#then maybe she could open her eyes and see that for herself too

[greatw0r]

DOMESTIC MOMENTS with sevika ✶ sevika x female reader -> just fluff and happy christmas everyone !

˖ ࣪⭑

waiting for her to come home, it's late and cold- she walks in and quiet as she thinks you're asleep " hi sev " you said softly from the couch and she turns around with an frown.

" I tought you were asleep honey " she said and walked over to the couch, pulling your legs to her lap caressing them soflty.

" I wanted to wait for you " you said resting your head on your hand. " I can't sleep well without you anyways " you smiled soflty and so did she . She could see the tired look in your face and how you were about to dooze off.

She was tired herself but she got up and scooped you in her big arms, lifting you without a struggle. " let's get you to bed now , I'm here " she said and walked to your room , gently putting you on the bed and pulling the covers on top of you.

" want me to give you a massage ? You look like you need one " you said making yourself comfortable under the bed, watching her change to some more comfortable clothes and take off her heavy boots.

" you look like you'd fall asleep on top of me- its okay doll thankyou anyway " she said with an chukle watching your eyes threatening to close for once.

she took off her ponytail and got into the bed, immediately pulling you close to her body and you happily let her, feeling the warmth that came from her body.

" I love you " you whispered into the comfortable silence, and she tightened her grip you. "I love you too sweet thing"

˖ ࣪⭑

" you know what we should do ? " jinx's voice loud and a little to annoying for sevika.

" what ? " you asked from your spot on the couch, jinx laying upside-down with her head on the end of the couch and legs on the top.

" we should totally cook something ! I'm starving and so is Isha " she said and little Isha nodded agreeing .

" last time you were in my kitchen you nearly exploded it all off " sevika groaned and you chuckled patting her thigh.

" well she was alone- I'm sure us four could do something eatable " you said and winked at jinx who squealed and jumped off the couch heading to the kitchen, Isha running after her.

" she's going to burn our house " sevika said and you kissed her cheek , wiping the lipstick off her. " if we keep an eye on her she won't- cmon " you said and got up, grabbing her arm and pulling her off the couch- her rolling her eyes with an huff.

As you two walked into the kitchen jinx already had eggs, milk, butter and other ingredients you didn't remember you had . " oh slow down- maybe don't empty our fridge yes ? " sevika said looking around the mess.

" jinx- what are you making ? " you asked and she turned around with her hands up.

" pancakes duh ? - Isha requested " jinx said and Isha smiled.

" do you know ... how to do it ? " you asked and sat down on the kitchen table- sevika following you and Isha immediately runned to her, getting lifted by her arm

" of course ! can't be that hard " she said and you nodded . cut to everything getting done and surprisingly it was good- not great but- definitely eatable.

" see ? I'm a professional " jinx said and you feed sevika a bite, watching her eyebrowns go up in surprise.

" right- don't feed her ego tho " sevika mumbled to you and you laughed.

˖ ࣪⭑

" here " sevika said watching you get ready, handing you a box simply decorated but with love, your name written with a heart in the end- that had to be jinx's work. you turned to her with an smile .

" it's not midnight yet " you said and grabbed it from her hands. " I know- but ... I wanted you to wear it while we're having dinner and-.... I already told you what it is " she sighed and shaked her head.

" oh sev its alright- " you said and opened the box, revealing a long dark brown dress- you look at her and at her dark brown bottom up shirt. isn't she adorable.

" it's beautiful... you just wanted to match huh ? " you smirked and took the dress out of the box.

" It was jinx's idea... but she made a good point " she said and watched you get undressed .

" and what it was ? " you asked putting the dress on

" we are a couple- you're the women of my life and she said couples to this- match and all " she said wanting to sound like she didn't put much thought to it when all that was going on in her head was if you really like the dress and the meaning behind it.

" that we are ... " you smiled and adjusted the dress. " can you help me with the - " you didn't have to finish- her hands were already on your back, lifting the zipper up and giving your shoulders a squeeze.

" thankyou- I love it - we look beautiful " you said looking at the two of you trough the mirror and sevika smiled, pressing her chin on your head and wrapping her arms around your waist.

" we sure do " she said and kissed the top of your head.

" you're gonna have to wait until midnight for yours " you said and she turned you to her. " that's no problem angel " she said and kissed you reaching her hand to cup your cheek and pull you closer-

" I guess I'm a brilliant advisor " jinx's voice stopped your moment and she laughed- making sevika groan.

" you are now shoo- go see whats Isha up to " you laughed and kissed sevika back -

[epickiya722]

Okay, even after seeing a more clearer fan translated of the epilogue, I still don't see the panic of "Yuji and Yuko are dating, oh my gosh, heartbroken Megumi"! Like, my mind isn't changing from what I said before in another post.

Yuko is still pining, Yuji is too busy wanting to build a snowman and going to go whatever about the old Itadori residence and most likely will be returning to Tokyo to continue being a sorcerer.

Like, I get it a little angst is entertaining and all that. But nowadays, I do feel like now people deliberately just want it in canon to be mad and upset about something.

I'm telling you as an Itafushi/Fushiita shipper myself, I don't see Yuko as a threat here. Like, barely. I'm not saying any of this out of denial. I don't live in Egypt, so I'm no where near denial.

I'm saying this as someone who actually had gotten tired of people needing canon to ship something, freak out over like nothing, not opening their eyes and maybe looking at a story another way, and so on.

People are acting like Yuji right immediately after the epilogue a second later is going to ask her out. How is he, someone who never expressed interest in dating at all before, going to ask out a girl that he barely even knows? He knows dhe exists, but ask him her favorite color he won't know the answer. He just knows how the girl eats, how she writes and she's thoughtful.

At best, it was a cute epilogue but not something to panic over. You're not forced to stop shipping Itafushi and start shipping the other ship.

[gurugirl]

Quiet Xmas Morning blurb | bfd!harry

⋆꙳•❅‧ ☃️‧❆ ₊⋆

Summary: Your heart is full and you have so much to be thankful for on Christmas.

A/n: I know it's not very long but there's a lot of new things in this one. If you haven't already, I'd suggest reading the previous part before you read this.

Word Count: 1,507

Warning: soft fluffy cuteness - no warnings!

best friend's dad!harry masterlist

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

The house was warm and quiet as you sat in the glider chair with your newborn in your arms. She was falling asleep slowly. She'd suckle and then her eyes would lull shut before she'd startle herself awake and start to pull at your nipple like a ravenous animal again. You smiled and smoothed your fingers over the soft hair on her head. It'd only been a week and a half since she was born but you already felt like she was your everything. It surprised you how deeply you already loved her.

Elara came a little early but you were ready for her. Harry said she wanted to make it in time for Christmas. She had to be monitored for a few extra days but she was healthy and she was perfect.

You saw the glow from the Christmas tree lights filtering into her room from downstairs and then heard a little rustling. Harry must have also been up. He was sleeping when you got up to feed the baby but he often would wake up when you'd get up. It was still something to get used to. You were more exhausted than you'd ever been in your life but maybe that explained why you were so deliriously in love with her.

Her suckling grew weak again, little eyes closed, and then… she was fast asleep. After waiting a few minutes, just in case, you carefully and gently got up from the chair and tiptoed to her crib to lower her down all without waking her.

She was perfect. Yes. That was true. But she was easy to wake and she'd cry for hours if she was woken up before she was ready.

Harry stood behind you and placed a hand on your shoulder as he looked down at your little creation with you. He knew better than to even whisper so you both just smiled at one another before quietly padding out of her room and closing the door behind you.

Your body was still sore. You knew it would take time to get back to feeling like yourself. Even walking downstairs felt like something was going to knock loose and fall out of your body. Harry held your hand.

"Merry Christmas, Mama," he kissed your lips softly when you got to the first floor.

The living room was dark except for the soft golden lights wrapped around the faux Christmas tree. You preferred a real one normally but it was too much work that year. Plus the smell bothered you when you and Harry had gone to check out the tree farm weeks earlier.

"Got your gift under the tree," he motioned.

You looked under the tree to see one small box with a bow. You hadn't wrapped any of Harry's and they were all tucked away, hidden in the closet in the basement.

"I didn't wrap yours. I'm sorry," you reached up to cup his face and he brought an arm around your back.

"You already gave me the best present I could ever ask for."

You grinned, "That I did. But you played a major role in that gift. So technically I could consider that a gift from you as well."

He grinned and pressed his lips to yours, "I'd say my role was very minor. All I had to do was get off a few times. You did all the hard work. All the stuff that counts."

A laugh puffed from your lips, "Okay. That I agree with."

You smelled coffee suddenly and realized Harry was making a pot.

"Decaf." He raised his brows at you. You were staying away from caffeine since you were breastfeeding. The doctor said you could have a little bit every day but Elara was fussy enough as it was. The last thing you wanted was a grouchy, angry baby hocked up on traces of caffeine.

"My mouth is watering," you spoke with a smile.

"Why don't you sit down and I'll get your coffee. Then we can open up your Christmas present."

Harry frothed a little milk for you while he took his coffee black. Even he was drinking decaf when he could have just had regular. He walked back into the living quietly, two steaming mugs in hand before handing you yours and sitting his down on the coffee table.

You took a sip as he reached under the tree to pull out the small red box. It had a small golden ribbon tied around it.

"What is it?" You held your palm out as he placed the box down into your hand.

"Well, you have to open it up first."

Taking another quick sip of your coffee before you leaned forward to place the ceramic mug down you looked at Harry with a big grin. The glittering lights from the tree were twinkling off his eyes as he looked down at the box and then up at your face.

You pulled at the ribbon and then paused when he sat up, about to push himself off the cushion, "What are you doing?"

He swallowed and you noticed that he suddenly seemed nervous, anxious. He shook his head and shrugged, "Nothing. Was just getting comfortable is all."

You squinted at him as he looked down at your hand. Then it was your turn for the nerves to take over. You couldn't be sure what was in the box but something told you that it was going to change everything. You knew Harry very well and his sudden excitement had your heart pounding in your chest. And given the size of the box…

"Harry…" you blinked your eyes and placed your hand over the lid as you swallowed.

"Just open it, baby. See what it is." He was still sitting at the edge of the cushion, watching you as you pulled the lid off. Inside was another, smaller box—a jewelry box.

You inhaled and looked up at him. He wore a soft smile on his face as he tensed his arms, like he was about to spring from the couch.

The moment you placed your fingers on the velvet-hinged top to lift it, he pushed himself onto his knees and scooted in between your thighs as the beautiful little shining diamond glinted from inside the box. A ring. But not just any ring.

He waited for a beat, his eyes on yours as your jaw dropped and you covered your mouth before looking at him in surprise.

Harry took the ring out of the box and held it between his thumb and pointer finger, "I love you. I want forever with you, Y/n. I know we're not in a rush but I couldn't wait another moment to put a ring on your finger. Tell the whole world you're mine."

You gasped out a quiet sob and just as he was about to continue you leaned forward and wrapped your arms around his neck to kiss him hard. You never imagined that you'd cry when he finally proposed but of course, your hormones were all out of whack and you'd been finding yourself crying for the smallest things lately.

He laughed when you pecked kisses over his cheek, "Yes, Harry…"

"Baby, I didn't even finish th—"

You smushed your lips over his again, swallowing his words as he pulled you into his arms until you were in his lap on the floor between the couch and the coffee table.

"I love you, Harry…" You smeared your lips down to his jaw and he chuckled quietly.

"Gonna put it on?"

Pulling away from him, you looked down at his hand and spread your fingers out for him to slip the ring onto your finger. It was dainty and perfect—one small diamond at the top, set in white gold. You held your hand up, and you admired the way it looked on your hand for a moment.

Harry wrapped his big palm around yours and pulled your hand up to his mouth, "That's a yes? You'll marry me?"

You sputtered a laugh and nodded, "Of course I will."

He kissed your knuckles and grinned at you before you pulled your hand away and wrapped your arms around his neck to squeeze him tight. Harry tucked his face into your hair and put his arms around your back.

It was going to be the best Christmas day ever. Fae would be coming by for a couple of hours and then your parents later in the evening. Telling everyone you were finally engaged would be exciting but the best part was that you and Harry had the most precious gift lying upstairs sleeping already.

You placed your hand over his chest and ran your nose against his, "I'm so happy, Harry. I love you so much."

He shifted his legs and ran a big palm up your back, "That's all I want, for you to be happy, Y/n."

Harry got exactly what he wanted because you'd never been as happy as you were in that moment.

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[athens-09xx]

Hi lovely! I was wondering if you could write a best friends to lovers seungmin x fem reader

Just cute fluff maybe a little angst?

“The space between us”

Bsf!Seungmin x fem! Reader

Summary: you accidentally blurted out to your beat friend that you were in-love with him, now he’s been ignoring you for the last two weeks, will it work out?

Warnings: none that i can think of! Just a little bit angsty.

A/N: its 3 am as i write this please ignore any mistakes

__________________________________________________

The streets were empty that evening, the chill of early autumn in the air. Y/n stood on the porch of her apartment, a cup of tea in hand, staring at the misty streetlights that flickered in the distance. Her thoughts were far away, trailing back to a conversation she hadn’t wanted to have. It had been coming for a while, she knew that. She’d just hoped it wouldn’t feel like this.

It had been two weeks since she’d seen Seungmin, her puppy like friend. and now, with the weight of silence between them, Y/n wasn’t sure what to do anymore. Their friendship had always been easy—

effortless, even. But something had changed after that night at the diner, after she’d blurted out the truth that had been gnawing at her for months.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

She could still hear those words echoing in her head, the way his expression had shifted, the way his gaze had hardened, but he hadn’t said anything. Not immediately. Just a quiet, lingering pause, followed by a quick "I need to go."

She couldn’t blame him for needing space. The truth had come out of nowhere, a bomb in the middle of a friendship that had felt like it was built on something solid, something unshakeable. But the truth, no matter how much it burned, was a weight Y/n had carried for too long. And now, she was left with the aftermath of it all—uncertainty, and the painful stretch of time in between when things had been normal, and when they hadn’t.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and for a second, she thought it was just her mind playing tricks. But no—there it was, a text from Seungmin, his contact photo lighting up her screen as she reads the message.

“Can we talk?”

The words were simple, but Y/n’s heart skipped a beat. (Or two) It had been so long since she’d heard from him, so long since he’d reached out. She’d been waiting for this moment with a sense of dread and anticipation, and now, the time had come.

She quickly typed back, trying to keep her response calm, collected.

“Of course. When?”

A pause. Then, a reply.

“Can I come by in 10 minutes?”

Y/n felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach. She wasn’t sure if she was ready, but she nodded to herself, as if convincing her mind that she could handle this. After all, they were best friends. They had always been able to figure things out. It was just that... this was different. He would react different would he?

She set her tea down on the porch railing and went inside to quickly straighten up her apartment. She didn’t know what to expect from this conversation. She only knew that whatever happened next would change everything. In either the best way possible or she would forever miss her puppy of a best friend.

________________________^^________________________

When the knock came, Y/n was already standing by the door. She opened it to find Seungmin standing there, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, his expression unreadable. His hair was a little longer than she remembered, his face a little more tired. But when his eyes met hers, Y/n couldn’t help the rush of warmth that flooded her chest.

“I didn’t think you’d want to see me,” Seungmin said, his voice hesitant, but not quite as distant as it had been in the past two weeks.

Y/n swallowed. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to see me.”

He let out a small, almost bitter laugh. “Fair enough.”

She stepped aside to let him in, her heart pounding a little faster than it should. She led him to the couch, both of them sitting a little too far apart, the space between them stretching like a vast ocean neither one of them was ready to cross.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Y/n felt the tension in the air, thick and heavy, as if the words they needed to say were trapped between them.

“I’m sorry,” Seungmin finally said, breaking the silence. He turned his gaze to the floor, not looking at her. “I shouldn’t have run off like that. It wasnt right of me after you said th- that...”

Y/n shook her head, her breath shaky. “No, I shouldn’t have sprung that on you. I didn’t—"

“You don’t need to apologize, Pabo-“ Seungmin cut her off, his voice quieter. “I just... I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know how to handle it.”

Y/n bit her lip, her gaze falling to her hands. “I shouldn’t have said anything at all.”

“No,” Seungmin said, his tone firm now, as if he were trying to convince both of them. “You should’ve. You should have said it sooner. I just... I didn’t know how to respond.”

The silence stretched again, both of them wrestling with words they didn’t quite know how to say. Finally, Y/n spoke, her voice small. “Do you feel the same way?”

Seungmin didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze toward her, his eyes dark with something unreadable.

“I don’t know,” he said, his voice low. “I think I do, but I’ve been avoiding it. Avoiding you. Because I don’t want to ruin everything we’ve built. I don’t want to mess it up.”

Y/n’s chest tightened at the admission. She had feared this. She had feared that even if he felt something, it wasn’t enough. And now, hearing him say it out loud was like a blow to her heart.

“I don’t want to mess it up either,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “But I can’t keep pretending like I don’t feel this way.”

Seungmin let out a long breath, his hand running through his hair. “I know. I’ve been pretending too, Y/nnie.. I’ve been pretending that we can just go back to how things were, but... I don’t think we can. Not after what you said.”

Y/n nodded slowly, her throat tight. “I don’t think we can either.”

Seungmin’s eyes softened, the hardness from before slowly melting away. His dark eyes shining slightly. He leaned forward slightly, his voice quieter now. “Do you think it’s too late for us?”

Y/n looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time in weeks, something in her chest unknotted. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe it was just the beginning of something new, something terrifying and beautiful and uncertain all at once.

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice full of vulnerability. “But I want to try. I want to try to figure it out with you.”

Seungmin’s lips tugged upward in a small, hesitant smile. “Me too.”

He reached out then, slowly, as if giving her the space to pull away if she wanted to. But y/n didn’t pull away. She let him take her hand, her face heating softly as there fingers interlace in the space between them.

For the first time in what felt like forever, y/n felt the weight in her chest lift. There were no guarantees, no promises of what came next. They were standing on the edge of something uncertain, but they were standing together.

“I’m scared,” she admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I am too,” Seungmin said softly, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand. “But maybe it’s worth the risk.”

Y/n nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek before she could stop it. “Maybe it is.”

They didn’t need to say anything more. Their hands still entwined, they sat in the quiet, letting the tension settle, letting themselves breathe in the space between them, knowing that whatever came next—whatever happened to their friendship—would be something they would face together.

Authors notes: eek!!! This is the first ever little one shot I’ve ever written! I hope people enjoy it, i feel like i made Minnie out of character a bit for this one but i just felt right this way? Let know what you think! HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE TO MY FELLOW AUSSIES ASWELL!!!!

[accio-boys]

hey you | fiyero x reader

author’s note; i was bored and was like why not put my shit into well words 🤷🏻‍♀️ btw it’s been years when i wrote a fanfic so bear with me 🥹

summary; a series of lingering glances and a playful conversation break the silence, sparking the beginning of a connection neither of them expected.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

For the past few days, Y/n had been consumed by a strange, almost surreal feeling whenever Fiyero, the Winkie prince, was nearby. She would catch him glancing in her direction across the school grounds, his gaze lingering just a moment too long, enough to send a flutter through her chest.

But no matter how many times it happened, she couldn’t bring herself to take that first step. She wasn’t like the others, like Galinda, who could easily walk up to anyone and start a conversation without hesitation.

No, she was more reserved, careful with her feelings, and afraid of being too obvious.

“You’re totally just waiting,” she muttered to herself.

“You don’t want to be the desperate one.”

Her thoughts were interrupted when her friend, a more outgoing classmate, bumped her shoulder.

“He’s staring at you again,” her friend teased, gesturing toward Fiyero, who was now walking toward their spot.

He was, once again, looking directly at her, that same piercing gaze that made her heart skip a beat.

“And now he’s walking towards us and–” her friend continued, her voice becoming background noise as Y/n’s thoughts turned inward.

Why couldn’t she just face this? Why couldn’t she summon the courage to talk to him? Every time their eyes met, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach, but she didn’t want to make it obvious.

Was it just a phase? Something that would fade away once the newness wore off? She wasn’t sure, but in that moment, all she wanted was to be able to breathe normally again.

“…..Can you even hear me?” her friend asked, pulling her from her reverie.

“Huh?” she blinked, looking at her friend in confusion.

“Got your thoughts stuck in the clouds, darling?” Fiyero’s voice cut through, accompanied by a smirk that made her feel even more flustered than she already was.

She blinked again, looking at him now standing right in front of them.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

For the past few days, Fiyero had noticed her—seriously noticed her. He saw something in her that intrigued him, something he couldn’t quite place.

She was different from the others, distant yet strangely captivating. It was almost like she was hesitant to engage with him, unsure of how to approach him, yet every time their eyes met, there was a spark—something undeniable.

He caught her eye from across the room. She seemed to be lost in her own world, her gaze flickering between curiosity and hesitation. He couldn’t help but notice the way she kept glancing his way, yet never making a move.

"Hey, you," he thought to himself, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Stop staring from afar." He wondered why she seemed so cautious.

There was no need to be afraid of him. He wasn’t someone to be feared. He just wanted her to know that he'd notice her, that he was interested.

"Why don’t you just come over and talk to me?" he silently mused.

He wasn't a stranger to making the first move, and maybe it was time to break the ice.

He noticed how her eyes would flicker his direction again, but she still stayed in her place, as if bound by some invisible restraint.

He wished she knew it didn’t have to be complicated. Nothing was stopping her from approaching him.

There was no need to hide behind uncertainty. Hearts could be free, open, unafraid.

He wasn’t the type to judge. He just wanted to see if she could take that step toward him, to show a little courage.

"Why don’t you come over?" he wondered again, the thought lingering in the air between them.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

And then, in front of her, his voice broke through the silence.

“I see you every morning, doing the same thing,” Fiyero continued, a playful edge to his tone.

Her face reddened, and she stammered, unsure of how to respond.

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying to make sense of what he was saying.

His smirk deepened. "Don’t think I can feel you staring at me?" he teased, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

“I didn’t mean–” she started, but she could barely finish the sentence as he continued, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“So, what’s your name again?” he asked, as if they hadn’t already crossed paths countless times in the halls.

As if he wasn’t already running through her mind day and night, just like she had been doing to him.

And with that simple question, everything changed. The unspoken tension between them—the silent moments, the hesitant glances—had finally shifted into something tangible. A new chapter was beginning, one that neither of them had expected but both were secretly hoping for.

In that moment, all of her doubts and fears about what this connection could be seemed to fade away. Maybe it wasn’t just a phase. Maybe there was something real here, something worth exploring.

The hesitation she had held onto so tightly began to loosen, and for the first time in days, she felt a spark of hope—hope that perhaps this was the start of something neither of them could have predicted.

[piftamere]

something real (wc : 1.4k)

secret santa fic for @eussstasss as part of the hq x reader secret santa by @/lale-txt, i hope you'll like it! i had fun writing it <3

synopsis : she asks her dear best friend, Suna Rintarou, to accompany her to her family Christmas party as her pretend boyfriend, too embarrassed to go alone another year. no ulterior motives.

content : suna rintarou x f!reader, fake dating, friends to lovers, fluff

divider by @nectardaddy

Year after year, the questions were the same.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Are you still single?"

"Are you ever going to bring someone home to your family?"

And every time she had to disappoint them, forcing a smile as she replied she wasn’t seeing anyone. She could see their own smiles drop and their faith in her weaken.

This year, she couldn’t take it anymore. Something snapped. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out that she'd have someone accompany her to the family Christmas party.

The moment the lie left her lips, she wanted to take it back, but it was too late. Relief washed over her parents’ faces, her mother rushing to the phone to give her grandmother the big news.

She couldn’t shatter their happiness now, not when she’d seen how much it meant to them.

A few weeks later, she was slumped over her best-friend's couch, face buried in a pillow.

"I still haven’t found anyone," she whined, her voice muffled as she groaned in frustration. "It’s tomorrow."

Suna leaned against the armrest, amused. ''You sure you tried everything?"

"Yes, everything."

"And now you’re giving up?"

"Yup." She replied, defeated.

"So… no Christmas?"

"Nope."

As she was blocking out the mocking snicker Suna was making, an idea struck her. A desperate, ridiculous idea. She turned her head just enough to look at him, eyes pleading, peaking over the pillow.

"Wait…" she began hesitantly. She sat up, clutching his arm. "Do me this one favor. I’ll owe you forever. Please."

He raised an eyebrow, almost sure he knew what she meant, his lips stretched into a mischievous grin. "What?" He wanted to hear her say it.

"Be my fake boyfriend. Please."

"Why not just tell them you broke up with your imaginary boyfriend?"

She groaned again, burying her face in his sleeve. "I can’t. I can’t deal with the pity stares or them thinking i made it up. Please Rin, pretty please."

He wanted to reply that technically, she did make it up, but her desperation must have struck a chord because, after a beat of silence, he sighed, "Fine."

If she’d had more time to think it through, maybe she’d have asked why he agreed so quickly. Maybe she’d have wondered about that smirk on his face. But with the clock ticking, she ignored the signs.

She was going to regret this.

The next day, they were standing on the doorstep of her childhood home, a freshly bought pie in her hands. She glanced at the front door, now having second thoughts, her stomach tying itself into knots.

As Suna reached for the doorbell, he suddenly paused, his lips letting out a mischievous chuckle. "Wait a sec," he said, stepping closer.

She shot him a curious look. "What are you doing?"

Without answering, he slipped his arm casually around her waist, pulling her snug against him. She flinched, nearly dropping the pie.

"Relax," he said with a playful wink, his smirk slightly infuriating. "We have to sell it, you know?"

His hand rested comfortably on her hip, like it was the most casual thing ever. She swore she could feel the warmth of his touch burn her skin through the thick fabric of her coat.

Her cheeks flushed, both from embarrassment and the sudden realization of how committed he was to the whole thing. "You’re enjoying this way too much," she muttered under her breath.

"You begged me for this, remember?", Suna replied nonchalantly, reaching for the doorbell with his free hand.

Before she could respond, the door swung open, revealing her mother who practically dragged them inside.

It felt surprisingly good to walk around the house, introducing her "boyfriend" to her relatives. The warm smiles, the approving nods and whispers. She'd almost fall for the act herself.

If only she could ignore the strange, fluttery feeling settling in her stomach every time she looked at him.

At dinner, he played his part a little too well. In the name of being believable, his hand lingered on hers as it rested on the table. She had a hard time getting used to the soft squeeze of his fingers when he leaned back in his chair, cracked a joke with her father or complimented her mother's cooking. She blinked, taken aback by how effortlessly he seemed to fit into her family, like he’d been part of it all along.

She caught herself stealing glances at him, feeling peculiarly shy at this unfamiliar, charming side of him.

After dinner, they gathered around the Christmas tree to exchange gifts. The soft glow of the lights, the scent of pine in the air and the laughter of her family made this moment feel all too real.

Suna turned to her, a small, neatly wrapped box in his hand. She wasn't expecting this. How had he found the time to buy her a gift? She was trying not to read into it.

"Here," he said casually, holding it out to her.

"You got me something?"

"Of course. I’m your boyfriend." he replied with a small grin.

Their fingers brushed as he handed it to her, and for a fleeting moment, their eyes met. Something in his gaze, something warm, playful, and maybe a little too sincere for comfort, made her heart thump loudly against her ribs.

It was becoming harder to remember this was all an act.

She tore her eyes away, focusing on unwrapping the gift in an attempt to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. Inside was a delicate bracelet, a thin chain with a beautiful charm that shined faintly in the tree's glow.

"So? Do you like it?" He asked, watching her reaction intently. He almost sounded nervous.

She nodded, "Rin… It’s beautiful. I didn’t think-"

"That I had taste? Ouch-"

She sighed and rolled her eyes, a smile still on her lips. "That you'd go this far."

Suna leaned in, his voice dropping just enough for only her to hear. "What can I say? I’m committed to my role."

Carefully, she took it out of the box. She was struggling to put it on, when he took it from her hands.

"Allow me," he gently wrapped it around her wrist and skillfully clasped it. His touch lingered on her skin, longer than necessary, but neither of them moved.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur, but her mind was far away. Every stolen glance at him, every playful touch, only made the knot in her chest tighten even more.

A little lost in her thoughts, she found herself by the window, gazing out at the snow-covered yard as she mindlessly fidgeted with the charm on her bracelet. The calming view was a welcome distraction as she tried to untangle the mess in her mind.

"Look what we have here." Suna whispered, coming up behind her, his voice tinged with mischief.

She turned, slightly startled as her eyes followed his hand pointing to the branch of mistletoe over her head.

"Seriously?"

"I don't make the rules," Suna replied, stepping closer. He shrugged, raising his hands in defeat.

Fed up with how confident he’d been all day, she sighed and tugged firmly on his sleeve. He stumbled forward, caught completely off guard. Now impossibly close, he stared at her, wide-eyed. For the first time since they arrived at her parents’ house, he was dead silent. She couldn’t help but savor the moment of peace.

Maybe for a moment too long, because the surprise was wearing off, a playful glint returning to his eyes. "What? Lost your-"

"Oh shush." she cut him off, her voice firm. Before he could react, she leaned up and kissed him.

His lips were still, as if the shock hadn’t quite worn off. But then he kissed her back, his hand coming to rest on the side of her face. His playful demeanor becoming gentle.

When they finally parted, her cheeks burned. His usually half-lidded eyes glinted with something she couldn’t quite name, something intense, real.

A little breathless, he spoke, "You said you’d owe me forever, right?"

Her brows knit in confusion, her heart still racing. "Yes?"

His lips quirked into a small, almost shy smile. "Go out with me. For real this time."

She stared at him, her mind reeling. And as she looked back on today and their relationship, that always seemed tainted by something a little deeper than friendship, she realized the feeling gnawing at her insides since this morning wasn’t anxiety, it was hope.

And maybe it was time to stop pretending.

[am-i-interrupting]

Across the River | Extra

Consistent Comfort

Summary: Before the explosion, before that fateful night that changed everything, you were able to let your guard down more. Often times on top of a rooftop with the consistent comfort from the steady presence of Claggor.

Today had been. . . a day.

Why wouldn’t she just listen to you? Did she have to be so hardheaded? It wasn’t like you were being unreasonable. You were being completely reasonable.

She couldn’t just run head on into every situation and expect to always come out on top. She was being stupid.

The wind whipped through your hair like your anger did through your body.

You rested your arm on your knee and your head on your hand. The night was dark and cold. But up here, beneath the smog that covered the stars you’d heard of, you could at least breathe.

Footsteps sounded beneath you, heavy and slow. The door to the roof creaked open. The footsteps joined you on the rooftop.

Something was wrapped around you. You looked down and saw a blanket. You felt the weight of a body join you.

“Thanks, Claggor,” you said.

“I brought you this. You looked like you might need it,” he said as he extended a bottle to you.

You huffed a half amused laugh as you took it. “Sneak it from Vander?”

“No, he gave it to me,” he told you.

Oh, so it was obvious you were pissed then. Good. You’d intended for it to be.

Sometimes you thanked Vander. Sometimes you cursed him.

He was like a father to the girls and Mylo and Claggor. You appreciated that, even if to you he’d always be just your uncle. However, being both your uncle and their dad brought challenges.

Sometimes he would step in when he didn’t need to. Sometimes he wouldn’t when it was needed.

Right now you didn’t know what was best.

If he stepped in, maybe Violet would take your warnings seriously. Not only was it her annoying, kill joy older sister telling her to back down but also her dad.

On the other hand, it could undermine you. She might not ever listen to your advice if he always had to come in and put his foot down.

“You know I’m not just trying to stop you from having fun, right?”

“I know.”

“What she does is reckless. She doesn’t think before she acts. She just goes in with her fists and expects everything to be okay. One day it won’t be.”

“You’re right.”

“She got herself hurt. She could have gotten all of you hurt. All of you hurt. What happens then? It’ll be too late to listen to me.”

“It will.”

“Why can’t she just see that all I’m trying to do is keep you guys safe?” you asked, tears starting to form in your eyes. From frustration? Maybe. “That’s all I’m trying to do.”

“I know.”

You pried off the bottle cap with a jerk and downed a large swig. You coughed at the burn that went down your throat but immediately tilted your head back for another.

The bottle hang loosely between your fingertips.

“I’m sorry for unloading this all onto you—“

“Don’t be.”

“—You don’t need to be in the middle of this.”

Claggor placed his hand on top of yours. “Hey, look at me.”

Your eyes flickered over to him. You were so sure that you must look pathetic.

“This will pass over. She knows that all you care about is everyone’s safety. She just doesn’t want to admit it. You know she hates being bossed around,” he said. “Doesn’t matter if it’s from you or Vander.”

You sighed. He was right.

You placed the bottle beside you. It clicked softly against the rock of the roof.

You shrugged the blanket across your shoulders. The left over fabric pooled against the roofing. You pulled it across Claggor.

“I’m sure you’re cold,” you said.

You leaned your head against his shoulder as you scooted closer. Your arm looped around his own. His hand wrapped around your own.

He was warm against the harsh winds. He was steady. He always had been. Warm and steady and strong, a nice consistency and comfort in the Undercity.

With his presence, you felt your body begin to rest. The tingling warmth of the drink you’d been sipping on only furthered the droop to your eyes.

Your cheek smooshed against his shoulder as your eyes began to close. The drink that had been in your hand fell between your legs and then rolled. It smashed against the ground but within all the sounds of the Undercity, it wasn’t enough to startle you.

Claggor looked at you. You would have looked peaceful if it weren’t for the slight draw of your brows and the tear that was beginning to follow curl of your chin. He brought his thumb up and brushed it away.

He picked you up. One arm supporting your back and the other beneath your knees. He’d left the door slightly ajar, anticipating this to be the outcome. It normally was, whether you came up here due to a fight or not.

He softly knocked the door closed with his foot. Down the stairs he went with you bundled up in his arms.

Claggor didn’t miss the opportunity when his eyes met VI’s to give her a stern look. He normally didn’t. He normally stayed out of it but you’d been up there since your shift at the bar had ended. You didn’t even come down for food that night.

Vi’s head snapped in the other direction, her arms crossed with a pout.

What more could he do?

Down to the beds, he laid you down gently. He pulled the blanket all the way up to cover your shoulders and toes.

He took a moment to brush your hair out of your face, some of it having stuck to your lip. You leaned closer, nuzzling your red tipped nose against his hand. He smiled to himself. He let himself linger for a moment.

Then he removed his hand and dimmed the light from the oil lamp. The door closed with a soft click.

[soohiefan13]

better? (momokarun) short fic!

notes: 1.7k

warning: depressive behaviors

⍣ ೋ

at this point, it had been six agonizingly slow days-- for both momo and ken. he had gone a full week without seeing his best friend at school, and since he had no way of contacting her (since her phone was blown to bits, and she can never seem to get her hands on a new one), he was left with no other choice than to go to her house.

and he did... everyday. but momo refused to let him see her in her state. laying in her bed, deepening the "momo-shaped" crater she was creating in her mattress. body stiff from laying there so long, only getting up one or two times a day to use the restroom and stand in the kitchen, hungry, but ultimately deciding against eating. she hadn't bathed or even changed clothes for the past week. momo knew it was gross and she hated herself for it; her pathetic behavior. but she just couldn't bring herself to get up and do something about it. her grandma would knock on her door and bring her a snack every once in a while.

"hey, kid. brought you a little something. eat your fill." her grandma would say, and trade out a plate of food momo didn't eat hours before for a fresh plate of food, which would end up sitting there for hours.

it was raining when ken began his walk to momo's from the corner store. he went in and bought some of momo's favorite treats, trying to build up the courage to visit her again. he prayed she wouldn't turn him away this time. when he finished paying for his items, he looked out the large store windows and sighed deeply. he didn't bring an umbrella.

when he knocked on momo's front door, he expected her grandma to open up abruptly, but instead ken stood there for almost ten minutes. he tried to peer through any windows and see if there was anyone home, but the house was completely empty.

did her grandma finally get momo to leave the house? god, I hope so.

but as ken looked down, he noticed a flower pot that he didn't recognize. curious, the boy crouched down and picked it up. clanking against the concrete porch, fell a house key which had a little note attached to it.

hey four-eyes, unfortunately I had to make a quick trip out of town, but momo is still up in her room. counting on you, kid.

another big sigh blew past ken's lips, as he unlocked the door and let himself in.

he carefully took off his shoes, as if he really were sneaking into someone's home. maybe he just didn't want to frighten miss ayase. he stood there for a moment, staring at the stairs. momo's grandma wasn't there to ask her if it was okay that ken came upstairs and saw her. now, he could just go upstairs himself and open her door on his own. but was that okay? was it decent for a boy to just barge into a girl's room after she had been shunning him away for a week?

at this point, ken didn't care too much for decency. his care for momo overruled everything.

that's why he was at her bedroom door. he took a deep breath and pushed the door open, softly, so as to not frighten her.

her room was surprisingly clean and tidy. he assumed her grandma did that for her while she was sleeping. it was mainly her nightstand that was the mess. scattered books on yokai and aliens. a collection of empty soda cans and a few snack wrappers. a bottle of sleeping pills. and a tv remote. he glanced over to the television. there was an old sci-fi film playing, quietly, almost inaudible over the rain. ken sat down the damp, plastic bag of treats and took a moment, before making his way to the blanketed figure in bed. he stared at her, watching in relief as her figure rose and fell, snoring softly. he didn't really think she wouldn't be breathing, but there was a fear, way deep down. he reached out for her. should he say something? should he shake her awake or would that be too aggressive? unable to decide, he sat down on the empty space on her bed.

surprisingly, this woke momo up. her eyes opened, still groggy with sleep. she knew someone was in the room with her, sitting at the end of her bed. she also knew that if it was her grandma, she would have made herself known. anxiously, she tried to look around as much as possible without moving her body. in the reflection of her window, she saw the familiar back of her best friend. for a moment, she was so glad to see him. then, she was humiliated and petrified with fear.

"okarun..." she choked out, her throat dry from having just woken up. she felt the boy shoot up off of her bed, gasping in surprise.

"miss ayase! I apologize for letting myself in-- but i've just been so worried about you, I didn't know what else to do."

she grimaced. she hated herself even more for worrying him like this. "it's okay, okarun. um... could you just stand over there, and face the wall. I need to get up and i'm... not wearing any pants..."

the sound of ken slapping his hands over his eyes, followed by him scurrying to the corner brought momo a tiny bit of amusement.

slowly, she uncovered herself and rolled over. she sat up in bed, feet hovering over the floor. after a moment, she let her feet touch the cold floor. then she stood up. but in the same moment, she collapsed. the pain of hunger mixed with the weakness in her body from laying down for so long made her unable to stand. ken whipped around, completely disregarding momo's requests. he crouched down next to her, worry taking him over once more.

"miss ayase! are you alright? here, let me-"

she swatted his hand away, frustrated that he was seeing her so pathetic. "okarun! what did I say... stay over there!" she started to push herself up, but collapsed again. ken stared at her figure. she had lost weight and her skin was pale. her hair was dull and her whole body shook. he couldn't help himself. he scooped her up and carried her to her bathroom. he sat her on the floor, her back up against the shower door. momo grumbled, attempting to swat him away again but to no avail. she felt a cool, damp rag press against her forehead. a defeated sigh spilled past her lips.

ken started by brushing her hair. then he helped her brush her teeth. he rinsed off her face, resisting the urge to plant a kiss on her freshly cleaned forehead. he massaged her muscles, hoping her body would feel up to standing. sure enough, she did. he brought her a fresh change of clothes. she stood against the bathroom counter, staring at him as he walked over to her. he smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're feeling better..." he sat the clothes down next to her. momo just stared up at him. "do you want me to leave?"

momo blinked. "no! stay! i need to take a shower!" she blurted out. ken's face went red and he squeaked. momo shoved her face in her hands, covering her own flushed expression. "I mean-- stay in the house. I'll be back out in, like, ten minutes. I just need to clean up."

ken sighed and nodded. "in that case, is it okay if I wash your bed linens for you while I wait?"

it took over fiber of momo's being to not melt into a puddle of tears. she turned ken around, hiding her face again. "yes!" she yelped. "that's... real sweet of you okarun." she sniffled. "thank you..."

so, ken did just that. as soon as momo closed the bathroom door, he started stripping her bed. he carried the bed linens down stairs, careful not to trip. he took it up on himself to use the best-smelling laundry detergent they had, as well as a fabric softener. he wanted to completely clean this experience from momo's memory.

after a little while, momo slowly came downstairs, the view of ken sitting on the couch coming into her view. she smiled. ken turned to look her, then stood up.

"better?" he asked.

this time, momo couldn't hold back the tears. she stumbled over to him, toppling him back onto the couch. she gripped him tight, crying into his tee shirt. ken hugged her back, easing the both of them up into a sitting position. it was quiet for a moment, at least for ken. all momo could hear was his rapid heartbeat against her ear. she sniffled, looking up at ken with wet eyes.

"yea. I feel much better..." her eyes darted away from his. "but can I ask you for one more favor."

"anything, miss ayase." ken answered almost immediately, his eyes never leaving hers.

momo didn't say anything. she just looked back up at him, her face visibly warming up. ken bored his eyes into hers, heart beating faster. momo's heart was beating fast, too. her eyes flickered down to his lips and that was all it took.

ken pressed his lips against hers swiftly, but oh so softly. his brows furrowed and his hands seemed to melt into the small of her back. momo held the boy's face in her hands, screwing her eyes shut. he pulled her impossibly closer, letting out a sigh as momo made her way into his lap. her hands crept around to the nape of his neck, using her nails to softly scratch against the undercut she never admitted to adoring. another sign from ken.

then momo pulled away, planting kisses all over his face. ken leaned back, never letting her go.

"i love you, miss ayase." he breathed out, staring at the ceiling. the confession had his heart beating faster than he thought was humanly possible.

"yea... you, too." momo said simply. ken sat up to look at her. for some reason, he was surprised. she just scooted over, sitting on the couch, with her legs in his lap. she turned on the TV and started clicking through channels. "you in the mood for a sci-fi movie?" she asked.

"yea." ken answered, rubbing his thumb over her ankle.

"oh, and thank you... ken." momo said, not looking at him. a blush covered her fresh face.

"anything for you, miss ayase."

the low rumble of the washing machine seemed to wash the sound of rain away.

⍣ ೋ

[gingerteafairy]

Hi Angel!!! I just discovered your account and I luvsss itt!! I was thinking maybe you can do A Todd x reader, where she is a popular girl and he is the same old loser? Idk if you would like it 😭 Keep up the great work! 💕

suree, i just love writing about my favorite loser. tysm for appreciating ❤️‍🩹

𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 (𝐭𝐨𝐝�� 𝐱 𝐟!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

You need help in chemistry and luckily Todd Haynes is the monitor. You’re pretty sure you’re getting the cutest chemistry private lesson ever.

tags n warnings: smut,dom!reader,sub!todd,KINKS,cockwarming,aftercare,handjob, unprotected piv,pet names,cursing,he's such a nerd. word count: 3.7k

"How about we skip chemistry today?" Your friend Ally suggests, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she flashes you a grin that could light up the whole school. Her fiery red hair bounces as she tilts her head, clearly expecting you to be on board. "I’ve been dying to try out that new ice cream shop near my house."

Hailey, never one to resist fun, claps her hands together like she's just heard the best idea ever. "Yes! Let’s make it a full-on girls’ day!"

"Oh my God, Ally, that sounds amazing!" you say, practically bouncing on your toes. "I could really use some new mascara, too." You pause, suddenly thoughtful. "But... my chemistry grade might actually die if I skip today. And well, I was looking forward to today's class," you admit. "We’re mixing acids and bases to create colorful reactions. It’s like a science experiment with rainbow explosions. How fun is that?"

Ally raises an eyebrow, her mouth curling into a teasing smile. "Wow. You really are a nerd, huh?" she says, flipping her hair as she opens her locker and adjusts her pink tank top. "I can’t even remember the last time I paid attention to that bald guy’s lecture."

"I’ll share my notes later, silly girls," you tease, giving them both a wink and making a heart shape with your hands.

Hailey practically launches herself at you, wrapping you in a tight hug. "You’re the best!" she gushes. "I swear, you’re like an angel with a perfect GPA."

You laugh and hug her back, feeling warm and fuzzy. "Alright, alright. Enough with the mushy stuff. I’ll see you guys later, though!"

As you walk toward the chemistry classroom, you spot a group of boys hanging out near the lockers. Dave and Martin are laughing, but it’s the boy standing next to them that makes your heart do a little flip. You’ve seen him around school before, but today? He’s definitely caught your attention. He 's cute. Messy brown hair falls just above his chocolate doe eyes.

What really gets you is that every time your eyes meet, he quickly looks away like he wasn’t expecting you to notice. You smile to yourself, amused and a little flustered as you head into the classroom.

You barely hear the teacher’s voice when he starts talking. Your mind’s still stuck on the cute guy in the hallway. That’s when the door creaks open, and he walks in—trying to be all sneaky through the back. His sneakers squeak loudly, and you can tell he’s hoping no one notices him.

Your heart skips a beat when his eyes lock with yours. You can’t help it—you smile, and even throw in a little playful wink. He glances around, clearly checking if anyone else saw the exchange, then looks back at you. You lean back in your chair, mouthing a casual "Hey."

His face instantly turns a shade of red you didn’t even know was possible. You giggle softly, and he shyly points to himself, his voice barely a whisper. "Me?"

You nod, trying not to break into a full-on grin.

"Late again, Mr. Haynes," the teacher says, his voice dripping with annoyance.

"Sorry, Mr. White," the boy mutters, quickly stuffing his hands in his pockets. He glances up just in time to see you lightly tap the tip of your pen to your lips, pretending to concentrate on your notes, then shoot him a cheeky grin.

The teacher shakes his head, unimpressed. "You’re lucky you’re the class monitor. Sit down, Todd. Try not to act like you’re starring in your own spy movie, alright? You’re the only one who knows anything about this subject."

Todd. You finally know his name. How had you never noticed him before? And he’s the monitor? This could be your chance.

As he walks toward an empty desk, you lean over and whisper, your voice playful and sweet. "Hey," you say, catching his attention. "You wanna sit with me?"

He freezes for a second, eyes wide, like you just dropped a bomb. Then, realizing he’s in a classroom full of people, his voice cracks as he repeats, "What?" His cheeks instantly turn even redder. The teacher shoots him a warning glare, and he drops his voice, practically whispering now.

"Sorry! Um, sorry," Todd stammers, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck, looking around nervously but also a little excited. After a beat, he slowly walks over to the desk next to yours, trying to act casual but failing miserably. "I—I guess... if you don’t mind."

You watch as he sits down, and you can’t help but notice the faint blush coloring his cheeks. It’s so adorable. You’re so close you can smell the faint citrusy scent of his cologne. You tuck a lock of hair behind your ear, pretending to take notes as you steal glances at him.

Todd dives straight into the chemistry experiments, his focus sharp as he explains the reactions to you in the calmest, most effortless way possible. It’s like he’s been doing this forever. You almost forget you're in class—until your heart does that fluttery thing every time his eyes meet yours. You’re pretty sure you’re getting the cutest chemistry lesson ever.

"Thanks for… the seat, Y/N," Todd mutters, his voice barely audible. He glances at you for a split second, then quickly looks down at his desk, fidgeting with the books in his backpack like he’s trying to distract himself from how nervous he is.

You can’t help but smile at his awkwardness. "How’d you know my name?" you ask, walking beside him in the hallway, tilting your head playfully.

“Uh… I asked Dave,” he mumbles, clearly flustered. You lean in a little closer, pretending to be intrigued, though you’ve already heard him loud and clear.

You just can’t resist teasing him. After all, he's been adorable all day. You shift slightly, letting the sweet fruity scent of your perfume reach him. "Sorry, Toddy. What did you say?"

"Toddy?" His face turns brighter than a tomato, and he runs a hand through his messy hair like it could somehow make him less embarrassed. "I—I asked Dave for... the cute girl in chemistry class. He said you guys were friends since, like, elementary school."

Your heart skips a beat, but you play it cool. "Awww, you think I’m cute?" you ask, giving him a soft, sweet smile.

Todd’s face deepens in color. "I... I think you’re a table," he blurts out, then immediately hides his face in his hands, as if that could make his awkwardness disappear.

You blink, trying to process his words. "What?" you ask, laughing.

"You know, the periodic table," he stammers, his words tripping over each other. "Like... you're periodic... means you’re cute. Periodic... like... magazines for nerds and cute girls and, uh... forget what I said," he quickly adds, visibly relieved when he sees your bright smile.

You burst out laughing, and though your cheeks are starting to heat up too. You lean in a little closer, still giggling. "I think you're a total nerd—and I love it."

Todd looks at you, blinking in surprise, as if he didn’t expect you to respond that way. "A nerd?" he echoes, his voice low but with a hint of a smile.

"Yeah, a cute nerd," you tease, nudging him lightly with your shoulder. "One who apparently knows everything about chemistry."

He laughs, a soft, nervous chuckle that makes your heart flutter. "I just—uh—like to help. It’s kinda my thing. I helped Dave once and, I guess, it just stuck."

You raise an eyebrow, your head tilted playfully. "How about you help me? I really need to improve my grades," you say, teasing but with a mischievous smile.

“You serious?” Todd echoes, shifting on his feet as he tries to process what you’re asking.

“Totally." You say, your voice smooth like velvet, approaching him slowly and brushing your fingers over the lace of his hoodie. "I think you're the only one who can help me."

“Really?” he repeats, his eyes widening as he backs up toward the lockers, trying to distance himself while you come closer to tie his hoodie lace into a neat bow.

“Really.” You give him a reassuring smile, letting your hands slide down the sides of your body. "What about 4pm at my place? Is that okay?"

“Today?” He blinks, eyes widening like you’ve just dropped a bomb. “I’m free! I’ll help you. Don’t worry. Anytime you want.”

“I'm actually going shopping today...” You bite your lip, glancing him up and down with a teasing smile.

"Shopping? Oh, sure!" Todd chuckles nervously, face-palming himself. "Go have fun."

“Sure? But I want you, Toddy,” You pout dramatically, but can't help but giggle when you see him lean back against the wall, clearly trying to keep his cool.

“You want me?” He swallows hard, blinking rapidly like he’s trying to make sense of what you just said.

"Yes… I’ll wait for you, okay?" you confirm with a wink, before turning to walk down the hallway, blowing him a kiss. Thank God he didn’t see the goofy grin you’re sporting.

"Okay…" Todd breathes, leaning his head back against the wall, utterly dazed as he tries to process everything that just happened.

Todd went home and took the longest shower of his life, mentally preparing for the most important study session he’d ever had. He was certain he was going to need all the courage he could muster to survive the next few hours with you.

The doorbell rings, and you open the door to Todd, who freezes when he sees you in a t-shirt and tiny shorts that leave little to the imagination. "Hey, Toddy. Come on in."

You step aside to let him in, and he follows you up the stairs to your room, trying not to look at you as he climbs.

Once inside, you sit on the bed and open your notebooks. He follows you, sitting on the edge, with all his books spread out in front of him. "You're too far, sit closer," you ask.

Todd slowly scoots closer, his fingers brushing against yours as he settles down next to you on the bed. For a moment, neither of you speaks. You both glance at the open textbooks in front of you, but the words blur together. It’s almost impossible to focus with him so close.

You can feel the warmth of his body next to yours, the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the soft smell of your room. Every time you catch his eye, he looks away quickly, his cheeks tinged pink.

"Uh, so, um..." Todd stammers, trying to sound serious. "Do you, uh, want to start with the chemical reactions or the organic compounds?" His voice is a little too high-pitched, and you can't help but grin.

“Anywhere you want," you tease, your lips curling into a smile. You turn slightly toward him, your knee lightly brushing against his.

He looks at you, his eyes wide, as if surprised by the touch. "I—I didn’t even realize we were that close, sorry," he says, his voice barely a whisper.

You shrug, feigning nonchalance but secretly feeling your heart race. "Guess we’re just... naturally close," you tease, your hand lightly resting on the open notebook, but not really paying attention to the words. His fingers hover near yours, but he doesn't dare to move.

Todd's breath catches when you look at him, your face so close now that you can feel his breath. He murmurs, his voice soft, "I think we should—"

Before he can finish, you lean in just a little closer, your lips barely brushing his as you whisper, "We should what?”

He freezes, his body tense. "I… I don’t know. I was just thinking..." His words trail off as your faces inch closer, the air between you thick with the unspoken desire to kiss.

For a long moment, neither of you moves, just staring at each other, the world outside the room fading away. “Thinking…?” Your heart beats louder than ever, and you can almost hear his racing too.

Finally, unable to resist any longer, you close the tiny gap between you, pressing your lips to his softly. You pull away just a little, still close enough to feel the warmth of his breath on your skin. His eyes stay closed for a beat longer, like he’s savoring the moment.

"That..." Todd starts, his voice cracking slightly, "... that was... um... wow.”

“Kissing a teacher is kinda sexy.” You tease, biting your lip as you glance at him doing the same with his.

“Yeah, uhm… I think you're right.” He bubbled, not taking his eyes away from your glossy lips, unaware he was as glossy as yours.

“So… will you kiss me more or will you teach your periodic more chemistry?” You provoke, getting in all fours with your face in mere inches of his.

“God…” he breathes, eyeing your breasts under your shirt in the new position. “i…kiss. I wanna kiss you more. Can I?”

“Just kissing?” You tease even more, playing with his limits, just to see where it could get. “Or… do you wanna something more?”

“Fuck.” He curses, digging his fingers on the mattress to stay sure the moment is real and not part of his loser imagination.

You chuckle, pecking kisses on his face to his ear to simply whisper his name in pure sultry tone. “You wanna fuck?”

“No… I mean…yes, no…” He stammered, swallowing when you licked his Adams apple.

“Say what you want, Toddy.” You inquired, facing him.

“Please, don't call me like that…” he whimpers, touching your hand.

“Why?” You questioned, biting his earlobe as you jumped on his lap, straddling. He check his lap to catch if you're really pressing your pelvis on his forming bulge and you're fucking really good at it. “Oh, you're already that hard, Toddy bear?”

“Fuck, I'm sorry.” He shots before kissing your lips as a starving man, his grip firm on your hip as he drives his hands under your shirt to dig his fingers on the soft skin of your waist, gaining a mewl from you.

You wrap your arms around his neck, tangling your hands in his soft curls as you wiggle your hips in the jeans squeezing his hard cock. You push him onto the bed and he settles, laying his head on the pillow to watch you remove your shirt, revealing your hard nipples.

“No bra…” he hisses, anxiously waiting for you to remove your shorts without getting off the top of him. He grips your thigh, feeling how wet you are even through his thick jeans. “This can’t be real. It can’t… I’m a loser and you’re hot. No.”

“You’re hot, Todd.” You praise, lying on top of him to kiss him again. “Can’t you see how wet I am f’you?”

“You… you’re the hot one. Shit, you’re so fucking delicious.” He grunts as you grind on his member, keeping your hands on the bed. “m gonna cum if you move like that…”

“You can touch me, you know?” You whispered between the kiss, taking the boy's hand to your breasts, where he gave them a gentle squeeze, increasing the force a little when you bit his bottom lip.

"Perfect tits." He chuckles, squeezing them a little more as he kisses you.

"You can touch me here too, Toddy." You take his hands to your ass and he gives them a firm squeeze, also directing his hands to your core. "You can touch me wherever you want, baby.”

"Fuck, don't do that to me." He meows, letting himself be carried away by your permission and turning you over on the bed, holding you by the wrists. "I can't take it anymore."

You smile in surprise, resting your knee on his evident erection, feeling him tremble above you. "Do you wanna make me feel good, Toddy?"

"Yes, please." He grunts, shaking his head frantically. "I want it so bad."

“C’mere…” you breathe, opening your legs for the boy who promptly throws his shirt in some forgotten corner of the room and undoes his belt clumsily, as if he had forgotten how to do this basic function.

“Damn belt!” He mutters, making you laugh and help him with the belt, pulling down his pants and red boxers in one go.

“Uhm… you’re so big, Toddy.” You purr, wrapping your fingers around the boy’s hard, wet cock, giving a few pumps that made him melt in your hand with whimpers.

“That’s so g-good… you’re so good…” he whimpers, kissing you. He mutually puts his hand inside your panties, carefully circling your clit.

You grind against his finger, feeling an immense wave of pleasure just from this simple touch. The chemistry between you is immeasurable like the explosion you saw in class.

“I need you.” He asks through tears, and you can tell that you've never seen anything more pornographic than Todd Haynes desperate for relieve, removing his hand to remove your thin fabric.

He swallows hard, grabbing his cock to carefully direct the tip to your entrance. He pushes, feeling your walls stretch with his thick size, which makes you arch your back, in a unisson moan with him.

"So…tight." Todd murmurs, completely inside you without resistance by your completely soaked pussy. “you're so wet f’me.”

He begins the slow thrusts, memorizing every part of your pussy. Todd didn't want to cum, he wanted to live there forever, just like you wanted him all the time. Damn, he had no right to be so delicious, as well as to find your pleasure point so quickly.

"There, right there...God, this is so good, Toddy.” you moan, grabbing his hips with your legs, your breasts swaying as his thrusts increased.

“You're beautiful, you're so…fuck…perfect. I love you so much, so fucking much, m sorry, taking me so well” he babbled, giving sloppy fast thrusts, the skin slapping sounds echoing in the room. “this fucking tight pussy.”

“m gonna cum, m gonna cum.” you whine, shutting your eyes hard as you come undone in a loud moan, muffled by his kiss.

“Cum, please. Melt in my cock, oh fuck, please, cum in me. M gonna cum too.” He groans, digging on a deep thrust with his balls deep as his thick seed fills your womb with pleasure, your eyes on the back of your head. “m sorry f’ cumming inside.”

“that's okay, i'm on pills.” You comfort, ruffling his hair as he rests his head on the crook of your neck, giving a few pumps inside you til his dick softened inside.

“Can I stay here a little longer?” He asks with his puppy sparkling eyes at you. “It feels so good.”

“Okay. Let’s lie on our sides like this.” You suggest and you both comfort your bodies on the mattress, your hand reaching for the sheet under the pillow to cover you both.

“I think I have PE,” he jokes, making you laugh loudly. Todd smiles at the sound, his eyes lighting up as his hand gently runs through your messy hair, as if you were a masterpiece he couldn't take his eyes off.

“If that’s the case, I think I have it too,” you respond, pausing to meet his intense gaze. His eyes seem to melt into you, and in that moment, your heart feels as if it's slowly breaking into a thousand pieces, like a chocolate popsicle left out on a hot summer day. “When you said you loved me…”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry about that,” he interrupts, suddenly pulling away, but you reach out, pulling him back toward you. You kiss him slowly, savoring the warmth of the moment.

“Don’t apologize,” you whisper softly, your thumb gently tracing his cheek, trying to comfort him. “I like you. You don’t need to apologize for your feelings.”

“I already came too fast and now I’m telling you that I love you. I’m a total loser.” He laughs sadly, caressing your waist and back with his strong hands.

“You may be a loser, but you’re my loser.” You joke, kissing the tip of his nose.

“Damn, you’re so cute…” he mumbles, pulling you into a tighter embrace and leaning in to kiss you again, his lips lingering as he holds you closer.

Just as the kiss deepens, your phone rings, abruptly breaking the intimate moment. “Fuck, who’s calling at this hour?” you explode, reluctantly pulling away and reaching for your phone.

“Where are you? We’ve been waiting for you at the mall! Hailey’s dad already blocked her card,” Ally says in a rush, her voice tinged with panic, and you hear Hailey’s whiny voice in the background.

“Damn, the mall.” Todd exclaims, his face falling in realization. He immediately clamps his mouth shut, realizing he spoke too loudly, and looks at you apologetically.

“Ooh, who’s that?” your friend teases from the other end of the line. “Is it that cute guy from chemistry?”

“Shh!” you hiss, laughing softly. “He doesn’t need to know I have a massive crush on him.”

“Sorry, honey. You two go ahead and enjoy your date. There's still time for round two, you nasty kitten.”

“Go to hell, Alison,” you laugh, ending the call. You place the phone on the nightstand, sinking back into the soft, warm sheets, hoping to get back to the moment.

“Massive crush?” Todd repeats, his voice light and amused, a playful grin tugging at his lips.

“Don’t get cocky, Todd,” you tease, your eyes narrowing in mock warning. But your heart betrays you as you can’t help but smile. “Ah, who am I kidding? You’re such a sweetheart, my Toddy bear.”

“Of course, I’m gonna get cocky,” he responds with a confident laugh. “I’ve got a popular girlfriend now. I’m a loser, after all—this is basically the ultimate cliché.”

“Yeah, I think I can tolerate that,” you joke, rolling your eyes playfully as you remember the nickname. “You’re periodic.”

“You’re the most periodic of them all,” he retorts, his smile growing wider. He pulls you even closer, his hands resting lightly on your waist. “The most explosive element on my periodic table. I think I should isolate you—you're just too dangerous.”

“That was ridiculously cheesy,” you reply, playfully rolling your eyes before leaning in to kiss him softly. “But I think you can keep that element to yourself, since you’re my boyfriend now.”

“Damn, that was fast.” He laughs, tightening his arms around you as if trying to keep you close, a sense of warmth and happiness flooding over him. “Thanks, periodic girlfriend.”

taglist:

@ikkyfics

@cafekitsune divider

[ragnarockz]

The Good Detective

Agnes O'Connor x Agent Vidal

Summary: Using the prompt: "Be good for me and I'll untie you", Agent Vidal wants to see just how far she can push Detective Agnes O'Connor while being tied up like a present for her own use.

Tags: Swearing, nudity, partial nudity, pet names, daddy kink, light bondage, vaginal fingering, forced masturbation.

Word Count: 1,891

AO3 Link: The Good Detective

“Be good for me and I’ll untie you,”

But Agnes didn’t want to be good. She came into this game wanting to be very, very bad. And she both wanted and craved punishment. She wanted Agent Vidal to deliver her threat, her attack. Agnes lifted her head as much as she could in her position to look Agent Vidal in the eye, giving her a nasty snarl of a smile. She was going to defy her; sealing her fate in whatever punishment Agent Vidal saw fit to throw at her. She waited impatiently, her own thighs already soaked from her own cum.

Agent Vidal had been invited over by Agnes earlier that evening; the two of them shared some Chinese takeout and a 6 pack. It was like clockwork now for them; they’d chase new leads in the case, eat dinner and then start talking about semi-serious, semi-personal things. And when those took a turn and neither of them wanted to budge or felt like they were revealing too much; it turned to sex. Neither of them minded; they found out more about one another that way. Maybe they didn’t need words to figure each other out; everything would be laid out between them when they were at their most vulnerable, their most open with each other.

Agent Vidal had wanted to try a new ‘game’ as she called it; asking Agnes if she had anything she could use to bind. Agnes scoffed, rolled her eyes as if Vidal had asked her if the sky was blue. She handed over the silk tie from her robe; a beautiful black silk. She had stripped Agnes down to nothing but then tossed her blue plaid button up at her and demanded she put it back on; unbuttoned. That stirred something deep into Agnes’ brain; something carnal. Agent Vidal had teased her for weeks about her only wearing the same thing, the same plaid shirts. She even asked once over lunch if she just had a closet full of them; like that was her uniform. Agnes scoffed and rolled her eyes; she couldn’t afford to look as high-end as Agent Vidal and what she chose to wear gave her comfort and agility to do her job. Now, Agnes realized as she laid in her own bed, tied up by the Agent, she was asking because it turned her on.

“What’s that snarl for, Daddy? You’re not gonna be good for me?”

Agent Vidal’s voice was honeyed, trying to soothe Agnes into submission. She wanted it; wanted to feel those rough, clumsy hands over her body. She loved Agnes’ hands; she loved how they felt when they held her waist when she rode her, the way her fingers felt inside of her. She wanted those hands and fingers even though she was the one who tied them up with a pretty little silk bow. The bow made Agnes blush; a feminine touch.

But Agnes would not open her mouth and her snarl remained on her lips. She was going to play this game now, choosing to push Vidal over the edge. She watched as Vidal’s gaze darkened, picking up on Agnes’ choice for the night. She liked when Agnes was in control but lately, it had been the other way around. Agent Vidal didn’t mind too much; she liked putting the hardened Detective in her place; showing her that she could be a moaning, begging mess just as much as she herself could be.

“Okay…if you don’t wanna be good for me then…you’re going to have to get off by yourself; wrists still bound,”

Agent Vidal stated, pretending she was bored with Agnes’ choice. She sighed softly, turning her hand to look at her nails. She knew how to play this game, too.

And she was right. She heard a rather loud, whiny moan from Agnes. She returned her focus to Agnes' face, watching her eyes squeeze shut, the wrinkle forming between her eyes that she loved so much. Vidal knew she had got the wheels turning; watching Agnes try to figure out just how she was going to do that.

“Maybe you should turn yourself over…use the sheets underneath you if you want…won’t be as effective as what I had in mind but if you really need to get off…if you really need to rub that beautiful pulsing clit on something, Baby, that would work…”

Another loud, low moan. Another shift in Agnes. Vidal watched on bent knees as Agnes shimmied herself, rolled herself over to lay on her stomach. Her face was in the pillows, her lower body facing Vidal, giving her a nice view of her ass and legs. Vidal whistled at the sight before her; at least she was going to get a nice show.

“You make sure that you come up a little high on your grind…just so much that I can see that beautiful wet pussy of yours from behind…ok, Daddy? Can you do that for me at least?”

Vidal’s words shot through Agnes like an arrow to the head; dead between the eyes. Her mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton and her limbs felt like gelatin. It drove her crazy the way Agent Vidal chose to be in control. She wasn’t rough and pushy like she herself was; Vidal had a serpent's sweet tongue that made you feel like you were the one really in control. More flies with honey or something like that. She was trying to melt you in her hands; wanting nothing more for you to become a ball of mush she could mould and shape and play with. She wanted you drained, on the verge of lifelessness. She wanted you malleable. Subdued. Obedient.

Agnes tried her best with what she had to work with. Friction. The right positioning. She had done this before many, many times. Now, it was just without her hands. She could do it, she decided, and had to show Vidal that she wasn’t totally useless and helpless.With her hands straight between the center of her body; the bow gently pressed against her clit; she knew this was going to be an easy feat. She smirked to herself and felt the burning, intense gaze of Agent Vidal on her from behind. She was waiting patiently, waiting for the show to begin.

Agnes used her legs, her forearms, her head. Every part of her body that had a working muscle she made sure to use. The soft, silkiness of the bow felt like feathered fingertips gently stroking her clit. It was a better fabric to use to grind against and she was glad Vidal hadn’t used rope. She found her rhythm, her pace. She focused as hard as she could, closing her eyes to stay in the moment; to give her body what it was screaming for. She kept Agent Vidal’s request in her mind as she raised her legs up a little higher, pushed her lower body back just a little more. She could feel her shirt bunch up around her, the sleeves rolling up to a weird length. She suddenly felt frustrated, annoyed. Trying to keep up with herself and sensing everything around her that she wished she could move or change or take off. Agnes let out a strangled ‘fuck’ from under her breath into the pillow, biting down on her bottom lip.

“You’re getting impatient…how’s that friction working out for you, Daddy?”

Agnes rolled her eyes at Vidal’s voice. She grunted again, rolling her hips as she tried to hit the sweet spot. She curled her toes against the bed, trying to use the muscles in her body to get that perfect angle. She let out a loud sigh that turned into another moan. Her face was pressed to its side against the pillow, squishing her nose and eye but Agnes didn’t care; she was so close, so very close. It was then she felt Vidal’s fingers trace up against the back of her leg; from the inside of her knee joint moving up. Agnes froze and her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.

“...I didn’t ask you to stop…don’t you want to cum for me? You almost had it, you were so close…”

Agent Vidal’s words dripped out of her mouth as Agnes could feel the Agent moving closer towards her on the bed. Her hands never left her skin, feeling like they were leaving scorch marks as they trailed upwards in between her legs. Agnes let out another pained moan; she was frustrated beyond belief.

“Get…this fucking…shirt off of me…the fucking tie…”

She didn’t even know if Agent Vidal could hear her words; pressed into the pillow still. Her face scrunched as she gave another buck of her legs, her hips. She had to be fast about this now, violent almost. Her hips and legs moved quickly, smashing down to her bound hands. She could feel the silk start to dampen faster; her fingers and hands both wet and sweaty. Agnes felt like she was on the brink of ruin; chasing that high; the stars that would burst behind her eyelids as the aching throb inside of her would hammer away.

That all would be what she expected to happen until she felt two very soft and warm fingers trace the outside of her folds, dipping gently inside of her. She pushed herself back towards Agent Vidal’s fingers; her back straightened out, belly almost pressed flat against her arms underneath her. She held, waiting for Vidal to start pumping her fingers. She waited. She breathed. She cursed silently.

“So impatient…this could have already happened if you just decided to be a good girl for me earlier, you know?”

Agnes chuckled, swore. She growled into the pillow with want, with frustration.

“Just…fuck me already, Vidal…fuck…”

“Oh, I would…if you had just decided to be good for me…but clearly, you’re not so…I think I’ll just stop here.”

“No you fucking don’t…don’t…don’t you dare fucking stop!”

There was a silence that filled the bedroom; minus Agnes’ heavy breathing. They were at a stalemate. Vidal wanted something from Agnes and Agnes wanted something else from Vidal and neither of them were willing to break. Agent Vidal smirked, a rumble of a laugh inside of her mouth as she pushed her fingers a little deeper into Agnes.

“I think you’re forgetting whose fingers are inside of who right now…so, are you going to be good for me? Huh, Daddy? A big, tough Detective like you can be good? Right? How else are you going to get my fingers to fuck you…”

Agnes was thinking; thinking very, very hard. How badly did she want this woman? Bad. She laughed to herself against the pillow before raising her head as much as her neck would allow her. Her words came out with a tinge of bitterness coated with desperation. It was pathetic; she sounded and obviously looked pathetic. It was exactly what Agent Vidal wanted.

“Fine…fuck, I’ll be good. Just…just for you…”

Vidal’s reply was easy; curling her fingers until Agnes gave out a guttural moan against the pillow. That was compliance. That was obedience. That was being a good girl.

[rita-repulsa-ke]

Caretaking

When she opened her eyes again, it was close to dusk and there was a fire merrily burning in front of her, a pot hanging over it. For a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming, back in some time when her boy was alive and the world still made sense.

But no, the person poking at the contents of the pot wasn't Nicky, but someone equally familiar.

Agatha and Rio, post-breakup. Agatha is sick. Vaguely references Death Gets Sick and Agatha and Illness.

Agatha Harkness was not sick.

Yes, she had a miserably high fever, full body chills and deep muscle aches, but getting sick was for lesser people, people who weren’t powerful witches with important things to do. She didn't have the time to get sick and so she simply refused to be.

Her body, unfortunately, seemed to have other ideas, which was how she found herself tucked up against a tree, her cloak pulled around her, half-conscious and soaked in a thin layer of clammy sweat. She was too tired to even start a fire, only able to toss and turn and eventually fall into a restless, uncomfortable sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, it was close to dusk and there was a fire merrily burning in front of her, a pot hanging over it. For a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming, back in some time when her boy was alive and the world still made sense.

But no, the person poking at the contents of the pot wasn't Nicky, but someone equally familiar.

"Oh," she croaked, her voice coming out dry and scratchy, her tongue tasting like something had died in her mouth. "It's you."

Rio glanced up at her, and as familiar as that face was, there was still something alien in the other woman's regard, a mix of adoration, uncertainty and anger. Agatha had done nothing to spare Death's feelings lately whenever she did dare show her face, had used every cruelty she could think of to try and tear at Rio, with the simple, human goal of hurting someone else as badly as she hurt.

"…I made tea," her former lover said, almost tentative. Her lips quirked slightly. "It's willowbark, but it's not as strong this time. Do you want some?"

No, Agatha wanted to say. I don't want anything you've made, I don't want your kindness or your pity, I don't want you taking care of me when you tore out my heart. "…Fine," she murmured sullenly instead, because she was tired and sore and she didn't have the energy to fight.

And maybe because Rio had said 'this time' and for a moment, she'd missed the time when things were easier between them.

She let the other woman bring her a cup in a chipped traveler's mug, held it carefully between shaking hands and sipped it. "…Not bad," she admitted after a moment. "I still seem to have taste buds, at least."

"I grew the tree to make it," Rio said. "But I used less. I made soup, too. You always used to want soup when you were sick." The wistful, nostalgic tone in her voice twisted Agatha's stomach worse than the illness, made her nauseous in a way that had nothing to do with her body.

"You made soup?" she said, talking to keep herself from thinking. "On your own? …Rio, you did remember that people can't eat rotten meat, right? Or—" her lips curved in a mocking smile. "Have you finally decided to break the rules and kill me after all?"

Rio ladled her out a bowl of soup. "I remember what you can eat, beloved. Besides, if I wanted you dead, I'd have put poison in the tea."

Agatha looked at the mug in her hand and shrugged, sitting up a little more from the pitiful slump she'd been in. Half a mug of tea had already improved her outlook on life, numbing the throbbing headache behind her temple. She suspected there was magic in it, since it shouldn't have worked so quickly, but the kind of annoyingly latent magic Rio could manage, the desire to see Agatha made better manifesting in the tree she'd grown to make tea with.

"Fine, I'll try the soup," she decided, because—well, because why not?

Rio looked up and smiled at her as though Agatha had offered her the world on a platter, not a chance to feed her some likely terrible soup. She filled a bowl and brought it over, let Agatha put the mug on the ground and watched her with anticipation as she took a sip.

Agatha managed to spit the soup mostly back into the bowl, at least, and not all over herself. "…Rio," she asked, her voice the kind of patient they both knew indicated trouble. "How many onions?"

Rio glanced back at the pot, then at Agatha, offering an uncertain shrug. "…You like onions."

Agatha shoved the bowl back in the other woman's hand. "Dump that slop out and just do what I say, okay?"

She couldn't look directly at Rio, the sheer adoration in the way her former lover gazed at her was both sickening and also slightly, comfortingly familiar. "Yes, beloved," Rio agreed, dumping out the soup and letting Agatha tell her what to put in it, growing the things she didn't have to hand with no thought at all, still the most impossible magic Agatha had ever seen.

Agatha drank two cups of tea, then leaned back with her eyes closed as the soup cooked. She was aware of Rio settling on the ground next to her and ignored it, though the other woman was so close Agatha could feel the heat from her body.

Then she felt fingers slide through her hair and slapped Rio's hand away with vicious force, eyes flying open. "Don't touch me," she snapped, then froze at Rio's expression.

The other woman let out a long, slow sigh, very close to a groan. "There we go, that's my Agatha," she said, almost to herself, before her attention snapped fully back to Agatha. "I don't have to, you know. I don't have to be kind, Ags. I don't have to take care of you."

"No one asked you to," Agatha snarled, trying to pretend she hadn't, however briefly, felt a sharp stab of fear at the way Rio had looked at her. "Your tendency to alternate creepy acts of devotion with violence isn't my fault."

Rio was almost on top of her, her fingers through Agatha's hair, palm against her cheek, too fast for Agatha to do more than blink. "But how would I explain it to Nicky," Rio murmured. "If I left his mother alone like this?" She pressed her lips hard to Agatha's forehead. "He misses you, beloved. Come home soon."

And then she was gone, touch and weight and heat all vanishing, leaving Agatha with tears in her eyes, caught between fury and sorrow and, as always, deliberately choosing fury. "You don't say his name!" she snarled, power crackling across her fingers. "You don't—I hate you! Do you hear me?? I'll always hate you." She scrubbed her hand over her eyes. "…Give him back to me," she whispered to no one, sagging, exhausted, against a tree.

After a little while of misery so deep she couldn't even manage to cry, she did get up and get herself a bowl of soup. It was very good, a soup made out of memories, the same soup her mother had made for her when she was ill and that she had made for her lover once and for her boy many, many times.

She took one bite, then threw the bowl aside and retched helplessly, the taste of better times coating her tongue.

masterpost or click this link to go to a random post on this blog, which will probably be a fic of some kind

[ell0ra-br3kk3r-writes]

Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?

part five

pairing: james potter x black sister!reader, regulus black x sister!reader

genre: angst with like maybe a little fluff?

el's thoughts: this is part five! hope yall enjoy!

main masterlist | regulus masterlist | james masterlist

Regulus and Y/N Black showed up at the Potter’s manor once again. Almost a year had gone by since the first time and the twins returned completely different people. They were no longer the scared children in need of help and shelter. 

Y/N knocked on the door swiftly and took a step back as she straightened her trench coat lapels. Regulus stood behind her, just over her shoulder keeping an eye on the surroundings behind them. 

The door opened cautiously and the twins were met with a pair of the most striking green eyes.

“Black,” Lily Evans said.

“Evans,” Y/N nodded curtly in response. “We were wondering if we could speak to Sirius?”

The redhead had eyed the skeptically. “What makes you think he’s here?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, “Please Evans, I’m not an idiot.”

“And neither are we.” 

Y/N saw immediately how her eyes cast downward to her cloaked forearm. Y/N’s stomach turned as she looked back to Regulus who also seemed uneasy. Y/N pulled at her sleeve and cleared her throat. “Please… let me see my brother.” Y/N inhaled deeply, “I beg of you, Lily.”

Lily sighed out of pure pity. “Alright, go around back. I’ll send him that way.”

Regulus eyed the redhead in distrust but led Y/N to follow her directions either way. They weren’t in a position to argue.

They walked to the back of the manor and saw Sirius waiting on the back porch anxiously running his hands through his hair. When he saw his younger siblings he lit up like a light bulb and rushed to hug them tightly.

“Oh thank Godric! I thought Lily was pullin’ my leg.” He made no move to let them go. “Are you two alright? I got so scared when you didn’t return, and then I got no letters from the both of you-”

“We’re fine, Siri,” Y/N mumbled into his shoulder as she held him back just as tightly. Without her realizing it, the ache of missing her eldest brother only grew as time passed. She missed the way he held her. The way he comforted her as if she were a child. “We’re alright. Promise.”

Regulus was the first to break up the hug and he cleared his throat while blinking quickly to rid himself of the tears that prickled in the back of his eyes. “Sirius, we came here to tell you something.”

“You’re Death Eaters? I’ve heard that already.”

“Yes, we’re Death Eaters, but that wasn’t what we came all this way to tell you. We’re not idiots.”

Y/N forced herself not to roll her eyes. “We came to get help and offer our services.”

“Offer your services?” Sirius trailed off, confusion swimming in his eyes. 

“We know the Dark Lord’s plans, having heard everything first hand. We can be valuable to your cause don’t��cha think?” Y/N said with a mock confidence and cockiness that her eyes didn’t carry.

“No.” Sirius shook his head, looking between his two little siblings. “Abouslute not. Do you know what you would be signing up for? That’s basically asking to die.”

“Sirius, please.”

“No, I won’t allow it. You can’t just put your lives on the line for the sake of others.”

“Is that not what you’re doing? What James, Remus, and Peter are doing?”

“That’s different…”

“How?” Y/N nearly snapped. “Tell me how is it any different? Sirius our lives are already on the line every day we wake up. We didn’t sign up for this. We didn’t want this life, so let us gain what little control we can. I want the risk to be worth something, Sirius.”

The older Black shook his head, “It’s too dangerous… I can’t.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing you’re not really in charge of us then. Isn’t it?” Regulus snipped.

“We are doing this, Sirius. With or without your support,” Y/N looked up at him with tears lining her eyes. “But we’d much rather have you stand up for us.”

Sirius stared at his siblings in silent mourning of their youth before he nodded slowly. “Okay, I support you both.”

~

James walked into the Potter’s kitchen. His parents left the house to him and he opened it up to the order, not wanting to stay in the house alone or let it sit empty and useless. His parents wouldn’t want that. 

Normally only he and Sirius actually lived there but since a few weeks ago Y/N and Regulus moved back in. Some of the other Order members would spend a night or two but never stayed longer. So it took a few days for James to get used to other people in the house again. 

Y/N sat at the kitchen counter nursing a cup of tea, that by the looks of it had gone cold a while ago. She sat in her pjamas with one knee brought up to her chest and the other tucked under her with her chin on her knee. She looked tangled up but made it look comfy, almost enough to convince James that if he put himself in the same position he would be just as comfortable. 

“You look lost.” His voice startled her, causing her to jolt a little. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya.”

“Oh… no, no you’re all good. Sorry.” Y/N repositioned herself and let her painted nail trace the rim of her mug, her eyes became unfocused again as she stared into the dark liquid. 

“No need to apologize, love.” James walked to the stove where the kettle sat and turned it on again. The pet name that slipped from his lips went unnoticed by him but caught Y/N’s attention, though she wouldn’t mention it.

“What’re you doing up?” Y/N asked quietly, allowing him to take her cup and dump the cold tea.

“Couldn’t sleep. Why are you up?”

“Same reason apparently.” 

James hummed, putting a new tea bag in her mug while pulling out a mug for himself and doing the same. Y/N had finally realized that he was making her a new cup of tea and straightened up. “You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s no problem, your cup had already gone cold. Unless you didn’t want another one…” James trailed off.

“No, I do,” Y/N spoke quietly, wringing her fingers together mindlessly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

James placed the freshly made cup of tea in front of Y/N, the steam curling up in soft, lazy tendrils. He gave her a small smile before settling into the chair opposite her, his own tea cradled in his hands. The kitchen was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt heavy but not quite unwelcome. James found it oddly comforting.

“So,” he began, his voice cutting through the silence but not in a harsh way, “what’s on your mind? What’s keeping you up?”

Y/N blinked, surprised by the direct question, but then again she shouldn’t have been surprised. “Oh… just stuff,” she said vaguely, her fingers fidgeting with the mug.

James tilted his head, studying her carefully. “You’re not very descriptive, are you?”

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she kept her gaze down. “Just… everything, I guess. The war, Regulus, Sirius, m-my parents…” Her voice faltered, and she shrugged as though it wasn’t a big deal, though the weight of her words said otherwise. 

James nodded, his brow furrowing. “That’s a lot to carry all alone.”

Y/N shrugged again, still not meeting his eyes. “I’m used to it by now.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.” His voice was soft but firm, and Y/N finally glanced up at him. There was something in his expression-–an openness, a warmth—that made her chest feel a little lighter, even if just for a fleeting moment.

“Yeah, well,” she said, trying to shrug off the vulnerability creeping in, “not much of a choice these days, is there?”

James didn’t press her, sensing she wasn’t ready to share more. Instead, he smiled, raising his mug. “Here’s to sleepless nights in the Potter kitchen. At least we’re not alone in our misery.”

That coaxed a small laugh from Y/N, a sound James found himself wanting to hear more often. “Cheers to that,” she said, clinking her mug against his softly.

~

Over the next few days, James found himself seeking Y/N out more often. Whether it was helping her brew potions for the Order, get ready to go to a Deatheatter meeting, or simply sitting with her in the living room while she read. He couldn’t seem to stay away. He liked the way her face softened when she was deep in thought, the way her laugh—when she let it out—filled the room like sunlight, a drastic contrast to her usual persona.

Y/N, on her part, was equally drawn to James. She hadn’t expected him to be so kind, so patient. She’s always known him as Sirius’ blood-traitor best friend, the one who was always laughing and causing trouble. But the day he found her crying in the hallway changed her perspective entirely. But this James added to her changed perspective. This James, the one who brought her tea without asking and listened without interrupting, was someone she found herself wanting to know better.

One evening, they were sitting on the porch steps, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The air was cool, and Y/N had wrapped herself in a blanket. James had brought out two mugs of hot cocoa, handing one to her without a word. 

“You’re really good at this, you know,” she said after a long silence.

James raised an eyebrow. “Good at what?”

“This,” she gestured between them and around them. “Making people feel… safe.”

He chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think that’s just you, Y/N. You make it easy.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away, hiding her smile behind the rim of her mug. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered, though there was no usual bite to her words. “You’ve taken care of Sirius for years now and have made him feel safe. Even Regulus feels safe now.” She trailed off, “Well, as safe as we could be.”

James hummed and stayed silent.

As safe as they could be.

~

It was Sirius who noticed first.

He walked into the kitchen one afternoon to find James and Y/N sitting close together at the counter, their heads bent over a piece of parchment. James was explaining something, his hand occasionally brushing against hers as he pointed to the page. Y/N didn’t pull away, her face lit up with one of the rare smiles Sirius hadn’t seen in such a long time.

“Oh, this is interesting,” Sirius drawled, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe.

James and Y/N both looked up, their expressions a mix of guilt and annoyance. “What do you want, Sirius?” Y/N asked, rolling her eyes.

“Nothing,” he said, grinning. “Just enjoying the view. You two look cozy.”

“Bugger off,” James muttered, though his ears turned red.

Sirius’s grin widened. “Alright, alright. Don’t let me interrupt your... working.”

As Sirius left, Y/N groaned, burying her face in her hands. “He’s never going to let this go.”

James laughed, reaching out to gently nudge her arm. “Let him have his fun. It’s not so bad, is it?”

Y/N peeked at him through her fingers, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. “I suppose not.”

[2000sangel]

⋆⁺₊❅. GuitarSpear x GN!Reader - This year, I give you my heart again ⋆⁺₊❅.

Self indulgent Adam x Lute x Reader fic I cooked up - Merry Christmas, I hope you enjoy <3 (Sorry for OOC Lute, first time writing her !!)

Divider credit : cafekitsune

Your eyelids flutter open, eyes easily adjusting to the soft light shining through the curtains of your shared bedroom’s French window. You stare at the ceiling for a bit, wondering what time it is, before being interrupted by a particularly loud snore coming from your left.

You make a face, looking at still asleep Adam, lying on his back with Lute on his left and you on his right, his wings sprawled out on the king sized bed and only his legs being covered by the blanket, but your expression softens when he mumbles something in his sleep that you can’t quite catch and nuzzles his face into your hair.

Rather than his usual tank top and boxers, he’s wearing a pretty thick black sweatshirt and a pair of matching sweatpants; he claims to not feel the cold, but you can see him visibly shivering every time he opts to wear his usual attire around this time of the year, so you and Lute force him into cosier clothes.

His brown hair is a mess, and his mouth is slightly open and- ew, is that saliva on the corner? With a sneer you decide not to dwell on your messy sleeper of a boyfriend, and focus on your girlfriend Lute instead, who on the contrary still looks like an angel, even if you now reside in the depths of Hell.

She’s lying on her right side, her head gently resting on Adam’s bicep. Not exactly a fan of physical affection, she’s not properly cuddling up to him, rather she’s curled up on herself. One of her wings is tucked under her arm, while the other is stretched out on the mattress much like Adam’s. The fact that she’s wearing one of your sweatshirts makes you smile, she had forgotten that her warmer one was in the washing machine last night so she opted to rummage through your wardrobe and pick out something from there instead. Her leggings match with the colour, she likes going for combinations even around the house.

Cute, you think. They’re really cute. You almost forget your drowsiness, and that you struggled to fall asleep last night because today is finally Sinsmas.

...

...wait.

You sit up, and you’re sure that if music accompanied your every action, a jolly tune would be playing in the background right now.

With an excited grin, you ponder on whether to sneak into the living room and put the gifts you’ve gotten for your loves under the tree or to wake them up so you can all just exchange them together. Hardest decision of your life, clearly.

Another idea pops into your head...what if you put the presents under the tree and made them a tasty breakfast? Spoiling your two favourite people in the world and on Hell, that sounds like a wonderful plan, yes. This is what you settle on.

You do your absolute best to avoid waking them up; you were half laying on Adam’s wing while you slept, so you have to basically do acrobatics to get out of bed without at least him noticing. You eventually manage, though, and quietly dig into your own closet in search of the various packages you’ve prepared for them.

Once you get a hold of everything, you finally sneak out of the room and into the living room, placing everything under the Sinsmas tree like you intended to, thinking up some good ideas for a fun breakfast that you could prepare in the meantime.

Doing that is way easier once you’re in the kitchen, with a large recipe book in your hands; it was technically a gift for Adam, since he can’t cook or bake shit, but all three of you use it regularly because the stuff that you can make out of it is just that good.

Chocolate chip cookies...too long to prepare, you’re not even sure you have the chocolate chip. Blueberry pancakes...you could try, you’ve got all the ingredients after all, Lute loves blueberries so you always have a few bowls of those in the fridge. Hm...maybe some scrambled eggs could work too...no, you’ve settled on the pancakes by now and you also had the genius idea to make smoothies to accompany them too.

You quickly close the book and get to work after glancing at the clock hanging above the entrance door; 10:05 AM, they could wake up soon!

Flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs and everything else are set on the counter, along with the blueberries that need to stay out of the fridge for a bit or else they’ll be practically frozen...wait, you have other fruit too! Adam loves banana, so you grab one of those from the basket in the centre of the table.

You multitask with a big goofy smile on your face; you make a good amount of pancakes for you three while preparing smoothies with a mix of fruits that you have around the kitchen, and some milk. You assign different tall cups to each one of you, as Adam likes his smoothies with bits of fruit in them while Lute prefers them smooth and liquid.

You hear them shuffle in the bedroom after a bit, just about when you’re done with the last plate of pancakes- yours.

Adam comments on the gifts under the tree before smelling the air and following an imaginary scent trail leading to the kitchen, where you’re already sitting down at the table, grinning up at him and at Lute following right behind.

“Good morning!” you greet them in an almost sing-songy tone.

“Holy shit, good morning babe, what’s this?” Adam asks you, gesturing to the sweet treats laying on the already set kitchen table.

You shrug and look away, with a smile on your face still.

“Oh, nothing...just sit down and tell me how these taste!”

Because of your averted gaze you don’t notice Adam walking up to you, until he’s close enough to plant a big kiss on your temple. Lute simply fluffs up her wings at the sight, and stretches a bit before sitting across you where she recognizes that you’ve placed her plate and drink. Adam follows her example and sits at the head of the table, immediately digging in.

Your girlfriend hums pleasantly as soon as she starts chewing on the pancakes, sleek eyebrows rising.

“I don’t remember you ever making pancakes. They’re so good, dear, especially if it’s the first time,”

You fake sob at her sweet compliment, and mutter a thank you before taste-testing your own creation. Adam is too busy choking on a banana slice to agree with Lute, which makes you giggle and your girlfriend roll her eyes.

---

Putting the dirty dishes and cups in the sink, you all agree that you can take care of those later- right after opening the presents, which you are all super excited about.

Lute claims the couch right after she and Adam go get their presents for you and each other, she lies on her stomach and rests her arms on the armrest while she waits for the unwrapping to begin. Adam chooses to sit on the floor near the tree, he’s known to be lazy and everything is easier to reach that way, while you sit at the foot of the couch with your back resting against it- Lute’s wing gently grazes your shoulder.

“Alright! Who’s starting?” you ask, randomly grabbing a small flat package all wrapped up in golden gift-wrap. Adam smirks;

“That one’s for you, nice packaging, ay?” he brags, and you snort while second glancing at it. It’s a bit messy, but you appreciate the effort.

After a bit of a struggle to open it –he’s put an excessive amount of tape on it- you eventually manage, and if your smile could grow bigger you bet it would. It’s a videogame that released very recently, and that you haven’t had the chance to buy for yourself yet...Lute is not a big gamer, so of course Adam is the one who knows all about what genres you’re interested in, since all the consoles you own he’s bought.

“Oh, videogame?” Lute tilts her head to see better, “Nice, I didn’t know about this one actually.”

“Yes! I’ve been avoiding spoilers for a while because I was waiting to get paid to buy it...” holding it close to your chest, you thank your boyfriend, who nearly melts at how cute you look.

The next gift that gets unwrapped is for Lute, from you; as she carefully removes the paper around it as if to avoid ripping it apart, you turn towards her;

“Premise: I’m not creepy for remembering about this, okay...” she makes a face, “You just never really talk about what you’d like so when you mentioned this months ago I had to write it down on the spot...”

Lute seems to realize what you’re talking about, and suddenly her efforts to not rip the paper are no more. She skilfully tears at it, revealing another see-through package with a PJ set in it.

You and Adam know about your girlfriend’s love for the paranormal that she’s developed in the past few months, so when she brought up how her favourite clothing brand had released a line related to it you immediately knew what you had to do.

Both the deep purple blouse and pants are made of silk, and look extremely comfortable even though they’re a size small. The pattern is gorgeous, colourless drawings of moths and skulls intertwine with each other in a manner that makes the design look busy yet tidy at the same time.

Lute doesn’t show excitement very often, but as she feels the soft fabric against her fingers and admires the patterns she indulges in a thrilled flap of her wings and a pretty smile.

“Fuck, I finally have this! You remembered huh?” because your forehead is easily reachable for her, she holds your face with one hand and kisses you right there, you can feel her smile against your skin, “Thank you, I love it...if you couldn’t tell.”

Despite her trying to play it cool, you know she’s genuine, and it makes your heart slightly flutter.

Then, Lute reaches for something a bit hidden behind the tree; it’s the biggest gift yet between the ones you’ve unwrapped, and you recognize the thunder pattern on the paper that you both have been using for a while to wrap stuff up for Adam. That roll never ends, you both swear.

“Fucking finally! Was starting to get worried there was nothing for me here.” He’s obviously playing, but you both sigh at him.

He rips through it with not a single care in the world, cursing under his breath when some pieces of tape don’t come off right away. Lute reminds him about your package from Hell, which was more tape than wrapping paper, and he waves her off with a ‘yeah, yeah’.

Once the gift is fully out, he holds it up in the air with a whistle.

“Fuuuuck! This bangs, what the Hell!”

It’s a backpack, which you fucking wish will replace the one he’s currently using since it’s basically falling apart. He brings it everywhere, to concerts, trips, just to go out for a walk down the street or do groceries...the old one is black and plain, with no design on it at all, while the new one that Lute has gotten for him has a personalized print with his name and a guitar underneath, all in bright yellow, which contrasts nicely against the black fabric.

He starts rambling about how he finally has enough space to put his guitar pick holder inside, since the backpack does look bigger as well, and about how he wants to know where Lute has gotten the design printed since he loves putting his name on things.

“Thank you so much babe, I love it,” he finally says, which alright, it was clear enough...but it is nice that he’s finally got some manners, in both your and Lute’s opinion.

It’s midday when you three finally finish unwrapping everything, and the amount of stuff just lying around on the floor is astounding. Gift-wrap, tape, various tags and even boxes make it hard to walk around in your living room.

But you three look extremely content, each of you with a different loot;

Adam holds his backpack, a plethora of guitar picks, those fuzzy socks that you either love or hate (he’s a lover, Lute’s a hater), hair gel because he claims his natural hair isn’t voluminous enough, a pair of alt shoes that he’s been eyeing for a while and a cool holder for one of his various consoles. He’s the most open about what he wants, so getting him presents isn’t that hard, really.

Lute has got her PJ set, some gym tools that she was missing, some makeup since she’s been experimenting more with that instead of sticking to her usual simple eyeliner, a specific lotion for her wings since she likes keeping them neat and a couple pieces of jewellery- you’ve figured out that she really likes minimalist silver necklaces by observing what she wears on dates.

And you’ve got your new videogame which you’re super excited about, a shirt with the print of a show you’ve been obsessed with for weeks on end, some food actually? (Adam’s idea, he knows your favourite sweets and snacks by heart), a portable phone charger in the shape of your favourite animal and two tote bags, each matching with one of your fave outfits that you wear the most.

Adam kicks a box aside, making you and Lute frown; this is your cue to tidy everything up before getting to cook lunch...together, you’ve decided.

You chat and laugh the cleaning session away, wondering what some friends back in Heaven have gotten for, well, Christmas, and pondering how to spend the afternoon and evening. You notice in the corner of your eye that the window has slightly fogged up;

“Mh? What’s the matter?” Lute asks while folding her PJ;

You step closer to the window and wipe some of the condensation away from the glass, your face lighting up at the sight of what’s happening outside. Your partners curiously approach you, Adam engulfing you both from behind with his large wings.

They both understand your excitement upon noticing that it’s snowing.

Leaning against your boyfriend’s broad chest a bit and pulling Lute closer to you –she doesn’t really mind either of you doing that-, you perk up;

“Alright, let’s hurry with lunch, this literally calls for a movie marathon while wrapped up in blankets...!”

[wrongtvrns]

The way the blonde looked at her, the way Maeve spoke with softness and understanding, compassion and sympathy lacing every tone — it was obvious that this young woman knew what Kira was feeling. On one hand it was comforting to know she wasn't alone, that someone understood just how heartbreaking it could be to see couples merry and bright together. To see families holding each other tight and sharing glee. The brunette had the attention of many, came with the territory of being a celebrity, but the holiday only highlighted just how alone she was. Just how broken she felt internally. Somehow a little laughter bubbled up and spilled out, soft and light, that smile not quite reaching her eyes. "You're right about that. This open bar of sorts just sounds like trouble." And knowing her ex had now moved to her city? The possibility of running into Leti and the likelihood of some beautiful woman on her arm nearly had Kira running to the eggnog herself.

"The sweaters are amusing because people are so passionate in their hate for them yet people seem to be having fun with them?" Kira was trying to avoid that tug on her heart. Pretty, dark eyes framed with long lashes scanned their surroundings. Maybe some part of her had hoped she could soak up the love and cheer through osmosis. Could that have been why she subjected herself to this? But those words... just to remind us of what we don't have... caused the brunette to swallow down the emotion knotting in her throat. "Wait — you don't have family around?" They hadn't quite shared their stories. For some reason protective of their pain. Talking about things made them all the more real, didn't they? "I feel so out of touch," she said blinking the fog in her head away and shaking it gently as well, stepping a little closer to Maeve, "I'm sorry, I think I assumed you had a partner. I do listen, I apologize, I've just got my head so far up my own ass feeling sorry for myself..." Kira offered a rueful smile.

The humor was appreciated and a more genuine look of amusement momentarily crossed Kira's face. She wholeheartedly appreciated what Maeve was trying to do and even let out a chuckle, but those would be problems she'd love to have. With her parents she still wasn't allowed at the table.The boyfriend? He was for show and to gain some ground back with her parents. Friends were busy with their own lives and families and loved ones. She was becoming weak enough that she might call her ex in the middle of the night just so she could feel a little something. Even if that would end up only being more torture. "No, no... you're right. Sorry, I'm being such an insufferable bitch, aren't I? Just wallowing over here." The brunette hauled in a breath and tried to sober herself of the downward spiral she'd been taking on. She perked up, listening with a faint smile at the blonde talk about her little plans with her little one. "That's really sweet and so meaningful. Even if she's too young now, there's a day soon where that will be the world to her." The invite had actually surprised her and Kira was certain her initial reaction had displayed that. Before she could form the words in response, however, Kira was nodding. "We could..." The brunette encouraged, more nodding of her head. "We could cook up a little dinner and do presents." She wasn't even Christian but she wanted to be apart of something somehow. "Thanks to my mom's bakery I'm fairly decent at that. I could make us some treats?" She was starting to go off with ideas, just tossing out and seeing what stuck with Maeve. "You'll regret the ugly sweaters but I'd love that. If I wouldn't be imposing of course."

Maeve listened, her soft gaze never wavering as Kira spoke. There was something unspoken in the air—something heavier than the twinkling lights or the festive music surrounding them. It was in the way Kira’s smile faltered just slightly at the edges, in how her words danced between humor and heartache.“Oh, I’m sure someone will make a scene before the night’s over," Maeve teased, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "The holidays do bring out the best and the worst in people… especially when questionable sweaters and too much eggnog are involved.” But as Kira’s tone shifted, Maeve did too. Subtle. Softer. She tilted her head just slightly, a quiet understanding settling over her features. “It is tough,” she admitted, no judgment in her voice. “All those picture-perfect moments—it’s like they’re lit up in neon this time of year, just to remind us what we don’t have.” There was no pity in Maeve’s tone, just the honesty of someone who knew that ache far too well.

Her lips quirked into something gentler, a faint, reassuring smile. “But don’t let the staged scenes fool you. Half of those people are fighting over whose turn it is to take the trash out, or burning the turkey.” Her voice dipped a little, almost conspiratorial. “And you? You’re not the only one who’s had a rough go of it lately, I promise you that.” The question about her plans earned a small chuckle, low and self-deprecating. “Christmas? New Year’s?” Maeve ran a hand through her hair, her shoulders lifting in a loose shrug. “Honestly, my plans are mostly kid-centered. I don't have any family here so it's just me and my little one this year around.” Her expression softened as she added, “She keeps me grounded, though. Reminds me that the holidays don’t have to be perfect to mean something. I mean she's still too young to know it but I want her to always know that.” She glanced at Kira, brows raised just slightly as if testing the waters before offering, “What about you? If you don’t have plans, maybe we could, I don’t know… make some of our own? A little less ‘Hallmark movie,’ a little more us.” Maeve’s smile grew, teasing but sincere. “I’ll even let you pick the ugly sweaters.”

[deathbxnny]

Arcane women accidentally confessing to you. | Sevika, Jinx, Caitlyn, Vi x Gn!Reader

This is very self-indulgent, so enjoy.<3

Content: pre-season 2 because I want to be happy rn, slight angst if you squint, fluff, accidental confessions, maybe ooc??, cursing, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not proofread))

》SEVIKA

She was resting at the last drop with you during some downtime in between missions. One hand lingered on your hip whilst her metallic one held onto her cigar, eyes focused on the pocker game she was playing with a couple of Silco's other henchmen. She always kept you close this way, a clear sign of who you belonged to despite never having said a word about it yet. It was a mutual understanding only you could have, and so she didn't think a confession was necessary.

Until today, it seemed.

You were secretly helping her cheat a little and eventually told her the winning move, which earned her a large sum of money. Letting out a smug laugh at everyone's angered and defeated glares, she gave you a lazy grin. "Thanks, sweetheart. This is why I love you." She hummed to you, smoke exhaling from her dark lips, before she froze ever so slightly. Well, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise to either of you, and yet she couldn't help but chuckle at your own stunned face.

Looking at the men around her, she threw some poker chips towards them, clearly asking for another round. She wasn't the type to get flustered or shy anyways, so her moving on like nothing happened was on brand.

The only acknowledgment you got, however, was the hand on your hip tightening.

》JINX

She has a hard time hiding her feelings for you due to her rather energetic and extremely clingy nature. But there is still a clear distance between you two that she's too scared to cross. It was a deep fear of ruining everything she had with you in case her confession went wrong. She'd rather you consider her your best friend for life if it meant for you to stay at her side. She didn't want to lose more people after all. And yet, as fate has it, she eventually lost herself in a good and happy moment with you.

You were tinkering on some projects in her hideout whilst listening to music. Her head was leaning against your shoulder as her eyes traced your focused gaze. Jinx felt so content and at peace in that moment that she couldn't stop the words that spilled out of her mouth. "I love you." It took her a second to realise what happened, and her body was quick to flinch away from you. You kept her in place, however, with a free hand placed against her head. "Hey, it's okay. I love you too. I'm not leaving." You reassured her quickly with a smile, one that made her heart skip a beat.

She may not see herself as deserving of you, but she's glad to have you at her side anyway. Hopefully forever.

》CAITLYN

Caitlyn was good at hiding her emotions from you. In fact, she had refused to tell you in fear of breaking the professionalism you two had and, most importantly, your friendship that she cherished deeply. And so, she was very careful not to reveal a single thing... until her confidence betrayed her and caused her to slip up.

You two were reviewing a new case together, and whilst she wasn't paying attention, she accidentally slid you her diary over. It unfortunately looked too similar to her work notebook, something she only realised the moment you opened it and froze in surprise. She may have scribbled your name all over it. She may have childishly drawn hearts around your name. She may have made it awfully clear that she loved you. And it made her wonder if there was a god out there that hated her deeply.

"... My apologies. Please ignore that-" "-Haha, I'm so relieved that I'm not the only one who did this!" You let out a soft laugh before pulling out your notebook and showing her similar pages to her own, just with her name written all over them. Her face was flushed from how flustered and embarrassed she was, but alas, she too couldn't help and chuckle at how silly this all was. At least you felt the same.

》VI

It's not like she didn't want to confess her feelings to you. She just didn't know how! Her confession should sweep you right off your feet in her mind, and yet nothing she came up with seemed good enough. Vi hoped that her flirting would get the point across, but she lacked the confidence to go any further than compliments. She just didn't want you to think differently of her and therefore kept her distance for the most part regarding the subject. That is if she could keep it in for lobger than she already has. She always felt so strongly about others, after all.

So, during a little hang out session in a bar somewhere in Zaun, she attempted to find the courage to tell you how she felt. Whilst she went off to go and get you a drink first, however, a drunken man showed up at your side and started flirting you in a rather uncomfortable way. You tried making it clear that you weren't interested, but as he went to grab your arm, a hand slammed in between you two onto the bar table. "Hey, I think they told you no, asshole." "Who the hell are you?" The man barked back, yet Vi didn't back down and simply blocked you from his view with her body. "I'm their girlfriend, now fuck off." She hissed, and the man just rolled his eyes before walking off grumbling.

Silence filled the space in between you two until you chuckled softly. "Girlfriend, huh? I like the sound of that." You hummed, secretly trying to ease her embarrassed mind, that quickly recovered at your words with a sly grin. "You do?" You mirrored her smile with a nod. "Very much so. I'm glad we think alike."

[calypsocolada]

how they are when they're jealous... ft. giyu, mitsuri, obanai, sanemi, rengoku, tengen, & hotaru

authors note: hello. with this new season of demon slayer i felt inspired. lemme know if you guys want more. i sort of went a little crazy with tengen's and hotaru's little stories. ENJOY!

cw: lots of death talk in hotaru's part, maybe slightly suggestive, not proofread

wc: 5k

click here for my masterlist

Giyu hides his jealousy way too well. You two had worked together for a very long time. The first few months of knowing him you didn’t even know if he knew your name let alone that you existed to him. He was not very open so you left him alone the best you could. That was until one day you were eating peacefully and he came and sat next to you. You were stunned, your chewing paused as you slowly looked over at him. He was sitting cross legged beside you, quietly opening his wrapped food. When he noticed you looking he paused and met your eyes.

“Hm?” He hummed, as though he sat next to you all the time. As though you two had said more than three words to each other in months. You didn’t want to scare him off so you just gently shook your head. 

“Nothing.” You answered, looking back down at your food, swallowing nervously. Giyu returned his look to his food and out of the corner of your eyes you saw him pause. 

“Are you… friendly with Sanemi?” He asked. You furrowed your brow, chancing a glance at him. He met your eyes with a curious stare. 

“Sanemi?” You repeated. He nodded his head once. You purse your lips. You were friendly with all the hashira’s except him but you didn’t think that was exactly what he was asking. Well to be honest you weren’t really sure what he was asking so you decided to play it safe.

“Hmm… yes. He’s a friend.” You answer. His face doesn’t reveal anything as he nods his head again, looking back at his food. You wonder if you answered correctly as he suddenly pulls out a little white sweets box. The very same sweets that you would buy as a treat for yourself after missions. 

“Just a friend?” He asks as you nod your head, blushing slightly. Giyu looks relieved and hands the sweets over to you without a word. 

“Oh… for me?” You ask and he nods his head. When you reach to take it your hands brush and you swear his cheeks pinken.

-

You didn’t think Mitsuri ever got jealous until a few years into your relationship. You two often had missions together which meant you also had time off at the same time. Hiking to the swordsmith village to relax. After settling in you two hit the kitchen. The only thing that could rival your love for each other was your love for food. There were a few other hashira’s around and when you couldn’t pop a jar open you handed it over, sighing, to the closest person, which wasn’t your girlfriend. Shinobu popped it open for you and you continued to help prep the food. That’s when you noticed Mitsuri pouting and when you met her eyes she blushed and looked away embarrassed, returning to helping prepare food. You didn’t think much about it but at dinner she was quiet. You wanted to ask if something was wrong but you didn’t want to embarrass her in front of the other hashira’s so you waited until you two were headed back to your shared cabin. Once out of ear shot you reached and tucked her hair behind her ear so you were able to see her face. 

“Is something wrong?” You asked, still blushing she shrugged it off, shaking her head.

“No… nothing’s wrong, dear.” She answered quickly. It was an obvious lie.

“Did someone say something to you? To make you upset?”

“No… it’s… nothing important.” She said with a soft shake of her head, like she was trying to trick herself into forgetting about it. You laced your fingers with hers. 

“If you're upset then it’s important. Come on, just tell me.” You prodded gently. She gave a little sigh and you could tell she was a little embarrassed but still she opened up to you.

“I’m strong… you know,” She starts, wearily looking over at you.

“I know that.” 

“I can open things. Lift things…. You know, you don’t need anyone else to do that kind of stuff.” Slowly you nodded your head, trying to understand what she was saying. “I just wanted you to know that.” You gave her hand a gentle squeeze and that’s when it hit you. You absentmindedly let someone open a jar for you. It really was a small thing but you knew Mitsuri liked to be strong for you. You turned to hide your smile, you pulled her hand to your lips and kissed her knuckles. “That… reminds me, honey, I’m exhausted…” “You want me to carry you?” She asks excitedly as you softly laughed, nodding your head. MItsuri sweeps you off your feet with ease and you can tell she’s forgotten all about being upset.

-

Obanai doesn’t necessarily get jealous, it's more of a territorial thing. You thought for sure he hated you, little did you know he worshiped you from the start. Sometimes you’d have missions with him and he'd speak about three words to you and sometimes when you were lucky he’d speak full sentences. You didn’t know until later on it was because he was so damn nervous around you. On this particular mission, after slaying the demon, you two went out for drinks. It was wholly awkward so you excused yourself from the table and found your way to the bar. The bartender thanked you for helping with the demon and it felt nice to talk with someone. This whole thing played out for maybe two minutes before the bartender froze, eyes fearful as he glanced behind you. You furrowed your brows and turned as Obanai approached. 

“We received another mission, we should get going.” He says as you sigh, nodding your head, he placed some money on the counter for your drinks.

“T-the drinks are on the house.” The bartender offered but Obanai just slid the money over, his eyes sharpening. You watched the whole thing, sort of speechless. When you followed him out he held the door open for you and gave one more heated glance at the bartender. The village you two were currently stationed at was quiet and peaceful. 

“Where are we headed next?” You asked as you fell into step with him.

“A few towns over.” He answered and you nodded your head, knowing that was just about as much talking you're probably getting out of him tonight. “Unless you wanted to stay.” 

“Stay here?” You asked, he was walking a few steps ahead of you. He didn’t answer. “I wouldn’t have minded having a few more drinks.” You joked.

“With that bartender?” He added and you didn’t miss the bitterness in his voice. You paused, deciding whatever you said next you had to tread lightly. You could tease him or you could clear things up. 

“At least he talks to me.” You said. He stopped, turning to face you.

“Anything enlightening?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” You said and he raised his head just slightly.

“I would.”

“I’m joking, he was just thanking us for taking care of that demon.” You said truthfully as Obanai nodded his head, turning away from you as you walked. You didn’t want the conversation to end. Even though you two never talked much before you found yourself wanting to hear more of his voice, wanting more of his attention. Unwittingly you had all of his attention most of the time. You couldn’t think of anything to say.

“You make me nervous,” Obanai says over his shoulder. “That’s why I don’t talk much.”

“Oh,” You were stunned. He turned to face you again and you gave him a soft smile, you wanted him to feel comfortable with you. “Is it because I talk too much?” You ask. Obanai instantly shakes his head ‘no’. 

“Don’t stop. I like the sound of your voice.” It almost sounded like a plea.

-

Sanemi lets it be known he’s jealous, he doesn’t care to hide it. Someone’s talking with you, smiling and laughing a bit too much with you? There’s Sanemi saddling up beside you, hand sliding around you to rest on your hip as he pulls you a bit closer to him. He’s shameless. When he first met you, you were in training to be a hashira under Tengen and Sanemi would watch your workouts sometimes. He’d always watch with this sort of intense expression and sometimes it caught you off guard and distracted you. In those moments Tengen would take you to the floor, huffing. 

“I’m going to ban him from our training sessions if you can’t focus.” Tengen said, he straddled you, pressing you into the dirt as you cleared your throat.

“I’m so sorry sir, it won’t happen again.” And at least for the rest of practice that day you kept your eyes on your teacher. But after Tengen was finished with you he ruffled your hair.

“You’re a force to be reckoned with if you keep your eyes off the wind hashira.” He said and you turned bright red, unable to chirp back at him so he laughs heartily and waves as he leaves. You sigh, turning as Sanemi grabs a practice sword. You watch as he swings it around before pointing it towards you. 

“Tengen’s a handsy guy. Already has three wives but watch out and you’ll be his fourth.” Sanemi stated dryly. You were exhausted from training and the way Sanemi moved closer to you you wondered if he was wanting to train you a bit himself. Sanemi circles you like a predator. You feel his eyes on every part of your body as you swallow dryly. When he walked back around the front he tossed you the sword and you caught it with ease. He grabbed a sword himself. 

“I… am exhausted, Sanemi.” You huffed and he gave you a heated look. 

“One round.” He points the tip at you. You swallowed down a sigh and pointed your sword right back at him. You weren’t bad by any means but you weren’t even close to the level of a hashira. Sanemi worked around your blade with practiced ease and you realized right there and then that Tengen was certainly going easy on you because Sanemi had backed you up in seconds and took you to the ground. He pressed himself against you, his sword against your neck. Your eyes glared up at him.

“Alright you won, can I go rest now?”

“Has that lousy sound hashira taught you anything?” Sanemi questions. He was obsessed with this. He saw the look on your face. “Ditch him, I’ll teach you from now on.”

“I’m not doing that. Tengen is a good teacher.” You defended. Sanemi pulled the sword away from your neck and with swiftness pulled you to your feet. He doesn’t let go of your hand though and the closeness to him has your heart beating wildly in your chest. 

“I’m better.” He says as though it's a well known fact. You wondered what his motives were and what his grudge was against Tengen. 

“What’s this about?” You ask and watch his eyes leave yours as he shamelessly looks at your lips, scanning what he wanted to before meeting your eyes again. This simple act wreaked havoc on your systems. 

“I think it’s pretty clear, I want to teach you myself.”

“Why though?”

“Tengen doesn’t deserve to. That’s why.” He pulls you to him suddenly. “Do you understand?” His voice was low and soft, eyes searching. He was trying to tell you something with his eyes. He sighed, you guessed he needed to be more clear with his intentions so he gave a small shake of the head and dipped his head to meet your lips with his. You sucked in a breath as he kissed you hard enough to prove his point. You understood now, albeit a little late.

-

Rengoku’s jealousy is healthy. He trusts you fully but doesn’t trust anyone who would come up and flirt with you when he’s right there. A lot of people come up and talk with you and you're completely oblivious to their flirting so Rengoku will intervene to save you. On your very first date the waiter at the noodle place you two were at flirted with you practically the entire time. Rengoku didn’t get angry, in fact it made him smile that no matter how much flirting was being done you’d still be leaving this restaurant with him. But the moment the waiter stepped over the line and made you clearly uncomfortable Rengoku cleared his throat. He didn’t yell or make a scene, he just simply gave the waiter a fiery glare. The waiter was gone within seconds. You looked at your date, giving him a knowing and thankful smile. 

The only time jealousy fully got under his skin was when he came back from a long mission and caught sight of you eating lunch in the courtyard with Giyu. He felt his cheeks burn at the sight. One thing Rengoku loved just slightly less than you was food. And what he loved more about it was eating it next to you. But here you were, eating it next to someone else. Sure it was childish but logic never really came into play when jealousy took over. When you walked back to your shared room and caught sight of his red hair your face completely morphed into light as you sprinted across the room and slammed against him in a bone crushing hug. He’d been gone for at least two months and it was almost unbearable.Rengoku, despite pouting slightly, wrapped you in a hug with the same vigor, breathing in your scent. You two stayed like that for a long moment. 

“I missed you. When did you get back?” You asked, muffled against his chest.

“About an hour ago.” You pulled back at that, looking up at him. He wanted to mope but the moment your eyes met his smile so wide fitted to his lips. 

“An hour?” You asked. “Why didn’t you come find me?”

“I saw you eating with Giyu, just didn’t want to bother you.” He says and knows he was being silly earlier. But being apart from you for two months had made him weary and heartsick for you. 

“You could never bother me. Never.” You doubled down, pulling his face to yours, proving your point with a kiss. He mumbled an apology against your lips before you smiled into the kiss. When you pulled back you slightly smirked up at him. “Was that jealousy?” You asked as his entire face went beet red and you knew you were right. You tilted your head to the side. “Kyojuro…”

“I’m sorry,” He says, tightening his hold around you. “We’ve been apart far too long.”

-

Tengen also hides his jealousy pretty well but hides it behind jokes. You could not stand him when you first met. You were nothing like him. Liked the quiet, liked the dark, liked your solitude. Tengen on the hand liked you. He liked how quiet you were and wanted to diminish the dark for you and snatch away your solitude. You liked your personal space and he also liked your personal space. 

You grew up an only child with cold parents in a depressing town so when you met Tengen and he was flashy and warm, naturally you sulked away from him. He tried everything. He bought you your favorite sweets and relished when you’d give him the smallest of smiles that looked more like a grimace but he’d take what he can get. He’d find you books to read and insist that you read it to him in return and when you begrudgingly agreed he’d melt into a puddle and sit as close as humanly possible. And when he’d pretend to fall asleep on your shoulder he really felt as though he could combust. 

He’d never chased after someone so hard. 

You were so elusive, just out of reach. When you met his wives they all adored you in the same way he did. It scared him though, you weren’t one to put yourself out there. You didn’t like many people and being with Tengen meant you’d be with four people at all times. Though the times that you were around and happened to run into him and his wives you didn’t seem overwhelmed. In fact the first time he saw you actually smile, like eyes crinkling cheeks blushing smile was when Hinatsuru pulled you into a hug and told you how pretty you looked. The only jealousy he felt then and there was not being able to have that smile directed at him. But after seeing that smile he finally realized it was possible to make you smile so let the teasing begin. Suddenly Tengen was around all the time. You didn’t notice it at first but suddenly he was everywhere. Teasing you, overtly flirting with you, towering over you and trying so damn hard to make you blush and smile the way his wife did. 

It was exhausting for you. All this attention. What was even more exhausting is pretending that you didn’t want Tengen. There was a war within you. Wanting to be alone and wishing to never be alone again. Tengen and his life was the polar opposite of yours. Everything you couldn’t stand but found wanting to tolerate, wanting that shine in your darkness. Things all came to a head when you were at a fork in the road. Tagging along Tengen’s mission versus Giyu’s. To you it was an obvious choice. Tagging along with Giyu meant not really having to talk the entire time. And when you told Tengen things spiraled.

“So you got a thing for the quiet ones? Should’ve known.” He teased with this sort of practiced ease. He looked wholly unaffected by your decision.

“I don’t have a thing for anyone.” You corrected, you had been cleaning your katana when he found his way into your room somehow without your objections. Maybe it was all the time that you were spending with him things were just slowly becoming comfortable? 

“You’re breaking my heart, sunshine.” If looks could kill Tengen would be long long dead. It wasn’t the first time he called you that nickname and it certainly would not be the last. Unfortunately.

“I’m very busy, you know.”

“Busy thinking of your mission with the stoic Giyu?” He teased and you breathed in and let out a huff of air.

“You are relentless. Is there something you want to say?” You ask over your shoulder. He’s uncharacteristically quiet behind you so you turn just slightly. Tengen is looking at you in the same way he’d been looking at you when he thought you weren’t paying attention. Tengen looked at you as though the light only shined on earth because you held the sun in place. You looked away and begrudgingly ignored that flip in your chest.

“You like him better than me.” And… he’s back to teasing. Well two can play that game.

“Yes I do.” You answered bluntly.

“Now you’re really killing me, Sun-”

“Nope. No nicknames. I’m not a pet.” He laughed at that, a warm laugh that you didn’t know how badly you wanted to hear again. 

“I bet he isn’t able to get under your skin like I do.”

“You’re right.” You said and heard Tengen stand from where he was sitting. You go slightly rigid as you feel him walk closer to where you’re standing. He barely brushes against you as he looks over your shoulder. You try to continue to work like this was unaffecting you but your walls were slowly crumbling around you. There was only so long you could pretend you didn’t want a good thing. And Tengen was sure as hell a good thing. 

“Giyu’s quiet. You won’t have an ounce of fun on his mission.” 

“Killing demon’s isn’t supposed to be fun.” You throw back and you can practically hear the smirk in his voice as he responds.

“It is with me.” You roll your eyes and turn to tell him to get lost but when you turn and look up your faces are millimeters apart. Maybe even less. Your words falter and for a moment all you can think of is if you moved just barely forwards your lips would meet his. “Cat got your tongue?” He said huskily just loud enough for you to hear. It turns your insides out, burning you up from head to toe. You wanted to ask what he really wanted but it would ultimately be a stupid question. Tengen had never hidden his intentions from the start. Only you had. He pointedly moved his eyes to your lips but didn’t move any closer. You knew then and there he was practically handing over the reigns. If you wanted him you’d have to make the next move. You had a penchant for letting things pass you by. It was like you were begrudgingly obsessed with not letting yourself have anything. Love never seemed like something attainable. Friendship seemed like a lot of work and family never felt like family. “I’ll wait forever, if that’s what you want.” He whispered, interrupting your thoughts. Your heart hurts at that. You weren’t being fair. Making him wait forever was a selfish thing to do and even with all those things he still looked one hundred percent serious when he said it. He wouldn’t get tired of you. He could be the one to stick around for good. He could be the good. 

“I”m still going with Giyu. I already promised.” You said.

“Break the promise, Sunshine, I’m practically begging.” As his face slightly dropped you leaned forwards and closed that gap that you had gotten far too comfortable with. Lips sliding against lips.

-

Hotaru was downright scary when he was jealous. Holy shit you were scared out of your mind. Your destroyed blade laid in pieces in front of you. Your heart was in your throat. You felt a hand on your shoulder as Rengoku gave you a reassuring squeeze. 

“Tough break, kid.” He said with a shake of his head. “I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“The last time I broke my blade he yelled and ranted for three hours and passed out from lightheadedness.” You said, remembering the whole ordeal with a shiver. Rengoku shook his head.

“Your blade broke for a noble cause, make sure to tell him that.” He said, giving you one last squeeze before turning to leave. You bent over and grabbed the shattered remains. You were dead. Dead dead dead. You had so much life to live. You had sweets in the fridge that Mitsuri made for you. You had finally learned a few new cool tricks to use in fighting. You were visiting home next month. You sighed, gathering up the broken pieces in a cloth. 

“I will pay you double… no triple the usual amount, please I beg you.” You had your hands clasped together in front of you as though silent praying. The night before last you had an idea. There was more than just Hotaru that could make you a blade in the village so if you enlisted someone else to make you a sword just this one time Hotaru wouldn’t lob your head off your shoulders.

“Mr. Haganezuka  would kill  me, bring me back to life then kill me again if I made a sword for you.” The villager trembled at the mere thought. He was clearly just as afraid of Hotaru as you were. You swallowed dryly.

“He would never know, please I beg you.I’ll give you any amount.” You begged but the villager just shook his head.

“He would know because it’s you. Any other client I might do it but you… absolutely not. You’re his favorite!” He said, looking over your shoulder as though Hotaru would enter his shop at any second.

“What does that mean! The only people that would know would be me and you! Please I will literally do anything!”

“And me.” A voice behind you says. Your blood goes cold. Slowly you turn around and sure enough there’s Hotaru. You’re caught like a deer in headlights. The villager actually screams and scrambles away, startling you. Hotaru’s expressions are hidden behind his mask so you’re not sure whether or not he’s angry quite yet. You’d seen his face once a few years ago when this peaceful village was attacked. You were surprised in the moment that someone so intense could look so beautiful. That didn’t dull that fact he was scary though. 

“Mr. Haganezuka! W-what a surprise!” You choke out, cheeks going fuchsia. “Lovely weather we’re having today isn’t it?” You squeak out. Hotaru slightly moves his head and you force yourself not to bolt out the door screaming like the villager. You’re a hashira for god sakes! But to be completely truthful, Hotaru was scarier than any demon you’d ever faced. 

“Very lovely. What brings to our village?” He asks, his voice scarily calm. You force yourself to give a terse smile.

“I- I came to relax of course!”

“Relax at my competitor's shop?” He asks and there is a sharp edge to his voice. 

“Competitor? Wha? I didn’t-- I did not know you two were competing!” You nervously laughed it off, running a quick hand through your hair. “We-- we go way back. I was just visiting for a second before hitting the hot springs!” You say and start to walk towards the door but Hotaru’s hand juts out, blocking you from leaving. You freeze, you’re so close to him, he towers over you and when he turns to look down at you you feel weak in the knees. Slowly he brings his hand up, untying the back of his mask as it falls into his waiting hand and you’re met face to face with Hotaru once again. The years had passed but he still looked as beautiful as ever. You definitely make a sound, a strangled gasp, though if it was from fear or surprise no one would ever know. 

“You… two… go way back?” He grits out. God… you’d done it now. You should’ve just went to him in the first place, accepted his scolding and went about your week. But here you were, ten feet under and you weren’t even sure after this debacle if he’d fix your sword for any amount of money. You cleared your throat.

“Uhm… y-yes?” 

“Yes?” He repeated and the look on his face was as sharp as the sharpest katana. You were so dead. Goodbye family. Goodbye sweet treats. 

“How… far back?” He asks. You stare at him. How far back? He caught you in the lie and you wished instead of twenty questions he’d just yell at you. 

“Just like… a year.” You lied, Hotaru’s eyes narrowed on yours. The intense eye contact was insane. You almost forgot to breathe. 

“You’ve known me longer than.” He articulates sharply. Your lips part, you're stumped for a moment. 

“Uh… y-yes, sir, I have.” You stumble. 

“Yet instead of coming to me, who you’ve known far longer, you go to my competitor to fix the sword that I made you.” Ah fuck. The color absolutely drained from your face. 

“What?” You shook your head. “N-nuh uh! I-- I was just visiting like I said.” At the end of your sentence he holds up the cloth that had the broken pieces of your sword. You patted your bag and gasped. How the hell did he get that! “It-- that-- It’s not what it looks like, Mr. Hagenzuka! I-- well you see it broke… honorably of course… and I was coming to you-” Hotaru raised his hand to silence you and you instantly stopped talking. This was it. This was the end. Killed by your swordsmith. If you were quick you could probably wrestle back a piece of your katana and end your life before he could. 

“If you ever break your sword again,” Hotaru practically growled.”And go to my competitor, I will-”

“Kill me?” You filled in.

“Kill him.” He fumed and then he reached for you. God he was gonna choke you out! His hand slid against your cheek and when he leaned in you sent out a final goodbye. 

His lips met yours. His lips. Pressed against your lips. He was kissing you. Kissing? You? Your eyes were wide open. You had watched the whole thing in slow motion. Sure enough the moment heated as he stepped a bit closer to you, hand sliding around your hip to yank you a step closer to him. The most startling thing? The heat that suddenly ignited in your gut at the press of his mouth on yours. You made a startled sound in the back of your throat at the strange realization. What the hell was happening? When he pulled back your eyes were still open. Looking up at him as though he’d just smacked you right across the face. 

“You… just kissed me.” You say. He doesn’t answer you with words, just nods his head, still looking pissed. “On the lips.”

“Yes.” He says sharply. 

“Like lips on my lips.” “I’m aware of what I did.” Hotaru groans, looking down at you.

“Am I dead?” You asked, patting yourself for any life threatening wounds, Hotaru watches you, looking unamused. 

“No. You are not dead.” “I… was dead sure you… were going to murder me. Like… bloody murder.”

“Why in the world would I murder you?” Hotaru asks, crossing his arms.

“B-because you… because I broke my sword and schemed to fix it behind your back with your competitor.” You say slowly as though he doesn’t remember the last ten minutes. But he just looks down at you like you’re saying something incredibly apparent.

“Yes. I know.” He growls but his anger doesn’t necessarily seem directed at you as he sighs heavily. 

“I am… very… confused.” You force out. Your brain felt melted in your head. Hotaru looks down at you and for a moment so quick you could’ve missed it his eyes look… soft? No… that had to be a trick of the lights.

“You’re my client. No one else’s. Got it?” He punctuates seriously. You nod your head quickly. What the hell just happened?