#unplanned writings

[steveseddie]

when the clock strikes twelve

written for @steddieholidaydrabbles “midnight” & @steddiebingo 12 days of christmas mini event “carol” | rated: t | wc: 1000 | tags: different first meeting, post season 2, new year’s kiss

read on ao3

It’s five minutes to midnight when Steve steps into the bathroom at Tina’s house.

If he’d known that coming to her New Year’s Eve party would mean welcoming the new year alone in the same bathroom where his girlfriend called their relationship bullshit, Steve would’ve stayed home.

“If it isn’t the King of Hawkins,” a voice says, startling Steve and making him turn around, his heart hammering in his chest. But it’s not a demodog or fucking Billy Hargrove, just Eddie Munson sitting on the sink with his legs swinging back and forth.

“Munson.”

“Welcome to my office, Your Highness,” Eddie says with a dorky salute.

Steve glances around them. “Your office?”

“This is where I do business, you see,” he says, flipping the lid of his metal lunchbox. “Isn’t that why you’re here?”

Steve hangs a hand from his neck. “No, uh, I’m hiding from someone.”

Eddie perks up with interest. “Who?”

“Carol Perkins.”

“Your buddy Tommy’s girl?”

Steve’s nose wrinkles. “He’s not my buddy anymore and she’s not his girl either. And for some reason Carol thinks the best way to get back at him for being a dick is to kiss me at midnight.”

“And you don’t want that?” Steve shakes his head. “Thought you and Wheeler were done– or are you not over her yet? Don’t worry, big boy. There’s still time for that New Year’s resolution.”

“Shut up,” Steve says, a blush creeping up his cheeks. “It’s not about Nancy, I just don’t want to kiss the first girl who throws herself at me, you know?”

“I do not, Your Majesty,” Eddie says with an amused snort. “I’ve never participated in such activities.”

Steve tilts his head in question. “Kissing someone on New Year’s?”

Eddie looks away, nervously playing with a rip on his jeans. “Or you know, ever.”

He can’t see the way Steve’s eyebrows shoot up but he probably hears the surprise in his voice when he asks, “You’ve never kissed anyone?”

Eddie purses his lips. They’re nice lips, Steve observes. It’s a shame no one has kissed them. “No, Harrington. Go ahead and laugh it up,” he says, his voice clipped.

“I’m not laughing! I’m just–” Confused that someone as hot as you hasn’t kissed anyone. Steve clears his throat, his blush getting worse with that thought even if Eddie can’t read his mind. “I mean. Why haven’t you?”

Eddie scoffs. “People aren’t exactly lining up to kiss the town’s freak,” he says. Then hesitates before he adds, “Specifically guys.”

So the rumors about Munson are true. “Oh.”

The confession makes Steve blush, despite Eddie being the one who admitted something. He doesn’t know what to say. He’s afraid he’ll open his mouth and something stupid will come out. Something like– ‘I’m here! I’m a guy!’

So he stays silent, which makes Eddie wary.

“That’s it? You’re not gonna run? Call me names? Punch me?”

Steve can see that his shoulders are tense, his knuckles white where they’re gripping the sink tightly. It’s like he’s getting ready to run in case Steve reacts badly.

But running away or punching Eddie couldn’t be further away from what Steve wants to do right now.

“No, I–”

“Ten seconds to midnight!” Someone yells downstairs.

“I– I want to do something else,” Steve admits, his voice wavering slightly. He hesitantly steps closer to Eddie, who narrows his eyes.

“What?”

“Five seconds!” The same voice yells and the crowd joins the countdown.

“Four!”

Steve stands directly between Eddie’s legs.

“Three!”

He puts his hands on Eddie’s waist.

“Two!”

Steve raises his eyebrows in a silent question– is this okay?

“One!”

Eddie gives a tiny nod.

And then Steve swoops in, pressing his lips against Eddie’s as the crowd downstairs cheers and Eddie’s watch starts beeping.

Somewhere in the distance, fireworks go off but Steve could swear he can feel them inside him when Eddie kisses back, looping his arms around his neck.

Steve tilts his head, determined to give Eddie a good first kiss. He licks softly at his bottom lip, making him gasp. Then he kisses him a little harder, softly touching Eddie’s tongue with his, feeling the way he shudders.

He knows this is probably longer than the usual New Year’s kiss but Steve doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to stop. And apparently neither does Eddie, who pulls Steve closer and drags his teeth across his bottom lip.

It’s only when they need to breathe that they break apart.

Eddie’s eyes stay closed longer and only flutter open when Steve cups his neck and strokes an idle thumb against his jaw.

He decides that dazed and kiss-drunk are a good look on him.

“Happy New Year,” he says with a lopsided grin.

Eddie snorts amusedly. “Yeah, Happy New Year.”

The noise downstairs starts to die down. People are probably going back to drinking and dancing, maybe even leaving. He could easily slip out without running into Carol, but he doesn’t want to, not unless–

“Hey, uh, do you wanna get out of here?” Steve blurts out.

Eddie blinks. “Me?”

He can’t help but roll his eyes. “No, the other guy I just made out with in the bathroom.”

“And here I thought I was special,” Eddie says with pouty lips– fuck, Steve wants to kiss them again.

So he does. Just a quick press of lips.

When he pulls back, he places another small kiss to the corner of Eddie’s mouth.

“Say yes,” he says before doing the same on the other side. “And I’ll show you special.”

Steve hears the way Eddie’s breath hitches and feels a smirk teasing at his lips.

Only for it to be wiped away by Eddie grabbing him by his neck and pulling him in for more than a press of lips.

Damn, he’s a fast learner.

“Yes,” Eddie says once he pulls back, giving him a shit-eating grin.

Steve sends a silent ‘thank you’ to Carol Perkins before reaching for Eddie’s hand to drag him out of there.

[emacrow]

The justice league were at their wits ends as Klarion had been reaking havoc for 8 and half months for some apparent reasons that even the villains had no idea why he was so upsets.

To the point they had Constantine who look like he went through fresh hell and was covered in a splattered of glowing green goop from head to toe (lararus pits..?), who just started writing on the floor in every star like constellation as he started chanting in the song to.. space is so cool?!?!

Only for it to actually work, as line white gloved like hand pull itself out going from eldritch horror to form itsslf into to a very pissed, and very pregnant looking floating..boy??

"KLARION, You %&#&×*$ #&@!!!" Shouted floating boy who just.. wait did he crossed the protection barrier around the summoning circle...?!?

Only for one of the bat, probably Tim to noticed klarion getting his ass grassed into the literal ground by this very pissed off entity.

"Look what you did to me, sweet gone with the wind jerk and not one message returned?!?!?

Most of the males in the Justice league and Villain group flinched when this obvious pissed off pregnant entity kicked klarion directly in the mother pearls.

As they slowly realized one thing all together.

oh... OH,.. Oh No..

Meanwhile Jason is in a chair with glowing green covered popcorn with Dani at his apartment watching this on live TV.

"Should we tell danny that Lex was taking klarion's mail for 8 months due to them being ectoplasm concentrated covered..?" Jason said as he munched on popcorn, watching mostly danny beating the absolute soul of poor klarion who is obviously didn't realize his danny was pregnant the entire time.

"Nah, let danny take his frustration out first, it only fair for him considering klarion owed him for forgetting their anniversary." Dani said eating a bucket of fudge brownies.

[livingdxadwriter]

This episode made me think about how Robby would react to finding out his fiancé is pregnant. Cause here’s the thing, she’s in her mid 30s, but he’s 50, and he’s gonna be a dad. He doesn’t understand why your stupid iud stopped working, that’s the whole point of that fucking thing. He’s trying to figure out exactly when and how that thing stopped working. It’s not like you fuck every waking moment. Well, you do more than someone his age should but that’s beside the point. He’s trying to figure out whether or not he might have possibly moved it out of place at some point and he’s mortified at the thought. But then again, he doesn’t quite know why it only happened now after being together for so long. But still, here you are, crying in your pjs as you hand him the positive test. I think he would honestly cry too. Whether it’d be of joy or if this will be his last straw, he’s not quite sure either.

[potatoplace]

Ours - Chapter 1

The Confirmation | part 2 | series masterlist

Poly+ SJM Week: Day 6 | @polysjmweek

Nesta x Pregnant!Reader x Cassian

Poly!ACOTAR x Reader Masterlist | Event Masterlist

Summary: Two months after Starfall, two months after you and your fiancée shared a bed with Cassian, and you're two months pregnant. Breaking the news to them goes as well as you could have hoped.

Warnings: unplanned pregnancy

Words: ~1.7k

Author's Note: sooo I think this shall be a mini series! Just cute fluffy stuff I think, Cass and Nesta worrying over you and all that cuteness. But I am sooo tired. It's almost 4am... I make bad choices lol. I hope you guys like it, lemme know if you're interested in seeing more parts! Read it on AO3!

18+ only pls

🤍🩶🤍❤️🤍

You sat on the cot, your mouth hanging slightly open. Madja was staring at you sympathetically, one of her hands still clutched tightly in yours.

“Are you sure?” you asked for the third time, wanting - no, needing to have it confirmed again.

“Yes, Y/N, you are pregnant. I know it’s not my place but…” the other fae paused. “Does Nesta… know?”

You sighed heavily, letting your face fall into your hands. “Yes, and no. She’ll know who, but she has no clue that I’m carrying his child.”

Nesta would definitely know, seeing as she had been the one to suggest both of you luring Cassian into your bed at Starfall a few weeks ago. And she certainly hadn’t forgotten about the… encounter, if her increased ire at Cassian whenever he was near you was any indication.

Madja nodded understandingly, most likely having experience with this kind of situation. “My only advice is to tell her and the father sooner, rather than later.” Blood rushed to your cheeks, but you nodded in agreement. “Good! Now, here’s a month’s supply of nutrient and anti-nausea potions, take them both in the morning with something light and you should feel fine. And if anything worries you at all, feel free to come in any time, Y/N,” Madja said warmly, handing a cloth bag filled with glass vials to you.

“Thank you, Madja.” You stood from the cot, giving her a small smile as you left her clinic. The sun warmed your face, though the winter winds swept away any comfort it brought you, and the glare off pristine white snow had given you a headache by the time you arrived home, at your and Nesta’s small cottage tucked back against the mountain that held the House of Wind.

Your boots were kicked off the moment you got inside, and you carefully set down the bag of potions on the ground so that you could shuck off your outer layers, leaving you in just a pair of cozy wool leggings and an oversized sweater. You heard Nesta, further in the house, and placed a soothing hand on your stomach, taking a deep breath before you walked towards the noise.

“Nesta?” you asked quietly once you saw her, currently stirring something that smelled good in a pan. “Can I… Can we talk for a minute?”

Nesta turned to face you, her golden brown hair styled in her signature braid crown, her steel eyes soft as she looked at you. “Of course, love, what is it?” she asked as she pulled you in by your waist, pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek.

She was so sweet, so nice to you, you couldn’t hold it back. “I’m pregnant,” you blurted out, watching as Nesta’s eyes widened in shock. She blinked at you, mouth opening and closing as she tried to find the words.

You were stood there, watching her for two minutes before a burning smell filled your nose, overtaking Nesta’s pleasant fire and snow scent. “Nes, the food,” you gasped, and she whirled around to find the sausages she’d been cooking completely charred on one side, quickly moving the pan to an unlit burner and blowing out the flame.

Teeth worried your lip as Nesta turned back to you, a tight look on her face. “You know I love you, and we’ve discussed having children together,” Nesta began, and your heart sank. “I’m just not sure that I’ll be able to handle Cassian being the father,” she whined, her arms wrapping around you.

“Nes,” you cried, burying your face in her shoulder, tears welling in your eyes. “You’re… You’re not mad?” you hiccupped when you pulled back.

Nesta’s eyes melted at your worry, and she pressed a firm kiss to your forehead. “Of course I’m not mad, Y/N. We were intimate with him together, and it’s… frankly it’s a miracle that you’re pregnant,” she said happily. “And the only part I’m not looking forward to is the father, but if you want him to be present and he does as well, I will… I will embrace it as much as I can.”

You pressed a kiss to her lips, overjoyed with how she had taken the news. “If he’s open to it, I would like to have him in the baby’s life,” you said shyly.

Nesta smiled at you and ran her hands over your shoulders. “Alright, then. We’ll tell him… After the next family dinner?” You made a face and shook your head at the suggestion. “Right, that could end very poorly… We could send him a note and ask him to meet us… here?” She asked, her brow quirked.

“That could work,” you said before pulling Nesta close again, hugging her tightly. “Should we write it now?”

“Now is good… Before I convince myself to distract you long enough you can’t tell him,” Nesta giggled, though you could sense the truth behind her words.

The two of you sat down at the dinner table, writing five drafts before finally settling on a final one:

Cassian,

Please come visit our house tonight at seven for dinner, we have something we’d like to tell you.

Nesta and Y/N

Simple and to the point, your magic had it sent to him after Nesta sealed it with wax - the seal the two of you had designed for your upcoming wedding ceremony.

For the rest of the day, Nesta kept you snuggled up in bed with her, switching between reading the latest romance novels and laying her head and hands on your stomach, pressing sweet kisses to your skin. You discussed whether you wanted a boy or girl, both of you wanting a baby girl, but happy with either as long as they were healthy.

When dinner time rolled around, you and Nesta had made pasta and a salad, and Nesta had made you sit at the table once seven rolled around, nervous about you being on your feet so long, even with you only being two months along.

A knock on the door had your heart racing, and Nesta took deliberately slow steps to not seem too… Eager. “Good evening, Cassian. Please, come in,” Nesta said cordially, and you felt the air shift as Cassian entered the house.

“I have to admit, I was surprised when I received your letter, the two of you have been avoiding me like the plague,” Cassian joked as Nesta led him into the kitchen, his eyes sparkling when they landed on you. “It’s lovely to see the both of you again, even if it is with clothes on,” he said with a wink in your direction, heat rushing to your cheeks despite yourself.

“It’s nice to see you too, Cassian,” you said lightly, motioning for him to sit down. “And like the letter said, we uhm… We have some things to discuss.”

“Oh?” Cassian asked as he pulled Nesta’s chair out for her, taking a seat a moment later. “Is it about how much Nesta’s obviously in love with me?” She scowled at him, which only seemed to egg him on. “Or did you invite me here to lure me into your bed again?” He asked with a wiggle of his brows, and Nesta slapped him on the arm.

“Shut up,” she groaned, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. “It’s neither of those, you idiot.”

“I’m hurt, Nesta, really,” he said, holding a hand to his heart as his wings flapped lightly behind him. “I thought you loved me,” Cassian groaned, a grin on his lips.

“Could you stop messing with her?” you asked, tapping his hand with yours. “The reason we asked you to come here is…” You took a deep breath, looking at Nesta who nodded encouragingly. “I’m pregnant, Cassian, and… It’s yours.”

Cassian inhaled deeply through his nose once, twice. And then a grin spread over his face. “Really? That’s- wow, that’s amazing! I-I’d love to be involved,” he said eagerly, before a look of horror spread over his face. “Oh, god, you do know about the risks of babies with wings, right?! Madja’s come a long way with treatments since Feyre’s pregnancy but it’s still a big factor to think abo-”

“Cassian,” Nesta said, placing a calming hand on his arm. “It’s okay, Y/N is seeing Madja for her care, she’ll be given everything she needs to get through this,” she reassured him, and he took a steadying breath.

“Good, that’s good,” he breathed. “So… Would you let me be involved?”

You shared a look with Nesta before answering him, happy to see her nod slightly. “Yes, Cassian, we would love that!" You squealed, giggling when he rushed around the table to take you in his arms, squeezing you tightly before suddenly releasing you, his hands finding their way to your stomach.

“Ah, shoot, I didn’t mean to squish the baby-”

“You didn’t squish the baby, you fool,” Nesta interrupted, pushing one of his hands off of your stomach to cover it with her own.

“Nes,” you said softly.

Nesta sighed at the look you gave her, begging her to try and be nice to Cassian. “Would you like some dinner, Cassian?”

Cassian grinned down at her. “I’d love some dinner, Nesta.”

You sat down, both Nesta and Cassian pushing your chair in for you, much to Nesta’s annoyance, but you found it endearing how much both of them wanted to take care of you.

Your hands went to grab the salad tongs, but were beaten to them by Nesta’s elegant fingers, and she plated some for you before getting salad for herself. And when you went to grab the spoon for the pasta, Cassian snatched it from your grasp, dishing your plate for you with a satisfied smile.

You sighed, a smile on your face. Already, you could tell that this would be a challenge for the both of them, but you knew it would be worth it in the end. Your baby will be the most loved child in the world, with parents like them, along with your own unconditional love.

Now if only you could get Cassian and Nesta to get along…

🤍🩶🤍❤️🤍

General Taglist: @daughterofthemoons-stuff @lilah-asteria @meritxellao @twismare @wrenisrad @icey--stars

[electricalhuzzah]

my brain is doing terrible horrible mental gymnastics trying to justify the science of impregnating stanford pines. horrible thought process in tags

[inazumass]

TAGS: Laios x Reader, Fluff, Comfort, Morning After, Canon Adjacent, Neurodivergent Laios Implied, Trust Issues, Mild Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Reader is a Beastman, Gender Neutral Reader, Second Person POV, It's Sweet I promise ;-;

While there was no doubt in your mind that you had crossed a boundary with Laios, it wasn’t like you could turn back now.

Part II to Animal Attraction Word Count: 8.8k

Morning came with little fanfare. 

This deep below the surface, there was neither the sun to rise nor any birds to sing their early morning songs. If it weren’t for the party keeping track of time, you wouldn’t have been able to tell if it were night or day based on your surroundings alone. Hours passed without the help of the sun to guide you through the day; morning slipped into evening without notice. Days passed on the surface, lives went on, and the clock in your bedroom still ticked onward without anyone to watch its hands creeping across its face. 

The lack of sunlight was disorienting in the early days of adventuring, but curiosity ultimately won out, and you’d pressed on and learned to live with it.

As you began to stir beneath the sleeping bags, it was the chill in the room that hit you first. 

Beneath the covers, it was nice and warm, but your cheeks stung, rosy from the crisp air filtering in from outside the worn building. Shivering slightly, you snuggled in closer to the warmth behind you. Scruffy ears lay closer to your head, aching from the cold already. Though it had settled down some since last night, it was that sort of bleak, damp cold that had a way of working itself into your bones. It would have been enough to make your fur stand on end if it weren't for the heat surrounding the rest of your body.

While your eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, you could feel the soreness creeping into your muscles from last night. The realisation that it hadn’t been a dream came rushing in, along with the dull ache in your muscles. Heat crept into your cheeks when the memories of last night began to flood your mind. The images of your little rendezvous were still so clear and fresh—every whispered word, every tender touch; the way he looked with his head thrown back against the pillows… every little sound he’d made that had butterflies swirling in your stomach.

It would be a lie to say that the thought of an intimate night with your party’s leader hadn’t crossed your mind before, but sitting here in bed the morning after, you still found it hard to believe. The weight of the realisation settled over you slowly, mingling in with the comforting warmth of the man next to you. His strong arm was still wrapped around your torso, holding you close even as he slept. It was gentle, innocent in comparison to the shameless images that whirled in your mind’s eye.

While there was no doubt in your mind that you had crossed a boundary with Laios, it wasn’t like you could turn back now. His breaths came steady against the back of your neck, oblivious to your inner turmoil as he slept soundly next to you. The subtle rise and fall of his sturdy chest was a steady rhythm against your back. 

You were careful not to wake him up as you turned your head toward him, gently shifting your body so you could catch a glimpse of his face. 

The adventurer’s cropped hair was a mess atop his head, the short, fluffy blond strands sticking up every which way against the pillows. He looked so sweet like this: content and peaceful. Soft pink lips parted slightly as he breathed, eyes closed, as he rested beside you beneath the worn sleeping bags. Pink cheeks and soft lips—under different circumstances, you weren’t sure you’d be able to resist kissing him awake.

Your stomach twisted. A big part of you worried about how he might react when he woke up.

You knew Laios was notoriously bad at reading social situations, and this was certainly a complicated one. This was new territory for both of you, and there was no telling what he might think of you now. Or what the others might think of you should they find out, for that matter. 

Then again, you knew him well enough to know his kindness. Even in the short time you’d been with their party, it was clear that he cared deeply about everyone on his team, yourself included. Whatever happened next, you would find a way to face it with as much grace as you could muster.

He’d always done his best to ensure the safety of his friends. He knew your strengths, your weaknesses, the best of your abilities, how to utilise them properly when it came down to it, and the areas where you could all improve if you just practised a little more. 

Laios knew what he could and couldn’t handle too, for the most part. But what if this one slip-up was enough to offset the delicate balance they’d all spent so long maintaining? What if this was beyond his limits? There was no telling what he might say after the fog of desire had lifted, when the dust settled and it was just the two of you laying naked together with everything out in the open.

The mixture of emotions was nigh on overwhelming. In another situation, you may have been poised to run already, to slip away into the morning sun and forget this ever happened, no matter how badly you wanted to stay. A walk of shame felt easier than facing the fact that it was more than just physical on your part. You had to take a deep breath to calm yourself down. Eyes closed, four seconds in, four seconds out. 

At very least, the rest of the party seemed to still be asleep. 

As hard as it was to hear through the stone walls of the old inn, you were certain that, with your sensitive hearing, you’d at least know if someone else happened to be awake already. There was no stirring yet. If anyone else were up by now, then you would have heard it. You would have heard Marcille trying to wake Izutsumi, the scrape of Senshi’s pan scraping across the wooden floorboards, or perhaps Chillchuck’s distant grumbling… but there was nothing.

The cavern outside was quiet, save for the distant dripping of water echoing through the tunnels—most likely the snow already beginning to melt. You’d have to remember to put on your warmer clothes when you got up to brave the day. 

You shifted slightly, trying to stretch your sore muscles without disturbing Laios. As you moved, his arm instinctively tightened around you. He could feel the warmth of your body against his, and it made him reluctant to break the peaceful silence that enveloped the room. Finally, he found his voice, still heavy with sleep, and murmured, "Good morning.”  

When he finally broke the stillness in the room, you could feel the way his voice rumbled up from deep within his chest. His voice was low and intimate in a way that made your heart twist in your chest. That lazy morning drawl you were rarely fortunate enough to hear. When he blinked himself awake, you were met with a tired version of his signature puppy dog gaze. The way he looked at you was as if he were taking everything in for the first time.

"Morning," you replied breathlessly, your heart skipping a beat as he opened his eyes. 

He felt your body tense slightly in response, a subtle movement that made his heart ache. 

Golden and warm, his eyes crinkled slightly at the corners as he offered you a lopsided smile. The expression was familiar and unfamiliar all in the same moment; that soft look had your breath catching in your throat. But there was something new within them—something different in the way he looked at you now—that strange something that comforted you and set you on edge in the same moment. 

The feeling of the tallman’s thick bicep curled against your waist was like a lifeline, keeping you tethered to this moment before you slipped too far into the whirlwind of self-doubt that threatened to overtake you. That gentle embrace which kept you pinned against the firm muscle and soft fat of his chest so comfortably. 

His musky scent flooded your nostrils, dizzying you in a way you couldn’t describe. You could feel the firmness of his muscles and the softness of his chest and stomach against your body. You wanted nothing more than to nuzzle back into him and fall back asleep right then and there, to deal with the aftermath of last night’s activities some other time. 

There was no running away now.

There was a small voice in the back of your mind that nagged at you, begging you to just up and ask. Would your little slip-up change anything between the two of you? A tiny piece of you hoped that it would, but knowing that the others could wake up at any moment, you thought better of asking. Better to keep your mouth shut for the time being.

You couldn’t help but look away from him then, finding the worn sleeping bags covering your still-naked bodies much less polarising than the thoughts racing through your mind. Some of the threads were frayed, sticking out at odd angles to show just how well loved the equipment was. 

The discomfort must have been obvious on your face because Laios's expression quickly shifted from drowsiness to a mixture of confusion and concern as he came to fully. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes searching yours.

He could see the mixture of emotions in your eyes—comfort, affection, and a hint of uncertainty. It mirrored his own feelings—that strange blend of comfort and anxiety, teetering on the brink of something wonderful and terrifying all at the same time.

Laios felt the gentle weight of your hand resting against his chest lift. His arm lay against your waist, palm flat against your hip as he held you close. To him it was your touch that was like a lifeline, keeping him tethered to this peaceful moment, to you. But when he realised something was off his arm loosened around your body before he moved to sit up in bed and ultimately, let you go completely.

"I'm fine," you reassured him with an awkward smile, making no move to pull away from him. The words felt wrong on your tongue, nearly catching in your throat before you had a chance to spit them out. Lying to him didn’t come easy, nevermind the fact that he could see right through you.

As much as you wanted to address the so-called elephant in the room, perhaps the two of you were right the night before. 

Maybe it would be better to pretend none of it ever happened, or maybe you were just fooling yourself. Perhaps it would be easier to rebuild that wall. Less heartache in the long run. 

"Just a bit sore." You added, it was a half truth.

His brow furrowed with worry immediately, realising something was off but unable to put his finger on what exactly. His thoughts began to race as he replayed the events of last night in his mind, nearly wincing at the thought of your halfhearted protests. "Did I hurt you?" 

Despite the stubborn thoughts from some frightened corner of your mind, you couldn’t help but soften at the way he looked at you. His drowsy eyes now widened against his hard features, his big hands flexing against the bed sheets as he tried to decide whether to reach out to you again or to stay still and give you your space. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he’d hurt you, even if it were by accident in the heat of the moment.

His eyes searched yours for a second, looking for any further signs of distress, but there was something there that he couldn’t quite read. By the time he caught it, you’d already ripped your gaze away again, looking down at the bed.

You shook your head quickly and sat up on your elbows, careful to cover whatever was left of your modesty with the bedding. 

“I’m okay,” You repeated, “Really. I…” You paused as your thought trailed off, the words getting caught in your throat this time as you looked up at him again.

You placed your hand over one of his on the bed, squeezing it lightly. 

Who were you kidding? When he looked at you like that, it was impossible not to tell him what was on your mind. After your heart-to-heart and all the little conversations you’d shared over the journey thus far, it would be wrong not to offer him that same trust in return. Perhaps some walls weren’t so easily rebuilt.

Deep breaths again. You looked away from him for the third time this morning. It was easier to get the words out when you couldn’t feel the burn of his eyes against your skin. 

“I’m just not really used to… uh… this?... y’know?” 

The words hadn’t quite come out right, if not a little awkward, but at least he was pretty sure he understood the gist of what you were alluding to. It was enough to get your point across, enough to ease the tension in his shoulders as his thumb rubbed against the back of your hand.

You didn’t know what to call the situation at hand, but putting it at face value, you weren’t exactly prone to sleeping with your coworkers. Sure, there was a little crush here and there, but that was natural.  Certainly, before him, you’d never even considered sleeping with one of your bosses , especially not on a job this important. 

Yet here you were, hand in hand, wondering where the hell to go from here.

Laios nodded slowly, the tension in his face easing a little. Although he couldn’t see in the dark as well as you could, he could see the way you cowered slightly as you said the words. He could see the way that you seemed to want to curl in on yourself again. He recognized that look from last night’s conversation—vulnerability wasn’t something that seemed to come easy to you.

Perhaps the others didn’t give him enough credit when it came to being able to read those he was close to, or maybe it was your more animalistic tendencies that were more familiar to him that made it easier. He wasn’t sure.

There was something in the way your fuzzy little ears flattened against your head—that sheepish, downcast gaze—that stirred something behind his sternum. With a stance like that, he’d be willing to bet you’d have had your tail between your legs in any other position, ready to bolt. He paused for a moment, seeming to gather his thoughts, before he offered up a soft admission.

“Me either.” 

It may not have seemed like much, but it was honest. He was looking away from you now too, his fingers slowly threading themselves through yours on the bed as he tried to find the courage to continue. 

For once, the quiet was getting to him; he wanted to hear your voice. That gentle tone you had in the early hours of the day threatened to lull him back to sleep. He’d always had trouble pulling his stare away from you when things were calm, though you and everyone else had simply chalked it up to his fascination with monsters and beasts. 

Lightly, you brushed a thumb over the back of his hand in return. It was an unconscious gesture, but that small show of comfort was enough contact to ease him into what he had to say. After all, it stands to reason that you’d already gone this far. He figured, what’s one more confession?

“I don’t exactly have a lot of experience with… this sort of thing either.” The blond admitted, nervously running his free hand through his tousled hair. It came to rest on the back of his neck for a moment, rubbing his muscles before he dropped it back down to his lap and picked at the fraying strings on the covers. 

He needed something to occupy his hands and keep him calm. Something to distract him from the way your attention settled over him now.

Sure, he wasn’t entirely clueless. He had been engaged at one point, after all.

It was completely different, though, probably not something he could compare this situation to even if he wanted to. It had been so long ago that it felt like another life, a blip on the timeline. Something that had been done to appease his parents for the time being. Something to keep the peace—if you could even call it that. 

It wasn’t as if he’d had any sort of long term relationship aside from that—hell, he hadn’t wanted one.

Still avoiding your stare, he forced himself to swallow the lump forming in his throat at the thought of what he was about to say to you. 

"About last night…”

You tensed beneath his grip, your blood practically running cold at those words. 

Nothing good ever followed a start like that, and you knew it. Though you weren’t particularly well versed in the way of one night stands, or romance for that matter, you had read that line countless times in novels before. You knew that nothing good ever came next. 

Even when you felt your throat tighten up, you swore to yourself that you would not permit the tears to sting your eyes. Not today, not now. 

You’d told yourself that if rejection came, you would find it within to accept it with grace, you could feign indifference. Stick to the plan and put on a brave face for the sake of all that you’d built with the group in your short journey alongside them. For the sake of the mission and your safe return to the surface.

Laios cleared his throat quietly, still trying to force the words up out of himself. 

“I want you to know that I care about you.” He added, and you looked away from him again. 

His eyes were soft. Pity , you thought. You couldn’t stand it, the thought threatening to have bile rising in your oesophagus. He must have felt sorry for you. Part of you wanted to scoff at him and tear your hand away, but you remained still. 

With grace, you reminded yourself.

“I know,” you replied quietly, hesitant to reciprocate his sentiment in fear of what came next.

Those words were sharp against his chest. Not exactly callous, not quite cold, but not what he’d expected either. The edge to your words cut deeper than he expected, leaving him questioning everything.

They sent a million different calculations running through his mind in an instant. Did he misunderstand your intentions somehow? Was he reading too much into all of this? Again, he found himself searching for the answers in your form. However, you had turned away a little bit more, your gaze hardening as you stared at the wall opposite the bed. 

He couldn't read your face now. It was as if you were poised to run away for real this time. Though you hadn’t yet let go of his hand, it felt like a physical barrier had been erected between you. Laios couldn’t read your expression anymore, and the uncertainty was maddening. It was like you’d shut down before he’d even begun. He was terrified he’d pushed you too far. Was he fucking this up entirely? 

“No, I don’t think you do.” He said it softly, struggling to keep his tone light. 

It wasn’t an accusation, but merely a fact.

There was a new edge to his voice, though, bitterness seeping across his tongue when he spoke despite his best efforts to keep it at bay. Laios didn’t snap often, but the idea that the one person who seemed to understand him the most in his current party could brush him off like that—especially in a moment of vulnerability—had his resolve weakening. 

His words held no malice that you could detect. In fact, if you didn’t know any better, you might think he sounded… hurt? 

Oh.

You looked back at him then, brows knit together with concern as you looked up at his face. His expression was somewhere between sadness and confusion, fingers twitching against yours while he considered whether or not he should let your hand go for good this time. 

But you squeezed his hand back, keeping the warmth of his palm against yours. You’d opened your mouth to speak, but you couldn’t find the words.

“I mean, I care about you.” His voice was quiet, and even now, as he calmed himself, his eyes squeezed shut. He needed to say this, no matter how hard it was.

It was easier for him too when he didn’t have to feel the intensity of your gaze against his exposed flesh. Vulnerability in this manner was a skill he had yet to learn, but for the sake of salvaging this he would do his damn best. Laios focussed on the warmth of your palm against his own. He spoke in hushed tones, as if he might scare you off if he talked too loud. 

Or perhaps because, despite the fact that you were alone in the room, these words were meant for you and you alone. 

“I care about you more than I can explain. I care about you because... because you mean something to me. More than just a party member, more than just a friend.” He continued, his thumb absentmindedly tracing patterns into the back of your hand to keep himself grounded.

He felt a lump in his throat as he spoke, the raw honesty of his words making him feel exposed. He searched your face for any sign of understanding, any indication that you might feel the same way.

“It… probably wasn’t a good idea.” He admitted with a sad smile.

He wasn’t wrong. Chilchuck’s lectures and rants about professionalism and intraparty relationships hadn’t been for naught. Laios had seen it for himself once or twice, and he was no stranger to being taken advantage of. Despite the way your heart sank further at what he’d said, you knew that workplace relationships could easily spell disaster. 

Lives and careers could be ruined in an instant if just one person made the wrong move. If someone or something else got in the way, it could cause irreparable damage to a relationship. And that was on the surface. Down here, where the sunlight never reached you, surrounded by monsters and isolated from polite society, it should have been obvious that things could be much, much worse. If not deadly.

Yet, selfishly, you wouldn’t take it back. Not even if you could.

“But it wasn’t a mistake to me.” He said it firmly as he opened his eyes and finally looked back at you. 

You couldn’t help but feel hopeful at those words. There was a faint glimmer of it in your eyes, peeking through the cracks in the metaphorical walls you had yet to fully tear down. Those same walls he’d done his best to help you demolish in the short time he’d known you. His gaze had flickered back up to your face, his eyes teeming with sincerity as he spoke. They were warm as sunlight, captivating like a summer storm when he held you in his stare. He did his best to gauge your reaction before he said anything else.

His mind raced, each thought vying for attention. Was he saying too much? Not enough? The fear of rejection clawed at him, but he pushed it aside, determined to make you understand. The vulnerability was almost unbearable, but he knew it was necessary. If he didn’t open up now, he might lose you before he even had a chance to try.

He watched you closely, searching for any sign of what you were thinking. Your hesitation cut him deeper than he expected, but he tried to remain patient. He squeezed your hand gently once more.

That look of hope in your eyes was so faint, he almost convinced himself he’d imagined it. Still, he was nothing if not a brave man. He held you in his gentle gaze as he waited for a response, golden eyes almost pleading.

It was hard not to smile when he looked at you like that.

“I don’t regret it,” you admitted at last. 

Your heart fluttered in your chest again, whether it was from the nerves or the way he regarded you with such kindness, you weren’t sure. 

“And I care about you too.” 

Though it seemed obvious enough, you felt like you owed it to him to say it out loud. While it may have been wise to figure this out under different circumstances, it was entirely possible that there may not be another time to sort through this. 

There had already been so many close calls on this journey as it was right now. The thought had crossed your mind in a flash, bubbling up before you’d even had the time to process it in full. 

Would you be alright if something happened to one of you, knowing you had your chance and had thrown it away because you were afraid of something real? Something human?

He finished your thought for you. “I know last night was… unexpected.” Though not unwelcome. “and I got carried away but… it meant something to me.” 

This wasn’t how he wanted to do this. It was unconventional, but it was better to be honest than to push it aside. 

“I...I don’t want it to just be a one-time affair.” 

It was obvious that he was struggling to get the words out; he was not used to speaking so candidly in uncharted territory. He knew monsters like the back of his hand; he knew the dangers that came with his job, and he revered them for what they were. But human nature was not so kind; the hidden dangers and buried subtext that he often struggled to detect– it was all but alien to him. 

You swallowed hard, looking back down at the way his hand seemed to hold onto yours like a tether. As if it were the only thing keeping him anchored here in this room, as if you might fade away if he let go. 

The silence stretched on for seconds, but it might as well have been hours with the way the tension hung heavy in the air between you. 

"You... don't have to answer me right now." Laios added quickly, afraid that he may have crossed some unseen boundary. Pressuring you into something you didn’t want was the furthest thing from his mind right now. Not only would that stress be entirely unnecessary for the both of you but-

“No, I want to- I just…” You stammered, watching the way his other hand continued to unwind the fraying strings at the edges of the bedding. “That’s not what I was expecting you to say, I guess.” 

A shy smile tugged at the corners of your lips. Laios was usually the one to be straightforward, whereas others might tend to beat around the bush a little more. Seeing him wrestling with himself to confess his feelings was such a stark contrast to the leader you knew outside of closed doors. 

While you were a force to be reckoned with as well, all bite and no bark when it came to urgent situations, this was so far out of bounds in terms of what you’d grown accustomed to. Beastmen were not treated so delicately or with such tenderness and respect. You were meant to be a tool, a commodity. 

In some sick way, maybe that felt safer.

But you enjoyed this, having him so close to you. Your fingers were still laced together loosely against the bed sheets as you considered what to say next. The intimacy was welcome—strange, but welcomed wholeheartedly. Something unrecognisable was bubbling up within you now, something you couldn’t quite place. It was that warm feeling in the middle of your chest—feelings that you had long abandoned, fantasies of comfort that you’d banished into some forgotten corner of your psyche that were threatening to leak back out now.

You took a deep breath before responding, your other hand lightly brushing along his forearm as you sat together. "It doesn't have to be." You muttered nervously, "I mean... I.. don't want it to be uh... a one time thing.”

Finally, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate. Laios looked back down at where your hands were connected, a small smile playing on his lips. He shifted slightly, moving closer, until his forehead rested gently against yours. The warmth of his breath in the crisp air mingled with yours, creating a cocoon of shared space and warmth that tickled your skin. It was safe, it was exhilarating.

"I’m glad," he admitted quietly. "It meant a lot to me."

He’d hardly had time to grapple with the fact that there was more to his fascination with you before you’d crept into his dreams each night. The curve of your back when you would bend and stretch in the morning before pulling the straps on your leather armour tight against your body. The way he would have to force himself to rip his gaze away, feeling ashamed and embarrassed for staring so long. Wondering why it was that he couldn’t get you out of his head and knowing it was something more than pure curiosity.

In that moment, you took it upon yourself to close the distance between you, leaning into him and pressing your lips to his. The covers slipped, but you didn’t care. His arms slinked around you, pulling you closer until you were chest-to-chest again. 

There was a strange sense of relief that had washed over you both, mixing in with the excitement of new possibilities. This time it was him who pulled back, a dopey grin on his face as he looked down at you.

A hand reached up to brush stray strands of your hair from your face. 

“We should get dressed.” He said, though he made no move to let you go.

“Yeah…” You agreed, although you didn’t seem to be in a hurry to pull away from him either.

Time was precious, although one could argue that allowing your team to sleep in and rest a little more might have been better in the long run.

You rested your cheek against his shoulder for just a moment longer, giving him a light squeeze before pulling away to find your forgotten articles of clothing. Even with your night vision, it was rather difficult to pick out the darker fabrics of your clothing against the dimly lit room. Your body shifted slightly in bed, hands roaming against the sheets carefully so as not to disturb the stillness. Laios followed suit, finding his discarded boxers along with your undergarments hanging haphazardly off the side of the bed. 

He passed them to you immediately, watching as you slid the fabric up over your legs before walking across the cold wooden floor to your bag. He couldn’t quite make out what you were doing, but he heard rustling as he stood up and pulled the rough linen of his trousers back up over his hips.

You’d pulled out your lantern from your bag, deciding that you could spare the oil so long as it meant not having to walk out in mismatched or backwards clothing. The match hissed as you struck it, leaning it down to kiss the wick. 

The room was illuminated in an instant, the dim orange glow casting long shadows across the floor. You picked up your bag and set it on the empty bed, rummaging through it for a moment before you looked back up at the tallman across the room.

His honeyed eyes were transfixed on your body, a deep blush on his cheeks as he watched you getting ready for the day. The sight of you, even in this mundane act, brought another soft smile to his face. Your body was drenched in the soft orange glow of the flames, illuminating every fold, curve, muscle, and patch of soft fur he could get his hungry eyes on. The tail behind you swung lazily with every movement.

Laios couldn’t fathom how he’d been so lucky to know you in the first place, let alone to know you so intimately. His heart leapt back up into his throat as he drank in the sight of you.

From Laios' perspective, every detail was captivating. The gentle sway of your tail, the way the light played across your skin, the grace in your every movement—it all left him breathless. He could feel a warmth spreading through his chest—a mix of admiration and awe, you really were perfect to him.

He remembered the first time he saw you, how different you had seemed from anyone he had ever known, not just your form but the little things you did. The way you laughed and stretched after being brought back from the brink of death like it was nothing. It made him want to know more. Now, as he watched you, he realised just how precious all those little moments were. There was something about the way you carried yourself— a blend of open mindedness and witty charm— that resonated with him on a level he hadn’t fully understood until now.

Laios felt a surge of emotion, a blend of gratitude and longing. He wanted to reach out, to pull you close and hold you, to express everything he felt in a single embrace. But for now, he simply watched, content to admire the person who had become so important to him in such a short time.

Finally, you looked up and met his gaze. His blush deepened, but he didn’t look away. Instead, he let his smile grow, hoping you could see the depth of his feelings in his eyes.

“You’re staring again,” you huffed, stating the obvious. A hand rested on your hip, shifting your weight to one leg as you felt the familiar sting of anxiety creeping back under your skin. It felt silly, especially after last night, but some insecurities weren’t so easily quelled.

“S-sorry.” He stuttered, quickly turning away and grabbing his shirt.

You felt like a hypocrite the second you laid eyes on him, your eyes widening as you caught sight of the long, rosy scratch marks across the pale flesh of his back. The way his thick muscles shifted beneath his skin with every motion, his shirt stretching over his broad shoulders as he moved to pull his shirt over his head. 

You’d had an idea of it before now, but gods above, everything about him was thick. Even for a tallman he was large, it was no wonder he’d made such a great guard before now.

“Laios,” you breathed out softly, reaching a hand out to brush your fingers against the reddened skin in a mixture of awe and embarrassment.

He shivered under your touch, the gentle sting a reminder of last night’s intensity. 

“Oh, yeah.. Those,” he replied with a soft chuckle, “I guess we did get a little carried away last night, huh?”

“I’m so sorry-”

“Don’t be,” he cut you off with a smile, tugging his shirt down over his torso before turning to face you fully. “I wouldn't trade it for anything.” 

It was a reminder of the night the two of you had shared. While guilt and pride mixed within your chest, he found himself giddy at the idea of being marked by you. He pulled your hand away gently, holding it in both of his for a moment. He cherished how soft they were in comparison to his, calloused from years of hard labour and training. Fingers brushed against your claws in admiration before he brought your knuckles to his lips in a soft kiss.

Despite his brute strength you knew that this softness came naturally to him. His lips grazed gently across your knuckles, and you couldn’t help but take a step closer. So hopelessly lost in his orbit, your cheeks burning at the gesture.

“I didn’t realise…”

“That I get to wear those marks as a reminder of what happened?” Laios asked, his voice low. “I’m not sorry for that.” It was obvious in his smile that he meant what he said.

Your heart swelled at his words, the sincerity in his voice impossible to miss. You leaned into him, resting your forehead against his chest as his arms encircled you.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” you murmured, your voice muffled against his shirt.

In this line of duty you knew it was impossible, but you could dream. At very least you could go without contributing to his injuries.

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest and against yours. “I can handle a few scratches,” he reassured you. “Besides, it’s worth it if it means being with you.”

“I guess so.” You smiled.

"Good." Laios murmured, his arm tightening minutely around you in a light squeeze before the hand on your hip slid back through your hair, scratching at the base of your ears teasingly before returning to hold your face. 

He adored looking at you, and he prayed to whatever higher power would listen that someday you’d grow fond of the way he liked to stare.

Something told you he liked being marked a little more than he let on. You’d have to note that for next time, if you were fortunate enough to have another encounter with him before this journey inevitably came to a close. He pulled your smaller frame into him, then wrapped his arms around you in a soft hug.

Laios held you close, savouring the heat and comfort of your embrace. The steady beat of his heart under your ear was soothing.

The moment was intimate and sweet, with a quiet understanding passing between the two of you before you eventually broke away, knowing that you needed to get ready for what might lie ahead. 

The chill in the room had lessened since last night, but it still made the fur at the base of your tail bristle and stand on end. You both finished dressing in a comfortable silence before you sat back down on the edge of the bed to finish packing up your bedrolls.

Shadows danced across the decaying furniture and cracked wooden floorboards, your lantern flickering and dancing in the cool air of the dungeon. Your comrade sat down beside you, tightening the leather straps on his bag as you got ready. The silence stretched on for a while before his thoughts broke through, and he found himself musing aloud.

"...I've never wanted to be in a... relationship before, but…” He trailed off, his eyes widening as he realised that he’d spoken out loud by mistake. Though his voice was barely above a whisper, he knew you’d heard it from the way you stopped mid motion to stare at him.

“But what?” You asked, your voice gentle despite the gnawing curiosity. You tried to hide your hope for what he might say next but it would have been futile if he’d had the courage to spare a glance in your direction.

Laios simply shrugged it off, the corners of his lips pulling up into a little smile as he looked down at his hands. The memory of your fingers threading through his made him feel all warm inside. He’d hold them all day if he could. 

“But with you it feels different,” he said timidly. “There’s something about you that makes me wanna try.”

You felt a flutter in your chest at those words, your heart pounding as you scooted closer to him on the bed. The soft glow from the lantern cast an almost ethereal glow on his face, strong features softened by the caress of the warm firelight. He was a work of art in his own right, but if he had been a living painting you were sure you could spend forever in his masterpiece.

“I feel the same way,” you admitted, reaching out to gently squeeze his larger hand in your own. “Being with you, it feels… right?”

He turned his head to face you then, his eyes meeting yours with a mixture of surprise and relief. “I was worried it might just be me,” he confessed, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. Nothing had ever felt as easy as spending time alone with you did. 

“I’ve never been good at this.” Despite having said it already, he couldn’t help but remind himself too. 

You smiled reassuringly. “Neither have I, but maybe we can figure it out together.”

“Right,” he replied, still a little flustered by your gentleness with him.

It felt silly considering everything that had transpired between the two of you in the past twenty-four hours or so, but it wasn’t unpleasant in the slightest. If anything, he felt strangely hopeful, but he knew it wasn’t going to be easy. “I may not be good at this whole…” people thing, reading emotions, understanding the nuances of intimacy—his mind scrambled to find the right words for a moment before he finally settled on: “relationship thing…”

“But I wanna try.” For you, for him… to be able to introduce you to Falin and to see the two of you hit it off like he knew you would. “I want to be by your side.” 

His palm came to rest on your cheek, his thumb grazing across your cheekbone delicately. It was a strange feeling for him. Finally acknowledging that the pull he’d felt toward you was something more than simple envy or curiosity had been a huge step, to admit it out loud had been like pulling teeth. Sure, those were a part of it too, but the way you had just shown up and accepted him for what he was– eccentricities and all –had his heart warming from day one. You’d had your walls before now, but Laios was completely defenceless when it came to you.

“I want to take care of you too… Please bear with me?”

It was more of a plea than it should have been, but the thought of fucking this up somehow had crossed his mind countless times already since he’d woken up. It scared him, especially after the confrontation with Toshiro. He knew he had a lot to learn when it came to interpersonal relationships, he’d had to confront that head on in the days following. But he was trying . 

The connection Laios had with you felt like a fragile yet precious thing, something worth nurturing, worth exploring. You tightened your grip on his hand again, your thumb gently caressing his soft skin.

“It’ll be my pleasure.” You replied with an easy smile, leaning across the space between the two of you to press a kiss against his cheek. 

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, okay? I told you, I don’t really know how to do this kind of thing either." You murmured, pulling him into a hug in an attempt to ease his concerns. 

Sure you weren’t completely clueless, but before now any sort of romance like this had been completely out of the question for a multitude of reasons. People on the surface weren’t kind to things out of the ordinary, yourself included.

“I already like spending time with you just the way you are.” You added, your lips pressing against his collarbone. 

He could feel the way your tail brushed against his arm through his shirt, the cosy warmth of your body pressed against his as he hugged you back. 

Laios let out a soft sigh, the sensations making his face flush again as he squeezed you a little tighter. “Yeah… me too.” He muttered, resting his chin on your head. It was a little embarrassing, but he couldn’t help but smile at the praise and the careful way you handled him.

Your lips trailed softly against the smooth expanse of his flushed skin, kisses littering the surface while you cuddled into him. “Just let me know if it’s ever too much, okay?”

"Mhm." Laios hummed softly, content with the way you showered him with affection. He wasn’t used to it either, not yet, but he definitely wouldn’t mind getting more accustomed to the sweet touches. "...I will." He replied softly, though he couldn’t imagine ever having too many of your comforting touches.

"Thank you." You replied, offering a soft smile in response. You pressed a gentle kiss against the sharp curve of his jaw, then ran a hand through his ash-blond hair.

The bond between you felt stronger now, more real, as if the events of the previous night had awakened something deep within you both. 

Despite the awkward start to the morning, it was only cemented by the conversation you’d had. For a brief, precious moment, everything else faded away—the dungeon, the stress of this mission, the uncertainties. All that existed were the two of you, wrapped in each other's arms.

“We should probably get ready,” you finally said, breaking the silence but not the connection. “The others will be up soon.”

Laios nodded, his smile lingering as he reluctantly pulled away.

He didn't want to admit it, but he was already addicted to you, body and soul. It’d only been a night, but he already couldn’t get the taste of your lips out of his mind. He could only imagine-

Just then, a knock on the door broke through his thoughts as if on cue. "Are you two awake? We're getting ready to move out." Marcille called from the other side of the door.

Laios glanced at you, then back to the door. "We'll be right there," he called back. “Just putting on some extra layers.”

“Sounds good, I think Senshi’s about to start on breakfast.” Marcille added, not sounding overly excited at the prospect of choking down more monster food. No matter how good Senshi’s cooking skills were, she couldn’t shake the sense of dread that came upon her at the idea of eating those creatures . Her footsteps faded down the hall and back toward the others.

You couldn't help but smile back at Laios, suppressing a laugh at the way he’d frozen in place when he heard her outside.

“We probably shouldn’t tell the others yet, though.” He suggested with a sigh as he leaned down to tug his boots back on. 

It wouldn’t be a good idea, both for the fact that it would absolutely make things harder to navigate if it were out in the open already and also for the fact that Marcille was a sucker for anything involving romance. There might not be any stopping her if she found out about your ‘forbidden love’. After seeing the way she’d gush about it anytime she’d inquired about her friends’ love lives, you could already hear the comments and questions ringing in your ears.

“Definitely not.” You agreed with a shudder.

As you both got up and started to prepare for the day's journey, you felt the weight of last night's decisions begin to lift. There would be time to figure everything out.

Soon enough, the two of you made your way out into the hall, and you padded over toward the room where everyone else had already gathered. The two of you slipped in to join the group seamlessly. Cooking utensils were already clattering together as Senshi began to explain to Laios what he was doing and how he could assist in making the morning meal. 

Izutsumi yawned and stretched, groaning at having to be awake and on the move again. 

For someone who swore she’d be able to brave the dungeon faster on her own, she really does love to sleep in , you thought to yourself as you tugged your jacket a little closer around yourself. You couldn’t blame her though. After all, she was still growing and being constantly on the move was exhausting on the best of days.

The cat girl scowled when she caught you looking at her, and you couldn’t help but smile back at the grouchy teen before Marcille quickly stole you away from the others. 

Long, delicate fingers pressed against the sides of your face, squishing your cheeks as she began inspecting you with concern evident in her wide green eyes.

“Uh… gwuh mernin’?” You inquired, your voice muffled by the way she pressed her hands against you.

“You’re okay right? He didn’t ask you any weird questions or make you uncomfortable-” 

“‘m fine,” You chuckled, cutting her off as you lightly pulled her hands away from you. 

“You could have shared a bed with me or Izutsumi, y’know?” The blonde reminded you of the sweet whine of her voice undercut by the Eastern girl’s protests almost immediately. 

“Dogs sleep outside.” Izutsumi grumbled, shooting a glare in your general direction.

You couldn’t help but chuckle at her remark, shaking your head and offering her a semi sarcastic “Good morning to you too” before resuming your conversation with the mage.

With a yawn and a smile, “I actually got the best sleep I’ve had in a while,” you replied earnestly, shrugging off her coddling.

It was hard not to feel guilty about hiding something from the group that had been so kind to take you in, especially so late into their journey. They could have easily sent you away, and yet they were generous enough to share their limited resources with, as Izutsumi put it, some random stray . 

You knew she meant well, but sometimes Marcille’s concerns were more unsettling than the questioning you received from others in the past. At least those types tended to keep their distance more. 

It was true that longer-lived races tended to see others as much younger than them, so you chalked it up to that whenever she’d baby you. A little part of you did appreciate it in some strange way though. Being cared for like this was a precious thing, and she loved with her whole heart and nothing less.

If it had really been that much of an issue, you’d have made it known.

Marcille gave you one last scrutinising look before finally sighing and releasing your face. 

“Alright, alright. Just making sure you’re okay,” she said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us, so I’m glad you got a good rest in. It felt good to finally sleep in a bed again after so long.” The blonde sighed.

“ Really?” Chilchuck cut in, regarding Laios with a suspicious look, “Because I couldn’t sleep for a while last night.” 

While his gaze wasn’t set on you, you felt a shiver run down your spine at the implications of what he’d said. 

Shit. 

You’d forgotten about the half-foot member of your party for the better part of the night. 

They weren’t common where you’d grown up, but you’d heard tales of them and their heightened senses. Especially their heightened sense of hearing. In fact, to say that his rivalled your own would be an understatement. Thinking more clearly now, you quickly recalled all the times he’d been able to hear enemies approaching well before you could. 

The thought made your stomach twist with unease.

Laios, seemingly having the same realisation you did, froze for a moment before trying to play it off with a nervous laugh. He casually stepped behind Senshi, as if the much shorter dwarf might be able to shield him from the half-foot’s wrath. He continued on with prepping the harpy eggs, stirring them in a bowl as he spoke. 

“Me too; it got pretty cold last night, huh?” He replied with an awkward laugh.

Yeah, you didn’t want any part of whatever this might entail. 

As much as you wanted to try and cover for him, you knew that there was no way of getting out of this. It's probably best to stay out of it. Panicking slightly, you reached out to Marcille for support with a wobbly smile on your face. 

She was still busy getting herself ready for the day, brushing her long blonde locks as she stepped away from the others.

“Hey Marcille, do you mind showing me how you braid your hair? I’ve always been curious.” You asked, doing a piss poor job of hiding your anxiety. “No one ever taught me.”

The elf either didn’t notice or was too excited at the prospect of sharing her knowledge with someone else because she happily stole you away to another part of the room. She’d grabbed your wrist and tugged you along to sit beside her on the nearby bed, a bright smile on her face. 

“I’m so glad you asked! Hair is a magic user’s life force, so it’s like an extension of that. It’s also really important to practise good hygiene and self care, especially when you’re underground like this because-” 

You listened to her with a smile on your face, half interested and half happy to be out of Chilchuck’s line of fire for the time being. 

Unfortunately, your previously fearless leader wasn’t so lucky.

“ Laios , can I talk to you for a second?”

[quiche-draws]

My Secret Santa 2024 gift for @apricity-writes!!

Based on her fic "Love You Better" (chapter 19), an unplanned pregnancy AU that takes place four years after NEMESIS but with all the great angst and softness and (apparently!) happy ending! Give it a read! Talla is absolutely adorable!

Please do not repost! Reblog only!

[sen-ya]

part 6/7

can u guess at which point I rewrote this a few months after the fact lmao

[op comic masterpost]

[pg1]

no dialogue

[pg2]

panel 2:

Note (from Law): I've been thinking of my parents a lot these last few weeks. Thinking of Lami. Those happy days I got with them. At first I thought I was even considering this because I might catch a glimpse of them in our kid, and that's a piss poor justification for having a baby. But what I've realized this week is I'm not just nostalgic for a family I've lost. Lu-ya, I'm enamored by the idea of enjoying that comfort with you. (the note trails off, continuing down the entire page)

panel 3:

Luffy: You got a lotta words here, Tra--

panel 4:

Luffy: Oh, shit. I said the wrong thing, didn't I?

panel 7:

Law: ...No, we said the same thing.

[pg3]

panel 8:

Law: So we're doing this.

Luffy: Guess so

panel 9:

Law: We're doing this. Fuck. I'm doing this.

panel 10:

Law: When did I get as stupid as you?? This is gonna suck so fucking much!

panel 11:

Luffy: If you're not gonna be okay then I'm changing my answer.

Law: I've done worse for less.

Luffy: I don't like that.

Law: We're decided, alright?

[pg4]

panel 12:

Law: I'll be uncomfortable for awhile. What else is new? I can handle it.

panel 14:

Luffy: Fine.

Law: Heh.

[pg5]

panel 15:

Law: Sigh. I should probably talk to Kaya-ya again. I don't think I actually had to stop my SSRI at least...

panel 17:

Luffy: Did you say again?!

Law (speaking over him): Oh, no.

Luffy: You told Kaya?!

Law: It was a...m-medical consultation!!

Luffy (speaking over him): So I can tell my whole crew?!

Law (speaking over him): That is an entirely different conversation that I will not be having right now.

[tempfrangit]

wonder when you’ll miss me

Johnny x F!Reader, 779 count, M summary: God you were so overworked, you were imagining your sister’s perfume on your boyfriend. content: cheating, all hurt no comfort, "shocking ending"

You were overworked. You knew you were overworked, so your brain was making nonexistent connections. 

You’d just been thinking about Mea’s perfume. Because Christmas was just around the corner and she’d been subtly dropping hints that she could use a new one. 

There was no reason John would smell like Mea.

You kiss his jaw gingerly, grin starting to play at your lips as look up at him.

”Since you’re here,” you coo, tilting your hips to grind gently against his crotch. 

And John groans, chasing your hips but pulling away. “Aw, bonnie, let’s get some dinner in ya first so we have energy to go all night.”

A giggle slips free as you nod. “You know just what to say, babe, and thank you so much for getting us takeout.”

You met John at the pub. That classic old chestnut. But you’d been celebrating the completion of your and Aisling's combined project. The results were finally in, and there was nothing Thomas could do to fuck it up. While getting your third round, he’d accidentally shoulder checked you. He’d literally bumped into you, cheeky grin immediately spreading across his face as he peered down at you with his too-blue eyes, hand on your hip. The line he’d used had been so bad you cringed, and Aisling couldn’t even stop herself from sputtering out her drink beside you. 

But he’d been serious.

And you decided to finally take life by the horns.

The hardest thing about being the older sister is that you were the pancake they were supposed to throw out. The child they tried everything out on and fumbled most of it. You were mini-mom, and perfect student, and pretend wife so that no one ever had to overexert themselves. You never got to make mistakes.

Aaron was the boy, so he was perfect, even when he begged you to help him with his homework. And Mea was the darling princess. You adored her. You and your little sister were closer than any sisters, despite the age gap. And she wanted to be just like you. She was amazing at everything she did, everything you’d done. Just…better than you.

And when you finally realized you wanted to live your own life, to do your own thing, you were working on a PhD, to add to your list of credentials so that you could work in cushy job and…be a spinster. Take care of your family. You stopped making yourself text them, to be the therapist in their pocket.

You realized you wanted to maybe just try out something looser.

John isn’t moved in, so much as when he’s not on deployment he spends his days in your apartment. Generally in your bed when you’re home.

Or on the couch if you let him have his way and you let him fuck you the moment you got through the door. Or against the door if you couldn’t get wait at all. 

That’s why he meets Mea, who decided out of the blue one Saturday to drop in on you. To finally see your place in the city, even though you turned down every offer for brunch, lunch, dinner, or drinks. 

And it turns out you missed Mea.

Every weekend you’re doing something with her again as she catches you up on your life. And when Johnny’s around he joins you.

Your sister ribs you for keeping your man a secret. But she approves of him. Which means the world to you.

You can finally imagine a future that makes you smile.

Your face is burning, as a stone settles in your stomach. 

You can hear John and Mea’s voices dully. Frantic raised voices blurring into a horrible crescendo before it raises to such a ring it triggers your tinnitus. Like you’re underwater, or behind glass. The whole orchestra is playing.

Your purse spills from your trembling fingers, and you can’t even be bothered to try and collect it. You’d left your phone at the office. God. 

The door slams behind you, quieting the horrible voices following you. Ms. Greta is peeking out of her door, and you bypass the elevator entirely to make your way to the stairs, pressing the call button as you pass. 

The stairwell is as ice cold as it always was. 

It finally seemed to cool down your burning flesh as the stairs below you began to waver.

Aisling had gotten her period this morning. But yours always came before hers.

Johnny was cheating on you with your sister. 

He’d been fucking your sister.

You weren’t losing your mind.

You were two weeks late.

The stairwell was swirling, just like you.

Circling the drain.

[alarwynnwhispers]

🧡 ᴜɴᴘʟᴀɴɴᴇᴅ — ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3: ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪᴀɢɴᴏꜱɪꜱ 🧡

ꜰ1 x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ | ʟᴀɴᴅᴏ ɴᴏʀʀɪꜱ ᴀᴜ | ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ + ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ

⚠️ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ:

ʜᴏꜱᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ

ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴜꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄʏ

ꜰᴀɪɴᴛɪɴɢ / ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀᴘꜱᴇ

ɪᴍᴘʟɪᴇᴅ ɴᴏɴ-ᴄᴏɴꜱᴇɴꜱᴜᴀʟ ꜱɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ (ɴᴏᴛ ɢʀᴀᴘʜɪᴄ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇᴀᴠɪʟʏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ)

ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ ʟᴏꜱꜱ

ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪꜱᴛʀᴇꜱꜱ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ

ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴇᴛ ʜᴀʀᴀꜱꜱᴍᴇɴᴛ

ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱʜᴀᴍᴇ, ᴀɴɢᴇʀ, ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴄʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏᴅɪʟʏ ᴀᴜᴛᴏɴᴏᴍʏ

The first thing she noticed was the scent, sharp, sterile, unmistakably hospital. Then came the beeping. Steady. Rhythmic. Her eyelids fluttered open against the harsh ceiling lights. Her body ached, heavy like she’d been asleep for days, and her mouth felt like cotton.

She stirred, her hand twitching beneath the blanket.

“(Y/n)?”

The voice was familiar, warm, and frantic.

“Amara,” she rasped.

Amara leaned over the bed, eyes wide and watery, clutching (Y/n)’s hand tightly. “Oh my god, you scared me. You collapsed at the train station. One second you were waving at me, and the next—boom—face white as a sheet.”

(Y/n) blinked up at her. “I... fainted?”

“Yeah. Hard. I thought I was going to have a heart attack,” Amara muttered, brushing hair off (Y/n)’s forehead. “The medics said it might’ve been exhaustion or dehydration or something, but—”

The door clicked open, interrupting her. A woman in a white coat stepped in, mid-40s with calm eyes behind square glasses. “Good evening. Miss (L/n)? I’m Dr. Marin.”

(Y/n) nodded faintly, trying to sit up.

“Careful,” Amara said quickly, adjusting the pillows behind her. “You’ve been out a while.”

Dr. Marin approached with a gentle tone. “You experienced a vasovagal syncope, essentially a fainting episode caused by low blood pressure, fatigue, or emotional stress. It’s common, but we took some bloodwork to rule out underlying causes.”

(Y/n)’s eyes narrowed slightly. She knew where this was going.

Dr. Marin continued, flipping over her clipboard. “Your hormone levels, specifically hCG, were elevated. That’s the hormone we look for in pregnancy.”

The silence that followed was so sharp, it hurt.

“You’re about five to six weeks pregnant.”

Amara gasped beside her. “Wait—what?”

(Y/n) just stared at the doctor, her throat dry. Five to six weeks. That lined up perfectly with the night she’d tried so hard to bury.

Dr. Marin, gently, continued. “We’ll schedule an ultrasound to confirm everything is progressing normally. But for now, I recommend rest, prenatal vitamins, and a follow-up with an OB-GYN.”

“Thank you,” Amara said quietly, though she looked like she’d just seen a ghost.

The doctor offered a kind smile, then excused herself with a promise to return later with the discharge forms.

The moment the door clicked shut, Amara turned to (Y/n), stunned. “Okay, back up. Are you seriously…?”

(Y/n) nodded slowly. “Yeah. I guess I am.”

Amara blinked. “Do you know who the father is?”

There was a beat of silence. Then another.

“I do,” (Y/n) said finally. Her voice was low. “I just… I haven’t told you because I didn’t even want to admit it to myself.”

Amara scooted closer and her eyes softened, sensing this wasn’t just a story, it was something heavier. She reached out, just to show she was listening. “(Y/n). I’m your best friend. You can tell me anything.”

(Y/n)’s voice trembled. “Do you remember five weeks ago? That awful night I got home late after I closed the shop? I decided to walk home. I didn’t want to deal with the tourist crowd, so I took the alleyways. I’d done it before, dozens of times.”

She stared past Amara, like she was looking into that night again.

“But this time, there were these guys. Drunk. Rowdy. At first, I thought they’d just pass by, but… they noticed me. Started saying things. Laughing too loud. I kept walking. Tried to ignore them.” Her hands tightened on her lap. “But then one of them followed. Another moved in front of me. I dropped my phone when I tried to grab it. One of them grabbed my wrist.”

Amara sat upright, alarmed. “Oh god…”

(Y/n) shook her head quickly, not wanting her friend to panic. “It didn’t get that far. Someone pulled me back. Hard. The guy almost fell.”

Amara’s brows furrowed. “Wait… who?”

(Y/n) gave a small, hollow laugh. “You won’t believe me.”

“Try me.”

“…Lando Norris.”

Amara’s mouth fell open.

“Like—F1 driver, Lando Norris?” she clarified, blinking like she misheard.

(Y/n) nodded, her voice trembling now. “Yeah. He was walking back from a bar, I think? He helped me get away. Then… I don’t even remember how it happened. One moment we were talking, the next… I woke up in my bed. Naked. Next to him.”

“Oh my god,” Amara whispered.

“I didn’t plan it. I didn’t even remember it. I think I was too shaken up to think clearly. But when I woke up and saw him there, I just froze.”

Amara stared, waiting.

“And then,” (Y/n) continued, her tone turning bitter, “he woke up, looked around, realized what had happened, and without saying anything, pulled out his wallet.”

Amara’s jaw clenched. “You’re kidding me.”

“He tried to pay me. Like I was just some random girl he could dismiss.”

(Y/n) let out a shaky breath. “I slapped the money out of his hand. Told him to get out. He didn’t argue. Just left.”

Amara looked furious now. “What the actual hell.”

“I haven’t seen him since. Monaco is small, but we live in different worlds. I thought… maybe I could forget about it. Pretend it didn’t happen.”

Amara leaned back, covering her face with both hands. “And now you’re pregnant.”

“Yeah.”

A silence fell between them.

Then Amara spoke again, softly. “What are you going to do?”

(Y/n) looked down at her hands. Her fingers were still trembling. “I don’t know. But one thing I do know, I’m not telling him.”

Amara looked unsure. “Are you sure that’s the right call? He is the father. And this isn’t just about you anymore.”

“He made it clear how little he thought of me,” (Y/n) said firmly. “I’m not giving him a chance to make me feel worse. This is my life now. My choice.”

Amara was quiet for a long beat. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Okay. I’m with you. Whatever you decide. You’re not alone in this.”

Tears pricked at (Y/n)’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Amara reached over and squeezed her hand. “Always.”

Later that night, after they were discharged and Amara helped carry her things back up the apartment steps, (Y/n) sat by her bedroom window, a warm mug in her hands. The sea breeze brushed past the curtains, and Monaco’s glittering skyline stretched quietly outside.

Her hand drifted to her stomach.

Still no bump. Still no sign. But now, a secret pulsed inside her, too new to define but impossible to ignore.

Her life had veered off course in a single, blurry night.

But one thing was becoming clear: this was no longer just about what had happened, it was about what came next.

And for the first time in weeks, she began to consider that maybe, just maybe, she could survive this.

To be continued... 🧡

🧡 ᴜɴᴘʟᴀɴɴᴇᴅ — ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 4: ᴛᴡᴏ ʟɪɴᴇꜱ, ᴏɴᴇ ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ 🧡

📝 Note from the Author: It’s now afternoon here where I live, I just had lunch and jumped back into writing the next chapters. I’m aiming to finish three chapters today (maybe?? no promises HAHAHA), but let me know in the comments if you're down for a triple update! 👀💥

Huge thank you to everyone who’s reading, reblogging, or even just silently vibing with Unplanned. 🧡 Your support truly means the world.

Don’t forget to like, comment, reblog, and do all the wonderful things Tumblr has to offer. And if you haven’t yet, hit that follow for more updates 💌

Thanks for sticking around. You’re amazing.

With love, me 🧡

[firenati0n]

cause you're classic, and i'm reckless

by firenati0n on ao3

T | 5.4k

tags: actor au, first kiss, fluff, alex pov, banter, falling in love

“I've, actually, uh. I've never done this before.” At this, Henry stops short, takes a second as his gaze moves up and to the left, trying to recall something. “I've seen your films. You most certainly have done intimate scenes.” Alex clears his throat. He hopes his nerves aren't completely obvious, the slight waver in his voice about to give him away. “Yeah, well. Never with a man, so. Not at this scale, anyway.” “Would it help to, er, practice?" Henry winces a little as he says it, which does not inspire confidence. But Alex is shocked nonetheless. What the fuck?

xoxo roop

P.s. this was absolutely inspired by THEEEE ryan gosling/rachel mcadams MTV 2005 video. You know the one.

also tagging some folks who expressed interest in this don't mind me <3 ilysm

@sail-not-drift @onward--upward @suseagull04 @littlestar2911 @welcometololaland @dragonflylady77 @hgejfmw-hgejhsf @ninzied @sherryvalli @piratefalls @indestructibleheart @onthewaytosomewhere @heybuddy-drabbles @priincebutt @cactusdragon517 @junebugclaremontdiaz @kiwiana-writes @rmd-writes @eusuntgratie @cha-melodius @bigassbowlingballhead @getmehighonmagic @celeritas2997 @nontoxic-writes @porcelainmortal @4rthurfox

[charlescoded]

exist without you

pairing: lestappen. max and kelly. word count: 1.3k rated teen. hanahaki disease. memory loss. unhappy ending. non-linear narrative.

“When you wake up, at first you will experience some disorientation. It will be like waking up from a dream you can’t remember.”

“Just like I won’t remember— them?”

“Correct. Everything connected to them will be blurry, things you did, things you felt. It is necessary to save your life. Do you understand?”

“I will have to.”

[torawro]

QUIET PERCEPTION. ( neuvillette )

neuvillette x plus size!fem!reader

cw ━━ ! minors and ageless blogs DO NOT INTERACT. reader is written as plus sized/thick, and also as a black woman but you do not have to imagine it as such, anyone is welcome to read. fiancé!reader. just fluffy, lovey dovey stuff <3 neuvi still actively trying to understand him being completely in love with you and the fact you love him back. neuvillette is (un)intentionally is romantic and charming. use of endearment terms in french ( i so desperately wanted to be creative with pet names but i'm still tryna get a read on his character so i decided to play it safe LMAO). some locations (i.e. where neuvilette lives) may not be canon; i just pulled info from different sites. somewhat proofread.

word count ━━ ! 2.06k

notes ━━ ! this'll be something short n sweet <3 i could have sworn that i've written about a genshin character before but looking back, it seems as if i was mistaken :D i definitely have several concepts/wips about genshin charas but i never got to finish them so . . . . here's to my first genshin piece 🥂 i imagined my first would be abt zhongli or diluc ( bc i adore them until the end of time ) but fate has changed <3 this handsome gorgeous man came out of nowhere and captured my heart and won't let go. @gabzlovesu , i actually did it :)

THE STEADY STREAM OF pouring water was the only constant sound that resonated throughout the spacious estate of the Chief Justice of Fontaine. The extravagant windows had the blinds drawn, so the luminescence of the moon was free to shine as it pleased, and take a peek inside the many walls of the home of the ludex.

Inside the master bedroom laid the Chief Justice himself, and you, his dearest fiancé, wrapped securely and loving in his arms.

Well, you were wrapped in his arms.

The space where you were previously laid would soon be vacant, as you found yourself having odd, after-midnight cravings of a certain kind of tea. Despite your obvious sleepiness and exhaustion, your brain would not rest, and kept generating memories about the last time you've had the pleasure to make yourself this beverage and imagined how good it would taste at this hour of the night.

When all is quiet, in sound and in mind, one would have more of an opportunity to really savor something. You reasoned that the tea was bound to taste even better if you drank it now, which was all the motivation you needed to gently maneuver yourself from underneath your fiancé's rather anchored hold on you. It took you quite some time to do so because you didn't want to wake him up. For someone that worked the way he did, he deserved as much undisturbed rest as possible.

Adjusting the bonnet on your head, you slid your bare feet into your slippers that sat at the corner of your bed. The hard marble and tile floors were a lot colder at night when they couldn't be warmed up by the rays of the sun.

You took your time making your way to the kitchen and pantry area. The manner in which you ambled about the corridors━ your cream colored night gown wading at your ankles, flowing with each step you took━ made you akin to a ghost in a haunted mansion.

Once you reached your destination, you went straight ahead and grabbed all the ingredients you would need at a leisurely pace, taking more fulfillment in making a simple cup of tea than you normally do. Usually, you would have thought the whole process was annoyingly long-winded, but this time it was different.

Maybe it's because it was quiet. Your mind was quiet. Your heart was quiet; there was no rush. You allowed yourself to relax, to bask in the tranquility of the moment.

The soft clinks of metal and porcelain, as well as the delicate sound of your humming voice, were added onto the noises of the rushing fountains.

All of the noises were symphonious with each other, to the point where they all merged into one. Soon you were entirely engulfed in your current task and the little noises that filled the air.

And perhaps too engrossed, because you were unable to sense the presence of Neuvillette, who had shifted slightly in his sleep only to notice you had disappeared. He wouldn't be able to, or want to admit it, but the bed you shared turned out to be a little colder in your absence.

"So, here you were," he questioned as he entered, holding a candle in his hand. His voice was a huskier than normal, most likely because he had just woken up from his slumber. You have come to believe over time that the sound of Neuvillette's voice, especially when it was thick with sleep, was the most soothing and melodious sound you would ever have the pleasure of hearing.

Even now, you had to bite back a grin, for the sound of his somewhat deeper voice, and the nature of his statement, caused a giddy feeling to erupt in your stomach. The sensation crawled from your gut and spread across your body like an electric current, and generated a bashful warmth in your face.

"Here, I am," your cheeky reply flowed smoothly from your lips, briefly looking back at him for a moment before grabbing the cocoa powder. "And here I thought I had been as quiet as a church mouse when getting out of bed. Seems I was unfortunately mistaken." The faintest gasp arose from your throat when you suddenly felt your fiancé's body behind you, gently pressing against your back in an effort to embrace you once more.

The Chief Justice knew how to explain and rationalize a lot of things on a many broad subjects, in and outside of the Opera Epiclese of the Fontaine court. But he was at a loss when it came to humans━ specifically and especially when it came to you.

Articulating his feelings for you, trying to fully understand why you felt this way about him in return, and just why he always felt more content when you were this close to him were some things he admittedly struggled to find logical solutions to.

Neuvillette's lips were a hair's breadth away from the upper part of your ear so when he hummed, goosebumps almost immediately erected on the surface of your deep, chestnut skin. His voice, now even lower than before, and the large palm he placed on your torso, startled you to a degree where you nearly spilt all the powder on the counter.

"You should recall how light a sleeper I am. Alas, your attempt to be inconspicuous was all for naught. I'm afraid that nearly anyone would have awoken from all the rustling that resulted from your movements."

You couldn't stop the soft laugh that tumbled past your lips at his subtle jab at your inability to be sneaky. Hearing him say anything resembling a joke at another's expense was certainly rare. "I suppose you're right. It seems my eagerness for tea dulled my usually agile movements."

This time Neuvillette chuckled and shook his head a bit, and his small smile stretched into a wider one when he heard you laugh along with him. The heart that resided in his chest pumped faster and with much more force whenever he heard the sound. He could listen to it all day.

"I'm sorry I woke you up though. I've disturbed you from getting the proper rest you need." You felt the need to apologize, even though it was unlikely your white haired fiancé would ever be upset with your for something like that. "Even more so because I am fully aware of the long day you have ahead of you tomorrow."

Without warning, Neuvillette proceeded to wrap both of his arms around your abdomen and pulled you even closer to his chest. You could feel the ridges and dips of his rather defined and etched stature through the thin satin of your night gown. With little force and much care, he turned you around to that you were now facing him, leaving you no choice but to pause in the stirring of your tea. His hands rested lovingly on your hips and your backside was pressed firmly against the counter.

The space between the two of you remained nonexistent.

"I, too, am aware of the day that awaits me in several hours. But please, do not apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for."

You were about to reply but Neuvillette silenced whatever it was your were going to say next when he leaned down slightly, and captured your lips in a delicate but amorous kiss. In reality it didn't last for more than three seconds, but to you, in your own little world with this man you got to claim as yours, it felt like it lasted much, much longer.

The effect of time seeming like it slowed down felt even more real when the two of you broke away from each other, and his silvery lavender eyes peered into yours. "Truthfully, I don't mind losing a bit of sleep....if it means that I don't have to wait until the morning to have you look at me like this, and hear your voice again."

Your eyes widened a fraction, not expecting him to say something so affectionate or romantic unprovoked. A fond smile tugged on the corners of your lips, already knowing your mind would be replaying his words for weeks to come over and over again, like a malfunctioning record player.

"Oh, mon amour...." was all you were able to say at the moment, your tone soft and breathy, slightly above a whisper. For as long as you have been with your white haired fiancé, he was still effortlessly capable of causing the butterflies in your stomach to hatch from their cocoons, and fly around in a frenzy.

Neuvillette lifted one hand to palm your cheek, and stroke it slowly with the pad of his thumb. His hand, his body, the look in his eyes were filled with warmth, and you wanted to cherish it for as long as possible. Your hands rested on his chest, and you leaned into his touch as he pecked your lips once and then twice more, for good measure and solely because he desired to feel you against him one more time.

The Chief Justice decided he liked this expression on your face. It suited you quite well, he thought. Right now you were the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on in his long-standing life.

After a moment, a low chuckle rumbled in the man's chest before leaning forward to peck your temple. "I think I'm craving a bit of tea as well. I'm sure it will quell this newfound thirst that arbitrarily appeared."

Smiling again, you separated from your lover so you can finish on your cup, and so he could get started on his. As you stood side by side, and even as you both finished and made your way back to the master bedroom, you continued to talk to each other about whatever topic lingered in the atmosphere. Anything from the upcoming trial and cases he was overseeing tomorrow, mundane things that you saw on the streets of Fontaine that day, what you had for lunch, and everything else in between was discussed between the two of you.

Before either of you even realized it, the hue of the room turned from colorless dark to a deep cerulean blue, and the songs of the birds reverberated throughout the walls of your bedroom.

It was morning.

"Oh my! Has dawn truly come? And so soon at that...I didn't mean to keep you━"

The words of exclamation were lodged in your throat once more, as you watched him take your hand in his, and placed a feathery kiss on your knuckles and fingers.

"Do not trouble yourself over matters that are not your doing. You need not worry about me, ma douce."

Like a puddle of water that has been sitting in the sun all day, you're felt like you could evaporate just from the intensity of your fiancé's lidded gaze. Sometimes you wondered if he was even aware of his influence on every part of your body.

"Besides, I don't recall ever saying that I intended to leave at this very moment. We still have plenty of time together; the morning has only just begun."

Completely intertwining your hand with his, Neuvillette seamlessly maneuvered you both back onto the soft, inviting sheets, with you conveniently laying on top of him.

His long, snowy hair sprawled from his scalp in all directions making him look majestic with no effort at all. At times, you even found yourself jealous of his beauty. But you wouldn't dare utter such words to him; you'd rather simply admire and even found yourself a little prideful that such a dauntingly beautiful man would be yours forever.

If only you knew that to Neuvillette, you resembled an angel from the Celestial heavens. The sun hasn't risen over the mountains just yet, but your being blinded him, and he found himself never wanting to see another thing again.

Overcome with ardor for you, his hand found its way to the back of your neck to pull your face downward and closer to his, because he was craving another taste of you.

You melted in his touch, and savored the taste of vanilla and crème on his tongue and his hands on your body. The only thing wrong with this moment, was the dawn came too soon.

( # ) ━ since i never wrote for genshin before, i don't have a tag list for it lolz ! but i might as well make one soooo if you wanna join let me know <3 here's the link to my taglist form for my other works <3 @osamwah @smiley-babe y'all would prob like this fdkjdkd

[dipplinduo]

Carmine's afraid of flying? How the heck did she get home then, by boat?

(Context: Sweet & Sour Dipplins, Chapter 24)

Hahahaha, yep! I thought it would be a funny little quirk for her characterization, and a funny way to start throwing in more mintteashipping moments. xD

This is why Drayton makes fun of her when he finds out. The implication is that they're talking about how he would've come with her on her recent flights:

Drayton’s face lit up, practically glowing with amusement as he squeezed Carmine’s hand. “Wait, wait - you’re telling me you’ve had a fear of flying this whole time?!” He exclaimed, his voice both incredulous and teasing.

“Shut up, meathead!” Carmine screeched as she collapsed into herself. 

Drayton ignored the warning and leaned closer, appearing to ask a follow up question Juliana couldn’t hear. 

“...What was it like for you?” Arven asked lowly. “The curse.” 

Drayton chuckled as Carmine’s death grip appeared to nearly shatter his fingers. He leaned back and bellowed. “I’M JUST SAYING, you could’ve told me. I would’ve been your emotional support seatmate!”

[mllekurtz]

the end of all our exploring

Read on AO3

Today, on an unnamed patch of shady grass beside a canal in the Zemnian countryside, Essek unexpectedly came to terms with the fact he will never go home again. (or: the gardener fic)

A shadowgast fic rated T featuring the Zemnian countryside, slow dancing, and meditations on gardening.

Image credit: Emma Francis on Unsplash

[zeebreezin]

Before leaving for the Neath, to find his daughter’s killer, August Shaw told only one person: his wife. His letter was poorly worded, rambling, and utterly incoherent. Before leaving to complete his Ambition, heading into Parabola on a quest he does not think he will return from, Shaw did not want to make the same mistake. The following messages were addressed to (In order): @neathyingenue ‘s Silvia Salcedo, @gmalaart ‘s Emon Cavendish, @elleryhart ‘s Ellery , @viric-dreams ‘s Robin Jones, @letheology ‘s Mina Azoulai, @capn-twitchery ‘s Twitch, and @t6fs, here addressed as Logan.

[You haven’t heard from Shaw in several days, any mail you sent has gone unanswered. A letter arrives out of nowhere, written in his curling handwriting. The script is messy, blotted with ink and wine.] “Dear Silvia, I apologise for the state of myself as I write this, though you must understand that this message is of the utmost importance. The time for half truths and polite obfuscation is past, between us. I will not insult you by dancing around the truth. When I first came to London, I came with only one purpose: to avenge the death of my daughter, Lenore, and to meet my own end in the process. Since then, well. I’ve found something quite worth remaining for. I set off now to end what I have started, and I may not return. For that I am so, so sorry. You have become… so much to me, Silvia. In all your endeavours, I wish you the best. Your talent and passion for what is right has inspired me, and I’m sure you have inspired many. I am proud to consider you family, a bond not forged by blood but by ink and will. I… I hope you will be well. No matter what happens. If I do not return, know that I am deeply proud of you. Your Friend, August Shaw.”

- x - x -

[The letter does not arrive on paper. It is scrawled across the cosmogone sky, familiar handwriting curling across the surface of parabola like a rock skipping across the surface of a lake.] “My Dearest Emon, it rends my heart to know that I cannot send you this letter. I dare not post it, knowing the reflection that takes your place.” [A few words are heavily scratched out.] “I have no idea if I will see you again, you as I know you, vibrant and sharp and maddeningly brilliant. I wish, more than anything, you were at my side. If I return from the journey I now set out to take, know that I will find you. My window of opportunity is brief, and I cannot linger, though I know how selfish it must seem. I set off now to defeat the ghosts that haunt me, to lay my daughter to rest. When I began, I thought that this would be my undoing, a death I welcomed. Now, though. I must succeed. I will find you again, Emon. These words will reach you - they must. I have to return. Wherever you may be, know that… I will find you, my love. Yours, Always, August Shaw.”

- x - x -

[A stained letter is delivered to you by an anonymous urchin. It’s dated to a few days after you left on your trip… the handwriting is familiar.] “Dear Ellery Hart, I hope this letter reaches you well. I’ve scheduled it to be delivered as soon as you return, as its contents are quite important to me. Once you receive this, I will have already departed on a journey. I dare not tell you where I go, or why, but know that-” [A section of text is scratched out.] “I may not return. In such a case, I… Where do I begin? You’ve come so far in the time I’ve known you, Ellery. In all senses, I’m deeply proud of the man you’ve grown into. Wherever your path takes you after this hunt, I know you will do well. If this is goodbye, then know that I count you both amongst my finest pupils, and amongst my dearest friends. Hunt well, Ellery. Your Friend, August Shaw.”

- x - x -

[The dead drop has remained quiet for a while now. The next missive you receive from the Black Rook isn’t encoded, or tucked away - it’s left in your mailbox, like any other letter.] “Dear Jones, I apologise for the unorthodox - or perhaps more accurately, deeply orthodox - method of communication. This message has nothing to do with our work, though I understand if you dispose of it as if it was. Simply put, I am… leaving London, for a time. This journey is not one I had expected to return from for a long time, but I know that I will be fighting to return to the city now. Should all go wrong, well, I know that we have not always seen eye to eye. I know that I may never truly win back your trust, something that would be well within your rights. But I could not leave in good conscience without saying goodbye. The letters we used to send, as Suzette and Jacques, they provided me a great deal of light during my darkest days. After everything I am, in truth, not sure what to call us. But whatever you are to me, Robin Jones, I hope I get to see you again, once all this is over. Play Well, August Shaw.”

- x - x -

[Shaw hasn’t been at the university for a while, now. A letter is slipped into your desk when you return to Benthic, tucked neatly into the top drawer. No cipher, plain script - this isn’t a game.] “Dear Mina, I hope the Khante has been treating you well. I’m unsure as to when you’ll be back, and a part of me hopes that this letter will be quickly corrected by my presence at your door, but nevertheless. I’m setting off on a mission, you could say, one of great personal significance. One I am unsure if I will return from. In the case I… do not return, I leave my network to you, Mina. Take this letter to Demirkan, he will know what to do. …We can do great things with this Game we play. We have done great things. I trust you to carry on that, if I cannot. You have been a great friend to me, and a most trusted confidant. I can only hope that I do not betray that trust now. Your Friend, August Shaw.”

- x - x -

[A letter from your former protege arrives, carried by bat. It’s uncommon enough that he’s writing to you, but the contents of the letter are stranger still.] “Dear Captain Lazaret, I must apologise for the suddenness of this letter. I hope it finds you well, and in a space where you can read it without fearing immediate retribution. Though I know we only occasionally brush paths these days, it seemed unwise to not inform you of my current state of affairs. Simply put, Captain, I’m going to be away from London for some time, and I am unsure if I will ever see home waters again. For all my gripes and bristles (and indeed, all the years I fear you’ve taken off my life) I could not have become the man I am today without your guidance. I know I may have seemed ungrateful, but… well, thank you for all you taught me. And for all the times we have spent together, many of which were at the worst lows of my time down below. You are vexing, and caustic, and I dare say my days in London would be a great deal duller without knowing you. Let none of my sarcasm lead to you forgetting this fact, Captain - as you are indeed someone I owe a great deal of happiness to. I hope to see you again. Your Friend, August Shaw.”

- x - x -

[Shaw’s not home, when you return to London, but tonight, six apocyan eyes beckon you to the window. Laying out is a phonograph, one Nigel plays, though there’s no music recorded - just Shaw’s voice, thick with emotion.] “Logan, I- /ˈdæmɪt/, I hope this thing is working right. I hope you’re well? The Tomb Colonies, can be quite draining, I know. I… I’ve left this for you, as I didn’t quite trust my No`çuk" script, and… well, this is quite serious.” [A pause. The sound of drumming fingers on the table.] “This is harder to say than I thought, I, ah…” [A deep, shaky breath.] “The reason I first came to London was not a good one. My daughter had been- she had been taken from me. I came here for revenge, to find the one who’d… and, in all honesty, to lose myself in the process. Now, I’ve left to finish what I’ve started. If I do not return, I… Logan, you’ve become so dear to me. The kindness you’ve shown me, all of it… it is something I will never forget. You are impossible, magnificent… and I love you. Terribly so. What else is there to say?” [A laugh, clearly through tears.] “I will find you, if I make it back. I swear. Xïmo`tu`no` szokh, Muszhka`. If I can’t, I… no. I will. I love you, Logan.” [The recording ends there. Nigel offers it to you.]

- x - x -