#tiger robe

[substituted-shinigami]

Tiger Robe

AO3

Characters: Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo (implied RenRuki), with a guest appearance of the Advance Team peanut gallery

Rating: G

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship

Chapter Summary: While shopping with Ichigo in the World of the Living, Rukia finds a tiger print robe that reminds her of someone from her past. (Starts out in the Soul Society Arc, but then jumps around a couple of times, Author’s Note after the story)

Part of the "We Can't All Be Winners" anthology series of oneshots.

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“Okay, we're here,” Kurosaki Ichigo began as they entered the clothing store, “The women’s section is in the back. If you need clothes, I don’t mind buying you a set or two, so can you just please stop stealing Yuzu’s?!? She’s starting to get suspicious…” But Rukia wasn't listening to him. Instead, she was looking around the store, completely enthralled.

“Woah! This is incredible!” Rukia replied with wonder, as her wide eyes flitted from one brightly colored clothing display to the next, “And you can afford such garments on your allowance alone?” Ichigo raised an eyebrow at her in response.

“Yeah…? It’s just a cheap department store, Rukia.”

“Incredible…” she muttered to herself again as she continued to look around the huge, lively store with a mixture of awe and nervousness. Several people passed them by, chatting as they filed in or out of the entrance, and loud music played on the speakers overhead.

This is nothing like the open markets that sold only rags in Inuzuri, she thought, And once I got adopted by the Kuchiki Clan, the tailors came to me. I don’t think I’ve been to anything even resembling a regular clothing store since the Academy. There is too much choice! What should I…?

Rukia could feel Ichigo’s concerned eyes on the back of her neck. Quickly, she stood up straighter, and turned towards him.

“You said, I could get whatever I wanted, right?!” she asked with a devilish grin. Ichigo sighed heavily as if he was immediately regretting both this decision and his entire existence. He scratched the back of his head.

“Within reason! I’m not rich, you know," he scowled, "You can get one everyday outfit and one sleepwear, that’s it!” With that, he set off across the store.

“Ah! You're so stingy, Ichigo!” Rukia teased as she followed after him.

“Keep talking smack, and I’ll make you shop in the children’s section!”

“I might anyway,” Rukia mused, as they passed by a pair of child’s pajamas with bunnies on them, “children’s clothes have nicer prints.”

“Whatever,” Ichigo replied, “Wear what you want when you sleep, but when you are out and about, try to wear typical 'teen clothes'. Otherwise people might get the wrong idea when we are walking together.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rukia dismissed with a wave of her hand. As they continued walking along on their way to the back of the store, passing from the children's section into the men's, Rukia’s eyes were caught by a brightly colored robe. Turning towards it, she felt taken aback when she beheld the largest, tackiest tiger print bathrobe she had ever seen. Suddenly, she felt like she was thrown back over forty years…

_______________________________

“Oi, Rukia! Look at that!” Renji shouted to her while staring at a stall in Southern Rukongai. Rukia stopped mid run and turned around. They had finally made it all the way to the fifth district, but still had a ways to go.

“What is it, Renji? We've gotta get going if we are going to make it to the Shin'ō Academy by the day of the entrance ceremony!”

“I know, I know! Just come look at this real quick!” Renji replied enthusiastically while waving her over. Rukia sighed, but ultimately relented, and walked over to him.

“What? That tacky tiger print yukata?” She asked while crossing her arms. Renji immediately spun on her.

“It’s not tacky! Tiger’s are cool!” he defended. He turned back towards the robe, a twinkle in his eyes, “They are strong and powerful! And when we become strong and powerful shinigami and get paid good money to beat up a bunch of hollows, I’m going to buy a ton of “tacky tiger yukata”, so you better watch out!” Renji turned and tried to give her a smug smirk, but his smile was too big, too goofy, too…genuine. Rukia quickly turned away, a mixture of emotions tumbling within her.

“Psh, yeah, whatever, dork… Come on, let's get going. If we're late, and get thrown out, you'll have a real tiger to deal with!” She said as she began to march down the road again. Renji took one last look back at the robe before jogging to catch up with her.

"Yeah, alright, alright. I'm coming, Miss Tiger."

________________________________

“Oi! Rukia!”

Rukia hadn’t even realized she had stopped until she heard Ichigo shouting her name. She immediately spun on him.

“What?!” she snapped back.

“You stopped in the middle of the aisle! What’s so dang interesting that you hadn’t heard me call you three times?!” Ichigo asked. He looked up at the tiger robe and then back down at her questioningly, “Not exactly your size, is it?”

“Whatever! It’s tacky anyway!” Rukia snapped, and marched off towards the women’s section. Ichigo scratched the back of his head, shrugged, and followed after her.

__________________________________

  “Now listen up, all of you, this is a World of the Living store!” Vice Captain and Advance Team Leader Abarai Renji proclaimed professionally as they entered the building. He turned around towards the group of shinigami in gigai following him and continued, “You may each pick out a few outfits to use while here. You know your budget, so please stick with it!” he finished, giving Matsumoto Rangiku a pointed look.

“Why are you looking at me? You should look at Yumichika! He’s way worse!” she whined dramatically. Renji sighed. Matusumoto was reliable in battle, but when it came to budgets? Less so.

“Yumichika has Ikkaku to keep him on budget,” Renji countered.

“Yeah, and he listens to him on these matters about as much as I listen to my captain,” Matusmoto muttered.

“Hey!” Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro yelled.

“Normally, I would argue with her, but she’s right on that point,” Ayasegawa Yumichika said with a flick of his hair, “Although, I do tend to spend more money on make-up than I do on clothing.”

“It’s true,” Madarame Ikkaku agreed, “He’s found us some really nice eyeliner over the years, hasn’t he, Renji?”

Renji was rubbing his temples by this point. He greatly respected his mentors from the Eleventh, but sometimes he wished he didn’t always have to be the adult in these situations, “There is no make-up budget, only a clothing budget.”

“What?! That’s absurd!” Yumichika lamented loudly.

“How am I supposed to dress like the women of the World of the Living without make-up?!” Matsumoto complained.

“Fine! Whatever! Get what you want! Just stay on budget! Now go!” And with that, the groups split off, Yumichika and Ikkaku in one direction and Matsumoto and Hitsugaya in another. Hitsugaya stopped, and turned back towards Renji.

“Don’t worry, Lieutenant Abarai, I’ll keep her on budget.”

“Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya,” Renji replied, a little relieved. Hitusgaya nodded, and went after his lieutenant. Renji sighed and began rubbing his temples again.

“Not easy being a parent, is it?” Rukia teased as she walked up to him.

“No, not at all,” He grumbled in response. Rukia laughed lightly.

“Come on, I’ll show you where the men’s section is. It’s right before the women’s section so it’s on the way anyway,” She replied, strutting off. Renji followed after her.

“Here we are!” Rukia announced once they had arrived, “The everyday wear is here, the socks and underwear are over there, and the sleepwear is-” But she froze the minute her eyes fell upon a familiar looking brightly colored sleeping robe. Renji looked up to see what she was staring at.

“Oh, wow! A tiger robe!” he exclaimed excitedly. Rukia felt a familiar mixture of emotions as she watched him immediately walk right up to it, “This is so cool! How much does it cost, I wonder? Ah…”

“What?” Rukia asked tentatively, “Is…Is it expensive?”

“Yeah… It’s pretty pricey. Makes sense, this material is so amazingly soft! Oh well… I guess it is a little tacky, huh?” He joked half heartedly, as he put back the robe. Rukia stared at him for about half a beat before responding.

“Yeah, it is…but you’re tacky enough to pull it off,” she finished with a smirk. Renji wheeled around and scowled at her.

“Hey!”

“What?” Rukia asked innocently, as she grabbed the largest size robe off the rack, “I said you could pull it off, didn’t I? Anyway, what size are you? Like a gazillion extra large?”

“That’s not even a real number, Rukia, let alone a real size. And no, don’t buy that!”

“Why not? You said we could get whatever we wanted as long as we stayed within our budget, so this qualifies,” Rukia reasoned. Renji threw up his hands in protest.

“If you buy that, you will only have money for one like, one dress!” he exclaimed, “You won’t even have enough for sleepwear!”

“So?” Rukia asked, as she removed the robe from the hanger and began carefully folding it, “I already have some leftover World of the Living clothes I left at Ichigo’s house. I don’t need more than one new dress. Plus, like you said, I can choose to spend my money however I like! And I’ve chosen to buy this very large, very tacky tiger robe. But oh no!” She exclaimed, smacking her forehead dramatically, “What to do? I bought a size too large! I suppose I'll just have to give it away!” She handed Renji the neatly folded up robe.

Renji stared at her wide eyed for a moment, before relaxing and finally taking the offered robe, “Pft. Fine. Whatever. Spend your money however you like…” he finished, smiling a little as he rubbed the back of his neck.

”Thank you, Oh Great Advance Team Leader,” Rukia proclaimed, as she bowed dramatically. She found herself smiling as well, “I certainly will!”

__________________________________

Epilogue

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot!” Ichigo said as he stood before the Senkaimon doors, about to return to the World of the Living once more, “Rukia, could you give this to Renji? Hat-and-Clogs told me to give him this. Apparently he left it at his shop when the captains came and took you guys back to Soul Society during the war. Not this last war, the one before that. You all sure have a lot of those, huh? You should work on that. Anyway, here you go,” He pulled out a rather large, brightly colored, crumpled ball of cloth.

“Hm? O-Oh! Renji’s tiger robe! I thought we would never get it back!” Rukia exclaimed, taking it from him, “Hmph! That candy selling jerk probably used it to do gods know what. I better wash it before I give it back to him tonight. Anyway, thanks, Ichigo!” Ichigo watched Rukia as she carefully smoothed out and then folded up the robe. Suddenly, something clicked.

“W-Wait! Is that why you were acting so weird at the store back then?” Rukia turned to look at him.

“Huh?!”

“Back then, when you were secretly living in my closet, I took you to the store to get you some more clothes, remember? While there you started reminiscing right after you saw that tiger robe!” Ichigo exclaimed. He crossed his arms and looked up in thought, “So Renji had his own, huh? That’s surprising, I didn’t think he had too many World of the Living clothes…”

“He doesn’t, fool! I…uh…bought it for him,” Rukia finished quietly. Ichigo looked at her again. He raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, you did, huh?”

“Y-Yeah! So what?!” Rukia snapped. Ichigo regarded her wordlessly for a while. Eventually, he clasped his hands behind his head and turned towards the Senkaimon.

“Nothing. Anyway, I’ve got to head back. I’ll see you later, Rukia,” Ichigo said, walking towards the doors once more. Rukia blinked.

“Oh. Uh. Okay. See you later, Ichigo.”

Ichigo was about to step through the doors, when he stopped and turned to look at her over his shoulder, “Oh, and uh, don’t forget to invite me to the wedding.” Rukia’s face turned beet red.

“W-What?! Why you-” she shouted. Rukia tried to aim a kick at him, but as usual Ichigo was frustratingly quick, and with a flash, he was gone.

>>>>>>>>>> Author’s Note <<<<<<<<<<<

A/N: Phew! Took awhile to get this one out, but it’s finally here! Originally, I had it scheduled for April, but I’m glad I held onto it longer to edit it more at my leisure. I’ve always had the feeling that despite the fact she refused to talk about it, Rukia still thought about Renji and their past together a lot during their separation (albeit probably sadly and unbidden on her part). Even in the World of the Living, I bet anytime she saw something tiger or pineapple print, she was reminded of her “stupid” redhead with the “stupid” eyebrows! Speaking of tiger print, have you heard of Bleach Gree cards? They are cards of Bleach characters, one of which, of course, includes Renji in a tiger print robe as he’s dressed up as what I think is an oni for new years. Well guess what? If you look through the Rukia set, you can find her dressed up in a matching outfit, tiger print and all! I guess she wasn’t kidding when she said not to make fun of Renji for his tiger print, huh?! xD Anyway, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

[the-monkey-ruler]

If you were given the opportunity to adapt "Journey to the West" into a movie, how would you adapt it? (No necesariamente tiene que ser el libro completo, puede ser un capítulo en particular o lo que quieras).

Oooo I actually thought about this before! It was a while ago but it was so much fun to think! I will say would would do a full-on adaptation with every single arc with every arc counting!

Again I would love it to be 2D with that stretch kind of animation, I think that allowing it to be more stylized would allow designs to be more creative and expressive overall. I would also say to make it more “adult” in that there is blood and death, similar to how Samurai Jack or Lupin the 111 Part 5 is treated with being watched for a younger audience but like in no way is it just for kids either or holds back on the violence.

I would still love it to be a completely character-driven series spanning 14 years, with explored relationships and realistic development. I would still lean into a comedic tone, but still balance serious elements, with the characters treating even the most serious situations with a sense of humor. I would love to see them face challenges and lose the battle not because they are weak but rather because of their lack of cooperation. They start off as dysfunctional and at odds with each other but as the journey continues we see all five pilgrims learn how to work together and become a team. Despite initial disagreements, they eventually come together to overcome their foes, recognizing the importance of relying on each other. Very found family trope which I eat up like candy. Also a like of highlighting quiet moments between scenes, such as cooking and cleaning camp sights, and filler episodes focusing on flashbacks of characters like Bajie, Wujing, and Bailong, who feel depressed and lose their sense of self due to their new positions. I would love to show each season changing cause this is FOURTEEN YEARS and how that could be shown with changing seasons in the background.

Would still love entire character arcs for each character. Bajie once being a Marshall instead becomes a lazy pig on earth and falls into a state of depression and acts on whim, seeking fleeting joy. Throughout his journey, he proves he is a capable fighter and starts caring for others and despite being a jerk, Bajie cares in his own rough way and starts showing that while he isn't perfect he always tries to get better. Wujing, initially soft-spoken and quick to rage, initially avoids speaking due to his fear of being blamed for a single mistake. However, as he sees his brothers' loudness and brashness, he starts to see that he isn't judged for every mistake. He learns that ribbing isn't punishment, and he can relax around new people who are also screw-ups. This experience helps Wujing build self-confidence and stand up for himself without being a doormat to others. BaiLong starts off as a standoff member who doesn't speak much but he is still expressive and aggressive, like in that horse in Tangled. He sees himself as responsible for keeping Sanzang safe and is often in guard dog mode. Despite lacking scales or horns, BaiLong is treated like a brother and the pilgrims provide him with support he never got from his bio family. He is not a trained soldier but he comes to see himself as part of the group as they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

I would like Sanzang to be seen as inexperienced in the real world. He has lived in a monastery his entire life but is sheltered from other kingdoms. Sanzang sees corruption in the palace and is given a sign by Gaunyin to make a real change without politics or face-saving. The story should follow Xuanzang's Pilgrimage, where Sanzang sneaks out of Tang without the Emperor's approval, finding it worth it. But he is arrogant and believes he has everything figured out because he got to the highest level of monk in his kingdom quickly. When he meets his new disciples, he is forced to see how people with different paths of life than him have different points of view and how this challenges his own thinking. He starts to be humbled and starts to learn just as much from his disciples as they learn from him. Would love to explore Sanzang's emotional disconnect from his family trauma, including his father's resurrection and mother's suicide. Despite kidnappings, he becomes more open with his journeymates, demonstrating empathy for the stress of new responsibilities. Also, a physical transformation from his 20s to his 40s would be a concise choice as he would be the only mortal in the group, showcasing his growth and transformation throughout his journey.

But of course, I would have Wukong completely leaning into his ex-warlord persona, characterized by arrogance, cockiness, and a tendency to threaten with violence. He is charming, charismatic, and funniest, giving people a chance to walk away. His expressive and cartoonish reactions showcase his range of emotions. However, Wukong's excess of power harms the environment and people around him, leading Sanzang to push for less violent means. The use of 2D animation would showcase Wukong's creativity and innovation, capturing the audience's imagination and understanding of his power. Wukong's strength is evident in his diverse powers, but he needs to be more considerate and rely on Bajie and Wujing for protection. He learns how to acknowledge them as equals and recognizes that being the strongest person doesn't automatically make him right. In a long-running series, Wukong should gradually come to understand that he has a team and a different brotherhood compared to his past. This would be particularly interesting in the Demon Bull King episode. Wukong realizes he also was kinda sheltered in his own world, as he was surrounded by more yes-men than equals. His past brotherhood allowed him to demonstrate destructive behavior, leading to a spiral of self-sabotage. Wukong focuses on growing empathy for others, a skill that is difficult to learn. He struggles physically, mentally, and emotionally in situations, questioning his decisions. This constant battle with himself is particularly evident during a pilgrimage, where he must become dedicated to his mission and become a deity.

Wukong realizes that his power doesn't make him superior, and he needs humility, also parading Sanzang's own journey. He acknowledges that his teammates, including Bajie, Wujing, Sanzang, and BaiLong, have something to offer, even if it's not immediate strength. He starts to accept his limitations and recognizes that others can do what he can't. He hasn't realized his faults and is starting to rely on others, especially in a new group that sees him as a fellow Pilgrim. This newfound equality allows him to see himself as just like anyone else, trying his best. I would love a focus on the interaction between the five characters to maintain balance. More scenes where the initial gruff attitude changes over time, affecting the entire group or the group as a whole. This approach may seem extreme, but they believe it would be suitable for the show.

BUT AS FOR ARCS

General Yin 寅將軍- 1st Month. The first demon we see against Sanzang, would love to see Sanzang having to see his two guards sacrificing themselves for him and how that guilt carries with him for the rest of the journey. Also maybe adding a connection with Sanzang and a fear of Tigers for late down with Wukong being connected to Tigers and Sanzang being turned into a Tiger

Sanzang found Wukong right after maybe a 2nd Month. Really enjoy the idea that Sanzang chooses to help Wukong without knowing that he is disciple but just cause he trusted Wukong when he said he needed help. A clear sign of his naive nature but also how Wukong relied on that nature to save himself in the first place.

I think they get Bailong much later, maybe in the 4th or 5th month. Would love to see how Wukong and Sanzang interact on their own but also to have Bailong join to showcase Wukong's power. Would also love Sanzang poking a lil fun at Wukong saying that he could defeat dragons but he can't this one.

Jinchi Elder 金池长老 - 6th Month. would love to see how this would highlight Wukong's initial bloodlust and how he chooses to escalate situations to harm others. He didn't have to burn down a whole monetary down but he did because he WANTED to.

Black Wind King 黑風怪 - 6th Month. Same with how Wukong sees another Yao in the same situation as him with the headband and how even someone EXACTLY in the same situation as him and he still thinks Black Wind should die and how this could be a lesson in how he needs to learn to empathize. He was given mercy to try again and how so should other yao as well.

They find Bajie about 8 Months into the journey. I like to think that Wukong and Sanzang had a lot of time to themselves and that the change in the dynamics with Bajie.

Yellow Wind Demon 黃風怪 - 9 Month. This first Wukong ever gets HURT like he is BLIND. He never relied on someone before and now he has to trust Bajie the man he just fought in the last arc. It is kinda a moment he really gets scared and also Bajie shows the first signs that he does care enough not to leave Wukong for dead.

Wujing is picked up around the 11th month, nearly a year into the journey for Wukong and Sanzang but they get him after a huge miscommunication.

Great Zhenyuan Immortal 鎮元大仙 - 1st Year. First group crime together. Kinda Wukong wanted to rebel but also tried to connect with Bajie and Wujing similar to how he did with his brotherhood. He has to see that the dynamics aren't the same and struggle with seeing them as 'equals' rather than 'underlings. Would also love Zhenyaun bringing up his friendship with the Golden Cicida a lot more and how Sanzang feels about his past reincarnations.

White Bone Demon 白骨精 - 1.5 Year. CHANGE IN MORALS. Sanzang rather than fighting for not believe Wukong that White Bone Demon isn't a demon, he is more arguing that she hasn't hurt them and that Wukong shouldn't hurt anyone, human or yao, for what they MIGHT do. And Wukong KNOWS she is about to do something considering that up to this point, Wukong has killed more humans than demons on the journey Sanzang has his doubts. Bajie also acted on this point as more trying to get back at Wukong for the Fake-Gao situation but didn't think this would lead to banishment. Wukong tries and succeeds in resurrecting his home and sees that one of his past sworn brothers the Jaio Demon King sacrificed himself to keep his monkeys safe.

Yellow Robe Demon 黃袍怪 - 1.5 Year. The main change is that the wife does love Yellow Robe but also knows he is in the wrong and wants to go back to her family, also her kids don't die from the 2010 series. A lot of Bajie has to humble himself and see that he can't do this alone either and how Bailong and Wujing are gone. Sanzang is turned into a tiger but also him being hunted by humans. He sees what it's like to not be believed when Yellow Robe changes him and how this affects him greatly on the journey. Would love a reunion with Sanzang acknowledging that he shouldn't have sent Wukong away but he can't give up the idea that one should see the best in people and how he should have seen that in Wukong too.

Golden Horned King 金角大王 and Silver Horned King 銀角大王- 2nd Year. the first time the gang is back together and things are still tense but Wukong trying to lighten the mood while Sanzang trying to have a 'serious talk' all while demons are trying to capture him. Kinda more light-hearted but genuine trying is seen. Kinda like it just increases with how it goes from the Horned Kings, to their Mother, and then to the Great Fox King and it just escalates more and more to parallel how Wukong would rather just keep running from the Talk than sit down and talk to Sanzang until the end.

Lion-Lynx Demon 獅猁怪 - 2.5 Year. The fake Sanzang arc but also Wukong asking the fillet to be used to see who is real. Kinda a big show of trust but also a slow understanding of Sanzang and Wukong in how similar they are in their dedication, and willingness to put themselves in pain for each other. Also Wukong being outed as never eating humans cause he has healing powers and Wujing and Bajie poking fun at him for lying.

Red Boy 紅孩兒 - 3rd Year. Wukong OVERJOYED seeing a connection to his past. He thought that he could be an uncle to Red Boy but became heartbroken when he found out he was never mentioned to the kid and in fact he never heard of Bull King's Brotherhood, like it never existed. Makes Wukong have to reevaluate his past friendships and whether he cares more about them than they care about him. E.I. he was more used for protection than pure friendship. Asks Guanyin to show the kid mercy and Red Boy gets to be friends with Longnu and Muzha. Wukong still wants to have a connection with Red Boy but he more upset that he sees so much in himself in Red Boy, acting like his actions don't have consequences. Also love the Bajie/Wujing saving Wukong scene with Bajie giving him CPR and refusing to think someone like Wukong would die like that.

Black River Demon 鼉龍 - 3.5 Year. BAILONG ARC! I need Bailong fighting his cousin since this was more of a Wujing arc. But just how Bailong's own older brother comes to arrest the Black River Demon and we see how cold his family treats Bailong, pretending he is not even there, and how the pilgrims make an effort to show how they appreciate Bailong like his bio family never could. I would like to think Wujing conforming to him as this was originally more his arc since he was fighting underwater but more Wujing stepping up as the brother that Bailong never had.

Tiger Strength Great Immortal 虎力大仙, Elk Strength Great Immortal 鹿力大仙, and Antelope Strength Great Immortal 羊力大仙 - 4th Year. MY FAVORITE arc. Pure comedy just Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing coming together for the first time to bully/heckle another group of three together. Nothing brings people together like a common enemy and these three make sure to win every challenge with over-the-top enthusiasm. Makes Sanzang learn how to unwind a bit and come to laugh along with the hijinks. But really just need these three to have a great time committing crimes and Sanzang being non the wiser like "my pilgrims would never." Oh they would.

Spiritual Touch 靈感大王 - 4.5 Year. A more quiet episode of Sanzang seeing a village with his family name, maybe a Sanzang flashback to his mother's death and how he couldn't connect with his father. Sanzang wanted a family so bad but even when he got them back he couldn't make up for years of growing up without them and that he feel more close with Fa Ming as his caretaker. Also, Bajie trying to help with his perfect joke "Sink To The Bottom" and how he used to be a Water god. This would be a great time to have a flashback to Bajie's human past and he misses being a deity and how useless he feels in his new body. Heavy on the backstory and less on the demon.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King 獨角兕大王 - 5th Year. Bajie THOUGHT he was HELPING cause Sanzang was freezing by leaving the circle. I would love to see Wukong REALLY struggling as he loses to this guy at least five times, almost having a mental breakdown cause he even loses entire armies, heavenly armies that trusted him, and how he flashbacks to losing his monkeys against heaven. Takes a lot out of him and in the end he sees it is that the Rhino King does have the SAME weapon the Diamon snare that defeated him in the first place.

Ruler of Women's Country 女兒國國王 and Scorpion Demon 蠍子精 - 5.5 Year. I am not a fan of this being seen as a romance but more a Queen abusing her power to trap someone against their will. Poor Sanzang has been kidnapped by demons before but this is his first time being kidnapped by a human and he has to fight himself with how humans can commit horrid deeds as well which changes his worldview. Bajie, Wujing, and Wukong really become protective as women keep trying to harness Sanzang. Would love to see Wujing getting more confident and maybe touching on his own backstory at this point. Almost I'm a fan of 1996 Bajie where he is more of a romantic and he feels uncomfortable being seen as "just a piece of meat" when the women want them just because they are men.

Six Eared Macaque 六耳獼猴 - 6th Year (perfect for this being nearly the halfway point in the journey to show the balance starting to change) Kinda seeing Wukong regress to his more violent tendencies due to the Queen in the previous arc. Kills bandits without mercy and shows them proudly to Sanzang cause "humans can be evil as well" and Sanzang still wants to hold on that anyone can change for the better. Wukong on the other hand still stands that if people don't want to change then they shouldn't be given the choice. This leads to the banishment BUT THEN Wukong being FORCED to face a version of himself that never wanted to change as well. Would he still go on the journey for the wrong reasons? Would he have lost all his empathy for even his own monkeys? Did the Six Ears deserve mercy like he was once given? A lot of self-reflecting on Wukong's part on what it means to forgive others but also to forgive yourself and I think the REAL turning point in Wukong's character development from someone forced on the journey to someone who wants to be there for his own sake. Sanzang and he might never see eye to eye but Sanzang starts to realize while he can see the best in others he can't be naive to the point of putting himself in danger and Wukong starts to accept that others deserve mercy like he was given as well.

Princess Iron Fan 鐵扇公主 and Bull Demon King 牛魔王 - 6.5 Year. HUGE ARC. The first arc which Wukong really comes to terms with his own changes as a person from a warlord to a pilgrim. Another this is about seven years into the journey as well. Wukong thought he could visit an old friend but Iron Fan is pissed as him and Wukong went to see Bull King himself but sees that it is very one-sided. Bull King USED to be a genuine friend but has moved on and had a family, seeing Wukong only as someone that he used to know and Wukong has to face that he lost a dear friend not by death but because they are two different people that have grown apart. Bajie and Wujing really step up to give Wukong backup, both in a fight but also in emotional support as while they don't know Wukong's old friends they want to show their support by being his friends now. Wukong used to be alone but he isn't anymore. Wukong mourns the loss of their friendship and asks Nezha to go easy on him. Iron Fan herself moves on to work on her own cultivation but ends on a small friendship between Wukong and Iron Fan.

Wansheng Princess 萬聖公主 and Nine-Headed Demon 九頭蟲 - 7th Year. Another huge Bailong arc and how he had his falling out with his family. I do enjoy the 1987 take that Bailong's fiance left him for the Nine Headed Demon and think this is another way that the pilgrims can be there for him as they fight the demons. Wansheng tries to get back on Bailong's side when she sees Nine Heads is losing but Bailong respects himself enough now to reject her and go back to his new friends who were there for him. Would also love Erlang and Wukong to have a moment to talk about how Erlang spared his family instead of doing the Nine Generations Punishment and how he is thankful hence why they are sworn brothers. I adore Erlang and Wukong's similarities and how Wukong is still going to do what HE wants but he is aware that he is trying to find out what truly needs now in his life.

The Tree Spirits - 7.5 Year. I really loved this as a quiet arc again with Sanzang just having a great time with Tree Spirits who kidnapped him who wanted to talk poetry. All the while Wujing, Bajie, Wujing, and Bailong are losing their shits trying to look for him. More comedic than anything and allows Sanzang to interact with yao that is not violent. Would like to keep out the end where they try to force Sanzang to get married and Wukong to kill them all again. Just that they get to escape and Wukong warns Sanzang that they could have killed him. But Sanzang reassures Wukong that he wasn't in danger, that people can be powerful but that doesn't make them bad and uses Wukong himself to make that point.

Yellow Brows Great King ��眉大王 - 8th Year. Would love to see Yellow Brows kinda like how he is in Black Myth, someone delusional that he is right and deserves to be Buddha while running what is practically a cult. Still holds a grudge against the Golden Cicada and tries to take over the journey to one-up him. Makes Wukong kinda look at this guy and see a lil bit of himself, someone who always thought he was right and uses his might to enforce it. But Wukong knows that his own arrogance leads to his downfall.

Python Demon 蟒蛇精 - 8.3 Year. Just more of a joke demon, does not speak but they get to have hijinks trying to chase her and pin her down. Would love Bajie and Wukong trying to get her pinned down and leads to wukong being eaten and he has to grow to escape and just gets all over Bajie that he hates this part of the job.

Sai Tai Sui / Great King Jupiter's Rival 賽太歲 - 8.7 Year. huge on comedy, this is Wukong pretending to be a doctor, and Bajie, Wujing, and Bailong are being absolutely hilarious by playing along. Wukong actually has no idea what is wrong with the guy just finds out that he misses his wife and instead spends his time fucking around and seeing how much outrageous stuff he can get away with in the meantime. Also Wujing and Bajie being 'nurses' who just follow along to make the situation far more silly. They make this poor king eat medicine from dragon piss and snot the demon doesn't even really matter, just these four being bafoons.

Spider Demons 蜘蛛精 and Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord 百眼魔君 - 9th Year. Sanzang just trying to do something on his own to show that he isn't useless but of course leads to him being kidnapped. Kinda hits him hard how much he can't even get water/food by himself and hits his self-esteem. Would love to see Wukong kinda having another mental breakdown seeing his friends poisoned and how he really comes to care for them even to the point of panic. Kinda like the 1999 take where the sisters don't die in the end and Wukong spares them as long as they promise to change their ways after seeing how Hundred Eyes betrayed them.

Azure Lion 青毛獅子, Yellow Toothed Elephan t黃牙老象, and lden Winged Great Peng 金翅大鵬雕 - 9.5 Year. pure comedy. There are serious moments are this would be the first three-on-three since the Daoist arc but would love to see all of them fighting together side by side in a huge epic fight. These SHOULD be serious demons and they can be but this illusion is kinda shattered when Wukong first meets them by entering their army, lying about commands, going into their cave, and beating the crap out of Azure Lion from the inside out. Like Wikong defeats these guys practically single-handedly and Sanzang has to ASK Wukong to let them go. Sadly does lead to them coming back but does end with a big battle. Also, the Million Demon Kingdom that I love would to be fully explored.

White Deer Spirit 白鹿精 and White-Faced Vixen Spirit 白面狐狸精 - 10th Year. Another comedy as Wukong pretends to be Sanzang moments but would love to see how a yao family White Deer being an adopted father to White Fox and how she dies because of his plans. It would start more silly but gets serious when we really see how White Deer cared for his daughter but at the same point, they tried to kill like 10,000 babies so that would have been worse.

Lady Earth Flow 地涌夫人 - 10.5 Year. Big fan of the idea that Earth Flow was really in love with Sanzang due to his past life from the 2010 series. However, that love is one-sided and she is too blind to her own desires to see what he really wants. Really more exploring how Sanzang always feels overshadowed by the Golden Cicada but the pilgrims reassure him that he was chosen for who he is, not because he was someone else and how they are on this journey with Sanzang, not the Golden Cicada.

Ruler of the Kingdom of Miefa 滅法國 - 11th Year. Another good example of how humans can be horrible is that this king wants all monks to be killed. Treated with more humor as Wukong SHAVES the entire kingdom's heads but I do think that this would be a good point in which Sanzang can confront the king himself in how this king took out his rage on innocents and has reached a point where he understands misplacing rage. A good balance of how the King has to be accountable and also shows how Wukong is able to start solving issues without violence.

King of the Southern Hill 南山大王 - 11.5 Year. This one is a comedy arc but more tired with tragedy as well. The leopard demon here convinces Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing that Sanzang has died, leading to the three to have a funeral for Sanzang and cry over his body. Again leads to some good moments to show how the gang cares for each other but also cuts to Sanzang hoping that his friends come get him too. Kinda have a moment where the King thinks that once the pilgrims 'mourn' they will leave but they don't know about the 6 phase of grief REVENGE! Of course, all three of them try to kill the King for Sanzang but instead, this leads to the gang just being overjoyed that Sanzang is not dead. Also Wukong still 100% wanting to kill this leopard demon for tricking him.

Prefect of Phoenix-Immortal - 12th Year. This was a kinda a more dramatic arc where a kingdom insults the good on accident and how they are punished with drought. I am taking a lot from the 1987 series in how Wukong was insulted on behalf of the people, seeing that their punishment was unfit for the crime, and how his empathy has been able to grow for him to become seen as a hero for the people. Also would love to see how Wujing really related to the people and how his own punishment left him uncertain and insecure over himself but how he was able to overcome these challenges despite what he has become.

Tawny Lion Demon 黃獅精 and Grand Saint of Nine Spirits 九靈元聖 - 12.5 Year. This one was the most interesting as this wasn't one where Sanzang gets kidnapped but rather the weapons were taken. I would change that the lions don't have to die but rather more of a comedy arc of the Nine Spirits trying to ground up his grandkids when he had a good relationship with the neighboring kingdom. This is a good example of yao and humans able to live in together without conflict and how Nine Spirits fears that his grandkids have ruined this peace. And of course, Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing use silly stunts to try to get their shit back. Also touching more on the pilgrim's own disciples the three princes and maybe even giving them names. I would just like to think that these three princes do always keep their teachings to heart.

King of Cold Protection 辟寒大王, King of Heat Protection 辟暑大王, and King of Dust Protection辟塵大王 - 13th Year. This one is something where I would LOVE Sanzang just being done with being kidnapped. Like he is not phased. He even warns the three to let him go because it as been 14 years and he really doesn't want to end this with these poor guys getting their butts whooped by his overpowering disciples. Kinda comedy but really would enjoy a good battle three on three again.

Jade Rabbit 玉兔精 - 13.5 Year. this one plays more on the 1999 series where the Rabbit is clear she wants to do this cause she hates the real Princess. It is actually nothing personal against Sanzang but just HE HAPPENS to be the one she chooses to marry. More of a mystery of where the real princess is but the gang finds her to get the Jade Rabbit arrested and Sanzang can get free of a forced marriage again.

Squire Kou - 14th Year. This one I think is the perfect arc to really end on, paralleling the first 6 bandits that Wukong fought. He could have killed the family that imprisoned them, but instead, he uses his power to freeze the bandits, get them back, convince the family that their relative's ghost is haunting them, go to Hell to get his spirit back and save the day with hurting a single human. He does an entire arc using his varieties of powers, wit, and intelligence to get out of this, a vast difference from the pure fighting warlord he used to be. I think this would be an arc heavy in symbolism and references to the first bandits they fought and Sanang SEEING the change in Wukong.

Great White Turtle 大白龜 - Of course, they make it to the end but of course, there is one last thing. I think Sanzang lost his cool and had his own breakdown at 'ruining' the scriptures something he spent so long to get but the gang trying to tell him that people make mistakes and that doesn't define them. And that maybe an imperfect world needs imperfect scriptures more than perfect ones because people need to doubt and learn for themselves. Just like Sanzang did. In the end Xiyouji is a story of hope and I think that Sanzang sees that even if things ain't perfect that doesn't make them any less valuable or wonderful and how that sentiment is seen with the new family he has found.

[myth-blossom]

I'm excited for Pirate Yakuza, can't you tell?!

[moonsinkfoxgirl]

Lost Kingdoms be like ''and the best card in the game shall be this mage lady who lethargically rests on the back of her tiger steed until it's time to shoot a fireball

[rikimaru725]

[leonclaus]

🐐 Making🔻Ready 🐐 • • • {( Floraverse )} • • •

Two of my favorite goats! TWO (2) OF THEM!!! Varying levels of preparedness for desert travel. The I.L.Umbrella might not be enough shade.. --- Enjoy what I do? Please consider supporting me A coffee is nice: Ko-Fi! Follow me elsewhere: Carrd

Posted using PostyBirb

[pseudowho]

18+, MDNI, Shinazugawa Sanemi is a filthy monster

Full of hot air. Annoying piece of shit, waste of time--

You and Sanemi approached the safehouse, scraped and bloody and pissed off. You felt every scrap of annoyance as an electric frisson over your skin, made irritatingly worse every time he brushed against you.

You stuck a palm out, trying to shove him further away from you, and only succeeded in shoving yourself further from him, so bizarrely immovable was he. His face, already stormy, snarled.

"What's your fucking problem?"

"Stay out of my space Shinazugawa--"

"--you're the one fucking staggering--"

"--yeah, well, it's hard carrying the whole team--"

Sanemi laughed, mirthless. Now bracketed by arching wisteria, in a tunnel to the door, he hammered his fist on dark wood, turning his back to you.

"Yeah, alright kid, the circus called--"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Shinazugawa--"

"--yeah, yeah, they want their clown back--"

The pair of you were too busy bickering, sniping and biting, to thank the elderly woman who let you in. She rubbed a single wizened hand down her face.

As you stormed away to the baths, the old woman caught Sanemi, saying something to him that made him spit feathers, apoplectic and vengeful. You didn't care to listen, and instead shut the sliding door, sunk yourself into the awaiting hot bath, and stuck your head briefly underwater to scream.

Somewhat calmed, but still brittle and fractious, you encased your body in a fine white robe, leaving your clothes aside to be de-bloodied by the house staff. Stepping out, you were greeted by the old woman who had welcomed you inside.

"Come along, dear. It's a good thing you two are married, I only had one room--"

You frowned, uncertain, and about to open your mouth to argue back before being unceremoniously shoved into a room, the woman a little too eager to escape from you before you could throw vitriol at her.

You turned on the spot, flustered, in a handsome traditional room. A large, squashy bedroll lay upon the floor...and Sanemi sat upon it, looking pugnacious and nonchalant.

"...get out of my fucking room, Shina--"

"Shut the fuck up. It's our room for the night."

You faltered, short-circuiting and drawing your robe closer to yourself, feeling so naked. Sanemi continued, stripping his uniform top off, throwing it aside. You felt yourself flush hot from head to toes, despite yourself, at his chest and back, all hewn stone and sculpture. He still didn't look at you as he continued.

"They only had one room. They were about to turn us away, so I convinced them we're married. You're welcome."

You fizzlecracked with rage, burning with mortification.

"You? Married to you?"

Sanemi bristled, offended. "What the fuck's that supposed to mean--"

"Oooo I'm your little wifey now am I? Lucky little Sanemi, so fortunate to have such a lovely wife protecting him in battle--"

"--you are such a pain in the ass--"

"--I'll be your dutiful wife, shall I? Here, let me take your clothes, dear one, I shall wash them--"

Sanemi stood slowly now, his shoulders hunched beneath something dark, approaching you like a tiger on the hunt. You continued your relentless mockery, furious at having to share a room with him, as if you could hide how badly you dreamed of him at night, when you weren't tearing each other to shreds--

"--cook meals for you, rub your shoulders and listen to all your woes. Such a perfect little wife--"

You felt yourself shoved back to the wall, squeaking as Sanemi's sweat and blood filled your nose. One strong hand clamped over your mouth, a forearm planted above your head. He panted, seething under your constant barrage of abuse.

His voice was so low, you could barely hear but for the tickle of his breath on your neck, and you shivered to feel him lock you in place, planting a knee between your legs.

"Yeah. That's it. You'll be my little wife. And I'll be your doting husband...if you don't want to sleep in the fucking forest for the night."

You trembled, raising your hands to press weakly at his chest, certain you couldn't hide it now, the longing behind the mockery--

Sanemi didn't move, a shudder running through him as your palms grazed against his nipples. His voice continued, gravelly under the strain of your plush body, caged against his.

"I'll listen to you tell me about your day...and I'll be interested, too. I'll actually listen."

You felt a blush smatter across your breasts, barely contained by your robe and not unnoticed by Sanemi as he continued.

"I'll tell you I missed you...and you'll take the piss out of me like always, but it's just because you missed me too and can't find the words to say it."

Your breaths came hot and fast, tear-filled eyes glimmering up at him as he deconstructed you, foreplay through playing house.

"And I'll pull you close...much closer than this...more like this--" Sanemi pressed his whole body flush to yours, and you groaned. Sanemi caught it in his palm, feeling his cock harden against his thigh at you, trapped like a little rabbit beneath him.

"And I'll kiss you...until you're squirming, and begging me for more. And I'm a devoted husband, so I'll undo your robe...and slip my hands inside to squeeze you so hard, you bruise, until you're all wet and peachy for me..."

Your head swam, feeling yourself wetten as if by some Pavlovian magic. You clamped your thighs around Sanemi's knee, his eyes dark to feel the heat of your empty core against him.

"...and I'll get you ready with my fingers...'cos I'm big, y'know? And you're great at taking me...but I like to feel your cunt shaking around my hand, while I fuck you with it."

Your fingernails pressed crescents into his pecs, now, supple and pliable against the wall as he fucked the fight out of you with his words, all this time just tearing each other to shreds just to avoid telling him and now what for if it never worked all along were you always so fucking obvious--

"And then...I'll use some of that soaking little pussy cream to cover my cock, jack it off it a few times to get it ready for you, but I'll lick the rest off 'cos I know you like that--"

You moaned into Sanemi's palm, squirming hard enough to free one breast, and Sanemi cursed under his breath, his voice rough and wavering as he drank down your trembling curves.

"...and 'cos I'm your husband...I'll fuck into you all at once. And I'll fuck you, and fuck you, until you're yelling out my name, but it won't be Shinazugawa anymore 'cos that's your name, too, wife, it'll be Sanemi instead...or something like that, anyway, 'cos I'll be honest, you'll be too fucked out to talk properly when my cock's splitting you in half. Finally. A way to shut that fucking potty mouth of yours."

Your hands trailed up his chest, beginning to wrap around his neck, involuntarily rubbing your clit over his knee with a shaking moan, throbbing with the promise--

Sanemi released you, stepping away abruptly, leaving you cold and gasping and wet against the wall.

"As your husband, anyway. Not that I am. So shut the fuck up...and go to bed."

You sunk to the floor, stunned and speechless, unable to form a single comeback. You gasped up at Sanemi, his back to you as he undid his hakama. His head, all ruffled white spikes, came up once more with an ah! of realisation, and he shot his final, critical hit.

"...and I'd cum inside you. Obviously. Doting husbands like you all round and pretty and full of their seed, right?"

[aashwarr]

mimi in windenburg (EP 2) going on a brand trip in tomarang mimi travels to tomarang for a brand trip with primsim cosmetics. mimi also celebrates her 33rd birthday!

mods & lots mentioned below ↓

mods.

ageless birthdays

bar cocktails

elegant cakes

first impressions

functional handbag

functional tea set

gourmet dishes

jewelers collection

keratin collection

kiss-n-grind

mc command center

no ea makeup

robe after shower

romance interactions

sim control hub

tool mod

ui cheats

wickedwhims (18+)

lots.

tropical villa - theinsims

santini's - shaymoo22

san myshuno karaoke - amandaplays

sulea tiger sancturary - pompanic

english manor - bojanasims

[alohajix]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞

Description: you used to write “Mrs. Y/N Styles” in pink gel pen, convinced you’d marry your celebrity crush one day. It was harmless, teenage daydreaming—until it wasn’t. Years later, standing across from Harry Styles on your wedding day, you find out he’s known about that childhood fantasy all along. And somehow, he saved a piece of it for this moment.

Warnings: none

Word count: 4.5K

author note: based on this request. I had so much fun writing this one. I hope you enjoy this babes 🫶🏻 don’t forget about the tagline if you want to be notified when I post something!

Main Masterlist

Marked by Midnight’s Masterlist

***

You always thought you’d be a mess on your wedding day; crying, pacing, maybe even throwing up from nerves. But instead, you’re calm—too calm.

You sit cross-legged on a velvet stool in the bridal suite, wrapped in a white robe, sipping a mimosa and watching your reflection in the mirror like you’re waiting for the panic to kick in. Your hair is done, your makeup is soft and glowy, and your dress hangs nearby, untouched for now, floating like a dream against the pale blue wall.

Downstairs, Harry’s probably pacing barefoot, pretending to be chill while chewing on his bottom lip the way he always does when he’s trying to hide nerves. You can almost picture him adjusting his tie ten times in a row before giving up and just asking someone to do it for him.

“You good?” your best friend calls from the doorway. She’s holding a mimosa in one hand and her phone in the other, already filming like this is part of a behind-the-scenes documentary.

You glance at her through the mirror and nod. “Yep. Just casually waiting to marry Harry Styles; a totally normal Saturday.”

She snorts and walks in. “You sound way too calm. Shouldn’t you be crying or shaking or something?”

You shrug. “I got that out of the way last night. Cried into a bowl of Frosted Flakes at like midnight.”

Her eyes widen. “Frosted Flakes? That serious?”

“Tony the Tiger witnessed a full breakdown.”

She hands you your drink, laughing. “Well, at least you saved your lashes.”

The suite is filled with soft light from the windows, the scent of fresh flowers lingering in the air. There’s a playlist humming quietly from a speaker in the corner—something mellow and acoustic. Everything feels peaceful. Almost too peaceful.

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” you say after a moment. “Like… actually happening. Him, me. Today.”

She smiles as she leans against the vanity. “He loves you, you know.”

You glance up at her. “I know.”

“No, like—he really loves you. I’ve never seen him look at anyone like that before. It’s like you’re his whole world.”

That makes your chest tighten in the best way. You bite your bottom lip, trying not to smile too hard.

“It still feels fake sometimes,” you admit. “Like I accidentally stepped into someone else’s life.”

“Oh, please,” she scoffs. “You manifested this. Remember when you used to write ‘Y/N Styles’ all over your notebooks?”

Your stomach drops. “Wait—how do you know about that?”

She grins like she’s been waiting years for this. “You don’t think I noticed? You folded those little scraps of paper like they were top-secret files. You had a whole stack of ‘Mrs. Styles’ signatures in that glittery pink diary.”

You groan and cover your face with your hands. “I thought I burned those.”

“I rescued one. For evidence.”

You peek through your fingers, cheeks hot. “That was supposed to be a private moment between me and my delusional tween heart.”

She laughs. “Well, guess what? You’re about to marry your delusional tween heart’s dream man. You win.”

You set your mimosa down and look back at the mirror. Your heart is beating a little faster now. It’s wild, how something you once daydreamed about in the back of your algebra class is now real, tangible. Right in front of you. Harry Styles isn’t a poster on your bedroom wall anymore. He’s the man who texts you pictures of ugly mushrooms at the grocery store, who wears your socks when he can’t find his, who once accidentally dyed all your towels pink and left a Post-it note that said, “I’m sorry. Also, you’re welcome.” And today, he’s going to be your husband.

You blink hard, your eyes suddenly feeling a little too watery. “Okay,” you say, clearing your throat and standing. “Help me get into that dress before I lose it again.”

As she walks over and begins unzipping the garment bag, you take one last glance at yourself in the mirror; this version of you—older, wiser, maybe still a little ridiculous—is about to live out the one thing younger-you always hoped for but never thought could actually happen.

***

You met him on a Thursday—which already felt unfair. Thursdays weren’t meant for life-altering moments; they were for laundry and leftovers and forgetting what day it was. But then again, nothing about meeting Harry Styles had ever felt normal.

You were working a temporary job at a media company—nothing glamorous. Just hours in a freezing office staring at your screen and trying not to spill coffee on anything important.

It was your second week when your manager popped her head into your cubicle. “Hey, Styles is coming in. Do me a favor and bring these upstairs?” She dropped a folder and an iced coffee on your desk like it was no big deal.

“Styles?” you repeated, your voice a little higher than intended.

“Yeah. Harry. He’s doing that podcast thing. Don’t make it weird.” And then she was gone.

You stared at the items in front of you. Your heart was already racing. You hadn’t even seen him yet and your brain was short-circuiting.

Okay, you told yourself. You are not fifteen. You are an adult. A calm, capable, non-squealing adult. You took the coffee and folder, stepped into the elevator, and started praying. Not even about seeing him, just that you wouldn’t trip. When the doors opened, he was already there. Sitting in a chair near the glass wall of the studio, looking at his phone, wearing a brown beanie and a soft white tee that made your brain immediately delete all functions except LOOK.

He looked up when he heard the door, and that was it: game over. He smiled at you.

“Hiya.”

His voice was just as deep and warm as you remembered from years of listening to it in headphones. Except this time, it wasn’t coming through a screen. It was directed at you, in real-time, from about eight feet away.

You blinked. “Hi. Uh—here. For you.”

You held out the coffee and folder, your hand embarrassingly shaky.

“Thanks, love.” He stood up to take them, fingers brushing yours for half a second too long. You tried not to freeze, but your whole body buzzed. He glanced at the name on the cup and smiled wider. “They spelled it right. That’s rare.”

“I told them how to spell it,” you said quickly, then winced. “I mean—I didn’t go to the coffee shop, obviously. I just wrote it on the post-it.” You were rambling.

But he laughed. “Very impressive. What’s your name?”

You hesitated. “Y/N.”

His brows lifted, like he recognized it. You panicked; what if, somehow, he’d seen one of those old tweets? The ones where you used to live-blog his every move? The Pinterest board titled Wedding Plans If Harry Ever Notices Me? The Tumblr post from 2013 where you boldly declared, “One day I will be Mrs. Styles. Mark my words.”

He probably hadn’t, but your cheeks were burning all the same.

“Y/N,” he repeated, like he was saving it. “Pretty.”

You smiled awkwardly. “Thanks. Yours is… you know. Famous.”

He laughed again. “Fair enough.”

There was a short pause. He was looking at you in that curious, slightly tilted-head way, like he was trying to figure something out. You looked down at your shoes.

“Well,” you blurted, backing toward the door. “I’ll just let you… be famous and mysterious in peace.”

His smile widened. “It was nice meeting you, Y/N.”

You nodded too fast. “You too.”

You escaped before you could say anything worse. The moment the elevator doors closed, you leaned your head against the wall and let out a groan; because of course that was how you’d meet him: slightly sweaty, nervous, and mentally spiraling.

What you didn’t know—what you couldn’t have known—was that Harry didn’t forget you after that.

***

You didn’t see him again for three weeks, which was fine. You’d told yourself that the moment passed—your one chance to meet your teenage crush, and you hadn’t died or fainted; that was a win. But then he came back and this time, he remembered you.

“Y/N, right?” he said as soon as he stepped into the studio, that crooked little smile already tugging at his mouth.

You blinked, stunned. “Yeah.”

He pointed at the iced coffee someone else had left on the counter. “You didn’t bring this one, did you?” You shook your head.

“Shame. You spell names better than most people,” he said, like it was a fact. Like he hadn’t been thinking about it at all, even though you knew he had.

That was the beginning; little things, friendly greetings, casual conversations—like the day he leaned against the wall next to your desk, sipping his tea, and said casually, “You look like the kind of person who talks to their plants.”

You turned slowly. “I do not.”

He raised one eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “Okay, fine. Pets, then.”

Your mouth opened, then closed. “Maybe.”

He grinned. “Knew it.”

You tried to brush it off, but the way he looked at you—like he was gently unraveling all your little secrets—left you flustered for the rest of the day.

The thing was, Harry didn’t act like someone famous—not around you. He was relaxed, sweet, a little awkward sometimes in a way that made him feel human; hee sent you memes, he remembered your coffee order, he asked questions and listened when you answered. You kept waiting for the catch, for him to ghost you or get bored, or wake up and remember he was Harry freaking Styles and you were just some regular girl with too many embarrassing internet footprints. But it never happened.

Instead, he texted you after long days, called you when he was on the road, and once flew home early just to surprise you on your birthday—even though you told him not to make a big deal out of it. He didn’t make a big deal out of it; he made pancakes in your kitchen, wore a ridiculous paper party hat, and sang “Happy Birthday” to you.

And slowly, somewhere between the midnight phone calls and sleepy mornings tangled in bedsheets, you realized something important: you weren’t just in love with the version of him you grew up watching on a screen; you were in love with the man who left his shoes in the hallway, who had a weird obsession with fancy candles, who once tried to fix your wobbly chair and ended up making it worse.

He wasn’t your celebrity crush anymore, he was yours.

***

The ceremony is quiet: soft music, soft light, soft smiles. Everything feels slow, like the world decided to pause just for you and him. You can feel your heart pounding, your fingers trembling slightly as you hold the bouquet close to your chest.

Harry’s already at the end of the aisle when the doors open. He turns the second you appear, and the look on his face nearly knocks the breath out of you, because of the way he’s looking at you; like the rest of the world disappeared the second he saw you.

You meet his eyes the whole walk down, and he doesn’t look away once; not when you reach him, nor when your fingers slide into his, or when the officiant clears his throat and starts to speak. It’s all a blur. A dreamy, floating blur until that moment comes—vows. He clears his throat, still holding your hand, eyes locked on yours like he’s afraid he’ll miss something if he blinks.

He smiles, nervous but glowing. “I wrote this a hundred different ways,” he says softly, and the guests let out quiet chuckles. “But nothing felt quite right because I still can’t believe I get to stand here and say any of it out loud.” You swallow hard, blinking fast. “I’ve loved a lot of things in my life,” he continues. “Music, travel, but nothing has compared to loving you. You’re my calm when everything feels loud, you’re my home, you’re my best friend.”

Your grip tightens in his.

He pauses, just for a second.“And you’re also the girl who once wrote ‘Mrs. Y/N Styles’ in big bubble letters on a sheet of notebook paper.” Your breath catches. He smiles wider now, eyes sparkling with something playful and proud. “Thought you might recognize this.”

From his jacket pocket, he pulls out a folded piece of paper. Worn, creased, edges slightly faded.

Your hand flies to your mouth. “Oh my God.”

He opens it gently and holds it up. There it is—your old handwriting: pink gel pen, a few hearts, and the words: “Mrs. Y/N Styles” written over and over.

You can’t speak. Your face is on fire, your chest tight in the best possible way.

“Found it by accident,” he says. “Someone who loves you gave it to me. Thought it was sweet, I thought—” He shakes his head, laughing softly. “Honestly, I thought it was the most you thing in the world.” Your vision blurs. “So I kept it,” he adds simply. “I kept it because even before you ever said yes to a first date, before we even really knew each other, I think a part of me hoped this would be where we ended up.”

A tear slips down your cheek. You don’t even try to stop it.

Harry folds the paper back up and tucks it into your joined hands. “So here it is,” he says. “Full circle. You loved me before you knew me. And now I get to spend forever showing you that I’ve loved you since the moment I did.”

You laugh through a quiet sob, squeezing his hand, completely overwhelmed and floating and so in love you think your heart might actually burst. The guests are sniffling, a few straight-up crying. You’re barely holding it together yourself.

When it’s your turn, you manage a soft, shaky laugh. “Um… well, now I feel like I should’ve brought props.” Everyone laughs gently, and even Harry lets out a relieved little smile like thank God you’re still breathing. “I wrote you a letter once,” you say, voice barely above a whisper. “I was thirteen, I said I was going to marry you someday. I never sent it, only because I never thought I’d even meet you.”

You pause, looking down at the paper between you.

“But somehow the universe heard me and you found me, and now I get to marry not the version of you I made up in my head, but the real you. The funny, soft, kind, chaotic, always-late Harry.” He laughs, eyes glassy. “And I’m so glad it’s you,” you say, voice cracking. “It’s always been you.”

The officiant says something after that, but you barely hear it because Harry’s reaching for you, hands cradling your cheeks, eyes shining.

“You ready?” he whispers.

You nod. “Yeah.”

He kisses you like he’s been waiting his whole life, and maybe he has.

***

@cloudyluun @gem1712 @dipmeinhoneyh @idk199o @harrrrystylesslut @sparxx27 @likea-silhouette @fangirl509east @mads3502 @run-for-the-hills @twinklaei @belgianblondee @pbandnutella @maudie-duan @cat-loves-music @harrysgirl2003 @harrystyleshotwife @secretands-blog @dutchtheatrelore

[the-monkey-ruler]

Oriental Legend 2 (2007) 西遊釋厄傳2

Date: March 2007 Platform: Arcade Developer: International Games System Co., Ltd. Publisher: International Games System Co., Ltd. Genre: Brawler Theme: Fantasy Franchises: Oriental Legend Type: Retelling

Summary:

Oriental Legend 2 follows up the original game with another romp through Journey to the West. The original game's five characters are joined by three newcomers: Er-Lang, Drakan, and Princess Iron Fan. Two more characters can be unlocked after completing the game once.

Like the original game, this is a scrolling beat-em-up for up to four players. This time around, character growth is a major gameplay feature. Players earn experience for defeating enemies and level up, with underleveled characters much more likely to have trouble beating late-game bosses. There are three game modes. "Plot" features seven stages with a regular difficulty level designed for regular players. "Online Ranking" is a more challenging eight-stage mode which, when completed, provides the player with a code to input at the official website in order to share their codes on the online leaderboard. "Challenge Boss" is a boss rush that goes through all of the bosses in the game, with players challenged to get through in as little time as possible.

This is the first game for the PGM2 to feature support for the hardware's card reader accessory. By buying an IC card at their local arcade, players gain the ability to save and load their character's progress, allowing them to keep their level growth and items between runs.

Source: https://www.giantbomb.com/oriental-legend-2/3030-63454/

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IzAw1KoqXI

[demonic0angel]

Anger Management prompt where there is a car accident, except it's in space, between Team Phantom and The Outlaws.

(Lmaoooo this is so freaking funny bc my sister got into a car accident just a week ago. She’s fine tho, dw)

Part 2

“Fuck you!” The teenager immediately screamed. “Where the hell did you learn to drive?! Go back to school, fucking dumbass! You can’t even drive, you piece of sh—”

He was then pulled back by one of his friends, who grabbed him and dragged him back to their normal looking, definitely not broken spacecraft. A girl, dressed in a very distinctive style of goth, then made an awkward face, popped her gum, and said, “Sorry about him. He has really bad road rage.”

Jason’s eye twitched. “I can see that. So what’re we going to do now? You crashed into our spacecraft!”

“Well, you don’t have spaceship insurance, do you?” The girl drawled.

Jason was suddenly reminded of why he hated Tim Drake and Damian Wayne. They were goddamn insufferable, obnoxious, annoying, irresponsible teenagers.

Jason suddenly felt like he aged 20 years in an instant and wondered if this was what Dick felt like, being so old.

Roy patted him on the arm. “Want me to take care of this?”

Jason gestured for him to go ahead, already feeling a headache. Roy walked forward and smiled charmingly. “Hey, kiddo! So, it’s not a big deal that we got bumped into— happens all the time! But we just want to know where your parents are! And why you’re out in space! And how we’re going to get back to earth, since our shipped is now wrecked. You know what earth is, right? Earth is—”

“We know what earth is,” the same cursing teenager from earlier said with a snide tone, “We live there too.”

Roy and Jason blinked.

Then Jason spat, “Well, that doesn’t do us shit! We still have a wrecked spacecraft and we’re stuck here on this moon until you fix it! Don’t think you can just fly away! We’re stranded because of you brats!”

Kori then appeared out of the spacecraft and flew down to them all. The kids all immediately stopped, eyes wide in awe. She smiled and said, “Hello, children! Is there anyway you can help us? You did wreck our spacecraft after all.”

Immediately, in the most respectful tone Jason had ever heard, the two-faced brat from earlier then said, “I’m so sorry, miss. We didn’t think that anyone would be exploring this part of space out here, so we weren’t looking! We’re sorry. We don’t have the tools to fix it either.”

Jason’s entire face suddenly wanted to break out into the nastiest glare he could muster. So not only did this kid blatantly show favoritism to Kori (even if she was definitely super cool), he also couldn’t help at all despite the fact that he completely stranded them in space after being careless with a spaceship?

Kori frowned and they all shared a look. Now what? Jason could feel the migraine get more annoying and he almost wanted to pull out his gun just to kill some kids and feel better about his shitty fucking day, when the other teen, who had pulled away the feral brat, spoke up and said, “We can call Jazz!”

“Oh yeah! Jazz! Quick, Sam, call her up!”

Roy narrowed his eyes. “Who’s Jazz?”

“My big sister,” the brat said, “She’ll fix this.”

Great. Another annoying person who would only make his headache worse and possibly piss him off even further. However, just as he finished thinking this and sharing another annoyed look with Roy, a green portal opened up and a goddess stepped down.

She was tall, with a curvaceous figure wrapped in black and blue robes, as well as a fluffy cape around her shoulders. Her hair fell down over her back, colored red like fire and sunsets and tiger lilies, and her face was that of a statue, carefully designed, crafted, and admired by all. She was so beautiful and picturesque that the air around her seemed to glow like a halo.

Just looking at her made Jason’s sorrows disappear.

She blinked her fluttering eyelashes over her turquoise eyes and then asked, “What seems to be the problem?”

Her voice was so angelic that Jason didn’t even feel his headache anymore.

“Nothing now that you’re here,” Jason said dreamily.

“Oh my god,” Roy said, hand over his mouth as he stared at Jason in shock. Even Kori looked shocked and amused.

The boy with black hair shared a disgusted look with his friends. “I thought that would’ve been my line.”

[hop-a-lot]

does bidwell being the who goes there type of guy mean that saxton is the lavish nightgown type of guy

Not his style of clothing but i guess it wouldn't hurt me to put him in that

Below is another tiger print robe variation that I sketched for funsies lol, top with honkshoomimi bidwell

[sukunas-wife]

Sealed 2

1 3

“Year after year after year the hours pass and it never ends, I’ve been here for millennia is Ryomen even trying?” You sat down onto the pile of bones, skeletons supporting you the best they could. The Prison Realm had become your domain, you’d molded every bone and skeleton to do your work. Your elbow resting on the spine of skeleton your cheek pressing against your fist as you stared bored.

Looking down the pile of bones and skeletons holding up your throne that you had formed to match Sukuna’s you saw two Skeletons battling for your amusement. Sighing you slouched back in your throne, watching the two headed four armed skeleton using sharpened bones as spears, fighting a towering 6 armed Skelton. His arms like vices ready to grab and shove whatever into its gaping rib cage to crush it. “This needs more!” The two skeletons looked up at you, before the rumbling of the skeletal centaur could be heard, a centaur of bone, his torso with 4 arms, it held an extended spine as if it were a chain. Lower two arms ready to grab at anything, more specifically rip off the head and spine of its opponents.

“YES! THIS IS what we need!” You smacked the skeleton who stood near you on the back. His bones shaking as you leaned forward, you’d find out soon which of your creations was truly the strongest. “Let’s get this show started-“ it was quick blur of red and black before you were standing head tilted to the side as you stared irked at the man in front of you. “Do YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID.”

“PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I BEG FOR MERCY I SPENT MUCH OF MY LIFE LOOKING FOR THIS TREASURE THATS BEEN hidden away heating the tales of how the sourcerer’s of old time had wrongly imprisoned a Diety of Fertility separating her from her son. I just come to beg and ask you give my wife your blessing to have a child were old in age but she’s always prayed and begged. I’ve run out of hope until i heard you tale, i beg and hoped you’d have mercy- Sit up” was all you said. The man went from groveling to sitting back on his heels. Sighing the conflict inside of you was great. You looked around tucking your arms into the sleeves of your worn Kimono. “Bring me your wife,” you looked up through the canopy of the trees you see the sun at mid day, “you have two sunsets and then I leave.” The man quickly bowed again at your feet thanking you before running off. You kicked the prison realm box “Damnit who won!” You snatched it up, the air was familiar, you started to look around. The reason it was so familiar was because it wasn’t to far from where you had been sealed. The skeletal remains of the sourcerers made you seethe. You found the remains of the man who sealed you grabbing his skull with your free hand making it look at you, “my child my husband,” you crushed it without fail, “you took it all from me and now everyone will pay.” Th tears falling down were hot. Dropping the remains you started your first technique “Reanimate.” A wave of purple radiated from you, hitting every border of the palace. Skeletal remains shaking and coming together to stand, “Get this place back into shape.” They started moving, you made your way inside the palace the inside help had been reanimated also, your ladies in waiting now remains, standing beside you as you enter “Find fabric I need new robes.” They rushed off and you made it to your old room, the massive bed your son had fallen off many times when he would try to sleep with you and his dad. The wardrobe filled with your husband’s old robes. The room was dusty and smelt humid, shoving the window open you tried not to cry, on the window sill was a talisman Sukuna had created for Yuji. Sniffling you turned your head, finding a small blanket and stuffed Tiger doll Yuji carried around that morning. A gift for his 2nd birthday that he loved and it showed on the tigers rugged appearance.

“My Yuji..” your faint whisper sounding so loud in the silence as you ran your fingers of the stuffed doll holding it close to your chest as you made your way around the room planning your moves. Your plans had always been to follow in similar steps to Sukuna. Except that you’d be known for good to balance out the evil perspective they had of your husband. First, fix your palace. Second, create miracles in the closest town or village to make profit and move into a bigger city to improve profits. Find wherever Sukuna had been sealed away, and break him free. Find Yuji and take him back from this cruel world.

❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️

It’s been over 100 more years and you’d grown accustomed to the changing in technology and times, passing the crowds into your shrine you smiled ruffling the heads of kids who smiled up at you, rubbing the plump bellies of pregnant women you passed and “blessing” the sick with instant health with simply laying a hand on them and smiling kindly.

Entering your shrine for the last time your Gentlemen in waiting was packing up what was left. The last thing left was the main room where your wide throne sat, you’d be leaving it being to your followers, the cushions you provided for your followers during your sessions. “Morí.” You called out and he came from the room he was in bowing and holding his hands out in front of him. “Yes Lady Y/n?”

“Morinozuka, we’re leaving tonight to Sendai City. The mark of my binding vow is burning more, but are you sure that’s where we need to go?”

“Yes Lady Y/n.” He spoke not looking up from his bow. You nodded, “then it’s final.”

❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️🖤🖤❤️

“So this is the place?” You turned to Morí and he nodded. “It’s not as lavish but this is the closest we can get… Your excellency.. I strongly recommend you continue to hide your cursed energy until I suggest otherwise.” You nodded getting out of the car “Very well, I will.”

It was morning when you had arrived, standing in front of the door to the house you looked over an elder man was walking out of his house he looked over and you smiled at him and he had a very faint twitch of his lip. Until a man with pink hair came out, follows by a woman with black hair and you felt it. The pulse of cursed energy and instinctively you grabbed Mori by his robes and pulled him towards you, “That woman, she’s no woman that- is the carrier of your child.” You head snapped instantly to him, “The father of my child, that’s the sorcerer who knew Sukuna, and he is going to mother my child?” Your face showing your exact emotions Mori placing a hand over yours, “Lady Y/n, please recollect your thoughts. I can assure you he will NOT be mothering your child, and her husband will not be fathering him either.” Letting go of his robes you nodded. Looking over your shoulder you watched the couple get into a car the elder man scowling when they started to drive away.

Turning to look at you he tucked his arms behind his back walking over, “Good Morning I’m L/n Y/n.” You greeted bowing after you moved closer, he dismissed you with a wave of your hand. “Morning, Wasuke Itadori.” He cocked a brow and looked over at your house, “It’s been up for sale for a long time. Almost 3 years before someone has moved in.” You looked back at your house, “I moved in to get closer to work. I thought it was just a blessing for everything to line up so perfectly.”

He nodded, “Well, blessings only go so far here. My son’s wife is something I’d consider to be a curse.” You nodded, “oddly enough I wouldn’t disagree. I know a snake when I see one and from a brief glance I wouldn’t trust her at all.”

He nodded, “Have a good day moving in, if you need help my son and his wife will be returning soon. I’m sure either of them would be willing to help with any problems.”

“Have a good day Mr.Itadori.” You bowed your head slightly and you both went separate ways.

“Mori,” you sighed entering your house “count these days.”

[whattheeverlovingfuck]

Hey look it's the once upon a witch light fandom

i love my gator

[riddlesrizzler]

𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙤 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙭 𝙜𝙧𝙮𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙧! 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

headcanons of mattheo with gryffindor! reader

warnings: rivalry. smut, taunting. oral (female receiving). fingering. p in v. sex in public place .

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

⟡ ݁₊ .rivals to lovers

𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵

⟡ ݁₊ .the air was still warm even though the summer was ending, the nerves and yet the excitement of starting a new school were certainly making the new students buzz with anticipation. the challenge of new courses, curriculum that some of them hadn't heard before made them sick with anxiety.

⟡ ݁₊ .not you.

⟡ ݁₊ .you greeted every challenge, every subject, every word with a sense of courage, the trait making you the gryffindor that you were. But one challenge seemed to exhilarate you more than anything, which was flying.

⟡ ݁₊ .mattheo had first spotted you in your first flying class of the year. the flying class that had been gryffindors and slytherins grouped together.

⟡ ݁₊ .he watched you on the field, standing in your too big of robes, gripping the wooden stick of the broom tightly. not missing the wide and eager smile on your face.

⟡ ݁₊ .he would roll his eyes as he thought that your happiness was exhaustingly annoying. turning back to madam hooch as he just wanted to get this over with, he was already good at flying after all.

⟡ ݁₊ .but when chaos strikes resulting in neville longbottom being taken to the hospital wing, and draco malfoy proudly announcing that he stole neville's remembrall, things change.

⟡ ݁₊ .you were quick to stick up for your fellow gryffindor, only your way of doing so was punching draco right in his nose.

⟡ ݁₊ .mattheo's eyes widened slightly at the action. here he was thinking that maybe you were some eager to please know-it-all, but instead you had done something that he had always wanted to do, punch malfoy.

⟡ ݁₊ .and for that he respected you.

⟡ ݁₊ .he realized that he should probably do something when he sees you gearing up to hit draco's blonde head with a broomstick. he steps up before pushing draco out of the way.

⟡ ݁₊ ."easy, tiger."

⟡ ݁₊ ."i'm not a tiger, you buffoon, gryffindors are lions."

⟡ ݁₊ .he watched you huff in annoyance before some of your friends had come to talk some sense into you, that you couldn't just beat up malfoy, no matter how annoying he was.

⟡ ݁₊ .the tiniest smile quirked on his lips as he watched you storm away, remembrall in hand, muttering yourself about how much of a weasel that blonde headed kid was.

⟡ ݁₊ .he liked you.

⟡ ݁₊ .mattheo had never been surrounded by healthy emotions, so when he realized that he had developed a small crush on the fiery, gryffindor girl. he wasn't sure what to do. so he resulted in doing what every eleven year old boy did...

⟡ ݁₊ .he teased her.

⟡ ݁₊ ."impressive. for a gryffindor."

⟡ ݁₊ ."terrible. for a slytherin."

⟡ ݁₊ ."feisty as ever, tiger."

⟡ ݁₊ .their banter never stopped, it went on for years as their relationship had turned into rivalry.

⟡ ݁₊ .it was all about who could get the better grade, who could flyer faster, who could make it to the Great Hall first. nothing was off limits. the two of them were constantly pushing each other in order to be better than the other.

⟡ ݁₊ .it was your sixth year at hogwarts and the rivalry hadn't lessen over the many years that you two had competed against each other. If anything, it got more intense.

⟡ ݁₊ ."i bet i could out drink you, riddle."

⟡ ݁₊ ."alright, tiger, i just hope you can keep up."

⟡ ݁₊ .the two of you then started to chug whatever alcohol was at your fingertips, the party lights making it harder to see, while the smell of smoke and firewhiskey clung to the air. you felt more determined than ever that win.

⟡ ݁₊ .it was after your fourth drink when mattheo paused. watching you lean your head back and started to chug the substance in the cup. your eyes fluttered closed in concentration. he knew what you were like when you got like this, willing to do anything to win.

⟡ ݁₊ .but something lurched in his stomach at the fact that if you kept pushing yourself, and you would, you could get really sick.

⟡ ݁₊ .so, mattheo put his drink down, putting his hands up in defeat. he could keep drinking, hell, he could double what you were doing without a sweat, but he didn't care. he didn't want to prove himself if it meant putting you at risk.

⟡ ݁₊ .when he saw your face light up in victory, your hands coming up like you had finished the biggest race of your life. you smile was wide, your eyes were glassy but filled with that same sparkle you would get when you beat him.

⟡ ݁₊ .he felt his heart lurch, more than it ever had before as he came to a realization.

⟡ ݁₊ .one of, he would lose every fight, throw in the towel, take a hit to his pride, he would do absolutely anything to keep that happiness spread on your face.

⟡ ݁₊ .the next morning you had woken up with a major headache, groaning in pain as you sit up, only to realize that you weren't in your room.

⟡ ݁₊ .the walls decorated with greens and colors of darkness, the bed smelt like cologne, there were quidditch robes draped over a chair. you had fallen asleep in some boys room.

⟡ ݁₊ .you blink before the door of the bathroom opens only to reveal, mattheo riddle, standing there with wet curls stuck to his forehead. your face pales as you suddenly try to figure out what happened.

⟡ ݁₊ ."oh my gods- did we...?"

⟡ ݁₊ ."no, tiger, you were just drunk off your ass, so i let you sleep here. i slept on the floor."

⟡ ݁₊ ."you let me sleep here? why would you do that?"

⟡ ݁₊ ."because i care about you more than anything, tiger. you push me to be better in more ways than i could ever imagine. and i don't know what i would do if something ever happened to the one person i would lose everything for."

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱

⟡ ݁₊ .the teasing, the bickering, the competition didn't stop. if anything it only grew, but with a lot less malice behind the words.

⟡ ݁₊ .“i think you just want to see me fly again. you like watching me make your team look bad.”

⟡ ݁₊ ."you might be right. watching a gryffindor outshine the slytherins is entertaining. but don’t let it get to your head, tiger. the next match will be different."

⟡ ݁₊ ."i'm counting on it."

⟡ ݁₊ .people often compare your relationship to an old married couple, the way that you were both so comfortable with each other and yet could bicker over stupid little things.

⟡ ݁₊ .you show him what love could be like. mattheo had never felt this type of love. the one where you hold hands and feel unashamed of who you are. the one where you prefer spending nights in playing cards, instead of going out. the one where you find yourself feeling warm and content.

⟡ ݁₊ .you weren't afraid to be seen with him. he had suggested that if you wanted to keep it quiet, then he would understand.

⟡ ݁₊ .you responded by dragging him out to the middle of the courtyard to kiss him passionately. your hands tangling in his hair, his hands pulling you closer.

⟡ ݁₊ .you didn't care what other people thought, and if someone happens to say a snide comment while walking by, you both were quick to stick up your middle fingers- not even breaking the kiss.

⟡ ݁₊ .he finds himself taking in the small moments. ones where your curled up with a blanket in front of a fire. one that wishes that could match your warmth, your temper, you.

⟡ ݁₊ .he finds himself grinning as you mumble something under your breath about the game between the wimbourne wasps and the ballycastle bats, when he swooped you into his lap.

⟡ ݁₊ ."you amaze me more and more every day, tiger. no flame could every amount to your light."

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘹

⟡ ݁₊ .i will be straight up- the sex is hot.

⟡ ݁₊ .stolen moments in between classes as he pulls you into an empty classroom before bending you over the desk with your skirt around your waist.

⟡ ݁₊ .his slytherin tie shoved in your mouth would muffle your moans of pleasure as he thrusts his cock deep inside you, making your eyes roll back into your head as you claw at the desk.

⟡ ݁₊ ."gods- your pussy is perfect, baby. fucking couldn't wait any more."

⟡ ݁₊ .or in the locker rooms after an intense quidditch game which led you both to taunting each other, wanting to see the other one break. the same game that you won, which now had led you to your current position in the shower. leaning against mattheo's bare, wet chest as your thighs shake from your previous two orgasms.

⟡ ݁₊ ."how many goals did you score? ten? oh babygirl, you've got a long way to go."

⟡ ݁₊ .he would always be quick to find some way to have his hand on your thigh, making easier to slip a finger over your core if he finds your temper starting to rise. one quick brush to your cunt, and your mouth shuts closed.

⟡ ݁₊ ."come on, pretty girl, what were you going to say? hm? use your words."

⟡ ݁₊ .but in between the teasing, the rough sex that made you see stars. there were times where he made love to you. taking his time to worship you and he sinks to his knees and buries his face into your dripping cunt.

⟡ ݁₊ ."fucking love you baby, so bloody perfect."

⟡ ݁₊ .sometimes mattheo thanks merlin himself for having draco steel that remembrall from neville. because if the blonde boy wasn't a giant dick, then he wouldn't have met the one person who he wants to be better for, the one person he would lay down his life for without a second thought. in the end, he would gladly give it all up if it meant you would stay.

⟡ ݁₊ ."everything i do is for you, tiger. every fight, every word, every breath. it has all led me to you. every fiber of my being has always known that i was meant to be with you and you, with me."

[thecouchsofa]

It might be March, but better late than never!

While I posted more fic in 2024 (see my 2024 year in fic) than I ever have before, I also read an absolute shitload. Below the cut are some of my favourites that were published in 2024, arranged by word count.

As always, there is an absolute wealth of talent in this fandom and the amount of goodness we have here never ceases to amaze me. The fics below all really did it for me in a number of different ways. Though my opinion is subjective, I will happily vouch for all of them. Happy reading! 📚

❤️🩵💛💚

🌹Way to go, Tiger by @houndsinhades | G | 2k | 🌹

The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean You'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline But now we'll curtail your curiosity In sweetness Way to go, Tiger Scorpius Malfoy's seventh birthday.

Read for: Scorpius at his best, Wholesome Parent/Child Relationship, Draco after the War

Note: This is technically a gen fic, but it gives major Drarry vibes so I’m putting it here anyway

🌺The game's the game by @hogwartsfirebolt | M | 3k | 🌺

Draco might be — definitely is — the world’s sorest loser, but he’s also the world’s biggest slut for Quidditch excellence, and he has it right here, holding him against his hotel room door.

Read for: Quidditch Rivals Harry and Draco, Friends with Benefits, a full story told expertly in a low word count

🌻 The sun between us by @eleadore | E | 7k | 🌻

Draco Malfoy, an omega. It was laughable until he was right in front of you, smelling like he was one shaky step from tripping into a heat.

Read for: Omegaverse, Snarky Banter, Good Characterisation (yes, I’m putting that on a PWP)

🌼 Apophenia by b6p592l11 | T | 12k |🌼

Out of the many things Sirius expected to happen after the war, having to deal with his godson dating a Death Eater was definitely not one of them.

Read for: Sirius Lives, Sirius POV, Draco/Regulus Parallels

🌷The Window by @hoko-onchi-writes | E | 15k |🌷

“I swear all you ever talk about is men.” Ron laughs and vanishes the last of the joint. “Sweet fucking Christ,” Harry says. “Remind me to never involve you in my life in any way, ever again.” He gives Harry a very handsome grin. “Padma said she saw him. At a Tesco’s.” “Who?” “Draco sodding Malfoy.” “At a Tesco’s,” Harry repeats. He’s very stoned, having an out-of-body experience imagining Draco Malfoy in a Tesco’s, holding a frozen dinner. He wonders, very briefly, what Malfoy’s been up to since the war. “I bet you wish you had a map of that Tesco’s. So you could track his name.” “Fuck off.” ~~ In which Harry grows up in darkness, falls in love, fucks up, learns some things, and falls in love again.

Note: this story also features Harry/Charlie, but it is endgame Drarry

Read for: Character Study (Harry), Adorable Scorpius, this line that I want tattooed on my prefrontal cortex: "There’s a very blond man with a laptop, and an equally blond toddler wearing a Wiggles t-shirt and brandishing a trashy romance novel like a weapon."

🪻Je te reverrai by @soliblomst and art by @kk1smet | E | 16k |🪻

When Beauxbatons visited Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament, Draco managed to control his attraction to fourteen-year-old Harry Potter. When Beauxbatons returns three years later for a cultural exchange, Draco's attraction to seventeen-year-old Harry Potter is impossible to curtail. In his defence, Harry's perfectly tailored blue robes, mixed signals, and French accent do not help.

Read for: Beauxbatons Harry, French Speaking Harry, Gorgeous Art

🌹Nine Days in Coventry by @sitaz | G | 16k |🌹

When a de-aged Draco Malfoy is discovered in Knockturn Alley, the Ministry appoints Family Liaison Officer Potter as his emergency guardian. Whisked away to a Muggle safehouse, Draco does not cope well, and Harry learns just how hard life can be when a five-year-old declares war on you.

Read for: De-aged Draco, Draco being a brat (but so cute), Harry taking care of Draco, Pre-Relationship

🌺 The most he’s ever said by @fastbrother | E | 16k |🌺

It takes them twenty years.

Read for: Down and Out to Redeemed and Competent Draco, Draco-centric, the Situationship of a Lifetime

Warning: Infidelity, but not between Drarry

🌻You And Me Against The World by @dracowillhearaboutthis | T | 17k |🌻

When Draco finally meets his soulmate, he doesn't want anything to do with Draco.

Read for: Soulmarks, Partial Canon Rewrite, Remus raises Harry, Draco and Theo friendship

🌼Equally Cursed and Blessed by @moonflower-rose | E | 18k |🌼

Harry's back at Hogwarts to attempt his final year, again. This time he's sure there'll be no shenanigans. Well. Maybe there'll be a few.

Read for: Draco’s artsy porn collection, Humour, Harry and Ron’s ride or die friendship

🌷Goodbye, Old You by harDeehar (dryrsheet) | E | 19k |🌷

As an alpha, Harry Potter should not have been an assistant for the newly minted Diversity department, and he definitely should not have been working under Draco. Draco seemed to be the only person who thought Harry was suspicious, but he was used to taking care of things on his own, anyway. Luckily, Draco was not as alone as he thought, and his understanding of Harry's intentions turned out to not be the only misjudgement Draco made.

Read for: Omegaverse, Coworkers, Mpreg

🪻Raising Hell! by @wolfpants | E | 21k |🪻

Harry and Draco are sent undercover as a married couple to investigate a dodgy Muggle love cult. Something evil is lurking in Glastonbury… but to get to it, the reluctant partners must be initiated first. And this is, after all, a love cult…

Read for: Case Fic, Competent Draco, Muggle Sex Cults, Good Smut

🌹The Superfluous Man by peu_a_peu | E | 24k |🌹

A child for Harry Potter is a miracle of magic. And it's the second act of Draco Malfoy's sorry little life.

Read for: Mpreg, snappy writing style, a pre-2015 feel

🌺On the divine agony of longing by @flimsi | E | 25k |🌺

Speaking to Draco is like poking a beehive - and Harry is a glutton for punishment. In which Harry makes some serious blunders and then tries to fix it. Somehow. Draco’s eyes narrow and his mouth purses, pretty and pink and wet from whatever he’s been drinking. “Any mediocre time is better than whatever you can you offer, Head Auror Potter. We’ve had this conversation. I thought I made myself clear.”

Read for: Magically Powerful Harry, Possessive Pining Harry, Competent Draco

🌻Antelucan Ruins by @rainjulyx | E | 29k |🌻

From the bloody Prophet, Draco discovers Harry Potter’s death splashed in grey ink printed on the front page. Potter is dead before Draco gets to see him again to fulfil a half-spoken promise. And yet, these days Draco has the power to bend the world to his heart’s desires, and that includes fucking Harry Potter even after he personally saw Potter’s pale, lifeless body lying in a coffin before it got buried under the soil. — "Do you realise that you're just as pathetic and insane? You're so hung up on the idea of me that you'd fuck a ghost, Malfoy. You risked your life for it." Draco puts an arm around Potter's body, "Whoever says I am sane? Certainly not me. It's calculated risk with more success rate than failure. And you are dead, Potter. You refuse to move on to the next realm because you crave for my cock."

Read for: BAMF Draco, Ghost Harry, a surprisingly hopeful tone considering one of them is pretty dead

🌼The only thing worse than heartbreak is Vermont by @jtimu | E | 31k |🌼

In the aftermath of a failed relationship, Draco Malfoy found himself with three things. His pride (tattered), Theo's luggage (stolen), and an all-inclusive couples' vacation package to Vermont (awful).

Read for: Lumberjack Harry, Banter, International Location

🌷Skipping Stones by @whimsibeee | M | 34k |🌷

Draco receives his very own prophecy. If Harry Potter could leave him alone, he might be able to figure out what it means.

Read for: Coming of Age vibes, Cosy Atmospheric writing, Complicated Family Dynamics

🪻Obscuro by @stratigraphywrites | E | 35k |���

Draco is grieving. His conversation partner is here against his will. It's a shameless rip-off of an insipid Muggle reality dating show. Hardly the occasion for true love, if you ask Draco. feat. a cat named Marmalade, a bird named Mumble, Lee Jordan's answer to Love is Blind, and two best friends who only want their dads to be happy.

Read For: Game Show Format, Hidden Identity, Good Smut, Epilogue Compliant

🌹Invito by PrinceMalice | E | 36k |🌹

Draco mused on the possible first use of the charm. What had the wizard been calling for? The text didn’t specify. As for the etymology— the meaning of the word itself was derived from I call, I summon— or the Hungarian variation of the incantation… To invite. Or, Harry keeps inviting Draco places. Draco keeps turning him down… until he doesn't.

Read for: Eighth Year, the sweetest unfolding of a relationship, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Party Games

🌺Gemini in Retrograde by @citrusses | T | 38k |🌺

Draco Malfoy doesn’t understand his son. Scorpius Malfoy doesn’t understand his father. It’s going to take more than one disastrous, body-swapping curse to change that.

Read for: Body Swapping, Alternating Scorpius/Draco POV, Draco being a good dad, Soft Harry, DADA Professor Harry

🌻No Harm by Tessa Crowley | E | 46k |🌻

After a long, bloody war, Draco Malfoy just wants to do something good with his life for a change, and resolves to become a healer. But magical society refuses to make it easy for him, and an increasingly dramatic series of events—all of them instigated by Harry Potter—get him kicked out of med school, force him to live in exile, and threaten to destroy the new life he’s trying so desperately to build. But Harry isn’t instigating anything—at least not on purpose. He’s just trying to work up the nerve to ask him out. His efforts don’t appear to be going great.

Read for: Down and out Draco, Pining Harry, same scenes from different perspectives

🌼Truth to Materials by lately & @toomuchplor | E | 54k | 🌼

In which Harry learns to appreciate art and other pleasures of the flesh.

Read for: Artist Draco, Paris, Good Smut

🌷Pillar of Salt by @epitomereally | E | 62k | 🌷

From the lake in the Room of Hidden Things, Draco knows three things: 1. Mirror universes exist, and he’s going to find the best one—the one where he did the right thing. 2. Harry Potter and him are awfully cosy in some of these other universes, whereas Potter in real life is starting to act very odd around him indeed. 3. Draco’s reflection—the mirror version of him, the worst version of him—seems to be growing crueler. And stronger.

Read for: Eighth Year, Alternate Universes (sort of), Magical Theory

🪻Behind Closed Doors by @stratigraphywrites | E | 77k | 🪻

Twelve years after Harry Potter disappeared from the wizarding world and from Draco's life, his daughter starts at Hogwarts.

Read for: Secret Child, Angst with a Happy Ending, Nonlinear Narrative

🌹A Soft Place to Fall by @amomorii | E | 142k | 🌹

When Harry arrives for his first year teaching at Hogwarts and is struck with a bizarre malignance, how on earth is he supposed to react when Draco Malfoy suddenly cares? Or; A darkness crawls out of Harry, and there's only so long he can keep it to himself.

Read for: Unique Concept, Managing Childhood Trauma, Reluctant Magical Coparenting (but it’s not what you think)

🌺The Star Splitter by @oflights | E | 219k |🌺

On a routine time travel assignment to the past, Draco stumbles upon 7-year-old Harry Potter and witnesses his neglect and mistreatment by the Dursleys. In the moment, there is only one solution, even if it goes against all his training as a Time Agent: he has to bring Harry back to the future with him. In which Draco burns his life down for the sake of his former school rival.

Read for: Time Travel, Draco taking care of Harry, Kid Fic

I hope you enjoy these fics as much as I did! If you read any, don't forget to show the creators some love ❤️🩵💛💚