#this is genuinely so difficult. she's my sister and i love her but i can't let her keep treating me like this.

[girlthativealwaysbeen]

dni.

[postikortti]

i’m gonna go no contact w my sister. if that’s currently even possible. 

[unclewaynemunson]

“I need to tell you something.”

Shitfuckno. Eddie doesn't even know why he's still surprised. This is how it always goes, after all. He should probably just give up and stop dating altogether – again.

Steve looks at him exactly as ominously as the words I need to tell you something require. Perfect Steve. Funny Steve. Sweet Steve. Sexy Steve. Steve, who Eddie had genuinely believed to be different.

Eddie sighs, barely suppressing a dark chuckle while he turns away from that perfect face. He doesn't want to look at Steve when he'll tell him the undoubtedly messed-up shit he's about to spill.

“Lemme guess, you're married?” That was what the last guy he dated told him, seven months after they got to know each other. It can't be much worse than that, can it?

Steve grabs Eddie's hand, causing him to involuntarily jerk up his head and meet his eyes.

“How did you know?”

Jesus H. Christ. Not again.

Eddie roughly pulls his hand out of Steve's grip and laughs a joyless laugh.

“Apparently I'm a good guesser.”

He stands up from the park bench the two of them had been sharing. “Well, Steve, this has been a blast. You should go back to your wife, or husband – don't tell me, I don't even wanna know – and I should um, get going. Maybe tell the next person right away what they'll be getting themselves into. Would save them a lot of wasted time, just in case cheating and going around other people's backs isn't really their thing, y'know.”

“Eddie, wait, let me explain!”

Eddie picks up his pace, but Steve, stubborn as he is, easily keeps up with him.

“I'm really not interested, man.”

“It's not – I'm not cheating on her!”

“Okay, so you have an open marriage, good for you. Still the kind of information you could've shared with me, say, three months ago, don't you think?”

“She's a lesbian.”

And that makes Eddie freeze on the spot. It takes Steve two steps before he realizes Eddie has stopped moving; he walks backwards until he's standing right in front of Eddie.

“She's my best friend,” he says, immediately using Eddie's stunned silence to his advantage. “Robin, my roommate – I told you all about her. We wanted to buy a house together and that turned out to be very complicated when you're not... Well, when you're not romantically involved. So we got married. For the, um, practical reasons. We never – we're like siblings. I love her like a sister. But she's also my wife. Platonically.”

It takes a few seconds until Steve's words sink in. Then, Eddie leaps forward and basically collapses into Steve's arms, needing to hold onto him to prevent himself from crashing to the ground.

Steve's arms are warm, strong, and as safe as ever.

“Eddie, are you okay?” Steve asks softly. His lips brush against Eddie's ear while he speaks, and worry colors his voice.

Perfect Steve. Too-good-to-be-true Steve.

“Jesus Christ, Steve,” is the only thing Eddie manages to say.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,” Steve says. “It's just – I've gotten some, um... Less than ideal reactions, in the past, whenever I told this when I was seeing someone. So I thought it'd be better to wait until things were getting serious.” He sighs, tangling his fingers in Eddie's hair. “I didn't wanna scare you off. Are we – are you okay?”

Eddie nods. He lifts his head from where it's resting against Steve's shoulder and raises his hands to squeeze them around Steve's face.

“We're okay,” he says. “And I'm sorry I didn't want to listen to you. I–” He stops; he can't find the words right away. It's still difficult to talk about those things; to let himself be vulnerable. But Steve has been honest with him, so it's only fair to return the favor.

“I've been hurt, Steve,” he confesses. “More than once. I've had some really shitty experiences with dudes not being honest with me. I thought that that was what was happening again, and I couldn't – I couldn't go through that again. Especially not with you.”

“Jesus, Eddie, I'm so sorry.”

“It's okay,” Eddie rushes to say, pulling Steve even closer towards him. “I trust you.” And as soon as these words leave his mouth, he knows it's the truth.

“I do want to be absolutely clear about one thing, though,” Steve says.

Eddie leans back in Steve's arms to give him an expectant look.

“Robin is my wife. I'm not planning on that to change anytime soon. We've been through a lot together. She's been the most important person in my life for years. We own a house and a dog together, and I love her more than anything. I like you a lot, and I promise you I'm all-in with you, but... Robin is still my number one. And that's not gonna change overnight. I need you to be okay with that.”

Eddie swallows. He looks into Steve's eyes. All he sees is a man who is honest, who loves his friends deeply, and who refuses to make any compromises when it comes to love – whether it be the platonic or the romantic kind.

It doesn't scare Eddie off; it only makes him fonder of Steve.

He smiles, glances around to check if they're alone, and presses a quick kiss against Steve's lips.

“I think I can live with that,” he says. “As long as I'm the only one who gets to do this.” He closes his eyes and lets his lips meet Steve's again.

The sigh that Steve breathes into their tentative kiss is one filled with relief.

[sweetnans]

Stuck in the moment || Bakugo, K. (pt.6)

Pairing: fuckboy Bakugo/hopelessly romantic fem. reader

summary: You made a mistake, a huge mistake. You fucked the most cocky, annoying, bastard, fuckboy you knew. Bakugo Katsuki. And that fact was against all your beliefs. Now, after the rumor (truth) spread like a pandemic virus in college you'll have to live with the stormy consequences of your acts and whatever trash was brought with it.

a/c: Hey, it's me again. Here we are in a new series I plan to continue. I really hope you enjoy it. I put my favorite man in action (bakugo) being a selfish bastard that you would love eventually and I couldn't help to put another "trope" I'm a sucker for (guardian/father figure Aizawa) I'm so sorry if that bothers you. Once again, I'm sorry if I misspelled something, English is not my first language. (Not proofread yet)

Pt.1 Pt.2 Pt.3 Pt.4 Pt.5 -> Pt.7 ♡

m.list

Bakugo was kinda fun to be around with. He actually made you laugh and not because of his faces every time you blurted the most unhinged question for him. He made you laugh verbally, with his own words, and the sentence wasn't one full of hate and despise. He was, without wanting it, fun.

For you, it fell like a truce, and the thought of being friends with him didn't scare you anymore. The second thoughts and plans of getting rid of him just by ignoring him disappeared along with the security that he was going to try something with you. He didn't.

You felt lightweight. Like a feather being carried with the breeze. Or that was Denki told you when you tried to verbalize what you felt. There was no weight on your shoulders anymore trying to dodge every bullet Bakugo threw at you just by being himself. You were walking on eggshells, and now it felt amazing that you weren't feeling distraught by just thinking of bumping into him in the hallways.

Somehow, that relieved your anxiety of having an upcoming date with Todoroki. You were planning on what to wear very calmly with Jirou's help and fantasizing how it would be.

You've made your peace.

Back in your real life, outside the mess of your head, you had to complete your homework and study for midterms. So you were genuinely happy that you could accomplish that without feeling so rachet about yourself.

"Is college more difficult than school?" Eri asked while you two were both doing your school/college chores in Aizawa's apartment.

"I don't know. I think you have to find a steady pace and find a good method to study, and everything should be fine. " You hummed your response, and she squinted at you. "What?"

"But you're like a genius, that doesn't count"

Eri had entered the age where she hated school. The rebellious phase for every teenager. She was still a cute girl who didn't give Aizawa any problem, but that didn't mean that it was easy trying to get her to do her homework.

"Well, you have brains too," you shrugged. "I know you don't like to do this stuff but at least we can spend some time together, like old times"

You loved her with your entire soul, and she welcomed you with open arms when Aizawa introduced you two. You both treated each other like sisters.

"Yeah, I think you're right." She smiled and directed her eyes to her assigment. "You've been kinda missing lately"

"It's been messy, not going to lie about it," you continued your writing while she was fidgeting with her pen.

"A boy, right?" She raised her eyebrow and smirked.

"What?" You dropped your pencil and looked at her nervously. You knew that Eri was very prone to hearing things without meaning it, and that was because Aizawa and Hizashi usually forgot that she's around when they speak things about college.

"I heard Aizawa talking to...I can't remember actually who, but he said something about a guy named Bakugo. I think I remember him, a loudly blonde guy with a grumpy face"

The thing about you two is that you always shared secrets. She constantly overheard things and never stuttered on telling or asking you whatever the topic was.

You constantly forgot how she was there before you. Like you were the older and you acted like an older sister for her but it was really weird that she, when she was little, used to be around them most of the time. You knew the war provoked that the grown-ups had to take their time to fix the world, so they asked students to babysit her. Mirio, one of the oldest, always stayed around. Even now, he made sure to have time to take her out. They went to amusement parks together, to the movies, to the arcade. Mirio had a busy life as a hero but never forgot his roots.

"Uhm, I don't know exactly what you heard, but it's just a friendship, nothing romantic, I swear." You were afraid that she had heard something about the one night stand you had with him, but you knew that even if Aizawa was oblivious about Eri eavesdropping, he would never share that piece of information with anyone.

"I don't mind. Your last boyfriend was a jackass so the set bar is pretty low." She said, waving her hand mindlessly.

With the teen years and rebellious age, as you can tell, she became savage.

"Accurately rude," you stated. "Anyways, just so you know and because I love you, I'm having a date this friday with the son of Endeavor"

The way she looked at you like you were joking made you cackle. You nodded, reaffirming your sentence, and she denied not believing you.

"The guy with the mismatched eyes?" You moved your head up and down, and she put both of her hands in her mouth. "He is cute"

"I know!" You giggled while she quickly closed her books.

"I need to know everything"

Aizawa scolded both of you for not finishing your chores before dinner but it was totally worth it.

...

On the other hand, Bakugo was still reminiscing the moment you appeared in his room the day before. His bento, clean and empty, was forgotten in his desk while he could still pictured you spinning in his chair.

The moment he watched you disappear, running after Todoroki was a decisive point in his mind. He only knew two emotions when it came to you, utterly giddy feelings that he didn't know he had, and that made him feel in constant denial and the second one, rage. Those feelings evolved in things more complicated. Rage evolved in stubbornness, prideful and insecurity. Why wasn't he good enough?

But then, you turned the things in your favor again, and he felt, aside from happy, vulnerable. Was that the only thing it took to have him back? A few 'I'm sorry' and a bag of cookies? If it was anyone, he would close the door at their nose, but it was you, and he couldn't help feeling the sincerity in your actions.

"What do you think about her?" Bakugo asked Denki, who was very busy trying to win a race in Mario Kart against Sero.

They were hanging in his room. After all, it was the only place available for stuff them all without annoying anyone. Sero and Denki were challenging themselves on Mario Kart, Kirishima was reading a sports magazine, and Mina was painting her nails.

"She is my best friend. I mean, aside from Jirou, " he answered, calculating a drift and avoiding a banana peel.

"Isn't she your girlfriend?" Sero chimed in, stumbling in the banana peel that Denki avoided before. "Oh man," he whined, seeing how toad twirled many times.

Mina started talking about you, how you seemed very nice but a little shy and how she was pretending to invite you for a drink or five. Bakugo's friend knew how he was, so he didn't mind asking about you with all of them there.

"Yep, but she's also my best friend. Anyway, forget about Jirou. " he turned the conversation about you again. "She's a very good friend, loyal. She's very attached to her past, but I don't blame her. She stays in between Jirou and me, like she's goofy funny and likes to throw silly jokes, but unlike me, she can ground herself very quickly, she doesn't need a Jirou to stay put. She's always supportive, and I'm really happy to have her"

Denki meant every word he said. He was very fond of you because you were so easy to be with. You didn't judge him for his lack of intellectual (academically) it was actually the opposite. Every time he felt down, you were the first one cheering him up and highlighting some other qualities he had.

"That's very manly bro" Kirishima threw both of his thumbs up with a big smile plastered on his face, completely forgetting he had a magazine on his hands.

"I really hope that you talk about me like that too, bunch of assholes!" Mina mumbled.

"Nah, we mostly talk about your lack of reasoning when you decide to wear animal print. That's so last decade!" Sero joked.

"You son of a bitch!" Mina yelled throwing him a pillow who ended up being one of the many reasons he lost in the race. "Haha, you deserved that loser." She stuck her tongue out, and Sero mimicked her.

"Please don't tear up my fucking room" Bakugo scolded them and they returned to their activities.

"Also, about Mina saying she's shy, she's not... she's chaotic in a way that no one expects her to be. You always see her so composed, but she's an entire other person once she's in his comfort zone. " Denki laughed at a memory that came back to his mind from one of the nights you two went out.

The last sentence of Denki had him motivated. He didn't need an excuse when it came to you, but he was eager and stubborn, and he needed to see with his own eyes that hidden part of you.

He knew exactly what he had to do.

...

You made your way back to your room when the sun was far from down. Eri and you turned the study session into a pancake dinner day. Save to say that Aizawa's white roof would never be white again unless he put all his soul to clean the stains of the batter away.

Rubbing your eyes because of the lack of sleep, you entered your building and walking like a zombie to your floor. You were happy to be alone. Jirou sent you a message that she would be staying at Denki's room for the night and you could never be happier. You were tired in a way that was draining your soul. Midterms were coming like a wave ready to crash adding the past event in your life that wreck the normality of it. But now, you had studied all the afternoon, you sure would have a good night of sleep and the Bakugo topic was more than solved.

Everything was making sense again. Oh and don't forget your upcoming date.

You let yourself breathe again and expand the capacity of your lungs like you were inhaling oxygen for the first time. It felt actually nice, it was like rebooting yourself just by doing so mundane like breathing.

"About time"

Nevermind.

Bakugo stood beside your room door looking hot as ever. He was wearing a black hoodie with his cap on, a matching jogger in his lower part.

"What are you doing here?" you whispered. It was late and there wasn't a soul around.

"I was running and decided to check on you" he shrugged when you stood in front of him squinting your eyes in disbelief. "Fine, there's one lie and one truth in that sentence"

You crossed your arms on top of your chest and he couldn't help eyeing your neckline.

"The truth is that I was running" he smirked and you rolled your eyes trying to hide your smile. Damn bastard. "Are we going to talk here? on the hallway?"

Taking the keys out of your pocket you reached to put them inside the lock, turning the knob after. Switching the lights, you dropped your bag in your desk and sat in your bed exhaling and laying yourself on top of the duvet.

"Did you bring food?" you asked to say something. Your stomach was full of pancakes but the thought of his cooking had you almost drooling.

"Nah, I have a proposal for you and if you say yes maybe and just maybe I'll reward you with a dish"

A proposal? You pushed your body up ready to read him. Was he joking? Maybe it was just like when he asked you to be friends or maybe it was something worse, like breaking his promise. You knew that accepting his friendship would have its perks, like the possibility of him trying to get under your pants. You were making mental jumps because of it. You knew very well the men like him, cocky, unreachable with superiority complex.

"It's not what you think" he huffed annoyed. "I'm not going to start an argument because of your lack of trust"

If you thought that you could read him, you were wrong and the worst part is that he could do that to you instead. Were you that transparent?

"I'm listening" you said trying to maintain your face neutral.

The vibe in the room changed, there wasn't that fun and easy-going atmosphere anymore. You were expecting the most mischievous proposal but instead, you were surprised when he opened his mouth.

"My mom is hosting a party and she's making me go with a plus one. I invited everyone but they all have plans. If I show up by myself she's going to be the death of me for the entire night" he murmured loud enough for you to hear. It seemed that just by saying that he was losing at least half of his pride.

"So you want me to go with you..." you stated the obvious.

"You're my last resource, don't let the invitation get over your head" he said breaking eye contact with you and rumaging through your stuff.

"Oh you do know how to make a girl feel special" you said sarcastically.

Laying down, you went back to your positions now, instead of just resting, thinking. The truth was that after imagining the worst case scenario you couldn't come with an excuse good enough to said no to him.

"What's the dress code?" you asked watching at your roof. You heard how he was picking every stuff from your desk as well as you did with his stuff on his room.

"Don't worry about it, I have something for you to wear" he answered nonchalantly

Of course he has. You said under your breath in exasperation. Now you were actually caged. There was no opportunity of saying no.

"Fine" you hummed in response.

Bakugo felt like his heart was about to explode. When he asked Denki about you and came with that idea he was expecting that you would be hard to crack. He had at least three different forms of convincing you to go to the party with him. He didn't use one.

"I'm going to pick you up tomorrow at six, be ready by that. I'll send the dress first thing in the morning"

He was finding hard to keep his neutral facade with you, like he wasn't excited about it.

"Tomorrow!?" you exclaimed standing in a quick movement. "Are you fucking with me?"

The look on your face was between a bottle of water in the middle of the dessert and a loudly clown in a silent room. He didn't know that he needed to see you in distress until now and he was quite amused at your panicked state.

"Yeah it's nothing just a stupid party with a lot of people" he rolled his eyes acting bored.

It didn't sound like nothing to you. You knew Bakugo's parents were important in the fashion industry and now he was dropping a bomb like it wasn't going about to explode in your face.

He grabbed the knob of your door and twisted it until the door was open in front of him.

"Don't you worry, it's not like there will be the most important people of Japan" he paused and then a wicked smile appeared on his face. "Oh shit, yeah there will"

He left you dumbfounded and alone with the train of thoughts that appeared right after he closed the door. And you thought you will be having a nice night of sleep? The world was messing with you again.

In his room, hanging in the doors of his closet, Bakugo had the stunning dress he had picked that afternoon after he kicked out all of his friend out of his room. A red satin long dress with an opening in the right leg. He didn't know if you had matching shoes but he make sure of that when the assitant of the shop handed him the dress. Lacy high heels he knew you would love.

Everyone knew that Bakugo was a smart man, and being in the industry for years without wanting it made him learn things unconsciously like what size people were only by looking at them. He was sure that the dress and the shoes would fit you and, of course, make you way more gorgeous than you already were.

Your night was summed up in pacing all night. You walked through your room, you rearranged your desk three times, you even changed your bed sheets a week earlier trying to succumb the anxiety rising up from the pit of your stomach.

Well, what's done is done. You already said yes and there was no enough amount of excuse that would prevent you from going.

You've never attended a nice party before. You looked up Bakugo's parents on the internet and the sight of them smiling in a picture wearing haute couture made you shrink in your position in bed. You thought about biting your nails but then a reasonable thought appeared on your mind, there was no way that you would go to that party and meet those people with your nails all bitten.

Finally, the sun was up in the sky and you made it through the night sleeping the vast amount of four hours. You felt fresh like a rotten veggie rusting in the back of the fridge.

Just as he said, a few little knocks on your door startled you right after you opened your eyes.

"Why is Bakugo sending you this?" Denki raised his left brow while raising the dress covered in a gray bag.

No hello, no how are you's, straight to the damn point.

"Uhm, where's Jirou?" If you were going to explain yourself you'll rather doing it just once.

"She went to the bathroom, she's coming tho, what's going on?" He took a step inside of the room and left the dress on top of your dresser removing the wrinkles with his hands.

"Here I am! I took a piss almost standing with a feet inside the stall and the other outside the bathroom, what the hell is going on!?"

Curious Jirou was your absolute favorite when you weren't involved in the thing she wanted to know because you were almost sure that she was just a few seconds away of grabbing your bedside table's lamp to hold it above your eyes to interrogate you.

"Bakugo invited me to this thing of his parents because no one was able to go with him, not a big deal" you waved your hand at them like it was actually nothing when you were boiling on the inside.

"Not big deal??" She exclaimed. "I took a peak of that dress and girl, that didn't seem like not a big deal" she quoted you in the air and you walked to the dress to pry inside.

The way both of your hands rose to clap your mouth shut proved Jirou right.

A red satin dress whose fabric and lacy straps screamed money and luxury to you laid flat and still in your hand-me-down duvet.

"It also came with these" Denki appeared above your shoulder with a pair of strappy heels.

You shook your head several times in disapproval. No. When Bakugo said that he had a dress, you never expected for him to casually lend you a, you could guess, a few pairs of zero dress. And heels that would match its glamor and price.

"What are you doing?" Jirou asked Denki in a hum.

"Looking at the price of this thing" He scanned the dress with his phone and shook his head and then he scanned the heels. "The dress is nowhere to be found but the heels, oh my god, don't even touch that"

"Don't be ridiculous, I don't think is that exp-" Jirou's eyes widen, and you could swear that they were about to pop out of their sockets. "Don't touch them? More like, don't breathe near them!"

"Dial his number Denki. I need to talk to him now. " You rushed to your friend while he was taking his phone out of his jacket.

"Put him on speaker," Jirou commented side eyeing you.

After a few rings, the sound of static and him clearing his throat startled the three of you.

"If something happened to that dress I swear to god-" Bakugo gruff voice echoed in your room.

"It's not that! When you said a party, I thought you meant like a casual party, almost as a jeans and top party, not a champagne toast, chandeliers and limousines party" you freaked out.

"Oh, so you liked the dress," he said, and you could practically see the smirk plastered on his face.

"There's no way I'm going to use that. The shoes cost more than my whole tuition!"

"I don't see the problem. Besides, you're not that clumsy to tear them up in just one night. I assure you nothing is going to happen, I'm going to pick you up, help you walk, and stay by your side, taking care that no one put a damn finger on it, if that is your concern"

In his own room, he was trying to keep it cool while the mere possibility of you bailing it out made his leg tremble under his desk. This was his shot. He had accepted the weird feelings he had toward you, and now he needed to taste the waters to see if there was any chance for him.

"I'm picking you up at six. Don't be late, " he hung up.

He wouldn't give you the opportunity to leave him hanging.

Classes were slower than usual. Fortunately, you had most of them with Jirou, so if you thought that she would drop the incident of the morning, you thought wrong.

"I don't know what's on his mind, but the bright side is that you have the chance to wear a nice dress for once without having to sell your soul to the devil" she said while scribbling some notes. You raised your brow at her, and she gasped. "He's not the devil"

"Since when are you a Bakugo defender?" You asked, leaning on your head on your open hand.

"I'm not his defender is just he's just behaving like a normal human being, acting like a friend, and don't forget he ate that crap the other day, for me that's like the ultimate act of love" she exaggerated.

"I wouldn't go that far," you rolled your eyes at her. "I'm with you on that, except for the latter, but I still think that he has hidden intentions." Jirou titled her head in confusion. "He's used to getting everything he wants, and normally he does, and when I appeared and opened my mouth, everything went downhill for him"

"So you think that he's only using you? For revenge? I don't think he's that wicked. " Jirou bit the tip of his pen giving it a profound thought.

"I don't know"

And for once in your life, you didn't want to know.

The same afternoon, you were at your room with your makeup and hair done. Jirou helped you to look like a decent person, and she also helped you put on your dress without leaving any stains.

"I swear to god, this is gorgeous," she exclaimed.

You admired yourself in the mirror. The fabrics traced the shape of your body in a way that almost made you faint. Growing up in an orphanage, you never had the opportunity of dressing nice. This was the first time that you actually felt like a princess.

Three knocks on the door echoed in the room. You looked at the clock, and you still had a whole fifteen minutes before Bakugo's arrival. Maybe something happened, you wouldn't have the chance to know because you didn't have his number.

You hurried to pick up some jewelry, a pair of golden earrings with a matching necklace that lay on your desk.

"Sensei?" Jirou asked and gave a step back to let Aizawa enter the room. Aizawa looked for you, and when he caught the glimpse of you dressed to the ninens, he was utterly confused.

"What's going on?" He asked slowly.

"I'm going to a party," you said, clicking the earrings to your lobes. You had a few more piercings, so you decided to look for new ones to combine.

"With Bakugo," Jirou chimed in giggling at your death stare.

"What?" Aizawa turned from Jirou to you.

"He asked me to be his plus one to one of his parent's events, no biggie," you said, clasping the back of your necklace while the two of them were talking with glances. "It's not what you are thinking"

"What am I thinking?" He pretended not having understood.

"It's not meet the parents, I swear, I'll just go, eat some boujee shit and look pretty" you shrugged.

Aizawa nodded in acknowledgment and then smiled a bit.

"You do look pretty," he said like a proud dad. "You should send a picture to Eri"

"Why don't I take the picture of the two of you?" Jirou said, excited. "You didn't have any proms, right? This could be the replacement of family photos"

You wouldn't lie. The mere idea of it made you excited, too. You had your best friend and your father figure with you in a moment you never thought you would ever have.

"Fine, but I want you out before Bakugo arrives, I don't want the: bring her in one piece show"

"Oh, don't worry, I'm going to have a serious talk with that boy," he joked.

Or that's what you thought.

Bakugo was ready to pick you thirty minutes before the time he set, so now, he had thirty minutes to pace in his room with his tux on and a lot of thoughts running through his mind.

The palms of his hands were sweating, and he restricted himself to apply more perfume on his collar. He didn't want to provoke you a headache, but he didn't want to smell like caramel either.

He went straight to his car, and although your building was almost in front of his building, he waited in the car, blasting loud music to keep his nerves on the line.

When the clock marked six pm, he made sure to lock his car and, with big steps, made his way to your building, playing with the keys on his fingers he stepped into the elevator and clicked the third floor.

The door of your room opened at the second knock, and Denki's girlfriend was the one on the other side of the wood.

"Are you ready?" She smiled widely, and Bakugo felt the emotions running in his stomach.

"Don't make a fuzz over it"

You appeared in slow motion. Well, that's how he recalls it. He was absolutely right about the dress and the heels. He felt his mouth drying just at the sight of you in front of him. Your makeup was subtle but remarked the main factions of your face. Your eyes were stunning and sparkling, and your mouth highlighted with a subtle shadow of light brown lipstick and gloss on top.

"You -" he stuttered. He cursed himself on his mind for acting like a teenager. "You look beautiful"

You smiled at him, and your cheeks went red in an instant but this time it wasn't for shame, it was purely because of his compliment.

"Let's go," he offered his arm, and you happily clung to it. You needed the balance.

"Have fun!" Jirou screamed from the door when you two walked away from her.

The ride in the car was nice. The spring breeze made you shiver a few times, but he was quick enough to pull the windows up. You thanked him in your mind.

On the other hand, Bakugo was sweating like a pig. He knew he needed to look at the road, but he was so mesmerized by your beauty that he couldn't help staring at you, giving you subtle glances.

He didn't want the ride to be silent, but he didn't know what to say without giving away too much or making a shame of himself.

He was a nervous wreck.

The two of you arrived at the venue with the sun setting on your backs. You had your arm locked on Bakugo's to maintain stability in your heels. With the heels on, he was only half of a head taller than you, so know you could actually see his eyes without killing your neck in the process.

The thematic of the party was classic and luxurious. You weren't wrong about the chandeliers and the champagne because the first thing you saw above your head was an enormous chandelier hanging from the roof, which was very far from the ground and about the champagne, after your mouth almost fell from his junction at the sight of the warm light, a waiter dressed in black waved his tray with multiples flute cups urging you to take one.

Bakugo was kind enough to take two of them and nodded at the waiter, who continued to offer them to the other guests.

Man, you needed at least three of them to just adjust yourself to the atmosphere.

"D'you like it?" He asked, offering the beverage.

"I mean, yeah, it's amazing, and I can't even begin to think the work your parents had to put on this, but I feel like an ant in a shark tank"

He smirked at your comparison.

"You look good," he assured you.

Before you could say anything a tug in your shoulder made you both turn around.

"Who's this?"

The femenine image of Bakugo was in front of you, looking at you with awe and sparkling eyes.

"I thought I'll have enough time to sneak out before bumping into you, mom." he rolled his eyes, and his mom didn't waste time smacking his shoulder with her hand.

"Don't talk to me like that, Katsuki. I'm your goddamn mother, " she flicked his son's forehead and then, like nothing happened, returned to you. "Who are you, darling?"

"She's my friend," Bakugo said before you could open your mouth. He looked constipated like he was trying so hard that you didn't talk.

"Hi, Mrs Bakugo, I'm very pleased to meet you," you said after giving her your name.

"Katsuki, I thought you'll bring your friends, this is a nice surprise." she was genuinely excited. "Are you his girlfriend or his girl-friend?" she waved her arms, stating the comparison with a playful wink that made you blush.

"She's just my friend," Bakugo answered, annoyed. "Where's dad?"

"Oh, he's over there sweeping away the candy table, I swear that man loves too much those little macaroons," she smiled at the sight of her husband. "Anyway, enjoy the party, I hope to see you again, darling," she squeezed your shoulder in her way out.

"She's cool," you said once she was out of sight.

Bakugo snorted and shook his head.

"That's because she doesn't scream at you, c'mon, let me introduce you to my dad" he grabbed your hand this time pulling you through the crowd and you didn't know how to feel about the sudden interaction.

Bakugo's dad was visibly the opposite of his mom. He was quiet, very calm and nice. He asked you about college and about your quirk. The three of you talked about random topics for almost half an hour, and you could tell that Bakugo was more relaxed around his dad than with his mom.

The party began after a speech from both of Bakugo's parents talking about the fashion industry and his own company. The start of it, the challenges they went through in the way of what was today and everything. They thanked their employees, which you found very modest of them, in the best sense of the word.

Then everyone was in their world talking to each other and laughing at the memories they shared. You and Bakugo were leaning in the bar table, asking for something else than champagne. Your tongue wasn't used to refined alcohol.

"Is it always like this?" You asked watching everyone from afar.

"Yeah, the best part is that they only do this twice a year, I need to use the bathroom. Can you stay here and wait for the drinks?" You nodded and gave him a small smile that he gave back.

In his absence, you took the time to look at your phone and replied to Jirou's text since it was just one text you needed to reply to. You started scrolling through the apps and watching stories from your friends. Mina's story appeared just after you accepted on being her friend.

The image of her and Bakugo's friend appeared in an instant. They were hanging together and playing cards in a bar while drinking beer. You felt the champagne in your stomach twirl and made you nauseous.

Why did they tell Bakugo that they were busy?

You were thinking about telling him or not when he appeared and looked above your shoulder.

"What are you doing?" He asked, raising his brow at you.

He didn't give you the time to hide the evidence, so he was very stunned when he watched his friend's story.

"I'm so sorry they lied to you," you said sadly.

His reaction took you by surprise. He wasn't sad or angry. Instead, he was stoic, he standed there thinking and looking at the abyss shuffling the options in his mind.

"It's okay, I didn't invite them," he shrugged and sat on the bar stool, taking the glass of something in his hand.

The look on your face was epic.

"What? But you told me-" you were dumbfounded.

"I know what I told you," he interrupted. "I just didn't want you to say no and I really wanted you to come"

The last time someone was so eager to spend time with you was when you were in charge of the twins, and the couple who adopted them wanted to be by their side all the time.

"Why?" You said confused by his actions.

"I wanted to know you better, like friends do." he wasn't even looking at you, focused completely on sipping from his glass. Yours was in front of you when you realized that it was a Cosmopolitan that you haven't ordered. He remembered.

"Well, I don't know what to say"

"It's okay if you're mad" he mumbled under his breath. He didn't want you to be mad.

"Mad? I'm flattered. I mean, yesterday I was the last option, and now I'm the only option you had in mind since the beginning, " you said toying with your fingers.

You didn't like any sort of lies, but you could understand why he did that. You weren't very open with anyone but your friends so it was very difficult to reach you sometimes. At least he was trying.

"So, do you like to dance, or am I just going to use this dress like a mannequin?" You said batting your long lashes at him.

"Your wishes are my commands, ma'am," he offered his hand, and you took it without hesitating.

"Oh my god, you're so damn cocky"

Your cheeky tone made butterflies erupt in Bakugo's body. That shithead of Kaminari was right. You were absolutely fun to have around.

After a few dances and a lot of drinking, at least for your part, because Bakugo had to drive you back, you were a giant mess. You felt the heat in your body and your feet staring to swell because of the dances. Bakugo was a great dancer, he knew how to sway and how twirl you without leaving you on the ground. You made fun of him multiple times and he took advantage of your state giving you the false sensation that after a spin he would actually drop you.

"I'm a mess right now," you stated the obvious. The drink was way over your head, and it made your legs feel lightweight.

"Yeah, you've stomped in my feet three times," he grinned grabbing you firmly by your waist.

"I'm sorry," you pouted. "I needed to make sure you weren't feeling so confident about your dancing skills. What a bummer! Do you really have to be good at everything? It's exhausting, Bakugo"

The way he laughed at you made you feel whole. He was genuinely laughing, heading back and relaxed shoulder. The whole starting pack of finding you funny.

"Katsuki," he returned to his normal state.

"What?" you asked. Your mind was working slowler than usual.

"You can call me Katsuki after you crushed my feet and almost teared off my arm when you thought you were falling, I think we are okay with first name basis"

Your emotions were in a state of haze. You could blame the alcohol in your veins, but you could also blame the stunning man in front of you, glancing your figure and never letting go of your skin.

He looked as hypnotized as you, but he was more in his right mind to make a subtle move.

Leaning and entering in your space, he took a loose lock of your hair with his fingers and carefully placed it behind your ear, taking the moment to hang in there for a while.

You gulped at the feeling of having him so close.

"I think we should dance one last time before we go," he whispered in your ear.

The slow music played through the speakers. Katsuki grabbed your hand, who was tiny against his big one. He placed the other hand in your waist while yours stayed in his shoulder. The intense look you were sharing gave you enough time to look at his eyes and memorize them. In the warm and fainty light, they looked brighter than other occasions, or maybe it was just because you now were taking your time to really look at them.

Katsuki felt the same way, he sweep your entire face with his eyes while guiding your dance. Your big eyes looked at him like he was the only thing in the world, the tip of your nose little red just as well as your cheeks and your lips, slightly apart and puffy, he wanted to kiss you so bad.

Would you let him? Kiss you?

He wanted to ask, but he was afraid. Bakugo Katsuki was afraid of asking a girl to please let him kiss her?

At that point, he didn't mind begging you to let him taste the sweet of your lips. He was dealing with his own devils inside of his brain. He promised you that his only intention was to be your friend, and now, after a splendid day, his own instincts were about fuck everything up or make it better.

Without even noticing, he started to lean towards you, and you were leaning as well to meet him in the middle. When he realized you were halfway to stamp your lips on his. Your eyes fluttered in between staying open and closed and he sucked his air because it was about to happen.

Ride or die, he thought.

You were inches away from each other when abruptly you shrinked in your position and your eyes snapped open in pain.

Your ankle sabotaged you.

After a little fuzz about it, where the two of you decided to forget the previous situation, you were situated in Katsuki's front seat with the help of his dad and a waiter. Your ankle was getting bigger and bigger and Katsuki couldn't stop looking at it.

"We have to go to emergencies," he stated.

You waved him off, rolling your eyes and internally screaming because of the pain. Damn high heels, you would never use them again.

"It's okay, I'll go to recovery girl tomorrow morning, and she'll do something about it"

That was the main plan. Katsuki felt stupid because with the preoccupation of you in any sort of pain, he forgot that you had all the possibilities with Aizawa being your guardian.

Once you reached your building, he made sure of leaving you safely and tucked in your bed. He even wanted to carry you bridal style to your room, but you adamantly opposed the possibility of being the main gossip of the week.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you tomorrow?" He asked for what it seemed the tenth time. Jirou, who was at his back, had a finger lifted for every time he asked that.

"It's okay, Jirou can take me, right?" You said calmly.

"Sure," she faked innocence, hiding his hands behind his back.

"Here, my number." he took your phone from his jacket and put his number on your contacts. "Text me tomorrow, or you'll have me here all day"

God forbid.

"Fine," you smirked. "I had a good time, thank you"

He tucked his hands on his pant's pockets and nodded in agreement.

When the door closed, Jirou watched you with her eyes wide open in amusement.

"I know, don't say anything," you curled up to touch your ankle and see it closely. "This look nasty"

"Girl," she stated, not believing a thing she had just seen.

...

You didn't sleep a wink from the pain. Jirou stayed all night with you icing your entire feet to deflate it, but it didn't work.

The sun was getting up in the sky, and the both of you were tired and sitting in your bed with your backs against the wall.

"Thank god the only class I have today is skippable," she said, yawning.

"Mine is not skippable but I'll make it skippable" you said changing the ice pack to your other hand. "I'll talk to Aizawa"

"Did you asked why he was here yesterday?"

You've forgotten about that.

"No" you shook your head. "I didn't even give it a thought"

She hummed in response and the two of you fell in a comfort silence where you took the chance to close your eyes a little.

"Don't you think you are playing two teams?" Jirou asked while taking the ice pack from your hand and icing your ankle herself.

Her voice startled you less than his ask.

"No," you hissed when she hit a sensitive spot. "I mean, Bakugo invited me to that thing, I said yes, we danced...very close and intimate I'm not going to lie about it and then I sprinted my ankle and now I'm here, what's that of two teams"

"You are practically panicking because of your ankle, I know you have a date with Todoroki, but maybe this is a sign." She said reading your mind.

Todoroki had crossed your mind just once and it was when you started to think in your classes and how you'll go to them in one foot.

"I can't leave him hanging." You said. "Besides, Bakugo invited me as his friend. He asked me to be his friend not a week ago, there no reason to not go to my date tomorrow"

"Fair point," she nodded. "Aren't you betraying yourself with this? Like in that blubbering mess you were last night, you explicitly told me that you felt your stomach doing a flip every time he pressed his hand on your waist"

You blamed the pain and the alcohol.

"If I don't remember, that means it didn't happen." You grinned at her, and she bumped her shoulder at you playfully

Oh, but you did remember, and it brought you mixed feelings that you didn't know how to deal with. With the sun rays of the morning stepping in your room through your curtains you couldn't help but think how fucked you were.

(Not proofread yet)

End note: I know I made you wait, but the waiting had its purpose. My winter break is over :( and since I've been updating on Wednesdays, I needed to re-schedule this to Fridays. For the wait, this chapter is longer and involves more scenarios and the "date" that I know you didn't see it coming. Bakugo surpassed Todoroki without knowing it! Devil works hard but Bakugo wanting reader works harder.

A penny for your thoughts about this (not really but express yourself)

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[fruity-fruition]

My thoughts on Tenma Parents!

I am the Tenma parents' number #1 defender in a way. I still think they fucked up Tsukasa, but not intentionally.

(fyi, Tsukasa is definitely a mama's boy and I don't accept criticism. Saki's on the contrary)

I think Tsukasa's parents loved both him and Saki equally, unlimitedly, and wholeheartedly. The sad reality is that life handed the entire family a shitty deck of cards. And while love is unlimited, time and attention isn't.

They try their best, they genuinely do, but it's difficult juggling their job AND an ill child AND another child.

Due to Saki's (uncontrollable!! Remember!!) condition, one of the parents has to be with her nearly at all times and the other one has to work for the additional hospital bills (since the government can't cover some surgeries or procedures. Idk how it works in Japan but)

They try to be there for Saki and Tsukasa a lot but they do notice growing concerns abt both of them.

Saki's getting quiet, nearly bursting into tears every time Tsukasa or any of them leaves the hospital room. She clings on to people a lot to the point of where it hurts.

Tsukasa's getting quiet too. He thinks they don't notice, since he's trying to act upbeat and cheery in front of Saki to cheer her up, but they can't ignore... that. Whatever is happening to him.

They both don't know what to do.

Despite their best efforts, Tsukasa was still left home alone most of his late childhood and early teens.

They don't have favourites, but after a while, they can't say they know their son anymore. They saw him grow up without them, and it's the most heartbreaking thing to not be there.

--

They had to miss his middle school graduation. They tried to take time off work, but neither of them got off fast enough to reach the ceremony. Both only saw him that day at the hospital.

But Tsukasa lied. Lied to Saki's face, because he didn't want to upset her.

Tsukasa's mom: "Sweetheart, we're so sorry-"

Tsukasa: "-that you had to leave the ceremony early? It's okay!"

Their parents look at him confused because the issue is that they weren't even there. But Tsukasa gave them eyes, begging them to play along.

Tsukasa's mom: "...yeah. y-yeah, work called in and we really couldn't avoid it much longer"

Tsukasa lets out a sigh of relief before nodding and smiling "really! It's okay!"

When leaving Saki's ward, his mom asked him why he lied, and he just looked at her and shook his head.

Tsukasa: "...Saki does this thing, where she blames herself for stuff she can't control. I-I don't know how I know it, but I'm sure she'll do the same if she found out you weren't there. I don't want to see her doing that."

Outside, his mom pulls him into a hug, whispering apology after apology as she holds him. He kept insisting, it's fine! Really! He's a future star, with loads of celebration to come! Who cares if they missed one?

His mom looks at him, with genuine sadness, and asks him to be honest with her. Is he upset?

She noticed him froze, before shaking his head.

Tsukasa: "Not at all, mom! I understand why you both couldn't make it"

Tsukasa's mom: "...You can understand and still be upset. You're allowed to be"

But despite her best efforts to make her son open up, he still shakes his head and tells her it's alright.

She thinks he doesn't know that she knows. She knows that he wants them to worry less about him, which made them worry more.

--

She learned from Saki that Tsukasa doesn't have a lot of friends. He never mentions it a lot to Saki, but every time Saki asks him if he'd be hanging out with people, he just looks at her confused.

Tsukasa: "Why would I hang out with other people when I have the most incredible sister in the world!"

When he started to open up to her again, later in the future, when everything had settled down and life was beginning to move steady, she'll learn that his classmates think he's overbearing.

He wasn't getting bullied, nor was he actually disliked. But in terms of friends? They think he's a bit too loud, too tiring to deal with. Some even think he's a bit too selfish.

She would argue about that final point with her life. Because if anything, she wishes Tsukasa thought of himself more.

--

They learned more about him when he was 17. They learned about his friends, his troupe, his work, and how close he's gotten towards achieving his dreams. They're so unbelievably proud of him. He's grown into such an incredible person.

They just wished they could've taken the credit.

--

They loved their children equally. Even when Toya was pulled into the frame and they unknowingly gained a third, they loved him all the same.

But there's a difference in loving and knowing, because their son felt far more distant to them than their daughter. And they're trying their absolute best to fix that rift before it's too late

--

Both Tsukasa and Saki suffered majorly in their life, both in vastly different ways. But in terms of parents, I think Tsukasa got the short end. But not intentionally, y'know? It's like. Accidental child neglect.

[clownery-and-fuckery]

As promised, my commentary on Hunter.... to the people that like him, im sorry.

Spoiler warnings and the like, this is pretty negative aside from like maybe three sentences?? Feel free to leave you're own opinions on this too ofc !!! >:)

I dont like Hunter.

Actually, that's not entirely true, I liked him in TCW season 7, when he was that silly man who fucked droids around the place, took no shit, and loved his brothers. I like the Hunter who, not putting this nicely, had a personality.

This is not a dig on him as a character, it's a dig on how he was handled, writing wise

Listen, I totally get that the "rugged-man-adopts-a-star-child" trope is popular, and I do LOVE that trope, really I do- I just don't really think it was done that well here? It's bothered me since s1 of the Bad Batch, and I don't think it's going to get any better this season....

My only real problem with the writing inconsistency of Hunter being an older brother of three to "Omega this, Omega that" and while I agree childcare is SUPER difficult at the best of times, Hunter had four brothers who were equally capable of taking care of Omega, too. It just never sat right with me that taking care of her became his ENTIRE personality

Hes a soldier, who despite being completely out of his element, had a routine he strictly followed for the whole war. Yet he seemed to completely forget about that ?? Stressed or not stressed, that worn in routines and LIFELONG LESSONS should not have left his head as quickly as they seemed to.

The most obvious and frustrating example of the oversimplification of Hunter's character is with Crosshair. I cannot even BEGIN to describe my anger when it comes to Hunter and Crosshair. It mainly stems from the way he just FORGETS his brother is with the Empire. Conveniently never bringing it up unless someone else did it first.

As the oldest sibling and squad leader, I personally think Hunter should have been the one to bring him up. It should not have had to be specifically mentioned by another character for Hunter to discuss it. He loves his brothers, he loved Crosshair, broody or not, he should have brought it up AT LEAST once, imo.

We also see this complete disregard for Crosshair AGAIN in s3, now that we have seen Hunter looking for Omega and not ONCE mentioning Crosshair. Has he forgotten that they were originally going to find Crosshair??? That they never actually FOUND their brother ??????? Annoyed me so much, tbh.

What else annoyed me was the singular language he used during the whole episode. "She's part of our squad." "Hemlock took SOMEONE from us." He's completely and utterly disregarding the OTHER TWO SIBLINGS that the Empire took away from him !!!!! It genuinely frustrates me so much.

I know I'm DEFINITELY nit-picking here, but even when Hunter looked to Tech's goggles, it was in a "He should've been here to do this." Way, not a "He should be here." Way. That's his brother, who died looking for another that Hunter has forgotten.

Hunter's tunnel vision is probably one my least favourite things about the Bad Batch, if I dare even MENTION that- and I love this show. It means so much to me, but I just can't handle this particular part of it...

I have so SO much anger directed towards the treatment of Hunter by the writers. I want the Hunter who was devoted to his WHOLE family, who fought for ALL of them, who would have NEVER allowed Crosshair to leave in the first place. Give me that Hunter back.

(Saying this- I do not mind Hunter and Omega's father/daughter and brother/sister relationship !!! I do really enjoy it- in small amounts. The fact that Hunter became nearly an extention of Omega really just- threw me off his whole character, really)

I specifically pick to ignore this when I'm making anything. Hunter has been a sergeant of three idiots(named endearingly) for the entirety of the war. One child who wanders around should not have taken up 100% of Hunter's attention, ESPECIALLY when he was surrounded and supported. It just bothers me, idk

Anyway, thats my rant !!! Back to some positives soon, promise !! I just had to get this off my chest, it's been BOTHERING me.

[unma]

I'm not going to be able to write my typical long rambles for a bit (need to catch up on important work), but here's a short list of things I wanna talk about with the latest canto.

Spoilers, of course.

The entire Canto taking place after the ending of Don Quixote (the first Don, I will not call him the Actual Don because our Don is as much Don Quixote as he is) is not something I expected, but makes so much sense and made for a wonderful story. There are themes of identity, struggling to live under a broken system and GOD THE FAMILIAL TIES. THE FIGHT AGAINST THE TWO MIDBOSSES + THE PRIEST HAD SUCH MAGNIFICENT STORY BUILD UP. AND THE PRIEST'S ENTIRE MOVESET. UGGGH I WANNA TALK ABOTU IT

Hey. Outis. What did you mean by that. We all know what I'm talking about, right? This is the first time I know of that she's actually given even a smidge of info about herself somewhat directly. Somewhat. Everything else is just in how she knows things and acts. Here she is asking a very specific question and god, I need to know more about her now.

Good job Sinclair. And everyone else. But good job Sinclair.

Vergilius with Sanson's face/mask is cursed.

I continue to feel so so bad for the Bloodfiends. They did the best they could in a world that gave them only two horrible options. I couldn't help but compare La Manchaland to the Tokyo Ghoul:RE ending, because the hemobars reminded me of the artificial meat, except in TG:RE it worked and here, well. We saw how that went. I think it's a great idea to start with the after of their solution; this isn't a situation with a possible solution, they tried that and failed. Who knows if there is one that works? Does it matter now that they're all dead?

I'm going to be very weird about Camille once this is all said and done, but I do want to note that the pretty boy being turned into a flower and having a name very clearly gotten from Carmilla the flower (and maybe the book? Haven't read it yet so idk if he's taken from there) is very cheeky. I still wish I could've besting him up myself. This isn't me critiquing the writing, this is me being weird.

The QTE in the ending cutscene of the boss fight was cool and really added to the feeling of fighting against and overcoming a clearly superior foe.

I wanna hug Don Quixote the First. He's such a ray of sunshine and deserved better. Even if he was somewhat delusional, at least he genuinely cared for his family.

What happened to Hong Lu's sister? Did she just vanish? I didn't notice until later on, so I'll probably need to go back and check myself.

Bari is the Librarian of Death (edit: Nameless Bookhunter, thanks for the correction AE)? Idfk and idc for now. If Bari ends up showing up again or a moot of mine decides they wanna talk about it, maybe I'll look into it.

The familial themes here are most certainly also going to be related to Hong Lu's story, which once more is a reason I really should get to reading all the books for this game.

Ryoshu accepting death from the possibility of fighting Don Qui the second was really funny.

The abno fights here are really good, and I love how Limbus is making unbreakable coins the standard from now on. Makes it so you can't just blaze through fights taking no damage, and these battles genuinely feel difficult. That's good. Their designs and mechanics are also pretty easy to understand and match with their ego gifts pretty well. God I wish we had more Rupture ids that could stack as much count as the Lasso abno.

Sancho fight was cool as hell. The clashable 10 speed skill was so good and made it feel like a massive improvement on the Cassetti fight. So good. On use coin power did mess me up a little given it doesn't show up in the clash numbers, but that was on me for not reading tbh.

Fun fact: final boss can be Meatlantern soloed really easily. So easy in fact that that's how I cleared it. Doing it with a full team didn't end well for me. The solo's also really consistent, which is nice.

Mili song is really good. As usual. I need to go listen to it again. I need an in-game mix. I need it. The childishness of Sancho's side of the tune compared with the seriousness of first Don's side is lovely.

Also. Please, in the final clash where you use Don's base ego. I hope you looked at the name of the ego and the name of Don the First's attack. Please. It's such a good detail. And it's so much better when you remember that Sancho was always the one making weapons for Don. He calls Sancho's lances much more graceful than his. It's so lovely. You can tell these two genuinely love each other. It's so good.

Also the fact that basically every fixer we went in with got wiped out by weakened Bloodfiends really shows just how powerful these bloodfiends are. Camille had to resort to using ego gear to survive. Sheesh.

That'll be all for now. Expect a long ramble on any of these points when I'm more free, aka never.

[deathmetalangel]

Hello!

I am craving for some Sub!Robin from teen titans (the one from 2003) smut with fem!reader. Like, reader being a superhero from his group that is just flirty by nature and has this smug grin always on her face. And Robin can't help but feel nervous around her (but pretending he's not-) until one day it just happens and when he tries to dom the reader he finds out that he is gonna be the one dominated and not the other way xd

BIRTHDAY BOY (ROBIN/DICK GRAYSON X FEM!READER)

warnings: smut, fem!dom, cunnalingus f! receiving, unprotected sex, dirty talk, praise, mentions of scars (from being a hero), creampie

robin finds out the hard way he’s much more turned on by someone who takes control of him in bed

The titans had the day off. Rare, almost extremely rare seeing as Jump City was almost as chaotic as Gotham or Blüdhaven. But Blackfire had convinced them all to go to a ‘killer’ party downtown so she can bond with her little sister.

Y/n didn’t mind, she loved the party scene. Guys that were so easily flustered, girls that all loved how confident she was, and how annoyed Robin looked when she talked to everyone. He usually played it off, not well, but he tried his best.

Blackfire’s laugh caught her attention. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh nothing. Just how hard Robin is eye hanging you right now.” y/n glances over at the spiky haired boy and indeed he was watching her with an unreadable expression.

She rolls her eyes while Blackfire spins her to the music. "He always acts so jealous. It's funny really, I just wish he'd grow a pair ya know? I can't keep playing cat and mouse like this. No matter how good a cat I am." Both girls giggle until the subject of their conversation walks over.

"H/n, Blackfire." He greets the two who just look at one another.

"Hello Robin. What can I do for you?" Y/n smirks and stands closer to him. Her face leans in to look up at him with a cocky grin. "I'd be happy to take orders from my great and intelligent leader." Her voice just oozes with the confidence only she possessed. Not even Blackfire would compare her charms to her friends. Even if they were two of a kind.

Robin clears his throat semi-awkwardly. "We need to talk."

"About what?" She smiles playing dumb. It only made it more difficult for Robin. She loved putting up a naive front to mess with him even more. It was the only way to best the normally composed Robin.

Especially since they had a past.

Robin grabs her wrist and pulls her away from the blaring lights and pounding music. “Hey what’s this about?” Now she was genuinely confused. It wasn’t like him to get all pent up. She tilts her head and before she can speak lips crash onto hers.

Robin presses y/n against the cold wall, his lust overwhelming. Her fingers curl into his slicked back hair while his hands roam her hips. “Fuck,” She mumbles before Robin pulls her into a random bedroom.

They both fall back onto the bed with Robin pushing aside her clothing to get them off as soon as possible. "You knew exactly what you were doing, didn't you?" He mumbles against her neck desperate for a response. There was no way she would do all that without wanting this type of reaction from him. She knew him too well to do that.

"And if I did?"

Robin's breath hitches slightly at her tone. She was enjoying this, his little outburst. It was entertaining her. The thought turned him on more than he would like to admit of course. "Then you're a bigger slut than I thought you were."

Just like that she yanks his hair back and looks him dead in the eyes, she was feeling different tonight. "Call me that again and I leave you here alone with your hand to get you off. Got it?" Dick gulps and nods. Y/n smirks and fumbles with her utility belt. "Now, be a good boy and help me with this."

Like an obedient lap dog he does as she says. Wasting no time in undoing the belt and discarding her bottoms. "Perfect. Okay Robin, eat." She pushes herself up more on the mattress and spreads her pristine built legs for him. Robin, ever so desperate to please, begins sucking at her clit and eating her out like a starved man.

Moans leave her mouth while she holds onto his hair. "Fuck, you're doing so damn good. Yeah. Right there. Right there. Fuck!" Robin doesn't stop while he holds onto her thighs for support. Her moans made his cock strain in his pants and her praise made him even more sprung.

Robin had y/n swearing like madwoman with how well he was doing. It drove her crazy. Her legs were shaking by the time she came, but when she did you could bet Robin was ready for whatever she told him to do next. Look at him, what a sub.

Y/n giggles while Robin starts to leave sloppy kisses all over her body. Each and every scar left from their many battles and even the ones before the team. "Okay okay, let me have my fun now." Her tone was almost sadistic; her eyes glowed with ecstasy and lust. Almost glazed over with a far off look. Like she was lost in her pleasure.

Robin doesn't get a chance to react when she uses her strength to flip him over and sit down on his stomach. Her cunt was still dripping wet and she could feel his erection on her ass. "You're so god damn needy Dick." His real name was a rare gift he got to hear, but god did he love to hear her say it.

She swiftly removes his bottoms and is surprised by just how hard he was. Unlike every other time, her being dominant turned him on the most. Interesting. Y/n crawls over him before kneeling above his hardened dick. She carefully spreads her pussy and lines them up.

"What no condom?" He sputters out from his lack of breath. She just smiles at him.

"Happy birthday Grayson." His eyes shut from the amount of pure pleasure he feels from her warm cunt swallowing his dick whole. It never failed to knock the breath from his lungs. "Fuck, you're so big."

Robin tries to grab at her thighs to have some sort of stability, but she instead grabs his hands and holds them above his head. Her strength allows her to push his wrists into the mattress while she begins to rock her hips. The music outside was now silent to them because of how enveloped they were with each other.

Y/n leans over Robin and smiles while her hips set a steady and fast paced rhythm. Her ass bounced on his quivering dick while he whispered out praises. "You're so tight. Fuck, you feel so good y/n." He was coming undone by the minute.

Her teeth start to graze over his skin making him shiver. "Quiet now D, wouldn't want anyone to walk in." He practically ignores her when she begins to bite down on his neck.

"Fuck!" She just chuckles and starts to suckle gently. Her rhythmic bouncing is met with him bucking his hips upwards to meet her throbbing cunt. Y/n moans into his neck, feeling her orgasm creep up on her once again. "Wanna cum birthday boy?" A series of rushed and quiet yes's slip from Robin's lips.

Their speed increases while Robin starts to hit deeper with his stronger thrusts. She lets go of his hands and arches her back in pleasure. "Oh my god!" She moans out while Robin grabs her hips to start bringing them down faster. "I'm so close!"

Both of them are oblivious to the unwinding party as they chase their highs. "Fuck y/n, I'm gonna cum. Where do I?"

"I said, happy birthday. Didn't I?" Her voice is strained and pitchy while she grinds desperate for her release. Robin can feel his looming and before he knows it he brings her down and fully bottoms out before spurting his cum into her awaiting cunt. "Fuuuccking hell!"

Y/n clenches down around him when she feels the tension in her stomach break and she cums. She sighs before collapsing down on the bed next to Robin. His breathing starts to steady when he turns to face her.

"Hope you liked your gift, birthday boy."

[imakemywings]

So Maeglin apparently was handsome af, popular, charismatic, and a close confidant of Turgon during his time in Gondolin. In fact, he was a lord and was close to Turgon's ear so he was heard more than Idril. I just wanna know why the fandom loves to portray him as this kid who was hated by everyone (he was not), whom Turgon hated (didn't Turgon love that kid so much?), and whose love for Idril was seen in a good light (when in fact, he was willing to kill earendil just to get Idril). I was honestly shocked when it was such a popular narrative that he was being abused and hated pretty much by everyone in Gondolin and he didn't mean to cause the fall of Gondolin because he was a poor mew mew when the real poor mew mew was Turgon for listening to him in the first place. Lmao I was just genuinely shocked when it was the other way around. I like his character, he's interesting and complex but it kinda takes away the complexity of his character when he is being woobify but that's just me. What do you think?

Anon, idk if you looked at my blog and could tell I would be receptive to these takes, or if you just happen to keep landing on things I agree with XD

But yeah, I have thoughts on Maeglin's reception by the fandom and it's mostly in agreement with what you said.

With Maeglin, he is sympathetic in a lot of ways, which makes you want to root for him. He did have a difficult childhood--Eol was a shithead spouse so it's not hard to imagine he was not a great father either. Maeglin grew up almost totally isolated from anyone but his mom and dad, who did not have a good relationship, thanks to his dad's abuse. When he and Aredhel make a run for it, we want them to succeed! We want good things for them (we've been rooting for Aredhel since the beginning of the chapter)! When Maeglin witnesses his father kill his mother in an effort to kill him, we want him to find peace and security in Gondolin.

The thing is--Maeglin grows well past his difficult childhood. As you noted, Maeglin does very well for himself in Gondolin. At the end of the chapter Of Maeglin, it is described how he "grew great among the Gondolindrim" and there are various indications he was generally trusted and well-liked.

"Thus all seemed well with the fortunes of Maeglin, who had risen to be mighty among the princes of the Noldor..." ("Of Maeglin," The Silmarillion)

At this point, this is we want for him! We like the idea that he's shrugged off his past, that he's doing well, and that he's not like his creepy bride-abducting father.

We don't get much in Silm about what Maeglin's relationship with Turgon is like, but I talked here about why I can't buy that Turgon neglected or abused Maeglin.

"Then the King listened with wonder to all that Aredhel had to tell; and he looked with liking upon Maeglin his sister-son, seeing in him one worthy to be accounted among the princes of the Noldor. 'I rejoice indeed that Ar-Feiniel has returned to Gondolin,' he said, 'and now more fair again shall my city seem than in the days when I deemed her lost. And Maeglin shall have the highest honor in my realm.'" ("Of Maeglin," The Silmarillion)

The only fly in that pudding is that he and Idril get off to a bad start which never improves. He's into her, she's not into him, but he can't let it go. He lets it fester and generate anger, jealousy, and hatred, and in this way, he's like so many creepy guys who can't take rejection.

"But as the years passed, still Maeglin watched Idril, and waited, and his love turned to darkness in his heart. And he sought the more to have his will in other matters, shirking no toil or burden, if he might thereby have power." ("Of Maeglin," The Silmarillion)

But even so, Maeglin is trusted by Turgon! He's popular! He has his own craft and people who admire and follow his ideas! In almost every way, Maeglin should be happy. But he cannot stop obsessing over Idril, and he lets that spoil everything else that he's achieved, to the point where he's wiling to betray the entire city to possess her.

I think there's also a disconnect between those who've read The Fall of Gondolin and those who haven't, because TFOG expands on a lot of things only really hinted at in Silm proper. For instance, the attempted murder of Earendil (who, it should be noted, is seven years old during the sack of Gondolin). In Silm, we get this:

"Tuor sought to rescue Idril from the sack of the city, but Maeglin had laid hands on her, and on Earendil; and Tuor fought with Maeglin on the walls, and cast him far out..." ("Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," The Silmarillion)

In The Fall of Gondolin, we get a much more detailed account:

"Messengers by great stealth he had dispatched to Melko[r] to set a guard about the outer issue of that Way when the assault was made; but he himself thought now to take Earendil and cast him into the fire beneath the walls, and seizing Idril he would constrain her to guide him to the secrets of the passage, that he might win out of this terror of fire and slaughter and drag her withal along with him to the lands of Melko[r]... Now then M[a]eglin had Idril by the hair and sought to drag her to the battlements out of cruelty of heart, that she might see the fall of Earendil to the flames...When M[a]eglin saw [Tuor] he would stab Earendil with a short knife he had...the mail of the small coat turned the blade aside; and thereupon Tuor was upon him and his wrath was terrible to see." ("The Original Tale," The Fall of Gondolin)

In TFOG, Maeglin's malice is even more apparent as we get a blow-by-blow account of his effort to force Idril to watch him kill her child and then drag her to Angband, but even looking exclusively at canon Silm, Maeglin clearly swings into the villain path. I don't like to criticize him too much for caving under Melkor's threats, because being threatened with torture by Melkor would be fucking terrifying and I don't think any of us can say for certain how we would respond in that kind of situation. Tolkien even tells us Maeglin wasn't a coward, but Melkor is Melkor. Not everyone can be Hurin "Noted Badass and Snarkmaster" Thalion. What I am happy to criticize him relentlessly on is that he allows Melkor's plan to move forward.

"But Morgoth sent him [Maeglin] back to Gondolin, lest any should suspect the betrayal, and so that Maeglin should aid the assault from within, when the hour came; and he abode in the halls of the King with smiling face and evil heart..." ("Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," The Silmarillion)

He never warns the Gondolindrim of what's coming, and in fact he encourages Turgon to refuse Ulmo's advice and stay in the city (where Melkor expects them to be). In TFOG, when Melkor does invade, Maeglin and his house fight on Melkor's side.

Maeglin fucked up by selling the city out, no argument. But it's more than that--he could have tried to fix it. But he doesn't. Because? Because he doesn't want his treachery revealed, and because Melkor promised him possession of Idril if he helped.

"Great indeed was the joy of Morgoth, and to Maeglin he promised the lordship of Gondolin as his vassal, and the possession of Idril Celebrindal, when the city should be taken; and indeed desire for Idril and hatred for Tuor led Maeglin the easier to his treachery, most infamous in all the histories of the Elder Days." ( "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," The Silmarillion)

People resist the narrative of Maeglin the villain I think because they are still in phase 1 where we want good things for Maeglin and for him to overcome his past. And he does...but then he chooses his own shitty path and throws away all the things he gained because he can't be content without everything that he wants, which includes Idril. Making all Maeglin's bad choices someone else's fault--Idril's for rejecting his advances, Aredhel or Eol for parenting him wrong, Turgon for not understanding him, Tuor for who knows--means not having to acknowledge Maeglin chose to become the person who betrayed Gondolin and tried to murder his family.

"Then the heart of Idril was turned towards [Tuor], and his to hear; and Maeglin's secret hatred grew ever greater, for he desired above all things to possess her, the only heir to the King of Gondolin." ("Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," The Silmarillion)

Maeglin's story is a tragedy of someone consumed with their own malcontent, someone who had so much opportunity to be happy but chose to perserverate on the things he couldn't have, who became so obsessed with his own desires that he was willing to hurt everyone around him to get what he wanted. Maeglin's story is of a man who could not handle rejection by a woman he wanted, so he decided to ruin her life and kill her family. Maeglin begins the story as someone we are meant to sympathize with--but he doesn't end it that way.

[rainytypology]

A view of each MBTI type by an INTJ:

Saw a few of these lately so why not? Lol

___

INTJ: My type and the best type obviously. Kidding. Not really. Healthy/mature ones are interesting and helpful, nice and easy to talk to. I've noticed immature ones try a little too hard to seem edgy and cool to fit into the "cold" INTJ stereotype when that's not a flex at all. I think a lot of us are impatient and stubborn too.

ENTJ: Often driven and motivated individuals who put in a lot of effort into what they do. I admire their hardworking nature. I've unfortunately come across a very unhealthy one before who was quite possessive and narcissistic. I did not have to deal with them personally, but a few of my friends did and their horror stories of that ENTJ will probably be stuck with me forever.

INTP: Their minds are...unique. I wonder what goes on in there. Such weird yet interesting individuals. Sometimes a bit rude, unintentional or not. My younger sister is one and I have to resist the urge to fight with her a lot lmao, but maybe that's just us being siblings.

ENTP: Love them. ENxPs in general 🤌🤌. I've never come across a boring ENTP. Often so chaotic. Never fail to make me laugh. I can have the funnest conversations with them. So witty.

INFJ: One of my best friends is one and it's kinda funny how similar yet different we both are. Ni dom things I guess. Other INFJs I've observed seem to have a lot of patience and kindness. Genuinely have a good heart and want the best for others.

ENFJ: I've only met two personally. Can be funny and witty, really approachable people. Both are very loyal and care a lot about their families, they carry a lot of responsibilities for others. Do not like to show their struggles, will probably mention it briefly before changing the subject.

INFP: Probably my least favorite type due to having bad experiences with them. Unhealthy ones can be so whiney and pathetic. Always want to cry and complain but never actually do anything about it. Can burst emotionally without warning. They can be so exhausting to deal with. I'm not gonna automatically hate you if you're an INFP though, that's just stupid lol, but I will be wary. I only have one INFP friend for now and likely because she's a lot older than me, she's much calmer and more considerate compared to the previous INFPs I've encountered.

ENFP: Some weirdos fr but I love it. Always so talkative and excited. Why are you guys lowkey kinda sad though 😭

ISTJ: I haven't come across any irl yet, but a few of my favorite fictional characters are ISTJs. One of my fav kpop idols as well. Not really sure where the boring stereotype comes from as I think ISTJs are quite nice.

ESTJ: I don't think I've met any yet and have typed a few idols as an ESTJ. I know they get a bad rep, but I honestly just think it stems from ESTJ's tendency to be direct, no bs, which can be intimidating/overwhelming for people. They can be really weird and silly only if they're comfortable.

ISFJ: I don't know any ISFJs irl, but seeing ISFJ idols/celebrities, they're just usually nice and kind people. Quiet but do enjoy being with others.

ESFJ: Honestly think my other best friend may be one 🤔 I do think she has a high Fe for sure. They seem to care the most about their presentation and other's opinions of them.

ISTP: I've only met one and they were okay. Pretty chill and had immense "idgaf" energy. But that attitude was also what made them a bit unlikeable as it extended to having a disregard for feelings and morals. Nobody's perfect, but I don't think it's that difficult to have common human decency. I do like a few ISTP characters and celebrities though.

ESTP: One of my older siblings is one and we get along fine. She has a good eye for aesthetics. Her and other ESTPs I've seen don't really seem to be super serious people, they're just trying their best to enjoy life. Adventurous and open minded. Can't seem to stay still.

ISFP: Have only met a few irl and I've also typed several kpop idols as one. From what I've seen, they are a lot calmer compared to INFPs. They're quite passionate but more realistic individuals though, always going for what they want (likely due to aux Se). Also quite blunt lol but it does not top IxTP's honesty.

ESFP: Have not met any irl yet, but from observing an ESFP I follow and ESFP celebrities, I like their straightforwardness. Passionate and expressive. Funny.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for using my moms money to buy games?

The title sounds bad, but I'm not sure how else to word it. This is also going to be a weird one as, in advance, I know the other party isn't an asshole, however I think it's a similar situation im tone and I really need some feedback on this.

I'm 22 and live with my mom and cat. I've lived with her my whole life, and continue to due to disability. My mom has 2 jobs that she mainly works on weekends, and I'm unemployed. Ever since covid it's been incredibly difficult for me to find work because it is still very much a thing despite what people want to believe, and I can't be in contact with random people physically due to immune issues and the chance of getting sick. Online jobs are apparently very hard to find (my mom has tried) and many ask for a payment beforehand. I do however get social security income that pays most of our bills/utilities, and we're also on foodstamps for groceries.

My family has never been well off. I wouldn't call us dirt poor, we've never had to go hungry, and I always had toys to play with/clothes as a kid. But my mom has had to manage funds well and we've never had a lot of money for leisure or frivolous purchases. My mom will buy herself things like some new clothes, a phone charger, roku set, etc smaller things like that when she gets her paycheck but extra expenses such as furniture have to be planned out probably weeks/months ahead of time. We also moved recently and ever since then our budget has been more difficult, the down payment really screwed with my moms expenses.

Because of our situation, I never really had games growing up. I remember we had maybe 3 big family consoles during me and my sisters whole childhood (with like 3-6 games on them each, most of which were guitar hero which my mom and sister loved to play), and I would get a new handheld for myself every few years. I never got to play the new exciting games people were always talking about, and my gaming experience has really been limited to like. Animal crossing, the sims, and cooking mama.

I played a bunch of roms as a kid so that helped, but I was always kinda sad and felt left out that I never got to experience gaming the way other people did. I really wanted to try the "classics" people talked about but didn't have any way to. People (especially as I got into my 20s and started following streamers + nintendo direct for example) would always talk about the New Thing coming out and playing it the day it dropped, all the excitement and community people had around that, but if I really wanted that kind of game, I'd have to wait a few years before getting it and trying it out, and by then no one was playing it anymore anyways.

As time went on things got a little better. Especially because of my moms new jobs, both of which she genuinely loves doing, though it's still work, we have been a bit better off. It's only been recently we started struggling more again.

Recently I've been kind of asking for things from my mom. Mostly it's steam games. I found I've gotten much more into gaming as a hobby as I've gotten older, and I have a long wishlist of games that I really want to get into, but of course have no money to myself. I should also clarify that NONE of these are those big triple A $60 titles, as I still can't ever justify paying something so expensive for one game. So sometimes lately I've been asking my mom "hey, can I get this/these games?" And use her money/card to purchase them. I don't do it constantly, or even super often, but I feel like it's becoming more often and it makes me feel really guilty.

I have done this before, around high school I started asking my mom for certain things I wanted around the house, and usually she had no problem buying them for me. This also wasn't large stuff, nothing ever over $30 and usually only up to $20. But when I'd find something I *really* wanted, especially if it was a time limited thing like merch drops from a favorite content creator, often yarn for my knitting or art supplies I wanted to try, I would ask her.

I've pretty much always felt guilty about this. I would ask for something despite my better judgement, and for the most part my mom would say yes, and that it was okay, whereas I was the one apologizing and asking if it was "really alright". She has told me she has no issues buying things for me as long as I ask her. She says the social security I get is "technichally my money", and that she wants me to be able to use it. (Obviously we don't use the actual ssi to buy random shit, but her giving me spending money is the next best thing).

Every time I've asked my mom for something like this, I've told myself that it would be the last time, that I would get my own job and own money and not mooch on my mom anymore, but both with the stress of chronic illness and depression I never seem to get around to it. I try to do dishes and keep my room clean, take care of the cat etc as ways I can help without working, but for some reason the money really weighs on me. I know that it's really my fault, I haven't even been looking for jobs and I could always take art commissions again, but somehow a mental block always stops me.

I feel like I have a bit of an impulsivity problem when it comes to spending. The money I got from my one summer job and commissions would never last long, and honestly I couldn't even tell you what I spent it on for the weeks I had it. I have issues taking money from people, but when I realized that I may not have had the stuff I wanted as a kid simply because I never asked for/communicated that I wanted it, it made me more bold to actually ask my mom for things.

I never pester my mother about this. I'll ask once and if she says no I'll be dissapointed but won't continue. Sometimes she says that we don't have the money for it then, or that I'll have to wait until xyz thing is paid for, which is always fine. I also have *never* bought anything with her money without asking first. I get pretty much all the steam games I buy on sale (usually that's what prompts me to ask about them, actually) as personally I can't justify getting games for their asking price for the experience I'm going to get.

I feel bad as I feel like I'm wasting our money, mooching off my mom and not putting in the work to have spending money myself. I also worry that sometimes when she says it's fine, it's untrue and she's really just trying to make me feel better. I also sometimes don't play the games as soon as I get them, I have a sizeable backlog of games I have gotten but haven't "got around" to playing as I was excited to get them at a low price at the time, but then haven't felt like I'm in the right mood. This also makes me feel worse because I feel like I'm not being appreciative enough of her buying for me.

So am I the asshole?

What are these acronyms?

[bella-rose29]

Little Kipps (part three)

Quill finds out that his sister and Lockwood are dating.

Final part! Not gonna lie the ending feels off but I can't figure out how to make it better, but I hope you enjoy!

Word count: 1.2k

Warnings: I don't think there actually are any, but please let me know if there are!

Tag list: @anathemaloren, @augustisintheair, @avdiobliss, @dangelnleif, @el-de-phi, @karensirkobabes, @mitskiswift99, @mrsklockwood, @mrsyixingunicorn10, @ran23sblog, @t2sh0, @taygrls, @tournesol77, @wandamaximoffbae, @wordsarelife

As always, let me know here if you would like to be added or removed from my Lockwood and co tag list! <3

Quill Kipps sat rigidly upright in the front room of 35 Portland Row, glaring at the couple opposite him over the coffee table.

"Tell me again what's going on here?"

Since seeing his enemy snogging his sister roughly five minutes ago, Quill had been in a state of shock. He'd come over with the intention of passing on a case (reluctantly; Fittes hadn't wanted it and he didn't have enough jurisdiction to go for it anyway, but he was genuinely concerned for the woman who'd reached out), but on seeing the two of them he'd forgotten all about his initial reason for being here.

"We went on a date, and we kissed. I like him, and he likes me."

"And tell me again why you like him?"

"I know that you don't like him, Quill, but I do. I get that it's difficult for you to understand that, but you're gonna have to."

"Yeah, sure, but why do you like him?"

Y/n sighed, clearly getting frustrated with him. "Because he's kind, and sweet, and cute, and-"

"You think I'm cute?" Lockwood interrupted her, dopey smile on his face. Quill fought the urge to gag.

"Uh, did I say that? I don't think I did-"

"No, you did! You said it in Arif's as well!" His sister went a bright shade of red.

"Wait, in Arif's? So this has been going on longer than just today?"

"Obviously," Y/n rolled her eyes. "How was he gonna ask me out if this started today? Although that didn't happen at Arif's, that happened when I came over the other day, and really it was Lucy that forced you to ask me out, because I'm convinced that you wouldn't have done otherwise."

Quill could only stare as his sister went on, eyes widening with every word she spoke. "When did you come over here?"

"Oh, just the other day, to give George that research. Ended up staying for a cuppa."

"Right." He sat in silence for a while, still staring at his sister and Lockwood, back still not relaxing. They were fidgety, he noticed, with Y/n playing with a loose thread on her jumper, and Lockwood looking like he was trying desperately not to hold her other hand, occasionally pulling his hands back into his lap when they drifted over to Y/n. Quill sighed.

"Look," he started, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't like you, Tony. I don't like you at all. But for some reason that I can't begin to understand, my sister does like you. Now, you are incredibly lucky that I love my sister, or I would murder you right now, then clean up the site so you couldn't come back to haunt me," he pointed a finger at the boy, who swallowed thickly in response. "But if Y/n wants to be with you, then I'm giving you one chance, just one, to prove that you deserve her. Screw that up, and you're never going near her again, got it?" Lockwood nodded, sweating slightly, and Quill relished the knowledge that the little shit was actually scared of him right now.

Good, he thought. Hopefully he'll refrain from breaking her heart if he's scared.

"So... does this mean you're okay with us being together?" Y/n's voice was hopeful, and she sat forward a little in anticipation. Quill sighed for what felt like the millionth time since seeing them, then reluctantly nodded.

"Sure. Just don't break her heart, Tony, or I'll break your neck."

"Quill!"

"Okay," Lockwood mumbled at the same time that Y/n exclaimed.

Satisfied, Quill stood, Y/n following suit. Lockwood pushed himself up a moment later, clearly unsure of where he should be.

"Y/n?"

"Yeah?"

"I'd like a private word with Tony, please." The boy swallowed again, and Quill would have felt bad for him if it weren't feeling too much like payback for all the times Lockwood had taunted him.

"Please don't kill him," she whispered as she left the room.

"No promises." She glared as she closed the door behind her.

"You're not going to kill me, are you? If you are, could I at least say goodbye to everyone first?"

"I'm not gonna kill you, Tony," Quill sighed (again). "I just want to make sure you know how much she means to me. Seriously, she's my world, and lord knows she deserves the universe. Don't mess this up, Lockwood, because she's the most incredible girl you'll ever have the luck of being with."

Lockwood was silent for a moment, mulling over Quill's words. "I know I don't deserve her, but I promise you I'll do everything in my power to make sure I never hurt her. And as much as it pains me to say this, you're right." Quill smiled triumphantly at the admission. "She's amazing, and she can do so much better than me." The smile faded as Quill took notice of the depth of sadness in Lockwood's eyes. "But," the sadness was replaced - no, joined - by an overwhelming surge of determination, "I really like her, a lot, and for some inexplicable reason she's chosen me, so like I said, I'll do anything to keep her safe and happy."

Quill was taken aback by Lockwood's words, unused to such sincerity coming from the boy. Normally he was all charm and smiles and big speeches, but now all Quill saw was a vulnerable kid who just wanted to be with a girl. Feeling a pang of sorrow (which he frowned at, why was he feeling sympathy for him?), Quill stepped forward, then awkwardly patted Lockwood's shoulder. "Thanks, Tony." The air felt even more awkward than the pat, and Quill quickly moved back, removing his hand and turning towards the door to leave. Opening it, Y/n fell forward, squealing as she windmilled her arms to stay upright.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Uh, just... inspecting the doorframe?" she winced, leaning against the aforementioned doorframe and slipping, excuse more of a question. Quill shook his head, fond smile on his face at his sister's antics as he stepped into the hallway.

"Don't be home too late, alright? In fact, within the hour would be amazing. Or within the next thirty minutes. Or, come to think of it, you could just come back with me now?"

"Within the hour is fine, thanks."

"Oh, Kipps?" Lockwood piped up.

"Yeah?"

"Why were you even coming over in the first place?"

"Oh. A case. I don't need your help, it's just a low level one that Fittes don't have time for. Figured you'd be so desperate for work you'd take the scraps."

"Quill," Y/n glared at him. "Try to be nice to my boyfriend."

"B-boyfriend?"

"You are my boyfriend, right?"

"Uh... yeah?"

"Then my brother needs to stop being mean to my boyfriend."

"O-okay."

Quill rolled his eyes at Lockwood's stuttering and blush, then nodded. "Fine. Only for you. I don't care that much about him."

"Quill!"

"Ugh, fine. Lockwood, you're not the absolute worst person I've ever met. You're the second. How's that?" He turned back to his sister.

"...It'll do."

"Here's the files for the case," he chucked them onto the already cluttered side cabinet, then slung his jacket on and opened the front door. "I'll see you later, Y/n/n."

"Bye!"

Quill shook his head as he left, door closing behind him. He might not like Anthony Lockwood, but he made his sister happy.

So long as he remembered that she was a Kipps too, and fully capable of murdering him if needed, then Lockwood would do just fine.

[nicolesainz]

You are in love (CS 55)

Carlos Sainz x f!reader Summary: Carlos being the sweetest human alive, confessing how much he loves you, whilst having a chat with Lando and revealing past secrets Warnings: only damn fluff (inspired by ‘in between’ by gracie abrams and obviously ‘love story’)

"Man, I think you two have been stuck" Lando points to Carlos's arms with an eye roll following.

"What are you talking about?" Carlos was confused as he didn't understand Lando's supposedly joke.

"From all the honey dripping between ya" He lets out an annoyed tongue click and sips some of his coffee.

Carlos looked at me, wanting to hold back laugh and ready to respond to his friend with a snarky comment.

"I regret introducing the two of you. Well, it's all my mothers fault, so she's to blame" the Mclaren driver complains, scrolling through his phone, taking pictures of us.

"Remind me to thank her actually. I owe her for sending me to you. If it hadn't been for me moving to London, this may not had happen" I cup Carlos's cheeks, giving him a soft kiss.

"Well, it's Lando's mum and fate too! Maybe, well, not actually. I am sure our paths were aligned, that is why we found each other" Carlos holds me tighter and closer to his body, now on top of his lap.

"Since when did you become all cheesy and shit man?" Lando spits out, earning a giggle from me.

"You forget I grew up with three women in the house. Romantic stories, songs, books and movies were a Saturday traditions" Carlos explains as I envision a younger version of himself, sitting on the couch with his sisters and mother, watching movies which had happy endings between the main characters and my heart instantly fills up with sweetness.

"I think it's also because you are a lot in Italy. England hadn't gotten you this soft and sweet" Lando is true. Whenever Carlos isn't working but is still in Italy, we visit Tuscany and Verona. Carlos secretly wrote a letter to Juliet and stuck it in between the other letters, written by romantically helpless women. He still thinks I didn't see him, but I couldn't have a better vision of it.

Never in my life, had a man with such pure heart and feelings following it. Carlos is one of earths wonders and maybe fate did bring us together.

"Will it make you happy if I told you that he took me on a date to Bernabéu, so we could watch the semi finals between Real Madrid and Chelsea?" I say to the English man, with a smirk on my face.

"Did you? Cheeky man! Of course Real would be his first love. Sorry, Y/N, don't take this the wrong way" Lando burst out a loud laugh, holding his stomach.

"Please don't remind me of this day. I should have taken you somewhere else. I regret it" Carlos lowers his head and I still cant stop smiling. I raise his head, giving him a small pout and another kiss on the lips.

"You regret it because Real lost. Not because of anything else. Plus, I was an unlucky charm. My englishness erupted that day"

"And it's not true. I love you more than Real" he caresses my back and leans his head on my shoulder. I know he does. He has proven this more times than I can possibly count.

I can't think of a person I love more than Carlos. He brought me back to daylight after a really difficult period of my life and a heartbreaking departure of my ex boyfriend.

He had given me anything I could possibly ask for. He is an angel on earth.

"This is true. When I first introduced you too, not two months had gone by when he started asking me 'Is Y/N ever gonna visit again?', 'Will she attend another Grand Prix'. I was going insane. That's why I kept sending you tickets, hoping you accepted them. He wouldn't shut up"

Carlos may seem like tough and smooth on the outside, but on the inside he is the biggest sweetheart one can ever meet. So genuinely nice and humble. My heart stopped when I heard this part of the story I didn't know.

"You're not innocent either. You kept looking at his insta, asking me if he had a girlfriend or seeing anyone. Oh the nights I spent trying to convince you otherwise and praising him at your eyes"

My cheeks redden when Lando reveals this secret in front of Carlos. I don't really mind now that we are together. If we kept on hiding our feelings from each other, I would have felt embarrassed.

"Oh cariño! I only had eyes for you, since the moment we met. You took my break away and had to get to you somehow. All I knew was that I was determined to achieve this goal" Carlos exclaims, earning a childish giggle and grin from me.

Oh boy, I felt like a teenager all over again. Like the first time we met. My heart was fluttering as if I was jumping non stop on a trampoline. His words swooned me away!

“Being with you is the best choice I’ve ever made. Smartest, wisest and worthy of everything! I love you forever Carlos!”

My head is leaning on his chest, listening to the fast beating of his heart. I put my hand on my chest and the other on his, feeling the synchronicity of the two hearts.

It’s the most beautiful sensation in the entire world! Pure magic.

“Mi amor, I could never imagine a life without you. You are my life and hope you continue to be for years and years to come”

We share one final kiss before being interrupted by Lando once more

“I definitely ain’t third wheeling here, at all people! Please don’t let my presence interrupt ya”

Me and Carlos giggle, being removed from his lap but still holding hands.

Holding on to each other for as long as possible. Not wanting to lose one another.

[deadpool15]

Ch.2 To be loved

Seeing him was the highlight of my day. I remembered when I was nothing but an orphan, though I can't remember my biological parents. I sometimes like to think they died. It was the best way for me when I was just a kid. To accept the fact that even the ones who gave you life viewed as nothing but a mistake was difficult. My mother viewed her destiny as saving her country, getting rid of the drugs that were taking lives. In my opinion, people died all the time. Life was hard. We have no idea what someone is going through until they are pushed to the end. She would never understand that struggle. That pain. When I heard it was si-o behind all this, I had to know why. People have reasons, I had to be the one to see the good in him. Even if no one else could. I was falling in love, love makes you do dumb things.

Whether I was dumb or hopeless, I wanted to know him. Not the version he showed to the public, the fake smiles meant nothing to me. I wanted to see him truly smile, to be happy. I happened to be at one of my mothers many chain restaurants. And to my luck sitting there was the man I had hoped for, now I hadn't prepared myself to speak to him and I realized that when he had made eye contact with me. Stern, serious glare like he knew I was watching him. Talking to people wasn't necessarily the issue. I talked my way out of parking tickets, jail, and even school punishments as a child. I was a smooth talker, one thing I developed from my mom. Though he made me nervous, my hands were sweating, and I had the urge to convert into oxygen. I wanted to cry because as much as I hated to admit it, his opinion of me meant a lot. One accidental interaction, and I was hooked. He knew me as Tseg tseg rich spoiled friend. I wanted him to see me. It already pissed me off that he had eyes for my sister. She took everything from me without even fucking trying. I had to man up and fight for what I wanted.

"Hello sir, you probably don't know me, but my name is Danny. We kinda met before when I bumped into you at your company." He smiled though I could tell it was fake, after years of faking happiness myself. I knew a fake smile from a mile away. "Right, your Tseg's little friend, correct?" Irritation couldn't even be used as the word for what I felt in that moment, I wanted him to see me. "Technically, that's how we met, though I just wanted to say something t-to you. Please." I stood up drawing attention to myself truly not what I needed right now, but I had to tell him before anything else happened. My anxiety was through the roof, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die right then and there standing under his intimidating stare. I had to do this, though. He was the first person I felt genuine feelings for, and I didn't even know him personally. The effect he had on me was outrageous.

"I wanted to go out with you. I want to get to know you, and I know I'm not korean, and your parents may have an issue with that, but I mean Nationality vise I am. Everyone thinks I'm just this spoiled rich assshole, but i im not, and i want to show you that there is more to me than my money or parents' money. I have korean parents, so that counts, I'm well accounted for, and I have seen you before, and you're all I think about no matter what. I try to get my mind off of you, and my brain proceeds to show different connections to you. And if you p-plan to reject me, just sit here and silence, and I won't ever bother you again. Well, I hope so, I can try." He was astonished but my speech. Everyone had turned their attention towards us and started clapping. I hadn't even noticed at first. I couldn't handle rejection, especially not by him. I wanted to be with him, breathe in his scent, and help him with anything. Live a life with him. Silence was what I got, and I took the message. I had embarrassed him and myself.

Suddenly, walking out, trying to hold back tears, I was 5 years old me again. I'm sitting at my dance recital waiting for my mommy. She promised she would come today since I told her how much this meant to me. Sitting there for the next 4 hours in nothing but silence was the worst feeling a child could feel. The competition was over, I didn't even dance, missing a chance to get picked for a major academy. I saw dad pull up. Why did she hate me so much. "Honey, you didn't tell me you had a competition today, and I found the scouts there as well. I would've shown up, baby." I stared at him. I was a daddy's girl simply because my mother broke my heart before I could ever feel love from her. "I didn't tell you because I told Mommy. I wanted her to come watch me this time. To surprise her with my skills." Just glancing at him, I knew that look, the look of a father who was afraid to break their already broken child. I snapped out of it when I felt someone shaking my shoulders. Looking up, it was him. "I've been calling you for 20 minutes. You almost got hit by that truck. Are you even paying attention?" I stared at him, I didn't know what to say, would he care enough to hear. "You ran out before I could say anything. Scared? You're very pretty. And bold. I've never had someone confess their love for me in a public area at that. I admire that, while I don't really know you, I would like to get to know you. Experience something."

I was so happy at that moment that I completely ignored the world around me. I jumped onto him. He was startled at first but caught me with ease. I leaned back and cupped his face, pecking his cheek, and for that first time, I saw a genuine smile. A real surprise for me, I enjoyed it. "You look beautiful when you smile, like a hidden jem only made for the luckiest humans to gaze at." He stared at me, blushing. From that moment, we slowly got to know each other, getting closer day and night. Developing an unbreakable bond. I didn't care he was a so-called criminal. When I was with him, none of that mattered. I never asked about his business, letting him know if he wanted to tell me he could. I kept this from my family, I knew they would never approve of what we had, especially my mother. She didn't give a shit about me, but in a situation like this, she saw him as an enemy.

We sat at a Korean BBQ shop. It was simply nice to spend time at a place with no worries. "I could've taken you someone nicer, you know." I placed some meat on the grill what grabbing a piece and putting it in front of his mouth. He smiled and opened his mouth to eat it. "Is it good? And you know I don't care about expensive restaurants. I've been to enough in my lifetime. I just want to be with you. To be honest, you could've gotten fried chicken and took to me the beach to eat. It's the thought that counts, babe." He smiled at me, I smiled back until I realized the petname I gave him immediately going to apologize. "It's fine, I actually like it. Babe." Blushing, I gave him more meat. We talked about our days, he was stressed and I wanted to help. Thought he said I shouldn't stress myself. We finished eating and literally had a full-on battle over who would pay the bill. I won, "Maybe I'll let you pay next time." He laughed, grabbing my hand and walking out of the shop. While pda was no foreign concept to me, it still made me feel like it was the first interaction between us each time it happened. "Come home with me, please." I stared at him in shock. He had never asked me this. I had no experience in relationships, but usually, that leads to other things. I didn't know what was gonna happen, but I trusted him.

We showed up to his home. He told me to wash up for the night. I happily got in the shower to think I was happy. A foreign feeling. My shower lasted well over 30 minutes, I looked down and saw a towel and a button-up shirt. Luckily, I always kept a spare thong with me. Putting on the clothes, I walked out of the bathroom to find him already washed up and laying in bed. A blue robe and pajama pants on while he was on the phone. I walked out of the room to got place my clothes in the hamper, then grabbed a glass of water. I was drinking it while examining the home I had never been inside. Eventually, I walked back towards the room where he was done with his phone call. And looked up with a dropped jaw. I smiled at his antics. "You're still so pretty. With and without the makeup. Come here." Walking slowly towards his bed, he gestured for me to move closer. I crawled to him, and apparently, it wasn't close enough because he picked me up and placed me on his lap while holding my hips. I felt nervous. He noticed squeezing my hips with his larm hands.

I grabbed one of his hands, placing them in mine. Comparing the size and then kissing his palms, I looked up at him to see a bright smile. "I'm not tired yet." I told him it usually took me a while to go to sleep. I was just always up. He nodded and pulled me closer in a hug. Affection from si-o was always the best. I could tell he wasn't the most affectionate person, so I didn't push him. Though I craved his touch, I craved everything about him. Looking out the window, I saw the stars. "This reminds me of when my mom took me and my siblings camping once. It was weird, though it was fun." I continued to look at the stars until he spoke up. "You don't talk about your mother much. Actually, you don't talk about her at all. For a second, I thought she had passed." I was shocked by the thought of my mothers absence. Sure, I never spoke about her because there weren't any good memories, to be honest. "It's fine if you don't want to speak about it." I looked at his face full of concern he was so patient with me, but I wanted him to know and trust me like I did him. "It's ok, it's just.....there isn't much to talk about, you know. She was there but not there. She was always focused on my older sister. She was the amazing daughter who could do no wrong. And I was simply the girl that lived in her house, or that's what it felt like. Sometimes, it felt like I didn't have a mom to begin with. To think I used to pray to have a mother that would be there for me. Then my sister went missing, and as much as I hate to say it, I was happy, for once I though she would pay attention to me, realizing she had two daughters but it only got worse. I was just there, and I hated myself for the fact that I was happy my sister was gone. I've always been jealous of her she is better in every way. That's so evil of me, but I was so fucking lonely. She is such a good person, and makes friends so easily and everyone likes her but me they look down on me. I'm nothing more then a spoiled bitch using her parents credit card to fill the void."

Before I noticed, I was full on sobbing in front of him. I broke down, secrets I've never told anyone in my life. I was afraid of what the world would think of me. He grabbed my shaking hands, kissing them slowly, whining, moving up to wipe my tears. "Your feelings are normal baby, you went your entire life playing second place because your mother is a terrible mother, no offense. A bit of a bitch you know. No secret there since she is Hwang Geum Joo." Hearing that part made me laugh. Until I sat there shocked he knew of my parent. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." It was all I could say at the moment. He looked at me and pressed against my cheeks, letting me know it was ok. And he underdtood the urge to protect her even if she wanst good to me. Or cared for me, it seems."You are so amazing and kind and beautiful. She isn't better than you at all. I wish you could see the way I see you. You have lightened up my world as a whole. I was nothing but a cold, damaged asshole when I met you, then I realized no matter how my life pushes and kicks your ass its your choice to get back up. To keep going, you taught me that baby. All the drug business and shady stuff I do, you don't judge me at all. Sitting by my side supporting me no matter what I choose to do. When I was an orphan and Pavel took me in, trained me to become the person I am today, hit after hit. Missed meal after another, I prayed for a better life. You have provided that life." Hearing those words, my heart was swelled. I felt nothing but love for the first time someone chose me, loves me. I wasn't an option. I was a need. "I'm so glad you chose me or tseg." Hearing that, he laughing pulling me closer if that was possible. "I never liked tseg baby, she is a worker at my company that'd all. If anything, I had my eyes on you since you walked into the building." Similing in pure joy, I leaped forward, causing a groan to come of his mouth. Scared I hurt him, I tried to get up until he forced my hips back down. It was then I realized I hadn't hurt him. In fact, the moment u felt something hard poking me thigh, I blushed.

"How in the world did you get hard, sir?" He simply smiled at my words, moving me forward to the point where I was sitting directly on top of his hard on. My core pushed further into it slowly until he began grinding me against him. I couldn't help but moan. It all felt too good. "Have you seen my beautiful girlfriend sitting right on top of me in nothing but my shirt? If anything, it was difficult not to." Moans slipped from my mouth before I could let out a sarcastic response. Finally, I said the words I had been so afraid to ever tell anyone. "I love y-you." Hearing this, he sped up my hips against his, leaning in to capture my lips into a kiss. "I love you more, baby." We continued until we were left naked and bare before each other, and all the insecurities, abandonment issues, and pain left my mind. Leaving nothing but si-o. The night was a night to remember.

Stay tuned for chapter 3.

[silverynight]

The Sun hashira

<---Previous

Part VI

It's a little bit different with the last two, especially Muichiro. That one gets his chance to have a date with Tanjirou because, as Michikatsu mentioned, he reminds him of them when they were younger.

"It's weird, but I cannot bring myself to dislike that hashira," Michikatsu says as he slightly narrows his eyes at his own words.

Yoriichi is a little bit more strict when it comes to letting people near his little sunshine (yes, he knows Tanjirou is not that little anymore, but he can't help but see his son like that).

"Besides, I like when he's torturing the younger slayers with his crazy training," Michikatsu chuckles and Yoriichi can't even hold back a smile at that.

They're not cruel, but they have caught those slayers ogling at Tanjirou more than once and Yoriichi has disliked them ever since.

So Muichiro gets an opportunity without much effort on his part.

Shinobu is also incredibly skilled, as all of them are, even though Yoriichi finds it difficult to admit it

However, it's not exactly a test what gives her the opportunity to pay a visit to Tanjirou; it's the way she basically brings a couple of slayers back to life after a mission goes wrong.

She's terrifying towards demons, but very helpful and kind when it comes to tending and taking care of injured slayers.

Reluctantly, Michikatsu and Yoriichi give her the opportunity to see Tanjirou and the Sun hashira swears Ubuyashiki smiles with triumph when he hears them speaking to her about that.

"You have been on their side this whole time, haven't you?" Yoriichi asks Ubuyashiki one day and to his surprise, he sees him nod with a kind smile on his face.

"They are good people and after all they have done, I think they deserve some happiness," Ubuyashiki says simply, but in a way that makes it impossible for Yoriichi to argue with him.

"I... suppose you're right. But I still don't approve of them completely."

***

Kocho is kind and likes to spend Tanjirou in a peaceful silence; although he can smell sadness and anger in her despite seeing her smiling all the time.

He gently asks her about that and notices the surprise on her features when Tanjirou says it out loud.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," the redhead blurts out almost immediately, scolding himself for asking such a personal question. "I'm so–"

"No," Kocho cuts him off and this time the smile on her face is completely genuine. "It's fine. I want to tell you about her."

Tanjirou blinks in confusion for a moment, but gets a little bit distracted and flustered when the insect hashira takes one of his hands and kisses the back of it.

"My sister was like you. She had a kind heart too."

As Kocho starts telling him about his sister and how she died, Tanjirou gets closer to her and intertwines their fingers together; he knows about loss too and how hard it is to talk about a sibling who's not there anymore.

Eventually, Tanjirou pulls her into a hug and she stays in his arms for a while, nuzzling against his cheek. She sighs, relaxing a little bit in his embrace.

"Thank you, Tanjirou," she says. "I really appreciate this. I hope you allow me to come see you again. I'd like to spend more time with you."

"Of course!" Tanjirou beams. "I'd love that!"

With a chuckle, Kocho leans closer as her cheeks turn slightly pink before she gives Tanjirou a kiss on the cheek.

He can't believe almost all the Pillars are his friends now; he wishes he could see Tokito soon too.

***

"Alright, I'm starting to regret giving him a chance," Michikatsu tells his brother as they see how Muichiro shamelessly wraps himself around Tanjirou.

Yoriichi grimaces at the adoration he sees on Muichiro's face; it's so obvious he still can't believe Tanjirou hasn't noticed it yet.

The Sun hashira takes a deep breath and pinches the bridge of his nose as Muichiro starts batting his eyelashes at Tanjirou like his life depends on it. If he's being honest, he hadn't expected the mist hashira to be the most flirty one of them all.

He's even more insistent than Tengen, which is saying a lot.

They have promised not to interrupt, but they walk by every now and then just to make sure Muichiro isn't getting too handsy.

Tanjirou seems to be having a good time; the Pillar makes him smile and even laugh a couple of times as he speaks and makes hand gestures to explain something to the redhead.

Yoriichi even catches himself smiling when he realizes Nezuko has gotten out of her box, looking at Muichiro and mimicking the way he tilts his head to the side.

Even though she's not that enthusiastic like when Mitsuri was around, Yoriichi's knows she kinda likes Muichiro too.

Which means she won't oppose to him visiting Tanjirou again.

***

After the first "dates" they keep coming because Tanjirou wants to see them all again; sometimes they come together because, much to the twins' confusion and irritation, the Pillars are more than willing to share if it means they all get to be with Tanjirou.

"This is some sort of nightmare or punishment, it has to be," Michikatsu tells his brother a couple of weeks later as they both watch helplessly how the hashira start earing Rui and Nezuko's trust.

However, no matter how hard it's for Yoriichi to admit, Ubuyashiki is right: they all are good people and worship the ground Tanjirou steps on.

Reluctantly, he starts acting less grumpy whenever they're in the sun estate, especially after Tanjirou gets sick and Shinobu comes to take care of him herself and Kyojuro goes on the mission that was assigned to Tanjirou.

Yoriichi is not very fond of letting his son go on missions, but after all the training he's received from Michikatsu and himself, it's very difficult to stop him from helping the Corps.

Then he and even his brother start feeling almost relieved knowing they take turns to go with Tanjirou on his missions after the first time he returned badly injured.

Yoriichi even talks to Gyomei once and thanks him for saving Tanjirou from a powerful upper moon; the stone hashira didn't even hesitate to jump in front of the demon in order to protect the redhead or at least that's what Tanjirou's crow told him that day.

He must admit that there are benefits to Tanjirou having the nine most powerful swordsmen as suitors; Giyuu has even taken upon himself to get as much upper moon blood as he can so he can send it to Lady Tamayo and find a cure for Rui and Nezuko.

Even Tengen and Sanemi are not that bad, although Yoriichi always keeps an eye on the Uzui family whenever they pay a visit to Tanjirou because he doesn't trust any of them to keep their hands to themselves.

"Why does that girl have to be so likable?" Michikatsu complains, looking at the love hashira braiding Nezuko's hair for the second time that day. "She even makes it difficult for me to dislike her serpent boyfriend."

"I think it's time, Michikatsu," Yoriichi takes a deep breath and tries not to roll his eyes when he sees his brother shaking his head stubbornly.

They have to admit defeat, even though they are not used to it.

***

Yoriichi talks to them during a hashira meeting; he can see Ubuyashiki smiling even though he hasn't said anything yet. It's like he knows what he's about to say; he wonders often if this was all part of his plan.

"You can keep courting my son if you want," he finally says after a long pause.

Mitsuri claps and squeaks in delight, and Yoriichi can even see everyone's eyes glimmering with hope; Gyomei nods.

"Thank you. We'll do our best to make him happy."

"But if you hurt him..." Yoriichi warns with a growl because he can't help himself; Tanjirou is his precious son. Although he doesn't think they need more words to know exactly what he means.

However, Michikatsu finishes the sentence for him anyway.

"We'll skin you alive."

None of them laugh because they all know he means it.

"But," and this time Yoriichi allows himself to grin. "We're not going to help you court him."

Most of them look at him like they don't need any help, but the smile doesn't vanish from his lips because he knows his Tanjirou very well.

Next to him, Michikatsu snorts mischievously.

"Our Tanjirou is extremely oblivious; he still thinks you all are his friends so good luck with that." Michikatsu says and Yoriichi can't hold back a satisfied smile as he notices some surprised and worried expressions in front of him.

Yes, they have permission to court Tanjirou now, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy for them.

***

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[poisonlove]

Miss Ortega | j.o

Par 11

They had just finished the Christmas vacation, and the next day we had to go back to school.

Overall, I had spent a wonderful Christmas vacation.

We celebrated Christmas with laughter and jokes, exchanging gifts. Jenna gave me a necklace, Natalie and Edward gave me a pair of quite expensive shoes, and Isaac gifted me a perfume. The latter flirted with me almost every day, and his family playfully teased him about my rejections. Jenna, clearly jealous, seized any opportunity to give him gentle taps on the back of his head, earning her older brother's indignant glares. On New Year's Eve, we set off fireworks, and unnoticed by the rest of the family, Jenna and I welcomed the new year with a passionate kiss in the kitchen.

Jenna's sisters had formed a connection with me, and whenever I could, I took them shopping around our city. Although I missed my family in Italy, during these two and a half weeks at Jenna's house, I can say it was a very satisfying vacation.

It was a calm morning when I woke up still wrapped in sleep. Jenna, my teacher, was sleeping peacefully beside me. However, the persistent sound of the phone disrupted the room's tranquility. Still groggy, I tried to ignore the calls, but after the fifth ring, I decided to answer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jenna's hand move towards my side of the bed, feeling for my body on the mattress. Jenna mumbled in her sleep and loosely held my hand, absentmindedly kissing the back of my hand.

"Hello...?" My voice sounded sleepy.

"There's something you need to know! It's urgent!" The voice on the other end of the phone was broken, conveying sadness.

"Enid? What's going on? Why are you calling so early?" I asked, concerned and slightly tired.

"I had a big fight with Ajax last night. I'm desperate and I need your help. Can I come to your house?" Enid asked, sobbing.

"Oh, Enid, I'm so sorry to hear that you fought," I looked panic-stricken at Jenna, who began to stir along my body, resting her head on my chest. "Maybe it's better if I come to your house," I quickly muttered and then hung up the call.

Upon hearing a voice in the background, Jenna slowly woke up and noticed the turmoil of her... girlfriend?

"What's going on, sweetheart? Who was on the phone?" Jenna asked, yawning and snuggling closer to my body.

"It was Enid. She had a big argument with her boyfriend and needs my help," I admitted, placing the phone on the nightstand.

"Poor Enid. I hope things get sorted out. How can I help?" Jenna's question is genuine, but she can't do much as she's my teacher.

"Thanks, Jen. For now, I'd like you to stay here with your family. I'll go see Enid to cheer her up and understand what happened. I'll keep you informed about how things are going," I lean over to Jenna quickly and press our lips in a sweet kiss.

Jenna nods, understanding that I need to be there for Enid at that moment, and she prepares to stay home while her student heads to Enid's place to offer support.

I get out of bed, quickly get ready, and head to Enid's house, ready to listen, comfort, and uplift her spirits during this difficult time.

(...)

I arrive at Enid's house, and when the blonde opens the door, I find her visibly shaken. I approach her with concern and affection, trying to comfort her.

"Enid, I'm here for you. I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult time. Come on, let me hug you," I wasn't a very affectionate person, but I could make an exception for those who truly mattered to me. Enid, in tears, launches herself into my arms seeking comfort.

"Thank you, t/n... I feel so devastated and confused. I don't know what to do," Enid cries desperately in my embrace.

"I understand that everything might seem overwhelming right now, but remember you have people who love you and are here for you. You're not alone in this," I stroke Enid's head and then kiss her on the neck. "Even Xavier," I smile, and Enid chuckles against my chest.

"It's just that... we had such a terrible fight... he... he was jealous and didn't understand why... I don't know if we can fix things," Enid sobs, visibly distraught.

"Relationships can be complicated, Enid, and fights are part of the journey. But remember, one fight doesn't define a relationship completely. Both of you are involved and need space to reflect and calm down. Communication and trying to understand each other are important," I'm a bit surprised by the words I've said; I sound wise.

"Yes, you're right. But I'm so afraid of losing him. I don't want the relationship to end," Enid trembles slightly.

"I understand your fear, Enid. Relationships require commitment and sacrifice from both sides. If there's love and sincerity, there's always a chance to overcome obstacles. Don't lose hope. I'll be here for you, no matter what you decide," wow, I'm really outdoing myself today.

"Thank you, t/n. I'm so grateful to have you as a friend. I feel a bit better having someone to share all this with," Enid kisses my cheek, and I look at her smiling. I almost feel guilty for hiding my relationship with Jenna from her.

"I'm here for you, Enid. Don't hesitate to call me or reach out whenever you need to. We've faced many challenges together, and we'll overcome this too," I admit, embracing the girl again.

I continue to hold Enid, providing support and a listening ear. The two of us support each other as we try to find a solution to resolve the blonde's problem.

"Do you want me to stay with you and watch a romantic movie? Maybe eat some ice cream?" I suggest with a smile. Enid shakes her head slowly, blowing her nose with a tissue.

"You know I adore you, but I need to be alone..." Enid looks at me through her long lashes, bloodshot blue eyes.

"I understand... anything... just call me..." I admit and, taking a glance at Enid, I leave her house feeling sad about the situation.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and when I see who the message is from, I pale.

It was Olivia.

***

While on my way back from Enid's house with the intention of meeting up with Jenna, I received a call from Olivia. Initially, I ignored the message from the girl, unsure of how to exactly handle the situation.

Surprised yet pleased, I answered the phone.

"Hello, Olivia! I just left Enid's house. How are you?" I asked, looking both ways down the street before crossing at the pedestrian crossing.

"Hi, t/n! I finally tracked you down. You know, I missed you a lot during the Christmas break. I was hoping for at least a message from you," Olivia's sweet voice sounded through my phone, making me feel guilty.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Olivia. I was so busy with the holiday events that I completely forgot to get in touch. Can you forgive me?" I bite my lower lip.

"I'm slightly offended, I must admit. It's not nice to hear that you were too busy to remember me," Olivia chuckles softly, making it clear she's only half-joking.

"I genuinely apologize, Olivia. I didn't mean to hurt you... you were always in my thoughts, you know? But I made a mistake by not communicating with you," I admit.

Honestly, I missed Olivia Rodrigo. She always managed to make me smile and was truly great company.

"I was hoping for a bit of attention from you. I hope you understand how I feel," Olivia murmurs softly, avoiding being overheard by her family.

"Absolutely, Liv. I'm really sorry. Our friendship is important to me, and I'll do my best to make it up."

Olivia fell silent for a moment, probably disappointed that I had referred to her as a "friend" without considering her feelings and how important she was to her.

"Oh... friendship..." Olivia's tone shows her disappointment, and I almost scold myself for being insensitive.

Olivia, aware that things between t/n and the mysterious girl had gone well, decided to put aside her disappointment and not complicate the situation further. Though she felt bad, she knew she couldn't force someone to be with her.

"I'm sorry, Liv... I...," I start with difficulty, not exactly sure what to say. I had managed to take my relationship with Jenna to another level, but I had no intention of revealing that I was with the teacher, although I wasn't exactly sure what we were.

"Don't worry... I understand... you told me a while ago that if things went well with the other girl, you'd take the opportunity," Liv admits, her voice a bit low. I could hear Olivia's heart breaking into a million pieces, and I hated being the cause.

"Besides, I wanted to tell you that I'm considering giving Dove a chance, the blonde girl I met at the dance. She seems like an interesting person," I smile upon hearing the wonderful news.

Dove Cameron is a girl with delicate features and charming looks. She has a fair complexion, vibrant blue-green eyes, and blonde hair, often styled elegantly or with natural waves. Her figure is slender and well-proportioned, with a height of around 5'3" (1.60 meters). The girl is known for her energetic and cheerful personality. She's often described as outgoing, friendly, and sociable.

"I understand. It seems the holiday dance brought interesting discoveries for both of us. I hope things go well for you and Dove," I confide with a teasing tone. Olivia bursts into hearty laughter, and I follow suit.

"Is it t/n?" the distant voice of someone I recognize as Emma reaches my ears. I hear Olivia's confirmation, and with a smile, I listen to the sweet interaction.

"Anyway... see you tomorrow, right? Maybe we can go get some coffee," the Asian-origin girl quickly adds, covering the microphone, almost hiding the sound of her voice. "And my mom misses you," she admits.

"I'll see her soon, don't worry," I chuckle softly.

In the distance, I see Jenna's house and smile as I spot one of her sisters in the garden. I furrow my brow in confusion as I see the rest of the family coming out with suitcases.

"We'll see you soon. Goodbye," Olivia says.

"Goodbye, Olivia. Take care," I end the call and quickly walk toward Jenna and her family.

"Hey... are you leaving already?" I ask with disappointment, looking at the sad faces of her family. Isaac walks in my direction and hugs me, catching me off guard. "We'll talk soon, you owe me a coffee," Isaac murmurs between my hair before breaking the hug. I see Jenna roll her eyes slightly annoyed before walking toward her car and opening the trunk.

"Yeah... we're going to miss you a lot," Aliyah and Mia hug me, and with a lump in my throat, I return the embrace, resting my head in the crook of the latter's neck.

"Will we see each other, right? I'll call you from time to time," Aliyah adds, breaking the hug. Mia continues to keep her arms around my waist. I look at Aliyah with a smiling nod several times.

Aliyah had very similar facial features to Jenna. On that day, she was wearing ripped jeans and a black hoodie, her brown hair gracefully falling over her shoulders.

"Of course... if I can, I'll come visit you this summer," I admit with a smile, not wanting to give false hope to those present.

"Will you come with us to the airport?" Natalie absentmindedly asks, and I nod in response to her request. The least I could do was bid them a proper farewell.

I'll miss Jenna's family a lot, and especially being in their house.

(...)

Olivia and I were in the cafe near Nevermore, looking forward to spending some time together before classes started.

"Ah, we finally returned to school after the Christmas break! What do you say, Olivia? Are you ready to get back to books and classes?" I ask Olivia with a smile as she savors her cappuccino. She rolls her eyes at my comment but looks at me with a smile on her lips.

"The holidays were nice, but if I have to be honest, I missed the school atmosphere and seeing my friends. I'm ready to tackle a new period of studying and having fun," Olivia admits, surprising me with her excitement about studying.

"Yes, you're right. Our laughter and camaraderie at school are priceless. I hope this new beginning is special and filled with unforgettable moments," I recall with a smile the times we spent together in science class, where we often got reprimanded.

"Me too! We have a lot of things to share, as always. And the holiday season has given us the chance to have new experiences. Did you do anything particularly exciting during the holidays?" I bite my lower lip as Jenna comes to mind and nod with a smile.

"Well, I had a nice holiday... I enjoyed some free time and went for a few walks around the area," I admit, telling a half-truth. In reality, I went on many walks with Jenna's siblings.

"Chill, I appreciated some time with my family and relaxed. It's important to recharge before heading back to school," Olivia finishes her cappuccino and takes a bite of her brioche.

"Liv, how about we raise a toast to this new beginning?" I lift my brioche and bring it close to hers, wanting to make a kind of toast.

"For our friendship and a fantastic return to school!" Olivia presses her half-bitten brioche against mine, and we toast amid laughter.

The store's bell rings, announcing someone's entrance.

I smile as Enid approaches and return her hug warmly. While I know Enid is going through a tough time due to the situation with Ajax, I decide not to bring up the topic directly so as not to make my friend uncomfortable. Instead, I'll focus on being present for Enid and spending time together as best friends.

"Enid, even though we saw each other yesterday, it's great to see you," I exclaim, trying to infuse joy into our encounter. "I've missed you so much. How are you?"

Enid feels the warmth of the hug and is slightly moved, recognizing t/n's intention to be a positive presence in her life. She tries to smile despite the lingering sadness.

"Oh t/n, I've missed you too," Enid responds sincerely. "I'm trying to move forward, but it's still tough. I'm grateful to have you as a friend. How have things been for you?"

I realize that Enid is trying to distract herself from her troubles, and I decide to respond positively, avoiding mentioning Ajax or other topics that might stir up negative feelings in her.

"Things have been pretty good for me, Enid. I had a nice holiday, and as you can see, I was just talking to Olivia," I look at Olivia with a smile.

T/n's words reassure Enid and remind her that she still has people who care about her. Her friend's hug and support are a soothing balm for Enid, who feels fortunate to have a best friend like t/n. We continue to talk, avoiding delicate topics but sharing joys and hopes for the future. I commit to being a positive presence and helping Enid through her period of sadness, even though it will take time.

Just as we enter the school, Olivia greets Enid and me with a wave and explains that she has to go to another class. We respond with a smile and wave back to Olivia as she continues on her way. Then we continue walking through the hallways.

My heart pounds in my chest as Professor Ortega walks past us. A shy smile forms on the teacher's face, and I can't help but feel a palpable attraction between us. Aware that I must hide my true feelings toward Professor Ortega, I try to maintain a neutral expression on my face, doing my best not to reveal my emotions.

As Professor Ortega enters the classroom completely, I suppress the urge to approach her and kiss her. I'm aware that it's important to maintain appropriate behavior at school and that our love must remain a secret.

Enid notices the subtle change in my demeanor. Recognizing that there might be more behind my behavior, she decides to ask. In a quick move, she takes my arm, preventing me from entering the classroom.

"Are you okay?" Enid asks me with concern. I try to disguise my response with a tense smile. "Yes, everything's fine. I'm just a bit tired today."

Enid doesn't seem entirely convinced by my answer but chooses not to delve further into the topic. She respects my desire for privacy and simply offers her support.

"Well, if you need to talk about anything, you know I'm here for you, right?" Enid says kindly. I nod, recognizing Enid's attentiveness and understanding.

"Thanks, Enid. I really appreciate it."

I'm faced with a difficult choice. On one hand, I feel the desire to share my secret with Enid, my best friend, to find comfort and support. On the other hand, concerns about the potential consequences of revealing the secret lead me to carefully consider the situation.

My relationship with Professor Ortega is sensitive information and could have negative consequences for both of us. There's a risk of getting into trouble, endangering my reputation, and jeopardizing Jenna's career.

After a moment of hesitation and deep thought, I decide not to tell Enid anything for now. I feel it's a prudent choice, at least until I've had a chance to better assess the situation and its implications. My secret is an emotionally heavy burden to bear alone, but for now, I choose to protect both myself and Jenna by maintaining confidentiality. I hope that over time, I can find the right opportunity to address the issue with Enid or eventually with other trusted individuals.

The decision isn't an easy one to make, but I reflect on my concern for the well-being of all involved parties. In the meantime, I'll strive to confront my feelings and the challenges related to my relationship with Professor Ortega on my own, attempting to strike a balance between my personal life and my school career.

We enter the classroom, and I take a seat in front of the desk, looking directly at Jenna. Jenna gives me a shy smile, and I return the gesture.

"Good morning," my eyes travel over Jenna's form, and she gives me a reproachful look. From the corner of my eye, I notice Enid positioning her book on the desk.

"Good morning," Jenna replies.

Jenna, Professor Ortega, realizes that our secret relationship is causing some frustration for both of us. Although she feels a strong attachment and a desire to openly express her feelings for me, she understands the need for caution to preserve our careers and avoid scandals.

As Jenna prepares to welcome her students to class, she experiences a sense of sadness and longing to freely share her happiness with me. However, she understands that we must be patient and manage our relationship discreetly for the benefit of both.

Jenna commits to focusing on her role as a teacher, striving to give her best to the students despite the turmoil of her personal emotions. She hopes that time will bring about changes and opportunities to openly live our love, but in the meantime, she works to maintain her professionalism and respect the rules governing her work environment.

Jenna's frustration is palpable, but she shares this challenge with me, and we mutually support each other in our decision to keep our relationship a secret for now.

Her eyes look at me mischievously, and she curses the unfortunate timing of getting completely soaked.

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