#then had a correction of 'but they should have happiness'

[zorosangell]

I NEED pit pt2 ! GIVE ZORO HIS GIRL BACK!!! 😤😔

⛥ﾟ・。 boxers

synopsis: part two of pit -- zoro saves your life (ish) and finally finds the courage to win you back

cw: fluffy fluff with a dash of angst, comfort, ZORO IS DOWN BAD, kinda grovels ig, but like as he should, reader kinda stands on business (not really tho).

a/n: been a minute y'all <3 happy to see you guys again

"For fuck's sake," Zoro groaned, throwing his forearm over his eyes as the loud, frenzied moans of Nami's booty call slithered through the walls.

Was she fucking killing him?

Audibly, the man was shoved against the headboard, letting out a surprised string of groans as the navigator continued her assault, doing whatever it was she did that had men begging her not to leave whatever island they were docked at.

Of course, she never obliged; but that never stopped her from robbing them blind, each and every one practically handing over their valuables at the sight of her shy smile.

It was almost laughable.

Zoro couldn't wrap his head around the poor bastards who found themselves so besotted so easily.

She was just a woman.

Hell, she was just a person.

No different from any other stranger you'd pass on the road.

...Right?

With an annoyed sigh, the swordsman dragged a calloused hand over his face, staring at the ceiling of his dark room with a knowing look.

Then again, it was just a woman that had made the last month of his life a living hell.

Or rather... her absence.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the inn bed, he glanced over at the nightstand, snatching up his day-old glass of water and taking a large swig.

By the severe lack of light flowing in through the window, he could tell it was still the wee hours of the morning, despite the fact he felt he'd been up for years.

But lately, that was how every night went.

'Cut it out.'

Without hesitation, Zoro dropped to the ground, completely ignoring the empty cup on the floor as he caught himself in a plank, starting up his push-ups.

He could do this.

He could work through this.

He just had to give himself a little more time.

With a grunt of discomfort, his lips tightened into a taut line, ignoring how the weight felt off without a certain someone sitting on his back, and how his count felt too correct without a familiar voice chatting his ear off.

Shaking his head, the swordsman trained his gaze on the floor below him, brows cinching slightly with frustration.

'Cut. It. Out.'

In retaliation, images of your smiling face flashed through his mind, so sudden that it early made him drop himself.

God, if this wasn't pathetic, he didn't know what was.

Your big breakup with the ship's first mate was a little over a month ago, and despite Zoro's fervent efforts to forget, your words had plagued him from the moment you stepped off the deck.

"IT'S WHAT YOU DON'T DO, ZORO!"

"Every time I look at you, I feel more alone."

"Am I... just that forgettable?"

His chest ached at the broken tone of your voice, just as painful as when he first heard it.

All that time he had spent fighting off danger, working to keep you as far away from it as possible, it turned out he was the one that had been hurting you he most.

That fucked with him more than he cared to admit.

How could he have not seen the signs?

How could he have not seen how much he was hurting you?

How could he have ever forgotten anything about you?

"Am I... just that forgettable?"

"Am I... just that forgettable?"

"Am I... just that forgettable?"

Suddenly, Zoro's nose scrunched, a harsh stench snatching him from his self-loathing thoughts.

It smelled like... smoke.

In an instant, the swordsman's eye snapped open, darting around the room to see greyish-black fumes billowing in from under the door.

Sifting through his you-induced haze, he forced his brain to sort through all the pieces.

Early morning.

Smoke.

And shouting that had finally managed to bleed through the walls.

'(y/n)!'

Frantically, Zoro scrambled to his feet, still in his boxers and nothing else as he snatched up his swords and practically ripped the door open.

And the moment he did, he was met with utter chaos.

Inn workers rushed past carrying large buckets of water while other patrons shouted over the dark clouds of smoke, rushing down the hallway in frantic attempts of escape.

"Zoro, the building's on fire!" Chopper exclaimed from Robin's shoulder, arms wrapped around her neck as she tried to follow the crowd toward the stairs.

"We need to leave! Quickly!" the woman added, expression slightly tainted by worry.

"I don't know why you waste your time with these assholes, Nami-swan," Sanji grumbled, one hand holding hers while the other dragged the bastard she was robbing by the scruff of his neck, his face severely bruised. "The hell you standing around for, mosshead?! We gotta move!"

"Luffy and the others went on ahead! So come on!" Nami barked through her cloth mouth-covering.

"Where's (y/n)?!" Zoro asked, frantically.

The four froze in their tracks, the color instantly draining from their faces.

"She's not with you?!"

You had been avoiding the swordsman like the plague after the incident.

If he was honest, he doubted you would ever even look in his direction again, much less come to his side in a crisis.

Those days were over...

'SHIT!'

"Head outside! I'm goin' back for her!" he barked, roughly pushing through the sea of people to get to your room.

"Zoro, wait!" Chopper exclaimed.

"That half of the building completely ablaze!" Robin called. "Be careful!"

"I don't care if you burn to death trying, you better bring her back safely, moss for brains!" Sanji spat, Nami quickly moving to drag him toward the staircase.

Their noise went in one ear and out the other as he charged down the hall, expression wild with worry as he attempted to reign in his thoughts from your burning corpse to just you.

From the flow of the smoke, he could tell it was coming from the direction of your room, though he wasn't sure where.

But the thought only quickened his pace.

The further he trekked, the thicker the smoke got, and the harder it became to breath, his nose in the crook of his elbow doing little to shield his lungs.

"(y/n)!" he shouted over the distant, roaring flames. "C'mon, (y/n), sound off! (y/n)!"

His heart felt like it was in his ass, bile tearing at his throat like a raging river.

If something happened to you...

If you died with the terms you two left on...

If you died without allowing him to say all the things on his mind...

He'd never forgive himself.

"Fuck! (y/n)!" Zoro shouted, a cold shiver running down his spine despite the rising heat. "(y/n)!"

After what felt like a millennia, he finally reached the door to your room, frantically jiggling the handle only to find it was locked.

Blood rushed through his ears at the thought of you inside, so much so that he didn't even register the singeing burn of the metal against the palm of his hand.

"(y/n)! (y/n), open the door!"

And then he hears it.

Your small, faint voice, thick with exhaustion and fatigue.

"Zo... ro!"

"I'm comin', baby! Move out the way!"

Without hesitation, he drew his sword, winding up with practiced ease.

"Zoro, no!"

"108 Caliber Phoenix!"

In an instant, the door was gone, but the swordsman was more concerned with the familiar face running toward him.

Your silhouette emerged from the smokey air, clad in nothing but the thinnest tank top known to man, and a small pair of Nami's shorts.

Utterly relieved, you collided with his solid frame, arms wrapping around him like a vice as if he'd disappear if you let him go.

"(y/n)," he huffed into your ear, his arms find home around your waist like two puzzle pieces finally coming together. "You came back in here? The hell were you thinkin'?"

His words were angry, but tone so soft as his hand traveled to the back of your head to pull you further into him.

Smoothly, his free hand hooked under your thighs, effortlessly scooping you up and carrying out the building as it burned to the ground.

Finally outside, the two of you stood with each other, silently, as Robin conversed with the inn keeper about the start of the blaze.

The both of you were quite a sight.

Zoro, covered in soot, hair mussed from tossing and turning, in nothing but his black boxers.

You, covered in soot, hair wild from tossing and turning, in nothing but a thin shirt and tiny shorts.

Though you, in particular, seemed to be what the male population outside were more fond of.

And, of course, your swordsman took notice almost instantly.

"You guys need somethin'?" the words spilled from his lips like venom, his grip on his scabbard tightening ever so slightly as he shifted his stance to shield you from the eyes of a nearby group of men.

They were standing not too far away, gawking at you as if you were some sort of attraction at a fair.

And under the infamous glare of the pirate hunter, they all scurried away like startled deer, earning an annoyed scoff from the mosshead before he returned his gaze straight—all while still taking his mandatory glance at you every minute or so.

Somehow, you looked even prettier than the last time he saw you, the ginormous bonfire sitting in front of you painting your face with beautiful red and orange light.

Maybe it was relief.

Maybe it was his guilt.

He wasn't sure.

But what he was sure of was that he needed to get off what was on his chest before it was too late.

"That was stupid," he started, curtly, as he turned to you. "Comin' back in for me like that. You could've gotten hurt... or worse."

You exhaled sharply out of your nose, slowly shifting to face him.

"I was already out here when the others told me you'd stayed behind to go look for me. I couldn't let you do that 'cause God knows you wouldn't have come out unless you dragged me from the flames with you."

"You're damn right, I wouldn't have," he replied, sharply, though without an ounce of malice in his voice. "But the difference between you and me is that I can take it."

"Oh, that's the difference? I can't take it?" your brow arched, harshly, as you poked his bare chest. "I'm not some delicate flower, Zoro. I can take care of myself. You forfeited all right to do that for me a few weeks ago."

"You know I don't give a damn about rights, (y/n)," Zoro scoffed, shifting his weight on his feet. "I give a damn about you not burning to death."

"Little late for that..." you mumbled under your breath, though Zoro had heard loud and clear.

And he didn't like it one bit.

"Hey," he started, pointedly, grabbing onto your arm with a soft yet firm touch. "Look, I know I'm an asshole, but no matter how much you refuse to believe it... I care about you. I care a whole damn lot."

He sighed, taking a deep breath.

"I know I didn't show it well when we were together, but that's not something that's gonna change 'cause of where we're at right now."

Your eyes widened slightly, surprised by the sudden, vulnerable confession.

It was completely out of character for him, and the way he raked an anxious hand through his green hair let you know that he knew it, too.

"(y/n), I... you..." he stumbled, tone rising with frustration toward himself. "I fucked up... I fucked up a lot. I took a good thing for granted and didn't know it until you were gone."

His eyes found yours, the sheer sincerity and regret in his iris nearly knocking you over.

The sudden urge to hug the swordsman overtook your hands, your fingers twitching to reach out to him.

But you knew better, and given the circumstances it was almost laughable that he'd be the one needing comfort.

"(y/n)... you mean the world to me... and more than anything, I want you to be happy... even if that happiness is because I'm gone," Zoro stated, not a single waver in his voice as his calloused hand carefully slid into yours, caressing your skin with such a reverence you'd think you were fine china.

It forced a swell of warmth to radiate through your stomach, spreading all the way down to your toes.

His touch felt like coming home, a feeling that scared you to no end, but granted you immense solace nonetheless.

Not a day went by without you missing him, missing what you both used to be, and not a night without you wishing he was still by your side.

"I don't expect forgiveness. And I refuse to ask it of you," he continued, glancing down at your conjoined hands with a wistful look. "But if there's anything I want you to know... it's that I'm sorry... and that I love you."

A small gasp left your lips, his words nearly striking you dumb.

You were almost certain the word "sorry" wasn't in his vocabulary...

"And no matter where you go... or who else you may turn to... know that I'll always be here for you whenever you need me."

At that, he released your hand, the sudden coldness burning more than any flame could.

This wasn't what you wanted.

Hell, none of this was.

You knew what you wanted.

You'd known this whole time.

And now it had finally said the words you'd been waiting for it to say for over a month.

Feeling dismissed by your stunned silence, Zoro's expression turned emotionless, and he turned to go take a walk, or find some sake bottle to drown his sorrows in—whichever came first.

But before he could step away, you quickly grabbed his arm, spinning him back around before futility slamming your fists on his chest, not fazing him in the slightest.

"Damn it! I don't want to turn to anyone else!" you huffed, looking up at him with glassy eyes. "I want you, you asshole! ...But you just can't seem to get it through that thick head of yours."

Without warning, you flicked him harshly on the forehead, earning a sharp wince.

"OW! The hell was that for?!"

"You're stupid... arrogant... and rude. You have no manners, the mouth of a sailor, and the blood-lust of a demon from hell," you listed, your hand coming up to tenderly cup his cheek in your palm, the man leaning into your touch almost instantly.

You felt so soft...

And your words only brought back memories of playful nights bickering.

God, how could he have gone a month without this?

"But I love you... so much... and I can't imagine anyone else by my side... not even if I tried."

Zoro's eyes widened slightly at your confession, but in them laid a small flicker of hope.

One you faintly recognized.

"Zoro... if we do this again... it can't be the same..." you warned, resting your hands on his chest. "I can't go through all that another time, and I won't. 'Cause at the first sign, I'm walking away."

"You have my word," he promised, as if it was an irrefutable fact, resting his firm hand over your soft one, which sat above his heart. "If you ever do, you have full permission to kill me."

"Cute you think I need permission for that," you chuckled, playfully raising your brow. "You should be more worried about who gets to you first: me or Nami?"

The man shivered at the thought, cracking a small smile at your amused expression.

Leaning down, he pressed a firm kiss on your forehead, deciding against the option of your lips in favor of taking things slow.

He didn't want to overwhelm you.

"Point taken."

Effortlessly, he scooped you up, relishing in your tiny squeak, as well as the feeling of your arms snaking around his neck.

For the first time in thirty-six days, the world felt right, and his chest felt whole.

The hold you had on the swordsman was almost terrifying; but, he'd be damned if he let anything loosen it ever again, himself included.

So, he started the trek back to the Sunny, fighting off the grin threatening to break onto his face as you rested your head against his chest.

"Now... let's get you into somethin' a little warmer. Gonna get sick like this."

"Zoro, you're in your underwear..."

"And?"

"I—y'know what? ...Nevermind."

[cinnamontoastcrunch-15]

HI I'M BACK here's a oneshot that I got the idea for in the middle of uni.

Also apologies that I haven't posted at all in January I'll be back properly I promise.

"It's not too late to back out, if you want," Remus offers, turning to Sirius.

"As if. We're here now, Moons. Besides, I think freaking out your entire extended family is a perfect use of my time." He holds out his hand, offering it to Remus. Remus rolls his eyes, but Sirius doesn't miss the smile that comes as he reaches out to grab his hand.

Honestly? Part of Sirius does want to run away. A big part of him regrets to agreeing in the first place.

Still, he's doing this for Remus.

"Me? Why in Merlin's name would you say my name?" Sirius asked, a little dumbfounded.

"I panicked!" Remus said back. "She was so excited about the possibility of me bringing a guy to the wedding, and I only really know three guys!"

Well, he wasn't exactly wrong.

"You don't have to come," he said quickly. "I just figured it wouldn't hurt to ask? Four hours, free food, freak out my relatives who don't know I'm gay?"

"When you put it like that..."

Four hours in a liminal space where he can call Remus Lupin his boyfriend. Embarrassingly enough, Sirius has had dreams about this. Maybe not as a sudden stand in to make Hope happy, but he'll take whatever he can get, really.

It's going to suck when the night is over, though. His one scrap of self preservation was the only thing keeping him from agreeing. There's still a small part of him urging him to run away, protect himself by living with the careful boundaries he's drawn in his head to keep him from breaking his own heart. He knows Remus will never feel the same, and he also knows that he should be a lot more careful to keep himself sane, but he's here now. Surely he should just... embrace it?

The two of them walk through the muggle car park and down to the reception hall.

"Remus!" A girl's voice rings out, and Sirius feels Remus' grip tighten on his hand.

"Hi, Aunt Anna." Remus smiles graciously. Sirius watches the woman grind to a halt in front of Remus. It's as if there's some kind of magnetic field around him that keeps her from getting any closer.

"How is everything? How's the... special school?" She lowers her voice to say this, and Remus' smile strains a little. Sirius looks between them, a little confused. Is there something wrong with whatever stand in Remus is using for Hogwarts?

"Aunt Anna, I graduated in July. And it was a specialised school," he corrects politely. "More focused studies?" He says it like he's had to make this correction over and over. She smiles patronisingly, making Sirius' hair stand on end.

"Of course it was!" Her voice is fake, dismissive, frustrating Sirius to no end. Her eyes finally flick to Sirius, curiosity overtaking any sense of falseness on her face. "Who's this? Brought a friend along?"

"Oh, actually, he's not my friend, he's, er..." He glances a little helplessly at Sirius. Little does he know, the decision to go all in has solidified itself in his head. These stupid, patronising family members are going to respect Remus by the end of the night if it kills him.

"I'm his boyfriend. Sirius Black." He extends his hand with a smile that makes Anna blink, a little taken aback.

"Boyfriend? You're... oh!" She looks around, as if searching for someone else to have heard it. "Well, I guess it makes sense that you're... yeah. Um..." She smooths her skirt down, suddenly uncomfortable. "How did you two, er... meet?"

"We went to school together." Her eyes widen, and he nods. "Yeah, focused studies."

"Oh. Huh. I wouldn't have thought... What- what have you been up to then, Remus?"

"Not much, really."

"God, you're so modest!" Sirius says, quickly wrapping an arm around Remus' waist and pulling himself a little closer. He hears Anna clear her throat, fixing her expression as soon as he turns to face her. "He's gotten so many offers."

"Offers for what?"

"He hasn't told you?" Sirius asks innocently. She shakes her head, and he smiles at her. "He's going to be a doctor. Hospitals are fighting over him."

"A... doctor?" For a second, Sirius thinks he's accidentally fucked up the word, until Remus nods a little awkwardly.

"Yeah, there are a few places offering me spots. It's hardly fighting, though-"

"Haven't you gotten baskets from all five locations? I mean, you're getting offers from America!"

"Yeah, guess so." He shrugs, but Sirius is already happy enough with what he's done. Anna looks between them, a little surprised, before nodding once.

"Nice to see you, Remus." She turns to leave.

"It was lovely to meet you!" Sirius calls after her with a sweet smile.

"Sirius!" Remus turns to him, stunned.

"What?" He asks innocently. "I'm just showing you off a little!"

"She's going to be pissed." Remus bites his lower lip, worried. For a second, Sirius' mind malfunctions, having to tear his eyes away from Remus' lips and back to his eyes when he turns to face him. "She had to write Sam's personal statement for Cardiff Uni."

"Oh, then she can't say a bloody word! Special school, she can fucking bite me." It draws a chuckle out of Remus, much to Sirius' delight. "Right, should we find your mum?"

"Yeah. Yeah, let's go."

Much to Remus' dismay, they run into a fair few of his extended family on the way. Sirius does nothing but fawn over Remus, making sure to push his multitude of achievements. It's not exactly hard to do. If Remus was slightly less lovely all the time, he'd be able to do this. He shouldn't be his family's punching bag, and Sirius isn't about to let that continue. He's not even lying, he's just pointing out the things he notices every day. It's scarily easy. He manages to get two judgemental uncles to back off, as well as the boy who can't even write his own essay, clearly pushed over by his aunt and forced to flaunt a few flimsy achievements. Sirius feels a little bad for him, so he's not as obvious about pushing Remus' life to the forefront. It works all the same, getting Sam away before he could even start talking about the fact that Minnie wanted Remus to consider training to teach at Hogwarts.

By the time they reach Hope, Remus has turned bright red. It's a magnificent sight. Sirius wishes he could do this every day.

"Remus! Oh, and Sirius! Hi!" Hope is clearly a little tipsy, cheeks flushed as she beams at the two of them, pulling Remus into a hug, promptly followed by Sirius. "I'm so glad you could make it, Sirius."

"Wouldn't miss it," he answers back with a grin.

"Yeah, that's what I'm starting to get," Remus mumbles under his breath. Sirius hasn't missed the fact that he's standing a little taller than he was when he walked in, though. He's just too nice to push back at his family. "Mum, don't be surprised if Aunt Anna says I've grown into a rude young man as soon as she's got a drink down her."

"Why? What happened? Oh, she's always been a bit of a-"

"No, it's nothing. I just want you to be prepared." Remus waves her off, but Sirius has other plans.

"She was being shitty," Sirius answers with a shrug. Hope turns to him, and he elaborates. "She kept talking to Remus like he's a child! The moment I pointed out that he's actually pretty smart, in a pretty tame way, actually, she turned and left. I didn't think it was that bad."

Hope looks between the two of them, before bursting out laughing. Remus and Sirius exchange a slightly confused glance, as Hope tries to pull herself together.

"Oh, I'm so glad you-! I've tried my best, but she just- I don't think she cares what I say. I can't believe you managed... thank you, Sirius, that's absolutely brilliant!" Sirius beams at a stunned Remus, pleased. At least it wasn't just him who thinks that Remus' extended family are a bunch of self-centered wankers. "Honestly, Remus has talked non-stop about you, I'm so glad he finally found the courage to ask you!"

What?

Sirius' heart does a strange thing where it skips several beats all at once, making him feel a little dizzy.

"Non-stop?" He asks, trying to keep his voice casual.

"Yes, absolutely non-stop!"

"Mum," Remus says quickly, shooting her a glance. She seems completely undeterred, though.

"I told him it was worth taking the risk a long time ago. I mean, you're a lovely boy, and it's clear how much you care about him. It's just nice to know that it all paid off! I had a good feeling about you two-"

"Mum, I'm going to get a drink," Remus interjects suddenly. "I'll be back in a second." She looks like she's about to protest, but Remus is still going, voice slightly unsteady. "I'll tell you what Sirius said to everybody after. Come on, Sirius."

He grabs Sirius gently by the arm, pulling him in the direction of the bar before Sirius has a chance to say anything. Before they reach the bar, he veers off and shoves a door open. They turn a corner and get into a cramped room absolutely full of fold-able chairs. Remus shuts the door and lets go of Sirius' arm, scrubbing a hand over his face and leaning against the door. His hands are shaking, and he looks a little like he wants the ground to swallow him whole.

"...I'd have quite liked to hear more," Sirius says eventually, breaking the weird silence. Remus finally looks up at Sirius, a mix of confusion, frustration and panic evident.

"I feel like that was embarrassing enough," Remus answers simply, eyes flicking back to the floor.

"Is that why you asked me?" Sirius asks suddenly. He knows he should really say more, but he has countless questions, and he needs at least one of them answered. Remus nods once, playing with his fingers.

"Mum made the guess. She wouldn't have believed me if I'd said no."

"Because you've been talking about me 'non-stop,'" Sirius supplies, careful to use Hope's exact words. Remus nods quickly, face turning much redder than it had been before.

"Sorry," he says before Sirius can say anything else. Sirius frowns.

"For what?"

"Lying to you. I mean, I basically tricked you into this whole thing because I didn't want to disappoint my mum."

"You gave me an out multiple times," Sirius tries, but Remus isn't done.

"And for, er... what my mum said. I didn't realise that she'd... you can leave, if you want. I wouldn't be pissed. I mean, fuck, I wouldn't be pissed if you didn't want to speak to me for a while." Okay, now Sirius is much more confused. "I... I really hope this doesn't ruin our friendship, though. I know it's probably going to feel weird now, and I get that, but I- Merlin, I really don't want to lose you, Sirius."

"Remus," Sirius starts gently.

"I mean, we could just forget that she ever said that. I've been perfectly fine living like this until now, I'll be okay."

"Moony."

"Sorry. God, if I'd known that was going to happen I wouldn't have... I could have just... I don't know, fuck, I'm so sorry-"

"Remus!" Sirius finally manages to snap him out of his strange, apologetic tangent. "I just want to make sure that I haven't hideously misunderstood what your mum said. You like me?" Remus nods, and Sirius takes a step closer. "Romantically?" He nods again. "And you have for a while now?"

Remus barely gets a chance to nod before Sirius closes the gap between them, connecting their lips. He hears Remus gasp as he pulls away, locking eyes with him and watching him carefully. For a second, he watches as Remus' brain speeds up, eyes scanning over Sirius' face as he tries to process everything.

Eventually, he seems to throw out every thought in his brain, cupping Sirius' face in both of his hands and kissing him back. Time stops as Sirius is caught up in the feeling of Remus' lips on his, one hand moving from his face and into his hair, his own arms moving impulsively to wrap around Remus' waist. It's everything Sirius could have imagined and more. Part of him still thinks he's imagining things, that there's no way Remus is actually here kissing him. It's overwhelmingly perfect, making Sirius feel a little giddy with the joy rising in his chest-

"Oh my Lord!" A shrill voice that Sirius recognises as Anna interrupts them, forcing them apart. "I- I'm just- right, um... I- okay." She turns and leaves, absolutely dumbfounded, eyes wide and a little horrified. For a second they both look at the closed door, before turning to exchange a glance. The moment their eyes lock, Sirius starts laughing. It doesn't take much for Remus to join in, as Sirius drops his head on Remus' shoulder and Remus laughs along with him.

Fuck Remus' strange extended family.

Nothing can ruin this for them.

[multi-fandom-imagine]

hi !! I don't know if you are taking any Bridgerton request at the moment but if you are could you write one where Benedict and reader were courting but he started to spend less time with her so she wears a revenge dress to one of the balls and gets a lot of attention so Benedict gets a bit jealous? with a happy ending please

A/n: Man I cannot remember the last time I've written for Bridgerton.

It hurt, seeing someone you cared about slowly pull away from you so when it was announced a ball be thrown you'd decided to set your own plan into motion and you'll make him see.

The ballroom was alive with music and laughter, the chandeliers were casting a golden glow over the swirling mass of dancers. Benedict Bridgerton had barely stepped through the grand entrance when he spotted you.

And he almost forgot how to breathe.

You were stunning...no that wasn't the correct word, you were devastating. The deep sapphire gown you wore clung to you in a way that left nothing to the imagination yet remained utterly tasteful. The delicate lace along the bodice highlighted the graceful curve of your collarbone, and the rich color made your eyes shine brighter than any star in the sky.

He swore you stole his breath away.

But it wasn’t just the dress—it was you. The confidence in the way you held herself, the way you smiled just enough but never too much, and the way every gentleman in the room seemed to gravitate towards you as if drawn by some invisible force.

Benedict clenched his jaw, fingers tightening around the glass of champagne in his hand as he watched another man—a Lord he didn’t even recognize—lean in closer, his gaze lingering far too long.

Your laugh ringing in his ears as you turned your head away shyly.

He hadn’t meant to let things slip between them. Between his art, his family obligations, and the pressures of society, he had let the days turn into weeks, and the weeks into something dangerously close to neglect. You had been patient, always so understanding, but now… now he saw the consequences of his absence. No...that was a lie, those weren't the reasons.

You were his best friend, more than his best friend and when Benedict realized that he started to pull away, he started to pull away because it scared the ever loving shit out of him.

And now you weren't waiting for him anymore.

He should have known better. Should have seen that you wouldn’t sit idly by while he withdrew into himself. You had always been too brilliant for that, you didn't deserve any of that.

And now, every man in the room knew it too.

Benedict downed the rest of his drink, barely tasting it, before setting the glass aside and moving through the crowd. He wasn’t reckless like Anthony, nor as effortlessly charming as Colin, but what he lacked in their methods, he made up for in quiet determination.

You still laughing when he reached you, a soft, melodic sound that sent another wave of jealousy coursing through him. That made his heart beat a bit faster, sent his pulse racing.

“May I have this dance?” His voice was smooth, but there was a weight to it—a claim beneath the polite words.

You turned, the laughter in your eyes flickering when you met his gaze. “Oh? I thought you were otherwise occupied this evening.”

He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to keep his composure. “I was a fool.”

Your brow arched. “I won’t argue with that.”

A smirk tugged at his lips despite himself. “Then let me prove to you that I am your fool.”

For a moment, yoi studied him, as if weighing whether or not to make him suffer just a little longer. But then, with a small sigh, you placed your hand in his.

“Try to keep up, Bridgerton.”

And as he led you to the dance floor, the rest of the room faded away—because there, in his arms, was the only world that had ever truly mattered.

[cornliastreett]

BED CHEM ⎯⎯ chapter two

drew starkey x singer!reader

NAVIGATION !

BED CHEM MASTERLIST !

PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER

001. NOTE

thank you so much for all the love on this fic so far! i didn’t think that many people would be reading this on here. so thank you!

IT WAS ANOTHER WEEKEND IN LOS ANGELES, WHICH MEANT ANOTHER EVENT FILLED WITH CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS. You didn't even know what the event was for anymore, you had met so many people that night, shaken so many hands and repeated your name so many times that it had slipped your mind what you were actually there for. It had also slipped your mind that Madelyn had messaged you that morning to tell you she was attending the same event. So you hadn't remembered to look for Madelyn. You also hadn't had the time to, even if you had remembered.

But Madelyn had remembered. She had been looking for you the minute she stepped foot on the carpet that night. Even when she had bumped into Drew that night, she was still looking for you. But Madelyn didn't want Drew to know she had been looking for you the entire time the two had been talking. So she tried to act as though she wasn't even sure if you were there. "I think Y/N/N is here tonight, I should text her." Madelyn had said, slipping her phone out of her bag. Not even sure if you would have your phone on you to see the message.

Drew had frowned. "Who the hell is Y/N/N?" He hadn't a single clue who Madelyn was talking about.

"Sorry, Y/N." Madelyn corrected herself, thinking using your name would be clearer. Not everyone called you ‘Y/N/N'.

"I'm still confused." The frown stayed on Drew's face.

It was then Madelyn's turn to frown. "Y/N Y/L/N?" She questioned. But the confused look stayed on Drew's face. "Come on, Drew." Madelyn spoke about you enough for Drew to have recognised the name.

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" Drew asked her, before taking a sip from his drink.

"Drew...I am shocked." Madelyn couldn't believe Drew didn't have a single clue who you were. Madelyn's best friend for the past two years.

"Is this the same person you talk about all the time? The singer." It was as though a lightbulb went off in Drew's head. All the times Madelyn spoke about you, he had suddenly remembered.

"Yes!"

"Right. I still don't really know who she is." Although he knew you were friends with Madelyn, he still wasn't sure who you were. Had never seen you anywhere before or listened to any of your music. For all he knew, Madelyn could have been making you up.

Madelyn rolled her eyes and looked back down at her phone to text you. "I'll introduce you to her. She's amazing, you'll love her."

"Sure." Drew knew Madelyn was only saying that because she loved you. It wasn't as though he'd become friends with you, or even see you again. At least so he thought.

A good 20 minutes had passed. The topic of you had been left and Drew and Madelyn continued to speak about other things. Till a familiar face walked into sight. "Y/N/N!" Madelyn shouted for you, hoping she was loud enough for you to hear.

You had finally been given a minute to breathe and was on your way to grab a drink when you heard somebody calling your name. "Oh my God, Maddie." You had never been so happy to see your friend. You approached Madelyn, completing missing for a second that Madelyn had been standing with somebody else. You quickly wrapped your arms around your friend, giving her a squeeze. "Please save me. I haven't had a minute to even think since I got here." You had said as you hugged your friend.

"Okay, Miss Popular." Madelyn laughed as she released you from her hold.

You then pouted. "I've missed you." Two months without having time to see each other was too long. You two had been inseparable since the moment you met two years ago.

"I missed you too." Madelyn mirrored your pout. She then heard a cough from beside her. "Oh, Y/N/N, this is Drew." Madelyn had completely forgotten Drew was beside her. But you had noticed. His piercing stare had caught your attention the moment you saw him standing with Madelyn. "Drew, this is Y/N."

You had a hunch it was Drew standing beside Madelyn. You’d obviously never met him before but you had seen the odd photo, and had watched Outer Banks before. Madelyn also spoke about him a lot. "Ah, the famous Drew Starkey." You smiled at him. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." Your smile grew and Drew had almost forgotten to reply.

"You have?" He raised an eyebrow.

You nodded. "Yeah. From Maddie, Chase. You're probably the only one I hadn't met." You had seemed to have met all of Madelyn's costars and friends except for Drew.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet the Y/N/N that Madelyn won't shut up about." Drew smiled, feeling himself feeling strange under your gaze.

"Aww." You turned to Madelyn.

"It's true, I do talk about you a lot." Madelyn said, nodding her head. She wasn't embarrassed about it, you knew how much Madelyn adored you.

You were about to turn back to Drew, say something else but you were interrupted by your name being called. "Y/N." The voice of your manager filled your ears and you winced.

"Oh no, I'm being summoned."

Your manager approached you from the side, gently placing her hand on your shoulder. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's somebody I want you to meet."

"Okay, coming." You smiled and nodded, before turning back to Madelyn and Drew. "Sorry, I can't stay and chat." You told them both. You then looked towards Madelyn. "We'll meet up soon, okay?" Madelyn nodded. You then turned to Drew. "And it was nice to meet you, Drew." You gave him a smile, your cheeks flushing but you didn't notice.

"Yeah, you too." Drew mirrored your smile, and your flushed cheeks. You then disappeared into the crowd and Drew never saw you again that night. But your face and your voice spent the night in his head. He couldn't seem to think about anything else, even for days after.

yourusername posted a photo !

liked by zendaya, joeyking and 1,063,622 others

yourusername in a sheer dress

view all 2,673 comments

user god damn GOD DAMN

user she’s so hot and she knows it

madelyncline fuck you’re so hot

↳ yourusername fuck i love you

user hope she’s working on her new album

↳ user she hasn’t even toured eics yet, give her a chance

joeyking PLEASE GIVE ME A CHANCE

↳ yourusername like i wouldn’t date the fuck out of you if either of us swung for the other team

user caption sounds like a song lyric

tags: @esquivelbianca @ts1mp0ne @fruitcakerafe @anothertimegirl @soincredible @ursogorgeous13 @drewsephrry @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account @hypnotizedstarkey @sereneera @glitteryfurything @harrys-housewife @st8rkey

[autumngold]

swedish leather goods

a/n: as soon as I saw this picture on ig yesterday, I couldn't help but to have some Thoughts™ about this man and his leather pants. english is not my first language and it's my first attempt to write nsfw* in a LONG time, but I hope you guys like it. if there’s anything I should correct, let me know 🖤

*female reader; thigh riding, explicit language, dirty talk, pet names, google translator swedish etc. MINORS DNI!

You had spent the evening mostly looking at him from afar. With the already busy schedule enhanced by the buzz of a last night on a world tour, it would be normal for you guys to be mostly apart for the afternoon and evening, only meeting after the show, later at night. You understood the sense of urgency surrounding your boyfriend while on tour, and were truly proud of him - and everything he had been doing with this band and crew - always happy to join their travels whenever you could.

And tonight, specifically, it all seemed a bit more intoxicating than usual. He made sure to save the best for last - it kinda felt like a delayed gratification for the both of you, in a way - he got you right where he needed you; and you were in awe of him, ready to give him what he wanted while also getting some relief of your own.

After the concert, you both went back to his hotel room and his stoic facade finally broke under your stare. Sitting on a leather couch at the corner of the spacious room, he couldn't contain his proud little smirk and you couldn't hold back an incredulous yet humorous smile. In a matter of seconds you were attached to him, both hands holding his face while you hungrily kissed his lips.

As you break the kiss, moving one of your hands to the back of his head, firmly yet gently tugging on his hair, he softly bounces his leg, coming in contact with your intimacy. Through all of those layers, still, the electricity doesn't fail to make you sigh in pleasure.

Joakim, pleased by your reaction, smiles briefly and unbuttons your pants, signing for you to get up and take it off along with your underwear. He knows you well - knows you're about to complain about the difference between your attires - and he's quick to signal his intentions once again. He softly taps his thigh, motioning for you to climb back on top of him.

As you do so, you momentarily hesitate to completely relax against his body, mentioning, with a mischevious smile, that you don't want to ruin his pants.

He looks at you with a certain gleam in his eyes - that dark yet gentle, sultry admiration he reserves for you - and replies:

- Go ahead, älskling. I got them 'cause I knew you'd like them.

And with that, he's swiftly motioning your hips towards his leg. As your center touches the rich fabric covering his thigh, you can't contain the surprised little sound that escapes your throat - neither the growing wetness between your thighs - and you can't help but to do it again. Each motion of your hips carry a bit more of intention, confidence and eagerness - it feels way too good to stop.

And Jolly's raspy voice on your ear adds even more depth to it. He sees the evidence of your arousal all over his clothed leg, and loves how you so prettily cling onto him as your hips alternate between sweet circles and going back and forth on top of him, dragging your sweet little pussy all over him, coating his new attire in your essence.

He intently watches as you move to his knee, pressing your clit against it. The texture of the leather against the delicate area, mixed with your own slick made your heart beat faster and your head pound. Alternating between that and rubbing yourself all over his thigh, everything was overwhelming. The stern yet luxurious, buttery mosaic feel of the leather against your center, combined with your own wetness and the light grip of your intimacy on the material - alternating with how good it felt against your splayed pussy, how easy it was to just keep going - to keep wanting more of that sweet, mind blowing torture. His firm leg occasionally lifted to meet up with your movements, never failing to make you moan his name so sweetly.

And your sweet boyfriend, staring at you in adoration - and just a bit of a provocative sense of humour - couldn't help but to whisper against your ear:

- Are you enjoying yourself, sweet girl? Making a mess all over my thigh... I saw how you looked at me earlier, älskling. Is this what you wanted? To rub your pretty little pussy all over me? Does it feel good, min kärlek?

At that point, you were a moaning mess. Your eyelids barely open; languid moves of your hips driving you crazy and hypnotising your awaiting boyfriend, as he gently pinches your nipple and says:

- I'm waiting for an answer, min söta.

To which you dreamily reply, with your back arched and head thrown back:

- Yes, it feels amazing. Feels so, so good, Jolly. Thank you…

You don't see it, but his face progressively goes from incredulous to pleasantly surprised at your words. He keeps encouraging you, desire and love showing through his voice:

- What a good girl you are, mitt hjärta... keep going, baby. You deserve it. Keep going, sweet girl...

And it was all becoming too much. He knew it. You felt it deeply, even more urgently than in other ocasions. The urge to chase that high in such a teasing, unforgiving manner, combined with your boyfriend's deep voice and tight grip on your waist impelled you to move faster, more thrilling and desperate than before.

As your cries fill his ears and your body trembles in his arms, he's gently nibbling on your neck, as he comes down from his own high, unexpected and powerful, intoxicating his senses as he makes his own quiet mess in his pants.

You look up at him, lifting your face from the hidden comfort of his neck, searching for his eyes as you both process what had happened. As you rest your chin on his shoulder, registrating that you weren't the only one who had been affected by the evening's events, you press a soft kiss to his cheek, then say:

- It seems I wasn’t the only one to make quite the mess, was I?

To which he replies, tender voice giving away a shy smile:

- You're mesmerizing, dear. I couldn't help it. Plus, as the saying goes... twice the mess is twice the fun, älskling. Ain't that right?

[ozzgin]

Hi, I’m kind of shy to send you this but I feel I really do need to do it. Well I’m one of your fans, big one that I never miss any of your posts, even just simply you answer questions or adoration because, who am I kidding, doesn’t love your post?

But recently one of a post you post saying “Happy Chinese New Year” making me pause a bit because if you are Chinese, that’s fine. But if you are from other countries, it would be really nice if you said “Lunar New Year” than “Chinese New Year” since China isn’t the only country celebrating. I do not really want to offend you if you are Chinese, or anyone read this as Chinese, since this is a mere friendly suggestion.

Happy Lunar New Year and hope you have the best wishes.

Hello anon, my apologies for the confusion!

To answer your doubt, it was indeed an intentional switch of words. I am not Chinese, so do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but just a few days ago I have learned something that made me reconsider the way I say my greetings.

Our apartment complex has an online community where people wished each other Happy Lunar New Year. A Chinese person in the group let us know that this kind of greeting can be considered offensive to them, because - while it is celebrated in other countries - it was first developed by and adopted in China. It differs from the lunar calendar, and the actual lunar new year would fall on a different date. They believe it counts as further erasure of Chinese culture and history. If something comes from a country, it should be named after said country, is the argument of it basically.

I am very aware that this is something celebrated by many other Asian countries, but I had no idea there were such strong feelings involved, so I wanted to do my part in being mindful. Here's the video we were shown:

So, yeah. I did not intend to exclude other countries from it, but I also didn't want to contribute to something that might be offensive to others. Anyone who celebrates is encouraged to weigh in, this was my take after being informed of it.

Edit: After talking to my partner, a compromise seems to be to just use 'Happy Lunar/Chinese New Year' as a greeting. Perhaps that would've been a better choice, sorry about that!

[sheiireen]

a short dkbk fic... 'Inhibitions' tags: post431 / one-sided izuocha / drunk boy(s) / misunderstanding / angst

“I'm going ahead!” Katsuki shouted to Izuku, who was still in the middle of undressing himself. He heard the splash of Katsuki jumping into the hot water.

After a quick shower, Izuku joined him.

“This feels really good...”

A few days ago Izuku would have never guessed that he'd be the lucky person Katsuki would invite to an onsen retreat vacation from his agency. The best part was that it was a private onsen, so it was just the two of them! It's been a while since they both hung out alone. They've either been with their classmates or with Izuku's students when Katsuki joined their classes as a co-teacher. Izuku was really happy that they could finally spend more time together. Submerged in the heat of the onsen, they stared at the stars for a while before Izuku decided to speak.

“How are you feeling?” Izuku asked Katsuki. He noticed the furrowed eyebrows and swam a little closer.

“Don't worry about anything work related, Kacchan. They'll be fine for a few days!”

“You're one to talk...” Katsuki bit back.

He wasn't wrong. Izuku brought some papers to correct until Monday, but that was different from hero work! Apparently Katsuki overworked himself to the point he collapsed at the agency, hence the forced vacation. Izuku had noticed the dark circles under Katsuki's eyes the past week and he hoped he would feel better after this trip. Izuku wanted him to smile and relax more.

After the first signs of dizziness they decided to go back into their room. They changed into their yutakas and Izuku flopped onto the futon. “It's so comfortable!”

Katsuki clicked his tongue. “I still can't believe they gave us the honeymoon suite. And there is no one here I can complain to!”

Izuku chuckled. “Come on, it's not that bad.”

Katsuki glared at him.

“Besides...it would be just like the old times, when we had sleepovers watching All Might movies.”

“You have no idea...” Katsuki said quietly.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Katsuki walked up to the cabinet and checked out the drinks. It was filled with all sorts of alcohol. “Woah. Don't they have any water?” He complained.

“There's a vending machine in the lobby.” Izuku stood up and took out some coins from his purse. “Do you only want water? Anything else?” “Just water is fine.”

When Izuku came back, he brought two huge bottles of water. He suggested trying some of the alcohol, since Katsuki was usually the driver and didn't get to drink much when they were outside. Katsuki wasn't happy with the idea, until Izuku challenged him - a challenge to find out who could drink more. The winner would get a wish granted.

“So you're backing off, Kacchan?”

“I never said I'd back off.”

Izuku should have known that Katsuki was a light drinker. After their fourth drink, his cheeks were already adorned in a pretty pink, while Izuku was only tipsy.

“One more!” Katsuki slurred.

“I...don't think that's a good idea, Kacchan.”

“Huh, you givin up, Izuku?” Izuku looked at the bottles and had a brilliant idea. “Ok, Kacchan. One more. The winner will be decided after the next round.”

Izuku hid the glasses and filled them with water instead of alcohol.

“Drink up.” Izuku felt a little bad for deceiving drunk Katsuki, but it was for his own good. He regretted suggesting this challenge anyway. It was dumb, and the only reason it happened was because he missed the challenges they used to have. Katsuki gulped down his glass while Izuku stopped midway. “I- I can't. I'm done.” Izuku lied.

Katsuki opened his eyes, at least as much as he could in his state and smirked. “I win!”

Izuku sighed, but smiled softly. “...I'll grant you any wish, Kacchan.”

“Any wish...?” Katsuki hesitated and kept his gaze away from Izuku for a moment before he moved closer. His red eyes sparkled when he clutched Izuku's yukata by his chest. “Will you grant any wish...?” He repeated. The sudden proximity flustered Izuku and he felt his cheeks flush with warmth.

“Kacchan...?” Red, glassy eyes were piercing through Izuku's green ones. He was frozen as he felt Katsuki's warm breath on his neck. Katsuki kept glancing at his lips. “Then...I want you...to kiss me.”

Izuku gulped. Kiss-?

It was Katsuki's wish, right? Izuku said he'd grant any wish, right?

Izuku slowly leaned in, but stopped midway when he registered Katsuki's unfocused eyes. This was wrong.

“Kacchan, I'm sorry.” He gently pushed Katsuki away by his shoulders.

“Can you ask me again tomorrow, please?” When you're sober, he mentally added. He spoke in a soft tone.

Katsuki looked at the floor, so Izuku couldn't see his eyes. He was quiet for a while, before he stood up and stumbled out of the room.

“Kacchan?” “'t was a mistake. I won't bother you again.”

“Where are you going?” Izuku followed him. Katsuki swayed as he walked down the stairs and Izuku caught him by his arm right before he fell.

“Kacchan. Please come back, you're clearly drunk!” He pleaded. That's when he saw the tears in Katsuki's eyes. A heavy feeling spread in Izuku's heart. He knew it was somehow his fault. He pulled Katsuki closer. “I'm sorry. Don't leave. Please?” Izuku strengthened his grip on Katsuki's arm. “Let's talk about this tomorrow, okay?”

It seemed like all strength had left Katsuki. He allowed Izuku to pull him back into the room. He was silent the whole time, even when he was tucked into bed. But there was a sadness on Katsuki's face that broke Izuku's heart and made him force away his own tears. Tomorrow. They'll talk about it tomorrow. He had so many questions, but he needed Katsuki to be sober for that.

When Katsuki woke up from a restless sleep, he found Izuku cuddled up to him. His arms were wrapped around Katsuki's torso – as if he wanted to make sure Katsuki wouldn't leave. His head was throbbing, how much did they drink last night? He tried to recall the drinking game and how it ended,when a message on his phone popped up. It was from Ochako.

“Hey, how is it going? Everything good? :3”

Katsuki sighed and threw his phone away.

Ochako had asked to meet him a week ago.

“What do you want, Round Face?”

“I want to confess to Deku.” Katsuki's heart skipped a beat. He bit his lips before he replied.

“Oh yeah? Good for you. Didn't need to tell me.”

Ochako pulled out an envelope. “This is an exclusive onsen holiday I was gifted by my agency. A very popular destination among couples. I wanted to ask Deku to go with me.”

Rub it in, Katsuki thought. He felt anger creep up. “Congrats.” He shrugged, but his voice came out sharper than he intended.

Ochako then slipped the envelope to Katsuki. “I need to know first.”

Katsuki just blinked at her.

“I can't confess to him if I don't know how he feels about you. And if I ask him he'll just deny it.” Her eyes were determined, while Katsuki was just confused. “The hell are you talking about?”

“I want you to take him there. If nothing happens, I'll confess to him.”

Katsuki scoffed. “So you're pressuring me into confessing?”

Ochako shrugged. “Or him. We will see.”

Another buzz brought Katsuki back from his thoughts. “Helloo?” Another text from Ochako.

He groaned. Fuck it all!

They had a quiet breakfast, but Katsuki could feel Izuku's eyes on him the whole time. “Are you feeling ok, Kacchan? Any headache?”

“I'm fine.”

Izuku rubbed his neck. “So...uhm...do you remember anything from last night?”

Katsuki put down his coffee before replying. “Not much. We had some drinks and then I remember waking up.”

“Oh...” Izuku's voice had a disappointed tone in it.

“If I said or did anything stupid, don't take it too seriously.” Katsuki stood up and started to clean the table.

They decided to go hiking. There was a mountain nearby that Katsuki had always wanted to climb. After two hours, they finally reached the top.

“Wow, look at the view!” Izuku said excitedly.

It was breathtaking. The sea of trees below was covered in all shades of red and orange and the stream from the river added to the peaceful atmosphere. Katsuki smiled.

When Izuku noticed, his smile grew. “This is amazing, Kacchan! Thanks for taking me here.” It wasn't me who was supposed to be here, Katsuki thought. He turned his face from Izuku when he felt a lump in his throat. Fuck. Whenever he tried to recall what happened last night all he remembered were fragments of disasters. Katsuki had tried to kiss Izuku and he pushed him away. That memory was engraved in his mind, the one thing that he'd never forget even if he tried to.

He rejected Katsuki.

“Hey Kacchan. Don't you think that this hill looks just like the one from All Might's Silver Era movie?”

Katsuki heard Izuku's footsteps walk towards a hill. “It looks exactly the same!” Izuku said happily. He positioned himself in a powerful stance as Katsuki's bit his lips.

No. Izuku raised both arms.

Don't. He bent his elbows and with a loud voice, he said “I AM HERE.”

Every movement slowed down for a moment. Even the wind danced around Izuku. He looked mesmerizing. Like the sunlight. Like a real hero. The words echoed in Katsuki's ears. 'I am here'. Who would have guessed that the brightest smile on Izuku's face would be what made Katsuki break down completely.

Liar.

He didn't even bother hiding the tears.

When Izuku noticed, he ran up to Katsuki. “Kacchan! What's wrong?!” “Let me go!” Katsuki shouted as he slapped Izuku's hand away.

“You have no right to say that.” Izuku was speechless.

Katsuki started to walk down, he didn't want to argue on the top of a mountain. Izuku was surprisingly quiet when he followed Katsuki's trail.

Walking down calmed him down. He was able to collect his thoughts and give himself time to prepare for what was next. He took a deep breath. Fuck it, he would let it all out now. Who cared anyway.

“You're really good at rejecting things, Izuku. I have to applaud you for that.”

“I haven't stopped being a hero, if that's what you mean, Kacchan?” His answer came out like a question. Katsuki almost felt sorry for him, because he genuinely seemed confused. Katsuki shook his head. “It's not the same. When I said I want to compete with you for the rest of our lives, I meant that. I still do.”

He stared at Izuku's wide, green eyes. Katsuki scoffed. “Yeah real shocker huh? Go ahead and tell me how childish I am, I don't care.”

“I don't think that. I would never think that.”

“Why did you leave then?” His voice cracked, betraying how hurt he was. He noticed some tears in Izuku's eyes. “I didn't know you felt that way, Kacchan. I'm sorry!” He moved one step forward and when Katsuki didn't move, he took it as permission to approach him. Izuku took Katsuki's hand before he went on.

“I didn't think you'd care that much, Kacchan. I can't promise you I'll go back as a full-time hero, but if that's your wish, then-”

“No. It's too late for that...and last night you-” he instantly shut his own mouth. Izuku just blinked at him, mouth open.

The silence that followed felt like an eternity.

“...You know, I haven't skipped any of my training program because sometimes I do think about doing more hero work.”

“Oh really?” Katsuki's sarcastic remark showed that he didn't believe him.

“Yeah. We can test it out here?” Izuku smiled. It was his signature smile that challenged Katsuki to a duel. A sign to make up. Katsuki made out a hint of insecurity in his voice, though.

“I don't know what you want to prove. You won't win against me anyway.” Katsuki swiped his last tears away.

“Winner gets a wish granted.” Izuku shouted before they started. After that, they did the dumbest challenges: Who could climb a tree the fastest, who could find the most beautiful flower in the next five minutes, who could lift the heaviest rock. In the end, they ended up with a tie. Even though the challenges weren't too hard, by the end they were lying on the grass, exhausted from all the running and yelling at each other about who won which part. It was the first time in a while Katsuki felt relaxed. Izuku chuckled, too. “This was fun.”

“I clearly won.”

“No, I did!”

They stared at each other and laughed. They lay in the grass for a while, watching the clouds pass by as the wind rustled their hair.

“...Hey, Kacchan?”

“Hm?” “Can we act like I won the challenge?” Izuku's voice was serious and Katsuki opened his eyes to see his expression. Izuku was lying on his side, eyes fixed on Katsuki. Normally, he wouldn't back down, even if it's for a stupid challenge, but the earnest gaze in Izuku's eyes made it hard to resist. Katsuki sighed in defeat. “Sure, nerd. It's your win. What's your wish?”

Izuku rose and put each of his arms around Katsuki's face.

“I want to kiss you.”

// The end. ----- A short epilogue:

Katsuki never replied to Ochako's texts. The first day, because he had nothing to say, the second day, because he was too embarrassed to tell her what they have done.

When he arrived at his apartment, Ochako was at his door.

“Soo, how did it go?”

Katsuki looked away. “...Sorry.” He couldn't hide his guilt. Why did love involve hurting others in the process? It sucked so much.

Katsuki expected tears, but Ochako smiled, letting a long breath out. “I see.”

“I'm glad. For both of you. Make sure he's happy, ok, Bakugou? I'll make you pay if you don't.”

Katsuki nodded.

“And you, please be happy, too, okay? You deserve it.” Ochako said. She had a genuine smile on her when she waved him goodbye.

When she was almost out of sight, she turned back. “By the way, if you ever collapse at work again, I'll have to force you to take a whole week off.”

Katsuki's eyes widened in realization. “Wha- Hey! Come back, Round Face!” When he made it down the stairs, she was gone already. Katsuki let out a stunned sigh and looked at the night sky. Next time he sees Ochako, he'll make sure she'll get the biggest and best thank you she's ever received in her life.

[poore-choice-of-words]

An important mentality I've built when recovering from Evangelical nonsense is this:

It doesn't matter whether or not someone deserves whatever. What matters is what they should have, sometimes that's a need, sometimes it's a desire.

I've spent too much time being told everyone deserves to go to hell to believe anyone deserves anything good, but I can believe people should have good things.

[copia]

"And there's nothing you can do!" ⛧ Ghost - Rats for WORLD RAT DAY 04/04/2024

[desultory-novice]

Magalor gets the crown but neither turns on the main cast or gets controlled instantly and just kinda leaves.

(Bonus points if he gradually gets controlled, taking such a long time (like a couple months - a couple years) that people can see it happening but just can't stop it and have to watch it happen no I'm not copying adventure time)

Since you said Magolor left Kirby and the others alone, I'm afraid you'll have to deal with a Marx and Marxolor-heavy version of this prompt! (I sure hope you're one of my readers who either likes or doesn't mind some shipping between them, Anon! >w< )

I originally wrote this as a script to maybe comic-ify before I realized it was way too long and quickly transformed it into a prose piece!

"False King's Lament" Pairing: Marxolor Genre: Angst Words: 1,000 Warnings: Uh...they kiss briefly...?

[Read More]

A breezy question, spoken almost out of boredom, echoed with unexpected weight throughout the room. 

"How long you gonna keep wearing that?"

The wizard king turned in the direction of the voice: it came from his court jester, who spoke to him upside down, being in the middle of a series of complex acrobatic exercises. 

The jester was the only member of his court. For theirs was a kingdom of two.

"...Wearing what?"

"The big glittery crown on your head, your majesty."

They tried to invite others to join in their kingdom of laughter and good times. Most refused with looks of disgust or terror. Some took up weapons. Some simply ran. Of course, together the two of them had the ability to force anyone they wanted to stay, but after a time, the wizard king would sigh and say their screams weren't the ones he was looking for and let them go–to the jester's disappointment.

"The Master Crown is an object of unlimited power." 

The golden diadem in question, sculpted to resemble some kind of airborne creature, like a bird or a bat or perhaps a dragon sat atop the wizard king's head. The jewel in the center, a light opalescent color that every so often looked blood red in the light, sparkled on its own, as if it somehow knew it was being spoken about. 

"Why would I ever stop wearing it?"

The jester hopped forward, deft in his comically oversized shoes.

"Uh, cause it looks dumb on you?"

The veil of majesty on the wizard king's face fell away, one gloved hand massaging away the annoyance he felt in his brow from betwixt the crown's enormous claws.

There was no more dignity there as he dropped the royal charade to sigh at his longtime friend and lifelong partner in mischief.

"Ma~rx..." Irritation rose in the last notes of that name.

The jester, unfurling his wiry wings, crossed the distance between himself and his king with a single glittering flap.

"Seriously, Magolor. You haven't taken that thing off since you came back with it. I know you like looking all important, but come on!"

Magolor noticed Marx's ever delighted smile had left his face. His own countenance was a frown.

"Once more, I have to question you why I should?"

"...Can you?" This question was softer in pitch than that which initiated this conversation. Heavier in tone.

"What was that?" Magolor feigned a fool's ignorance. It was true that his hearing was not what it had been in years past. But to say he hadn't heard the jester's question would be the kind of lie that distinguished his life before his coronation.

"Can you take it off?" 

Firmer now. Marx no longer concealed his concern.

"....Why is that a question?" Golden eyes looked around the throne room for anything else to concentrate on. (Though had it not, at one time, been built for a purpose other than ruling? Had this empty castle in his image not been made to host more than just them?)

Marx wrapped his hands–though it was only Magolor who thought of the large, monstrous claws that way–close around the two ends of his jester's cap like they were cuffs, miming his king's horns.

"It's hugging your head pre~tty tight." His violet eyes glimmered as he stuck his tongue out of a crescent smile. "Even tighter than I do!"

Magolor laughed, suddenly at ease again. "Is that it? You're jealous over a piece of headgear?" 

He lifted the small jester in his large hands; up to the brim of his scarf for a secret kiss. But as the two pulled away, Magolor saw that the mirth in Marx's expression had been only temporary. A trap to encourage Magolor to let down his guard.

"I'm being serious for once."

Magolor absentmindedly bounced the jester from hand to hand as a distraction, Marx nimbly skipping and twirling along the stairs of the other's fingers in their little lover's game.

"Whatever you're worried about, don't be. I've spent years researching the Master Crown and its power."

The last two words came out with crushing force. "...I'm fine."

"Great!" Marx stopped, smiled, and hooked one hand on a white gloved finger, orbiting it like a trapeze artist to fling himself up on top of Magolor's head. "Then you'll be fine without it too!"

"...Marx, just let it go." Magolor wanted to crane back to pull him off but knew that he would not be able to turn his head to his satisfaction. He instead swatted uselessly at the air behind him.

"No, I won't." A once soft voice hissed with anger and determination. "Not until I get this creepy thing off your head, Mags."

Magolor's blind grasps grew quicker and more panicked. Marx stretched his wings to their full span and slipped the tips of his bony claws under the thick golden ones that wrapped crushingly close around the head and horns of his lover. 

The fake royal finally let the old weakness and helplessness of his former life slip through the cracks in his voice as he began to shout, "Don't! Don't tou-...!" Then, Marx began to pry at it.

"...Ngh!" Magolor groaned, feeling his head simultaneously forced up and pressed down by Marx's determined efforts to de-crown him. It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Yet. Still, he cried Marx's name through tight lips, pleading with him to stop before...

His howl of excruciating pain echoed through the room, bounding across every wall like a wounded animal desperate to escape as Magolor violently arched back, flinging Marx off of him like a missile.

"Ugh...!" Marx rolled several times before coming to a stop against the wall. He shook his head to clear the dizziness. "Mags, what the..."

He looked up at his injured king, whose hands were tightly clutching the crown that now appeared to be wriggling atop Magolor's head like it were alive. Magolor shook and shuddered, whimpering at the angry, punitive thrumming of the crown-creature that wore him.

Marx noticed that, in the struggle, Magolor's neck wrap had fallen. His round eyes widened, irises like dots, at what he saw.

"M-Mags...?"

The jester traced the path of the crown-creature's claws with those eyes. Unlike the ones clutching his brow and hugging his horns, these trailed down a ways before they disappeared entirely into Magolor's back, where body and gold fused together.

"Are you...satisfied...now that...you know?" A glint of a golden eye found him, wavering as the light illuminated a stillborn tear.

Marx flew around immediately to face him, kneading his claws gently into Magolor's curled fingers until they unfolded once more for him to hop up into. "How long has it been like this, Mags...?"

"I don't remember... Right after I put it on? Months later?"

Anger boiled over in Marx to the degree that he no longer knew where to direct it. "How do you not remember when this thing suddenly began crawling over your head and growing into your back?! How did you study it for years and not realize it wasn't a stupid crown at all but some sort of...messed up monster?! Do you even HAVE limitless power?! Then use it and get rid of it! Blow it up or take it off or whatever you have to do! You CAN do that, right?" 

The lying wizard ducked his head in shame; he did not want to lie.

"...What's it doing to you Mags...? What's it going to do?"

The jester, who in a moment had forgotten forever how to laugh, looked at his liege, his fellow trickster, and his love as the other opened lips split in a most unnatural way. "...I don't know..."

-

[gingermintpepper]

Recently read a really fantastic fic on Ao3 by the very talented @hellokittysasuke (Link can be found here - do check it out if you're interested in an exploration of Apollo and his many griefs) and one of the things they mentioned in their wonderful reply to my extremely long comment has been rolling around in my head a bit.

Specifically, it was about readings of the Iliad where people view Apollo's directing of Paris' arrow as an act of mercy - that it was a rare act of compassion from a god that had been otherwise adversarial to Achilles because he, more than any god or mortal, understood the pain of continuing to live after one's soul has already died. I find this interesting for a myriad of reasons - the fact that Achilles' death is not actually portrayed in the text of the Iliad notwithstanding - but chiefly because, well, put plainly, Apollo despises Achilles. And, even more relevantly, in the context of this fic which deals primarily with Apollo writing a letter to Hyacinthus, I felt like it highlights even more intensely what Apollo despised about Achilles.

In Book 24, when Apollo makes a stand against Achilles' prolonged desecration of Hector's corpse and rights as a warrior, he says:

"But murderous Achilles... that man without a shred of decency in his heart... his temper can never bend and change--/Achilles has lost all pity!... No doubt some mortal has suffered a dearer loss than this, a brother born in the same womb, or even a son... " "The Fates have given mortals hearts that can endure."

Because grief affords lenience - just as wrath, or passion or any other myriad of intense, afflicting emotion but Achilles had lost his humanity in his anger, had lost every human decency and thus had to be hunted like a beast and slain with the arrow instead of the sword. And I think the contrast between Achilles' grieving and the other examples that are presented in the fic - Prometheus' anguish as he's eaten alive, primordial man when they were severed down the middle and left yearning, Apollo who must love and lose in perpetuity - are that they are examples of that human quality of endurance. That yes, things hurt - they might even hurt for thousands of years, but eventually, eventually they will stop hurting. The pain that was endured will be alleviated, it will be a memory, it will be a kindness and it must be accepted just as joy and peace and love are accepted.

Anyway, go read hellokittysasuke's fic, it's really good and I cannot stop thinking about it.

[mariocki]

Infinite list of favourite lyrics: 229/?

Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe (1967)

"And Papa said to Mama, as he passed around the black-eyed peas:

'Well, Billie Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please.

There's five more acres in the lower forty I got to plow'

And Mama said it was a shame about Billie Joe, anyhow.

Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge

And now Billie Joe McAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"

[...]

"Mama said to me, 'Child, what's happened to your appetite?

I've been cookin' all morning, and you haven't touched a single bite.

That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today

Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday - oh, by the way

He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge

And she and Billie Joe was throwin' something off the Tallahatchie Bridge'"

[thedreadvampy]

guess who's in 🎶troooouble🎶

New Boss does not appreciate my Vile Insubordination (giving an informed opinion in an email chain where she said some factually incorrect things and got called out on it - I said hey yep you're right that what she said isn't true but here's why it's still important to listen to our team)

and now we have to have a Quick Chattette about my Behaviour and Unsatisfactory Response (didn't apologise for being correct)

[hellfireeddiemunson]

finally having time to myself since 3pm yesterday (it’s 11pm rn) and i want to stay up and relax and watch stuff so i can have a nice time by myself before having to work tomorrow but i am EXHAUSTED and also want to sleep so bad😭😭😭

[oculusxcaro]

One of the things that hurts Khare the most isn't so much the eyes and teeth growing in her flesh but rather her memory issues, how easily she forgets things and struggles with the most basic tasks. Her IQ wasn't impressive before getting experimented on but she lived independently and picked up a range of skills from doing so along with working many odd jobs back in Hull. It's immensely frustrating - and upsetting - to her when it takes so long to learn what should be a simple thing.

[lanayrutower]

i'm about to throw hands with this yt poll.

this is the zelda version of that twitter butch post to me.