#tiny desk is my fAVORITE FAVORITE though if you hear no other

[wordsinhaled]

hold on to each other hold on to each other hold on to each other

[megu-meow]

how I met your mother - Gojo Satoru

dad!Gojo x fem.reader

Summary: I recently found out that many TV series and other Manga/Anime are canon in JJK - How I Met Your Mother included - and I couldn't stop thinking about how Gojo would re-enact the thing after watching it. Moreover, all of you deserve some teeth-rotting fluff after that horrifying manga chapter. Enjoy!

"Why am I here?" Megumi asked with irritation laced through his voice as he sat down on the couch, beside the two white-haired rascals he calls his siblings.

"I'm gonna tell you guys the story of how I met your mother!" Gojo exclaims as he sits on his desk chair, in his office at Jujutsu Tech. The desk usually sits in the corner, right beside the window, but now is pushed in front of the couch, so that he can sit face to face with his children, the setup similar to the one in his recent favorite American TV show, How I Met Your Mother. The only difference is that the whole scenario is not played in his home office, but the one at his actual workplace, because you declared your home a Jujutsu-Free Zone.

"Gojo-Sensei..." Megumi sighs as he starts rubbing his forehead with annoyance "I was five when the two of you got together, I heard the story of how you two met a million times, this is not new to me." he explains as three sets of cerulean blue eyes gawk at him from all directions.

"Mama..." the two-year-old girl sitting on Megumi's left puffs with a ridiculously adorable pout on her face as soon as she hears the mention of her mother, and the five-year-old boy on the other side of the couch whiffs the air aggressively with the plush sword his father was forced to buy him on their way to the school.

"I know, Megumi, but this is a special occasion, you're gonna sit through the whole thing again so that you can experience this amazing fairytale with your beloved siblings." the tall sorcerer explains and his attention turns to his beloved daughter, Munchkin as he refers to her. The little girl slowly climbs into Megumi's lap, the boy instinctively helping her settle down as he embraces her lightly from behind, tickling her sides, and the room is filled with childish laughter. His son, or as he refers to him, Nugget, drops the toy from his tiny hands and huffs in annoyance, suddenly jealous of his sister's ability to gain the undivided attention of his favorite person, his older brother. "Now, all of you pay attention."

It was his first day at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Given his extravagant upbringing, Gojo Satoru was a self-centered douchebag with a horrible attitude. He first met Geto Suguru, the only friend he ever claimed he had, the dark-haired sorcerer with a warm smile and polite demeanor, the polar opposite of him. The two formed an unbearable duo and as soon as you walked into the classroom with the three first-year students, four months after the school year began, you knew you had to keep yourself as far away from the boys as possible. You became good friends with Shoko though, the two of you had plenty of common interests and your personalities were similar as well.

You tried avoiding Gojo at all times, you thought he was irritating based on his behavior in class and his rude comments behind your back, ones he whispered to Geto, making your dark-haired classmate laugh obnoxiously. However, Your efforts to stay as far away from him were proven to be useless when Yaga paired the two of you for a mission.

"So, why is a clan princess like you avoiding the strongest sorcerer of her time? Didn't your family tell you about the power and influence my family holds over the jujutsu society?" he asks you cockily and you chuckle dismissively at his words.

"I'm not a clan princess, Gojo! On the contrary... I come from a family of non-sorcerers and I was an outcast my whole life because I kept seeing things that others couldn't." you said as you kept hitting the curse with sharp daggers that you wielded in the air with your cursed technique "And I don't care about your power or your privilege, because I'm only here to help others." you make your point even clearer as you throw your last dagger with extra force, exorcising the curse without breaking a sweat.

"And that was the moment..." Gojo begins to explain to his overly bored children, but Megumi interrupts him.

"... when you realized you wanted to pursue the only girl that ever gave you attitude, a.k.a. Y/n. We know, it's getting boring."

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Megumi! This is an amazing story about the two people that raised you. Show some respect!" Satoru exclaims with an offended expression and Munchkin hides her face in her tiny hands, thinking that she is the one who is being scolded, trying to hide from her father's light-hearted attempt at discipline.

"Papa, can we have Splendid Sushi?" the white-haired boy asks, boredom evident from his facial expression.

"Nugget, you just ate before we came here." Satoru pouts, clearly disappointed in his kids.

"I know, I'm still hungry."

"I'm gonna wrap this story up quickly and we can go eat after." he gives in, a sad expression on his face.

After that moment you shared on your mission, Gojo changed. He was still annoying and arrogant, but he tried acting like a decent human being around you. In one instance Suguru explained that the remarks they exchanged with each other were making fun of Yaga-Sensei, not you. He felt the need to clarify that after Satoru complained to him about how much you seemed to hate his guts.

These things shed a different light on Gojo, you noticed how he was very attentive when it came to the small details you shared about yourself when the four of you first years were hanging out. He also ensured that you got home safe whenever you went out as a group and he even gave you his jacket so that you wouldn't catch a cold.

He also started complimenting you, your looks, your advancement with your technique, and he thoroughly enjoyed how you blushed every time he called you sweetheart or any other nickname he came up with on the spot. However, you were stubborn, even more challenging than some curses he fought.

"I'm gonna wife you up one day, sweet girl! Even if it's the last thing I do." he whispers into your ear as your head is resting on his shoulder while you're being driven home by an auxiliary assistant from a challenging mission. He thought you were sleeping, but you could hear his muffled words and your lips curled into a slight smile. Because Satoru was good, kind-hearted, and loving in his dorky, obnoxious way.

"Papa, where is Mama?" Munchkin asks with tears in her eyes, clearly distressed from the long period of time she had to endure without her Mama. And the only thing Satoru can do is get up from his chair, walk towards his little baby and embrace her with his strong and bulky arms, trying to comfort her, because he knows exactly how terrible it feels being away from you. He coos at her lovingly, kissing her chubby cheeks and he sits back down to continue with his story. He also puts out his hand, using blue to fetch a pink fluffy blankie he keeps in his office. Megumi rolls his eyes at this, he finds it annoying how Gojo uses his techniques so unnecessarily.

A month after Satoru's not-so-secret confession, at Nanami Kento's birthday party, it happens. Your first kiss. For the most part, the party goes terribly for both of you. He is standing in a corner, drinking seltzers orange soda furiously as he observes how a third-year is trying to hit on you with cringey pick up lines that make Gojo want to throw up. You seem uncomfortable with his advances, but Satoru doesn't intervene, because he has no right to. You two are not dating, you are just very close friends. Nothing less, certainly nothing more. However, as that idiot steps closer to you and you try to bring an end to his flirting, Satoru observes the deep discomfort in your eyes and the twirling of your hands, trying to wield some glass shards with your technique from the broken bottle spilled onto the floor. He decides to intervene, and with a single clap of his hands, he's beside you, his fingers slip into yours, stopping you from using your technique, knowing that using it without permission on school grounds could get you in trouble. The third-year leaves instantly once Gojo arrives and there you stand in front of the white-haired sorcerer with thankful eyes.

"Thank you, Satoru!" you say and from the many shots of sake cups of tea you had, you gain a newfound courage within you to get on your tiptoes and kiss his cheek. Or so you think, because in the last moment, he turns his head and your lips land on his. It's a short kiss, basically a peck, but the sobering reality of the consequences of your actions hits you like a train.

"I'm sorry, that was a mistake..." you mutter and you run out of the party, leaving him there disappointed.

After that, you don't talk to each other for two weeks. Gojo tries in the beginning, but you stop all of his attempts because you are too ashamed of your actions. After a while he becomes petty himself, claiming that it's for the better and saying the two of you wouldn't have lasted in the first place. He does it in the usual Gojo fashion, making sure that you hear every word leaving his mouth. He wants you to hurt just as much as he is, but as soon as he spots the puffy, red circles under your eyes, he regrets ever being mean towards you.

"Dada, why you make Mama cry?" the toddler in his lap looks at him curiously, her lips in a pout, clearly disappointed with her father.

"Hey! That's not true, Mama made me cry first, Munchkin."

"You never cried in your life, Gojo." Megumi intervenes and if Satoru could kill with his Six Eyes, he would annihilate the Fushiguro kid right now.

"Is the story over, Papa? You said we'd go to Splendid Sushi after." Nugget whines once again and Satoru knows he has to finish up soon, otherwise, his son is going to throw a tantrum.

Satoru rushes into the medical ward upon hearing the news. You went out on a mission alone and you were brought back by Yaga himself, on a stretcher. He doesn't know any more details than that, but he's frantic. As soon as he spots you on one of the disgustingly hard hospital beds, being treated by Shoko with blood running down your beautiful face, Satoru is standing beside you, holding your hand. You are unconscious, but it doesn't matter, his six eyes tell him that your cursed energy is stable, you have been knocked out, that's all.

"Step aside for a second, loverboy, I have to heal the cut on her arm." Shoko says with a smirk and Gojo steps away hesitantly, watching carefully as your scars slowly disappear. The healer leaves the room as soon as she finishes and Satoru is quick to return to your side, his fingers laced with yours once again.

"Gojo?"

"Am I not Satoru anymore, sweet thing?" he asks disappointedly and your mouth curls up slightly. You could have died, but he's still hung up on the way you addressed him. You look down at your hands, not able to respond. You don't quite know what you two are anymore. "I was really scared, you know? I cannot lose my favorite girl this soon, otherwise I would go insane."

"It's not a big deal, Satoru..."

"But it is...Don't you get it?! I love you." he confesses, he seems furious, but his eyes glisten with the utmost adoration "It's you, it's always been you. The one who keeps me grounded, the one that makes it worthy to be the strongest, because all this power is meant to protect you, sweetheart. So please don't ever go two weeks and four days without talking to me and for the love of god, please don't go out there on reckless missions without me because I don't want to hear about you coming back on a stretcher ever again." he brings your hands up to his lips, kissing them gently and you swear you can see tears swelling in his precious eyes.

"I love you too, Satoru." you reply, your voice barely a whisper. He's shocked, for a second, the next he's leaning closer asking for permission to kiss you properly. You grant it to him and he unites your lips in a long-awaited kiss, one that seals the fate of the rest of your lives, without even knowing it.

"That day, in the hospital ward of Jujutsu Tech, I promised my classmate, the girl I fell deeply in love with, that I would protect her no matter what. That I would love and cherish her with all of my might till the end of my life. I promised her that one day I would marry her, when I went back home with you, Megumi, and told her I was planning on raising you at eighteen, while she simply agreed to help me all the way, no questions asked. Three years later I vowed to her that I would be beside her in sickness and in health. When you rascals were born, I promised I would take care of her and you guys with all the energy I have. Deep down I knew from the moment she stepped into that classroom when I was fifteen that she would be the one for me. And that kids, is how I met your mother." he finishes with a fond smile on his face, but it quickly falters as he notices that Nugget is once again preoccupied with whacking the air with the toy from earlier, Megumi is on his phone and Munchkin is sleeping soundly in his embrace.

Suddenly, he hears your footsteps from down the hall and your sing-song voice coming through the door.

"Where's my beloved family at?" you ask playfully, opening the door to his office, and peeking in. Upon spotting the sleeping toddler in his arms you keep quiet, approaching the two of them and you take your daughter into your embrace. You look around the room, observing the changes, the very bored teenager and your rascal of a son sitting on the couch and you quickly connect the pieces of the puzzle.

"You did it, didn’t you, Satoru?"

"What, sweetheart?" he asks faking innocence.

"The How I Met Your Mother Thing? The idea you were talking to me about the other night."

"Maybe."

"Oh, my poor babies, you had to sit through that cliche story. How long did your dad keep you bored, Megumi?" you ask, your tone teasing.

"Actually it wasn't that long after Nugget started whining." the raven-haired boy explained, looking fondly at his only mother figure.

"I'm so sorry, guys, let's go to Splendid Suchi, okay? That would make you all feel better." you add, leaving a loving kiss on all the kids' heads. Your son lifts his head with incredible speed upon hearing you mention his favourite restaurant, up until now he didn't even notice your presence, too preoccupied with his new toy. Suddenly everyone is up on their feet, ready to have a scrumptious meal.

You and Satoru stay behind a bit as the two boys run out of the school and Megumi summons his demon dogs so that the two of them can play with the fluffy shikigami.

"When are you gonna tell ME that fairytale of yours, angel boy? I'm really curious how you scored a clan princess like me." you ask your husband jokingly and he chuckles, raising his sunglasses up his nose. His hands quickly snake around your waist, pulling you into a loving kiss. Your daughter finally awakens lifting her head from your shoulder, interrupting the beautiful moment between the two of you.

"Mama!" she exclaims, embracing you tightly, her tired eyes fluttering as you bring her closer to your chest.

"Not only did you steal your Mama from me you get her titties as well?! This world is truly cruel."

[love-bitesx]

im word vomiting my headcanon list and id love to hear what you think!

*hobie gifting things that he finds to his partner like a crow. i can imagine they'd just randomly turn up, either on a desk or like they'll just find it in their bag or pocket, or that he'd just walk of and just hand it to them with no word *hobie fell for his partner hard, though he kept it pretty well hidden from everyone except pav starts calling his 'loverboy', eventually the nickname catches on to the point his future partner starts using it as well(either b/c they like it and thay're oblivious or they know exactly whats going on and are teasing him about it) *loves playful banter *nicknames for daaaaaays with his partner *hobie getting serious with a partner would be him gifting them something important, first thoughts are either a guitar pick of his or one of his favorite rings (its the most worn one he has, a simple metal one that you can literally feel the love thats gone into it. somehow it fits his partners finger perfectly)



i may be back with more, until then i salute you!

i agree with ur hc’s so much!! this is how i hc & tend to write hobie so, 100%! pls don’t hesitate if u think of anymore hehe

i’d love to expand! ~

- giving you gifts, to him, is like the ideal expression of love.

- because basically all of them are stolen, it’s a combination of his favourite things; stealing from big corporations, and seeing the beaming, heart-warming smile on your face when you open your bag and see a tiny trinket wrapped in newspaper.

- everytime you would come home, you’d find a new little addition to the house somewhere – notably: necklaces, rings, tiny ceramic statues or wooden decorations, pens, music (cd’s, vinyls, etc.) – especially if he’s been to camden market that day, his pockets would be full for you.

- when he started to fall for you, he low-key thought he was coming down with the flu.

- whenever you were around, his heart would flutter, his head dizzy and palms sweating – he considered getting medicine, until pavitr pointed something out.

- “how are you, loverboy?”

- “eh? you talking to me, pav?”

- “of course, hobie! little loverboy”

- “did you hit your head, bro?”

- pavitr would explain that he’d noticed hobie’s eyes glued to you whenever you spoke, hanging onto every word like gospel, and the way he flustered when you touched him, how he’d do anything in his power to be in your personal space.

- “shit.”

- “no! this is a good thing, my friend! love is the most bea—”

- “shit.”

- days went past of hobie avoiding you, he’d never been in love before, and it was scary to him

- his brain was only thinking of you, and he hated that he liked it. he hated that he wished for every thought to be of you.

- and he hated that he could see your body deflate when he avoided you, hated that your eyes looked sad when he turned away

- he hated that he liked loving you

- until, you caught him on his own one day, he was minding his business, relaxing on his lonesome whilst the others hung out in different dimensions.

- “hey, loverboy”

- a deer in headlights wouldn’t even come close to the shock on his face

- “loverboy?”

- loverboy? you were calling him loverboy?

- “yeah, loverboy, that’s you, isn’t it?”

- in all fairness, you were completely oblivious to the reason behind it – pav had simply just started calling him it when hobie wasn’t around, and it stuck

- “i-i guess so”

- clearing his throat, he willed his confidence back to the surface

- “you can call me anything you want, sweetheart”

- it wasn’t long before you were together, a gentle, but spontaneous kiss after a particularly dangerous mission one day sealing the deal between you both

- he was obsessed with you

- now he could be obvious about his feelings, he took that and ran with it

- his arm was essentially glued to your side, or over your shoulders, or anywhere where he could pull you in close to him

- he’d grab you by the belt buckles, dragging you towards him and welcoming you with a soft peck on the lips

- even in public, almost especially in public

- always have his hands in your back pockets, he says he hates the cliché-ness of it but he likes that he can hold you close whilst respecting your personal space – and he can feel your ass, but he doesn’t admit that outloud

- THE NICKNAMES.

- THE. NICKNAMES.

- this man is born and bred british, and over here we use nicknames more than actual names

- darling, sweetheart, love, lovely, all of those AND more are natural to him, anyway

- but he adds a special little “my” before them all now, now that you actually are his, and so “my darling”, “my love”, etc. are like a second name to you

- in bed, the nicknames would be even better, but i’ll leave that to your imagination…

- when things started getting a little serious, you’d been dating for months, all your friends and colleagues knew about him, your family as well (if you decide to tell them)

- you’re relaxing in hobie’s dimension, laying on his bed with your head on his shoulder, reading a book whilst he strums at his guitar softly. he’s humming a song you don’t recognise, but the sound of his deep melody was enough to lull you.

- “hey, love?”

- you hum in response

- “i wanna give you something.”

- sitting you up, he’d lay his guitar down and face you, grabbing your hand and bringing it to him

- “what are you—”

- he’d fiddle with his own hands for a second, before twisting his favourite ring off his index finger

- “here.”

- “hobie, are you—”

- “i’m not proposing, don’t worry. weddings are just a social nuisance that give us one more way to control each other. no. this is better.”

- you tilt your head and watch him, as he slides his ring onto your middle finger

- “it’s just a promise.”

- “a promise?”

- “a promise that i love you, and that i’m yours, innit.”

- “oh, hobie.”

- you cry a tiny bit

- and he hugs you tightly, kissing your forehead

- that’s when he knew it was serious with you, not only because of how he was so obsessed with you, and his heart melted at your touch, but because when he saw you with the ring on, his ring, his person, it just felt right. he didn’t ever wanna see you without it, or without him.

- “hey, hobie, did you mean what you said about marriage? you don’t wanna marry me one day?”

- “hey, i said i hate weddings. nothing about marriage. not if we do it our own way, you know?”

i love him so much. also pls stick around, couple of one shots & fics will be out this week!!! sorry they’re taking ages hehe

[edgeray]

hi ray! for your requests, may i ask for arlecchino x gn!house of the hearth child reader where reader is feeling down for whatever reason, and tries their best not to alarm arlecchino or show signs, but she ends up finding out anyway and comforts them?

Stitching Back Joy

(Platonic Arlecchino x GN! Child! Reader)

A/N - Sure! My first platonic request, nice! I've yet wrote platonic Arlecchino x Reader, but I've been meaning to for a while, so thanks for this request. Not exactly sure how old you wanted reader to be, but I had reader to be pretty young, probably a tween or younger. Hope this one turns out okay!  Content warnings / info - reader is a child, reader is gn!, arle may be ooc but at least she's a good father. no warnings :) i named reader's toy if you don't mind, 1.1k words

You should have known better than to be rough-housing with your lifelong companion and favorite toy. However, you were stupid, and your siblings were just a touch too rough, and then there was a loud rip, as the leg of your plush was torn right off, the stuffing escaping out of it. Your siblings all gasped and paused their playing already. 

You stood with the other half of Benny, their other, in-tact leg dangling from your tight grasp around it. Your tiny heart was broken like Benny, and the corner of your eyes burned, tears welling. 

Benny had been with you since you were eight, around the time of your arrival at the House of the Hearth. During your first night, you were restless, tossing and turning, anxious because of the new environment even though Father was generous and the other children were kind. The next morning, when Father noticed the signs of a fitful sleep, she decided that you would benefit from an outing with her. 

That day, she brought you to a toy store and prompted you to select one. As your eyes scanned the shelves, one beady eyed expression caught your attention–a plush boot weasel. The House of the Hearth welcomed another new member that day, that being Benny the weasel, who was fixedly snug in your arms as you returned to the orphanage, no longer feeling like the only new sibling. Your closest best friend who has been with you on all your adventures around the House was now missing an arm. Benny who helped you sneak into the kitchen past curfew (only for you to be caught by Lyney), Benny who helped you make friends with the other children, Benny who was the only one who could hug you when you were sick was hurt. And now Benny was hurt. 

The boy who was holding the other leg of Benny quickly returned it to you, a million apologies spilling from his lips. You knew he was sincere, you knew he didn't mean to, but all you could do was gaze at the spilt stuffing at your feet, each ‘sorry’ flying past your head. 

You sit hunched over one of the desks in the House's library, attempting to bandage Benny's leg back while you sniffle, rubbing the wetness out of your eyes for the nth time. You know you shouldn't be crying, this wasn't a big deal after all, it was just some toy, you tried to reason yourself to stop the tears. Inserting the stuffing into Benny for the third time you push in the leg and try again, but like the previous two times, the limb always falls out. 

Your sight goes blurry as an onset of frustrated tears trailed down your cheeks. 

Then, you hear the familiar bell, the sound signaling to everyone in the House that it was meal time. You hastily wipe away your tears. You can't be seen crying over some toy, you couldn't bring him because you didn't want anyone to see that you were upset over a plush. You give one more glance towards Benny, promising that you'll bring food to them, before you leave for dinner, without them in your arms for the first time. You sit at your assigned chair of the long table, your dozen or so other siblings scrambling by, and Father approaches, taking her seat at the head of the table. 

The table is rowdy as per usual, your siblings chatting eagerly among themselves. Normally, you would join in as well, but you're too distraught over the missing company in your hands, feeling more lonely than ever before despite being surrounded by your entire family. 

Little did you know that Father's eyes were on you throughout the entire meal. 

As you got up to leave, you hear your name being called. 

“Can you stay behind? I'd like to discuss something with you,” Father says. You gulp nervously. Father rarely asks to talk to you alone. Were you in trouble? Or did Father notice your disquiet? Either way, you nod. As everyone else leaves the dining room, only you and Father remain. 

“Come here, my child,” she says, extending her arm out to gesture to the space beside her chair. You waddle your way towards her, your head down and you try to stifle your sniffling. She places a gentle clawed hand on your shoulder, and she urges you to look at her when her other hand tilts your head. You willed your eyes to not cry. 

“Is something bothering you?” 

You shake your head. “Nothing is bothering me, Father,” you assert, but your voice cracks, signaling an obvious lie to the Harbinger. 

“I will repeat again. What is bothering you? I do not see your friend with you,” Father notes, her tone becoming sterner, glancing down at your arms. 

You stay silent for a few moments, before you beak underneath her glare. “My friend… they got broken when I was playing earlier today. An-and, I can't…” Your lips trembled as you paused, attempting not to cry with the knowledge that Father does not appreciate tears. Still, the tears escape, and you cannot prevent them from flowing down your cheeks. You squeeze your eyes shut, bracing for her scolding as you stammer out the rest of your response. “I-I can't fix them.”  

Father goes silent, each second of quietude feeding into your anxiety, before she says, “Can I see them, my child?” 

You crack open an eye, your vision blurry from the tears but you can tell her piercing red gaze is still on you. “M-my friend?” 

“Yes.” 

You feebly nod and make your way to the library, Father following one step behind you. Guiding her to Benny, you showcase your maimed friend, their missing limb off to the side and stuffing bleeds out of them. Father reaches out and holds the delicate toy in her hand, turning it over and examining it. 

“Can you trust me with your friend, my child?” 

You sniffle. “A-are you going to f-fix him?” 

“Yes. Will you allow me to be with them for a little while? I will ensure that they will return to you before curfew.” 

Nodding away, with shaky hands, you place the leg and the stuffing you were able to salvage into her hands. 

“Go play with your siblings in the meanwhile. Run along.” 

You follow her orders, finding your siblings and distracting yourself from the absence of your best friend until the bell for curfew rings. Filing towards the bedroom with your siblings, you anxiously scamper to your bed. 

Benny awaits you on your pillow, his leg reattached, cleanly stitched back to his body. Besides him is a piece of paper and a few pieces of candy. You look closer at the note.

“Benny was especially brave during the operation. I gave them a few tokens for their courage. They learn well from you.

-Father” 

[theostrophywife]

the christmas special | the slytherin boys.

author's note: a cute collection of christmas activities that each of the boys would do with you. consider this as my gift to all of you. merry christmas pookies ✨

BLAISE

during first year, you and blaise established a tradition of pranking your friends with elf on a shelf.

some of your most notable accomplishments were: placing your little elf friend on all of the cigarette butts that theo had a horrible habit of littering with and placing it on his desk while the elf smoked one of his fancy expensive italian cigs that he saves for special occasions.

for mattheo, blaise took an action figure and smeared it in red food dye to commemorate all of the fights he seemed to get himself into.

for draco, you slipped a tiny amount of purple dye in his shampoo which turned his hair lavender for an entire week.

for enzo, blaise ransacked his honeydukes stash and left a mountain of wrappers on his bed.

for regulus, you replaced his sleakeasy potion with plain old water, which made his pretty curls frizz up like he'd been electrocuted.

neither one of you were stupid enough to prank tom. that was a one way ticket to an avada.

this year, though, blaise flipped the game on you.

you woke up in your dorm surrounded by flowers and balloons with the elf sitting at the edge of your bed, holding a note that said: call me a christmas, because i'm already wrapped up in you — b.

you chuckled as you read the note. your door swung open, revealing a grinning blaise.

"i thought you might like that one. i have plenty of others, though."

"is that so, zabini? well, let's hear them then."

"are you a christmas tree? because I’m really pining fir you."

"wanna feel my ugly christmas sweater? it's made out of boyfriend material."

you burst into a fit of laughter, making blaise grin. "and my personal favorite, the star may be on top of the tree but you can be the star on top of me."

"blaize zabini, you are ridiculously adorable."

"yeah? did my efforts work then? wanna grab some hot cocoa with your favorite person?"

"oh? is draco free?" you chuckled at the sight of blaise's frown. "i'm kidding, blaise. now come on, i need a sweet treat. besides you, of course."

DRACO

draco was ridiculously competitive, which was a trait that you usually found endearing in your boyfriend, but he was definitely taking this gingerbread house competition to another level.

you had never seen draco so concentrated, measuring each piece with his wand and spreading the icing with such careful precision.

"we're going to win this year, I just know it." he said, his pink tongue poking out of the side of his mouth as he secured the roof over your gingerbread house.

"it's not about winning, babe. it's about having fun!"

"fun?" draco asked incredelously. "no, darling, this is about crushing riddle underneath my boot, which I suppose is my own version of fun."

"oi! I heard that malfoy," mattheo complained.

"sorry matty, dray's gone full psycho." you teased, pinching your boyfriend's cheek. "I think it's rather cute though."

"you'd be the only one," theo said with an eye roll.

"don't hate, nott. where's your house anyways?"

theo shrugged while mattheo snorted. "notty boy here got too high and ate the entire thing."

you chuckled. "well, that's less competition for you and I, dray."

"good," draco said with a pleased smile. "now come on, darling. I want you to put on the finishing touch."

you nodded, taking the gumdrops from your boyfriend's hands and sticking them around the perimeter of the house. draco surveyed your hard work, really the only work he let you do since he was so adamant on building the entire thing from scratch.

"it's perfect, love."

"blimey," enzo said, cocking his head at the house. "you two really went all out this year."

tom scoffed. "it's architecturally inaccurate."

you rolled your eyes at the older riddle. "well, we couldn't exactly replicate everything, but i'd say dray did a fantastic job on his house."

"our house, darling," draco corrected. "or at least it will be soon enough."

"is that malfoy manor?" regulus asked.

"precisely," draco confirmed with a proud smile. he looped an arm around your waist, pressing a kiss against your cheek. "and i've got the future lady of the manor right by my side."

you giggled, leaning into your boyfriend's touch. "lady of the manor? hmm, I like the sound of that, dray."

ENZO

every year, enzo looked forward to ice skating on the frozen banks of the black lake.

he was terrible at it, but it only made it that much more endearing.

you remembered the first time he dragged you out into the cold during first year, talking your ear off about how excited he was for this time of year.

along with you and enzo, the rest of your friends joined in on the fun. mattheo and theo were absolute menaces on ice, while regulus and draco made a whole competition out of it. pansy and blaise were content to watch in the safety of their enchanted tent, sipping hot chocolate in peace.

over the years, enzo had gotten a little bit better, but he was still a little shaky on the ice. he never minded though since you were always there to hold his hand while you patiently skated around the rink with him at a glacial pace.

you weren't that great at skating either. or so he thought.

until the two of you were chatting, keeping to the makeshift wooden rails at the edge of the lake, when mattheo and theo came barreling past.

"watch out, y/n!"

you clocked the two menaces skating past you at full speed and made a rather complicated maneuver that enzo couldn't have even dreamed of landing.

"oh my god," enzo exclaimed. "are you alright? and what was that? that little twirl and land combo? I thought you couldn't skate, honey."

you smiled sheepishly, cheeks warming at enzo's nickname for you. "it's called an axel jump. I may have told a little fib when I said I couldn't skate..."

"I can see that, love," enzo said with a chuckle. "why would you pretend that you couldn't skate?"

"I didn't want you to feel left out," you admitted shyly. "the boys are always showing off and I don't know, it was kind of nice just to take it slow with you."

"you did that for me?" enzo asked as a grin spread across his face. "i like taking it slow with you too, y/n. I look forward to it every year."

"and here I thought you just really liked the ice and snow."

"are you kidding? I hate the cold," enzo replied, shivering. "but I like when you old my hand and lead me around the rink. and I also like it when you make us hot cocoa with extra marshmallows after. I just like you, honey."

you beamed. "I like you too, enz."

enzo smiled in return, kissing the tip of your frost kissed nose. "now come on, love. show me that move again. it was hot."

MATTHEO

"babe, we're supposed to decorate the cookies not eat them all," you teased, snatching a snow shaped cookie out of your boyfriend's hands.

"but they taste so good," mattheo said with a pout. he flashed his big, brown eyes at you, fishing for sympathy. "you know I can't resist sweet things. why do you think i'm dating you?"

you chuckled at his cheekiness. "nice try, matty. but we have to decorate the cookies first and then you can have a bite."

"oh, i'll have a bite alright," you squealed as he tugged you flush against him, pulling you in for a not so innocent kiss. "there. that should hold me over for a few minutes. at least, long enough to decorate."

you shook your head and handed him the cookies and icing. mattheo hummed, bumping against your hip every so often as the two of you began decorating.

despite his complaints, mattheo's cookies turned out way better than yours.

"how are you doing that?" you asked, staring at the perfect piping on his snowflake.

"it's easy, princess. here, let me show you." mattheo slotted himself behind you, his big hands enveloping yours as he attempted to guide you in replicating his design.

"real smooth, matty. this is just an excuse to wrap your arms around me, isn't it?"

"hmm, no i'm genuinely trying to help."

you raised a brow, backing against his crotch. matty released a low groan. "is that a candy cane or are you just happy to see me, baby?"

"all i'm saying is that i'm more than happy to give you a white christmas, princess."

with a giggle, you turned around and pulled him down to you by the front of his cheesy christmas sweater. his lips met yours in an eager kiss, sighing softly into your mouth. as the sweet taste of icing coated your tongue, you chuckled.

"really, baby? you didn't even last a half hour before sneaking a taste."

"you're lucky I haven't bent you over this table yet, mi amor." his low, husky voice sent shivers down your spine.

"on second thought, i'm not opposed to having that sweet treat a little early."

mattheo smirked. those big, brown eyes were nearly black as he lifted you onto the counter, big hands roaming underneath your sweater as his lips attached themselves to your neck.

"I was hoping you'd say that, my little snowflake." you squealed as he pulled you towards him, smirking as he knelt before you. “let’s put you on the naughty list tonight, y/n.”

“I don’t mind, matty. I know you’ll make me feel real nice.”

“damn right, baby.”

REGULUS

you and regulus had not planned on getting this drunk.

the game plan was to tackle decorating the common room with ample snacks, spiked eggnog, and a classic christmas playlist.

you hadn't accounted for reggie's heavy hand when it came to making drinks.

"how much rum did you put in this thing, reg?" you asked between giggles, wrapping tinsel around yourself like a makeshift scarf. "i'm really feeling it now and we're only halfway done."

"hmm, dunno, I kind of just eyeballed it." regulus responded, dangling two emerald ornaments through his ears. "I also may have nicked the bottle from malfoy. he's going to throw an absolute fit when he finds out."

"my father will hear about this!" you exclaimed, repeating draco's iconic line. "how dare you put your peasant lips on my vintage rum?"

regulus snickered, clutching his sides. "don't make me laugh, love. i'm already smashed enough as it is."

"honestly, that's what they get for making us decorate all by ourselves."

"hmm, I don't mind. at least I got to spend more time with you."

you chuckled. "we're already attached at the hip as it is."

regulus raised a brow, pulling you in by your wrist. he stood to his full height and spun you around in a circle before catching you in his arms. "are you trying to say you're tired of me, ma chérie?"

"never. you know you're my favorite person, reggie."

"you're my favorite, too." regulus murmured, his green eyes softening as he swayed. music played softly in the background as he pulled you closer. "dance with me?"

you giggled. "we're smashed, reggie. what if I trudge on your toes?"

"you do that sober anyways," regulus teased. "just humor me, please, y/n?"

you nodded, smiling softly as regulus led you into a waltz. despite his drunkenness, reggie was still the elegant dancer that he always was. it was in that aristocratic black blood, you supposed.

as you swayed in his arms, regulus pressed his forehead against yours, his pretty curls tickling your nose as he smiled. "tu es l'amour de ma vie."

"what does that mean, reg?"

"it means that there's no one else i'd rather get drunk and decorate with besides you. merry christmas, y/n."

you beamed, rising to your tiptoes and kissing his nose. "merry christmas, reggie."

THEO

playing white elephant with your friends was chaotic, to say the least. the annual tradition almost always ended in tears and sometimes even blood.

this time around, you were the one most likely to draw blood.

"that's not fair!" you exclaimed, crossing your arms and glaring at draco. "you only want the heated blanket because I want it. you probably have a thousand fur throws, malfoy!"

draco smirked as he wrapped the white, fluffy blanket around his shoulders. "yes, but I stole this one. from you. that makes it special."

the shit-eating grin he flashed at you was enough to push you over the edge. "i'm going to skin you, you little ferret. give me back my blanket—"

"oh no you don't, dolcezza." a pair of strong arms wrapped around your waist and held you back from lunging at draco. theo hauled you over his shoulder and set you down on the sofa.

"don't manhandle me, teddy!"

theo bit back a grin as you huffed in indignation. he knelt before you, tapping your nose. "you're being bad, little missy. i'm putting you in time out."

"i'm not a child!" you responded, frowning at your best friend. "besides, draco started it. he stole my bloody blanket!"

"yes, but that's no excuse for violence, is it bella?"

"theodore, you literally bit enzo for taking your gift last year."

"I never claimed to be perfect."

you rolled your eyes, which only made theo chuckle. "tell you what. if you promise not to maim malfoy, i'll buy you as many heated blankets as you want." you raised a brow, clearly unimpressed with the offer. "i'll even throw in some hot chocolate and cuddles. the complete teddy package. sound good?"

"okay," you said with a sigh. "but only cause you asked nicely."

theo smiled and kissed your forehead. "good girl. now come on, pans made spiked eggnog."

thirty minutes later, you were curled up on the sofa with theo. you yawned, blinking slowly at whatever mattheo was supposed to be enacting for christmas charade. he was either doing something very vulgar or riding a sleigh. you could never really tell with matty.

"getting sleepy, bella?" theo asked, poking his nose against yours.

"mhm," you murmured, burrowing yourself into theo's neck. he smelled like cigarettes and pine. "will you carry me to bed, teddy?"

"course," theo replied as he kissed your temple. "don't you want to bring your blanket, though?"

you blinked in confusion, but smiled when theo presented you with the fluffy, white heated blanket. "you got it back for me?"

"draco and I made a deal," theo confirmed as he wrapped the blanket around your shoulders.

"threatening to throw me off of the astronomy tower if I don't give you the blanket does not constitute as a deal, theodore," malfoy said with a frown.

theo waved him off as he scooped you into his arms. "the important thing is, you've got your blanket back."

you wrapped your arms around his neck and smiled. "you're the best, teddy."

"anything for you, tesoro." theo murmured softly as he climbed up the stairs with you in his arms.

"wait!" mattheo exclaimed. "you're under the mistletoe." he pointed to the small sprig hanging atop the alcove you were currently under. "that means you two have to kiss."

theo flushed, his gaze dropping to your lips as he shifted nervously. "we don't have to, bella—" the words died in his throat as you tugged at the front of his sweater, dragging his lips down to yours.

the kiss was soft and sweet and you melted into theo like the missing piece of a puzzle finally slotting into place after years and years of pining and yearning.

you smiled as theo blinked slowly, those pretty eyes brimming with love and adoration. "you—I—wow," he breathed.

"c'mon, teddy. you promised me cuddles." you chuckled, brushing your thumb over his lips. "and kisses too?"

theo grinned. "kisses too, amorina."

TOM

tom had never really been a big fan of the holidays.

he certainly had no interest in taking part in something as childish as secret santa.

yet the second he heard that you were participating, tom was suddenly the first one to toss his name in the ring.

by luck of the draw (he threatened enzo who was the one to actually pick your name to switch), tom got you this year and even he had to admit that he was excited to exchange gifts.

the annual slytherin christmas party was the usual sensory nighmare of tom's dreams, but he soldiered through the incessant chattering, itchy wool jumper, and heavy handed spiked hot chocolate. all because of you.

"are you having fun, pumpkin?"

tom's brow quirked at the nickname, but made no protest as you sidled up next to him. on anyone else, the red velvet dress with white fur trim, ornament earrings, and christmas lights necklace would've looked tacky, but for some reason, tom found it quite endearing on you.

"it's not horrible," tom conceded.

"not horrible? why, thomas, that's almost a compliment."

"don't push your luck, doll."

you chuckled as you looped your arm through his. "wouldn't dream of it," you responded cheekily. "now come tommy, it's time for secret santa."

tom watched as the rest of the group exchanged gifts. more accurately, he watched you clap and cheer at every gift that youy friends opened. the look of genuine joy on your face was almost cracked a smile out of him.

he supposed it wasn't such a terrible thing to endure.

"your turn, y/n," pansy said.

all eyes were on you as you took your gift from the pile, carefully unwrapping the pretty green and silver paper. tom fought the urge to grin as you took the black silk ribbon off of the box and tied your hair back with it.

you pulled out the first gift, which was a set of fresh coloured inkpots from france that you religiously used to write your notes with.

"oh my god, these are my favorite! and I just ran out too," you exclaimed excitedly.

the next gift were a pair of the high heeled boots tom had caught you staring at in hogsmeade. you were convinced that your feet would get too cold in them and that they'd hurt your feet, so tom charmed them to be comfortable and warm, which you discovered with delight when you pulled them on.

"i love them! i'm going to wear them all the time."

you peered into the box, which contained one last gift. a pretty pink leather bound journal that had your initials scrawled in gold ink on the cover. your eyes immediately snapped up to tom's.

"how fancy," pansy said. "any guesses on who your secret santa is, y/n?"

"tommy!" you said with a grin. "i've only complained to him a thousand times about running out of my coloured ink and he was with me when I was eyeing these shoes in the village." you hugged the journal to your chest, smiling shyly at him. "and I told him how much I liked his fancy journal."

"now we can match, doll."

"thank you, thank you, thank you," you said excitedly, enveloping tom in a tight hug. the rest of the group looked on curiously, smirking amongst themselves at the fact that tom allowed the gesture. if it were anyone else, tom probably would've hexed them within an inch of their life.

"does that mean you like it, y/n?"

"no," you said, still maintaining a death grip around his neck. "i love it, tom. it's perfect. you're perfect, pumpkin."

tom blinked as you leaned forward and kissed his cheek. your cherry lip gloss branded his skin, but he didn't mind one bit. he would wear the mark proudly.

"do my eyes deceive me?" mattheo crooned. "are you blushing, brother?"

"aw, how cute. pumpkin’s got a little crush," theo added.

tom glared at both boys. "you have two seconds to run."

mattheo and theo both looked at each other before taking off in the opposite direction.

"really, tommy?" you teased, giggling.

"they're being twats."

"such a grumpy little grinch," you exclaimed, tapping his nose. "at least let me give you your gift before you maim the boys."

"can I have a hint?"

"let's just say you and nagini will be warm and cozy this christmas," you said with a devious smile. "I made the two of you matching jumpers!"

"you better be joking, doll."

"oh, i'm as serious as a heart attack, tommy.” tom scowled as you slipped your fingers through his. "but don't worry, you get more than one gift tonight."

"you're lucky you're cute, y/n."

you chuckled, standing on your tiptoes to press a matching kiss on his other cheek. "yeah, but not nearly as cute as you, pumpkin."

[solitude4chiron]

“Fashion Killa”

Earth 42 Miles x black fem reader

May or may not be a Pt.2 🫣

About ig?: Little bit (maybe more than a little) of Angst and fluff, smoking, kissing but nothing further than that, music, nostalgia, slight songfic using the song “Fashion Killa“ by A$AP Rocky because music is my personality andddd I think that’s all?????

Alr so first post, and first time writing abt any character… I gave up taking Spanish so pls spare me a little 🙏🏾 and if you do write and see anything you could give constructive criticism on it would be deeply appreciated, anywaysss

The message pinged through your phone disrupting your daydreaming session after a boiling hot shower, you still lay on the bed clutching the top of your towel in case someone barged in. Knowing you’ve lived alone for a few weeks after your boyfriend cut off all communication with you, with the world, but we never officially broke up. So I assume he’s still mine and I’m still his.

“Voy para allá ahora, ma, algo emocionante viene hacia ti. -Amor M” (I’m coming over now ma, something exciting coming your way. -Love M)

Your feet sprang up with the excitement of being able to see miles, the negative feeling your heart stored for weeks crumbled and dropped on the floor. Disappearing from hearing from him. You brush past your anger and focus on the positive, like always.

You and miles had been dating for a year now and it was the longest heart wrenching year of your life, within him being the prowler, living in a city with no hero to protect it and most of all. Breaking open his nonchalant attitude caused by Grief. It had been a lot for you both, but still holding on was the best thing you could do for your heart. Hoping through everything his love for you would never waver.

And within that thought a knock came from the door, you squeezed past the groceries still on the floor after you brung them in a few hours ago to unlock the door for miles, you would hope through all this time was still yours.

“Hi Y/N missed you baby”

And you stared at your lover, cuts sharpening his already hardened face. Hair knotted and neglected, you would assume from being on the run, and clothes slightly ripped. Even though you could still tell he was putting on his best for you. A crate of your favorite things filled one of his arms as you peered inside, 2 vinyls. Long Live A$AP and Nostalgia Ultra, a bouquet of tiger lily’s. Tiny jewelry boxes stacked on one another and some other trinkets and candy’s you would sprawl out on your bed and Indulge in with miles. 

You couldn’t say nor do anything. After Miles’s disappearing act a few weeks ago, seeing him and you within feet of each other made your heart ache to converse with him about every thought that was polluting your mind for weeks.

“I missed you miles, everything about you. Your smile and voice rolling r’s in every word, your music filling my halls in the morning, the smoke on your breath after a long stressful day, braiding your hair. I missed us. Where were you baby? Why did you run?” While choking back tears you kept your head down avoiding eye contact. It shielded you from shedding any more tears while being vulnerable.

“Los siento Amor, (I’m sorry love) I know. I got caught up in some deep shit. I know it hurts you who I am. Deep down I can tell you wish I wasn’t runnin the streets. Yo también ma. (I do too ma)” He said in a disappointed manner because he was disappointed in himself. For almost losing the love of his life.

Realizing y’all were still talking in the doorframe of your apartment. You grabbed and pulled him by his free hand to our room where he put the decorated crate on your sketch filled desk before flopping on our bed and laying his head in your crossed legs. Prompting you to take out his old braids while looking through the box.

“Miles how did you find these? I thought they were discontinued?” You said. Slightly shocked at how well he knew you. Or maybe how well he remembered you

“I have my ways, but I’m hopeful that you still realize I love you, even with the time we weren’t communicating. Lo seinto mami” (I’m sorry Mami) he stated so low it felt like an intimate whisper as he tilted his head back in my lap to lock eyes with me

And that sentence made your stomach coil, because you knew what he did. How it provided for you and his family, and in some piece of your heart deep down you wanted to be mad, so mad, but his guard was down. So you anticipated your words before saying them. Trying not to ruin the moment of vulnerability

“Cuidado, (careful) you trying to hurt me?” He said jokingly and you adjusted your hands while playing in his coils forgetting he was slightly tender headed 

“Miles baby, I love you so so much, but when you’re in these situations you need to tell me something. Anything, I’m not as strong as you, Lord knows that. You know that. Just communicate with me baby. Please.” 

And as if he could feel the tears forming in your eyes he got up from his spot, cupped your face within his rough hands and pressed kisses on your forehead and lips.

“I’m sorry y/n, I promise. Don’t cry over me. Open your gifts babe, everything I do is for you.”

And as time passed you opened boxes of rings with both of your initials engraved in them. Bags of candy that melted in your mouth (you made sure to share with miles popping them into his mouth from above him) old and newly released clothes because fashion is your favorite thing in the world, and little childhood toys you always wanted but expressed you couldn’t afford as a child

You get up to play y’all favorite album and hear miles groan a bit from the sudden movement. You spin the records he got you, listening to the music while talking and taking out his braids. Combing out the old dirt and gel buildup at his roots so it was easier for you to wash later

And somehow your on the last box, after hours of opening gifts and wrappers littering your floor (you knew that gift giving was Miles’s love language so it wasn’t surprising) he asks for you to close your eyes and allow him to open it for you. Coldness draped over your neck while Miles’s breath from behind raised your senses. As fashion killa played from our record player you felt love admitting from him while behind you.

As the song played you remembered the nights you and him would smoke together in our room, window open, moonlight shining through allowing his brown skin to look blue. Lips pressed to each other, tongues exploring each others mouths through each exhale of smoke. Tumbling through our small Brooklyn apartment kissing and touching on each other, backs pressed to each wall in the house. He would call you his fashion killa and sing the lyrics about how he adored your Dior knowing proudly he bought it for you.

“You can open your eyes now Y/N”

And in the mirror you stared in awe at a one and only piece wrapped around your neck. A crystal drop orb pendant necklace. Vivienne Westwood a piece of fashion you’d studied for years since you were a little black girl, feeling a sense you would never have it draped across your neck dripping drown your collar bone.

Until now 

So you pulled him in, and wrapped your arm around his neck using your free hand to play in his freshly detangled hair. Standing on the tip of your toes to reach his cocoa butter covered lips that were now glossy from your clear lip gloss.

“you look cute with my lipgloss on pretty boy” you teased as he rolled his eyes

“shii if you like it I love it ma” and the statement warmed your stomach

Through slight groans from miles and intimate whispers you both expressed your longing for each other very well. One of his hands traced your curvy frame as his other was occupied on holding you up against the wall whilst your legs wrapped around his waist.

“I want you at my level Y/N, not at the tip of your toes. Right in front of my face.”

“You kno you fine huh?” You muttered between sharp breaths

“Definitely do.”  He replied almost instantly kissing your collar bones while your eyes lowered in pleasure

do y’all fw this?

[dirty-droid]

So I played through some more dbh last night and woke up thinking, God, there is a good reason Markus and Kara, and their respective companions never got as popular as Connor and Hank. Literally The Bridge is surrounded by the most *do everything for absolutely no reason* chapters, and there's no comparison.

First the Kara chapter wastes your time, she barely gets any small talk in with Luther, then the car breaks down, then you're just doing tiny tasks, doing a shitty sum up of her story so far when Alice asks you to make one up- they could have done something interesting with that story but they chose not to, literally anything specific anything that would function as a parallel to their journey would have actually had some value. Then you barely start a conversation with Luther, where are you maybe get a hint of his personality before we're back to just talking about the plot and Alice, but then it's over again and you meet the Jerries and you learn almost nothing about them.

It is a chapter where you do nothing interesting, and you learn almost nothing about the main characters, for a downtime chapter, I expect character development and get barely a sneeze of it. There is so much room and so much time for you to really push and question your main characters but it just doesn't get used.

Honestly I think the protagonists all could have probably really benefited from the audience getting to hear their internal monologues if they weren't actually going to talk to their companion characters, but even that would just be a substitute for decent writing.

Either way, after that, we come back to Connor and Hank, who do almost no tasks in this chapter, *but spend the entire time TALKING.* They talk to each other in a constant volley back and forth for the entire length of the chapter and it's probably one of the best chapters in the game, it's certainly one of the most important in their story. You spend the entire bridge scene learning more about Hank and Connor's inner worlds, and how they think, and how they feel, you spend the whole chapter learning so much about their perspectives, this chapter is all about asking the hard questions about both of their individual characters, and the tension is high, it's a straightforward chapter to play, and it really fucking feels like your choices matter here, there will be immediate consequences, not just walking through your environment trying to find the right answer, or being dragged through an interaction. It's just plain good.

And then Markus infiltrates the Stratford Tower, and you get the most boring and useless and frustrating chapter in the game that doesn't seem to serve any purpose beyond looking cool. If Kara's last chapter was only to gain sympathy and create some soft and fuzzy feelings, this chapter is only about looking cinematic. This is probably my least favorite chapter in the game, honestly I've just gotten lost on that yellow ass office floor building too many times, even though I'm very familiar with the game now I still managed to get lost again last night.

I will admit that eventually it does become an opportunity to decide between pacifism and violence but that seems to be the only real development for Markus, and it wouldn't have been hard to make that kind of opportunity in another setting. Because we get next to nothing watching him get past the front desk, or from walking around that floor, just some outfit changes and pretending to be a machine and a little more Android hate in the background, Markus is almost completely silent yet again, there is almost no talking with North once she appears. We actually get more about North's personality here than Markus', she just feels like she has more lines somehow, because sometimes she just talks without it being connected to the plot and Markus never does.

This bit is more speculative, but my fiance and I were going off last night about whyyyy did they have to break into the tower? We're never given any reason for what the steps are and why they are important, just usually pretty important in these mission impossible type scenes, they're usually explaining in a voice-over why they are taking the steps that they are taking. But we get no explanation for why he needs to go to the 47th floor or whatever, No explanation for why he needs to change into a maintenance Android uniform, why North was in the stairwell, how Josh and Simon got in, it's all just handwaved, and whyyyyyy they couldn't have just?? Made a recording and then hacked the station's broadcast remotely and basically just posted the speech? I don't know, it's just a particularly frustrating chapter to play, personally, but it isn't strong.

Either way, you've got two chapters with next to no character development, that just have a lot of empty space and time where the characters could have been talking or could have been doing something else, but didn't because the vibes were more important, sandwiching a simple scene with ten pounds of character development and it just feels weird. And once I noticed it, it just made the Kara and Markus chapters look incredibly weak and poorly written... And conversely, make the Connor and Hank chapter look much, much stronger in comparison.

It's like Detroit become human almost needs it's own type of Bechdel Test, just to show how much they fail Markus and Kara. "Do they talk about something that isn't the plot?"

"Do Kara and Luther talk about something that isn't Alice or getting to Canada?" "Does Markus talk about anything besides his speech for this chapter?" "Does Alice talk at all beyond basic communication with Kara?" "Does Markus or his buddies talk about anything that's not the revolution or just Markus himself?"

... They don't pass a lot.

It's just hard to take these characters above simply *likeable* when they just, don't, ever, talk. There's little to no development for Markus or Kara, and because they've just become deviants, there's hardly any character establishment in the first place, they barely even get the chance to just be flat, because if they don't really know who they are, we don't really know who they are.

Connor and Hank's friendship is more functionally the main plot, more so than the deviant investigation, and for Markus and the team, and Kara with Alice, that's simply just not the case, there is hardly any relationship, they're just in the same boat. This is why Connor got astronomically more popular, and why he and Hank have the staying power that they do.

Markus and Kara just don't ever talk, and Connor does. And I'm fucking mad about it. The amount of time that was just wasted in their stories, I could probably take a damn stopwatch to all the moments where there could have been a little something-something, and nothing was put there. It's not to say Connor doesn't get some quiet moments too but he always gets the chance to make up for it.

Even at the beginning of the Stratford Tower chapter, I noticed that they could have had Simon and North talking about something maybe unrelated when Markus walks up, but there's nothing, only silence until Markus comes in with a plan. And of course we know about every time Luther tries to bring up the fact that Alice is an android, only to be shut down and walked away from. It fucking kills me how much time Mark is has the focus of the camera but it's only so he could look cool for a minute, and share no thoughts of his own, none of his new feelings, everything is only implied and then followed by the action where he is only allowed to be the leader of the revolution and never just Markus. There's a tragedy in that, but they could have driven it home harder by *pointing that out.*

[st4rwon]

dates w skz

maknae line x reader (separate)

hyung line ver.

warnings: none that i’m aware of!

jisung 지성

han takes you on arcade dates at least once a month

he is definitely a bit competitive

but likes to let you win just so he can see your pretty smile

both of you have every two player game they have

tried to win you things from the claw machine to impress you

but half the time it doesn’t work

loves to buy you stupid things with the tickets you earn

he’ll buy you stuffed animals, yo-yos, tiny trinkets, you name it

you have a small area on your desk where you keep all the stuff he’s gotten you

“we should definitely name him sam” you said, smiling at the bear jisung had gotten you “what the fuck, no” you shot his a look of disappointment “what’s wrong with sam?” “it’s hyunjin hyung’s english name, there’s no way you’re naming him that” “aww you jealous ji?” you said poking him as his cheeks heated up “whatever, let’s just think of a better name for our child” you giggled at his words “alright you baby”

other members under the cut!

felix 페릭스

picnic dates!! or cafe dates

always comes to pick you up with a bouquet of flowers (each time they are different and they always have a meaning to them) and some chocolates

such a sweetheart

constant compliments

“you look so pretty baby” “ooh that necklace is so pretty! isn’t it the one i got you?”

makes sure you’re enjoying the date and always caters to your needs

“oh you’re not feeling well? well let’s just stay inside then, i’m sure we can still find something fun to do”

makes you smile so much that your mouth hurts

“felix how did you find this place??” you said looking at the beautiful flower field around you. “i have my ways” he giggled “i’ll take it as you like it?” felix questioned “like it? i love it! i get to spend the day with my favorite boy and be in such an amazing place place!”

seungmin 승민

night time dates

seungmin really enjoys the atmosphere at night

it’s quiet, you can hear the insects, and the wind blows just enough to keep you from getting hot

he likes taking you on walks, sometimes around the neighborhood, or around the park

he likes the fact that he is able to see your face illuminated by the streetlights

though whenever he finds you to be a bit too cute he moves away so that his blush is hidden

little does he know that you’ve caught on to this and mentally give yourself a pat in the back for getting the kim seungmin embarrassed

you and seungmin walked hand in hand, walking towards the park that you typically went to. it was by the convenience store so the two of you would typically grab some snacks and go sit in the field. “minnie” you spoke, grabbing your boyfriend’s attention. he turned his head towards you in response, “you look so pretty today” you said grabbing his arm, pulling it next to you. seungmin lifted the mask further up his face, “no darkness for you to hide your blush today” you snickered. “you knew?” he questioned, “of course! i always pay attention to you” you said proudly, but before you could speak again you felt yourself falling forward, you held tightly onto seungmin’s arm. he swiftly pulled you up with both arms, now it was his time to laugh. “maybe most more attention to yourself pretty”

jeongin 정인

100% shopping dates

all the time!

tbh you guys actually don’t buy many things

it’s just fun to be around each other and try of different clothes to see what styles look good

you’ve definitely bribed him to buy matching clothes a couple times

but how could you not? they were so perfect for the two of you!

whenever you go to the mall, you’ll both run around different stores until you get tired and end up in the food court

jeongin is so happy to have someone that loves his passion for fashion just as much as he does

he’ll also keep in mind what your eyes are on, so that he is able to buy them as future gifts

“innie you need to try this on!” you said dragging him towards a rack, “ooh i love the color” he said, picking it up by the hanger. you both walked over to the dressing room and tried on your respected clothing. “looks nice…” jeongin said, as you twirled around showing him your outfit, “but i feel like the color clashes with you, it doesn’t fit your personality. the outfit you put on earlier complimented your skin tone perfectly! it really brought out all my favorite features on you” “really??” you asked surprised, “i thought it pointed out some of my flaws…” you mumbled. “baby you’re flawless in my eyes, and trust me with this. this color suits you really well! lets find some more” jeongin smiled. “let me go change back,” you said turning to the dressing room, “wait you haven’t tried on your clothes yet” you frowned. “it’s okay, i can always shop later. i wanna get something special for you first”

please don’t spam like posts, repost, translate, or use my work without my permission. all work is fictional and only used for entertainment purposes. © azurez 2023

[dapper-zappa]

A Gwen-Tastic Gift | Gwen Stacy

Pairing: Gwen Stacy x Fem!Civilian!Reader

Summary: Gwen comes over into your place and gives you a little gift.

Word count: 690

Warnings: Fluff, established relationships, Gwen NOT putting her shoes on bed (/lh), just some cute cheesy shit going on here, pretend Earth-65 has Netflix lmao

A/N: Inspired by various Tiktok vids HCing Gwen as someone who makes loom band bracelets and bc I used to love making them, hey, why don't we make this a full fic?

Sorry if it sucks but PLEASE MAKE LOOM BANDS A TREND AGAIN INSTEAD OF PPL ON THE INTERNET (ESP TIKTOK) BEING TOXIC TO EACH OTHER !!

Hours had passed in your apartment and you didn’t even realize it because of how this particular movie you’ve been watching on Netflix got you really hooked. You didn’t want boredom to consume you so to prevent that, you chose to just watch a new movie this time because you wanted to try something new. Netflix and the various snacks you’ve eaten - including a bag of Cheetos you decided to eat with chopsticks to avoid getting Cheeto crumbs on your laptop - had been the main thing that’s grabbing your attention for the last 2 hours, until you heard a few knocks coming from your window. 

When you turned your head, you were faced with the familiar white, pink, and black suit of Spider-Woman, also known as your girlfriend Gwen Stacy. She waved her hand at you, and you waved back at her before walking over to the window and opening it to allow her access inside. 

“I missed the movie, didn’t I?” Gwen breathed out right as she removed her mask. 

“Kinda, but we can now watch another movie, right? You’d definitely love this one I’ve been wanting to recommend to you for so long.” you ruffled her already tousled blonde locks. 

She playfully swatted your hand off her hair. “Oh stop it, you’re messing up my hair!” 

“Technically it’s already messed up before I messed it up even more, sweet thing.” you pecked her cheek. 

“Hey but can I borrow your hairbrush, though?”

“Of course you can.” 

As you returned to your bed, Gwen took off her bright blue Converse sneakers and set them aside, just to not get dirt on your bed. She then picked up the hairbrush from your desk and combed her hair with it. Soon she joined you after tidying her hair up from its formerly messy state, immediately slumping to your side and looping her arm into yours. 

“You could’ve told me that you’re binge watching on Netflix, you know?” she murmured, discreetly taking off one of the bracelets in her free hand. “But I brought you a gift.” 

Upon hearing it, you turned your head to the side and saw a bracelet weaved from rubber bands on Gwen’s hand. You remembered it being a trend years ago, and you were one of the girls who joined the loom band trend before it eventually faded - like most trends do. So seeing a little fishtail bracelet made from rubber bands the same color as Spider-Woman’s suit being given to you by your girlfriend reignited how much you loved making various creations out of colorful rubber bands during that time. You put the bracelet on your wrist and admired it for a short while before turning to face Gwen, with a huge grin plastered on your face from how much you loved the gift. 

“I really miss this trend so yesterday when I found my old loom band kit from my room, I decided to make matching bracelets for us.'' 

She lifted up the sleeve of the jacket she wore over her spider suit, revealing another rubber band fishtail bracelet, this time made of your favorite colors. Your hand flew up to your mouth from the overwhelming amount of joy coursing through your body, and at this point you were suddenly unable to form words.

“Y/N, you okay? It seems like you love my little gift so-” she asked, a tiny amount of concern lacing her voice. 

“No no no no, it’s just, I really miss this trend too, and the fact you made these for me is just… Gwen-tastic.” you replied shyly, earning a playful chortle from her.

“Really? ‘Gwen-tastic’? I thought you’re way better at puns, you dork.” she nudged your elbow. 

You laughed. “Who cares, Gwennie, at least this is a really cute gift from you.”  

“So you still wanna go on with the Netflix binge?” 

“Of course,” you replied as you clicked on the movie of your choice - the one you had always wanted to recommend to Gwen for so long. “You’ll love this one, just buckle up and enjoy the movie, yeah?’ 

She nodded, snuggling closer to your form. “Mhm.” 

[manias-wordcount]

Hi! I really love your writing. My request is for my favorite Genshin boy Albedo: could you write smut of him and an AFAB!Reader who's wearing cat ears and has a praise kink? Thank you if you decide to write this one, I hope you have a great day!

A Study in Insatiability (Albedo x Reader)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺!! 𝗶 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚!! 𝘀𝗺𝘂𝘁, 𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘅, 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗸, 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 (𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗽)

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

When he makes a point of calling you his assistant in front of everyone, things become easier. 

  No one seems to bat an eye when he takes you up with him to Dragonspine for a little bit of research anymore. No one even mentions any new bruises or marks on either of your bodies whenever you both come down from the mountain. Not when Albedo always manages to bring back the readings and results for a new experiment each and every time, at least. 

  Of course, that’s not what really happens. But you won’t tell. You’d never tell. You promised not to tell. After all, you’d do anything to keep these outings going. You’d do anything to make him happy.

  “Who’s my good girl?” 

  You’d do anything to hear him say those words to you. 

  “I’m…I’m your…” Your voice trails off in a soft mewl- a sound that’s not unfamiliar to yourself or your body anymore. It’s day three (or is it four?) into your latest trip with him up the mountains. The cabin he has you posted up in is small, yet cozy and warm. There’s hardly any room in here except for the tiny little bathroom, a small kitchen, his work desk, and the queen-sized bed you’re currently lying on. But such little space has only meant that emotions run high all too easily. And that nearly every spot in this cabin has been christened over and over again. Including this exact moment. “...your good girl… ‘m your good girl.”

  At the sound of your pretty voice slurring a nearly pitiful response, Albedo’s lip tug at the corners. A small, yet devious smile is growing on his face. But it’s not surprising. He told you once that he loved this side of you especially. The side of you that can’t help but let her eyelids flutter and mouth fall open as constant moans and gasps pour out from your lips. The side of you that struggles to form words when he makes you feel too good. The side of you that is just so perfect and so pliant and so easy to pleasure.

  The memory of such praise causes your already foggy brain to short-circuit. Though the particularly fast speed of his strokes as he thrusts into your pussy certainly didn’t help. He had only woken you up mere minutes ago. Judging by his eagerness and the alert look in his eyes, you realize he must have been working on his latest report for a while before he went to wake you up. But then he must have gotten bored- must have gotten hungry. Hungry for something more than the food you dutifully prepared for the two of you to enjoy while up here for the next couple of days. Why else would he wake you up to his cold hands exploring your naked body as you lay curled beneath the blankets?

  But as always, his lips were soft when he captured yours with his own. And his hands and fingers knew exactly what to do when you took his wrist in your own and led him down to your core. And before you knew it, he’s calling you all sorts of sweet names and telling you just how much he missed feeling your pretty pussy around his cock despite getting a fill of your body last night. And at that point, there wasn’t much left for you to do?

  Nothing much left for you to do except lift the blankets off your body and present your body just the way he likes it. 

  And now you’re curled up on your side at the end of the bed, legs bent and pressed together as Albedo grips your hips and fucks you side saddle like it’s the first time the two of you’d ever seen each other. Every thrust hits deep inside of you, rocking the bed and creating that familiar dull sound of skin slapping against skin. Every thrust has you whining and seeing stars as he manages to angle it perfectly so that his cock head kisses g-spot over and over again. And every thrust brings a new compliment- a new promise to your ears as buries his dick into your warm, wet insides for the umpteenth time on this trip.

  “You’re so pretty”, he’d tell you in the moments where the position has you feeling embarrassed and exposed enough to cover up what you can. Then he’d wrestle your arms away from your body and pin you down with all his strength. He’d tell you how “pretty girls should be seen just like this”, and how he couldn’t wait to paint your insides with his cum once more just to watch it drip out of you. There’s no hiding from his eyes. He’s seen every inch of you before. And he’ll look at every inch of you

  Your body is so soft, he’d tell you as his hands trail over your skin- cupping and playing with your curves. His fingers would find your nipples and tug at them gently. His hands would squeeze at what he could when grabbing your chest. And his hands would smooth over your backside and wrap themselves around your waist and your hips, just to pull you closer to him and allow him to hit those spots deeper inside of you. “Your body is all mine, right?” he would ask you while all you could do was struggle to keep your gaze on him and moan. And he’d smile and mumble something about how getting to see you so dick-drunk off of the way he takes care of you is more than enough reason to keep him grounded to this world. 

  You’re so good to me, He’d tell you when you wake up just as eager for sex as he is. All of this was his idea after all. Every single last bit. The mountain getaways disguised as research trips. The keeping you naked in his head save for the occasional accessory or two (who knew he’d be so into seeing you in nothing but knee highs and cat ears?) just so he’d have easy access to your body and the two of you could fuck all you want. The fucking you good and stupid whenever he doesn’t feel like doing any more work. And when you’ve both had your fill and you’re just about ready to pass out and go back to bed, it’s off to work with thoughts of the next time he gets to feel you milk his cock clean as his motivation to hit his milestones faster. You’re so good to me, he’d tell you because he’d never thought he'd find someone so happy to fill this role for him. And most of all? He’d never expected it to be you.

  Because you’re his pretty girl. His lovely girl. His dutiful little assistant with the gorgeous body and the perfect pussy. And if it were up to him, he’d keep you here. He’d keep you in Dragonspine where he’d be the one to keep you warm and safe and stuffed full with all the cock you’d ever need. He’d tell you everything you’d want to hear. He’d give you everything you could ever want. But that’s not how things work in the real world.

  That’s not how things work at all.

  In a couple of days, the two of you will have to make the trek down the mountain once more. And the night before, he’d spend it pounding you into the mattress and making you scream and cry his name one last time. For good measure. But at some point, your time in the cabin with him will end. At some point, the two of you will be back in Mondstadt. Where eyes are more prying. Where privacy is more of a luxury. Where the thought of turning around, waking you up, and fucking you back to sleep becomes little more than a fever dream. 

  But until then, he’ll enjoy you. He’ll enjoy all of you. His pretty girl. His good girl. His dutiful little assistant. And when it’s all over? When he has to return you to civilization? To the rest of the world? 

  He’ll just get right on planning the next trip with you, of course.

[intheticklecloset]

Bungo Stray Dogs Coffee Shots #51-60

A collection of the BSD Coffee Shots I've done, compiled for the sake of ease. These are all stand-alone stories. Many are from my Lemonades Event.

~~~

51) Lee Poe, Ler Ranpo

“Huh? Where’s my last chocolate bar?” Ranpo frowned into the basket between him and his partner, rifling through it as though it would magically make said item reappear from thin air.

Poe frowned back at him, a tiny crease on the corner of his mouth tipping the detective off that he was nervous. “But…you brought three of them. I thought they were for us to share. At least, I assumed one was for me…”

Ranpo stopped his rifling and glanced up very slowly at the taller man, who shrunk back a tiny bit. “You ate it?”

“I thought you said we were sharing this picnic,” Poe defended himself, though that worried crease never vanished. “We split everything else.”

It had been nice, actually. Poe didn’t get away from his work much, so while at first he was stressed that Ranpo was dragging him from his desk and writing tools to enjoy a lunch in the great outdoors, after a while he’d relaxed and actually found himself having a good time. He’d considered himself lucky to have a boyfriend that looked out for him.

But now…

Ranpo closed the top of the very stereotypical picnic basket and blinked. “You know I love my snacks, Eddie.”

“I…I’m sorry,” Poe tried.

“Now I’ll have to tickle you.”

The poor writer barely had a chance to register the wiggling fingers Ranpo was teasing him with before he’d been pushed onto his back on the blanket, said fingers digging roughly into his sides and ribs. He desperately tried to suppress the shriek that rose up in response, but after only a few moments he couldn’t help but toss his head back and cackle into the warm spring air, gripping the detective’s arms as he pleaded, “Nohohohohohoho, I’m sohohohohohohohory, Ran!”

“Not good enough,” his partner said matter-of-factly, though if Poe had been at all coherent he’d have seen the teasing smile on the smaller man’s face. “I won’t stop until I have you snorting with laughter.”

“Whahahahahahaha?! But thahahahahahahat’s embahahahahaharrassing – Rahahahahahahanpo!” Poe tried to squirm away, but his boyfriend plopped himself on his lap to keep him in place, tickling wildly along his ribs, sides, and belly – the trifecta of ticklishness that always had the author begging for mercy. “Plehehehehehehehease, stohohohohohohohohop!”

“You know what I want to hear~”

Then Ranpo found the special spot that made Poe spasm like he’d been electrocuted, his laughter heightening to the point it went silent, followed very shortly by a loud, adorable snort.

“There it is,” the detective said with a grin, slowing to a stop as promised. He chuckled as his boyfriend regained his breath and brushed his bangs from his eyes. “I’m just messing with you, Eddie. The last chocolate bar was for you – I just wanted an excuse to tickle you. You never let yourself really laugh unless it’s just the two of us, you know?”

Poe blushed, bringing his hand up to rest atop Ranpo’s on his cheek. “Thanks, Ran.”

Ranpo grinned with pride and leaned down to kiss him. “Anytime.”

*

52) Lee Atsushi, Ler Akutagawa

It didn’t take a genius to know that Akutagawa was not the type of man to want to partake in anything as silly and fun as a water balloon fight.

Atsushi decided he was going to try and get him to have one anyway.

It was finally warming up outside after they’d been sequestered indoors due to the weather so much (not that the weretiger was complaining; snuggling and watching movies with Aku had been his favorite thing ever), and he wanted an excuse to go outside and play around with his boyfriend in the bright sunshine.

Akutagawa – predictably – refused. So Atsushi gave him some higher stakes to fight for.

“We’ll each get three balloons – three chances to hit each other. First one to get hit with a water balloon gets tickled by the other. How about that?”

With grim determination and focus, Akutagawa declared war.

The fight had been raging for several minutes now, but thanks to the both of them being so used to each other’s fighting styles and tricks, neither had landed a single hit so far. They both had one balloon left. It was now or never.

“What happens if neither of us win?” Akutagawa asked, seeming unfazed as he stared his partner down.

Atsushi shrugged and grinned. “Then we’ll just have to resort to a tickle fight.”

The mafioso scoffed. “I think not.”

Finally, after another few minutes, Atsushi threw his final balloon – and missed.

Akutagawa gave him a predatory smile. “I do believe I’ve won this war, weretiger.”

“No way! You haven’t hit me yet—”

“But you were the first to lose all three of your weapons. Therefore…” He dropped his last balloon and lunged for him with Rashomon. Since Atsushi had let his guard down and wasn’t prepared, he was easily overpowered and pinned to the ground, at which point his boyfriend fell upon him and began tickling all over with almost excited fervor. “…you lose.”

“Wahahahahahahahait! That’s not fahahahahahahahair! Ahahahahahahahakutagawaaaa!” Atsushi squealed, struggling uselessly in Rashomon’s grip and cackling as his partner tickled him freely all over his worst spots. “You jeheheheheheheherk! This wahahahahahahasn’t the deheheheheheheheal!”

“And what are you going to do about it, weretiger?” Akutagawa taunted, smirking wickedly down at him, squeezing his hips and sides in rapid succession. “Do you intend to fight me off for real? No more games?”

“I juhuhuhuhuhuhust wahahahahahanted to hahahahahahave fun with yohohohohohou!”

“Are you not having fun now?”

Atsushi cursed, which only made the mafioso grin even wider. “You knohohohohohohow what I mehehehe-HEHEHEHEHEANT!! AHAHAHAHAHA NONONO WAHAHAHAHAHAIT, RYU—!!”

Akutagawa chuckled and leaned down to kiss the shell of his boyfriend’s ear, a single finger wiggling into his belly button as he whispered, “I’m certainly having fun, Atsushi~”

*

53) Lee Chuuya, Ler Dazai

“Hah! See that, Dazai? I made it to first base!” Dazai smirked at Chuuya, whose cheeks instantly matched his hair as he grumbled, “All right, all right. Shut up.”

When their respective bosses had decided to have an exhibition baseball game “just for fun” before the local teams started hogging the practice fields, neither side really knew what to make of the idea. Still, they’d all grudgingly come out to play…and to their surprise, found they were actually having a lot of fun, some minor scuffles and incidents aside, of course.

“I’m surprised you swung at all,” Dazai commented as he watched Higuchi come out from the Port Mafia’s dugout to bat. “You’re so small your strike zone is practically nonexistent. You could have just taken the walk.”

“Fuck off,” Chuuya snapped, shoving at him lightly before taking a foot off the bag and turning his gaze back to the game.

“You’re not going to lead?”

“Not with you playing first baseman.”

“Oh, come on, what do you think I’m gonna do?” Dazai chuckled, shoving at him lightly. “You’ll need all the help you can get to make it to second base, chibi~”

Chuuya shot him a withering stare, though his blush was not lost on the detective. “Shut up.”

“Go on,” the brunette teased, poking the mafioso’s side. “Just a step or two.”

“Don’t,” Chuuya grunted, trying to cover up a snicker. Then he yelped and instinctively tried to shimmy away as Dazai pinched him with more insistence. “Asshole, I have to get back on the bag before your guy pitches again – let me back!”

Dazai conceded and allowed him to tag the base again before Tanizaki wound up for his next pitch, but as soon as that was done, he wiggled a finger into Chuuya’s hip, forcing him off the base again with a slew of giggles.

“Dahahahahazai!” Chuuya watched as Higuchi swung and missed, fighting his way back to the base even as the detective abandoned his glove, grabbed onto his ribs, and started tickling with purpose. “Ahahahahaha, fuhuhuhuhuhuck, stop it! We’re in the mihihihihiddle of something – Dazai!”

Another couple of pitches later, Higuchi struck out, ending the half inning. Chuuya sagged in relief when Dazai let him go, then caught himself and shouted, “Just wait until you make it to third base, bastard! I’ll show you!”

Then he realized what he’d said, and how loud he’d said it, and he slapped a hand over his mouth as if it could take the words back.

On his way past him to get his glove for the outfield, Akutagawa muttered, “Keep your private lives to yourselves, sir.”

Dazai laughed hysterically the entire way back to the Armed Detective Agency’s dugout.

*

54) Lee Higuchi, Ler Gin

“Ichiyo?”

The use of her first name would have startled Higuchi more if the single word hadn’t broken into the quiet like a clap of thunder, even if it had been whispered. Everything was so silent out here, and she was so tense. She’d have been able to hear a spider crawling on the outside of the tent, she thought.

“Y-Yes?” she stammered in hushed reply.

“Are you nervous, being alone out here with me?”

At this the blonde turned toward her companion, though she could make out nothing but the outline of her sleeping bag in the darkness. “I…of course not, Miss Akutagawa.”

There was a rustling, and Gin sat up. Higuchi was able to see her full outline now – long, flowing hair and graceful curves. She was suddenly grateful for the dark.

“Are you worried that my brother will be angry?”

Higuchi shivered. “No – well…yes, I suppose. But that’s not why I’m—” She cut herself off just before she admitted aloud that she was, in fact, very nervous.

Gin was silent for a moment, and then she was crawling over to where Higuchi lay. “I’m not like him, you know. Not in that way. And if he tries to do anything to you, I’ll kill him myself.”

“It’s only natural he’d be concerned for you, Miss Akutagawa,” Higuchi replied quietly, watching Gin’s every move like a hawk. “You’re the only family he has.”

“How many times must I tell you to call me Gin?”

The closeness of Akutagawa’s sister was nerve-wracking enough even before Higuchi suddenly felt gentle presses into her sleeping bag, searching for an opening. “W-What are you doing?”

Gin found purchase then, and a smile could be heard in her voice as she replied, “This.”

Giggles bubbled up from the blonde’s lips before she could hope to quell them. She slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle herself as Gin gently pinched and traced her ribs, her sides, even her back – anywhere she could reach in the darkness.

“M-Mihihihiss Akutagahahahawa,” she sputtered, blushing furiously, trying to roll over or squirm away but impeded by the very sleeping bag she lay in. “Plehehehehehease!”

“Relax, Ichiyo. I’m the one who suggested this camping trip, remember? It’s all on me if Ryuunosuke gets upset about it.”

“Thahahahahahat dohohohohoesn’t hehehehehelp—”

“Why not?”

“Behehehehehecause…!” Higuchi squealed when Gin found her hips, covering her mouth again and blindly reaching for the other woman. “Ehehehehehe! Plehehehehehease stohohohohohop, Miss—”

“Gin,” Gin insisted, squeezing her hips again.

Higuchi barely bit back a shriek as she finally found her companion’s arms in the darkness of the tent and gripped them for dear life, pleading, “Gihihihihihihin!”

At last the tickling stopped, leaving the blonde gasping for breath and smiling up at where she knew the dark-haired woman was, barely able to regain her thoughts before she felt another kind of tickle – this one the puff of breath on her cheek as Gin leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Besides, when we’re so far from Yokohama, he can’t stop us from having a little fun~”

*

55) Lee Dazai, Ler Chuuya

“Chuuya left me all alooooone,” Dazai lamented pathetically, flopping back onto his beach towel with the back of his hand to his forehead like a damsel in distress. “I’ve been so lonely!”

Chuuya, for his part, merely rolled his eyes as he sat beside him on his own towel, still dripping from his dip in the ocean. “Shut up, mackerel. I left to cool down for like, five minutes, tops.”

“So loooooonely!”

The mafioso scoffed, but he was struggling to hide his smirk at this point. He knew Dazai was more interested in soaking up the sun than actually getting in the water on today’s outing – one of their exceedingly rare shared days off – but he couldn’t help but share the sentiment that he hadn’t wanted to be away for too long. They rarely got to see each other outside of fighting on the job; he didn’t want to waste it not being with him.

Still…

“You’re being so dramatic,” he murmured, reaching down to poke Dazai’s exposed ribs. “Did you seriously miss me that much?”

Dazai squeaked and grinned, eyes shooting up to meet Chuuya’s. “You were gone for so long!”

“Again, five minutes at most.” The redhead didn’t even try to hide his smirk at this point, swinging a leg over to straddle his partner’s hips as he trailed his fingers up and down Dazai’s bare torso. “Chill out, would ya? We’re trying to relax today.”

“I ahahahaham relahahahaxed,” Dazai giggled, unsure what to do with his arms as the mafioso tickled him. It was obvious he didn’t want to fight back, but he didn’t want to put his hands up and surrender so easily, either. Instead he settled for waving them around in an uncoordinated and random pattern that had even Chuuya grinning with amusement.

“Idiot,” he chuckled, quickly daring his hands up to scribble in Dazai’s armpits, immediately making the detective settle on a decision and shoot them down protectively.

“W-WAHAHAIT – NOT THEHEHEHERE!! NOT HEHEHEHEHERE!!” he cried helplessly, laughing louder and trying to cover up his mouth with one hand while pushing at Chuuya with the other. “CHUUYA!!”

The redhead smirked but did as he was asked and moved back to a less ticklish spot. “All right, fine. You don’t want everyone to hear how ticklish you are. I get it.”

“Shuhuhuhuhush,” Dazai shot back halfheartedly, giggling contentedly as Chuuya scribbled over his ribs. “Ehehehehehehehe, Chuhuhuhuhuhuuya!”

“Still feeling lonely?” Chuuya asked.

Dazai’s smile was entirely genuine when he replied, “Nohohohohohoho.”

“Good. Then you won’t mind if I get back in the water?”

“Chuuyaaaaaa!”

Chuuya couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m messing with you, dumbass. You know I won’t stop until you’re good and done.”

Dazai decided to use his flailing arms to cover his blushing face in response.

*

56) Lee Akutagawa, Ler Atsushi

“Tell me you’re not wearing that coat on the beach, Ryu.”

“You know I am.”

Atsushi did know, and despite how out of place he knew it would make his boyfriend look, he understood why he insisted on wearing it. They’d be in a public place, surrounded by potential threats. He needed – wanted – to have it on him.

“All right,” the weretiger conceded, putting his prepacked beach bag by the door and turning to face his partner with a small smile. “But before we go out there and you roast alive inside that thing…can I at least see you shirtless in here?”

Akutagawa paused. He considered for a long few moments, then slowly shrugged out of his black overcoat and draped it gently across the bed. Thin white fingers moved to the top button of his shirt, sliding to each next one slower than the last. By the time he’d reached the last two, he’d stopped entirely, visibly torn.

“Weretiger…”

“It’s okay,” Atsushi said hurriedly, moving to stand in front of him, wrapping his arms around his partner’s waist. “You don’t have to. I’m impressed you got that far, actually.”

Akutagawa seemed to relax, relieved he wasn’t being pressured into taking a step he wasn’t entirely ready for. “One day,” he promised.

“I know,” Atsushi murmured, kissing his cheek. “Don’t rush yourself, all right? Only when you’re ready, Ryu.”

Akutagawa kissed him to show his gratitude, wrapping his arms around Atsushi’s shoulders.

Atsushi kissed him back for a minute, then pulled away and grinned. “You know, you did get most of the shirt unbuttoned.”

“I did.”

“Which means you’ve given me access to most of your upper body.”

“…weretiger?”

Atsushi slipped his fingers into Akutagawa’s open shirt, gently scribbling along his upper ribs, fully prepared for the struggling that would follow. He giggled along with his boyfriend as they collapsed onto the bed together, Atsushi on top, tickling easily and ruthlessly as Aku grunted and whimpered and essentially did everything in his power not to laugh.

“Come on, Ryu,” Atsushi teased softly, grasping his wrists and pushing them above his head when he tried to fight back, his free hand shifting into a half-tiger form with long, unbearably ticklish claws. He raked them gently along his boyfriend’s skin, but it was enough to make Akutagawa very nearly scream as he finally dissolved into raspy laughter.

“Gahahahahahahahaha! Stohohohohohohohop, weretihihihihihiger!” he cried, face lit up in a bright smile despite himself. He struggled uselessly, though it was clear he wasn’t uncomfortable with the situation. Just caught off-guard. “I hahahahahahahahate you!”

“I just want to see you smile,” Atsushi cooed, purposely digging his claws in a little rougher, searching for the ultimate weak spots along the backs of Akutagawa’s ribs, enjoying how his struggling turned more frantic, his laughter more panicked.

“Nohohohohoho, no! Dohohohohon’t – not thahahahahahat spot, plehehehehehehease, weretiger!” Akutagawa begged, eyes alight with something akin to playfulness. Then his partner found the sweet spot, and he arched his back and screeched, “NOHOHOHOHOHO!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUHUHUHUHUHUCK, STOHOHOHOHOHOHOP IT!!”

Atsushi smiled lovingly down at him as he writhed and cackled. “But I’m not going to get to do this all day. I want to get my fill now, Ryuunosuke~” He whispered the last word directly in his boyfriend’s ear, knowing it would make him go crazy.

Sure enough, Akutagawa howled with mirth, kicking uselessly and trying to squirm out of Atsushi’s grip, his adorable dimples finally making their appearance. “PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEASE, ATSUSHI!! ANYWHEHEHEHEHEHEHERE BUT THEHEHEHEHEHEHERE!!”

Atsushi eventually moved on to tickle other spots, but not before he leaned down to soak up all of Akutagawa’s rare, crazed laughter with a passionate kiss.

*

57) Lee Tachihara, Ler Chuuya

Chuuya plopped down with the large bowl of popcorn unceremoniously, stuffing a handful into his mouth as he mumbled, “All right, what crap are we watching today?”

Tachihara gave him a look. “Don’t get too excited, now.”

“Tch, what? You always pick bad movies. I’m just bracing myself.”

“Because your movies are so much better.”

“Excuse me for preferring something other than blood and gore horror!”

“That’s literally your life; how can you be so squeamish?”

“It’s because it’s my life that I want something else, asshole!”

Chuuya huffed to himself, but inwardly he couldn’t help but feel giddy at the exchange. He didn’t really have what he’d consider friends in his life; even calling Tachihara anything other than a coworker was pushing it, really, but it was the closest thing he had to any kind of friendly relationship besides that stupid Dazai, and sometimes he just wanted to hang out with the other redhead.

Even if most of their conversations did go like this.

“Fine, what do you want to watch, boss?” Tachihara groaned, reaching for a handful of popcorn.

“Why would I tell you? You always laugh at my choices.”

“Because they’re lame romcoms.”

“Not all of them!” Chuuya protested.

Tachihara smirked. “Well, I guess there was that one time you wanted to try a darker romance and you got more than you bargained for—”

“You shut your mouth!” Chuuya snapped, throwing a handful of popcorn at the other man, who flinched and laughed. Annoyed – but still feeling oddly playful – the mafioso set the bowl aside and lunged for Tachihara, tackling him onto the cushions of the couch and finding purchase in his ribs. “Fine, you want to laugh? I’ll give you something to laugh about!”

“Ah! Nohohohoho, wahahahahait – no fahahahahahair! Don’t tihihihihihihickle me!” Tachihara cackled despite himself, trying to curl up but failing miserably. He squirmed and laughed under Chuuya’s surprisingly gentle onslaught, trying to push him away. “You ahahahahahass! We can wahahahahahatch whatever, just lehehehehehemme go!”

“Maybe I wanna teach you a little respect for your superiors first, Band-Aid.”

“Oh, sohohohohoho orihihihihiginal! Nihihihihice insult – gah, shihihihihihit!” Tachihara arched his back with a shriek when Chuuya dove a hand into his armpit. “Fine, okahahahahay, you win! I respehehehehehehect you! Fuhuhuhuhucker, let me gohohohohoho!”

Chuuya scoffed. “Sounds like you respect me.” But he relented anyway, settling back into his original position and picking up the bowl of popcorn.

Tachihara groaned as he sat up, then swiped the bowl from his boss and stuffed another handful of buttery kernels into his mouth. “I do, you know. Respect you.”

Chuuya yanked the bowl back. “Shut up and pick one of your lame horror flicks, Tachi.”

The other redhead smirked to himself as he grabbed the remote and began to scroll through the options. Being friends with Chuuya was…interesting. But it certainly was never boring, and he liked it that way.

*

58) Lee Atsushi, Ler Dazai

“I would have to tell you,” Dazai murmured in a low, teasing voice in time with the man on the TV screen, “you have bewitched me body and soul—”

“Dazai!” Atsushi squealed, covering up his blushing face as his partner slid an arm around his waist and pulled him closer.

“And I love…I love…I love you~”

Atsushi burst into giggles. “Shut up!”

“I never wish to be parted from you from this day on,” Dazai teased, whispering into his ear directly now.

“Stoooooop,” Atsushi whined, shoving at his chest and turning his face away, red as a strawberry. He was already flustered enough as it was, but then the brunette leaned into kiss his neck, and he scrunched up into another round of giggles. “Dahahazai!”

The detective chuckled softly, the arm around his waist sliding up to squeeze his side and make him jump in his seat, barely aware of the couple onscreen anymore.

“Isn’t it just so romantic, Atsushi?” he sighed dreamily, kissing his neck and ears and softly squeezing up and down his side and hip. “I do love that word choice. Bewitched. Makes it all sound so naughty.”

Atsushi didn’t even know what to do with himself anymore other than giggle and squirm, but Dazai’s arms around him kept him from even doing the latter half of that. He felt like he would combust, his face was so hot.

“Dahahahahahazai,” he whined. “Plehehehehehehease!”

“Hmm?” The detective hummed innocently, grinning against his jaw as he placed a kiss there. “Don’t you like my affection, dearest?”

Atsushi did – he liked it quite a lot, really – but he always felt so undeserving of it. So when the brunette was showering him with love like this, he didn’t know what to do other than protest and blush wildly. Not that the second one of those was in his control.

“Maybe you’d like it more if there were more tickles?” Dazai teased, bringing his other hand into the mix now, scribbling and squeezing along both of his sides and even up to his ribs now, and Atsushi let out a shriek as he finally toppled over, his partner right behind him, trapping him and tickling him consistently but gently, knowing he wasn’t entirely used to the sensation yet.

“Nohohohohoooo! Dazai, plehehehehehehease!” Atsushi whined, the giggles being pulled out of him making him feel loads lighter despite his reservations.

Dazai grinned down at him. “Please what? You haven’t specified, my love~”

“Dahahahahahazai!”

“Well…if you won’t tell me what you want, I can only assume you mean please keep going, right, dearest?” The brunette leaned down to kiss his cheeks and nose and lips in rapid succession, never letting up on his tickling onslaught. “Anything for you, my adorable Atsushi~”

*

59) Lee Fyodor, Ler Dazai

“Samyy dorogoy,” Fyodor murmured, seemingly unbothered despite his position. “I know you’re not seriously about to do what I think you are.”

Dazai smirked. “Do you know? Or are you just trying not to beg me?”

“We’re supposed to be stargazing.”

“You are stargazing.”

“Am I?”

“Of course.” Dazai beamed. “What stars could be prettier than the ones in my eyes?”

Fyodor snorted, but the tiniest quirk of his lips was everything to the detective.

Their night had started innocently enough. They’d been taking in the constellations together, Fyodor’s head in Dazai’s lap in a rare gesture of intimacy the Russian almost never allowed. Dazai, for his part, had been murmuring sweet nothings and kissing his fingers and just generally getting him so relaxed that he wouldn’t be prepared for the fast one he inevitably intended to pull.

“The fast one” being forcing Fyodor’s arms above his head and sitting on them so he was trapped in a precarious position, his weakest spots wide open.

“Besides,” the detective said now, beginning his assault without any pomp or circumstance whatsoever. “It’s not like a little tickling is going to kill you or anything~”

Fyodor clamped his lips shut, but it was a useless endeavor and he knew it. Within moments he was giggling helplessly, and within a minute he was cackling, arching his back and kicking his legs in a frantic effort to escape his partner’s devious clutches.

Dazai dug into his armpits with an unfair amount of vigor, relishing the screeches and loud laughter he got for his efforts.

“There now, see? Doesn’t it feel good to laugh, my love?”

“DAHAHAHAHAHAZAI!!” Fyodor nearly screamed, unable to help the cascades of hysterical laughter that flew out of him at the detective’s precise touch. “STAHAHAHAHAHAHAP IT!! POZHAHAHAHAHAHALUSTAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

Watching his conniving, brilliant partner lost in the throes of his own mirth like this was heaven on Earth to Dazai, and so he couldn’t quite bring himself to let up so soon. “Aww, but I only just got started, bunny~ I want to hear you beg me, remember?”

Fyodor cursed his name and laughed until he was nearly breathless, writhing and pleading for mercy all the way.

*

60) Switches Shin Soukoku

There were a lot of things about Akutagawa that Atsushi found cute. His scowl, his smirks, the way he’d sometimes tuck a strand of hair behind his ear only for the wind to immediately blow it back into his face, his dimples – the list went on, truly.

But without a doubt, one of the most adorable things about him was the way he desperately fought to hold in his mirth when Atsushi was tickling him.

He was doing it now – laying on the grass with the weretiger on top of him, one of his hands clamped across his mouth to muffle himself, the other gripping his partner’s shoulder and trying to push him away, his face turning darker red with each passing second.

“Give it up,” Atsushi teased in a low purr that he knew would drive his partner crazy. “You know you can’t hold out forever, Ryu~”

To prove his point, he dragged his fingers down his partner’s bony ribs in a raking motion that made him arch his back and positively cackle from behind his hand.

With a triumphant smirk, Atsushi used his tiger’s strength to rip said hand from his lips and repeat the raking motion, forcing Akutagawa to screech and laugh openly, the raspiness of it making the weretiger’s heart soar.

“Cheheheheheheheater!” Aku accused, both hands trying to push him away now, his mirth apparent and uncontrollable. “We’re in the ohohohohohohopen – Ahahahahahahatsushi!”

“Whaaaaat? We chose a private part of the park on purpose, remember?” Atsushi giggled, digging his thumb into the flesh just below Akutagawa’s ribs.

The mafioso threw his head back and keened, tapping out within seconds. “FUHUHUHUCKING STAHAHAHAHAHAP ALREHEHEHEHEHEADY!!”

With a mock pout, Atsushi did as he was asked and let him breathe, running his hand up and down his thigh instead. “Fiiiiine. But no one saw, you know. I wouldn’t tickle you in public unless I knew we were alone.”

Akutagawa paused, taking an extra second to catch his breath before asking, “Are you sure we’re alone?”

Atsushi brushed his bangs from his eyes. “Of course, Ryu.”

Suddenly the weretiger felt the ground against his back as his partner flipped the script and took up a position on top, grinning downright wickedly as he forced his hand under Atsushi’s shirt to wiggle a finger directly into his belly button.

“AHAHAHAHAHAHA WHAHAHAHAHAT?! NO FAHAHAHAHAHAHAIR!!” Atsushi screamed, laughter bursting out of him before he could take a big enough breath to accommodate for it. He writhed on the ground and tried to squirm away, but Akutagawa’s knees were pressed firmly against his hips, keeping him in place as he tickled. “EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE RYUUUUU!!”

“Whaaaat?” Akutagawa mocked, grinning at the hysterics he was producing with just a single finger. “You said yourself no one was watching, weretiger. It’s only fair you take what you dish out.”

[hockeynoses]

Sick!Steve & platonic Chrissy: A College AU

Happy (Horny) Holidays!

Summary: Steve and Chrissy have a class together and Steve shows up with a terrible cold. The sequel is here!

Warnings: Mess, Contagion. 1.6k.

Notes: I wrote this as platonic Steve & Chrissy, but feel free to take it however you want. I felt like writing something from a woman’s perspective for a change. This is just another excuse to have Steve go through all my favorite kinky phrases about being sick. 😈

This story has two lines that pull from some posts on snzblr... One is from the “mess talk” post by sneezysubbyboi, and the other is the “I think I’m getting worse” post by poor-darling. Thank you for the inspiration!

---

Chrissy sits in the back of the lecture hall, idly doodling in her notebook. The desk next to her is empty, and she’s keeping an eye on the situation. Nobody has tried to sit there yet; at this point in the semester everyone sits in the same seats out of habit. She wonders what’s taking Steve so long.

They had met for the first time in class, had happened to sit next to each other on the first day. Since then, they’ve gotten to know each other well. Sharing notes, helping out with difficult homework assignments, and even collaborating on a group project.

The professor is so strict about attendance, and Chrissy really hopes that Steve isn’t about to blow this for himself. He already has close to the allowed max of no-shows.

Just as she’s about to get her phone out to text him, she sees him scurry over out of the corner of her eye.  He plops his backpack down on the floor, letting himself fall into his chair gracelessly. He’s nearly out of breath and must’ve run to get here on time.

“You made it!” Chrissy says, relieved.

“I did,” he says, still panting. “Thagk god.”

Now that she’s able to get a better look at him, she can see that his nose is bright red. His face is flushed from his run and the winter weather, but this seems like it might be something more.

He shrugs his jacket off, the shoulders dusted with snowflakes that have now melted into tiny damp spots. He runs a hand through his hair, grateful that it’s not too wet from the snow. Shivering the chill weather out of his system and soaking up the heat inside the lecture hall, he rubs his hands together to warm them.

“Did you run here?” she asks even though she knows the answer already.

“Yeah.” He sniffs and wipes his nose on the back of his hand. “I slept in by acciden’d. I cad’t believe I albost m’bissed another class.”

He does look tired, Chrissy thinks. The puzzle pieces start to slot together when Steve pulls out a full-sized box of tissues from his backpack and sets it on his desk.

“Um…” she says, eyeing the box curiously.

“Ugh, I amb so sick,” he says miserably, confirming her suspicions.

“Oh no!” She gives a sympathetic frown. “It does seem like there’s always something going around this time of year.”

“Yeah, like all of bmy roobmates are sick right n’dow,” he says as he pulls his first tissue from the box. “Itd was on’dly a matter of time’b.”

He takes a deep breath and blows his nose. Chrissy winces at the full, crackling sound. People are still chatting around them, so the noise isn’t carrying like it will when the class is silently listening to the teacher. Still, Steve doesn’t seem to be too self-conscious about it. Maybe he’s too sick to care at this point. Chrissy tries to imagine herself attending class with an entire box of tissues on her desk and doesn’t think she’d have the guts.

“Bad timing, with finals coming up,” she says.

“Right?” He drops the soiled tissue on his desk and reaches for another one. “I really don’d have time’b to be sick ri-ihhh-ght SNF right dow- hih’EHTSSCHHH!” She can hear the congestion gushing into the tissue and raises her eyebrows at him.

“Whoa, you really don’t sound good, Steve,” she says. “You should probably be at home in bed. Did you ask the professor about it?”

Steve wipes his chapped nose with the tissue a couple times. “D’no, I didn’t even try. You k’dnow how strict he is. Idt probably wouldn’t have worked and’yway. Heh…hh’ERSSSHHHoo!” He curls forward with the strength of it.

“You could have tried, at least…”

Gathering up the soggy tissues, he shoves them in an empty compartment in his backpack. He grabs his notepad and pen and sets them on what little space is left on his desk.

She hears the scrape of cotton against cardboard as he pulls another kleenex from the box in preparation. Giving another waterlogged sniffle and scrubbing his nose with his palm, he says, “I really couldn’t mbiss anod’ther class. I – heh…eh…hih’KKSSSHHHuh! Ugh.” He groans and clears his throat. “If I have to take this class againd I’ll lose mby bmind.”

“You sound so bad,” Chrissy says, “If I’d have known, I would have brought you tea or something.”

His glassy, tired eyes meet hers with a kind look. “Thaggs, Chrissy.” He keeps the tissue pressed to his nose as he snuffles into it. “I’ll be alrighd’t, though.”

“If you say so…” she says with a compassionate look. From what she already knows of Steve, he’s a strong guy and can power through a lot of stuff. She wishes he didn’t have to, though.

“I wend to the campus clinic to get checked out and they said it was juu-huhhh… hih… HA-AETTCCCHHuh!  SNF – Jusdt a bad cold.” That one looked particularly messy, and she watches him clean himself up before reaching for a fresh tissue to bury his nose into, unleashing a gurgling blow in an attempt to clear out his sinuses. She figures it’s a futile effort at this point.

“Ugh, sorry these are so b’messy. I can’t even do an’dything aboud idt.” He gives a productive sniffle, as if to prove his point. “I’ve been’d so stuffed up for like, days. Heh...ha-ERRIISSSHHHoo! ISSSHHH’IEW!” Two harsh sneezes covered successfully by a bundle of kleenex, followed by another long-suffering blow. The poor boy looks miserable.

A chair creaks to their right and they both look over. The guy who had been sitting in the desk next to Steve has gathered his things up and is sneaking off to a safer area far, far away. Steve pouts internally as his ego takes a hit, but he can’t really blame him. He turns back to Chrissy and they share a look.

“You probably don’t wadda sit so close to be. Nod whed’n I’b thi-ihhh-ss…ha… hih’ERRSHOO! …sick,” he finishes, groaning into the tissue.

“I’ll take my chances,” she says with a warm smile. Having grown up with siblings, there isn’t a lot that grosses her out, and at this point she doesn’t know how much difference a couple feet of distance would make anyway.

“If you’re sure,” he says with a liquid sniffle. “Ha-KISSHH-ahh!” Another relentless sneeze that ends on a long, drawn-out sigh. “’Scuse be,” he says, voice breathless and deep. He gives a couple soft blows into the mass of tissues before scraping back and forth at his damp nostrils.

“I really don’d wand to get anyond else sick because this is the worst cold I’ve -heh- ehhh-ver h-had- Hih’RIIISHHuh!” His head snaps forward into the waiting bundle of spent tissues. “SNF! Ugh, sorry. They’re really loud, too,” he says, right before a wretched noseblow that he seems surprisingly unconcerned about the volume of.

Chrissy’s eyes dart around the room, taking note of a couple judgmental glances directed towards him. She offers them an apologetic smile on his behalf. Steve, however, seems undaunted, his sorry state causing him to be distracted and blasé about the whole thing.

“At least at this poindt I’ve gotten preddy good at covering thebm.” Gesturing to the soaked tissues in his hand, he crumples them up into a ball before leaning over to hide them away in his backpack.

A laugh bubbles out of her. “Well, that’s something at least. Practice makes perfect?”

Steve nods, “And I’ve had a lod of pracdice.” Sitting back up, he drags the back of his hand under his raw nose, already dripping again. “It’s a good thing too… snrk because these are so fugking bmessy…iihh…” A hazy look crosses his face as he scrubs his palm across the tip of his nose, trying to dispel the pesky itch. “Shitd – ndot hiihh- agaidn!”  He fumbles for a tissue, cupping his bare hand over his face just in time to contain a wet, spraying, “Hih’KKISSH-ah!” that bursts out of him. “God, sorry, that one cambe out of nowhere.”

She barely gets a glimpse of his palm, covered in tendrils of mess before he’s able to mop it all up with a tissue. He sets the wet kleenex on his desk and closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers in an effort to massage the pressure out of his sinuses.

A glazed look crosses his features. “I thigk rudding here in the snow is m’baking by cold- heh… worse! …ehh… heh’EHRUSSHHoo! ihh’TTSCHH! hiiih’AETTCHHuh!” The full-bodied sneezes rip through him, leaving him gasping for breath. Not having enough time to cover, he’d twisted away from Chrissy, openly spraying the space to his right; the seat their classmate had luckily just vacated.

That guy dodged a bullet, Chrissy thinks as she tries to control the look of shock on her face.

“Shit, sorry!” Covering his face with his cupped hand, (A little late for that, she thinks,) he pulls two tissues from the box. He gets halfway through blowing his nose before he’s interrupted by another scraping double- “Hep’TSCCHOO!  Huh…heh’YEETTCHH’tshoo!”

He sighs, groaning in defeat, face still buried in the bundle of cotton. “Baybe I should justd keeb these over mby face this whole tim’be,” he says, gesturing with the already soggy bunch of tissues pressed to his face. “Mby dose is rudding so buch I don’t even have a choice- hih’EHTIISSHH!” The sneeze bursts from him so suddenly that he surely wouldn’t have been able to cover in time if he hadn’t already been doing so.

“I think that’s the only option you have left, at this point…” Chrissy says, settling in for what was sure to be an eventful lecture.

[here-2suffer]

Happy Valentines day yall! Here's a lil treat! A big thank you to @kattramen for helping me with this, I don't think I would've been ready with it today if it wasn't for them. This is based on/inspired by @gniteruirui 's au thing! Hope you all enjoy! Long post warning!

It's February 14th, Valentines day. But instead of being happy and in love like everyone else is, you're devastated and alone.

You look across the daycare to see Sun talking with another daycare assistant, they seem so happy.

Why can't you be happy with this?

...

You know why.

You love him. You love him so much, but he loves them. You want to be happy for them, you really do, but you just can't bring yourself to.

You pretend it's fine though. You're not gonna make them feel bad and ruin their days just because you feel bad, and especially not on Valentines day. So you busy yourself with reorganizing everything on the desk, again. At least it gives you something to distract yourself with.

Except it doesn't. You can hear their talking, so you reach for your headphones to tune them out with music, until you realize you forgot to bring your headphones today.

Lucky you.

"Hey there! Happy cupid day!" Mark suddenly materializes next to you with a pink rose in hand.

"Ack!-" You step back in surprise and almost trip over your own two feet. "B- Jeezus Mark! You've got to stop sneaking up on me like that!" The talking from Sun and the other employee has stopped, but you're too preoccupied with the idiot (affectionate) that jumpscared you.

"Ha, sorry about that." He held out the rose to you. "Here, have this as an apology." He smiled and you took the rose. "It's fake, so you don't have to worry about it dying." He winked. You roll your eyes. "Geez, thanks for being so considerate." He grinned triumphantly. "Yeah, it's my job as your best friend."

You're about to say something back when Sun speaks loudly from the middle of the daycare. "Allllright everybody! It's gift giving time for our favorite love holiday! Get your gifts and gather around!" His voice is as loud and energetic as always. You're heart starts to hurt again hearing his voice, you don't want to go, but you don't really have a choice. Mark grabs your hand and gives it a little squeeze, offering you a comforting smile, one that says "You got this." You smile and squeeze his hand back, then you grab your gifts for everyone and head to middle of the daycare.

It only takes a couple minutes before everyone is gathered here with their gifts, Sun has decided we'll be going around in a circle so no one is left out of gift giving.

The first one up is... the one Sun likes. Of course. They go around and give everyone a Hershey's kiss. The next person goes, giving everyone a drawing they've done, it's really good actually. Things keep going with smiles and laughter until Mark's turn.

He goes around and gives everyone a friendship bracelets, everyone except you, that is. You don't mind, he's made you plenty before, and he's already given you a gift, but everyone else doesn't know that.

There's small gasps and someone chokes on their chocolate kiss. "Hey Mark, I think you forgot about them." Kent points at you. You wave it off. "No, no, Mark didn't forget about me. He already gave me my gift earlier, don't worry about it." Eveyone seemed to relax, there was some sighs of relief. Mark put on a mock offended face. "You guys really think I'd leave my bestest friend in the whole wide world out of this?" A lighthearted joke to get things back to normal and moving again.

Sun gave everyone tiny origami butterflies, and then it was your turn.

You brought roses. You didn't want to give what other people gave out, and you didn't know what else to give, so you brought roses. You gave everyone 2 roses, and everyone had 1 yellow rose, and whatever other color depending on how you felt towards them.

That was until you got to Sun, the last one you needed to give roses to. You gave him one blue rose, unable to meet his gaze as you handed it to him. "Sorry Sun, guess I miscounted, I only have enough to give you one."

His usual happy smile faltered a little, but he gingerly took the rose. "It's a-okay! Roses are very popular around this time of year, I totally understand if they ran out of roses for you!" You put on your best smile and walked back to Mark, never once meeting Sun's gaze. He kept looking to see if you would look back, to see if you cared, but you didn't look back. He was a little hurt that he was the only one who got one rose, but he knew that there were probably no more roses at the stores you went to. At least that's what he wanted to believe.

Everyone went back to doing their own thing when it was finished. Sun started talking with same person again (seriously, does he ever talk to anyone else?), and you went back to the security desk with Mark.

...

Mark takes your hand in his own. "Listen, I know you're trying to get over him, but did you really have to do that?" He's whispering, making sure no one else eavesdrops on your conversation. You sigh. "I... No, but I can't help it. I don't want to hurt his feelings, but for some reason I don't feel like I can just do nothing but avoid him, I felt like I needed to do something else to make me feel better."

"Well, do you feel better?" He gave your hand a little squeeze, he never judged you or thought you cruel for the things you did, he always understood. "...No. I think I might feel worse.." You felt the tears coming to your eyes and your voiced cracked, you were never good with your emotions.

He pulled you into a hug. "It'll be okay."

Sun watched from across the daycare as you hugged him back, he was beginning to wonder if he should come and ask what was wrong. He hated seeing you upset, he wanted to comfort you.

"But he didn't really seem to care anyway." Right. He was in a conversation with someone, it would be rude to leave. So he stayed with this special person, and you stayed with Mark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almost everyone was gone now, even Sun's best friend. It was only you, Kent, and someone else who's name you forgot (you didn't talk to them anyway). The lights are off so you didn't have to worry about avoiding Sun to save your heart, but you did have to worry about Moon. He's been talking to you more than usual lately.

He's on top of the tallest play structure, directly above your coworker like a cat ready to pounce an unsuspecting victim, but he never makes the move to do so. But the person has to clock out now, so they do. Moon stays on the play structure, though now he's looking directly at you.

You look around, Kent is across the daycare, he's too preoccupied with his tasks and music to notice if anything happens to you. That usually wouldn't be a good thing, but it is today.

You wave at Moon with a smile, signaling for him to come over. He tilts his head, he doesn't do anything but stay still. You think he might not come, but then his wire comes down and connects to the latch on his back and he starts swimming in the air towards you.

Once he's like 5 feet away from you, he stops swimming and just stays there, he doesn't even go back on the ground. You put your bag on the table and reach inside, he keeps looking between you and your bag. You smile and pull out 2 roses, one blue and one orange. His eyes widen in surprise.

"Uh, so. I notice that you don't really get any gifts from any holiday, and I wanted to give you one because you.. mean a lot to me." You hold out the roses and smile.

He just stares at them for a couple of seconds. You got him roses? Two of them.. He reaches out to take the roses, but instead of taking them, he grabs your wrist and pulls you close. It's so sudden you don't even have time to react before you find yourself in his embrace.

He's hugging you. He's holding up your wrist with the roses in them so they don't get damaged somehow in the hug. Once the shock wears off, which only took a second or two, you hug him back.

"Thank you..." He whispers into your ear and hugs you a little tighter for a second before letting go and taking the roses. A part of you is a little disappointed he let go, but the way he holds the roses and looks at the with awe makes everything okay. For a moment, everything else vanishes, and it's just you and Moon. He looks back up at you.

"Orange and blue... For sun and mine's colors?" You blink, not understanding what he means for a second. Then you get it and your eyes widen a little. "Oh no! Not at all. Uh, those roses are for you. I gave everyone roses, the colors are based of of my feelings for them, and these are based of my feelings for you."

He looks back down to the roses. "Okay. Thank you. Like them." He smiles a little, it makes you feel butterflies. All the butterflies you've been trying to put to rest are now going wild now. Your brain starts screaming at you.

Stop it.

They don't like you like that. Give it up.

Your alarm rings, you jump at the sudden noise. You turn it off and look at Moon again. "Heh, sorry. I guess I have to go now. Bye Moon, I'll see you tomorrow!" You grab your bags and wave to Moon as you leave. He wears the same smile and waves you off until you're out of sight.

He wanted to stay with you a little longer..

Sun was online, he still hadn't gone to "sleep". He saw everything.

You said you ran out of roses. But you brought two for Moon. Did you lie? Why? His metaphorical heart was broken.

"Moon- why.. why did I only get one? Do.. do they hate me?" Moon paused. He he was so caught up in the fact you gave him a gift that he forgot what happened with Sun earlier.

He was always online during gift giving time, he wanted to see what everyone brought. He saw you only give Sun one rose. One blue rose.

"I gave everyone roses, the colors are based of of my feelings for them."

Blue. "They gave roses based on feelings. What does blue rose mean?" A quick internet search in their head. "Mystery or attaining the impossible?"

...

You gave them both a blue rose.

What did that mean? What's so impossible for you to get of them?

...

Sun went offline. Now it was just Moon and Kent in the room.

So much for a happy Valentines day.

[solradguy]

Please at some point if you can write about how those 2 panels in beginning and what they mean to you the begin content is always so good and also really enjoy how rough the drawings where for it UGH

Yess god I love Begin so much. Honestly, it's like a 7/10 star scifi novel at best; it's a pretty standard "guy gets monsterified by evil science" plot. But Sol/Frederick means so much to me and that book did more for his characterization than almost any other piece of GG media has before or since, imo.

I picked this thing apart like a carcass so readmore because it goes on for miles. A thorough dump of my thoughts on what I have labeled as "begin pic 12" in my GG Begin scans folder. Vague suicide mention warning for when I start talking about the personal stuff near the middle.

What I love about those two panels is that it's the first time we get to see Sol after he gets turned into a Gear and it's a downtime moment. It's 6 months after Asuka betrayed him and he just finished whatever mechanical process was required to complete the first Gear cell suppressor headband. He's actually unplugging it in the second panel on the left. There's a third panel below these where he's picking up the headband and there's a strong focus on how monstrous and gross his hand is as an effect of the Gear cells, but it's not quite as interesting as the first panel here.

It's so small. This is the only time we ever see or hear a (canon) description of what Sol's personal living space looks like. They DO show him at some kind of house at the end of Strive, but it's barely fleshed out. There aren't that many details or strong hints in that scene like there are here.

I've talked about this potted plant in the window a lot, it's my favorite detail in this illustration.

It's not clear what kind of plant it is though. Maybe some kind of succulent with how stiff and solid the leaves look? Something Sol doesn't have to worry too much about taking care of—low effort in case he has to leave for a long time or forgets to water it. But like... Where did he get this plant? The building he's living in is described as a rusty shack out in the middle of nowhere, so I doubt the plant was there when he moved in. He must've picked it up somewhere and brought it back. Why?

Sol calls himself a monster multiple times throughout Begin and it's pretty clear how keenly aware he is of his rapidly vanishing humanity. He knows his time is running out and he's trying to slow it down by making the limiter headband but that's only a temporary fix. Asuka betrayed him, Aria might be dead (or worse), he can't even blend in with normal humans anymore, and the only animals that are like him are mindless war machines. Sol is completely and absolutely alone.

Except he's got that plant.

The plant doesn't have feelings, it can't judge him. If he goes mad and becomes a rampaging animal like the bear Gear at the end of Begin, the plant won't know or care. Sol got that plant from somewhere and whether he takes care of it or not, it's something else for him to think about. A single purely organic thing in his rusty, machine-littered, shack. If he can't bring himself to do anything else on a given day, if the Gear cells are screaming too loudly and he just wants to say fuck it all and rip everything apart, he's got that tiny little potted thing that only needs sunlight and water. Daisuke probably didn't even think about it that hard when he was designing this scene, but I have hahah I appreciate this little plant. There is a lot of thought put into the layout of the things on Sol's desk though, so perhaps Daisuke did have a motive putting the plant there too.

Sol's desk space is about what you'd expect. A tiny toolbox under the light, notes, wires, balled up scrapped papers, books (likely on magic and software engineering, probably something on wiring), the corkboard up above that has a map with marked out locations that are implied to be locations of places Asuka might have gone since the research lab him, Sol, and Aria worked at exploded (referenced in the epilogue). The rolled tubes on the right may be maps or computer schematics for Sol to reference for making the suppressor.

Based on the position of his hands in the other panels, that thing near his elbow must be whatever was compiling something onto the suppressor headband. I don't know what those are directly in front of him by that dark tower. They look sort of like computer chips/boards? Too low detail to know for sure.

The rest of the scene around his desk are just cabinets and drawers without much unique/outstanding detail. Nothing unique or outstanding enough to base anything off of, just set pieces.

For purely personal reasons, I love this illustration because I spend a lot of time sitting at my own cluttered, dimly lit, desk working on projects that keep me sane haha. Sol's arc through Begin is relatable too, in a way, with regards to gender and body stuff. It's easy to read a lot of the Gear things as an allegory for transitioning for people that didn't have a very smooth transition or that took a long time to accept that's what they are. I fell into that latter category for a long time. Once puberty hit, I realized that I didn't want to be like a woman, but being trans was bad? All depictions of trans people that I knew were jokes or were things like drag, and none of them were women into men. I didn't know a single depiction of a trans man until I went looking for it myself as an adult. They were all tomboys that rescinded their masculinity and became petite girls in pastels. Or they were villains that died and were made fun of.

So. I just didn't know you could do it. I thought that maybe there were just never any women that felt like men or that they were something other than a woman. There was no one to talk to about it, no resources to look up, I hated myself over it because it was a bad thing meant to be kept to yourself. I grew my hair really long to cover my chest and only wore baggy/layered clothes to smooth out my unfortunately curvy waist. On top of this, I have also been 6'5" since I was about 14. I didn't fit in with the women at school because they saw me as a man and I didn't fit in with the men because, biologically, I was a woman. Through all of this, I had to move with my mom across the country to live with a literal nazi because I knew if I didn't, she'd do something stupid (I was right in that she didn't want to because I was there). My friends wanted me to stay and live with my dad but I didn't know how to tell them that I couldn't. I didn't tell them when I was leaving and just left.

I had no friends, no one else was physically like me, there was nothing for me to relate to or find inspiration in. I don't know what kept me going, in hindsight. Everything pissed me off all of the time. All I had was my sick cat, metal playlists, and art. Man, did I have art though.

My art teacher let me skip Art 2 to go from Art 1 directly into Advanced Placement Art (AP Art) because I was graduating that year and she saw potential in me. For our AP Art final portfolios, we had to do a certain set of pieces with fixed themes (portrait, abstract, specific mediums, life study, etc) and then another set of something like 12 that were wholly original illustrations connected through a single, personal, theme. The theme for my original pieces was that monsters have no friends because they're big and scary and no one else is like them, but that they still need love because they're just trying to find their place in the world. Lol. I wish I still had the short essay I wrote about it, but it was so long ago...

I don't really know what was keeping Sol going at the end of Begin either, when he's living in that shack so far from his own home, alone. But I get it though. Sometimes something activates in the human spirit when shit's got it out bad for you that makes you want to keep going. It ended up working out for me. My mom's still alive, I have friends again and I know who I am now despite being a weird biological anomaly. It's working out pretty well for Sol now too, it seems, despite it all.

[calico-kiwi]

The Coffee Trials

Chapter 2: a different brand of strange

Fandom: Maribat (Miraculous Ladybug x DC)

Tags: Tim Drake/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Original Character, fluff & Shenanigans, no plot & no update schedule

Work Summary: Both Tim Drake and Marinette Dupain-Cheng are incredibly successful and busy people. Two people who both view coffee as their lifeblood. When they find themselves needing each other to obtain ultimate coffee rights at their favorite cafe, two total strangers become allies. And friends. And perhaps eventually… something more.

Chapter Summary: Marinette finds that her normal day goes 0 to 100 (more of a 70, really) very fast. She certainly didn’t expect this to be the outcome of visiting her new favorite cafe…

Links: ao3 work, ao3 chapter, First Chapter, Previous Chapter, Next Chapter

Read below the Keep Reading!

Marinette was having the very rare kind of day one would consider “normal”. Or, as normal as a former child soldier/superheroine and the current Guardian of the Chinese zodiac’s Muraculi could have whilst living in the cesspool that is Gotham.

It was simultaneously relaxing and unnerving.

She’d had a tremendously productive day. It started with her actually getting up and out of bed at a respectable time, followed by a virtual meeting with Jagged and Penny to discuss his latest commissions. 

For the past several hours she’d been answering emails and sketching some basic concepts to pitch to Jagged. It wasn’t until very late into the evening that she realized she had, one, not eaten yet, and two, not had coffee yet.

In fact if not for Tikki gently reminding her that despite the fever dream that was her life she was still human and needed to eat, she wouldn’t have realized at all. 

Blinking at the clock that hung above the desk in her office, she realized it was already past eight at night and frowned. “When-” Marinette started.

The tiny floating red deity just giggled. “You were in your work trance silly,” Tikki said, patting her chosen on the head. “You really should eat something though.”

Marinette stretches in her chair and nods. “Food does sound good,” she mumbles, closing her eyes. “Oh!-” she exclaims, eyes flying open. “Why don’t we go to the cafe?”

Tikki moves so she’s floating in front of her chosen, her big dark blue eyes sparkle as the kwami smiles. “You just want to go because Skye will let you have the reaaalllyy caffeinated drinks now.”

Smiling sheepishly, Marinette replies, “Maybe. But you can’t deny they have a good chicken wrap!”

Tikki simply fondly shakes her head as Marinette gets out of her chair and grabs her phone.

“Tikki, can you let the other kwamis know we’re heading out while I grab my stuff? I think most of them are in the kitchen and living room.”

As Tikki zips across the room and towards the kitchen, Marinette hears the kwami reply, “Sure thing Mari!” before phasing through the wall.

It’s not long before Marinette enters Carrie’s Cafe and Bistro. She was immediately greeted by the smell of coffee and a warm welcome from Skye, who was currently working the register.

“Hey Mari, welcome back! What can I get for ya?” Skye asks, a smile accompanying their cheerful demeanor.

While the friendliness wasn’t out of place for Skye, they had an unusual excitement about them. Something about the way they were smiling was almost ‘Chat Noir right before he starts some shenanigans’ in nature.

Marinette shook off the thought, however. She smiled back at Skye, answering, “I’ll take a chicken wrap, a chocolate chip cookie, and a chocolate eclair, please. And um, the most caffeinated Skye Special you have if you don’t mind.”

Skye’s smile gains a tone of playful malice as they push the card reader closer to Marinette.

“Why of course I wouldn’t mind. I’ll ignore the fact you didn’t say the ™ in Skye Special™, but only cause you’re new to this whole system here,” Skye teases.

As Marinette inserts her card into the card reader and enters her pin, Skye continues.

“Though I’m glad you remembered the whole ‘must order at least one item from the menu’ part of the deal. Can’t just be giving away free coffee, Carrie would kill me. And it’s not like I can charge you for it either, y’know?”

Skye hands Marinette the receipt, and soon the fashion designer once again finds herself thrown into a work frenzy on one of the cafe’s sofas. Something about the place just seemed to calm her down and clear her head.

Or maybe it was the fact she had finally eaten and was sipping a truckload of caffeine. But who’s to say?

Not long into her visit to the cafe, she hears the front door open and Skye greeting a customer. A quick glance away from her sketchbook and laptop reveal a very tired-looking man in his early to mid-twenties.

His hair was black and slightly wavy, and despite the fact he was wearing sweats and a crewneck Marinette could still tell he had an impressive build. Not that she was looking. * ahem *

However, it was only a few moments later that Marinette found herself looking up at the very person she had been staring at just a few moments ago.

He simply stood there, and with how severe his eyebags are (seriously, they’re bad enough to rival her own) Marinette was half convinced he’d fallen asleep standing up with his eyes open.

She simply waited for the stranger to say something since he was the one to walk up to her , but before she could ask if he needed anything, he said, “Um, hey, sorry to disturb you but there’s something I kind of need to talk to you about. Mind if I sit?”

Marinette blinks up at him, and it takes a few seconds for his request to process. She gives a nervous glance towards Skye, who’s still hanging out behind the register, and receives a smile and thumbs up from the barista.

She hesitantly answers, “Uhh, sure,” throwing Skye another sideways glance while the stranger sits down.

“So-“ he begins. “Skye told me you passed The Coffee Trials. Which is great, congrats! But um, not sure if you’re aware of this, Skye only serves one Skye Special™ per shift. And-“

The stranger pauses again to stare down at Marinette’s drink, which was sitting on the coffee table in front of them.

“You kinda stole my drink.”

All Marinette can think to say back is, “Who are you?”

She watches as the stranger goes through visible phases of shock, confusion, and finally, acceptance.

“Oh. Oops. Well hi, my name’s Tim, it’s nice to meet you,” he says, awkwardly offering a handshake which Marinette slowly accepts.

At the sound of a muffled groan, the two turn their heads just in time to catch Skye facepalming and shaking her head.

Skye simply tells them, “Ignore me. And also Tim’s awkwardness.”

“Ok then. Hi, I’m Marinette. What’s this about stealing your drink?” she asks, quirking an eyebrow.

Tim runs a hand through his hair and collapses against the couch. “Skye’s given me, well both of us, I guess, a bit of a choice. I’m guessing from my experience with her, she’s either going to have things stay the same, or have us follow through on her little plan. 

They’re an impossible person to bribe or bargain with, and once they've got an idea for shenanigans in their head, hell would sooner freeze over than if they don't enact those plans.”

Narrowing her eyes, Marinette snatches her coffee off the table and takes a sip. “Does this ultimatum, because that's what this sounds like, an ultimatum, have the power to revoke my coffee privileges?”

Grimacing, Tim nods. “Short answer, yes. Since only one Skye Special™ is allowed per shift, it’s first come first serve between the two of us. And I guess Carrie, but she doesn’t usually stop by during Skye’s shift so she’s a bit of an outlier.”

“Wait-“ Marinette starts. “So what’s the other option? Skye is either going to keep it how it is, or…?

Rubbing at the back of his neck with one hand and nervously tugging at the collar of his crew neck with the other, Tim’s eyes darted towards Skye.

“About that. I actually have no clue. She basically sent me over here so I could drag you back to the register. They said they would only tell me their ‘proposition’ if both of us came over to her.”

Marinette sighed. She knew something was up with Skye today. Looking back over to Tim she asks with a deadpan expression, “How much do you wanna bet she has a dramatic speech planned?”

Tim smirks. “Five bucks says she’ll have visuals to really drive home the point.”

If it weren’t for the informality of the situation, Marinette would’ve found herself embarrassed by the snort she let out at Tim’s statement.

Closing her laptop and stuffing it along with her sketchbook into her bag, Marinette stands. “Let’s go see if you win that five bucks.”

As they approach, Skye’s smile widens. “Ah, I knew you were capable of simple tasks, Timmy my boy. Not that there was ever any doubt.”

Tim scoffs and playfully shoves the barista, causing her to let out an incredulous ‘Hey!’

Once the two settle in front of Skye, the latter breaks into a smirk. “So, assuming this doofus-“ Skye says, jerking their thumb at Tim, “Has filled you in, Nettie, who’d like to hear my oh so generous, proposition, shall we say?”

With Marinette’s insistence to go on and Tim’s nod, Skye situates herself so she’s once again sitting on the counter, legs swung over the side.

“I’m cutting you both off.” The sentence is short, said without a hint of hesitation, and Skye tells them with such conviction the decision seems ironclad.

It’s so devastatingly inconceivable the five words make both Marinette and Tim’s hearts drop to their stomachs and disintegrate in the acid there.

The two stand there dumbfounded for a few seconds, processing. It’s only broken when Tim’s hands, previously shaking, fly to his hair raking through it while a strangled gargle claws its way out of his throat. It’s soon followed by the small pitiful whimpers falling from Marinette’s lips. His hysterical and frantic cry of, “WHAT?!” overlaps with Marinette’s desperate pleas.

“Don’t worry,” Skye assures, holding up her hands in a placating manner. “I’m not fully cutting you off.”

With that piece of information, both their shoulders sag in relief, and their eyes lose the panicked wild looks they were holding.

“Oh thank fuck !” Tim exclaims. “Don’t fucking scare me like that Skye.”

Marinette, who shares similar sentiments, add, “You little shit. There is a very small amount of topics you do not make jokes like that about with me. Coffee is very high on that list.”

Skye just smiles cheekily. “Sorry, I couldn't help it. Playing devil’s advocate is the epitome of devious chaos.”

“Also, maybe not be the best way to phrase it, but the statement was still true. I am cutting you off. From Skye Specials™ only though. From now on, unless you can accomplish the task I will see before you two, you’re banned from Skye Specials™.”

Tim's jaw hangs open, and Marinette’s brows are furrowed, lips pursed.

“Why not just keep it as it is?” Marinette points out. “The limit can stay one Skye Special™ per shift, it will be on a first come first serve basis.”

Skey shakes their head. “And where,” they say, looking Marinette in the eyes before letting their stare move to Tim’s, “is the fun in that?”

Whipping out their phone, Skye clicks a few things before turning it so it faces them. It’s rotated so that it’s landscape, and Tim lets out an unbelieving bark of laughter at what he sees.

He barely makes out Marinette’s whispered, “Guess I owe you five bucks.”

“I have prepared a Google Slides,” Skye says proudly. “It’s very simple.” She points to the slide being displayed, presumably the title slide, and Marinette stares at the words ‘The Coffee Trials’. The subtext underneath the bigger centered title reads, ‘Trial #2: Creation’.

“As you can see, I’m implementing this as the second installment of The Coffee Trials. You will have to work together to, drumroll please…” Despite no one giving a drum roll, Skye still clicks on their phone to unveil the next slide with exuberant enthusiasm and a single jazz hand once the slide is revealed. “Make The Motherload yourselves!”

The next slide has only a picture of The Motherload and a textbox with three confetti emojis.

“Ignore the low-budget slides, I didn't have enough time to put into this. Anyways! Onto the rules-” With another tap on their phone screen, Skye reveals the next slide, which contains a numbered list.

“Rule one, you are given an indefinite amount of time to try and recreate The Motherload. Simple enough. Though you don’t have to have the exact measurements or method of making it, the ingredients all have to be the same, and it has to taste similar as well. I’ll give leeway on all other aspects, though.

Rule two, you are allowed to show me one attempt per week, and by per week, I mean Sunday through Saturday. You don’t have to wait seven days between each attempt.

Rule three, once per week, per week having the same meaning as rule two, you are allowed to ask for a hint. The hint given will always be an ingredient, and if a hint is asked for and can be given, but there are no more ingredients to confirm, you will each be given an espresso cup full of The Motherload to drink and appraise. 

This is the one exception to the fact you are cut off from Skye Specials™, and you are only allowed to drink the sample, as well as look at it. Without any high-powered tech. No cheating by examining it beyond a simple look.

Rule four, not only must you adhere to all prior rules, but you may not ask for or receive outside help, and to enact the two previous rules, those being attempting to confirm your creation or gathering hints, it must be triggered by the both of you .

That’s right, I’ve saddled you with a group project.”

Marinette is lost for words. She looks over at Tim who seems similarly bewildered.

“That's basically it. Any questions?” Skye asks, face the embodiment of innocence.

Tim looks a bit shell-shocked, Marinette realizes. She quite agrees with the reaction, however.

“I don't have enough caffeine to be able to think about or deal with this right now. I don't have enough sleep to deal with this absurdity. And my whole life is dealing with absurdity.” 

Tim’s nodding along with every word Marinette is saying, and oh isn't it great she’s not the only one thrown off by this.

“Well, I think the both of you should sleep and mull this over with well-rested heads. It’s quite a lot to spring onto someone this late, I guess.”

Tim numbly nods, and he and Marinette find themselves walking out of the cafe together, Tim holding the door open for her as they exit.

“Well that ,” Tim begins, “is a type of strange I didn't think I’d have to deal with today.”

Marinette giggles, smiling up at the man beside her. “A different brand of crazy from the usual,” she concedes. “Though it’s a nice change of pace from some of the regular crazy I’ve had to deal with.”

Smiling back down at her, Tim adds, “You’re not wrong.”

They stand there together, staring at each other, for a few seconds, before Tim clears his throat. “You know,” he says, cheeks suddenly the slightest bit pinker. “If you’d like, I can give you my number in case we end up actually going through with Skye’s nefarious plot.”

Surprised by her willingness and excitement, Marinette breathes out a, “Sure,” before handing over her phone.

It’s only after Marinette’s home and ready for bed that she contemplates just what had happened at the coffee shop. Or how it was unfairly hard to think of it without her mind circling back to Tim.

There are too many thoughts in her head to try and confront why looking at Tim’s contact made her smile.

He’d only put in his contact name; Tim, his number, and a short sentence in the notes. ‘u owe me $5.’

> Next

AN: Forgive my many spelling mistakes, I have the horrible tendency to only write for this fic in the dead of night. i have this fic on ao3, but I realized I never posted it to tumblr as more than a link. if you wanna keep up with it, but dont wanna subscribe to it on ao3, just ask to be added to the taglist either through this post or an ask to my blog and I'll keep you updated!

[acutiewithagun]

Rainy days aren't so bad

Just sitting in your room, doing your favorite hobby, you started to hear the pitter patter of raindrops. You looked up at the window to see as they started falling. You placed down whatever you were doing and got close to the window. Sure you couldn't see much else but the brick wall of the building just barely feet away from your own. But that just made it easier to see your favorite type of weather as it falls.

You move a chair close to the window and just watch as the rain becomes heavier and heavier. The sound, peaceful as you open the window slightly. Besides the normal smells of the city, you also caught the delightful scent of petrichor as the water from the sky falls. Shivering from the newfound cold that entered the room you close the window and walk over to your bed to get a blanket.

Your phone that you left on your desk starts ringing as you wrap yourself in your cozy blanket. You walk over and pick it up, swiping to answer it as you put it to your ear. "Hello?"

"Hey my bestest buddy in the whole wide world, how's it hanging?" It was Leo, obviously wanting something, you sigh and respond. "Everything is good, want anything?"

A mock offended gasp comes from the red slider on the other end. "How could you just assume I called you because I want something!?" You let out a soft laugh at his antics as you imagined his pouting face. "But no, you are right, I do want something. You know how it's raining and all icky? Well I thought your favorite turtle brother could come over and have hot chocolate with you? Or coffee, coffee works too."

You hum in thought as you gaze out your window with a smile. "Sure, why not, but you are not my favorite. That title is taken by Sheldon and rain isn't that bad, aren't you an aquatic turtle?" Those comments earned another mock offended gasp that made you giggle.

"One, Sheldon is a robot, he doesn't count. Two, what does my species have to do with rain? We like bodies of water not liquid falling from the sky. Plus it gets my hair all wet." That last comment earned another laugh as you watched the raindrops, mesmerized. "Leo, you're bald, turtles can't grow hair."

"I beg to differ, Casey Junior says Mikey had a head of hair in the future. Any wizzle, I'm almost to your apartment, see you in a few." You roll your eyes as he ends the call and stuff your phone in your pocket. Then you start walking into your kitchen to start on your comfort beverage of choice. Leo was a hassle sometimes, but at least he made awesome jokes.

(Self indulgence, I adore the rain, so why not write about it. I'll do different types of weather for the other brothers as well. Not Sheldon though, sorry tiny robot friend. Oh wait maybe in Donnie's...)