the girl nods back at you, clearly distracted.

“Well the stain should disappear within a couple of hours, that’s the Hayley guarantee.” She winks at you playfully as she hands the now drenched hoodie back to you, watching as you contemplate on whether to put it back on or not. “Oh I forgot, here take my hoodie. It was my fault after all.” 

She puts the much too small zip up in your hands, forcing you to take it. And yet you can’t find it in you to protest, the sight of her rippling biceps enough to win you over. 

Hayley watches as you put it on, the sleeves riding up your arms adorably. 

“That’s adorable” You look up from where your eyes are fixated on the too short sleeves. The deer in headlights look makes the younger girl chuckle a little, leaning up closer to you.

You’re already pretty much leaning against the sink, so when the Australian puts her hands on either side of your body, you’re trapped. Not that you’re complaining.

“Can I kiss you?” The question came out of nowhere, and yet you couldn’t help but nod, the girl way out of your league. She was surprisingly comfortable with a complete stranger.

She shifts her hands from the marble of the sink to your waist, warm hands slipping under the hoodie and settling on your cool skin. Your hands settle on cupping her face gently, the girl’s baby hairs getting caught on your fingers.

When her lips meet yours it feels like everything suddenly makes sense, as if all that’s happened before in your life didn’t matter. Your gray hoodie lays discarded on the other side of the sink, still drenched.

Soft thumbs rub circles on your skin, the kiss heating up significantly, teeth clashing and tongues battling for dominance.

It was nice, well until the voice of reason in your head took over. You were kissing a football player, a Madrid one nonetheless.

Pulling away from her lips, there’s a string of saliva connecting the two of you. 

“Uhm, I have to go!” You rush out, fiddling with the lock on the way out. It was mean to just leave her there, and stupid of you not to get her number, but your brain was overwhelmed by thoughts. The main one being, holy shit Hayley Raso is a fantastic kisser.

———————-

“El Clásico, one of the most feared rivals up against each other. Y/n how’s the feeling down on the pitch?” One of the usual commentators asking you the usual questions before the game.

“It’s good, both teams have warmed up and are ready to take on their rivals. Real have signed some real talents in…Raso but we can’t forget the decked out midfield that Barcelona have with the likes of Bonmatí and Putellas. I think we have an exciting match coming.” When the audio cuts back over to the studio, you’re already downing half your water. Raso, the only one you had to avoid.

You were right, the match was one of the most exciting games you’d ever watched. Harsh tackles, yellow cards flying left and right, goals being scored one after another.

It eventually ends with Barcelona coming out on top for the umpteenth time, but this time it was closer than ever. A controversial offsides call had given the visiting club the upper hand, giving them the win.

And to your misfortune, the one person you didn’t wanna see was the one you had to interview.

“Hayley Raso, you did good today, but how would you describe your performance?” You can see the smirk appearing on her face, but in her eyes that are unusually easy to read, is shock.

“Well, I think I performed as best as I could. There’s not much more to say really.” Her eyes bore deeply into your own, and for your sake, you look away from the beautiful sight.

“There you all have it, nothing more to say so back to you Michelle.” 

You start to walk away from the winger, but that is until her fingers grasp around your wrist.

“You’re a reporter?”

“Yeah, something like that. Our…interaction wasn’t long enough to get into the deep stuff.” You speak in a hushed tone, careful not to let people understand what you’re talking about.

“Mhm, it was nice though. Could I offer you that coffee I made you spill earlier? And more importantly, can I call you tonight?” Confident as always, the ribbon wearing girl asks you the questions boldly.

“You know what? I’d love to take you up on that offer.” The pen that sits in your pocket makes an appearance, you taking Hayley’s arm into your grip, writing your number carefully on her skin.

“There you go, call me whenever.” 

“You forgot your hoodie earlier!” 

“Keep it!”

Who would have thought that a simple coffee run would result in you getting a girlfriend?

[mamani-bento]

citrus reflux (kento nanami)

nanami x reader, 2.8k

established relationship, fluff + emotional constipation + humour

thanks for getting me through last week nanami pls get me through this one as well love u

mamani-bento's masterlist!

he can't know, right? there's no way he can know. if he's continuing to do this after knowing, that's just cruel. and nanami's a lot of things, but cruel is certainly not one of them. there's no way he knows that his stupid apron covered in stupid clip-art lemon graphics does stupid things to you. things that leave you feeling like your stupid, wretched heart is pumping overtime.

to be fair, you hadn't realised for the longest time either. and you're not an oblivious person, you know nanami is an attractive man. even before you two started going out, started feeling anything other than a professional respect for each other, you had been able to appreciate that he's a looker.

so it's not just the sight of his broad back greeting you in the morning when you blearily stumble into the kitchen as he's making breakfast. and it's not just the brisk efficiency of his chopping during sunday brunch preparation, precise juliennes laid out on the cutting board and thick fingers curled firm around the handle of the knife. and it's certainly not just the tensing of his forearms, veins stark as he covers his hands in flour, pliable dough being moulded under his able kneading. no, all these things help, sure, but the real clincher - and you're aware of how odd this is - is that damn apron.

the first time you see him wear it, you get whiplash. it's still early, still some time to go for the sun to rise fully. at first, you can't tell what's woken you. it's a saturday, and your alarm hasn't rudely blared into the cozy cocoon of the bedroom like it does during the week. eyes still closed, you scoot a little towards the centre of the bed, seeking warmth so you can fall back asleep. and then you scoot some more. and some more. grumbling, you blearily open your eyes to see you've moved right up till the other end of the mattress with no warmth encountered in the workout. as if on cue, a muted sizzle disrupts the quiet of the room, and, as if on cue, you rise at the sound. that's where the warmth has gone then.

you don't bother wearing your glasses, not at all awake enough to start processing clear vision, and you think, as you step into the kitchen, that maybe what you're seeing is just a consequence of your bad eyesight. it's blurry but there's definitely a thin strap of cloth circling nanami's neck and a knot at the small of his back. they're bright yellow, stark against the dark navy of his soft, cotton t-shirt. are you imagining it, perhaps? or still dreaming?

you're sort of swaying in place, half-asleep brain struggling to comprehend what your eyes are relaying to it, when the man in question turns around.

blinding white assaults your vision. as if the glaring newness of the material isn't shocking enough, several bright neon lemons cover the body of it. the thing is shockingly ugly.

and there's no logical explanation for this. but nanami stands in this monstrosity, concern on his face at your set expression, spatula held out in one hand and angled so nothing drips on the floor, and the rising sun is streaming in through the kitchen window, bathing its favourite golden-haired child in a yellow glow, and your heart is clenching clenching clenching until it feels like it's going to burst from the pressure.

"are you alright?" he asks, setting the spatula down. his eyebrows furrow as your face does a weird mix between sleepy disgruntlement, revulsion, and whatever is happening to your insides.

"what are you wearing?"

he has the audacity to look confused at first. glances down at himself, as if somehow forgetting that he's clad in this absolutely revolting piece of fabric.

"oh, the apron?"

you scoff, finally moving. a cup of tea sits on the counter next to him and you don't bother asking for permission before you lift it to take a sip. something is happening and this seems significant for some reason and you feel sick.

easily, he gently takes the steaming mug from your grip before you can taste any of it, pointedly looking at the other cup you had missed a bit further back. this one is full, and, apparently, yours.

"do you not like it?" he asks, seeming genuinely bewildered. he leans his back on the granite next to where you've perched yourself. your legs swing, heels rhythmically colliding with the cupboards below.

you take a sip of your drink before thinking of an answer. do you not like it? it's terrible, sure. but do you like him? of course. these two facts in tandem are doing wonky things to all your internal systems.

"it's bright."

"yes, i suppose it is. was the only one they had in stock, unfortunately."

truly, unfortunate.

you both sip your teas in the silence of the morning. the eggs continue to cook. the yellow band positioned just under his hair looks at you mockingly. you've got the warmth you had come looking for - his body is a furnace and you perpetually run cold and he's standing close enough now for the side of your knee to be touching the side of his thigh - but something tells you you've got much bigger problems to deal with.

it's been a week since you saw the offending article of clothing, and a hellish one at that. so hellish, in fact, that you've basically forgotten about the apron. you've tabled all the lemon-spawned convoluted feelings for later (never, if you have it your way), and it's the farthest thing from your mind as you step into the kitchen on friday night.

you've reached home before nanami, and you know he'll be back soon, but you want to get to bed so this week can finally be over so bad that you decide to get started with dinner. you bring out the ingredients, just beginning to chop the capsicum when the front door closes.

seconds later, nanami pads into the kitchen, making his way towards you to carefully wrap two arms around your waist from the back. you still the motions of the knife, leaning back into his frame and breathing him in. the knot of his spotted tie digs into the side of your head.

"how was your day?" you ask, free hand coming up to tangle in his blond strands as he burrows his head into the crook of your shoulder.

"long. yours?"

"same."

his lips brush across the skin on the side of your neck in apology, in acknowledgement, in sympathetic support, even as you raise his left arm to place a kiss against a knuckle.

"would you like some help?" he asks, peering at all the ingredients you've got spread on the counter. his voice rumbles against your neck, low and spoken soft since he's so close to your ear.

you could do with some help. "sure," you reply, briefly missing his warmth as he pulls away.

you expect him to start washing the other vegetables or to get started on the sauce, but with a mumbled 'give me a second', he promptly walks out of the kitchen.

...and walks back in pulling that damn lemon-print apron over his head.

you watch in near disbelief as he evens it out down his front, over his blue shirt. he's removed his tie and the white fabric sits smooth and stretches across his wide torso. then he reaches behind, arms twisting as he does up the knot at the back. and then he takes off his watch and carefully places it inside the apron pocket.

then he rolls up the sleeves of his shirt and starts washing the other vegetables.

on the outside, you're cutting capsicum in a very calm and dignified manner. on the inside, palpitations. you sneak glances at him out of the corner of your eye as surreptitiously as you can - take in the long, out-of-place flop of hair falling over his forehead, the deftness of his hands as he lets the water run over all the tomatoes in his grip, thumb gently rubbing over a stubborn patch of mud on the vegetable. but these things you know, have always known, have witnessed uncountable times. so why are they making your heart crawl up and get lodged in your throat making every swallow difficult?

"you're staring," nanami says, not bothering to look at you.

well. not so sly, then.

you're not a shy person. he's caught you staring at him before, ogling him even, in situations far more erotic than this, and you've never felt particularly ashamed by it, but you suddenly feel very flustered at being called out.

"and what about it?" you sniff, a petulance you'll deny possessing creeping into your voice. you doggedly focus on the cutting board.

nanami's amused huff precedes a bowl full of wet vegetables entering your line of vision. as you pause your chopping to grab a tomato, a single finger comes to raise your chin, letting your eyes sweep up the length of nanami's torso, waist to neck to slightly smiling lips to twinkling eyes, taking in every awful lemon on the way.

"please," he mutters, "stare away."

you can't stop the tiny, foolish grin from growing on your face, and you scoff at his words. there's a blush starting at the base of your neck and your face feels like it's on fire. you're scraped raw by his gaze, his words, his apron.

clearing your throat, you lean away from him, his amusement only increasing. he lets you go without complaint, taking his spot in front of the stove next to you and getting the pan out. great. now he'll start with the sauce.

as he adds and stirs, as you chop and garnish, as your hips check and fingers brush, as his bloody apron gets splattered with bubbling red sauce and as he has a small, private smile of satisfaction that the thing is doing its job, you know this isn't sustainable for your heart. something, at some point in what you think is going to be the very near future, will give.

"kento."

"hmm?"

"kento."

"what?"

"i have to talk to you about something."

nanami blearily shifts his grip on your waist, head surfacing from your neck to look you in the eye in sleepy confusion. the clock on his bedside table says '03:23 AM' in blaring red, but it makes no difference to you. you've just had a realisation, a fucking massive realisation.

"i figured out why i hate your apron."

"it's three in the morn–wait, you hate my apron?" he's a little more awake and a little more confused now as well.

you haven't slept at all, obviously. you had gone to bed per usual, looking forward to the weekend ahead, only lingering feverishness about the terrible, horrible garment in your system. and then, as nanami's breathing had started deepening, small puffs of air tickling the back of your neck, your brain wouldn't shut up about the bloody thing.

you turned it over and over in your mind. what is so earth-shattering, heart-melting, nerve-fraying about a damn apron? why is it affecting you so intensely? why do you feel yourself falling off the precipice of a cliff you hadn't even known was there every time you see nanami in it? it's a miracle that he didn't wake up from the sound of the gears turning in your head, a real testament to how tired he was. you suppose you should feel a little bad about rousing him at this ungodly hour, but you know you need the cloak of the darkness and the comfort of blankets to verbalise what you've hit upon.

you shuffle away from him a few inches to see his face clearly. his hand tightens in reflex, large palm setting warm on the curve of your hip and unwilling to let you move back any further. it'll have to do.

"yes, i hate your apron, but that's not important."

you can make out a single raised eyebrow as his vision slowly adjusts to the darkness and he focusses on your face with a well-deserved skepticism. "it isn't?"

impatiently you wave his question away. you'll lose your nerve if you don't get this out quickly, and nanami is a determined man. he won't let it go. "it looks absolutely awful, but that's not why i hate it."

if possible, nanami looks even more confused. he slowly says, "okay. why do you hate it, then? and also, why are you telling me now?" his voice is still low and scratchy from sleep, and it makes yours sound too-loud. but then again, you might as well be yelling for what you're about to say.

you take a deep breath. focus firmly on a point somewhere on his stupid, handsome forehead under his stupid, handsome bedhead. "i hate your apron because it's so you."

"oh."

a pregnant pause.

"are you saying you hate me?"

exasperated at your apparent inability to coherently express what you've just taken hours to hit upon, you let it all out in a mad rush, words nearly tripping over themselves in a haphazard effort to make sense.

"that's not what i'm saying! ugh, no, it's just–you're so practical. it's so you to buy the last and ugliest apron in stock to keep your clothes clean while cooking, and the implications of it, of how you come back after a long day and still do the dishes and you wake up early on sunday mornings and make breakfast, and you're so bloody committed to these things without even realising it and it makes me absolutely sick."

as you ramble, nanami's expression moves from confusion to concern to a gentle understanding that makes you want to throw up, and you're falling falling falling off that precipice you were unaware of again. you want to hide under your pillow, but you've got one more thing to say.

he opens his mouth, and probably firmer than really necessary, you place an index finger over his lips in a bid to stop him from responding before you get this out. obediently, he's silent, only gently nodding at you to continue.

you sigh. "i hate that apron so much, because it reminds me of all the things i love about you. and there are too many things for me to know what to do with them."

the relief at getting the words out is enormous. weirdly, you don't feel like hiding anymore, and you quietly watch as nanami formulates his response.

you don't even realise your finger is still over his lips until he mumbles, faint chap rubbing at your fingertip, "may i say something now?"

startled, you remove your hand and tuck it against your chest, where the other has been safely ensconced so far.

"would you like me to stop using the apron?"

"no! no, that's not why i told you this. actually, maybe get a nicer-looking one? but no, don't stop wearing the apron."

completely disregarding your attempts to keep space in between your bodies, nanami tugs at you until you're nearly nose-to-nose, just a few centimetres shy of going cross-eyed to look at each other. you imagine you look a bit like a trapped deer.

he's gentle as ever, palm solid against your back, all sleepiness replaced by his sheer concrete reliability as he replies, "alright."

you wait for him to finish. and then you wait some more. when it doesn't seem like any more is forthcoming, your eyebrows scrunch together. "that's it? alright? you're not concerned by this at all?"

you feel rather than see him shrug. "i appreciate you telling me. i was a little confused about how weird you had been acting, so it's nice to have that cleared up. but i wouldn't say i'm concerned, no."

"oh. okay, then."

"okay."

"so do we just...do we just go to sleep now?"

again, an eyebrow is raised. "would you like to do something else?"

you huff, not discounting the prospect entirely but recognising that you're both too tired for anything else. "no. i just thought this would be a bigger deal, is all." now that the crux of the thing is done, you shift so you can burrow your head into the crook of his neck as he tightens his thick arms around your frame.

"oh, it's a big deal. but i think it's one of those big deals that you don't really do anything about, you know?"

you do know, and you feel a weight lift at his sentence. you don't have to do anything with all the feelings that come rushing at you when you see him wearing that stupid thing. you just have to feel them. which is another battle for another day, but for now, you're content at where you've weirdly ended up.

nanami continues, even as a hint of drowsiness begins to enter his voice, "i'd be concerned if i didn't feel the same way, i suppose. but you'll be seeing me in that ugly apron for a long, long time, so i think we're good."

you drift off to sleep like that, something shifting inside you at his words, fundamentally and irrevocably.

"what's this?"

"new apron. please throw that monstrosity away, this one is much less bright."

[wing-ed-thing]

Hange Zoë Relationship Headcanons

Tags/Warnings: No Reader Pronouns, Non-Binary Hange, They/Them Pronouns for Hange, Dating Doubt

𓆃 Hange is a great friend, and making a connection with them is generally an easy task. The issue is determining when your friendship has turned into a relationship.

𓆃 It's certainly a unique dynamic. Considering how quickly Hange approached you and laid out the base of your relationship fairly explicitly, it's no wonder you're experiencing whiplash now that the line's begun to blur.

𓆃 Because, especially at the beginning, Hange was the one to approach you and lay the unspoken rules for how your dynamic was going to work from then on.

𓆃 No matter how introverted or extroverted, Hange doesn't discriminate interest from interest. They simply make their piqued attention known, almost forcibly forging your early friendship on the spot.

𓆃 Like a hard stop, you'll understand Hange to find you fascinating, but not the nature of their thoughts, and you won't find them any sort of insistent when it comes to advancing to relationship milestones (for better or worse).

𓆃 It doesn't matter too much whether that's your style. Whether you're ecstatic to be friends or you perceive Hange's demeanor as obnoxious, the outcome is the same.

𓆃 For as eccentric or otherwise quirky as they might be, Hange manages to be unexpectedly charming and loyal. It's natural for your close bond to almost sneak up on you.

𓆃 You'll also find that Hange is the perfect companion for the companion-starved. Always one to tag along for errands and parallel play, Hange is prone to dropping tasks in favor of time spent together.

𓆃 They're always interested in your interests. There's no casual mentioning of things. Hange wants information!!

𓆃 And soon, you find yourself engaged with a person who makes time for you, who wants to know you as a person, and who never treats you like a burden to be around.

𓆃 And perhaps you'll wake up one day and wonder if you're reading too much into things or if your attraction to Hange is real.

𓆃 Because you think you want to take your relationship to another level, but how can you be sure it's not because they're one of few people who's treated you like a person?

𓆃 Hange treats everyone like that, right?

𓆃 Asking them about it seems to be a no-go, as their answers always leave you more confused than when you originally asked. So you resort to picking apart your interactions as well as their interactions with other people to determine how delusional you're being.

𓆃 Which all ends up being for nothing when you realize you've been in a relationship for 2 months...

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

[imaginechb]

Good Luck, Babe!

Piper McLean x fem!sapphic!reader

Synopsis: You love Piper, but she won't even admit to anyone else that she's with you. ANGST.

You loved Piper. You were pretty sure you were in love with her, or at least that's what you were thinking while tangled up in her bed, kissing softly and letting your hands wander just enough to leave you wanting more. You'd been running around all summer, kissing and laughing, holding each other, and in her case, experimenting.

You liked girls. You felt little to no attraction to the opposite gender, and you knew from a relatively young age that you were queer. Piper, on the other hand, had tried to feel love or really just anything more than simple attraction toward men for her entire life, and even now she had trouble admitting that she liked girls. You never wanted to pressure her, agreeing to take things slow while she explored her sexuality. That wasn't even an issue for you. You knew how complex and confusing figuring things like that out could be, and you never wanted to rush her.

The problem arose when she would refuse to tell anybody that you were seeing each other, even going as far as to adamantly deny that there was anything between you. It was like whiplash, kissing your neck one moment then claiming you were nothing more than a friend to her the very next, and it hurt.

You didn't want to end things with Piper, you truly did love her. You loved her as a friend before everything, and you were definitely beginning to love her as more now. You didn't want to lose her, but at the same time you couldn't bear to just be a secret experiment anymore. You couldn't keep calling her 'baby' if she wouldn't do the same for you.

The final straw was when she started pursuing Jason. She'd tell you how into him she was, but you knew it in your soul that she was lying. You knew that what the two of you had was real. You loved her, and you were pretty sure she loved you, too, she just... wouldn't admit it. It was so frustrating, and your heart was breaking. No, it was suffocating. Even before she got together with Jason, you knew it was over.

"Piper," you said, pushing her gently away from her spot on top of you. She stopped kissing your collarbone and sat up. "What's wrong?" She asked you. That's when you broke down, crying and explaining to her that you couldn't do it anymore. "It's not like that," she said over and over, but you had made up your mind.

It had taken all of three weeks for her to get together with Jason, and even through her dazzling smiles and brilliant laughter, you knew she was miserable. You knew her better than anyone, and that smile didn't meet her eyes like it did when she was with you.

You knew that one day she'd marry a man, maybe even Jason, still refusing to admit that you were the love of her life, and she'd wake up in his arms calling out your name. She'd find no comfort, no solace there, just 'I told you so' and a lifelong regret. She'd have to stop the entire world just to stop her feelings for you.

And all you had to say to that was, "Good luck, babe!"

[yuri-is-online]

Hello Yuri!! Congrats on 500 followers!! You deserve it, your writing is amazing and makes me so happy whenever you post something new! (・∀・)

If it’s alright, could I request Ace Trappola, Ruggie Bucchi and Cater Diamond with prompt four if that’s okay? About the reader meeting someone at the ball and ranting to the boys about them.

Thank you so much in advance, and congratulations again!! ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

4. You met someone really wonderful at the Masquerade Ball and have been ranting about how he was totally the love of your life to your abnormally quiet friend. Actually, wasn't he invited too? Maybe you should ask him how that went.

Hello Rhea! It's always a pleasure to see you in my notifications, though you did give me a bit of whiplash with how fast this request came in (;ﾞ°´ω°´) It makes me very happy to hear I have managed to make you happy, I hope you like this post too. Also thank you very much for the kind words, they made me feel much better.

notes: they/them pronouns used for Yuu, I know the prompt says "quiet" but these three are sort of the chatty type so it's more like dodging the question (sorry), the other event requests can be found on my masterlist here. There's a movie reference hidden here (kind of) that if someone gets I'll probably scream idk.

Ace

There is a god in some sort of heaven and he hates Ace Trappola. Well maybe not a god, maybe it's just Riddle, and he certainly doesn't hate him, Ace is just being dramatic. But there has to be some sort of rule Riddle is breaking here, seriously what beacon of morals and etiquette sits pretending to sip tea while obviously eve's dropping on what should be a terribly private conversation. It's a nightmare made substantially worse by just how long he has been wanting to have this talk.

"Honestly I wasn't expecting to have so much fun, I thought Crowley was just going to put on a cheap tacky formal, not an actual ball with proper costumes." You feel light headed with joy for a change, technically half of the things you've experienced in this world you never would have in yours but a real, fancy Masquerade somehow felt more surreal than the overblots or flying brooms. Maybe it was because you had seen pictures of real ball costumes and masks that made it feel more tangible, like this was something you really were meant to be a part of.

"The costuming was indeed very impressive." Riddle swirls his cup just gently enough to avoid spilling his precious tea whilst making sure to pour Ace's all over the Heartslabyul lounge. "I was surprised at how impossible it was to tell who was who."

"I know! That's the whole problem." You practically jump up from the couch, before remembering yourself and settling down again. Ace notices you still move subconsciously closer to him, even if your silly head doesn't know just who he is. Or would it be was?

"Is it really?" Ace really wishes you weren't so used to ignoring his whining. "The entire point of a Masquerade is to be anonymous, isn't that why you and Deuce thought it was 'romantic.'" He had wanted to have this talk in Ramshackle where it was guaranteed to be private- scratch that he wanted to have it last night while he was trying to imagine what your eyes looked like under your mask. What they would look like if he moved his aside and just said what he was trying to for once instead of flirting more with the subtext than you.

"Well yeah I guess." You mumble. Your chest has been tied up in funny knots and Ace's unenthusiastic tone isn't helping with the pain. "But it's driving me insane to think I could have met my soul mate and all I know about him is that he makes a really attractive clown." Riddle chokes, tea cup clanking onto it's saucer as he politely tries to pass off his laugh as a cough. "Well not just that..." you mumble, closing your eyes to conjure up the memory of the jester who had produced a rose from behind your ear and insisted on leaving it there for luck.

"What sort of luck?" He held onto the rose just a second too long for your poor heart to bear, you swear he could feel it if he pressed his fingers that much closer to your pulse point.

"Well mine of course, how else am I supposed to find you when this is over." It's odd not to see the man's lips, your heart tells you it suspects he's smiling but it won't confirm it.

"That's not luck!" You laugh. "That's cheating!" He shrugs, as if to say he knows, that's the whole point. As if to say it's worth it to break the rules where you're concerned. It's daring, the way he holds you as you dance, the way your heart is screaming for you to just-

"I should have kissed him." You groan, remembering how Grim had charged in between you and your date screaming about how he'd never approve or something dumb like that. Just who did he think he was anyway?

"Well then why don't you!" Ace cringes as he says it, neck beet red as you go to sass him back before the oddly serious nature of his tone and the implication of his syntax force you to stop. Riddle's exit barely registers as you stare each other down, Ace from the corner of his eye and you with the full force you can gather.

"Would you have let me?" You whisper. A familiar touch lights just behind your ear, pressing in this time to trace the speed of your heartbeat.

"Only one way to find out, prefect." You expect him to run. Make some sort of joke about how he was pranking you, or say kissing before marriage being against the rules. But he doesn't. He waits, perhaps in the way he has been since the first night he showed up at Ramshackle, collared and crabby, just waiting for you to close the gap.

And embrace you as you fall.

Ruggie

Ramshackle was closer to the main castle than Savanaclaw. That was the excuse Ruggie had used to get you to agree to let him crash there, in his mind anyway. Really, all he had needed to do was ask, but you know that's not exactly how he works. Your relationship has always been a series of scratches, offers of give and take that tend to be minor but offer just enough of a technicality for true feelings to remain hidden just out of sight. That doesn't change how surreal it is to see him here so late, or the sharp contrast between all the stiff collars and plaster faces you both had been drowning in just a moment ago and the worn gym clothes you both wear for pajamas.

"Man I'm beat." Ruggie says, sinking into the couch. You aren't in much better shape, if he wasn't taking up a part of it you would be sprawled face down across the length the couch. Instead, you satisfy yourself with curling up into the far corner. You have a dreamy smile on your face, content like how he usually looks when he eats a large meal, or when he thinks you aren't looking.

"I think I found your soul mate hanging around the buffet tables tonight." You lazily tease, tracing nonsensical shapes on the floor to amuse the nervous energy from your earlier encounter.

"Oh yeah?" Ruggie sounds vaguely intrigued, but he doesn't move much. If anything he settles his neck more firmly into the sofa back, eyes intentionally trained on the ceiling. "What makes you say that?"

"He was stealing all the apple fritters." You say, dreamy smile widening when Ruggie snorts. "Too bad I intend on stealing him from you."

"Do you now." He murmurs, head tilting back down into his palm. He rests his elbow on his knee, but he doesn't look at you, not immediately. Your well into your little rant before he does.

"Well at first I was just going to steal the food-" that was the whole reason he had wanted to stay here, the two of you had hatched a plan weeks ago to smuggle in some containers and smuggle out as much food from the banquet hall as possible and it just made more sense to take it to Ramshackle "but he offered to give it to me so long as I danced with him." There is a container of said fritters in between you both, sticky with caramelized sugar and a good reminder of just how expensive the Masquerade Ball must have been to throw. It's odd to have food last so long in Ramshackle, odder still with Ruggie so close.

"Nice try." You said. "But you won't trick me like that. My friend trained me well and I need to bring those back to him."

"Are you sure about that?" The man's voice is muffled by his mask, white plaster forming three faces obscuring any meaningful detail of his real looks. He's radiant, something about the way he's managing to thread the needle through the crowd despite his exaggerated mask is holding all your attention despite Ruggie's warnings. You're supposed to be competing to see who would bring the most food home, but instead you're dancing in the arms of someone else, laughing as he kisses your hand when he dips you in tune with the song. "Your friend is missing out, I have the best tasting thing in the ballroom right here."

"I'm sorry I was so distracted I only managed to snag a couple things. Did you get anything good?" You roll out of the corner closer to the center, just out of his reach but oh so obtainable.

"Nope~" he says, letting the word pop and looking away with more shame than you have seen on his face... ever now that you think about it. "I uhh. I may have... also.. gotten distracted." Both of you look at the single container of apple fritters, suddenly very much aware that neither of you actually brought anything else back to your dorm.

"Laugh with me." You try to protest but Ruggie has both your fingers up to your lips, his trademark smirk looks good on you, he wishes he could take a picture. "Embarrassed prefect? You shouldn't be so worried, I told you how I felt didn't I?"

"But you don't know how I taste!" You manage to wail and he finally cracks, shaking with laughter and letting you curl your blanket around you in a ball of embarrement. You stay like that for a good long while, trying to beat down the smile that twitches at the corner of your mouth until Ruggie reaches over to unwrap you casing and pull your head into his lap.

"Well then, maybe you should let me test you." He's wrong you think as your lips meet, Ruggie has got to taste much sweeter.

Cater

"Well someone looks like they had fun last night~" Cater says and you giggle in response. He allows himself to pause before he continues, Cater really hates the sound of his own voice. How anyone can stand him is beyond him, and he knows the conversation he's about to have has a pretty good chance- no.

It's going to destroy the carefully built illusion he's woven around your "friendship" even if you react positively. Losing you would be painful, but keeping you in the dark would be even worse. He has to play this smart, play you correctly so he can try and keep your eyes with him even if they only look at the superficial face he wears.

Yes, Cater has to play you carefully, but he is off to a bad start. You know before he sits down that something is wrong, it's written all over his face sewn into his unwashed hair and dark circles under his eyes.

"I want to say 'you too' but honestly you look exhausted Cater, you sure you want to be awake right now?" You don't want to press him in case that makes him run, but you also know Cater a bit better than he wants to acknowledge. You don't really think the bit of yourself you have to share will help soothe him, but he goes along with his script anyway.

"Seriously, you worry too much!" He can't say about me because he wants your worries, and he knows that denial would crack his mask. "Besides I've just been dying to hear about the dance, you seemed really excited to go!" There's a sparkle in your eyes, a flush to your cheeks that he desperately wishes he had put there.

"It went well." That’s all you can bring yourself to say as your hands go to fiddle absent mindedly with the sleeves of your blazer.

"That's good?" He tries to poke at the topic but you don't go further. "Or was is it not good and you just don't want to think about it?"

"No! No it's just. I met someone. Or I think I did anyway." Cater blinks. Once. Twice. Three times just for luck because he knows, or at least he thinks he knows, that he was the only one with you all night. What you're saying just can't be right, there's no way you didn't know it was him all night. "He was just so easy to talk to! I completely lost track of time and didn't meet up with anyone else..." Your little embarrassed smile confirms it, you didn't know. He laughs.

"Sorry," he doesn't mean that "you're just too cute Yuu." He pulls his phone from his pocket as you desperately stutter.

"Look I'm really sorry I know I said I'd look for you, Riddle, and Trey but I was just... I don't know, moonstruck?" He laughs more, practically chokes as he quickly types an apology to Trey and savors your embarrassment just a moment longer.

"Don't you mean starstruck?" He teases and you suddenly find a bit of your fight back and fiercely shake your head.

"No way! That's for famous people. Moonstruck is for when you're overcome with ridiculous love for someone even if you don't know them." You pout and Cater looks at his phone, not to do anything really just to center himself and his thoughts. He has a choice to make, and he doesn't know where either path will go.

"Are you alright?" Cater should have known you would find him, there should be something scary with how unconsciously in tune with him you are. He doesn't say anything, but that doesn't seem to discourage you. You settle yourself next to him, sitting quietly keeping him company until he's ready to speak.

"It's all just a bit too much." He gestures vaguely at the room, uncertain why he's decided to speak about this now and not run from it. "Everyone's here wearing masks and hiding themselves like it's a fun thing to do."

"It can be." You say calmly. "But always dressing like this would be a lot." You look over the crowd with the stranger, the conversation lulls, and you try to examine the man's costume for a hint of what might be best to say. "You know," your voice is uncertain, but the words that come to you aren't ones you don't believe in, "everyone wears a mask sometimes, especially when they're afraid or lonely." The man says nothing, but something about the way he sits suggests you still have his attention. "You're not obligated to remove those masks for anyone, it has to be done when you are ready to accept the consequences of how other people will see you."

Cater isn't ready. He somehow doubts he ever will be. He wishes there was a way to confess this with a guarantee that the consequences won't burn him.

"You weren't the only one moonstruck." You look hopeful almost, exactly like you did when you'd pulled him from his corner to dance. Exactly the same as when you had when he had teasingly pulled your mask aside to kiss you, the same cute look he would never be sorry to see on your face. "Say are you busy prefect? I think there's something I need to tell you."

[morimakesfanart]

Sindria's Prophet #41

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [Intermission] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40]

[AO3] [wattpad]

Sinbad x OC

*Mori goes to horny mecha *More sex ed things *Emotional/tonal whiplash ~POV Sinbad~ Mori couldn't keep their eyes off of him for days, but they turned away every time Sinbad returned their gaze. He was definitely getting under their skin. It was only a matter of time before they fully became his, but he wasn't certain he could make it happen before he left for the Kou Empire. It was only after he sat at his desk and couldn't seem to finish a single document that he couldn't deny Mori was under his skin too. Even the waves were pointing him away from his desk.

However, the King couldn't exactly leave when he had just started working -that was what Zepar was for. The bird circled the Black Libra Tower, and when it entered through an open window of Mori's office it wasn't his Beautiful Prophet inside. That was definitely Ja'far leaving the room holding a bunch of scrolls. And when he entered the court yard, the General was headed towards the White Capricorn Tower. Something told Sinbad that Ja'far was heading his way without the waves. He dropped control of the bird.

Sure enough, Ja'far entered his office with the scrolls and put them on his desk. "Sin, is what Mori wrote in these true?" Just glancing at the labels he knew, "I haven't read those ones yet, but I'm sure they are." "Read them now." Ja'far had not looked this upset with him in years. "I'll wait."

--- ~POV Sharrkan~ Mori was ranting and it was far worse than anything Yam had ever said. "Yeah, no! I don't care how pretty these are or how much of a tourist attraction they are! You have to stop selling and supplying quartz and wooden dildos!" The Prophet pointed one such facile at the group before her. "These materials are porous. They can't be properly sterilized, so they will eventually lead to infections no matter what orifice they're shoved into!" Sindria's best swordsman was stuck between covering his face or ears while Mori 'educated' him and the staff of the Red Light District. This was a mistake. 'Can the King just show up and kill me right now????' She sighed. "You can make a similar-ish affect to quartz with glass right? That's actually safe to use, easy to sterilize, and they can handle a wide range of temperatures so you can even use them for temperature play." The Prophet twirled the crystalline dick while talking. "I was surprised when I saw how advanced this country's glass is so there shouldn't be a problem making dildos out of safe materials with the glass work here." Sharrkan had thought she would just take notes or something and leave, not try to fix everything right then and there!!! What materials were safe, what practices were dangerous; 'didn't matter that she was also teaching them things they could do/use instead that would work better. Wasn't Mori supposed to be a huge virgin nerd like Yam??? Why did she know so much about all of this? There's no way this was just from her visions. The staff were the ones taking notes instead of the Prophet. 'At least they seem to be enjoying themselves.'

--- ~POV Sinbad~ Ja'far brought the remaining Fate scrolls Sinbad had yet to read, but only really wanted him to read parts of 2 of them for the conversation. The contents were telling, both in his mistakes of the past, and Ja'far's current glare. When his Beautiful Prophet first told him that he ran away from responsibility using 'Fate,' he thought he had found the true answer in the waves. But that was a contradiction. The waves were caused by people's decisions, so even if they guide people to opportunities it doesn't remove their agency. Without realizing it, Sinbad had fallen into another phantasm to protect himself from guilt. Some of the comments Mori made since they met had hinted at the real reason but it was clear she had no intention of telling him directly. All of the scrolls had signs of being edited here and there, but not these two. They were still in process. And so there was the truth written directly in the paragraphs after his release from slavery.

...He had long forgotten how to ask for emotional support ... Those feelings would fester every time he made another mistake until he was able to fully replace his guilt with the acceptance of 'Fate' as inevitable. He wouldn't be able to acknowledge his own potential for evil for another 15~ years...

That last line held the answer. 'His own potential for evil.' That was the point Mori was really talking around all this time. In her visions he hadn't been able to accept that side of himself until it was too late. He knew he was capable of such things on a factual level considering how he viewed some of his Kingly actions as 'necessary evils,' but that wasn't the same as acknowledging that truth in his Heart. The reason he had longed for the ways of his youth was because back then he hadn't done anything that would haunt the rest his life; he had yet to gamble in desperation only to hurt those around him. But even that wasn't really the truth. When Sinbad had read about when he left home after capturing the Dungeon all he could think of was how that action damned everyone in his village just as was revealed in the scrolls in front of him. He had been making this mistake since the start. 'Just what have I been doing all this time?'

Ja'far's darkened stare waited until he got through the 2nd scroll. "This is so much worse than how you made it sound. This is more than some kid thinking he's the chosen one." A hand went to his head as he tried to wrap his mind around everything. "Sin, why do you think we all swore our lives to help you achieve your dream?"

Sinbad couldn't look away from the scrolls. Doing so would only mean seeing the disappointment in his friend's eyes. He had spent so long keeping what happened in Parthevia a secret. There was nothing he could do about it now.

"I know you don't like sharing your plans, but I thought... Did you ever trust us to help you?! What was the point of gathering all of us then??"

The King opened his mouth, and the realization that he couldn't say the 'right' answer and believe his own words hit him much harder than Ja'far's accusations. His heart started racing to match the flow of the waves. The General may have only read those 2 scrolls but Sinbad had read everything leading up to them, so more of his past was fresh in his mind. Sure, he reached out to people to teach him things periodically, but any time he ran into a real problem he always took on that burden alone. Sinbad had expected 'support' from his Household Members and citizens, but never 'help.'

Sinbad lost control over his expression. "That's part of why I decided to change this path I'm on. Mori made it clear that I will repeat the mistakes of my past if I don't start relying on you all even when I..." He was unable to find the right words to finish his sentence.

"Sin." Ja'far practically hissed his name. "If you don't fix this bad habit of yours then I'll kill you myself, just like I promised all those years ago, before you can cause the 2nd Calamity."

"I'll count on that." He would rather that than be the one that almost destroyed the world. Taking a deep breath didn't help nearly as much as he hoped. "I think we've humored Mori long enough. I need to know for sure how I'm connected to the 2nd Calamity." ---

~POV Mori~ To be honest, I wasn't expecting the management of the Red Light District to believe me right away. But apparently, being officially announced as the Prophet was really good PR because they were very excited to receive some of my 'prophecies for the betterment of Sindria.' The waves had grown dangerously high during my info dumping. If I didn't know how much of a change a sexual revolution could cause from reading history I might have been concerned. Instead, it made my heart swell with pride.

Returning to my room empty handed was a bit disappointing, but it did make it easier to sneak back without being noticed. It also gave me time to make a space the bunch of the new glass dildos I preordered. I was definitely looking forward to the future.

"Finally!" Sharrkan groaned as we exited the district. "If I knew you were going to take so long figuring out-" Both of us froze in the gold gilded doorway.

'Why is Sinbad entering the Red Light District in the middle of the day???' That thought was immediately counter when I noticed Ja'far standing next to him. That meant he was here for official business, not pleasure. 'Why am I only now realizing I could have waited for him to leave the country before attempting this????' At least I wasn't carrying a bag of dicks. That would have been the most damning evidence. --- ~POV Sinbad~ When the guards had revealed that Mori was escorted to the Red Light District by Sharrkan, Sinbad was unwilling to wait for their return. However, something wasn't quite adding up to his expectations. Mori was happily walking out of the Red Light District, and Sharrkan was drained and depressed besides her.

Before the King could say anything, Mori greeted them. "Hello, you're Majesty, Ja'far! I was originally going to tell you after writing up a report first, but since you're here I'll let you know now: I realized I could share medical information for reproductive health here." She gestured behind her, "I just finished my first trip to see what is the current common knowledge, so I could better understand how I can help."

'Does that means Sharrkan didn't drag Mori here?' Even so she was talking a bit too quickly. She was definitely nervous about something.

Ja'far responded before the King could gather his thoughts. "Mori. You do remember that you promised not to invent anything, don't you?" His smile was not the nice one.

"Yes," she admitted without skipping a beat. "However I don't need to invent anything that we aren't already working on to help here." Mori's smile was unwavering.

Sinbad sought direct confirmation. "You really came here to figure out ways to improve this place?" ---

~POV Mori~ "Of course! Who do you think I am?" I said, you know, like a liar. I placed one hand on my hip, and the other over my heart for added flare. "The whole reason I came here was because the rubber experiments are coming along, and the same material can be used to make comfortable condoms you can actually feel through. That way no one has an excuse to not use them." The King and estranged prince coughed at my words. Ja'far's eyes widened. I took his lack of comment as a sign to continue. "We are already working towards rubber gloves. And what are the fingers on gloves other than tubes? We can make condoms by just making bigger tubes." I gave a perfect customer service smile to the man in charge of finances. "From my visions, I know how much trouble 'people' get into when they can't deny their desires, so I thought I could at least help with this part of the problem." "Mx. Prophet," Ja'far took a few steps forward and grabbed my hands. "You should have told me sooner! Something like is invaluable with a King like Sinbad." 'Fish, meet hook.' I softened my expression to lean into this pity angle. "I understand. I know how many complaints you've had to deal with because of him."

((Blatant Rose of Versailles reference ;3)) --- ~POV Sinbad~ This was a dilemma. Even though Sinbad had stopped taking partners, his Beautiful Prophet was none the wiser. This was a good opportunity to enlightened her, but there was something else he had to take care of first. Ja'far might have disliked Mori when they first met, but ever since the rebellion in Balbadd was stopped things started to change. They had started having periodic moments like this when their thoughts aligned. Sin didn't like it. He gently separated their hands and received their attention at the same time. "Hey now, I stopped asking for call girls weeks ago." On one hand, if Mori wanted something, Sinbad wanted to make sure she got it -if that was the assistance of one of his Generals so be it. But on the other hand, he didn't want anyone else catching Mori's eye. When he had heard that Sharrkan brought her to the Red Light District he had thought that one of his Household Members had betrayed him. From the look of things it was starting to seem like, instead of Sharrkan, it was Ja'far he should have been worried about. Ja'far took a few steps back. His eyes and brow scrunched in great disappointment and complete lack of fucks for the topic. "I think we will all feel better with this added protection considering your track record." "Yes, well..." There was no denying that. Sinbad cleared his throat into a fist to buy time as he listed the facts in his head: '-Mori has already admitted to her feelings for me before so clearly she wants to be with me. '-Mori is also aware of my own feelings even though she hasn't fully accept it yet. '-Mori has started working on condoms that are comfortable. 'She is clearly working towards our future, so we can have a long honeymoon before growing our family!!' Mori's expression was only marginally better than Ja'far's. "Are.... you sick?" The Prophet still trusted her visions far more than anything he could say. "I'm fine. I promise." This was a failure of a conversation. Sharrkan's snickering rubbed salt in the wound. There was nothing the Womanizer of the Seven Seas could say to clear his name. "...Okay." She clearly didn't believe him. Mori lightly clapped their hands together with a smile. "Well, on that bombshell, we'll let you go do whatever you were gonna do in the Red Light District." Regret. Humiliation. Was how he spent his life really such a bad thing for a future spouse? Wouldn't his experience and expertise mean that he would be guaranteed to satisfy them? Ja'far brought the topic around to their true purpose. "Actually Mori, we came to get you. We have some questions about the future you saw in your visions."

--- ~POV Mori~ The room they brought me to was the same one that lead to the balcony where I had dinner with Sinbad more than a month ago. As soon as we entered, the King started taking off his rings. Confusion spiked my anxiety. Sinbad gave me a reassuring smile. "I noticed during our meetings about Fate that you keep looking at my rings. When I remembered you know my Djinn's abilities it was obvious what you were worried about." He took off his remaining metal vessels and placed them on a coffee table. "I know I'll never use any of these on you, but actions speak louder than words at times like these." Ja'far followed his King's example and placed his metal vessels on the the table as well. I knew I looked at Zepar's ring a few times when talking about Fate, but I thought I made it seem like my eyes were wandering. I couldn't respond. My brain was still catching up and accepting what was happening. 'This isn't going to be about his trip to the Kou Empire...' I had already explained what visions I had of that trip during a meeting about preparing for it, but it was still the most likely topic I could think of. It wasn't until they settled in amongst the plush seating that I realized I should sit down too. Sinbad's expression went serious but he didn't feel angry. After a moment's hesitation he looked me in the eye. "The person who causes the 2nd Calamity is me, isn't it?" . . . . . . 'How????' The thought was immediately followed by the realization that since I hadn't responded right away there was no way they would believe anything other than admittance. I couldn't even consider the option. ((So that emotional whiplash of a cliffhanger, amiright? The chapter took so long to come out because- Surprised! That eye infection I had came back and being on the medication this time really messed me up. It's a stronger antibiotic since the last apparently didn't fully knock it out of me. I couldn't go outside without catching on fire and passing out, and I had to hyper monitor my diet. The doctor said I'm past the next stage so the dosage was cut in half. I feel more like a person again :D I'll be on it for at least another month. Wish me luck!! This chapter was also delayed because I ended up deciding to do Artober daily this year. It was my first year making a piece every day since Jake Parker ruined Inktober by trademarking it and doing a plagiarism. Anyway, I really enjoyed the challenge :D Inspired me to work on more of my original work and things. On that note, the next chapter is going to be delayed because I want to get a lucid dream one shot out by December 7th. I definitely chose that date for no reason in particular. It absolutely has nothing to do with it being a Jujutsu Kaisen dream. Promise UwU I also have an original piece I'm nearly done writing, but I'll wait to finalize it until I have the next chapter of Sindria's Prophet posted :3 The world and this country is on fire but that doesn't mean it's the end. We have survived every day up to this one, we can survive another. We will preserve.))

[proshippers-against-censorship]

omg there's so many antis in the bungou stray dogs fandom it pisses me off. specifically because i had a mutual realise i was proship and was like but writing about incest and pedophilia makes you all those things.

however, in bungou stray dogs there's two canonical siblings (there's theories they aren't actually related and are lovers pretending so people don't think they're dating bcz of a big age gap bcz bungou stray dogs characters are based off of novel characters and authors and thats a book plot with characters with the same names as these siblings, however it's just a theory) and it is HEAVILYYY implied they are fucking, even the characters themeselves aknowledge they act like lovers and are weird and tell the protaganists to just ignore them. and idk if it's my translation of one of the light novels but there's a line in one where it legit says "naomi(16 yr old sister) tried to force herself onto tanizaki(18 yr old brother)" probably not word for word but i havent read it in a while and its basically played for laughs bcz its mentioned as a one off line for when the brother goes into a kitchenette alone and never mentioned after, literally gave me whiplash i was like u can just drop that line and noT MENTION IT AGAIN??? and these antis are reading the manga and watching the show and aknowledge therae siblings are fucking and then harrass anyone who ships siblings.

Also, there's an anthology (although tbh i'm not sure if the anthologies are considered canon but otherwise it's also implied that this character is a pedo for his magical superpower that manifiests as a prepubescent girl) where this just calls his superpower that's sort of a prepubescent girl his "wife" and everyone in the fandom hates him for that (and never the fact that he controls the whole damn mafia and has canonically mentally messed with kids so bad one got put in a mental hospital and didn't even want to leave anymore) also like they harrass and call anyone who likes his character(or even finds him well written) a pedo. but the author, who wrote this probably a pedo guy and these siblings fucking, no one hates him (hell, there's even people saying it's all the 16 yr old girls fault bcz tanizaki is too pure, honestly like 1, seems kinda sexist how ur blaming the girl who's a child 2, THEY AREN'T REALLL, IT'S NEITHERS FAULT THAT THEIR FUCKING, ITS THE AUTHORSSS.

there's antishippers who will say anyone who ships a ship where one character met the other as a teen and adult should kill themselves bcz it's gross. however the teen canonically grew up after the guy died and said that if the guy was a woman he would've comitted double suicide with him (please note this is said by a character who makes it very clear they want to commit double suicide with a woman they find attractive and are in love with bcz it would be sooo "romantic").

like the author has written all these icky ships and given them some sort of material, if you're gonna tell the people who ship those ships to kill themselves and that you'll shit in their food (real things these antis have said btw) then at least denounce the author too? like not even sent hate but at least understand this fandom isn't for you and its for people can handle icky fictional stuff.

The BSD and BB fandoms are terrifying.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

i think you're onto something with the romance novels world and plot points needing to mirror the kind of outlandishness of the love story. bc the main characters are already inherently acting absurd just by falling madly in love in a month or whatever and then if you add in the contrivances of romance tropes, it starts to feel like whiplash trying to pretend the characters live in any sort of grounded "normal" world. Like when the author adds in a family conflict subplot where the MC is like in absolute shambles because her mom said something slightly passive aggressive at lunch. that reads as more jarring to me than like conflict being something ridiculous that her mom doesn't want her being a marine biologist bc they come from a long line of fishmongers. Give me absurd drama to match the over the top dialogue and character emotions, I knew it would be unrealistic it's a romance novel! I guess this applies more to romcoms, but the same would apply I think to an analogous serious scenario. Or at least that's my take on it

okay so having just finished genuinely the most boring romance novel I have ever read in my LIFE I'm going to expand on this a little so thank you for sending an ask that gives me such a great platform to do that

I personally generally prefer a romance that just gets fucking silly with it, like really outlandish. A Lady for the Duke (Alexis Hall) is obviously the dream, being a whole swoony historical trans-affirming fantasy, but contemporary fake relationship stories can also be fun in their sheer ridiculousness, like Love, Hate, and Clickbait (Liz Bowery), which I actually liked, and Unfortunately Yours (Tessa Bailey), which I did not like but was very funny. and let's not forget queen Helen Hoang's Bride Test, which has a premise that dances perilously close to human trafficking but all works out in the end!!!

BUT HAVING SAID THAT. I don't think that something needs to be totally implausible to be a good romance. two of my very favorites romance novels anywhere ever are Helen Hoang's Heart Principle (no one should be surprised Hoang is on her twice I adore her) and Akwaeke Emezi's You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. both of these books are very grounded in reality but with very uncommon situations to heighten emotions and add urgency; in Hoang's case it's a character's adult autism diagnosis + death of a parent and in Emezi's case it's a very sudden and #problematic attraction coming out of absolutely nowhere. the stakes are very real, mostly centering around being true to yourself v disappointing your family, but the circumstances are still wild enough to make you say "god DAMN" and keep turning pages. hell, I'll even be extremely generous and include Mistakes Were Made (Meryl Wilsner) which is kind of a flop but does have the intriguing premise of "what if you were fucking a milf but her kid was YOUR BEST FRIEND and it was a secret?"

those are like the two sweet spots TO ME, and this book I just read (which was Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz, I feel so bad putting it on blast but I know people are going to ask) really solidified it for me because TYFS didn't fall into either of those categories. I'm going to say something absolutely insane, which is that multiple times while I was reading it I found myself wishing that the book was fanfic, because on its own it just... didn't bring a lot to the table? it falls into the grounded category but doesn't really bring any of those heightened stakes to the story, it's just 330 pages of people in their late twenties complaining about dating and their office jobs. if I wanted that I could just ask my group chat! there's nothing particularly particularly gripping about watching made up strangers do it!

but then I was like oh hang on... if this was two fictional characters who are usually fighting with swords or throwing cars at each other or something this would be so gripping. it's literally the coffee shop AU principle, right? like seeing people in a very mundane setting having an office job and going to a bar is very shrimpteresting when they're normally defusing space bombs. I was explaining this to my housemates and I couldn't think of a straight couple to apply it to (the book is m/f) so I said Naruto and Sasuke, which is crazy because I've never seen a single episode of Naruto, but like. idk Naruto being a museum curator who has to work with Sasuke, a marketing specialist who he had beef with a summer camp 14 years ago, sounds kind of compelling, right? definitely more than just two people I don't know.

there's a post on here that I think about a lot that talks about why advertising a story with tropes doesn't work for original fiction as well as it does for fan fic because knowing the tropes is more helpful when you already have a sense of investment in the characters and their personalities, and I think this is related to that! I think sometimes you NEED to have a wider sense of scope for the characters for them to be interesting in a very mundane setting!

ANYWAY. much to consider, etc.

[eerna]

My very specific gripe with SJM that I haven’t seen anyone mention yet is how she tries to justify her characters being hot— like in ToG there’s like a whole paragraph dedicated to making sure the reader understands that Celaena is super skinny, pale, and has very long blonde hair. But then it’s revealed that those traits are a direct result of her being forced to work in a salt mine for years and so she’s insecure about her appearance. SJM wants to have her cake and eat it too, where her female lead has to be insecure in order to make her relatable to the teen girl audience, but also she has to be extremely conventionally attractive.

This results in SJM enforcing conventional beauty standards while also making them seem reasonable and easy to achieve. After all, if half-starved Celaena can look like a super model, why shouldn’t the real human teenager reading the book be able to? It also implies that starvation and other unhealthy behaviors are a viable way to get skinny which is obviously an absolutely HEINOUS message to give to teens. It also reeks of misogyny, because the only time that characters written like Celaena are able to see their own beauty is when they start getting attention from men (usually there’s some sort of intimate sex-adjacent scene where the male love interest blabbers about the female lead’s beauty and then she realizes that she’s been hot all along, actually). It’s just so disgusting to me. I read ToG as an insecure teen and I’m just glad that I realized how bad it was before I took any of these messages to heart.

I do think this issue is small potatoes compared to SJM’s racism and gender essentialism stuff, but worth bringing up anyway. And to be fair, even authors I really like are also guilty of this on a lesser scale, specifically Leigh Bardugo with Alina in TGT and Holly Black with Jude in TFoTA. It seems to have been a symptom of mid 2010s YA, but SJM has brought it into the 2024 fantasy landscape, of course…

I totally agree, SJM uses the "she's staving but DAMN are her boobs rocking" sooo many times in her books. ANd it's funny bc Aelin is supposed to be this super confident badass but also an everyday teen girl and the whiplash is so strong... I never liked Divergent all that much, but I distinctly remember that at one point Triss has issues with her clothes bc she became too thick for them and sees it as becoming stronger, and at 13 that was such a big comfort to me ahahah. But I have to say, I think Jude's weight loss isn't treated the same because I don't think it's referred to as anything other than unhealthy, and by the time book 3 rolls around she's back to looking the same as Taryn. I don't recall Alina's though so I can't say anything abt it.

[unnervinglyferal]

Saw a thing that made me think of you for some reason. Gonna paste the entire reddit post here rather than link it, because you need to read in real time for the funny:

"My (31M) wife (32F) and I are in a healthy and happy relationship. That said, we’ve been together since high school, so we both feel that we missed out a little by being each others’ only sexual experiences. We’ve talked about this at length and decided a few years ago that we’re ok with having a few hall passes in our relationship, since we very much intend to stay together the rest of our lives and don’t want any resentment over missed possibilites. Plus it’s pretty rare that we could even find such an opportunity, as it’s a little hard to find hookups when you’re in a committed marriage and don’t go out much. We even gave each other advance approval in case a situation arises, so long as we’re safe about it and tell each other immediately afterward. We’ve both used one HP, each with someone we knew well enough but would never see again, and no issues came out of it. In fact, it’s only made us more secure in our relationship and how much we genuinely appreciate being with each other.

Recently, I had to travel to London for work. I don’t normally get to travel for work, so I decided to make a trip out of it and spend a few extra days of my own time in the city after the project was done. My wife couldn’t join because she didn’t have any vacation time left but was very supportive of me taking some time to explore since I’ve never been to London and she has. Being cheap, and being a pretty outgoing guy when I’m so inclined, I decided to stay in a hostel. I was interested in meeting other travelers since I didn’t know anyone in the city and love being sociable with new people. I chatted with several of the people staying there, and in particular a very attractive French girl (mid-20’s) who dressed super goth.

For context, I love the goth girl look. I’ve been sucked into the goth gf propaganda online, much to the annoyance of my wife. It isn’t her style, but she has been nice enough to cater to me by putting on a sexy goth outfit on occasion, since she’s knows it’s a huge fantasy of mine. Still, I pester her constantly to be more goth because I enjoy it so much.

Anyway, I ended up spending a little bit of time with goth French baddie - we both went to the hostel’s happy hour event and hit it off there. I found out that she was recently single and was in London for an art show. It turned out we were both into emo music, and we talked about our favorite bands. I had the thought that she was acting a bit flirty towards me, but didn’t think too much of it, until I later found myself sharing a sink with her in the hostel bathroom.

The hostel was co-ed, so each floor had a small shared bathroom with a communal sink, and a door that was meant to be kept open but which people frequently closed for the sake of having more privacy than just a stall to shower in. So I’m brushing my teeth while chatting up the real-life version of Shadowheart (who, mind you, is wearing an extremely low cut top), when she suddenly closes the bathroom door behind us. In my mind, my wildest fantasy is about to come true. It’s even more exciting because of the adrenaline rush of being in a semi-public setting, and a girl being so into me that she would make such a bold move. I can’t believe this is actually happening to me. I instantly get hard. Then she turns around and asks “Are you interested in learning about our lord and savior Jesus Christ?”

She had me cornered for 10 minutes trying to talk me into salvation, while I grew increasingly despondent and immensely disappointed, with the whiplash of going from what could’ve been one of the crowning moments of my life, to pure and utter dejection.

When I told my wife this story, she laughed for a solid hour. She said it’s karma for annoying her about wanting a goth gf.

TL;DR life dream was to bang a hot goth girl. Thought I was getting the opportunity, but got cockblocked by Jesus Christ. god is real and he hates me."

The fucking mood whiplash. I was reading this nodding along like okay yeah I guess that could be us in like 10 or 15 years, who knows, neither me nor my girl are the jealous type or anything, and then it fucking struck. The christians have weaponized goth girls. Fucking lost it laughing, it's been a rough 24 hours, thank you.

[kozachenko]

Finished reading Forbidden Scrollery! As I mentioned in my little post about it before, I would make a full review on it once I finished it, so here we are now!

(Also, sorry I haven't been posting as much art recently, life's gotten busy for me and I haven't really had the time to work on anything big, but I hope to get back into drawing soon)

And honestly? Best Touhou manga I have read so far. Full review under the keep reading tag. Also, spoilers if you want to read it.

The writing first of all, was really good, the pacing is perfect (only helped by the actual paneling and layouts being top notch), the character writing was my favourite part of the manga, and the actual story was actually pretty smart.

So something I love about this manga is that it all revolves around a core idea, that being the relationship between Humans and Youkai. While each chapter is episodic in nature, it still feels like those little episodes actually have a purpose, it isn't just filler. There's not one major problem they have to resolve like in CDS, but at the same time the events aren't disjointed from one another like in Lotus Eaters. The way that we see Kosuzu slowly get more and more involved with the Youkai of the human village is really interesting. I also really like how we learn more about the human village and how it operates, as well as learning more about how the Youkai play a part in it. In each chapter we see a different way that this core theme is expressed, like in chapters 20 and 21 where we see how outsiders like the residents of Eientei contribute to the human village, and in chapters 30 and 31 where we see how humans help Youkai out via their fear of the unknown. And of course, you have the infamous chapter 25, where the most memorable moment from there also happens to be the most flanderized (I'll get to that in my paragraph about Reimu, because her character writing in this manga is the best that I've seen in the Touhou mangas so far). The best chapters that demonstrate this theme are probably all in volumes 6 and 7, where things start to get more intense.

Now onto the writing, and boy while this may be whiplash from reading CDS, the writing in this manga was amazing. Each character has their own unique voice, which ends up making the events in chapter 38 even funnier. Since Mamizou has a very distinct way of speaking, it makes it even funnier watching her be disguised as Reimu and accidentally slipping into her own way of talking.

Of course, this scene is visually aided by Moe Harukawa giving "Reimu" the little cat mouth she gives Mamizou, and also the very obvious signifier of the leaf, but establishing Mamizou's way of speaking early on in the manga helps emphasize the comedy of this scene (that being, a sassy old woman trying to impersonate someone in their early 20s with a very different personality to them).

What's even funnier about this scene is that as soon as Mamizou gets what she wants, she just gives up on trying to speak like Reimu and dips (which is the punchline to the setup of Mamizou almost calling Kosuszu "Little Missy" and then correcting herself)

Also, credit to the English translators for finding words and phrases like, "The real Mccoy" and "Reckon," with how different the Japanese and English languages are (and how tricky it can be to translate between the two) they ended up hitting the nail on the head with the localization and translation.

The actual narrative itself is really well paced, with all the events actually feeling like they happen consecutively to one another, only helped by the little bits in the dialogue where the characters mention previous events in the story. For a manga in a series where upholding status quo is the norm, a lot of changes happen in this manga, like Akyuu starting to write novels under a penname, Kosuzu starting to attract the attention of more and more important people in Gensokyo, and Kosuzu eventually being added into Reimu's friend group. The manga also does an excellent job of tying the events of the games at the time into the story, like we're seeing the behind the scenes or aftermath of a particular incident, especially so with the Urban Legend Incident, where we see Reimu and Marisa get more and more concerned about rumors like "The Story of the Bull Head" and the end of the world speading too far before they can do actual damage. I also like the tone that this manga has, it's inviting at first with how cute and lighthearted it is, but it slowly gets more and more serious we begin to see the truth of the human village, and by proxy, Gensokyo as a whole. Also, the set up and payoff with the parade scroll was really well excecuted, with it acting as like a ticking time bomb in the background as the series goes on. I also really like how each chapter feels different from each other in terms of plot beats, it's not really formulaic like Lotus Eaters was, which helps make the manga a lot more exciting to read, despite it not having a grandiose overarching plot.

Now onto the character writing. As you can probably see, I am turning into a bit of a Mamizou fan. She's one of the most well written characters in the manga and perfectly strikes the balance of being hilarious, yet intimidating at the same time. She's a pretty smart character despite her goofiness, and she's always such a joy to watch (or.. well... read, but that doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely (well actually fingers since I'm typing this, but again, doesn't roll off the fingers as nicely (yipeeee I used a phrase correctly). Also, I really like seeing her relationship with Nue as that of a grandma and her grandaughter who's a chaotic scene kid, but despite these differences they get along perfectly. Aya is also one of my favourite characters to read about in the manga, and I was so excited to see her again. She's always such a delight to see, and also captures that sense of goofiness + coolness. In a way, it's kinda the embodiment of Youkai in Touhou itself. Fun and charming yet supernatural and menacing at the same time. In your usual manga/anime series, it's more likely that characters will lean one way or the other (and anytime they step out of their ascribed personality, it's for a gag and is considered an oddity, wheras with Touhou it's commonplace), so it's a really unique writing thing in Touhou that I don't really see other things, which is really cool. Marisa is also written really well in this, she's really funny and plays off of Reimu really well. Kosuzu herself is also fun to read about, as her childlike view of Gensokyo slowly begins to crack as more and more influential youkai begin to interact with her. I also like how the manga doesn't tell you in the beginning that she's a young, naive kid, instead, it shows you little details like her having a curfew, her parents calling her for dinner, her general outlook on life in general. All of that is contrasted with Akyuu, who, while bit pretentious, was also very fun to read. She plays off of Akyuu's naivete well with her wisdom from her past lives and her knowledge on Gensokyo. She acts like how you would expect a teenager with memories of their past lives to act, with maybe a slight dash of maturity in there.

And now for Reimu, who I think is at her best in this manga. There were times when I legit went, "HOLY SHIT REIMU'S SO FUCKING COOL OH MY GOD-" instead of just going, "Ha ha, Reimu's such a dork." Like, she actually knows her shit in this manga, and it explores the "shrine maiden" side of her character in far more detail than we have ever really seen it before (except in arguably Silent Sinner in Blue, which I still need to re-read, yes I will also be making a full review for that as well once I do get around to it). I use this panel from chapter 27 as my example because she genuinely looks so cool here.

Reimu very frequently uses her skills as a shrine maiden to get to find the answers she needs, and she's not afraid to get her job done. As seen in the now iconic panel of Chapter 25...

This is probably what the manga is most well known for, and when I mentioned how this moment is flanderized, I'm more so talking about how people tend to look at this moment in isolation, and to be honest, Reimu isn't helping herself by saying this a moment before she does this guy in.

Which is then sort of contradicted when Reimu says this after she does the guy in.

So if she has a legit reason for why she did this, why the heck did she call it needless then? I feel like the best way of answering this would be that yes, she didn't need to do it, but from her perspective she had to. It's her job to do so, as she says so herself. Another thing to mention that contradicts the initial reading of that earlier line is just how seriously she takes this whole ordeal. During the pages leading up to this moment, we see Reimu as being uncharacteristically serious about this,

And when she finally arrives at Suzunaan, we get this really good reaction shot of her eyes, and it really says a lot about her mental state at the moment,

and she also gets very serious during her initial confrontation with this fortune teller guy.

Another thing that contradicts the "needless killing" part is how she handeled that one rich guy becoming a Youkai in chapter 37

Reimu is just ruthless when she needs to get her job done in general. Sure, she didn't need to kill the rich guy, she could have just let him go and not do anything about it, but she it's not about what she needs, it's what Gensokyo needs.

In the same chapter where she kills the fortune teller, we get this bit of narration.

Honestly, I feel like this is a kind of "Reimu knows more about Gensokyo than she lets on" kind of situation, because we never really learn exactly how having a human become a Youkai would screw up Gensokyo, but I have heard theories where if a human-who-became-a-youkai were to still try to be human, then it would be cause for concern because then it's like putting a radioactive rock in the middle of a small elevator with a lot of people (ok I know that doesn't make any sense whatsoever but I can't think of another way to put it). .

Putting that can of worms aside, I really like this manga's version of Reimu. Sure she has her dorky moments, but that's not the entirety of who she is, and I really like that. I really like it when characters have vastly contradicting sides to their personality, it makes them more interesting and also more fun to think about. There is so much more that I can say about Reimu in this manga, but I'll just end off this segment by saying that Reimu is now one of my favourite Touhou characters now and she is in my top 5 list of favourite Touhou characters.

Ok now it's time to finally talk about the artstyle and OH MY GOD THE ART FOR THIS MANGA IS GORGEOUS I WANNA EAT IT SHKGAGSLHSKGSAKJDGHKSLDJGHLAHDGLJH;SLGHKDJAH;GKGHDJK;HFGKADHG;J-

Seriously though, I really want to do a style study for this manga because I love it so much. It's expressive, the cross-hatching gives it this really nice and tactile feeling, and the designs the artist came up with for each character are really good. My only critique would be to maybe give Mamizou more wrinkles, or something more to communicate her age, (and I still like the way Mamizou is drawn in this manga). In my previous post on FS I brought up how good the layouts are, and that still holds up to when I finished this manga. Good manga paneling takes advantage of the fact that it's a manga, and uses that medium to it's fullest. I won't go into any more detail here as I have already talked about how good it's paneling is in a previous post, so go read that if you're interested. I feel like we all know what makes Moe Harukawa's art so good, so I'll just leave this segment at that.

Now, I would normally end this segment here, but really, there's one surprise I haven't talked about

One character who steals the show in this manga

A character so good, I had to write an entirely new segment on him

That's right, it's a dude, and it isn't Rinnosuke.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MAN,

THE MYTH,

AND MOST OF ALL, THE LEGEND.

ANXIOUS

MUSTACHED

VILLAGER!

THIS MAN, RIGHT HERE, THE GOAT OF ALL MANGA AND ANIME! BEST CHARACTER IN ALL OF EXISTENCE! ABSOLUTELY INSPIRING STORY THAT DROVE ME TO TEARS! BEST CHARACTER ARC IN THE ENTIRE MANGA! GET THIS MAN TO NUMBER ONE IN THE 2024 TOUHOU POPULARITY POLL LIKE HE DESERVES!

Ok in all seriousness, this manga is amazing, (I mean, it has anxious mustached villager in it) I see why people regard it so highly in relation to the other Touhou mangas. It was a blast to read, and it's my favourite Touhou manga now, and is also one of my new favourite mangas in general.

Ok I'm gonna end the post here now, bye byeeeeeee.

[legendofmorons]

Summer nights (legend)

Rating: G

Summary: You and Legend spend a night together at a festival and get to relax.

Warnings: none

Other: If I missed anything, please let me know

This is the 1st place prize of my 100 follower raffle for @andichrist35 I apologize for how late this is.

-------

Legend isn't really too sure what you're going to think of tonight- but he's just hoping you like it.

He can feel the tight and fluttering feelings that are settled firmly inside his ribcage. He is familiar with it- and he still hates it.

He doesn't know if he should actually be this nervous. It's a night off from fights and traveling. You're probably going to be thrilled!

The festival is still just barely starting, the sun hanging heavy in the sky as it slowly sets. The strung up jars with fireflies for the night are becoming more useful.

People running the stalls or entertainment rush around in haphazardly attempts to finish a last minute detail.

He's dressed in his good tunic, and he's even left his hat at camp. Just this once, you know?

He just wants to give you a nice night out. You certainly deserve it!

He just wishes he'd been able to get Time in on it and not Wild. The cook may have a good heart but the penchant for attracting trouble is a real issue sometimes.

But it's fine. Legend is sure it's all fine.

After all, you are more than capable of handling yourself.

And Legend has only been waiting here for two whole minutes. He's definitely over thinking this.

You're going to love it, he just knows.

He misses his hat.

"You're overthinking." His Zelda -Fabel- says from behind him.

"When am I not?"

"When you sleep."

"Haha."

"(Y/N) is going to love it. You are even all dressed up. What is there to even worry about?"

Legend looks to her, finding some relief in the familiar face of the princess. Though the smug look he finds doesn't do any more good for his nerves.

"You're not seeing it the way I do."

You're still not here, which is okay. It's still early, but the crowd is thickening at an exponential rate as the dusk settles around the town.

"No. You're shorter than me, shall I bend down?" She asks, and the look on her face says more than her tone or words.

She's enjoying this. The jerk!

"Zelda." Legend frowns at the young woman.

"What? It was a suggestion!"

"You know it wasn't."

"Legend?" Your voice calls over the chatter of those milling around.

Legend's head snaps around so fast he should have whiplash but somehow he doesn't.

Fabel laughs at the action, shaking her head at him. Entirely too happy to see Legend be so genuinely happy.

But also knowing she's going to give him so much shit for this. Like a good friend would.

"Legend?" You call again, closer this time by the sound of it.

"(Y/n)!" Legend calls back, clambering up on top of the base of one of the street lamps.

The vantage point allows him to spot you quickly. The figure you cut in your outfit is enough to make him wonder about the health of his heart.

Is he still breathing?

Just seconds after he spots you- your eyes land on him. The way your face lights up is quick, smitten, and melts his heart on sight.

"Link!" You call happily, rushing through the crowd and towards him.

You weave through, apologizing without care as you accidentally bump into those who don’t have the sense to get out of your way.

Legend climbs back down and feels the dopey smile take over his face. He absolutely adores it when you call his real name.

It feels right. In a sappy, domestic way.

You fling your arms around his shoulders happily, almost knocking both of you to the ground.

Your hold is strong and warm and perfect. He's not sure he'll ever truly get used to it. He's not sure it matters if he does or not.

As long as you keep doing this.

"Hey, babe." He greets with a soft smile as he steadies you.

"You look very nice."

Legend flushes pink. He might as well be trying to imitate a strawberry at this point.

"Ha, uh- thanks, Babe."

You just laugh, pleased as you can be to find yourself here with him.

"You do look nice though. I meant it."

"Thank you… You look good too, y’know?"

"Thanks, Ledge."

"So, did you want to eat first?"

"That sounds great actually." You say, turning to look around the large town square in hopes of finding whatever it is that smells so good.

"You'll like Luigi's stall then, come on."

Legend leads you gently, his hand in yours as you two walk. The crowd is thick and loud but no one causes any real problems for you.

Street lamps cast the majority of the light, the oil lamps in the glass enclosures warm and bright.

There's a large stone fountain in the middle of the square. It has a large statue of the era's Zelda standing back to back with Legend. It appears to be a life sized sculpture, water falling from the harp the princess holds and from the stone sword Legend holds.

The fountain seems to be some sort of last stand piece, but it's beautiful. And you're always happy to see Legend getting the recognition he and all the boys deserve.

"Is something wrong?" You ask as you follow Legend around the fountain in the middle of the area.

"No. Just- I don't dress like this often. I'm usually traveling or something. "

"You miss your hat. Don't you?"

He shouldn't be surprised you catch on so fast. You've always been good at reading him and you've always been smart.

"It's stupid I just wear it so often it feels weird-"

"Link." You say as you fish his cap from the place you've stashed it. Whether in your pocket or your bag.

Legend turns his head to look at you.

"Oh-" he manages as his eyes land on the Cap. "How did you get that?"

"Bribed the Sailor to help me." You say with a grin, "I had a feeling you'd want it back."

Legend stops walking, turning to face you fully. He takes the cap gently, "Thank you. You -... you always seem to know what to do."

"You're sweet." You say in response, "Always flattering me."

Legend puts his hat on, and you can see the way he relaxes. The familiar weight of the fabric seems to put him completely at ease.

"I flatter you cause you deserve it, (Y/n)."

You flush this time. Your own face warms up enough you might be able to fry eggs on it if you tried.

"You're unusually sappy tonight. Is there something I don't know about?" You ask, half genuinely curious and half trying to downplay your own smitten behavior.

Well, at least Time and Twilight aren't here to comment about the way you and Legend make cow eyes at each other. That phrase seems to be a solely farm boy thing in this group at least. And you are happy to escape it.

And you are even happier to escape the comments of Wind. The boy means well but he makes things awkward sometimes when he tries to tease people about love.

"Mh, maybe." Legend says, "Why? Do you want a surprise or something?"

"Maybe I do. Who doesn't like a nice surprise from time to time?"

"Food first, then we'll see about a surprise."

"Sounds good."

He grins happily, leading you again, the source of the great smelling food gets closer with each step. Your hand is soft in his- or at least softer than his.

You are not a chosen Hero and haven't had the chance to really ruin your hands the way Legend has.

And for that he is forever thankful.

And every scar you do have he swears makes you more pretty. Because he's a sap. You know?

The biggest sap.

You guys stop in front of Luigi's stand, side by side l.

"Oh- Link! Hey!" The tall man says, smiling as if he's known Legend a long time.

"Hey, Luigi."

The menu is written in meat script on a large board atop the stall. The lettering is done in bright red ink.

You and Legend both take a moment to find what you want and order.

Legend orders your food and pays, with a quick "Thanks Luigi."

You two step aside to wait for your orders, hands still holding each other as the festival really comes to life.

"Thank you for dinner." You say, genuinely appreciative for him paying and for him taking you to a stall so you don't have to wander aimless.

"Anytime." He says back.

You look around again, the new angle of the area allows you to notice different things .

There's an area that seems to be reserved for dancing where a live band plays a peppy set of songs and people dance happily.

The sun is gone now and the oil lamps that hang from posts burn merrily. The stars above twinkle almost in time with the music too.

"Are festivals always like this?" You ask, looking at your lover with bright curiosity.

He laughs, as if he finds it endearing that you even have to ask that. Though he forgets that your home is very different from his or most of the other heros' homes.

He's sure your home is great though. It made you. And he really likes you a lot. Lobes you, if he's going to be honest.

"They're all like this, though sometimes the drunks get really angry and fight."

You make a face at that, causing Legend to laugh again. You never cared for bathroom fights back home, whether witnessing them in person or on screen. You especially didn't want to be involved in one.

Ew.

"What's so funny?"

"Just the way your face spoke for you right then."

"Hey now, I can barely control my mouth, my face is beyond help."

"Your face is very pretty even when it is saying mean things."

"Aw, thank you!"

He shakes his head at your antics, even as the soft smile stays in place. Like it usually does around you.

"You're thinking all loud again." You say, tilting your head to the side a little.

"Mh, only good things this time."

"What about?"

"You mostly. You're usually on my mind these days. Sappy as that may sound. Or whatever. "

"Oh, Ledge."

"Yes?"

"You're a sweetheart. You know that?"

"Only when I wanna be, babe."

"But you still are."

He just rolls his eyes at you fondly, his smitten smile seemingly glued to his face tonight. If anyone asks about that he'll just shrug and ask them why he shouldn't be obvious about his feelings? After all, life is short.

Why not be open with those you love and trust?

He's never understood wasting time on not being open to those you love. It seems like a fool's errand.

"Link!" Luigi's voice calls, letting you and Legend both know that your order is ready.

You both grab your food and move to the side where picnic tables are set up. The tables are mostly empty for the moment.

You and Legend both sit down at an empty table, setting your meals down in front of yourselves.

You taste your food and it's perfect. Exactly as you ordered, with all the right flavors and ingredients. The texture is heaven and you will have to remember to find Luigi next time you're in town.

"This is amazing."

Legend grins at you, crooked and genuine. "I'm glad you like it. Luigi has always been a great cook."

"Obviously. Is your's any good?"

"Yeah, he always outdoes himself."

"He's phenomenal. Remind me to try to track down similar recipes later."

"Sure thing."

"Oh- Link!" A man calls, moving to stand beside the table you two are at. "Is this the (Y/n) you told me about?"

"Yeah, it is."

"I'll let you be then, just saw you and wanted to say hi."

"Well, hi."

Your laugh is warm as bright, drawing the attention of both men to you without meaning to.

"What's funny?" The stranger asks.

"Nothing just- Link. They way he said it-" you break off into laughter again, whether it's genuinely funny or not doesn't matter. It still hit just right.

Legend shakes his head at you, "You're weird, (Y/n)."

"Always have been!" You chirp at him in response.

"You two are cute." The man says, "I do have to go though, my daughter wants me to meet up with her."

"Go on then Jack, tell Millie hi." Legend says, waving the man off with a nod towards the crowd.

The man leaves with a friendly wave.

"You know everyone here. Don't you?"

"I do."

"Do you like that?"

"Mh- usually. It has its perks."

"I bet."

"Are you doing alright? I know you aren't as used to traveling and questioning me and the guys are used to."

"It's different for sure, but it's hardly the worst thing. Now that shadow? Well let's just say I'd do more than kick him where the sun doesn't shine."

Legend laughs, shaking his head. "You and me both, babe."

You both eat the rest of your meals, idle chatter about whatever your mind comes up with. The evening is a comfortable temperature as you take time to enjoy the moment.

Inside jokes are cracked and you both seem thrilled to have them.

It's not until you both throw away your disposable cutlery and dishes that you notice the music beyond knowing it's playing.

The music is good, familiar even. You aren't sure where you've heard it before but the lively tune is nice and you can't help but want to get closer.

"Do your festivals always have a live band?" You ask, taking Legend's hand into your left.

"Unless one of the main players is sick."

"They're really good."

"I'll tell them you said that."

"You should."

Legend just snorts at that, "Yeah. You wanna go dancing?"

"Oh absolutely."

"Then I should warn you I'm not very good."

You laugh, shaking your head, "That's okay, most of the dances I know would make the people faint." You say, remembering the Tilton dances that have wormed their way into your brain for better or worse.

"I'd pay so much money to see that. But we probably shouldn't try to do that hm?"

"Probably not. I'd hate to cause a scene."

"At least not tonight?"

You laugh again, you find yourself doing that a lot when you're with him. He always seems to be able to make you feel better.

"Come on, if we're gonna dance we should get to the main floor." He says.

And you can't argue with him. That makes plenty of sense to you.

"Lead the way then, Link."

Legend gives you the sappiest smile of the night so far before leading you by your joined hands through the crowd and to the main dance area.

You join at the perfect time, in-between songs as people shift back to give a little space to other dancers.

A few couples push out of the crowd while a few more join in.

"Ready?" Legend asks.

"Yeah."

You and Legend face each other, his hand on your hip and his other holds yours. Your hand goes on his shoulder.

A lively waltz starts, and Legend leads you in the dance. You vaguely know the dance, whether from your own experience or from movies is irrelevant.

Legend smirks at you as you dance, hat in place even as he is dressed up and waltzing. It makes for quite the picture- a very good picture if you say do yourself. And you do- say so that is.

"You're doing great." He says.

"Thanks. You're better than you let on."

He barks out a laugh at that, shaking his head. "This is nothing. You should see some of the other people here when they really get into it."

"I'd love that."

"We'll have to watch. They usually start a little later."

You laugh as Legend spins you before bringing you back into the main dance steps.

It's nice. Dancing with him. The snark remarks he makes are familiar and expected.

The gentle way he guides you is almost perfect.

You aren't sure how long you've been dancing but you also don't really care.

The night is getting a little chillier and it's nice when Legend leads you off the floor. Sighting that he needs a break and that you probably do too.

The dancers on the floor are really getting into it now. Some people are swinging their dance partners around above their heads, cheering and smiling.

Some are even tossing their partner and swinging them in fancy ways. One young couple executes a move you'd only seen in movies before!

"Are you sure you aren't just trying to get out of swinging me around like that?"

"I think I'd drop you and break us both." He says with a snort.

"Fair enough. I don't think I could do that."

Legend just snorts, leading you further from the floor and the main part of the crowd. He motions to a small sitting area with a few benches set there.

Not a year round thing if you had to guess, the benches are probably only here on festival dates or huge events.

Legend sits down, patting the space beside him when you don't sit down quickly.

"I don't bite."

"Tell that to Twi's poor arm." You snort, recalling the mess that led from Legend having a nightmare to the goat incident of July (AKA the reason only the farmboys are allowed near goats), to the biting of Twilight's arm. The poor rancher.

"Hey now that was one time! And an accident!" He protests playfully, shoving your shoulder.

You bump your shoulder back into his, "Vengeance is mine!"

"You wish," Legend declares, swatting at your shoulder without any real effort.

"Whatever Ledge."

"You know I have a real name."

"I know you blush pretty when I say your real name."

"Shut up!"

"Nope!"

Legend groans as he drops his head to rest against your shoulder, eyes closing as he does.

"Are you tired?" You ask, inclining your head to see him better. Worry for his own being bubbling up from your stomach.

"A little. Not the worst I've felt." Legend admits with a half shrug. "Why?"

"Just curious. You know I worry."

"Yeah. You should stop that."

"You're a huge hypocrite there, Ledge."

"Ha! As if."

"I sprained MY ankle last month and your mother henned me a week after it was healed."

"It was justified! The quest lifestyle is one that gets people hurt, (Y/n)."

You sigh, reaching to brush the hair out of his face. It's nice to get to be so domestic, but it's still a lot. You can't help but expect a monster attack.

Legend yawns slowly, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay," You say as you survey the skyline, the bottled fireflies and the stars combine into a beautiful picture. "It's nice. Being here with you, I mean."

"I'm glad. I was worried you would like it."

"Are you kidding me? I adore this! We don't have many things like this back home, I guess music festivals come closest."

You reminisce for a second about the concerts and festivals you've either seen or wanted to see. The captured videos don't seem to do the events justice.

"Music festivals? Your culture celebrates music?"

"Sort of. They're like e outdoor concerts but with a bunch of bands at once."

"That sounds very… loud."

"It can be."

"Maybe we can go to one when this is all over. I'd love to see more of your world."

"I'd love that."

"Though I can't imagine a world without so many stars."

"It's different, I'm sure I'll always miss these stars when I'm home."

"Ha, as if we'd let you suffer such a fate. Between us all we can probably fight whatever has obscured them."

You laugh at that, imagining the boys all trying to fight the invisible villain called Centuries Of Light Pollution. The image conjured is a semi-tangible blag of smog gas in the form of a large human with a monopole, cane, and tophat. You name this villain Mr. Light Pollution

You'd pay so much money to watch your friends fight Mr. Light Pollution.

"I'm sure if you manage to fight it you'd win." You say, deciding to stay encouraging.

Mostly because you aren't sure how to explain the real issue at hand and how it came about to your beloved boyfriend.

It doesn't matter though, they can't actually fist fight light pollution. Probably…

At least two have fought a god… huh. Maybe they could?

You'll have to explore that idea later. Once the world has been saved and you've figured out the secret to time travel. As one does, obviously.

(It's probably something stupid and easy to miss that holds technology back from time travel. Something like a miserable placed one in math or something. )

"Of course we'd win." Legend says, sure of himself in the way only someone who's had to probe themselves over and over is.

"Yeah. You would."

"Do you want to go to an inn or stay out longer?"

"Let's go to the inn. It's getting a little too cold for me."

"That sounds good."

Legend stands up, holding his hand out for you.

You take his hand as you stand up, smiling your thanks.

"Let's head in then, come on babe."

Legend is walking then, his hand still in yours as he leads you. He glances back at you every so often, just making sure you're okay and keeping up.

For such a sourness he can be sweet as pie.

The walk back is short and calm, chilled as it is. The crowd thins out the further from the main festivities you both get.

Laughter still echoes in the wind from the people celebrating even as the night gets older.

"Did you have any fun?" You ask, nudging him with your shoulder as you squeeze his hand with your own. "Or was it unbearable and awful?"

"Yeah, I did have fun. Did you?"

"I did. It was a lot more fun than I expected."

"That's good. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think we both deserve a break."

"More than. Remind me to work the tenderness outta your shoulders later, okay?"

"Don't gotta tell me twice." He says with a snort of laughter.

You just shake your head at him.

"You know, I wish we'd brought a camera."

"A what?"

"A camera. Like Wild's slate, it takes pictures."

"Oh yeah, you've mentioned them before. "

"Yeah, I like them. They let me keep memories better."

"That's what Wild said too."

"He gets it." You smile, "And that way I can tell my friends and family about you all and have them believe me."

You're hopeful that you'll get to have a wall dedicated to the chain and Legend. Mostly Legend if we're honest.

"You say that like you'll never see us again after this."

"Oh, I will. But they'll want an explanation before I bring nine men home that can and will fight for those they care about."

"Oh. Yeah, they'd probably not expect to see so many heroes in one place."

"Exactly. I'm sure they'd have questions. I think pictures would help a lot. Hopefully Wild and Wind will lend a hand with that."

"I'm sure they will. Even if you have to blackmail them."

"I could ask." You say, "I'm sure they'd help."

"Yeah. Probably so. But blackmail would make sure of it."

"You're a bad influence, Ledge. The worst."

"And yet you love me."

You give him a smile, the one reserved almost completely for him. Smitten and not even a little shy about it.

"Yeah, I really do love you, Link. I'm glad you know."

You watch him blush, starting at the tips of his ears and slowly spreading until it meets on his nose. He blinks at you a few times.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." You agree.

"Well, I love you too. You got that?"

"I do."

"Good."

"I think so." You say, pushing the door off the inn open with a grunt.

The door is solid wood- much heavier than the usually hollow doors of today.

You lead Legend inside, pressing the door shut behind you and hearing the mechanics of the now click back into place.

The inn is warmer than outside, a low level fire burns in the hearth of the main room. You don't bother with any late pleasantries, those still in the lowest level of the building are either far too drunk for decent conversation or they work here.

The stairs creak as you and Legend climb them to the third floor. The banister is solid though when you use it.

"Do you have the key?" You ask Legend in a softer voice, careful in attempts to not wake those who sleep.

"Yeah." He says, fishing it from his pocket with his free hand.

"Good." You say, stopping outside your room.

Legend unlocks the door and then shuts it once you're both inside. He locks it for good measure, a way to keep Wind from dogpiling you tomorrow morning.

Inside the room is a dresser, a door leading to a closet, a door leads to a bathroom, a full size bed with a carved headboard, and two nightstands.

The headboard is solid and sports a carving of birds on a tree branch. Well done and coated in varnish.

You and Legend let go of each other's hand in the interest of bathing and changing into pajamas.

The bathroom that attaches sports heated running water. Which you take advantage of as you bathe, whether showering or taking a bath. The water is set just right as you scrub off the dirt and sweat of the day.

Once you are in your sleep clothes and you've done what you want to with your hair you get into bed. Finally allowing yourself to relax.

You sink into the mattress, feeling spoiled with the actual bed instead of a bedroll on the ground. Though you kiss the sounds of the campfire that lull you to sleep at night.

Legend joins you ten minutes later. His body warms beside yours as the blanket settles over you again.

"So… was that something you'd wanna do again?" He asks.

"Yeah, I think so. But I wanna get better at dancing first, you did all the work."

"I think you did well."

"You're very biased, love."

"I am not. I've known some very bad dancers."

"Like who?"

"My Zelda. She was awful when she first started. You wouldn't believe it."

"I doubt that. Aren't royals naturally good at rich people's things?"

"No. She stomped on my toes for so many years. I think they're permanently bruised."

"I doubt it."

"You're just really optimistic, babe."

"I have to be. You're all so pessimistic. "

"It's realistic in our line of work."

"I know."

"Good. I don't want you to be so optimistic you get hurt."

"I know. I just want to be happy, it's a lot easier with you though."

"Why? Are you being sappy again?"

"Pretty much always. You make me happy, Link. Of course I'm going to be optimistic when I'm happy."

"You're sweet, (Y/n). But you're like a sick tree right now."

"What?"

"Extremely sappy."

"That's a bad joke, Legend. Negative ten."

"You're hurting me where it hurts most!"

"Where, your sense of humor?"

"No. My pride!"

You laugh at that, rolling closer to him so you can wrap your arms around him. It's nice to see him so relaxed.

It's nice to know that he feels safe enough with you to relax.

This whole thing is just so nice.

Legend wraps his arms around you too, his chest rises and falls rhythmically as you start to really get close to sleep.

"Good night, (Y/n). Sleep well, I love you."

"Night, Link. I love you too."

He gives a pleased hum at that, moving to kiss your forehead. He settles back down and you feel him really fall asleep quickly.

A skill the heroes all have. The ability to fall asleep anywhere and to fall asleep fast.

You can feel yourself drifting off slower, basking in the figurative and literal warmth the moment provides.

The entire evening has been great. From the food made by Luigi to the dancing you enjoyed with Legend. Even the conversation was nice.

You don't ever want this kind of time together to stop. You'll do whatever you have to just to keep things like this a common thing.

And you're pretty sure Legend agrees.

Besides, even though you gave him his hat back- it was cute to see him without it. He looked a little lost until he got it back.

But the fact that he went out is his way to dress up for you? To go out of his comfort zone for you?

You're beyond touched.

He really does treat you well. He spots you in so many ways, even if there is always endless banter. You like it that way.

You'll have to arrange more days like this for him. It'll do Legend good to take more breaks and spend time doing things normal non-hero people do.

Maybe you can take him to a music festival.