#told me how mixing i am with everybody

[happyfreeconfusedaandlonely]

death is insane. wdym i'll never see my grandmother's older sister again

death is insane. wdym i’ll never see my grandmother again

[thewidowsledger]

Mistake

© thewidowsledger 2025 - DO NOT REPUBLISH AND PLAGIARISE

Pairings: Professor!Natasha Romanoff x College Student!Female Reader

Word count: 4.2k

Tags | Warnings: +18 smut, ANGST, vile, mean, obsessive, hurt and dark Natasha, Natasha has a penis, top!Natasha, bottom!reader, hate fuck, crying but def not dacryphilia, kind of dubcon, noncon breeding

Author's Note: This is by far the darkest fic that was requested to me…I might be overreacting but I just a baby. I don't know how Latin honors works from others so I just referenced it to mine. Plot is kind of inspired with the song Teacher's Pet but it's the other way around. Request

Navigation | Masterlist

⧗

"What happened to us?" She asked again. The question hung in the air, demanding an answer that you know yourself wouldn't be willing to give.

Because you just want to forget it, forget it all—forget her.

⧗

"Isn't Y/N your rival since like 8th grade? You always hated the girl man! How come you're confessing your feelings to her on our graduation day?!" Rhodey groaned while rubbing his entire face as he talked to his best friend who just told his deep shocking secret.

"That's when I started loving her too." Tony simply replied.

You and Tony were actually schoolmates since grade school. And you have always been a top performing student ever since, while Tony only got to show his skills and intelligence not until high school—late bloomer as they say.

Who would imagine that the shy weird kid back in grade school would turn into a big massive fuckboy slash science freak in high school until college?

"So what's the plan, man?" Rhodey can only ask. He and Tony have been side by side since forever so there is no way he will not support him in getting to you. "Tony, as much as I want to support you in this…thing. You know your reputation. First, you are Y/N's acads rival, as long as there are numbers and letters and numbers and letters mixed together you are enemies and everybody knows that. Second, you have a reputation of sleeping with so many women. You know you didn't have your name cleared about the sleep night with the entire cheerleading team two years ago, in fact you didn't want your name cleared because you liked having that reputation."

"That was two years ago, I'm different now, at least I am trying too."

"I can't believe this. But honestly, I'd hit that." Rhodey smirked, showing your beach photo wearing a maxi skirt, a crochet top and the black glasses you always wore.

"Okay, enough of that! That's…that girl is mine, man. Please bro code." He snatched his friends' phone away from him and turned it off. Tony doesn't need to look at your photos anymore since he had memorized each photo of yours because he had been checking on your Instagram for at least twice a day.

"I was just joking! Of course I wouldn't." Rhodey chased his phone and was able to get it before Tony put it in his pocket. "So what's the plan? How will you…you know?" He shrugged while looking intently at his friend.

"Don't worry, I'm never running out of plans and pick up lines." He let out a laugh while also flexing his biceps

"Hey, hey! Friendly advice man? Just cut with your bad pick up lines and be a man. You just told me she's the girl you want to marry and she looks like the type who wouldn't fall for jokes or pick up lines. This isn't any rom coms, if you want her to fall in love with you, compliment and admire her mind—her intelligence."

"O…kay…where did that come from? That was a good one, Rhodey. I never thought I would hear that from you." Tony tried not to laugh his ass off, but the words of wisdom his friend just told him was something he needed.

Rhodey just shrugged, a genuine smile on his face showing as he looked at his friend. "I've always had it in me, Tony. It's just you never asked for some advice. Besides, you're different and so am I. And now, seeing you genuinely in love with this girl? I just know you need some unsolicited advice from mister lover boy right here."

"Hey, I'm a mister lover boy too." Tony pouted.

"You can be. But first, we have 8 minutes to get to Mr. Coulson's class."

The two sprinted out of the cafeteria, not even noticing Professor Romanoff sitting in the corner, her nails grazing hard against her own coffee mug.

⧗

"You're not gonna run for Latin?" You asked Tony, you were frustrated, you expected him to be your rival up until the end but when you knew you were the only one who filed for latin honors in your class, you were infuriated. You should be thankful, really, because you have no more competition but…

"I had 2.75 in molecular dynamics in 3rd year, if you didn't know. So basically, I'm not eligible to run for latin since then." You huffed at his reply, you don't know if it's out of disbelief or relief because he had that grade that made him not qualified for latin anymore.

"Did you purposely fail that class?" You asked him suspiciously. "Because I don't want to have this honor if you just basically gave it away. Like what you did in our elemag quiz bee during 10th grade, you said I only won because you basically let me, because you were just forced to join."

Tony pinched his nose, trying to hold a giggle. You are so cute, he thought to himself. Always so competitive and he loved every bit of it.

"I sucked at the subject, I promise, princess." He replied sincerely, not teasingly and provoking like he always was when he talks to you. Like when he tells you to calm yourself down before you internalize everything you had reviewed for a quiz bee, because it's just him you're gonna have to contend in some stupid quizzes.

You hated the man, but he's like a part of your system. You wouldn't function without him infuriating you—without him always competing with you.

"So…congratulations, summa cum laude." You were shocked at his words and genuineness but you didn't let him notice. For once, he didn't annoy you—for once—he's not your rival.

Before Tony could hand you the bouquet of tulips he was holding, a student suddenly rushed up to you.

"Hey, Y/N," the student said, her cheeks blushing as her eyes darted between you and Tony. "Professor Romanoff is asking for you in her office."

Hiding the tulips behind his back, Tony feigned nonchalance while you fought back your irritation. You couldn't believe it—even after all this time, he still had an effect on the women in your school. Unknown to you, the student had glimpsed the flowers he was secretly holding in his hands where she thought were for you.

"R-right now?" You stammered and the student nodded before bidding goodbye to the both of you.

"Are you alright?" Tony asked, noticing you turned pale.

As Tony asked you if you were okay, you found yourself blurting out, "Can you come with me?" You immediately regretted your words, silently cursing yourself for asking for help from the one person you loathed the most.

Despite the tension between the two of you, Tony agreed to accompany you to Professor Romanoff's office. As you walked, he fidgeted awkwardly, still holding the bouquet of flowers behind his back. Whenever you stole a glance in his direction, he'd turn away, so you wouldn't notice the bouquet peeking behind him.

The walk was filled with an uncomfortable silence, neither of you uttering a single word until you reached the professor's office.

Tony was about to reach for the door handle to Professor Romanoff's office, you quickly stopped him, passing him your bag. He shot you a questioning look, his eyes filled with concern as he asked, "Are you okay?"

You just gave him a small nod. He took your bag without protest and offered a reassuring nod in return.

"I'll wait for you here," he said, awkwardly holding your tote bag and wiggling his fingers as you go inside. His other arm was tired from having to hold the bouquet behind his back.

He could give it to you after, he thought.

⧗

You closed the door, but you deliberately left it unlocked. After a moment, Professor Romanoff emerged from the bathroom, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on you.

"Professor." You said, your head bowed in submission. Despite your fear and trepidation, you couldn't bring yourself to meet her gaze, keeping your eyes on your shoes as you struggled to maintain your composure.

She walked towards you, your heart pounded in your chest, and you felt a cold sweat breaking out on your forehead. Your lips trembled, and your shoulders tensed up as if preparing yourself for the worst. Your shoulders grazed onto each other as she locked the door behind you, trapping you inside with her.

"Is the pictorial done for graduation?" She asked, it came out soft but cold.

You took a deep breath, gathering what little ounce of courage you had left and managed to stammer out, "Yes."

Professor Romanoff's eyes traveled down your body, scrutinizing your outfit. You were wearing a skirt that teetered on the edge of being too short, paired with a fitted white top and a cardigan. You fidgeted under her intense scrutiny, feeling exposed and vulnerable under her stare.

"May I ask why I was being called, professor?" You asked, you bit your lip after for trembling too much.

"You're the only candidate for the Latin honors in our program. I talked to Professor Coulson and others in the faculty, and all of them said that your position is already secured for it not to drop below a 2," she stated. "Many professors are rooting for you to deliver your speech in 5 months."

And you? You desperately want to ask but you hold yourself back, keeping the question locked inside your mind. You wanted to speak less to her as much as possible, so you just nodded.

The room was filled with silence for several minutes, and you just stood there while she was still sitting in her office chair.

"I missed you."

Your heart literally dropped. The last time you had heard those words from her was two years ago, when you both had been caught up in a dirty secret affair.

"Didn't you miss me too? Detka? " You begged in your mind for her to not to call you those russian pet names again, well, it's one of your weaknesses still after so long.

You shook your head side to side in denial and screwed your eyes shut, as if trying to block out the words and the memories they stirred up. The mere thought of admitting to missing her was too much for you to handle—because you did, you missed her so much and you hated yourself for it. So every time your heart flutters when you see her along the hallways, you move to a different direction just to avoid her or if your mind starts to think about her, you immerse yourself in studying which most of the time failed to work.

You tried to be strong and you think you're doing good at it. You told yourself as long as you're not going to be alone with her again, you'd be fine.

And you are definitely not fine right now...

"After you came back from your immersion program, you didn't talk to me anymore..." Her voice was dark and tinged with hurt that had festered over the time you had spent away.

"What happened to us?" She asked again. The question hung in the air, demanding an answer that you know yourself wouldn't be willing to give.

Because you just want to forget it, forget it all—forget her.

Her words echoed in the air, a single tear slipped down your cheek, your breath growing more labored with each passing second. You couldn't bring yourself to answer her, your throat tight and your body trembling.

"Did you even lo—"

You didn't let her finish, you don't want her to ask you that question because you're afraid about the answer that you had kept hidden, locked in the deep, dark corner of your heart. "What I felt for you was…genuine."

What a nice way to put it.

"Genuine?" She huffed, she could take that one for now, Natasha thought. "If it's genuine then why am I a secret?"

"It was a mistake!" You rushed out before you could even blink. What would people think if they knew? That the top student in the university only got her achievements because she was basically a professor's cock sleeve?

"Nat—Professor…what…what happened before was a mistake. I told you that, right? And you know it too! We talked about it after I went to my immersion, that we'll stop. God, please, you know how wrong it was!" You cried desperately, it's not loud but it's enough for her to hear.

"Mistake?" she snapped and you can see the hurt in her eyes. "The bar, yes. That could be a mistake."

You cleared your throat awkwardly, memories of that night suddenly flooding your mind. The way the two of you danced, the way she laughed, how her lips tasted like whiskey...and then, the realization that hit you both when you're both sobered up. That was the night you slept with her, so much for being drunk you didn't realize it was your professor—the professor you had a crush on.

"What about here?" She pointed to her desk, where she had pounded you for dear life after class because you had joked to her that if you get a perfect quiz then you'll have a reward from her—and you did, she had made you cum twice for the recitation and quiz she had prepared for class, specifically for you. "And there?" You looked towards her sofa, where a lot of things happened between you two. You sucking her when she gets so frustrated during a meeting, riding her if she's too tired from paperworks—all the dirtiest kinks were done on that sofa. Even the softest ones where you both cuddled up after you didn't win the regional college quiz bowl or when you straddled her while teaching her how to tie a necktie.

"Motels, my car, my apartment, here again in my office during prom where you begged me to fuck your ass while wearing your prom queen crown." Her voice grew darker, matching the intense memories playing out in her mind. "Tell me baby, were those a mistake too? It would really hurt my feelings if you said yes."

You sobbed, shaking your head side by side, trying to dispel the memories and she can see the fear and denial in your eyes. You can just walk right now and end this torturous reminiscing. But you felt trapped in place, trapped in those memories, and she was too—she was trapped in the need to make you remember…

"Please, stop." You hiccup, trying to hold back a sob. You continue to shake your head over and over.

"You can't just go around, fuck me up and then say that's it's just a mistake afterwards." She spat, standing to walk towards you.

She loomed over you, her tall frame casting a shadow, making you feel small and vulnerable. She could see you shaking, hear your ragged breathing and it only fueled her frustration.

"Bent over my desk with that perfect little ass in the air, waiting..." She moved closer, her hand reaching out to trace your collarbone.

She watched you scramble to your feet, a dark satisfaction gleaming in her eyes as you approached her desk. She followed close behind, her heels clicking on the floor. When you reached the desk, she pressed a firm hand between your shoulder blades, bending you over it.

As she bent you over, you let out a soft moan, your face pressed against the cool surface of the desk. She could see your body relax, falling into the familiar position. Her hand slowly inched up your skirt, feeling the soft fabric bunch under her fingers. "You still remember, don't you?"

She stepped closer, pressing her length against your backside, feeling the thin barrier of her pants between you two. You found yourself grinding back against her feeling she was growing harder.

"Fuck you're still such a slut for my cock." She smirked as she gripped your waist. "Is it still a mistake? Huh? Slut? You grinding your slutty pussy back against my cock?"

You shook your head side by side, biting your lip to contain your moans.

"I need you to say it, slut." She spat.

"N-no, it's…it's not a mistake, professor." You said in a shaky tone.

Without warning, she reached down and unzipped her pants, pulling out her thick, hard cock. She wrapped her hand around it, stroking it slowly behind your back, the tip rubbing against your ass through your panties. "Fuck, I've missed this," she pressed the head of her cock against your ass, rubbing it against your panties. "Gonna fuck this tight little pussy again, just like old times."

She pushed aside your panties, revealing your vulnerable entrance, "Missed how perfectly you take me..." In one smooth motion, she thrust forward, burying herself deep inside you.

"N-nat!" Your back arched even further as you cried out a breath.

"I missed you calling me by my name." She said in a ragged breath, "I want you to shout it so Stark can hear it behind those doors." Her other hand reached around to grab your hair, tangling it in her fist as she pulled your head back, forcing you to arch your back further and to look at the door of her office where Tony was waiting. You didn't know how she knew Tony was waiting outside for you.

Your voice only seemed to spur her on. She began pounding into you, the rhythm steady and intense. She pulled out slightly, just the tip still inside you, before slamming back in with renewed ferocity. "You made me struggle, everyday, seeing you walk around in those fucking skimpy clothes...and letting anyone touch you, but not me." Each word was punctuated by a brutal thrust. "I didn't reach you because I respect you so much, love you so fucking much. And I know you will run back to me eventually…"

"But you didn't…fuck, you didn't come back to me. Am I…am I that easy? Y/N?" She asked with so much vulnerability and hate. "Do you know how hard it is to watch you go on for a day without me? When I couldn't?"

You felt some hot liquid dripping down onto your bare back, your clothes being bunched up…are those tears? You are too dumbed down to think but you noticed how Natasha held back a sob, covering up trying to sound cold and resentful towards you.

"Natasha…" you called out to her, you wanted to hold her against you but she snapped forward continuously and sloppily, hitting a spot inside you that made you whimper. "F-fuck!" You cried, it was loud and that made you cover up your own mouth.

Her climax hit and she buried herself to the hilt inside you, holding perfectly still as she rode out her orgasm. Waves of her hot cum filled your pussy, coating your insides, but she didn't say a word, she didn't tell you or even warn you. She just stayed frozen, her body shaking with the intensity of her release.

She gazed down, biting her trembling lip as she observed her cock, slick with both your arousal and her release, still buried deep inside you. A shudder ran through her as she felt the last drops of cum seep out on the tip of her shaft. Slowly pulling out, she couldn't help but moan softly at the erotic sight of her thick cum slowly oozing out of your well-used pussy. You innocently wiggle your ass as you move and it only intensified the lewd display.

You stood all by yourself and she calmly situated herself back into her leather office chair, cleaning herself up, refusing to look at your trembling form.

"N-nat?" You called, a tear running down your cheeks. You saw her reddened eyes and flushed cheeks—you were right—she was crying, but so are you. You slowly backed away, frantically tugging at your disheveled clothes, you could feel her cum still dripping slowly into your panties.

"Nat? Can we talk?" You tried again, you didn't like the feeling of this. You felt used.

"You can go now." She said flatly, her voice devoid of any emotion.

You walked towards the door, desperation etched on your face, hoping for some kind word, any sign of affection. You hated yourself for expecting some that you wanted to slap yourself. You frantically swiped at your wet cheeks, trying your best not to break down in front of her. But no matter how hard you rubbed, more tears spilled out. You couldn't catch a break, each blink bringing forth a new wave of salty drops.

And her? She just sat there, staring at her computer screen, her expression cold and heartless as if nothing happened.

She has done her plan for you anyways. So there is nothing to talk about anymore, the last thing on her list is you running back to her.

As you rushed your way out, you saw your bag on the chair with a bouquet of flowers. "Hey, Y/N. This is for you, I had to leave for the chess team. I really hate doing this but I'd like you to be my date on senior night. —T.S."

You could only huff, your brows pinching together to hold the tears that are threatening to fall again. But you weren't able to help it, you ended up having a break down outside her office, with the flowers on your arm and the evidence of what she did to you still oozing inside of you.

⧗

"Ladies and gentlemen, faculty, family, friends..." Your voice cracked slightly, betraying your nerves, but you steadied yourself, refusing to let the ghosts of the past dictate this moment. "We've worked tirelessly, overcome obstacles, and in some cases, experienced pain both personal and academic."

You glanced down at your notes, a faint smile playing on your lips as you continued. "I'd like to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support, my blockmates for turning sleepless nights into unforgettable memories, and lastly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the professors who have molded us into the graduates we are today."

As you scanned the audience, your gaze landed on Professor Romanoff, who sat upright, her expression unreadable. You swallowed hard, the lump in your throat threatening to choke you. With a deep breath, you concluded your speech. "Thank you, and congratulations to the class of 2025!"

The graduation ceremony drew to a close, and the air was filled with joyous cheers and the clicking of cameras. As you mingled with your fellow graduates, collecting well-wishes and hugs, you couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It seemed like everyone was drawn to you—your classmates, their families, even some of the professors. You were the center of attention, the summa cum laude, the valedictorian.

As you made your way through the crowd, congratulations ringing in your ears, a different sort of tension gripped you. You shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the growing pressure and the whispers that began to rise around you. Your swelling stomach was becoming more prominent by the second, stretching the fabric of your gown. You caught a few raised eyebrows and exchanged looks of confusion among your peers, their eyes glued to you.

The whispers grew louder, more urgent, as realization dawned on everyone. The batch valedictorian delivered her speech with a baby bump that had been concealed beneath flowing gowns and baggy clothes all semester, but now...there was no hiding it. Exactly four months along, your secret was suddenly the most spoken topic at this joyous event.

Tony stood near enough to be seen by you, a bouquet of roses hiding behind his back. He had been about to confess his feelings, to tell you that your intellect and beauty had captivated him all these years you had been rivals. But now, as he noticed the unmistakable curve of your belly…you noticed how he stepped back. His perfectly prepared speech shattered in his mind.

He walked away from you as if he was disappointed in you. At the same time you could feel the shift in the atmosphere, not just from him but the disappointment radiating off the crowd like a physical force.

You tried to smile to those around you to mask the dam that is going to break soon, but you still held your chin up with the little courage and confidence you had left in you.

"Mama, I'll just talk to someone. I'll meet you in the car." Your mother has been very supportive of you, yes, she scolded you when she got the news that you were pregnant. She always looked up and expected more from you, but still, she accepted and took care of you.

With a deep breath, you marched down the corridor towards her office. There were no people around and that's when it suddenly hit you. Tears started rushing down your cheek as your heels clicked urgently against the polished floor even though your OB gyne told you to stop wearing elevated shoes, you wiped them away frantically because you don't want to face her feeling vulnerable like this. The determination etched on your face chased away any lingering doubts. You were going to face this head-on, consequences be damned.

As you pushed open the door, she glanced up from her desk, surprise momentarily flashing across her features before smoothing into a smirk.

She leaned back in her leather chair, folding her hands atop the polished wood. "Y/N, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"Natasha…" you stepped forward, your hand traveling down your stomach. Your built up mask breaking, feeling vulnerable and exposed in front of her. You held back your tears, shaming yourself. "I have never been with anyone but you. I'm pregnant…I—I think you got me—"

She got your message, of course she did. Because this is exactly how she planned it to be, her claiming you in a way you didn't expect, you running back to her all vulnerable, and her turn saying…

"It was a mistake."

[evilminji]

I just Literally Galaxy Brained :D???

Oh? My? God?

So here I am, on a Star Wars kick, when I Ponder my beloved Danny Phantom. As ya do! Who? I wonder? Could I mix into the star wars universe?

WHEN IT HITS ME.

You know who LOVES kids? Just... will Burn Down Planets for this kid they literally JUST met? Mandolorians. Know where you can find a SHIT ton of those, genetically? The GAR!

Those are CLONES, baby! WE got a Clone! She's feisty and adorable! Smol! Bites! Got them big ol tooka eyes and itty bitty hands! Likes to fly, explore, and fight! She's BASICALLY born for this!

Tell me they would collectively look at this tiny feral child, with her poofy lil hair and chubby cheeks, fangy lil grin and biting tendcy, and go "is BABY!" Come on, tell me. I'll call you a liar.

And you KNOW the Force and Ectoplasm are probably messy EXs. Dani could TOTALLY use they "why should you allow me in? .....because they're not the boss of you" argument to GREAT effect.

Here, Skywalker. Kenobi. Watch this mysterious child... foooooor.... uh, Reasons! Yes. I, the Force, definitely have valid reasons for doing this! I am NOT just being a petty bitch! #SoundsLegit

But? Gasp! The child is a Cadet?! A BABY Clone! Of WHO? A legendary warrior king, from what context they can gather. Made by his enemy. Sent to kill him. Forgiven then adopted. Ooooh, lots of life lessons there. Clone rights and forgiveness and such.

But more IMPORTANTLY, to the GAR?

BABY CLONE! Is BABY!!!

We are ALL Buir now! All of us. Biggest family in the galaxy. Dani is cool with it, congrats New Fenton's! On the Be-Fenton-ing! Tremble in FEAR, scrubs! It's OUR HOUSE NOW!! Mwahahahaha! *cackles from her perch on top of a table*

But... wait... what is that glowing stuff that you're getting low on?

Oh? This? New beloved Highly Unhinged Jedi Friends and Clone Dads? Oh it's just my LIFE SAVING MEDICINE that I NEED TO LIVE that I never told you about! :D

*horrified silence*

*PANIC*

It's okay. It's OKAY! Everybody STOP SCREAMING! W-well just reverse engineer... *machine makes the equivalent of a Dunno noise* FUCK! Okay! New plan! Dani, sweetie, lil warrior, what do you remember about your medicine? What does it DO, exactly?

Unstable clone.

Okay! Okay, that's a start! THEY are stable clones. Right? Right!

.........r-right? Are... are they SURE? Cause, I mean, it's ONE thing when it's just THEIR health on the line... but when it's their YOUNGLING? Their lil tooka Dani? Their ade? Are they SURE? How sure. Bet HER life on it sure?

....no. No they are not. They don't trust the long necks NEARLY that much. Time do do a DEEP deep scan. Best they can find. They got to make SURE. Boba might be the only STABLE clone... assuming the sleemo even told the truth about that.

And? They LEARN some stuff.

Like about the chip in their head's. Supposedly an "inhibitor chip". Sends Skywalker into a karking rage, cause that looks a whole lot like a slave chip to HIM. Dani says they can CHECK. Then doesn't wait for an answer as she sticks her HAND into someone's head to just... pluck it out. Hand it over to be sliced.

Dani, sweetie, c-can you do that for the rest of us? Sure!

But! The race is ON. To either figure out how to contact the original, stabilize Dani, or synthesize Ectoplasm in a universe that DOES NOT HAVE IT. All while unknowingly? Absolutely Fenton CURB STOMPING Ancient Sith Plans into oblivion.

As is the Fenton Way.

This IS The Way~☆

@hdgnj @babbling-babull @the-witchhunter @hypewinter @mutable-manifestation @legitimatesatanspawn @lolottes @spidori

[hyuckswoman]

mark being jealous

« Remind me where you’re going again? » your boyfriend says. you were trying your best to contain your irritation as you probably told him like fifteen times already. 

« Mark, you know where I’m going, why do you keep asking me? » you answer getting up from the couch where you guys were sitting watching a movie as you needed to get ready

« just to make sure that you were really going to your high school reunion where the guy you spent your whole high school years being in love with is also there, only handsomer and richer and also just really into you. » your boyfriend says as you sigh. 

Yes, your unrequited high school crush was going to be there, yes, he had a glow up, yes he asked you out not long ago so he is into you. But all of that did not matter, you were sure Mark was the absolute love of your life. It frustrated you that he did not understand that whether your old crush was there or not did not matter. you were only going there in hopes to rekindle friendships that you’re grown out of during the past few years 

« look, instead of spending your whole evening overthinking what I could possibly be doing there just come with me? I’ve already offered you to come, hell mark I want you to come! I don’t understand why you refuse to tag along but complain about god knows what I might be doing with some random guy I haven’t thought of in years » you say. you probably asked him ten times already over the past two days if he wanted to come but he kept on saying no for some reason

« I don’t wanna be the only guy not from your high school there, I don’t want to feel like the odd one out. » your boyfriend says, is that why he didn’t want to come?? 

« Mark, literally everybody that’s in a relationship is bringing their partner, which I thought I’d do too because I also want to show you off, like yea that’s my man not yours stay mad you know? » you reply as you hear your boyfriend sigh out of relief « no go get ready I don’t want to be late, I’ll tell you all you need to know about everyone on the way. » you say as mark heads upstairs to get ready whilst cheering because you guys were going to be gossiping 

« oh my god y/nnnnnn it’s been a while how are you?? you look so good oh my god definitely had a glow up there » of course. it was typical of meghan (don’t ask just coming up with random names) to give you passive aggressive comments like those, you quickly look at your boyfriend who just gives you a weird look in return « meghan, yea it’s been a while are you still with that one boyfriend of yours or was he also not the one? » you ask. good thing you had grown a backbone throughout the years. it was kind of funny seeing the confusion leave your boyfriend’s face after you said her name, you had mentioned meghan during the debrief and how she wasn’t always the nicest.

« hi y/n, hi Mark it’s great to see you guys, y/n you look as good as I had remembered, Mark I like your shoes. » your old crush, jack (again, random names sorry) says 

« oh thanks, Mark helped me get ready that’s why I look extra good, it’s cause he made this outfit with love. » you say in a lighthearted tone. you wanted jack to understand his place as well as give Mark reassurance but you wanted to do that without animosity. I mean you guys just got there. 

as you were getting up to refill your cup you looked at Mark smiling at how he was getting along with some people you only recall positive memories of. it was nice seeing your boyfriend mix with the people that represent your childhood. it makes it feel like he’s always been there, and it’s always been Mark and you against the world. 

« you look happy » you hear a voice say, as you turn around you see jack (you presumed he also went to refill his cup) 

« M am. so much » you reply smiling to yourself knowing damn well that the man who’s currently chatting with your past is the reason for this happiness 

« I’m sorry by the way, if I made you feel uneasy, I swear that when I asked you out I didn’t know you were in a relationship. Had I known, I would’ve never asked, I’m not like that you know » he says, you can see him fidgeting awaiting your response 

« Honestly it’s no biggie, when I turned you down you were really respectful about it, there’s nothing to blame your behaviour was impeccable, I mean it » you say as you hear him sigh out of relief 

« what do you want to drink? I assume you were heading here to fill your cup «  he says reaching his hand out for you to give him your cup 

« honestly, whatever you’re drinking is fine » you say as you’re handing out your cup 

« what have you been to? we haven’t talked in ages » you say trying to make conversation (plus you were genuinely curious as to what he’s been up to) 

« I went to law school and graduated early so I’m actually a full-time lawyer at Kirkland & Ellis, it’s been… stressful but fun so far » he answers 

« holy shit Kirkland & Ellis?? did you graduate from Harvard?? how the fuck did you get in such a big firm » you ask, this was no small achievement 

« Stanford, actually yea I couldn’t believe it either when I got the acceptance letter » he says, you could see him get shy at the praises you were throwing at him 

« woah Stanford okay my bad.. righttt I remember now you graduated high school early, oh my god remember when ryan got so mad at you because his girlfriend was really into you so he poured dirty mop water all over you?? that was crazy » you say laughing. you still remember it as if it happened yesterday, it was THE drama of the whole year, people were gossiping non-stop

« dude don’t remind me I had to ride the bus and I stank so bad.. the smell was foul and when I came home my mom yelled at me so much I wanted to die of embarrassment » he says as you guys are both laughing slowly heading back to the group of people (and your man, of course)

You were all smiles and giggles being happy that the situation with jack was sorted out, and you were excited to reassure Mark that he had nothing to worry about because jack was a good man who won’t ever cross your boundaries. That excitement was cut short when you sat back down next to Mark who seemed… off? he wasn’t smiling. And honestly, it looked as if he was pissed but he couldn’t be because there was no reason to…right? 

« Mark, jack graduated from Stanford can you believe it?? he even works at like the biggest law firm ever, isn’t it cool? » you say hoping to ease the tension

« yea. that’s cool. congrats » Mark says as jack looks at you and you look back apologetically, why was he acting like that?

« Hey, is something wrong? Did I piss you off or something» you whisper in your boyfriend’s ear

« no. we’re fine. I’m fine » Mark says not even looking at you. Oh. You definitely pissed him off. you decided to sit back and shut up, you didn’t want to piss him off more. what the fuck did you do to piss him off in the first place though? 

A couple of hours later, you decided it was time to leave, even though you were having fun Mark wasn’t and you didn’t want him to stay like this. you also hoped you could talk to him if you guys were alone because you still couldn’t figure out why he had been acting so cold with you. if you were completely honest it hurt your feelings and also kind of humiliated you having your boyfriend act like this in front of so many people (that you hadn’t seen in a long time too) when you were gushing about him the whole evening 

You guys were on the highway when you decided to break the silence « Alright Mark, what’s up with you? What did I do » you ask facing him 

« I don’t know why don’t you ask jack? » your boyfriend says 

« huh? What is that supposed to mean? » you say

« I don’t know, I think I might be referring to you laughing your ass off with him in the kitchen or to his fingers lingering on yours for too long as you were handing your cup or even to the ‘Mark jack is so much smarter and richer and he’s so impressive woah’ but I might not be referring to that at all too, who knows man, maybe jack? » 

« first of all, don’t talk to me as if I’m stupid. Second of all, just so you know we were talking about how happy you make me and he apologized for asking me out when I’m in a relationship. but you obviously couldn’t know because you preferred to act like a dick towards me basically showing everyone how unhappy you were to not only be here but be with me, but yea you’re right maybe I’ll ask jack » you say turning your back to him facing the window. 

you couldn’t believe him. Sure, he was allowed to feel jealous but acting like an ass even though you’ve done nothing to anger him? you were upset at how he treated you 

«  fuck, you should’ve told me earlier now jack is going to think I’m the biggest asshole ever, I went up to him before he left and basically told him to fuck off » you hear your boyfriend say. Man, he was worried about jack right now??? no fucking way 

« right because it makes so much sense to be worried about what a man, that you won’t ever see again by the way, might think of you. » you say hoping the sarcasm is enough to make him realize how stupidly he’s acting right now 

« I’m sorry » he answers to which you only reply ok, he was pissing you off 

as you guys were coming in the house, Mark decided to break the silence again « I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to project whatever I was feeling onto you » he says 

« I understand Mark. The issue doesn’t lie in the fact that you were jealous it’s because of the tone you take whenever you explain to me whatever I did to piss you off. I’m not a child, I’m also not stupid. We’re both grown adults and you have to respect me a little more because hearing your condescending tone pisses me off. I really don’t care if you’re jealous, that’s a boundary I’ll have to respect in the future because I don’t want to make you uncomfortable but our relationship will only work if you put in efforts as well. except of course, if you don’t want it to work » you say. 

During the rest of the car trip you had calmed down. you thought about the whole thing and decided to just explain your feelings because even though it kinda was a recurring argument, you reminded yourself that despite how perfect he is, Mark is a man, and he forgets. 

« I know and I’m sorry. I know I say this every time but I really mean it, I promise I’ll work on my issues with jealousy because man, it gets so bad, like tonight, you weren’t doing anything and I got pissed. so I’m sorry. And I’ll watch my tone. I know I have an issue with communicating my feelings when I’m mad and so I use that tone for it to hurt less but you don’t deserve this. And it’s a personal issue I need to fix instead of putting it onto you. I’m really sorry. I understand if you want me to sleep on the couch for tonight » you boyfriend says apologetically. 

You had planned to stay mad at him for like an extra two hours but how could you with this?? It was kind of annoying how he could persuade you so easily. You basically didn’t have any choice but to forgive him right now. It sucked to be in a relationship with a good man. 

« Mark I forgive you, it’s really no big deal just watch your tone. Also don’t think I’ll forget tho, when this happens again I’ll beat you up » you say warning him. Yes, you were forgiving him this time but you meant it when you’ll say you’ll beat him up if it happens again, because, it’s kinda crazy the audacity this man has. 

« it won’t happen again though, I swear I’ll really work on myself. Soooooo… no couch for me tonight? » your boyfriend asks you while coming closer 

« no couch for you tonight. » you answer whilst being engulfed in a hug coming from said man. 

Maybe forgiving him was extra easy because you like him so much. Either way, it felt good to be okay with the love of your life. 

[cressidagrey]

You are the best thing that's ever been mine - Part 7 (The End)

Pairing: Max Verstappen x Ariel Cane (Original Character)

Summary: Sao Paulo 2024. The Dutchman delivered a defining drive…but maybe there is a relationship that could also use some defining. 

Warnings: Jos Verstappen, angst, crying, mention of pregnancy, mention of sex and sexual acts, physical confrontation

Author Notes: Hi, hey, hello! Apparently I write F1 Fanfiction now?! Also this is the first time I am trying a social media au so my Canva Skills were put to the test. (Disclaimer: I kinda put legibility over authencity, so twitter doesn't look like twitter and messages looks like...something) Also huge thanks to @onebigfangirlworld and @leodette for holding my hand with this 😘)

"Did you really throw Lewis of your Christmas Cookie list after Silverstone 2021?!" Max asked Ariel, his eyebrows climbing into his hairline after reading that particular text message.

Ariel didn't even bother looking up from her breakfast, as she was scrolling through her own phone.

"Yep," she said, popping the p. "I crossed him off my Christmas cookie list for two years. No cookies for Lewis."

Max looked at her, his expression a mix of amusement and bewilderment. "Two years?" he said, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

If she had thrown Lewis of her christmas cookie list for two years, there was no chance that Lando was getting any cookies this year. "That seems a bit harsh, don't you think?" he said carefully, but Ariel just shrugge. 

“I am very aware that your job has its dangers,” Ariel said drily. “This wasn’t about what happened on track. I was making a point.”

Max’s lips curving upwards slightly at her words. "What point were you trying to make, schatje?" he asked, a hint of mirth peeking through his nonchalant tone.

Ariel finally looked up from her phone, bluish-green eyes that never could quite decide which colour they wanted to be, mustering him. Her expression serious. "The point was about respect. You could have died. You battled severe vision problems for the rest of the season. And Mercedes was talking about it like it was a lesson you were finally being taught. Lewis wasn’t the only one on a cookie ban. Everybody at Mercedes was," Ariel said sharply. “Because their behaviour after that crash was completely unacceptable. I decided that a two year ban without my cookies was enough to drive that point home."

Max's amusement turned into a full-fledged smile at her explanation.

"So, Mercedes' team didn't get cookies for two years?" he asked, clearly trying not to laugh. Ariel arched an eyebrow, a defiant look in her eyes.

 "Yes, exactly," Ariel replied. "No one from Mercedes received any Christmas cookies for two years. And let me tell you, Lewis was heartbroken."

Max couldn’t help but laugh then, the sound deep and rich. The image of Lewis' disappointed face, finding out he was on her ban list for two years, must have been a sight to behold.

"I bet he was," he said, his laughter slowly subsiding, even when he couldn’t help but smile at her. 

This was Ariel in a nutshell. She had always, always been unapologetically in his corner. There had never once been a question about her loyalty. She may called him out on his bullshit, but she was just as willing to go to bat for him. 

"You're ruthless when it comes to your cookies, you know that?" he told her with a smile. 

She inclined her head. “I have my principles,” she said simply. "And those principles include doling out cookie-related punishments when necessary."

Max shook his head, completely smitten. 

"Oh, I know very well how protective you are of your principles," he said with a hint of tenderness in his voice. "And I love that about you." Max leaned back in his chair, his expression becoming more serious.

"But I have to say, it's touching that you were so upset by what happened during the race that you decided to ban everyone at Mercedes from your cookie list. But two years is a long time without cookies, schatje."Ariel seemed unrepentant, her defiant side shining through in her expression. “You didn’t need to do that. I am tougher than I look,” he told her with some amusement. 

"They were lucky it was only two years," she snorted, her voice holding a note of irritation. "I was thinking about a lifetime ban."

Max chuckled again, amused by her determination. 

"Lifetime?" he repeated, the word hanging in the air. "You really didn't pull any punches, did you?" She just shrugged, just as her phone vibrated. "Any reason why Victoria is texting me to tell you to call your Mom`?" she asked drily, after a short look at her phone. 

Max rolled his eyes, even as Ariel’s phone pinged again. And again.

"Lewis did apologise about the betting pool by the way," he informed her and Ariel just snorted. 

"He is worried about getting blacklisted again," Ariel told him sagely, and he couldn't help but laugh. 

"I'll get my laptop," Ariel said softly as she stood, leaning down to drop a kiss against his hair and Max couldn't help himself but to pull her into a proper kiss. Max pulled her onto his lap, his arms wrapping around her waist with ease.

When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers. A smile played across his lips as he spoke.

"You know," he murmured, his voice dropping to a lower, huskier note. "I could get used to having you here. In my lap. Anytime." He didn't want this moment to end. He could feel her breath against his neck, her fingers tracing small circles on his shoulder.

He was about to pull her in for another kiss when her phone pinged again, breaking the blissful bubble of intimacy they had created. "Call you Mom," Ariel told him pointedly as she stood.

Max chuckled, reluctantly letting her go. "Spoilsport," he teased, but his eyes were full of affection.

He reluctantly picked up his own phone and dialled his Mom's number. His mother answered on the second ring. 

"Maxie! You took your time to call," she scolded him immediately. 

He had. Mostly because he had no idea what to say.

What was Max supposed to say?

He had won a race. He had finally figured things out with Ariel...

And he was quite sure that the next time he tried to talk to his father it wouldn't end well at all, because his father had laid his hands on Ariel. And that was simply unacceptable as far as Max was concerned.

He opened his mouth to respond but his mother continued, talking over him in her typical, motherly way. "Are you alright?" she asked abruptly, her voice filled with worry. 

He wasn't about to lie to her. "I...I am getting there," he admitted, his voice rough. "Did you see..." his voice broke before he could bring out the words.

"Yes. I saw," his mother said darkly. "Everybody saw, Max. Sky kept a camera onto the whole...thing. I am so sorry," she apologised to him and he couldn't stand it. First Ariel apologised to him about what his father did, then Victoria and now his mother. 

He couldn't stand it.

Max felt a sudden flare of anger as he thought about the cameras catching the whole scene at the garage, his father's behaviour on full display.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts.

"It's not your fault," he said quietly, his voice betraying his emotions. "You don't need to apologise for him."

His mother was quiet for a moment, her voice softer when she spoke again.

"I know. But you are my son and I..." she trailed off, seemingly lost for words.

Max could sense her struggle, her own emotions warring through the phone."I'll be fine," he reassured her, his own voice quivering slightly. He appreciated her concern, but he didn't want to add to her worry.

He forced a light tone into his voice, trying to sound more like himself. "I'm a big boy,” he assured her. He was quite sure that his mother din’t believe a word he sai. 

"How is Ariel?" She asked him instead.

Max couldn't help the smile that tugged the corners of his lips. The mention of her name lifted some of the weight off his chest.

"She's...she's good," he said honestly. "She's handling everything better than I am, honestly."

He glanced over his shouler, back inside as they had ha breakfast outside on the balcony…and found Ariel with her laptop on her lap sitting on the couch. Her focus was intense, as usual, as she typed away.

"You two are good together," he heard his mother say, her voice gentle.  "I always thought so. At least one good thing came out of this whole mess," she said with a chuckle. “Even when it took you the better part of a decade.

Max's lips lifted in a small smile at her words, his eyes still trained on Ariel, his girlfriend. His girlfriend. 

He couldn’t quite believe it, but he adored every single moment of it. 

An he agreed with his mother. Despite everything, things between him and Ariel had turned out for the better. She was here, in his room, as his girlfriend and he was glad for it.

He couldn’t imagine to going back to being just friends, to not be able to reach out an pull her into a kiss…to not hear every single soft noise that escaped her as he pressed his lips to hers…

"Yeah," Max agreed quietly. "One good thing, indeed.”

"Look after her," his mother said, her tone now taking on a more serious note. "I know you will. But take care of her. And yourself while you're at it."

Max felt a warm rush of gratitude wash over him. His mother's concern never failed to touch him, no matter how old he was.

"I will, Mom," he assured her, his voice softened by affection.

"...What will you do with your father?" she asked him curiously.

Max's smile faded at her question, his thoughts turning dark once again.

He had been avoiding thinking about his father, not wanting to deal with the complicated mix of anger and hurt he felt. But he knew he could not run from it eternally.

He took a deep breath, his voice quiet and rough. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "I can't just...I can’t just let it go, Ma. Not this time. He laid his hands on her," he added, his voice filled with a burning anger that he couldn't suppress. The image of his father's hand connecting with Ariel’s soft face… it was making him utterly furious. 

His fingers clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. "I can't just forgive that."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, a heavy pause that carried the weight of his words.

When his mother spoke again, her voice was gentle, "You don't have to forgive him, Max. No one will force you to."

"Vic can do whatever she wants, obviously," Max continued. "But I am done. I don't want him anywhere near Ariel. I don't want him anywhere near my family."

His mother was silent for a moment again and he knew she was just processing his words.

"You are serious," she said quietly, her voice holding a hint of awe. "You really mean it, don't you?"

"Yes," Max answered firmly, his voice sure and steady. "I've had enough, Ma. This...this was the last straw."

He closed his eyes, his stomach turning at the thought of his father's actions.

"He laid his hands on her. I can't ignore that. I won't."

His mother was quiet for a moment, digesting his words. He could practically feel her surprise. His relationship with his father had never been easy and she knew that from personal experience.

Finally she spoke again, her voice careful but firm. "And what if he doesn't take your decision well?"

Max couldn't help the weary sigh that escaped him. He knew his father well enough to know that this would probably turn into a shitstorm.

"I know he will get angry," he admitted, his voice low but unwavering. "He always does when I don't just do as he says. But...this time I don't care."

“He can talk to my lawyers,” he said drily. Though he probably woul owe them truly ridiculous amounts of money to deal with his father when all was said and done.

His mother chuckled lightly at his words, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I'm sure they will be looking forward to that," she said dryly.

Then she sighed, the sound heavy with the weight of years of dealing with her ex-husband. "He won't go down quietly. You know that, right?"

Max nodded grimly, his free hand clenching into a fist. "I know," he said, his voice heavy with the knowledge of how stubborn his father could be.

He had grown up with his father's temper tantrums and his endless list of demands. He knew all too well that his father would not accept his decision without a fight.

But Max was no longer the little boy who had to comply with his father's orders. He was a man, a fully grown adult, and he was determined to stand his ground, no matter what.

His voice was firm when he spoke again. "It doesn't matter," he said. "I’m done with letting him control my life. I won't back down ."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and Max could almost see his mother nodding, her face a mixture of worry and pride.

"You're stubborn like him," she said suddenly, the amused tone back in her voice.

Max smiled, a brief moment of levity in this dark conversation. 

"You always were a determined little boy," his mother continued said, her voice filled with memories. "Even as a child, you never knew when to quit. I swear you're only getting more stubborn with age."

He couldn’t but chuckle quietly. His mother sighed.

"So you and Ariel," she changed the topic, trailing off leadingly. "Can I finally expect some grandchildren from you, then?"

Max almost barked out a laugh at the question. He was caught off guard by the sudden switch in conversation, but the subject wasn't an unwelcome one.

"Ma," he said, his voice tinged with both humor and incredulity. "One crisis at a time, please."

"It's a valid question," she said in response, her voice filled with feigned defensiveness. "I'm getting old over here."

Max rolled his eyes, a fond smile on his lips. "You're not THAT old," he teased.

His mother huffed at his words, amused but pretending to be offended. "I am old enough to be a grandmother, Max! I want to spoil some grandchildren before I'm too old to enjoy it."

Max chuckled, the lightheartedness of the conversation a welcome break from the heavy topics of their previous discussion.

"I'm not disagreeing with you," he said lightly. "But you're going to have to give me a little time. I just got her, you know."

His mother snorted at his words, her voice filled with a mother's knowing. "Oh, I know you well enough, Max Emilian," she said, a hint of mischief in her voice. "Trust me when I say, it won't take long for you to put a ring on her."

Max rolled his eyes again at her words, but he couldn't argue with her logic. "We'll see," he said, his voice trying for a nonchalant tone.

The truth was, his mind had already started wandering down that path of its own accord. But he wasn't going to admit that to his mother just yet.

"You keep telling yourself that, Max," his mother said with a laugh, her tone filled with maternal certainty. "In a few months, I will have another daughter."

Max chuckled at her words, the thought sending a jolt of excitement through his chest. The idea wasn’t as scary as it should have been.

"You are awfully sure of yourself," he teased, his voice tinged with amusement.

"I know my son," his mother said simply, the affection in her voice clear. "And I know how much you love that girl."

Max felt a lump in his throat at her words, the truth of her statement hitting him hard. He loved Ariel with all his heart, more than anything in the world. He couldn't deny that.

"Ma..." he began, his voice growing a little rougher.

"It's alright," she said gently, understanding the emotions behind his words. "You don't have to say anything. Just...take care of each other, yeah?"

Max nodded, his throat too tight to form words. He knew what she meant, the unspoken worry for the road ahead. But he was determined to face it together with Ariel.

"I will," he managed to speak, his voice filled with determination and love for her. "I promise."

"Good, Maxie," his mother said, the nickname making him feel like a child again. But he didn't mind. In his mother's eyes, he would always be her little boy.

She paused for a moment, then added, "I'm so proud of you, Max. You know that, right?"

Max felt a wave of emotion wash over him at her words. To hear his mother say that to him, in this difficult time, meant more to him than he could express.

"Yeah," he said quietly, his voice a mixture of gratitude and love. "Yeah, I know."

He felt a strange sense of peace wash over him. Despite everything that had happened, despite the storm on the horizon, he knew he had his mother's love and support. And he had Ariel. He was not alone. 

His mother's voice was soft when she spoke again. "Go back to your girl now," she said, a hint of humor back in her tone. "She's probably wondering what's taking you so long."

Ariel’s email inbox was an absolute nightmare

She couldn't stand the sight of it anymore.

Between the concerned emails from friends, the offers of support from colleagues, and the endless messages from people she had never even interacted with, her inbox was a swirling mess of sympathy, curiosity, and unsolicited advice.

She hated it.

With a sigh, she shot off a message to her friend Madeleine, making some plans to see each other sometime before Christmas...something which hopefully would involve more than one strawberry daiquiri.

(God, she really could do with one right now.)

She also had no idea what to do with the sprawling apology that she was quite sure Lando had either asked ChatGPT or Oscar to help him write. 

She wasn’t sure which was more likely and less weird. 

(Ariel also wondered if it was only about her christmas cookies…but she was willing to cut some slack…maybe.)

Other than that...it was still a nightmare. Ariel started to copy paste her response to every single media inquiry, which was that she was very much fine and very much not interested in talking to any of the media outlets about what had happened between her and Jos Verstappen and also very much not pregnant.

The mere thought of having to talk to a horde of journalists, all eager for the next juicy story, was horrifying. 

She wasn't one to seek the spotlight, and the fact that she was suddenly thrown into the center of it against her will made her feel both irritated and violated.

Leaning back against the sofa, she took a deep, calming breath.She hadn't even "started" with her phone though. That one was also a nightmare of seemingly every person in her life deciding to blow it up with numerous messages. Some of it was really quite sweet. Some of it definitively wasn't though.

The amount of people reaching out to her felt almost overwhelming. Her phone was inundated with text messages, calls, and voicemails, all filling up her notifications to an almost dizzying degree.

Some messages were nice, filled with warm wishes and support. But there were also those that were much less pleasant, asking questions that were far too intimate. Some even seemed downright judgemental.(...Ariel’s list of people that were going to get cookies this year was definitively dwindling down.)

At this point, it was difficult to tell who was genuinely concerned about her and who was just trying to squeeze some gossip out of her. She found herself growing increasingly frustrated with each new message she read, the constant barrage of questions and inquiries making her head spin.

With a weary sigh, she put her phone down and scrubbed a hand over her face, feeling utterly exhausted both mentally and physically.The whole experience felt oddly voyeuristic, like strangers were peering into the most private corners of her life, trying to satisfy their curiosity without any regard for her feelings.

And she didn’t even dare to look at her instagram…or on tiktok. Or on the website formerly known as twitter. Until she did and then clicked away again immediately. 

Social media was a vast minefield of people throwing out comments that were anything but helpful. From armchair psychologists to self-proclaimed relationship experts, they seemed to know exactly what she should - and shouldn't - do.

"Hey."

She looked up to see Max join her on the couch, sitting next to her. He held out his arm for her and she pushed away her laptop to curl against him. 

The one good thing that was coming out of this drama was their relationship.

"Hey," she greeted him softly. "Good talk with your Mom?" Max nodded, his arm wrapping around her body and pulling her close. The feeling of her body against her was pure comfort. 

Ariel happily leaned against him with a sigh. 

"Yeah, she just wanted to know how we're doing," he said, his expression a mix of weary and affectionate. "She worries. You know how mothers are."

She did. There didn't pass a day where Ariel didn't miss her own mother.

She leaned her head against his chest, taking in the solidity of his presence. His hand began to move in soothing, lazy circles on her back.

"This isn't some sort of fling to me," Max told her suddenly. She was so surprised by his sudden change of topic that she could just stare at him. "I would probably marry you tomorrow, given the opportunity. I wasted 5 years, I am not wasting anymore time."

She could just stare at him, her mouth suddenly dry at this look in his blue eyes. It was…decisive. There was no other word for it. 

Max had mae up his mind. 

An his words made Ariel’s heart flutter in her chest.

"Max..." she began, not certain of what to say. 

Marriage wasn't something she had considered in the midst of all the drama. It had… well. It hadn’t crossed her mind. Not yet. Not while there were a thousand moving pieces all around them. 

“I just want to be with you,” Max told her fiercely. “We don’t have to do anything right now, if you want to take it slow. That’s fine. Anything you want is okay. But I am serious about us.” Max said, emphasising each word slowly and clearly.

He was serious, completely serious. The raw honesty in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

"Max," Ariel said his name quietly, her voice thick with emotion. She searched his face, looking for even the slightest hint of doubt or uncertainty. But there was none. He was earnest, sincere, and utterly in love with her.

"I love you too," she whispered. "And I am serious about us too."

Max's eyes brightened at her words, his whole face lighting up with a smile. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer into his embrace.

"You mean that?" he asked, his voice filled with a slight tremor of disbelief and hope. 

"Of course, I mean that," she promised him softly. "I love you. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life doting on our two spoiled cats and stopping them from taking apart your Sim Rig. I can't wait watching you win races and knowing that you come straight home to me. And I can't wait to see what you'll do when you are done with it all and decide that you want to try out something new. I can't wait to grow old with you."

Max was stunned silent by her words, staring at her, swallowing. 

"That's all I ever wanted too. Just you, me, and our little monsters. Nothing more, nothing less,"he said, his voice catching.

"Maybe some kids too. Down the line," she teased him. She wanted that. One day. Max had always been amazing with children.

"You...you would want that?" he asked huskily. "You want children with me?"

Her hands rose to cup his face. "Of course," she said softly. "I want everything with you." 

 With him, the thought of children didn't seem so scary. It felt more like a promise of the future, a future that would be filled with love and laughter.

Max's arms around her grew tighter, desperate almost. He pulled her even closer, burying his face in her neck and inhaling deeply.

"I don't deserve you," he mumbled against her skin. "I truly don't."

Ariel gently cradled his head against her, running her fingers through his hair in a soothing motion. "Shush," she whispered. "Of course you do. I love you."

They simply sat there on the couch for a moment, wrapped up in each other. The world outside their little bubble seemed to fade away, and all that mattered were each other.

"I really want to go home," she said softly. "And cuddle Sassy. And Jimmy."

Max chuckled quietly and nodded into the crook of her neck. The thought of going home after the last few days sounded idyllic.

"Yeah," he agreed, his voice muffled. "Let's go home."

(Author's Note: While this finishes off this particular installment, I am SO NOT FINISHED WITH THEIR STORY. It will be a series and I have A LOT of ideas. So I will wildly skip through the timeline 😅😂 (Also if you have ideas/prompts/suggestions, they are always welcome!)

[thewriterwithsnakes]

The Ekko of A Violin: Part 2

Sorry this took me so long to get another part in, the holidays have me swamped. I am excited to let you all know that this story has a death grip on me and will become a series. I've already got ideas running around for the next few parts.

Summary: Your first day as a firelight is as exciting as it is embarrassing. Aka your new environment is wonderful and you can't help being awkward around Ekko.

Warnings: Use of Y/N, still not hitting the full romance part yet, not entirely proofread

The next day you woke up, well rested for once. You stretched and your joints cracked. You sighed in relief and got ready for your first day as a firelight. Before heading out though, you did some warms ups and practiced a bit on your violin. It was nice to start mornings with music, it calmed your mind and let you mentally prepare for the day. You set the instrument down on your bed before throwing on some sneakers and heading out.

It was a bit of a shock, being greeted pleasantly. The usual greetings in Zaun consisted of foul words and attempted muggings. If you were lucky you'd only get demeaning looks and catcalls. So to be told good morning with a smile was a little jarring, but you took it all in stride. Usually change was pretty terrible, especially in the undercity, but now it was refreshing and more than welcome.

Unbeknownst to you, everybody knew that when a new firelight was recruited, Ekko wouldn't tell them who he was right away, he liked to see how people treated their equals. So nobody mentioned it to you, nobody batted an eye when Ekko approached you by the tree and told you his name was Gabriel. It was the name he used when recruiting so that way nobody would get mixed up. And recruiting in the undercity was sparse enough that it didn't happen often anyways. It's not like Zaun was full of people who spent their free time doing charity work.

"So what's your name, sugar?" A smirk graced his face as he leaned up against the beautiful tree. You let out a soft laugh.

"I'll tell you, but only if you promise to keep the nickname." You joked. He gave you a playfully offended look as he pressed his hand to his chest. "As if I'd ever forget!" He shot back as he laughed. You could get used to the sound. The sight of his smile and the sparkle in his eyes as he playfully shook his head at you in mock disappointment, hair swaying slightly with his movements. "So?" 'Gabriel' asked. "Hm?" Your brows furrowed in confusion. "Well are you gonna keep staring at me sugar or are you gonna give me your name?" Your cheeks burned, you hadn't even realized you were staring. "Oh uh sorry it's y/n." You looked at ground more than slightly embarrassed. "Pretty name, sugar." He spoke again. "I've gotta run, have fun on your first day as a firelight sugar." He walked away and you let out a breath you didn't even realize you were holding in.

The rest of the day was pleasant and you went through what was basically orientation. A fellow firelight explained their values and usual routines, what to expect and some basic rules. You delighted in finally feeling like you had a family. You made some friends and then spent the late afternoon playing your violin. The piece you'd been working on, a proudly original composition, was coming together nicely. You still had to tweak just about every note though, okay so maybe you hated it but an artist always hates their work right? You set the violin and the bow back it the case before settling in for bed. A sigh left your lips as you tucked your arm underneath your pillow with a smile. You really began to love going to sleep looking forward to the next day instead of dreading it.

[marsplastic13]

'Complicated' (part 20) - Kaz Brekker x reader

Idea - Kaz Brekker hires a prostitute to overcome his touch aversion, and be a better man for Inej, but things take an unxepected turn. Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Prostitute!Reader, (had to use y/n because I'm bad at names) Genre: modern AU, slow burn word count: 5.8k notes: HI EVERYONE! I know I got a bit lost with this story but at some point I felt that we all forgot about it, but some people asked me to continue and I found the time to finish it!! Thank you so much for every interaction in the past months <3

@millercontracting @coldmermaidhologram @syd649

@luffysprincess @cryptidghostgirl @beekeepingageissome

@hufflepuff-16 @lukepattersin @jay-is-a-pinguin @le-clair-de-lune @theravenphoenix26

“Do we really have to do this?” Kaz murmured, still with his eyes closed. His face was buried in her cleavage, where he had slept for the previous hours, inhaling the scent of her cherry-scented body oil.

“Yes,” Y/N laughed at his sleepy voice. “We invited everybody; they will be here in a few hours.”

“Then I can sleep some more.”

The past night, Kaz had been called for an urgent job that went on from 1 am for approximately twelve hours. When he finally got home, he just collapsed in Y/N's arms and was still there, not even changing out of his clothes.

“We have to get things ready,” reminded Y/N, who was starting to get annoyed at being used as a pillow.

“We are the ones that got engaged; they should throw the party for us,” he protested weakly. They invited both of their friend groups over after months of keeping them accurately separated. Kaz felt that disaster was around the corner.

“Sure, baby. But since it's not like that, we have to get up.”

“Nina asked me if she needs to bring something,” he remembered, refusing to move while Y/N tried to shove him away.

“A new liver,” she replied confidently. “Come on, let me get up. I can't feel my arms anymore.”

“How long did I sleep?” he asked, finally moving away.

“Almost four hours,” Y/N stretched her arms, getting up.

“Not enough. You can set up everything alone, right? You're such a strong, independent woman; you don't need me.” Kaz smirked into the pillow, trying to get to sleep again.

He heard Y/N sighing annoyed, “If you're not up in five minutes, I'll test if your PS5 is waterproof.”

“You wouldn't,” he replied with a hint of concern.

“Who knows?” she teased, her voice carrying a mix of amusement and threat.

Kaz groaned, rolling onto his back. “Fine, fine. I’m up.”

Y/N smiled victoriously, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “Thank you, love. Now, let’s get this party ready.” 

Kaz dramatically got up, dragging his feet and leaning on the kitchen door. He watched Y/N as she bustled around, setting things up. She was already in full party-prep mode, her movements efficient and determined.

“So, is Inej coming?” she asked without looking at him, her voice casual but carrying an undertone of curiosity.

Kaz sighed, replaying his last conversation with Inej. The memory was a fresh wound, his words echoing in his mind. He cursed himself once more for the terrible choice of words he had used to break the news to her. His words always seemed to fail him in front of her.

The memory of her eyes lighting up when he told her that Y/N wasn’t his girlfriend anymore still haunted him. He had realized immediately the poor choice of phrasing and corrected himself, saying they were engaged. But the damage was done. A veil of hurt had passed over her eyes, even though she had quickly masked it with a small smile and said she was happy for them. 

“She stayed vague, but I don't think she's coming,” Kaz replied, trying to keep his voice even, though the regret lingered in his tone.

Y/N hummed in acknowledgment, not letting any real reaction transpire. She continued setting up, but Kaz could tell she was processing his words

“My friends are coming over like 30 minutes before yours,” Y/N said, handing Kaz bottle after bottle to set on the table.

“Why?” he asked, puzzled as he arranged the drinks.

“To be already tipsy when your friends arrive and because we haven't seen each other in ages,” she replied with a casual shrug.

“You had dinner together last night,” he pointed out.

“We were used to sharing the shower. Yesterday is ages,” she quipped back with a mischievous grin.

Kaz sighed, a sense of impending doom washing over him. Whenever he was left alone with her friends, there was always at least one who hit on him, just to see him panic. He could already imagine the teasing and the sly comments that would ensue.

“Have you decided what to wear yet?” he asked, trying to shift his focus and curious about her choice. She had been bugging him about it for days, seeking his opinion on various outfits.

“Yes, my engagement ring,” Y/N said with a grin, turning to look at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Kaz shot her an unamused glare. “Y/N,” he said, trying to sound stern but failing miserably.

“All this time and you’re still terrified of me,” she cooed, getting closer to mess with his already messy bed-hair.

“Yes,” he chuckled, a sense of warmth spreading through him despite the playful banter.

Kaz was finishing getting ready when he heard the noise of Y/N's friends entering their house, already screaming excitedly. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the onslaught. It was a relatively small gathering, just the two of them, Y/N’s ex-roommates, Nina and Matthias, and Jesper and Wylan. They had decided to keep the engagement news between themselves and a few close friends for as long as they could manage.

With a heavy sigh, Kaz reached the kitchen where the girls were already taking shots. The moment they saw him, the screaming intensified. At least they had stopped trying to hug him after one particularly memorable time when all three of them launched themselves at him to greet him, and he had almost had a heart attack on the spot.

“Finally, we thought you were hiding from us,” one of them teased.

“I was,” Kaz nodded, taking a shot from Y/N's hand.

“I want you at your best behavior tonight, please,” Y/N said, locking eyes with each of her friends, her tone half-serious, half-playful. “This party has to end with me and Nina as best friends.”

“Best friends?” Kaz raised a brow, a hint of skepticism in his voice.

“At least friends,” Y/N conceded more realistically, “I like her when she forgets about my job and actually talks to me.”

Kaz pulled her closer, pressing her back against his chest. “You’ll be fine,” he murmured in her ear, his voice a comforting rumble.

He knew that she cared about his friends’ opinions, and considering they had definitely gotten off on the wrong foot, Y/N was trying to fix what was fixable. The tension between her and Nina, in particular, had been a point of stress. Kaz admired her determination to bridge the gap, to make amends and build a positive rapport with the people who mattered to him.

His friends arrived all together, and Y/N’s friends quickly pulled them into a chaotic mix of introductions and distributing drinks. The room buzzed with energy as everyone settled in.

“Nina, I love your dress! You look stunning!” Kaz heard Y/N’s enthusiastic voice cutting through the noise.

“Thanks, I bought it saving lives,” replied Nina, her tone matter-of-fact.

Kaz turned to see Y/N's enthusiasm dial down a notch, but she nodded and smiled anyway. “What can I get you to drink? I got that white wine you said you liked.”

If Nina was surprised by her unusual politeness, she didn't show it. “Wine is perfect.”

Kaz released a breath. Maybe it wouldn’t be a total disaster after all.

Music blasted through the speakers, drinks flowed freely. Kaz chatted with Matthias, the only two who managed to avoid being dragged onto the dance floor. Something felt off, though. There was an uneasy sensation in the back of his mind.

“Y/N,” Kaz called his fiancée from the improvised dance floor. She smiled and stumbled toward him, sitting on his lap and taking a sip from his glass, making a face of disgust.

“You don’t like it?” he laughed.

“Only on your lips,” she said, tapping his nose playfully.

“Y/N, where are the neighbors?” Kaz asked, his worried look betraying his concern. She had said she would handle them.

“Who?”

“Y/N, the neighbors.”

Y/N’s lips spread into a wide grin.

“Oh Ghezen, what have you done?” his concern deepened.

“Nothing! I went to politely invite them and they politely refused.”

“And?”

“And nothing, I politely brought them brownies,” she said with a small laugh, avoiding his gaze.

“When did you make brownies?” he raised a brow.

“Grandma’s brownies,” she specified in a guilty whisper.

Kaz’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You gave them edibles? You drugged our neighbors?”

“Drugged is such a strong word, Kaz! They’re just going to get a good night of sleep.” She shrugged, tracing her lips.

“I can’t believe this.” Kaz shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated. “I didn’t even have time to try them.”

“Oh, so that’s the problem,” she laughed, clearly amused.

Kaz chuckled, pulling her closer.

***

One year later

Kaz was at home, deeply engrossed in the mundane task of emptying boxes from the recent move. After he and Y/N had gotten engaged, the topic of buying a house had come up often, but they kept pushing it off. That was until they stumbled upon a beautiful attic apartment with a spacious terrace. It hadn’t required much discussion—they simply knew it was the one. Without hesitation, they bought it, and now here they were, trying to make it their own.

As Kaz hung up clothes in their shared closet, Cinnamon, their energetic dog, dashed around the house, still exploring the new territory. Though they had moved in a few days earlier, Cinnamon’s excitement hadn’t worn off. Every corner still seemed like a new adventure.

Suddenly, Kaz heard Cinnamon’s barks grow more enthusiastic. The dog darted to the front door, her little paws scratching at the wood in a frenzy of joy. Kaz paused, listening closely, and sure enough, moments later, the door creaked open.

Y/N’s laughter filled the hallway as she greeted Cinnamon, who was practically vibrating with excitement. It was as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. Kaz smiled to himself, shaking his head as he grabbed his cane and made his way out to join them.

When Y/N spotted him, her grin widened even more. She dropped her purse onto the floor, not bothering to properly put it down, and rushed toward him. Without a word, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, pressing her body close to his.

“What’s all this enthusiasm about?” Kaz asked, his voice tinged with amusement as he returned her embrace, holding her close.

Y/N pulled back slightly, her eyes sparkling with something he couldn’t quite place yet. She fidgeted with her engagement ring, a familiar habit of hers when she was excited or nervous. “I’m done,” she said, her voice soft but full of meaning.

Kaz blinked, not quite understanding. “You’re done?”

“I’m retiring,” she said, her bright smile making her words even more surreal.

“You—what?” Kaz’s eyes widened in disbelief, the words not fully sinking in. “Are you sure?”

Y/N nodded, her smile only growing. She took his hands in hers, squeezing them gently. “Yes, I’m sure. I told my roommates earlier today. It was my last day.”

Kaz stood there, his mind racing as he processed her words. “Are you saying that—”

“We are getting married, love,” she whispered, cutting him off gently before pulling him into a long, tender kiss. 

***

Three years later

Kaz sat quietly in a corner, sipping his drink and trying to block out the noise of the children running around. The party was in full swing, filled with laughter, and the chaos of kids playing. It had become a common scene lately—ever since Nina and Matthias started having kids, it seemed like the gatherings always revolved around their growing family. They were already on their third child, and rumors were flying that Nina might already be pregnant again.

This time, it was one of their children’s birthdays, and everyone had gathered for the occasion. From his point, Kaz watched Y/N sitting cross-legged on the carpet, entertaining the birthday girl with a stuffed animal. The little girl’s delighted laughter filled the room, and Y/N’s face was lit up with a warm smile. It was a familiar scene; Y/N was always so good with children, her natural ease with them undeniable.

Jesper, appearing from nowhere, slid into the seat next to Kaz, grinning. “So? When are you going to pop out a little Brekker?” he asked, elbowing Kaz playfully. “You’ve been married for years now.”

Kaz took another sip, shrugging, trying to play it off. “We’re still thinking about it,” he replied, his tone deliberately nonchalant.

Jesper nodded toward Y/N, who was now lifting the birthday girl into her lap, spinning her around while the child giggled uncontrollably. “Look at her, man. She’s great with kids. You have to give up and have one already.”

Kaz’s lips pressed into a thin line as he muttered, “We’ll see.”

But the truth was, they’d been trying. They’d started trying for a baby not long after Y/N had left her job, both of them quietly optimistic. At first, they brushed off the lack of success, chalking it up to stress from wedding planning and the whirlwind of their new life together. But after months of no results—no pregnancy scares, no missed periods—they couldn’t ignore it anymore. Each month, Y/N’s cycle came right on schedule, a reminder of the growing distance between them and their hopes of starting a family.

Eventually, they had faced the possibility that something was wrong. It took time, and a lot of courage, but they finally decided to see a doctor. They sat in the sterile office, hands tightly clasped together, waiting for answers. And then the doctor’s words hit like a punch to the gut. 

It wasn’t that they couldn’t have kids— they could, just not with each other. Kaz’s sperm quality wasn’t optimal, and Y/N’s body, while healthy, wasn’t responding in a way that made pregnancy likely for them. The doctor had explained that Y/N might get pregnant if Kaz had healthier sperm, and that Kaz might be able to father children with another woman. But together? Their chances were close to non-existent.

The devastation was immediate. Right outside the doctor’s office, Y/N had broken down in his arms, her sobs heavy with disappointment and grief. Kaz held her as tightly as he could, his own heart breaking alongside hers, but he tried to soothe her the best he could. “We still have options,” he had whispered into her hair, “We’re young. There’s always adoption.”

But as the days passed, and they talked long into the nights, Y/N made a difficult decision. She wasn’t willing to go through the physical and emotional toll of IVF with such slim chances. The process was too invasive, the odds too low, and they both feared the heartbreak of trying and failing. It was a decision made out of love and self-preservation, one they agreed on, but it didn’t make it any less painful.

Over time, they learned to move past the sadness. They embraced their childless life, filling it with things they loved—spontaneous weekend trips, lazy mornings in bed, late-night adventures, and the freedom to live on their own terms. The pain still lingered beneath the surface, but they found solace in each other and in the life they were building, even if it wasn’t the one they had originally imagined.

They hadn’t shared the full story with their friends. It was still too raw, too personal. But for now, they were comfortable in their decision, finding joy in the quiet moments they shared. Watching Y/N laugh with the children at the party tugged at something in Kaz’s chest, but it wasn’t the same aching sorrow it once was. It was softer now, a bittersweet acceptance of what was and what could never be.

***

Fifteen years later

Kaz was pacing back and forth in the living room, his mind racing as he glanced at the clock. Y/N was late. She should've been home by now. He had called her a dozen times, but each attempt went straight to voicemail. Every unanswered ring only deepened his worry, a knot forming in his stomach. He didn’t like this—something felt wrong.

Finally, on what must have been the fifteenth call, someone answered.

"Love, where are you? I'm—" Kaz started, but a man's voice cut him off on the other end of the line.

"Mr. Brekker?" The unfamiliar voice made Kaz freeze.

"Y-yes?" Kaz’s heart began to pound, a creeping sense of dread overtaking him.

"Mr. Brekker, your wife was involved in a serious accident. She's currently in surgery at St. Vaska’s Hospital. You should come immediately."

For a moment, Kaz stood frozen in place, his mind reeling. The world around him seemed to blur, his thoughts racing ahead, but the urgency in the man’s voice brought him back to the moment. Without hesitation, he grabbed his keys and flew out of the apartment, leaving everything behind.

The drive to the hospital was a blur. Kaz’s mind was eerily blank, functioning only on autopilot. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white, but his thoughts refused to settle on anything concrete. Every second felt agonizing, like he was teetering on the edge of something he couldn’t control.

When he finally arrived at the hospital, the sterile lights and hurried movements of the staff did nothing to ease his anxiety. They guided him to a waiting room near the surgery wing, telling him it would be some time before Y/N was out of surgery. He sat down, but sitting felt impossible. He stood, then paced, then sat again—repeating the same motions over and over, trying to keep his fear at bay. Hours passed, each minute dragging on like an eternity.

He considered calling Alice a few times, but quickly dismissed the idea. She was already dealing with her own health issues, and the last thing she needed was added worry. Besides, he wasn’t even sure what to say. He couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge the worst-case scenario.

Finally, a doctor approached him, and Kaz felt his chest tighten.

"Mr. Brekker?" the doctor said, offering a tired but reassuring smile. "Your wife is out of surgery. You can relax; she's going to be okay. Both your wife and the baby are safe."

Kaz blinked, his mind struggling to process the doctor's words. "The baby?" he repeated, his voice thick with disbelief.

The doctor chuckled lightly. "Yes, your baby. Your wife is almost four months pregnant, Mr. Brekker. You didn’t know?"

Kaz stood there, too stunned to respond. His brain tried to catch up with what the doctor had just said. Pregnant? They had stopped even considering the possibility ages ago. After all the failed attempts and the devastating news from the doctors, they had made peace with the idea of not having children. They’d grown to love their life as it was—just the two of them.

Before he could ask more questions, the doors opened, and they wheeled Y/N into the recovery room. She was still unconscious, her face pale, bruised, and covered in bandages, but she was alive. Kaz rushed to her side, his hand instinctively reaching for hers. He pushed a few strands of hair away from her face, his touch gentle, almost reverent. Despite the injuries, despite the bandages, she was safe. 

And pregnant.

He sat down beside her, staring at her peaceful face, barely able to process what was happening. He thought about the past years, how they’d thrown themselves into their lives, embracing the freedom that came with being childless. They had taken trips, stayed out late, and enjoyed their spontaneous lifestyle. But now, out of nowhere, they were going to be parents.

Kaz couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. His mind replayed moments from the past few months. Y/N had put on a little weight, but he had thought it was due to her finally being at peace with her body. After battling eating disorders for so many years, she had been making such great progress. She looked healthy and radiant, better than ever. It hadn’t even crossed their minds that she might be pregnant.

He leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, the feeling of relief finally settling in. He whispered quietly, almost to himself, “We’re going to be okay.” 

Hours had passed, and Kaz hadn’t moved from Y/N's side. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, the quiet beeps of the machines providing a strange comfort in the otherwise sterile room. He had been holding her hand, his thumb absentmindedly brushing against her skin, as though the constant touch would somehow anchor them both to reality. His mind was still spinning with everything the doctor had told him. 

Pregnant. It was surreal.

He had no idea how to feel, and that uncertainty gnawed at him. There was joy, yes, but also fear. 

Finally, Y/N stirred. Kaz sat up straighter, watching as her eyes fluttered open, slow and groggy. She blinked a few times, clearly disoriented, her gaze taking in the room before settling on him. A soft, weak smile curved her lips, but Kaz could see the pain lurking behind her eyes.

“Hey,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from disuse.

“Hey,” Kaz replied, leaning closer. His voice was softer than usual, an edge of worry still lingering. “How do you feel?”

“Not good,” she tried to make a weak smile, but winced as she shifted slightly in the bed. “What happened? The last thing I remember is—" She paused, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece the fragments together.

“There was an accident,” Kaz said, his tone steady despite the turmoil still swirling inside him. “But you’re okay now. You’re safe.”

Y/N exhaled a shaky breath, her body relaxing just a little. She squeezed his hand, her touch reassuring, but her eyes still searched his face, sensing that something else was going on.

“There’s… something you need to know,” Kaz started, his heart beating a little faster. He wasn’t sure how to tell her, how to put this kind of news into words. “The doctors found something when they were treating you.”

Her eyes widened in alarm, panic flashing in them. “Is it bad? Am I—?”

“No, no,” Kaz quickly reassured her, his hand tightening around hers. “It’s not bad. It’s just… unexpected.” He took a deep breath, meeting her eyes with a mix of awe and disbelief. “You’re pregnant.”

Y/N stared at him, her eyes going wide, her lips parting in shock. “What?”

“The doctor said you’re almost four months along,” Kaz continued, his voice softer now, gentler. “You didn’t know.”

Y/N’s hand instinctively went to her stomach, her fingers pressing against the fabric of her hospital gown. “Pregnant?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her gaze drifted down as if she was trying to comprehend this new reality, as if her body suddenly felt different to her.

Kaz nodded, watching her closely, unsure of how she would react. Her expression was a mixture of shock, disbelief, and something else—something softer, something that mirrored the feeling stirring inside him.

“I didn’t even realize…” she murmured, her voice trailing off as her fingers gently traced her stomach. “I thought we couldn’t—” She stopped herself, her eyes filling with tears.

Kaz leaned forward, his forehead almost touching hers. “I know,” he said quietly. “That’s what they said.”

For a moment, they both sat there, stunned by the realization that after all the heartbreak, after everything they had been through, the thing they had given up on was happening.

Tears slipped down Y/N’s cheeks, but her smile was radiant, brighter than Kaz had ever seen. She laughed softly, almost in disbelief. “A baby?”

Kaz let out a breath and nodded. “A baby,” he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Y/N’s laughter turned into a soft sob, and Kaz gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. She was overwhelmed, but the happiness in her eyes was unmistakable. She reached for him, pulling him into a gentle, tender kiss. 

Y/N’s laugh was soft, though tinged with disbelief. “Aren’t we a bit old for a baby?” she teased, the humor in her voice doing little to mask the shock she was still processing.

Kaz chuckled, though his own shock was evident as well. “Well, apparently not,” he replied, his hand gently squeezing hers. The room felt lighter, despite the weight of the news they had just received.

Just then, a nurse entered the room, clipboard in hand. She had a gentle, reassuring smile, but her expression shifted when she saw the mix of emotions on their faces—tears glistening in Y/N’s eyes, Kaz looking more vulnerable than usual. 

“Is everything okay?” the nurse asked, her tone soft and careful.

Y/N looked up at her, her voice shaky but filled with hope. “Is it true? Am I really pregnant?” she asked, her hand instinctively resting on her abdomen as if she were trying to feel the truth for herself.

The nurse’s smile widened. “You didn’t know?” she asked, surprised. “I thought for sure you’d have noticed some signs by now.”

Y/N shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips. “We had no idea,” she admitted, glancing at Kaz, who nodded in agreement, still processing the enormity of it all.

“Well, congratulations! You’re a little over four months along,” the nurse confirmed, her eyes bright as she shared the news.

Four months meant they had been oblivious for nearly half the pregnancy. The shock of it was almost comical, though neither of them could laugh just yet. 

“Wait a second,” the nurse said, setting down her clipboard. “I’ll be right back.” She left the room quickly, leaving them in a quiet moment of stunned silence.

Kaz couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. He moved closer to the bed, leaning down to kiss Y/N’s forehead. “You really didn’t feel anything?” he asked softly.

“I thought I was just getting soft,” Y/N joked with a small smile, her hand still resting protectively on her belly. “I didn’t want to fall back into those old habits,” she admitted, her voice softening. “So, when I noticed the weight gain, I didn’t let myself obsess over it. I thought it was a good thing—proof that I was healing.”

Kaz reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek. “You are healing,” he said firmly. 

Before they could say much more, the nurse returned, wheeling in a portable ultrasound machine. “I thought you might want to see your little one,” she said warmly, setting it up beside the bed.

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. Kaz was already at her side, holding her hand as the nurse prepped her for the ultrasound. The cool gel was applied to Y/N’s belly, and the nurse moved the probe gently across her skin.

“Ready?” the nurse asked, glancing at them with a smile.

“Yeah,” Y/N whispered, gripping Kaz’s hand a little tighter. Kaz gave her a reassuring squeeze, his eyes fixed on the screen.

The room was quiet for a moment, the only sound being the soft whir of the machine. Then, suddenly, the screen flickered to life, revealing the unmistakable image of their baby. The soft, rhythmic sound of the heartbeat filled the room, steady and strong.

Y/N gasped, her free hand flying to her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the screen. “That’s... that’s our baby,” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.

Kaz was speechless, his gaze locked on the tiny, fluttering heartbeat. He’d been through countless challenges in his life, but this—this was something entirely different. Something he never imagined he’d experience.

“There they are,” the nurse said, her voice soft, pointing to the screen. “Your baby looks perfect.”

Y/N let out a soft sob, overwhelmed with emotion. Kaz bent down to kiss her forehead again, his own eyes misting with unshed tears.

“I can’t believe it,” Y/N whispered, her voice full of wonder. “We’re going to be parents.”

Kaz nodded, his throat tight with emotion. He could hardly believe it himself, but there it was, right in front of him—proof that life had a way of surprising you, no matter how much you thought you had things figured out.

The nurse smiled at them both, clearly moved by the moment. “I’ll print out some pictures for you to take home,” she said, quietly excusing herself to give them a moment alone.

Once she left, the room fell into a quiet, reverent hush. Y/N stared at the screen, her fingers tracing the faint outline of the baby that would soon become their whole world. Kaz, still gripping her hand, couldn’t help but smile—an uncharacteristically soft, genuine smile.

“We really did it,” Y/N said, laughing through her tears.

Kaz nodded, his heart full. “Yeah,” he whispered, “we really did.”

They sat in silence, just watching the screen, watching their baby. Neither of them needed to say anything—words would never be enough to capture what they were feeling in that moment. 

***

As Y/N and Kaz gathered their closest friends for dinner, a blend of excitement and anxiety hung in the air. After years of hiding their struggles with fertility, they knew it was time to share the truth. Jesper, Nina, Wylan, and Matthias filled the cozy home with chatter, oblivious to the weight of the moment ahead.

Kaz glanced at Y/N, her hand resting on her growing belly, and they exchanged a knowing look. It was time.

“Alright, everyone,” Kaz began, his voice steady yet tinged with nerves as he cleared his throat. “We wanted to share something important with you all tonight.”

Nina looked up, her curiosity piqued. “What’s going on?”

Kaz hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of the words he was about to say. 

He took a deep breath, preparing to lay bare their past struggles. “Shortly after our wedding, we were told by doctors that we likely wouldn’t be able to have children.”

The room fell silent, the laughter fading as the weight of Kaz’s revelation settled over them. Jesper’s smile faltered, replaced by a look of disbelief. “Wait, what? You were told that?”

Nina’s eyes widened, and she reached for Y/N’s hand. “How did you keep this from us for so long?”

Y/N felt the tears prick at her eyes as she spoke. “We didn’t want to burden you all with that. We thought we could just move on and accept it.”

Matthias furrowed his brow, processing the information. “That’s… a long time to carry that alone.”

Kaz nodded, a wave of emotion washing over him. “We found our ways to cope, with time we accepted it.”

“But then something unexpected happened,” Y/N said, her voice gaining strength. 

Kaz felt the excitement building within him, ready to share the twist in their story. “And now… Y/N is pregnant.”

A stunned silence filled the room, and it was as if the air had been sucked out of it. Jesper blinked in disbelief. “Wait, are you serious? After everything you just said?”

“Yes, actually pregnant,” Y/N confirmed, laughter mingling with tears as she wiped her eyes. “Almost six months.”

Nina was the first to recover, her eyes sparkling with joy as she rushed over to hug Y/N tightly. “Oh Saints! This is incredible! How did you keep this a secret?”

“We were still processing it ourselves,” Y/N chuckled, overwhelmed by the wave of love surrounding her. “We didn’t want to share anything until we were sure everything was going fine.”

Matthias, who had remained silent, stepped forward, his expression a mix of happiness and shock. “This is unbelievable. I can’t believe you went through that all those years and now… you’re having a baby?”

Kaz nodded, feeling a smile stretch across his face. “We really had no hope left.”

Jesper’s eyes darted between Kaz and Y/N, his mind racing. “That’s mind-blowing!”

“Right?” Y/N beamed, her heart swelling as she felt the support of her friends. “It’s been a rollercoaster, but we’re ready, kinda.”

Wylan grinned, his eyes bright with excitement. “Have you thought about names yet?”

Kaz chuckled, shaking his head. “We’ve barely wrapped our heads around the fact that we’re going to be parents!”

As the conversation flowed, filled with laughter and joyful exclamations about the future, Y/N and Kaz exchanged relieved smiles. They had faced their fears, shared their long-held secret, and were met with nothing but love and support from their friends.

***

Baby fever hit Kaz and Y/N like a whirlwind, consuming their every thought and action. The moment they discovered they were having a girl, they could hardly contain their excitement. Eager to share the news, they rushed to the hospital to find Alice, who had been recovering from her health issues. 

The atmosphere in the hospital was bright and sterile, but the excitement that radiated from Y/N and Kaz infused it with warmth. As they approached Alice's room, they could already hear her familiar, comforting laughter echoing down the corridor. 

When they entered, Alice looked up from her bed, her face lighting up with joy. “Oh hi! Look at you all smiling” she exclaimed, adjusting her glasses and beaming at them. 

“We have news!” Y/N blurted out, her eyes sparkling. 

“What is it?” Alice leaned forward, her curiosity piqued.

“We’re having a girl!” Kaz said, his voice thick with emotion. 

Alice’s eyes widened in surprise and delight. “A girl? Oh, that’s wonderful! Are you thinking about names?”

With shared glances filled with affection, Y/N replied, “We’ve decided to call her Miracle.”

Alice erupted in laughter, her joy echoing in the room. “Miracle? Are you kidding me?” 

Kaz and Y/N shared a confused look, “Why? Is it-”

“I get that it’s a miracle that you were able to have a baby, but you can’t be serious, come on! Miracle! I can’t believe you two.”

Alice laughed so much at them that they left the hospital still with flushed faces.They went straight to the nearest bookstore, bursting through the door with the shared mission of finding the perfect baby name book. 

***

On the day they finally held their baby girl for the first time, emotions surged through them. Y/N cradled the tiny bundle in her arms, her heart swelling with love.

Kaz stood close by, his heart aching as he watched Y/N gently caress their daughter’s cheek. “I’m so sorry she didn’t get to meet her,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. 

A tear rolled down Y/N’s cheek, glistening in the light as she nodded, her heart heavy with the memory of Alice. “Me too,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. 

“Hey, little one,” she said, her voice steadying as she spoke to her daughter, “you have to thank your great-grandma for not naming you Miracle.” A chuckle escaped her lips, lightening the atmosphere just a bit. 

Kaz laughed softly, shaking his head in agreement. “Not our proudest moment, sorry Alice,” he said, a bittersweet smile on his face. 

[umnitsa]

Santa has had enough of Christmas (2)

Summary: You're not at home, but he finds you. And gives you a special gift. *wink*

A/N: So, yeah. I couldn't stop thinking of them, so there is more, 2 years later. Some things are very inspired by earlier Santa fic, we had some lovely writers who deactivated, but their ideas live on. Thank you Kitty! <3 <3 <3

Pairing: Santa x Naughty!reader (fem)

CW: a quickie, with your friends in the other room. And more christmas cheer!

Not proofread, and you guys know english is my second language, so there.

I really hope you had a good, peaceful eve, and I wish you a peaceful day today. Christmas can be harsh, but we can always do whatever the fuck we want, even defile Santa! XD *giant hugs*

You sighed softly, watching your friends chatting around the table. You wish you were home, getting ready to wait for Santa, your toys charged and ready. You spent the whole year thinking of him, wet and desperate…

But your friends needed you. 2024 was a particularly rough year for everybody, and when your friends asked gently if you would like to join them on the 24th… You couldn’t say no.

You couldn’t be a good girl for Santa Claus, but you surely were a good girl for your friends.

And now they were laughing and giggling, sadness, hardships forgotten, the heavy weight of the holiday gone. You huffed.

Only one good fuck a year and you gave it up for them. If they only knew.

So after almost a year of writing dirty letters to Santa Claus, you sent a heartfelt one. You told him you would be with your friends, followed by paragraphs on how would you miss him, and dirty fantasies for the next year.

You hoped he wouldn’t mind.

In your heart, you were sure the action would put you in the nice list anyway.

So you would probably get home to a cute gift. No Daddy Christmas cock for you this year.

“Sorry guys, I’m feeling a bit tired.” You said softly, standing up, some weird restlessness commanding you. “I’m going to lie down a bit, take a nap…”

“Take my room!” The owner of the house said, smiling. “And lock the door, some of us here are drunk and we have pranksters at this table.”

“Santa isn’t coming for any of you this year, you assholes!” You laughed and went to the bedroom, locking the door anyway. You would hate to wake up to a thousand ridiculous pictures of you sleeping, some screaming and sharpie doodles all over your face.

You heard the lock, then soft bells rang behind you, as the warm breeze moved the curtains. You shook your head, smiling to yourself. He wouldn’t…

Golden sparkles swirled from the window, materializing the red wearing giant in front of you.

“Santa!”

“My favorite little shit.” He chuckled, silver waves framing his crooked smirk. Santa took a few moments appreciating your expression, a mix of excitement and surprise, then chuckled again. “You thought I wouldn’t come? After another year of you tormenting me with the dirtiest shit I’ve ever read…”

Santa Claus huffed, playfully, throwing the sack on the floor then taking off his gloves and throwing over it. He prowled in your direction, opening his jacket.

“And I can’t skip the fucking letters, no. I have to read them in my workshop, in front of all those fucking elves.” He towered over you and you stepped back, against the door. “They keep stealing the damn things. They all giggle, looking at me weird. Like I am the pervert.”

He picked you up and pressed you against the door, his thick thigh between your legs and the weight of his body against you keeping you slightly off the floor. He had you pinned.

“You really thought I wouldn’t look for you?” He growled against your lips, his blue eyes tinkling with playful anger. You gasped, leaning towards him, but he pulled slightly back, not allowing you to kiss him. “After a year of disrespect? I should fuck you in front of your friends, show them what you really want for Christmas, how much of a pervert you are.”

You moaned, feeling yourself pulse, so warm and so wet.

“Ho, ho, ho.” He chuckled low, releasing you and stepping back. His face a picture of mirthful surprise. “Really? Whoa.” He sits on the bed, tutting, shaking his head. “You are shameless. I don’t know what I expected. I can smell you, filthy little slut.”

You kneel between his legs and nuzzle his cock over his pants. You lick the leather, whimpering softly. Santa pets your hair.

“You can’t help yourself, can you?” He coos, softly, his voice gentle and loving. “Aaaaw, look at you. I didn’t know little shits get in heat too. So desperate.”

“Fuck.” You gasp, scrambling to open his pants.

“Language.” He chuckled, leaning back, making the process easier for you. His pants are large, and he did come prepared (no suspenders, the devious old man). The fabric easily falls open, showing his cock, hard and pulsing precome. No underwear either. You look at him, wide eyed, then at his cock. “It turns you on, doesn’t it? Disrespecting me. Writing those letters, asking Santa to stuff your stocking.”

You grab him with both hands, your hungry mouth descending over his cock, quickly swallowing as much as you can.

“We don’t have much time.” Santa said, pulling your hair. “Come sit on my lap, quick.”

You stand up, pulling your dress up; he grabs your hips and turns you to the door. You feel one big thumb pulling your panties aside, then the hands on your hips press you down. You feel him positioning himself, and like magic, he slides perfectly into you.

A loud moan escapes your mouth and your friends stop laughing for one second. You both stop, panting, alert. The noise outside restarts and Santa breathes, relieved.

It’s quick and hard, almost brutal, his hands tightly grabbing your hips, pulling you up and down… You felt like a doll, like his little toy. You come quickly, eyes rolling back. The only noises in the room are his soft grunts and the loud noises of your thighs slapping against his, punctuated by wet sloppy sucking sounds.

He keeps hitting that delightful place inside of you. You come a second time and he doesn’t stop until he’s covering your insides with merry, creamy white.

Santa nuzzles your ear gently, his soft beard and hair brushing against your ear. His arms wrap around you, holding you tightly against his chest.

“Now you’re filled with christmas cheer.” He whispers against your ear.

“You won’t let me forget that, right?” You chuckle, feeling like you’re in slow motion. You rest your head against his shoulder, blushing.

“You’re going back to the party with christmas cheer dripping down your thighs, little slut.” He laughed very quietly, your body shaking with his. It gave you a warm, soft feeling in your chest; you placed your hands over his, petting him. “I find it funny that’s what makes you blush. Not só shameless after all.”

“In my defense, I was cockdumb and completely fucked out. It was a ridiculous post orgasm joke.” You sighed, enjoying the feel of his body against yours. He shrugged, squeezing you tighter.

“You need to stop asking for these things.” Santa said, and you could hear he was smiling. It made you smile too. “It’s wrong on so many levels.” You heard the soft ho-ho-ho against your ear.

“Do you really want me to stop?” You teased, as you did every year.

“No.” He whispered.

“What does that say about you?”

“We both know under all this I’m just a dirty old man.” He said, gently pulling from you, sitting you on the bed.

Santa stands up and quickly arranges his clothes.

“They are coming to check on you.” He grabs his sack and his gloves. He reached quickly inside the sack and pulled a large package wrapped in stripped gift wrap, with a red bow. The tag said ‘To: Little shit. From: Santa.’ He placed it by your side, smirking. “This is my gift for you.”

He cups your cheek gently, looking into your eyes, and smiled. After a moment, he gently leaned over, kissing your forehead, then your lips. Stepping back, he tapped his nose with a wink and vanished through the window in a flurry of golden sparks. You heard a knock on the door; a friend calling you to open the gifts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your friends never laughed that hard. You eagerly tore the wrapping, to reveal a beautiful red box. Taped to the top, a card with elegant writing.

He sees you when you're sleeping And he knows when you're awake He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake

Inside, a candy cane striped dildo; you could recognize that shape anywhere. Over the head there was a carefully placed small decoration that clearly was supposed to represent mistletoe. There was also lube, a thick, stuffed envelope and a mobile phone.

“I can’t believe you went through all this trouble for yourself. Who gave you this?”

”Santa.” You laughed, waving the tag, then storing it inside the box. You couldn’t wait to read that letter.

[mystwrites]

A Little Bit of Joy

Summary: While Dazai always causes chaos, sometimes his antics actually do bring a bit of joy to the ADA members, especially Atsushi

CW: Tickling (don’t like, don’t read)

A/N: As promised, here’s lee!Atsushi and ler!Dazai!☺️

Atsushi wasn’t going to laugh. He told himself to hold it together the moment Dazai began to act silly and for once, it was actually hilarious…and extremely chaotic.

Junichiro and Kenji were on the floor wheezing as Dazai danced around the office, doing a weird dance in front of Kunikida and Yosano who just glared at him. Kyouka wasn’t impressed and neither was Fukuzawa, the two exchanging annoyed looks before shaking their heads at Dazai. Ranpo however was in the same situation as Atsushi, trying his hardest to hold in his laughter.

“Oh no…” Atsushi mumbled.

“Here comes the music…” Ranpo added, cupping his mouth as Dazai brought out the record player from the corner of the office.

It didn’t help that Dazai turned on classical music of all things. Atsushi and the others recognized it quickly as the song with a group of people doing a kick line and shook their heads. Dazai’s feet moved rhythmically to the beat of the music, his loud singing voice mixing in with what was supposed to be good symphony music. Atsushi and Ranpo turned away, cupping their mouths and attempting to stay silent. Kenji and Junichiro making themselves laugh harder than necessary by joining in and dancing together, Naomi deciding to jump in and join the duo.

Atsushi honestly thought the dancing trio looked funnier than Dazai but when he saw the older detective dance over, he knew things were going to get crazier.

“Knee! Kick!! Knee! Kick!!” Dazai hollered, joining the laughing trio. “Come on everybody! Dance and let loose!!!”

“Oh my gosh…” Kunikida groaned. “This…this is the most chaotic thing I’ve seen all year! What is going on here?!?”

“Dazai…” Yosano muttered, glaring at the man. “Stop goofing around…the president is here!”

“It’s fine.” Fukuzawa replied, turning around and acting as if he saw absolutely nothing. “I was just walking out.”

“And just like that, nothing will get done here.” Kunikida sighed, shaking his head.

“D-Dazai san…I think you stole one too many sweets from me…” Ranpo stammered, squealing as Dazai danced over to him and suddenly jabbed him in the tummy.

“Gotcha!~” Dazai sang, poking Ranpo’s tummy a few more times. “There we go! Giggly Ranpo is here!~”

With Ranpo now laughing freely, that left Atsushi. The young detective knew Dazai was on a mission to bring laughter to the office and the stare down they had proved it. Staring at the brunette, Atsushi didn’t know what to do but just nervously smile as Ranpo decided to run away before Dazai could get another jab in.

On one hand, he was positive that Dazai had eaten another hallucinogenic mushroom prior to appearing and was just going insane but another part of him thought Dazai was actually trying to bring joy to the Agency amidst the current case that’s been milking everyone dry of resources, sleep and sanity.

Just as Atsushi was going to humor Dazai and say how hilarious he was (albeit in the most sarcastic way he could muster), he watched in absolute shock as Dazai dove head first into a nearby trash can, everyone either screaming in shock or howling with laughter. All Atsushi could do is stare at the man with big eyes and a jaw dropping down to the floor.

“Yep…Dazai san has officially gone off the rails…” Atsushi thought, now more concerned for his mentor than anything. He felt his left eye twitch as Dazai looked around, the trash can obscuring his vision.

When Dazai finally lifted the trash can off of his head, he shook his messy brown hair, laughing. “Well, at least it was an empty one this time!” he chirped, seeing Atsushi staring at him. “Atsushi kun, what’s with that face?~”

Oh no…Dazai’s sing song voice…

“You look concerned.”

“I-I…I am concerned…” Atsushi replied, still staring at Dazai. “Have you lost your marbles?!”

“Haha! No, nono! Don’t worry, I haven’t eaten any mushrooms for the past week.”

The past week?!? Yeah, that sure is reassuring. Atsushi let his shoulders slump, giving Dazai an annoyed glare as he shifted to sitting cross legged on the work desk.

“Oohhh!! Atsushi kun!! Oh my gosh!!!” Dazai suddenly cried, cupping his cheeks and running over to him.

“What? What???” Atsushi panicked, looking all around.

“Oh my gosh!! I think I saw a flea!!!”

“A flea?! Where?? Where?!?”

“Yes! It’s right here!!”

Feeling Dazai’s fingers suddenly squeeze his sides, Atsushi screeched and flailed, nearly falling off of the desk he had been sitting on. Dazai swiftly caught him before he could fall head first onto the floor and picked him up, carrying him over to the couch.

Plopping Atsushi onto the couch, Dazai immediately went to work. Atsushi was in shock for a few seconds but quickly found himself fighting back, desperate to escape from Dazai, yet enjoying the sudden playfulness all at the same time as ten nimble fingers crawled up and down his sides and around his tummy. Arching his back, Atsushi squawked as Dazai started squeezing up his sides and drilling into his ribs before letting his hands travel back down.

“D-Dahaaazai sahahaan!! N-noooo!!” Atsushi whined, cupping his mouth as he giggled.

“Wait, here!! There’s a flea! And here’s another! Oh my! So many!!” Dazai cried, poking and prodding all of Atsushi’s ticklish spots lining his torso. “I gotta get all these fleas off of you!”

“D-Dahahazai sahahahan!” Atsushi squeaked, giggling harder when his arm was suddenly raised up. “Noohoho! Dahahazai san!! Thehehere’s no flehehea on meehehehee!! ACK!!”

“You’re right. I just wanted an excuse to make you laugh like this.” Dazai admitted, suddenly clawing the life out of Atsushi’s belly. “I honestly didn’t think you’d ever burst into laughter, Atsushi kun!~”

Letting out a cry, Atsushi kicked and flailed, snorting and squeaking every few seconds as he felt Dazai’s fingers press deeper into his flesh. Now unable to stop laughing, Atsushi shook his head and held onto Dazai’s wrists, giving the brunette the most pleading eyes when his fingers slowed to a halt.

“Plehehehease!! Plehehehease!!” Atsushi begged, his cheeks dusted with a bright pink hue. “Y-yohohou’re tihihickling mehehehee!!”

Dazai gasped again, raising Atsushi’s shirt up slightly. “Oh no! I see one more flea!! It’s a big one! Hold still!”

Atsushi shook his head. “Dahahazai sahahan! Dohohon’t even thihihink about i-IIHIHI HIT!!”

Much to Atsushi’s horror, Dazai did think about it and slid his finger into his navel. Atsushi all but howled with laughter, squirming, shoving and kicking. His pleas didn’t do much either, Dazai only encouraged to continue thanks to Atsushi’s loud belly laugh.

This wasn’t the first time Dazai managed to launch a tickle attack on Atsushi. The weretiger was a victim countless times before, but it was never this playful. Most of the time, Dazai just gave him jabs on either side or a squeeze just above the hips to keep him on his toes. However, this was more than just squeezes or pokes. Dazai was swirling his finger inside his bellybutton, forcing out the belly laugh no one in the Agency ever heard.

“PLEHEHEHEASE!! PLEASE!! DAHHAZAI SAHAHAN!! I CAHAHAN’T!” Atsushi squealed, trying to curl up on himself.

“I can’t! I need to catch that tickle flea!!” Dazai argued, gathering Atsushi’s wrists in one hand and using his free one to continue “searching” his bellybutton for the flea.

“I CAHAHAN’T BREHEHEHEATHE!!” Atsushi cried, screaming bloody murder. “PLEHEHEASE!! DAHAHAZAI SAHAHAN!! NOOOOHOHO!!”

“There’s a tickle flea somewhere in there! Don’t stop me, Atsushi kun!” Dazai shouted, Atsushi’s laughter only growing in volume. “I must get this tickle flea or else you’ll never stop laughing!!”

“HELP!! AHAHAHA!! KUHUHUNIKIDA SAHAHAN!!” Atsushi wheezed, screaming loudly. “KEHEHENJI! JUHUHUNICHIRO!! RAHAHANPO SAN!! HEHEHEHELP!! MAHAHAKE HIM STOHOP!!”

“Those three won’t help! They know the tickle flea will just jump onto them and I’ll be forced to do this to them!” Dazai sang, suddenly using one hand to tickle Atsushi’s neck while the other swirled around the rim of his bellybutton. “And Kunikida kun…”

“Is right behind you.” Kunikida finished, suddenly grabbing Dazai by the collar of his coat and flipping him. “You’re in for it now you bandaged idiot!! Lie down and stay still!”

“Aaahh!! Wait! Wait, wait! Kunikida kun!” Dazai stammered, sounding rather nervous. “Plehehease!! I was juhuhust playing around with Ahahatsushi kun so he freely laughed! NOOOHOHO!! ATSUSHI KUN HEHEHEHELP!!”

“Shut up, Dazai! He won’t save you!” Kunikida growled. “I’ve had enough of your shenanigans for the day!”

Sure, this whole little laughter session was unplanned, but Dazai really did bring joy and some stress relief to the Agency. Atsushi couldn’t help but smile as he recovered, Kenji, Junichiro and Ranpo all joining him to make sure he was okay while watching Dazai suffer Kunikida’s wrath.

After things settled and work had concluded for the day, Atsushi was getting ready to leave when he found Dazai sitting on the couch, staring off into the distance of the city. Deciding to keep him company for a bit, Atsushi took a seat next to his mentor, looking out at the city. It was very peaceful and beautiful to Atsushi and he didn’t comprehend the cushion of the couch shifting nor Dazai turning to look at him.

“Hey, Atsushi kun.” Dazai whispered, finally acknowledging him.

“Hi Dazai san. You looked lonely.” Atsushi replied, noticing Dazai’s facial expression change slightly in a way he couldn’t figure out. “I hope you don’t mind me keeping you company for a while.”

Dazai smiled gently, reaching out and giving Atsushi a head pat. He knew his mentee loved receiving the head pats. “I don’t mind.”

“Also, thank you.”

“Hm? For what?”

Atsushi smiled and turned to Dazai. “For always making me feel comfortable here at the Agency. I really appreciate it.”

The smile widened as Atsushi’s words sunk in. Dazai let out a soft chuckle and playfully ruffled Atsushi’s hair even more, forcing soft, sweet giggles out of the young detective.

“You’re welcome, Atsushi kun.”

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

I Am All In Rewatch - Episode 4x11 (Part 1)

Here's my opinion on why she got fatootsed I think it's more about Lorelai's need to have this kind of stability in her life, whether it's a committed relationship or not. She wants to know that Luke is there, being Luke and living upstairs. That's what she comforts her. It's part of what comforts her, right, And such a shocking change.  I'm with a woman in Litchfield now and I got an apartment. That's shocking, and that that that scrambles her eggs. That's shocking for a person or anybody in a small town who needs that kind of stability, And it's like especially for her. And if you mix in the element of her personal feelings, yeah, she's gonna get she's gonna get angry a little bit. But I think but I think he represents more than that to the show and to her then just hey, I want to maybe date him. I'm starting to have feelings for this guy, you know. I think it's more about just just characters being in their place, you know, staying put...And she was confused by her own feelings. She didn't understand how powerful they would be. nobody likes to have the rug pulled out from under them that way and get this new piece of information that is you know, they weren't consulted on or told about, and you know, all of those feelings of inadequacy come flooding in. Well, am I not your friend? And why didn't you tell me? I mean everybody goes through that...That changes the whole dynamic of her life in regards to her relationship with Luke, because now there can no longer be Luke come over, I need this, or Luke come over I need this, or Luke come over I'm scared Or  Luke come over, you know, I need this, I need to talk to you about something, and Rory whatever, there's no longer the friend that's in town that she can rely on. And that's jarring...Boy you talk about a slow burn. Wow, this is masterful. This is masterful. The way these writers have set this relationship up...Do you think that Luke thinks or knows realizes at this point that he can no longer make the move that Lorelai is the one who wants to make the move, and Lorelai is waiting for what? In other words, what is Lorelai waiting for what set of circumstances have to come to the fore for her to make her move? Because we now know that Lorelai needs to be in control. She's a little bit out of control. She freaks a little bit, right, that's her world, and she wants to make the move. She wants all of her her her I'm not gonna say puppets, but she needs all the players in her play to be in their place for her to be happy, and and and and Luke...So what is what is it gonna take for her to make her move on Luke when she's good and ready. Right, when is she going to be ready? Rory's away now, right, she's an empty nester this would be the perfect time. So it seems to be you know, uh, this storyline with Nicole seems to be impacting Lorelai in a very big way because maybe now she's preparing to make her move and to sort of do it in her way, in her time....Would you say that Luke has tried to make his move and has been rebuffed many many times?... -Scott

[valleeslunaires]

𝕬𝖑𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖊𝖌𝖔 + 𝕷𝖔𝖆

⚠︎ I've thought about this in the shower and this is MY opinion about the theme, just warning cuz if it's obvious idgf! this is also a post for ME!

First things first:

Alter ego = Your ideal person (perfect life, vision of urself). It can be a character or someone you've made up in ur mind.

This morning in the shower, i've realized something, a motivation to keep going with the LOA and realizing how powerful we are.

Firstly, think about ur alter ego. If you don't have one, GIRL GO MAKE IT NOW! It's so fun and useful for everything! Your manners, way of talking, thinking, dressing...

Right now, if ur alter ego got knowing they can change EVEYTHING using only their mind... what would they do?

Would they say "oh no it's so hard" or "im too lazy for that"? I bet they wouldn't!

Giving as an example my alter ego (let's call her V). If i told V rn she can change EVERYTHING about her, do you think she'd say it's too hard?! She'd laugh and say "just that?". Cuz it's so stupidly easy! I know some people are thinking "easier said than done". I gotcha, i really do! And V would also understand all of you! Cuz she's not only my alter ego, in my head she's the character of my daily maladaptive daydreaming story (not goin into deeper details!) so she has a dark past, like everybody! And even having faced a lot of trouble, including body issues, bad parents and bla bla bla... she'd still look at me and say "it's easy as hell!!" if i told her about LOA.

My point here is... having an alter ego can help in building a better self-concept and by consequence helping you with the LOA!!

Cuz when the doubts shows up, you turn to your alter ego and asks them what would they do? would they give up like a fool or they'd know their worth and persist on the 4D?

What would Blair Waldorf do? or Alison Dilaurentis? Or your ideal version of urself? WHAT. WOULD. THEY. DO?!

They know they can change their body in the blink of an eye, their hair color, their social life... do you really think they'd be bitching and moaning?! If you do think that... wake up, dear i guess you didn't get the point of having an alter ego! Look up at Marilyn Monroe, she did it all her life... Marylin was just Norma's alter ego and look where it put her!

Teresa Chávez had already said "Between being or not being, I AM".

I dunno if what i'm saying it's obvious but some times people need to read to something one million times so it gets into their heads!

𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚐𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝙾𝙰 (so easy)

you can take inspire from a character (blair waldorf, alison dilaurentis, maddy, teresa chávez), mix them or create one. It's simple, you create a perfect person (perfect in YOUR pov), it can be from zero! Create appearance, personality, lifestyle... EVERYTHING.

"Fake it until you make it". I'll sound like everyone else but it's the most pure truth. The key, the secret. I need to mention:

Fake it (persist in the 4D) until you make it (it reflects on the 3D).

3. when doubts about LOA (or even shifting) come up, look internally and ask ur alter ego. What would they do in that situation? How would they react to that? Simple, right? Cuz LOA IS SIMPLE.

Now go there and have fun assuming the life of ur dreams! Cuz, girl... you can!

[nolanfa-fanart]

Funny batfam gen (non-romantic) recs

last rec list was not exactly happy fics, so to offset it, have funny ones:

Gen fic recs for @genuaryficrecs! Fandom: DC, batfam. Focus: Humour (most some also tear your heart out or engage in subtle character building, but you'll laugh while you cry) Humour is very widespread in fic (…in some fandoms at least), ranging from humour woven in the writing style itself, to situational absurd (crack), to making the reader laugh about absolutely horrifying shit (while still acknowledging how awful it is; which is something I feel I've only ever read in fic), to absolutely unhinged character reactions (to more I don't have in mind right now), so here, a small homage to that.

The Lone Ranger Never Had to Deal with Bruce Wayne, by @theskeptileptic (https://archiveofourown.org/works/51476074) Chapters 6/6, 25.522 words G, No Archive Warnings Apply

Main Characters: Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne

Type of gen relationship: uh. Concerned Adult to Kid? Parental-ish? Or just neighbours, depending on who you ask.

Official summary: Tim is an independent, clever, and super mature eleven-year-old. Unfortunately, his dopey neighbor, Bruce, can’t seem to understand that. When he decides to disappear on a “solo camping trip” and run away to Canada, he figures it’s the perfect plan that will make everybody happy. He didn’t expect the Waynes would tag along with him and ruin everything. A six-chaptered tale filled with identity shenanigans, s’mores, soon-to-be-brothers, and a kid who is in desperate need of a new family.

Why I love it: This is. Hilarious. The perfect mix of very competent Tim and him still very much being an 11-years-old. Himbo Bruce Wayne who just so happens to totally accidentally run into Tim several times to innocently inquire about his parents' whereabouts. The horrifying fact of what Tim is actually doing and how he thinks, in his very logical way (and the horrifying fact that his parents agree with him).

Excerpts: from: thenanny8725@aol.com to: bwayne@we.com Mr. Wayne, Timothy told me you stopped by earlier today. I am sorry I didn’t get to talk with you. My thyroid was acting up and I was sleeping. Timothy is a good kid. I can make sure he’s safe skateboarding so there is no need to worry. Have a good day! Sincerely, The Nanny

from: bwayne@we.com to: thenanny8725@aol.com The Nanny, Thank you for your email last week. Timothy is most definitely a good kid. One of the best. I saw him at the Army Supply Store this afternoon and he mentioned you would be taking him to Cheesequake State Park to meet a friend this weekend? My boys and I are heading that way, so why don’t we save you a trip. We’ll make sure Timothy is taken care of. If you need anything at all, for any reason, please call me at this number: 9088780078. This is my cell phone and I answer it at all hours, no matter what. Nothing is too small or too much of a bother to pick up for. Anything that you need, Timothy’s Nanny, please call. Sincerely, Bruce Wayne - “Anyway, I was on my way to the course, and I realized your father and I haven’t gotten a chance to really ‘hang’, as you kids say, and I had a late tee time, so I thought I’d invite him along.” Mr. Wayne’s teeth were bright and Tim wondered if he used some sort of diamond paste on them. He looked around Tim’s shoulder, as if he wanted to see inside the mansion better. Tim hadn’t turned on any of the lights on account of his shitty night, so the early fall haze that Bristol was so well known for didn’t do much for his visibility. “I’m sorry, sir, you just missed him.” A pause. “Well, that’s ok, son. Why don’t you get your mom and I’ll give her a message? I’m sure you’ve got things to do.” He looked at Tim vapidly, smile still firmly in place. “I’m afraid she’s not here right now either. Shopping.” Tim gritted his teeth and went to close the door. Mr. Wayne’s huge ham hands (why were they so large?) stopped it before it slammed. He chuckled and Tim winced. “Your nanny, then.” Tim wasn’t sure, but thought the question sounded more strained than Mr. Wayne’s usual flavor of airheadedness. “She’s sleeping.” “At eleven in the morning?” “She has a thyroid problem. I’ll let them all know you stopped by.” Tim pushed the door closed but Mr. Wayne had somehow entered his foyer while he was speaking. “I’ll write them a note. They can call me when they get back.” He inched closer towards Tim, who sidestepped him before he could ruffle his hair.

--

Ain't No Compass, Ain't No Map, by @ebjameston (https://archiveofourown.org/works/38048365) Chapters: 9/9, 51.863 words T, No Archive Warnings Apply

Main Characters: Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake

Type of gen relationship: siblings and friends

Official summary: CPS Agent, pointing at Tim Drake: We need to take him with us Red Hood: He's fine where he is CPS: He's a minor Hood: Timbo, you a minor? Tim: Can't prove it CPS: I mean, I can. There are records – Tim, who has just finishing hacking CPS to remove his own file: Oh really, tell me more about these records +++ A CPS agent gets sent to investigate a tip that Tim Drake has been abandoned by his parents and is living with the Red Hood. The CPS agent leaves with no Tim Drake, a date with Red Hood's lieutenant, and an intern who's promising to fix the IT systems at his office. It's a weird day for Theo.

Why I love it: This is probably the first (non-crossover) DC fic I read, and to date still one of my favorites. It's. Listen. It's from the point of view of a Child Protective Services agent. Who, given his whole deal is to Protect Children, has Opinions about the Robins. And interacts - unknowingly - with them when they're grown (identity porn! Banter!). And he likes them! And they like him! But they have… differing opinions. And I absolutely love it. So. Many. Feels. And humour. It's 80% jokes and 70% feels and 50% social commentary about the canon and 20% plot and 40% fluff and 30% angst and some parts are all of that at once.

Excerpt: “Nightwing, wait, serious question,” Theo says. “About when you were baby Robin.” Max’s fingers tense up a bit on Theo’s elbow, and some of the earlier tension creeps back into Nightwing’s frame. “Yes?” “Did the Batmobile have a car seat?” “Did the what have a what ,” Nightwing says. “I’ve seen your stats from when you were just getting started,” Theo says. “You weren’t anywhere close to 4-foot-9. You would’ve needed a booster seat for at least the first two years you were Robin, so.” “So, did the Batmobile have a carseat,” Nightwing repeats faintly. Theo gets out his phone to take notes. “Yes. That is what I am asking.” “Buddy,” Hood says. “Most of the Batmobiles don’t even have seatbelts.” “How would you even know that?” Bernard asks.

--

IRIS Log #1548, by @deadchannelradio (https://archiveofourown.org/works/51647209) Chapters: 1/1, 8531 Words T, No Archive Warnings Apply

Main Characters: whole batfam

Type of gen relationship: familial

Official summary: A Disclaimer From Your Friendly Neighborhood Oracle: The following is a transcript of Patrol Communications Audio written by state of the art transcription technology, IRIS (Interpretation of Recorded Intelligence Software). IRIS was created to provide easily searchable records, automatically, and eliminate the need to transcribe each patrol audio log manually. That being said, IRIS is still experimental, and may not always be entirely accurate. - (01:25) Red Hood: (Mild static) (Out of breath, slurred) You motherfuckers. Put some fuckin- (01:25) Batman: (Shaking) Red Hood- (01:25) Red Hood: Shut up. Put some fucking respect. On my name. Start fucking copying me. I just got thrown fucking. Um. 40 feet. Into a fucking uh. What's it. Ditch. I'm still fucking conscious. (01:25) Batman: Red Hood, do not move, we're en route- (01:25) Red Hood: What'll I win if I stand up. (01:25) Batman: (Loud) Do not stand up.

Why I love it: The format (transcription of comms) is fun. Also it's. Just. Really funny? The… energy of it? I mean just read the excerpts honestly.

Excerpt: (01:34) Nightwing: Don’t get mad, Red. He’s got a concussion. (01:34) Red Hood: (Agreeably) I am all bonked up. (Laughter: Nightwing) Hey. Cass. Cassie. Is my leg fucked. The right one. (01:34) Blackbat: It. (Pause, 3 seconds) (Reading) I am not your medical provider and can’t diagnose injuries or illness. Please ask your doctor when you are under their care. (01:34) Red Hood: Oh. Um, okay. Can you tell me as buddies? Not as my doctor. (Laughter: Spoiler, Red Robin) Just as buddies. (01:35) Blackbat: …Super busted. Bad. As buddies. (01:35) Batman: Blackbat. We are not medical- (01:35) Red Hood: She said as buddies. It’s fine. (01:35) Spoiler: (Laughing) The as buddies legal loophole.

--

Bang, bang, by Ididloveyou_once (@ididloveyou) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/30246978) Chapters: 1/1, 5.563 words T, Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (an accidental gunshot wound played for laughs)

Main Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd

Type of gen relationship: very much Siblings

Official summary: ‘You shot me!’ Jason gasped, stunned, ‘Holy shit, you actually shot me.’ Tim’s eyes widened and he froze. They stared at each other for a second, dumbstruck and then- ‘Don’t tell Bruce.’Or: The family enjoy a normal movie night. Except Jason has a gunshot wound and Tim’s the only one who knows and oh- that’s because Tim’s the one who shot him and they really, really need to find a way to leave before anyone finds out.

Why I love it: Hmmm okay so maybe I really like a good Jason & Tim relationship. But objectively. This is great. Peak siblings relationships. The threat of Getting In Trouble forcing an emergency alliance between two mutually annoyed siblings who scramble to hide something? Peak comedy.

Excerpt: ‘Okay, sorry. I didn’t mean it like that either,’ he pinched the bridge of his nose, ‘I just mean. Don’t worry about me being in pain. I’m fine. And don’t worry about looking like an asshole. You shot me, you already look like an asshole. But that’s fine because now we’re even.’ Jason sighed at the kid’s sour expression. So his words of reassurance needed some work, sue him.

--

Into the Brighter Night, by @shoalsea (https://archiveofourown.org/works/20935463) Chapters: 12/12, 162,894 words G, No Archive Warnings Apply

Main Characters: Tim Drake, whole batfam, Young Justice team

Type of gen relationship: familial and friends

Official summary: When an unknown enemy threatens Robin, Gotham's vigilantes come together to keep him safe. Unfortunately, they're protecting the wrong Robin. Or: Tim Drake plans his own rescue. Things get complicated.

Why I love it: Oooooh not just batfam this time. Tim is way too competent, and the Young Justice have his back (and a lot of resentment towards the batfam). Hyperactive Young Justice energy, Very Good Characterization, miscommunication (as in Bruce -the whole batfam really- is trying but they're super bad at clearly expressing feelings). And the tone of it? The writing? Hilarious and rips your heart out. This is super interesting interconnected character dynamics (with the batfam and Tim's team that's so many more different relationships than usual) and a deep look at canon events, all of it wrapped in hilarious dialogue. One of my fave Tim-centric fics, and I've read some very good ones.

Excerpt: [Impulse on a long distance call with the batfam - minus Tim] Jay makes a disbelieving sound. “You’re telling me that Red Robin—Mr. Responsibility himself—helped you hide and maintain a secret spaceship for years? Seriously?” “Uh, yeah? Duh?” “No offense,” Duke says, “but that doesn’t really sound like the guy we know.” Bruce sighs. Stephanie huffs out a laugh. Impulse just looks unimpressed. “Are we talking about the same person? Robin numero tres, currently Red? The same guy who once hid an extra Batmobile in the batarang budget and shipped it to California in secret? The same guy who founded Young Justice, an unauthorized vigilante group of teens that started out with no adult supervision? And lied to the Justice League and the government to keep Secret safe?” “Secret?” Duke says at the same time Jay sputters out, “He stole a whole Batmobile?” “More like embezzled,” Impulse says. “But yeah, dude, it’s Rob. I know he gives off the straight-and-narrow vibe, like, 90% of the time he’s interacting with the public or authority figures, but that’s mostly because it’s way, waaaay easier to get away with stuff if you don't ‘openly project an air of defiance.’” “Oh my god,” Stephanie says. “He’s given you that speech too?” “He’s given us multiple versions of that speech,” Impulse says. Stephanie’s turned away from the screen now and is explaining to Duke, “Red Robin is kind of the definition of ‘I do what I want,’ but most of the time what he wants to do is at least nominally reasonable or responsible, so no one cares.” “And when somebody does care,” Impulse says, “you just gotta be sneaky and smart. Comply until their backs are turned, you know? I mean, even with the Titans we—what?” he pauses, spinning his chair, clearly distracted by something off-screen. “No, I’m just talking to the Bats. I think there’s a whole flock of them.” Conner Kent wanders into view, towelling off his hair and wearing what looks like some kind of maintenance jumper. “‘Sup,” he says to the camera, leaning in. “Superman’s not there, is he?” “Nope,” Impulse says. “Thank god. Where’s Rob?” “Batnap.” Conner puts his hands on his hips. “Dude. Weren’t you supposed to wake him up?” Impulse spins in his chair again. “Wonder Girl said not to.” “What, and he agreed?” “No. He might have been unconscious at the time. Which, technically, means Wonder Girl is in charge.” Conner groans. “He’s gonna kill you.” Turning to the camera, he adds, “Look, sorry about this, I’ll go get him.” “Heynowaitaminute,” Impulse says. “Listen. I’m the captain, you gotta at least hear me out!” Conner rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t move. “Everything is still going according to plan, okay? Rob did in fact say that we should one hundred percent wake him up as soon as we could get a call through. True. But Wonder Girl said to let him sleep. And he definitely needs it.” “Yeah, but, again, he’s gonna be pissed if—” “Listen. I have thought this through.” When Conner just looks skeptical, he adds, “I have! I worked it out logically. See, if we wake up Rob, Wondy’s gonna be pissed off. At us. Right now. If we don’t wake him up, he’s gonna be pissed off later and he’s gonna be mad at her, not us. Therefore, we should do what Wonder Girl says.”

--

Beef Consommé, by @vamillepudding (https://archiveofourown.org/works/42348438) Chapters: 2/2; 14.230 words T, Chose Not To Use Warnings

Main Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Dick Grayson

Type of gen relationship: siblings

Official summary: Parenting is Bruce's thing, and Jason isn't planning on messing with that. But when Bruce fails to spot the countless red flags about Tim's home life, it falls to Jason to step up. Of course it does. Because he's literally the only one in his family who knows how to be responsible, and if Dick disagrees, he can suck it.

Why I love it: I have a weakness for the "Dick and Jason team up and adopt Tim" trope. Also, I love Jason's voice in it. (and this fic is very funny but I feel like I'm repeating myself)

Excerpts: “Pizza?” Tim repeats, sounding hopeful. Jason is on the verge of telling him to go screw himself, but then he starts wondering how long Tim has been in his apartment and whether he ate dinner before he came here. Probably not. Did he eat lunch? Should Jason ask? What would Dick do? “Fine,” he says eventually. “But I’m picking the toppings, and you can’t have dessert.” There’s a beat. “I didn’t want dessert,” Tim says, voice taking on a bewildered edge. “What are you talking about?” - It’s Wednesday evening and Jason is getting pizza. Dick’s waiting back in Jason’s apartment, because growing up with Bruce has him used to getting waited on hand and foot, and apparently he thinks Jason is his own personal servant or something. It’s oppression, is what it is. “It’s not oppression,” Dick yells after him just before Jason closes the door, “it’s called losing a coin toss, asshole!”

--

Birds on Jaybird Street, by @cynassa (https://archiveofourown.org/works/39115587) Chapters: 4/4, 14.717 words T, No Archive Warnings Apply

Main Characters: Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake

Type of gen relationship: Siblings

Official summary: Jason is both annoyed and weirdly flattered when the replacement turns up to ask him for help. He mentally rearranges his calendar so he can be free Wednesday evening and says, “No, fuck off, I have very important business going on.” Tim eyes his 72” TV playing Japanese wrestling more judgmentally than it really deserves. “Important crime things,” Jason emphasizes. “Make Wingdick do it.” Jason doesn't think much of it when Tim needs his help, or Damian moves in, or even when Dick turns up looking beat all to hell. But at some point he realizes that he might be the best option his brothers have to recover from the cycle of violence that Batman has set up, and all he can think is that things were much easier when he was the villain.

Why I love it: In which Dick and Jason decide to adopt Tim and Damian (Jason's kind of an asshole, but a caring one). Kind of the same reason as the previous one: love that trope, love the tone, very funny.

Excerpt: Jason lies, "Sure, I'll take it up with Bruce " "Sure you will, " Tim scoffs. Jason changes his mind, and decides he will take it up with Bruce. "I don't have the time to keep being your nanny," he announces and then says, disapprovingly, "you skateboard, why don't you have knee and elbow pads?" "I'm Robin," Tim snaps, like he didn't put pants on the costume like a little wuss.

[oreo-oro-orero]

Bad Ending Prelude

A bed ending excerpt for @redrum-alice dating sim au

"A Predator Lurks"

Ekko laughed, a sweet sound that you've grown attached to ever since you started to hang out with him. You couldn't help but notice that when he was around everything seemed to get so much brighter.

Ekko: "You know, I'm happy you were able to make it. usually it's just me and Jinx at these god awful pep rallies but it's nice to have another friend to share our misery with."

You chuckle and agree but a small part of you lingers on that "Friend" word. It's odd really, you didn't even realize you were falling for him that's how he gets you. Just like a sweet dessert, you take one bite and then you're hooked.

"Well..you know what they say...misery loves company"

You say as your hand slowly but surely makes its way onto his thigh. He gives you a quick smile and soon focuses his attention back on the rally.

Just then a shiver ran down your spine and you instantly recognized the feeling. It's exactly the same as when she walked you home, the darkness in her eyes, the uncaring gaze that somehow pierced your soul, the hint of pink that mixed with cold blue. She didn't say much when she was staring at you. Her hand gripping your wrist almost threatening to break it. She only said two words.

"He's Mine."

You quickly excuse yourself and make your way to the bathroom, your breath fast and nerves on edge.

You lock the stall door and calm yourself as best you can. What were you thinking? Of course she would be watching, for God sake you knew she would be. She said she wanted to go up the second level of the gym to get a better look at the rally but she....Then it hit you...this was a test...a test to see if you would take her advice. That you would stay away but you didn't. You took a bite of that dessert and now you wanted more. It was a test and you failed it with flying colors.

You steady your nerves enough to leave the stall and exit the bathroom. You'll just go home, yeah that's it. Sneak out the back of the school and run home as fast as you can. You can text Ekko and tell him you had a stomach ache an-

Jinx: "You know...I told you that you should've packed your own lunch, damn near everybody knows to bring food from home on casserole day."

Your heart stopped and that familiar feeling of dread coated your spine. There she was, standing right in front of you, leaning on the wall. Her ocean blue braids scraped the floor as she fiddled with her candy colored nails.

Jinx: "I have to say, you were getting pretty handsy with my Tuff-Tuff." Jinx said not even looking up from her nails.

"Jinx I...you know that I would never-"

Jinx: "tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk, even after we had our little talk and even after you promised that you wouldn't try any more shit, you still test your luck. I expected better from you."

Her words were cold and blunt, this was a far cry from the energy filled ball of chaos that you've grown to know

"Jinx I know I messed up but it wasn't anything like that, I swear....I...I"

You try to find your voice again but your throat has gone dry.

Jinx: "Ekko really seems to like you, so we'll just call this strike two, I'll tell him you got a bloody nose and went home."

You look at her in shock, she's...she's letting you go?

"O...okay...but my nose isn't bleeding, what am I gonna tell the teachers"

And just like that you find yourself on the ground, Jinx standing over you. You smell metal and soon a sharp pain rings throughout your face. You instinctively hold your nose as blood gushes from it and as you do you see through tears stained eyes that your blood is on Jinx's knuckles. How did she get over to you so fast? It felt like you just blinked and-.

Before you could finish your thought you felt a cold hand grab your busted nose and squeeze but before you could let out a scream, your mouth was covered by another hand. Soon you find yourself staring at eye level with those Azure eyes and that cold stare.

Jinx: "You tell them you have a broken nose silly."

Jinx says a hint of glee peaking out from the ever present coldness she's meeting you with up until now.

Jinx: "I don't like repeating myself but I'll do it anyway. I'm not going to let you take him away from me. We've already been split up before and I'll be damned if I'm going to let some wannabe street trash split us up again, he's mine mine mine mine. Do I make myself clear.

You nod your head and Jinx lets go of your broken nose and uncovers your mouth

Jinx: "Good, run along now and oh!"

Jinx goes into the bathroom and emerges with a clump of paper towels in her hand, she dumps them on you ask she walks past you to the rejoin the rally and Ekko

Jinx: "For the road. That's pretty nasty break, you should really be careful next time. Those bathroom floors are always so wet."

She says that hint of glee peaking out again. Blue braids disappear up the steps and you slowly get up and cover your nose with tissues.

"strike two...how many...how many do I have left"

[setmeatopthepyre]

Bucktommy breakup (arc) mix

I started making this playlist pretty much right after 8x06 in order to cope with all the feelings, first just throwing together some songs, later structuring them into their own little emotional arc. Prepare for all the stages of grief but with a generous sprinkle of love, more than a few winks, nods and references, and a dash of hope for reconciliation at the end. Song list with lyric highlights below. Bon appetit!

(There's a couple of references and half-jokes hidden here and there, so let me know if you catch those. Also if you're curious at all about any of my choices or why a certain song is included, please ask me. I love yapping about this shit and have 100% overthought this playlist a million times.)

--

Built to Break (Glitterfox) - Every thread is bound to fray / I can't outrun the ending

if this was a movie.. (Kacey Musgraves) - If this was a movie / You'd run up the stairs / You'd hold my face / Say we're being stupid / And we'd fall back into place

Plain Sailing Weather (Frank Turner) - This was supposed to be easy / I found the one damn person to help me fall asleep in the night

Smalltown Boy [Bronski Beat cover] (Orville Peck) - But the answers you seek will never be found at home / The love that you need will never be found at home / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away

Scared (Joywave) - I wanna touch you but I'm scared / I really love you though, I swear / I had another nightmare / Covered in sweat and unprepared / I woke and you weren't there

La da da (Glitterfox) - I don't know what to say / My head gets in the way / I don't know what to feel / Only learned to conceal

Let Me Drown (Orville Peck) - I swear there's good things that are coming your way / And I can't be the one left here, dragging you down

Stick Season (Noah Kahan) - I thought that if I piled something good on all my bad / That I could cancel out the darkness I inherited from dad / Now I'm no longer funny 'cause I miss the way you laugh / You once called me forever, now you still can't call me back

Why Would You Be Loved (Hozier) - It's only said to be kind, the time that you have with love / You're never told, but you're loaned it // Why would you play it all on something as hollow as trust? / What if you gave it all to find that it wasn't enough?

San Andreas (Louise Burns) - The San Andreas fault line tells me stories from below / California misery in this angel town of gold

Feels Like a Lie (Joywave) - It'd be human to let it go someday / But I've got it stored above my rib cage

camera roll (Kacey Musgraves) - Chronological order and nothing but torture / Scroll too far back, that's what you get / I don't wanna see 'em but I can't delete 'em / It just doesn't feel right yet

How Far Will We Take It? (Orville Peck & Noah Cyrus) - I tried to love you, just couldn't break through / No getting used to living without you / 'Cause I've been waiting, don't wanna waste it / We're all alone now, how far will we take it?

Black Treacle (Arctic Monkeys) - And I tried last night to pack away your laugh / Like a key under the mat / But it never seems to be there when you want it

Recovery (Frank Turner) - I know you are a cynic, but I think I can convince you / Broken people can get better if they really want to / Or at least that's what I have to tell myself if I am hoping to survive

We Are All We Need (Joywave) - I was a boy who kept a list of everybody who wouldn't let me in / Sense of humor now about it / But there's a jadedness where love should have been

No Such Thing (Sara Bareilles) - Thin air, you're out there in it somewhere / If I could only get there / I could breathe again // I've tried to get over you / But I think there's no such thing

First Time (Hozier) - Before I heard it from your mouth / My name would always hit my ears as such an awful sound

Ever You're Gone (Orville Peck & Teddy Swims) - This anxious heart of mine / Gets me in and out of trouble so many times / And I keep losing pieces each time I try / I burned enough bridges to light my way home

Wanna Be Loved (The Red Clay Strays) - I just wanna be loved / I've been afraid and I've been alone / Sometimes I need someone to pick up the phone / I'm tired of leaving / I need a home

Timefighter (Lucy Dacus) - And I fought time / It won in a landslide

No Witnesses (Keaton Henson) - So I wrote down a list of all the things / We've never spoken of / And I wrote "Man, I hate Los Angeles" / And I've never been in love

Love is a Laserquest (Arctic Monkeys) - When I'm hanging on by the rings around my eyes / And I convince myself I need another / For a minute, it gets easier to pretend that you were just some lover

Haven't Been Doing So Well (Frank Turner) - And if self-loathing was a sport I'd be Muhammad Ali / 'Cause I can sting like a butterfly and sink like a bee / But they don't hand out medals to monsters like me

787 Dreamliner (Joywave) - I'm feeling dizzy just from the view / Got another six lives to lose / Before my final descent is through / Before I find my way back to you

Hot & Heavy (Lucy Dacus) - When I went away, it was the only option / Couldn't trust myself to proceed with caution / The most that I could give to you is nothing at all / The best that I could offer was to miss your calls

Burning House (Cam) - I had a dream about a burning house / You were stuck inside / I couldn't get you out / Laid beside you and pulled you close / And the two of us went up in smoke

Don't Keep Driving (The Paper Kites) The distance between us is half of this city / Don't keep on driving, let me say something / There's nothing wrong with a little space / But not right now, don't leave / Don't push me away

On Board (Alana Henderson & Joshua Burnside) - And if you came on board / I know you'd scan for the safety of a lighthouse blink / Any port in a storm, love / You promise you won't falter / But I know I've seen men sink

I Know (King Princess & Fiona Apple) - You can use my skin / To bury secrets in / And I will settle you down

Canyon (JOSEPH) - Take me to your darkest corner / Show me what you're trying to hide / I've got a little fear / But it's the reverent kind

Back At Your Door (Orville Peck & Debbii Dawson) - I'm sure the deadbolt's turned / But baby, if it weren't / I'd come quiet up the staircase / Slip into your arms / Like I was never gone

Watchman (Gregory Alan Isakov) - So take me however I seem to be / Haunted, I know

Francesca (Hozier) - My life was a storm since I was born / How could I fear any hurricane?

Noise in My Head (spookyghostboy) - Sit in the dark for a while / Look for your name on my phone / My thumb hovers over the button / It rings and you say, "Hello"

Orpheus (Sara Bareilles) - Don't stop trying to find me here amidst the chaos / Though I know it's blinding, there's a way out

Late To You (Keaton Henson) - All these years of running / Of running away / I've been looking for something / For something to feel this way

The Way I Tend To Be (Frank Turner) - But then I remember you / And the way you shine like truth in all you do

Saint Honesty (Sara Bareilles) - We're collecting evidence / Of one remarkable storm / How wild it was to find it, finally feel the climate / Instead of only staying dry and warm

[a-little-bit-of-tradition]

Two years after his departure from Chicago P.D., Jesse Lee Soffer is staying within the Dick Wolf universe for his big return to series television. As the new team leader of CBS' globe-trotting police procedural, FBI: International, Soffer officially moves on from Detective Jay Halstead, the character he played from 2013 to 2022, and begins a fresh chapter as Agent Wesley "Wes" Mitchell.

Discussions did take place between Soffer and showrunner Matt Olmstead, who oversaw the first five seasons of P.D., about whether Jay could feature prominently on FBI: International. After all, the One Chicago and FBI franchises are invariably linked, thanks to a P.D.-FBI crossover episode in 2020. "We joked about it," Soffer told TV Guide. "It was never out of the cards to come back one day." While viewers won't be seeing him flashing his badge as Jay in the streets of Budapest, there is plenty to discover about Wes, whom Soffer describes as unconventional, unaffected, and playing by his own rules.

Ahead of Soffer's debut on FBI: International, the actor opens up about why he signed on to lead the CBS procedural after Luke Kleintank's exit, the differences between Jay and Wes, and why he's okay with forever being associated with his P.D. character.

TV Guide: Did you ever imagine that you would find yourself leading another Dick Wolf series?

Jesse Lee Soffer: It was never out of the cards, even when I left P.D. It was not out of the cards to come back one day. I love that character and he's always going to be in my bones, and I was really grateful to Dick, Peter Jankowski, Anastasia Puglisi, and everybody at Wolf for the opportunity to direct P.D. And then I was like, I kind of want to go back and start acting again. So it wasn't a huge surprise. The surprise was that it was in Budapest.

What led you to say yes to FBI: International and decide that this was the show you wanted to come back for?

Soffer: It's a really fun show. It's really cinematic. I played a cop for so long on [P.D.], and Wes is another cop but he has less baggage than Halstead. It just seemed like a great fit. [Showrunner] Matt [Olmstead] called me after I got the offer and we talked about it. I get to bring a veteran vibe of a guy who knows what he's doing and does things his own way. And I get to bring that energy to this team and that was a fun opportunity.

It's been established that the One Chicago and FBI franchises exist in the same universe after Tracy Spiridakos' P.D. character appeared in an FBI episode in 2020. You're playing a completely new character here. Was there ever a discussion — even a fleeting one — about whether you would play Halstead again?

Soffer: Am I allowed to talk about this? [Pauses] We joked about it. And Hailey Upton's character did a crossover on FBI, so hypothetically her character exists in this universe. But the other joke is that, if she ever showed up on International, Wes would be like, "Do I know you?"

How vital was it for you to familiarize yourself with FBI: International before stepping onto set?

Soffer: I watched a lot of episodes. I watched almost the whole run of the show, I think.

How do you describe Wes? How do you want to introduce your character to audiences?

Soffer: Wes is an ex-cop who's been an FBI agent and was Vo's training officer, so they have an interesting dynamic. He was hard on her, which comes full circle because now she's grateful for that tutelage and she's the one that brings him in. He does things his own way. He doesn't always follow procedure, which gets him into trouble, but his attitude is there's no trouble you can't work your way around. He's always going to, unconventionally, get the job done. I love how carefree he is and his easygoing attitude of, "We're just gonna keep moving forward and get the job done." I'm used to brooding a lot and carrying a lot of baggage, so it's a breath of fresh air.

You alluded to it, but how does Wes compare to Halstead in terms of mannerisms, personality, and how he approaches work?

Soffer: They might hold a gun the same way. But I think their attitudes are really different. I think Halstead was more aggressive, more brooding, had darker thoughts, and Wes is more unaffected and enjoying himself a little more.

What kind of leader is Wes since he's coming in to eventually lead the Fly Team?

Soffer: He's a lead-by-example guy. He's doing his thing and he's going to get the job done. You might like it, you might not like it. But this is how it's going to go.

How would you describe the team dynamic?

Soffer: There's apprehension, there's uncertainty. Smitty is like, "Oh god, he's gonna get us in so much trouble." There are a lot of different dynamics to play out. And the Vo dynamic because there's a backstory and a history there. That ends up being an interesting partnership.

That leads me to my next question. Because he was Vo's training officer, is that a relationship or a partnership people should keep an eye on as it evolves?

Soffer: Yeah, it's definitely something to keep an eye on. She keeps him in line. But because he operates by his own set of rules, sometimes she's got to talk some sense into him and he lets her. He respects her. He respects the agent that she is now and if she tells him he's out of line, he'll go, "OK, I'm out of line. Got it." It's kind of like a big brother-little sister [dynamic].

Are there any other interesting dynamics that develop in the early part of the season?

Soffer: There's a budding friendship with Raines. There's constant frustration with Smitty trying to hold him back. Wes is a bull in a china shop and she's like, "Put a leash on this guy." But I think she likes him and respects that he gets the job done. There's a fun episode where Tate goes undercover and he promotes her, not literally a promotion, but she gets to do some field work.

How have you adapted to filming in Budapest?

Soffer: We get to film in locations where I'm sitting [somewhere] having lunch, or I'm doing lines with a friend, and we're in this beautiful setting. But the tricky part is I can't find the right protein mix. Like, I can't find my brand and that's the hardest part about the job.

Which locations have stood out to you so far?

Soffer: We were in Portugal. We're going to Paris. There are rumors of various places in the U.K. we might go. It's such a fun adventure. Two episodes from now, you're like, "Wait, where are we going to be?" It's really cool.

Another perk of this job, right?

Soffer: And really good coffee. Really good coffee in Budapest. I live above a coffee shop so it's a nice perk.

For people who watched you on Chicago P.D. and are now tuning into FBI: International, they may still associate you with Halsted. Are you OK with that?

Soffer: This is a different thing. Of course Halstead is always going to be in my blood and my bones, and there will always be an association with that [character], I'm sure, for some people. But I hope that the fans watch this and [realize] it's a new attitude, it's a new energy, it's a new vibe, and that's what this is.

Lastly, what do you want people to know about your introduction?

Soffer: I hope they're excited. The one thing I'll say is, I want people to tune in. More eyeballs, that's what we want. The first few episodes are high intensity, action-packed. It's exciting and this new character, Wes, is carefree, fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants, and doesn't do things by the book. He's carefree about procedure and unaffected in that way. Tragedy strikes and he's even more carefree [moving forward]. It's going to be a treat for the fans.

[nanamin-nah-nanamine]

This is for the matchmaking, I'm a non-binary person in my early 20 who is extremely introverted, i struggle with social situations when I'm alone, i also struggle with depression and anxiety which makes life rather hard, i have been diagnosed with autism so when i get interested in something that tends to be my main interest for months if not a year or more. I am a very emotional person i cry at everything and anything honestly, due to being diagnosed with Autism very late in my life i have spent a lot of time masking, to make myself appear as normal as possible, so much so that i don't even know what I'm actually like normally. Even though i am a very anxious person i have a major case of Resting Bitch face, so much so that some of my friends told me they were scared of talking to me at first because they thought i look mean.

I'm a very creative person, i love expressing myself in ways that don't have anything to do with talking, i also love fashion and i usually dress in a mix of goth and comfy clothes, though comfy clothes usually overtake my need to look fancy due to major dysphoria so i usually opt for large hoodies. My hair is currently in a chin long undercut which is a kind of very light pink/purple due to the colour fading over time, i have green eyes, wear glasses and have a septum as well as tattoos. I'm also currently a major in art and Theatre, mostly focused on painting. I am a theater kid at heart, i love musicals and have acted in a few myself. I'm also Pansexual so i will literally just go for anyone I'm interested in no matter the gender.

Hi pookie! I apologize for the wait cause finals were a bitch but they’re finally DONE

Aight now lets get into this

Due to the information provided you will be matched up with…🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

My lovely chosito osito!!(ignore everything that’s happened in 259😀)

Okay now walk with me🚶🏾‍♀️

I feel like you and Choso would really vibe together for numerous reasons. Choso is an eldest sibling so he’s incredibly patient and he’s proven to be very nurturing so I feel as though it would be second nature for him to always be thinking about you and how things might affect you. I think lil homie also has anxiety so he would be able to relate to you on that level, and since so much of this world is completely new to him you guys would be able to bond over the lovely overstimulation of day to day life.

From one autistic person to another I really feel like Choso would understand a lot more than some of the other characters? Idk I just get that vibe from him. He’s very blunt and straightforward, doesn’t cut corners in his explanations and he’s also got one hell of a resting face so I feel like he wouldn’t take lack of expression personally if you’re ever feeling burnt out.

Like I mentioned prior this boy is 🗣️NURTURING

He basically had to sub in as mom,dad,brother for all of those siblings so he’s got you bby don’t worry. I feel like he can be really protective and overbearing at times though but if that crosses a like for you then you just need to let him know. He’s no stranger to tears and he has no problem scooping you up in his arms and letting you cry it out.

If you wanna yap about a new hyper fixation you better believe Choso will listen!! The world is new and exciting and even though the bright lights and media tend to give him headaches, he can’t get enough of you relaying him the information because he’s kinda obsessed with you ngl.

Y’all with be THAT alt introverted couple who everybody is kind of scared of but are actually sweethearts. Once Choso figured out about department stores and piercing parlors it’s over for you bitches.

He thinks your tattoos are so cool and he’s kinda just like fascinated by the entire process. If you ever choose to get more he would wanna go with you but he’d be holding your hand and staring at the tattoo artist like this 😠

I also feel like he would definitely respect your pronouns once he wrapped his head around them because he is just not from this era so it’ll take him a bit😭 it’s genuinely just pure ignorance and not disrespect but he WILL get the hang of it.

Activities you do together include….

•going to see musicals and live theatre(he will be enchanted or overstimulated, it’s a 50/50 on this one)

•staying inside✨(a fan favorite)

•p i e r c i n g d a t e s

•painting!! More or less so him watching you paint but it’s the thought that counts🥰