#warning though they’re very much in the still figuring it out phase

[ghost-proofbaby]

modern!steve harrington + mine cause i just KNOW he’d love that song and daydream about a future with his girl listening to it 😭💜

mine (steve's version)

warnings: hurt/comfort, my fingers slipped and put angst

wc: 2.1k+

an: okay i completely goofed here and made this far angstier than you wanted, and did not realize until AFTER it was done. 😭 i'm gonna apply the same logic as miss swift does with surprise songs - since i technically messed up, if you'd like a redo with more sweetness, let me know and i've got you haha 😭 i also just processed you wanted him to listen to the song and that image broke my brain so basically what i'm saying is this one will definitely get a redo haha sorry nonnie <3

It had all started over a stupid fight. A fight that he didn’t even recall how it had started. That’s how stupid it had been. 

Steve had been tired, coming home from a long shift at the diner. It had been a shit show for the entirety of the twelve hours that Steve had been there, instantly making him regret pulling a double to cover one of his coworkers who called claiming they had a fever, but that he’d definitely seen posting on their stories about being out for drinks very late the night before. But he wasn’t going to tell his boss that — he’d been there. One too many beers on one of his rare free nights with friends, and he too would call out, claiming something along the lines of food poisoning. 

He wasn’t fully lying. That much alcohol probably had poisoned him considering the way he felt like death the next morning.

The coworker wasn’t what had him in a sour mood, though. Nor was it the one elderly couple that had kept trying to have terribly long conversations with him when he knew he had food to run. Nor was it that obnoxiously large group of preteens that seemed to have no self awareness as they’d reeked absolute havoc on the diner for the final hour before closing. No, none of that really phased Steve anymore — he was just tired. He was tired, a bit too easily irritated, and just wanted to sleep. 

His plans for the night had been crawling into bed with you, watching some TV show or movie he wouldn’t pay attention to with his head in your lap as your fingers would scratch soothingly at his scalp. His plans for the night didn’t include this fight. If he could have stopped, God only knows he would have.

“They’re going to shut off the water, Steve,” you stress, on the verge of tears at this point. Steve didn’t know if they were from stress, exasperation with him, or if you were hurting from how flippant he’d been since he walked through the door. Regardless, it didn’t matter; seeing you misty-eyed twisted the knife in his chest all the same, “What the fuck are we going to do if they do that? This isn’t something to talk about tomorrow.”

“They’re not going to turn it off tonight!” he shouts right back at you, throwing his hands into the air in defeat, “Fuck, I- what do you want me to do about it? What can I do about it tonight?” 

You snap your mouth shut at that, lips pressed tightly to avoid any quivering. 

“I just worked twelve fucking hours, I just wanted to come home and relax, I’m not in the mood-“

“You’re never in the mood,” you flatly interrupt him, tone a stark contrast to all the overwhelming emotions prominent on your face. Your voice doesn’t even waver — he knows that whatever you’re about to say, it’s been on your mind a while, “It’s always we’ll talk about this tomorrow, or we’ll figure it out. But we never talk about it. We never figure it out, Steve. We can’t just- You don’t think I’m tired, too?” 

His heart breaks a little. You’re right. You’re standing there, still in your scrubs from your own twelve hour shift, and fuck, you’re right. 

Things hadn’t ever been easy. Back in high school, there had been the issue of Steve’s parents. After graduation, it had been the terrible decisions of what now. When you two had decided to pack up and get the Hell out of town, it had been the stress of finally dealing with all the uncertainty, all while desperately trying to keep afloat amongst stacks of bills and adult responsibilities neither of you had expected to drown in. Things had never been easy, but Steve didn’t care about easy — he just cared that you’d always been there, by his side, on his team. 

Right now, it didn’t feel like you and him versus the world. For the first time, it feels like there’s only you two in the boxing ring. 

“This isn’t a competition, we’re… we’re supposed to be on the same side.” 

There it was — your voice cracks, and the moment the first tear falls from your eyes, you’re quick to reach up and swipe it away, pretending it never happened. Pretending that one tear wasn’t ripping Steve apart from the inside out.

“It’s not a competition! But Jesus Christ, I feel like I’m suffocating-“

“I’m suffocating you?” the tears are falling more freely, and you make no move to erase them. 

That’s not what he meant. At all. He’s only making it all worse. So, so much worse.

“I-“ he starts, but he doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know how to make this better. 

He doesn’t know how to fix this.

In an instant, his hands go from threading and angrily tugging at his hair to flaring at his side as he suddenly walks sharply down the hallway. He’s making a beeline for your shared bedroom, doing the only thing he can think of to fix this for you. For tonight, at least.

You’re quick to follow, only two steps behind him, “Where are you going?”

“I’m-“ he pauses, yanking a random drawer open to the dresser, finding himself staring at a pile of your clothes rather than his own. He huffs through frustration and his own building tears, “I’m gonna stay at Eds’ tonight. Give you some space.” 

“Give me space?” you laugh back in disbelief, not daring to take any more steps closer to him, “You’re the one who’s being suffocated-“

“You’re not suffocating me,” he stops all movement, hand still on the knob of his drawer. He turns to you suddenly, a new found confidence, “That’s- That’s not what I meant, okay?” 

He can’t make this right, but he can’t leave you thinking that’s what he meant. You could never suffocate him — and even if you tried, he’d find it to be the most heavenly way to die. But you didn’t know that, not in this moment, and that was what was currently killing him.

You take a deep breath, one step forward, before asking quietly, “What did you mean, then?” 

One last chance. An opportunity to make this right.

“You could never suffocate me,” all the shouting and the frustration has vanished, only softness and hurt left in their places, “Ever. Don’t you ever think for one moment that it’s you. It’s not, okay? I love you. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me, you are-“ he chokes up, looking into your glossy eyes. He can still recall the way he felt all those years ago when they’d first laid eyes on him. He’s memorized the way it felt, because every time you look at him, it still manages to feel like the very first time, “You are everything to me. You’re- Fuck, honey, you’re my entire future. When I think about the future, all I think about is you.” 

You take another step forward. Steve’s own tears now track his own face, his heart racing painfully.

“I love you so fucking much, it’s crazy. And I just- I feel like I’m fucking all of this up. You deserve more than this, and I try to give it to you, but I can’t-“

“That doesn’t all fall on you, Steve,” your hands shake as you lift them, finally close enough to touch him. Each palm rests delicately on his chest and you can’t look him in the eyes, “I don’t want you for your money. Never have, never will.” 

He laughs wetly. You’ve more than proven that. When his parents cut him off completely, you hadn’t blinked an eye. 

“I want you because I love you. I’m in love with you, Steve Harrington. Okay? I’m so in love with you, I followed you across the goddamn country.” 

“Eddie and Robin did too, to be fair,” he reminds you, almost jokingly. All the tension from the fight is quickly fading. His hand drops from the drawer. 

“They did, but I guarantee I love you more than them,” you scrunch your nose, almost grimacing before adding, “No offense to them, of course.” 

“Of course,” he echoes, slowly reaching up and holding your hands that had been pressed to his chest. You don’t pull back.

“I’m just- it’s stressful. We’re both stressed. Neither of us were prepared for this,” you look him desperately in his eyes, “I meant what I said, though. This isn’t me versus you — I never want it to be us fighting each other. It’s always us versus the problem, okay?” 

He nods when you wait patiently for his response, “Okay.” 

“And I want you here,” you continue, “I want you here, in our home and in our bed. I want you here, even screaming back and forth with me, as long as you’re here. With me. Go to bed mad at me, I don’t care. Just… don’t walk away.” 

You smile through the residual tears, squeezing his hands that hold yours. 

Steve thinks about all the examples of love he’d ever been shown. His parents, in a castle of ice. The way the fights always ended in separate rooms, sometimes separate houses. His father storming out to spend the night in a hotel rather than having to be around his mother a second longer. He remembers the way that even with an abundance of money, they were never happy. They never loved each other. A marriage of convenience rather than love. Lasting only out of obligation, not dedication. 

He didn’t want that with you. He couldn’t ever imagine what the two of you have being reduced to that.

When he looks at you, all he can see is happiness. All he can feel is that love bursting from his chest. Images of the two of you by Lover’s Lake, the way the waves of the lake had sent shattered and sparkling flares of light across your cheeks as you’d laughed at him as if he was the funniest person in the entire world. All the nights spent over the phone, talking about nothing and everything, desperate to just fall asleep to the sound of each other’s voices. The ridiculous nerves he’d felt on the first date, King Steve shaking at the thought of putting his arm around you because for the first time, he was truly scared of fucking this up. 

You made him a better man. You saw everything inside of him that was broken, that he had spent so long trying to hide, and you’d simply sat down beside him with glue in hand, prepared to spend as much time as he needed to piece it all back together. 

Go to bed mad at me, I don’t care. Just… don’t walk away.

“I can’t do that, sweetheart,” he finally sighs. Your face starts to fall, but he’s quick to clarify, “I can’t go to bed mad at you. Ever. And we can fight, us versus the problem like you said, all we want but… I don’t want to go to bed mad. I don’t want… I don’t want that. Whenever my head hits that shitty pillow every night,” you both break to laugh, because God, you both really did need new pillows (and a mattress, if you were being honest), “All I want to know is that you’re mine and I’m yours. Sound fair?” 

You smile, and it’s the best thing he’s ever seen. It makes all the long shifts worth it as you nod slowly, “Sounds fair to me.” 

“Good,” he guides the two of you to the center of the room before he drops your hands from his, sighing and letting his shoulders finally drop, “Then in that case, I’m staying.” 

Even with crying tears on your cheeks, you’re still the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. You’re still the best thing Steve Harrington has ever had the privilege of calling his, “Yeah?” 

“Yeah. So if we’re gonna fight — let’s fight, baby.” 

He puts his fists up comically, and you only giggle and grab at them, shaking your head.

“I think we've fought enough for one night,” you mumble, bringing one fist to your mouth, kissing each of his knuckles gently. 

Once you’ve placed your final kiss, he quickly placed the hand beneath your chin, lifting your lips to his. He kisses you in quick succession, and between each one, he repeats the sincerest I’m sorry he can muster. 

He only stops once you’re smiling too wide for him to continue. 

After his lips leave yours one last time, pulling back slowly as he savors it and you, he finally sighs, “I am curious, though — what the Hell are we going to do if they do shut off the water?” 

You shrug, “Like you said, we can talk about it tomorrow.” 

“Or we can use Eddie and Robin’s shower.” 

“Or we can use Eddie and Robin’s shower.” 

As it turns out, Steve Harrington was wrong — when it comes to you, he can always fix things. 

"brace myself for the goodbye, 'cause it's all i've ever known. then you took me by surprise, you said 'i'll never leave you alone'."

[muqingapologist]

Can I ask your top 10 fav fics ever (from any fandom, if you don't mind)?

Also, just curious, is there a story behind your name "muqingapologist "?

i go through phases with fanfiction, wavering between never reading any and then reading it consistently over a period of time. so my ao3 account only has bookmarks from the last year or so, so i’ll just include those! i did read some reeeally good fics for pairings that i was really into in the past, but i won’t include them here

as for my username, i used to have the apologist format with another character for my finsta, and i because obsessed over mu qing in my recent read through of tgcf. so i’ll defend him from the haters heh.

ok fics. no particular order.

1. Resurrection by heyholmesletsgo

one thing about me is that im going to eat up every songxiao fix-it fic i come across. this one i think follows the logic of the untamed rather than just mdzs, but i don’t think it’s a big change either way. this fic is so beautiful i thought about it for weeks afterward. it’s pretty short, but the slow, gentle pining as xiao xingchen returns to the world, the way they figure out communication, it’s all so good.

2. some new beginning by liesmyth

i got into good omens after season 2 being released this past summer, and i have to say the fics have been very hit or miss for me. the characterizations in fics are always some strange combination of characterizations of season 2 crowley and season 1 crowley and book crowley. this is post-season 1 though so this isn’t really an issue. i loved this one. i think my favorite form of aziracrow is when they’re both just idiots following the momentum of their feelings without really realizing the significance of their actions until, well, they live together hahah. highly recommend this one for that dynamic! it’s also pretty short.

3. Protagonist Rehabilitation Programme by cinnamonsnaps

this one i actually read entirely on my flight from japan last week after randomly stumbling across it. it’s an SVSSS AU where the original luo binghe transmigrates(?) into shen yuan’s world. im not usually a fan of AU fiction because i think much of the time, the events of the source material are very much what shape the personalities of the characters, but this one works for me. it’s so good at matching the tone and writing style of mxtx while being funny in its own way too.

4. hometown comforts by nyoomerr

this is another bingqiu one, post-canon, and it’s an identity reveal. it’s my ideal identity reveal fic because it’s incredibly low stakes and binghe is just curious about shen yuan’s world. no system warnings and stuff. just bonding. im a simple gal.

5. still waters by marichen

went through a beefleaf phase where i read a bunch of fics. this was the best one by far. unmatched. beefleaf, imo, is a very difficult couple to write for. there’s so much to unpack. it’s hard to make their relationship feel genuine because so much care needs to go into shi qingxuan trusting he xuan again. in this fic, it is the classic he xuan lingering around, but also we see sqx building his own life back up on his own, as well. it’s he xuan pov. so good so good.

6. Bring it back, bring it back [don’t take it away from me] by wednesdaisy

another good omens fic, also post-season 1, aziraphale pov. in this one, crowley fucks off to new zealand because he thinks his relationship with aziraphale is fantasy and it’s too painful to keep seeing him after everything they’ve been through. and aziraphale tracks him down and has to convince crowley that he does indeed want him in his life and loves him and ah, it’s really sweet.

7. the round moon by orphan_account and the hazy sun by orphan_account

this is a 2 part quanyin fic (pre-canon qyz for part 1, post-canon yin yu pov for part 2). i’m also incredibly picky about quanyin fics. this one was so beautifully done. it didn’t make quan yizhen feel overly-childish as an adult like many others do, and it made yin yu’s conflicting feelings about him so vivid and believable. highly recommend for quanyin nation out there.

8. This Is Me Trying by Piper_Emerald

another post-canon identity reveal. this one is a little more angsty than the one above but also so well done! a deep part of me needs an identity reveal to happen for them at some point hahaha…like binghe is smart ok…he suspects already.

9. some good mistakes by Lise

everyone forgive me for not really having any wangxian recs. my post-untamed fic phase was on my old ao3 account i can’t find. anyway, i remember this one being really good. wei wuxian goes missing. jiang cheng pov, teaming up with lan zhan to find wwx. post-canon untamed. personal preference but i love post-canon untamed wangxian fics the most because i just reading about all the ways they might get together.

10. Not Easily Conquered by dropdeaddream, WhatAreFears

(i keep getting error when i post the link but it’s on ao3)

i’m including this one because i’d be lying if it wasn’t always in my top 10. i never think about stevebucky these days and cannot stand marvel, but damn this fic holds up like 8 years later!! 3-parter, AU where steve never gets frozen but bucky is still the winter soldier. told over decades. some cringe US cold war propaganda but ignoring that…a beautiful story. if you ever carried any attachment for these two, worth the read.

so that’s my very inaccurate too 10 fics. thank you for asking so i have an excuse to discuss hahaha.

[casperrscapes]

haikyuu x hogwarts crossover fanfic rec list !!

hello!! i really like haikyuu, and i quite like harry potter, so it makes sense that i like haikyuu x hogwarts fics, doesn’t it? here are some of my favourites ones that i’ve come across!! (o゜▽゜)o☆

be careful, and check tags/warnings before reading!! 

this isn’t in any particular order. 

(i used the little moon phases to represent .5/.25/.75 of a star ( •̀ ω •́ )✧)

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sixth Time's the Charm by tsumekakusu (T) 2,068 words [kyouhaba] --- (aka How to say "I like you" in six different ways)

kyoutani is such a nerd, and we love him for that. oh, right, yahaba’s also a bit stupid at times... he’s very dense. they get together in the end though, so that’s what matters!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love from the Quidditch Bleachers by sunablinks (NR) 5,271 words [sunaosa, bkg sakuatsu] --- In a wizarding world where everything fell into place because Suna Rintarou just wanted to know why everyone hated the Miya twins so much. “Wanna sneak into the pantry later and grab food for a picnic at the Quidditch field tonight?”

this might actually be the first and only sunaosa fic i’ve ever read?? not cause i don’t like ‘em!! and honestly, i might read some more of these after how cute this one was... but anyways, this is such an endearing fic, and they’re so in love, and i just love this!! suna taking care of osamu is really cute :).

⭐⭐⭐🌖 stardust by InkCaviness (G) 1,415 words [kyouhaba] ---  Shigeru first meets Kyoutani during their Herbology class and he watches in fascination as the Hufflepuff with the permanent scowl and broad shoulders carefully handles delicate plants.

it’s very nice, fluffy fluff, what else can i say?? 

⭐⭐⭐🌖 Magicked by HoneyBeeez (T) 8,470 words [kyouhaba] check tags for this one!! --- Yahaba loves all things medicine, so he's basically a kid in a candy store when he's allowed to be an assistant at the Hospital Wing. He loves what he learns, what he does... the only thing that's a little troublesome is the patients, and even then, its only one patient: Kyoutani Kentarou.

oddly humorous?? also quite sad though... the ending fit kyouhaba so well!!

⭐⭐⭐🌘 Blood by darkbluebox (T) 20,215 words, 10/10 chapters [tsukiyama] ---  Words like "Muggle-born" and "Pure-blood" don't mean a lot when you're still a child, but everyone has to grow up sooner or later.

adjdakjdwka, why do tsukiyama work so well for hogwarts au angst??? this hurt me,,,, but also, why are they so dumb?? like come on!! 

⭐⭐⭐🌗 Show A Little Faith by minijhi (G) 13,872 words, 3/3 chapters [kuroken] --- “Why are you sending me a singing Valentine telegram?" Kenma asks, mouth flattened. "It’s six months until Valentine’s Day.” “I bought a dwarf over the summer to use as cupid.” Kuroo says. “I figured he could use some practice.” - Presenting Kenma as the Boy-Who-Lived, whose living becomes a lot more interesting when Ravenclaw Prince Kuroo Tetsurou starts sending him singing telegrams about defeating the Dark Lord.

kenma as the boy who lived is so jdakdjkad?? idk what to say. also, kuroo sending him valentines (not really valentines, but still) is so funny. 

⭐⭐⭐ The Love Potion Of The Century by mago_teung (M) 170,383 words, 45/45 chapters [daisuga, bokuaka, kagehina, tsukiyama, asanoya, iwaoi, kuroken, ushiten] check tags for this one!! ---  "Wait, give me a sec. I have 7 brain cells left." "I bet you 5 galleons professor Takeda and professor Ukai are smashing each other, right now as we speak." "That Akaashi-san doesn't seem like a Ravenclaw at all. I was so sure he was in Slytherin." "Wait, Sugawara is in Slytherin? ... I've been calling him Hufflepuff trash this whole time." "Guys, I just saw that Slytherin kid Tsukishima and the Hufflepuff Yamaguchi making out at Three Bro-hey, stop laughing! I'm serious!" "You think if I turn into an owl I won't have to do the exams?" "That bitch Oikawa got another love letter. Thinks he's the shit..." "Why are you crying? Stop it." "With how often Kuroo goes to the Ravenclaw tower, you would think he was one of them. Kinda sad though, he's stupid." "I'm telling my daddy about this! ... No, that's my father. I'm pretty sure I said daddy." 

this one is certainly odd!! it’s technically part one of a series, but i’ve only read this first one (and the last oneshot/spinoff/oneoff). it’s very... chaotic?? definitely not everyones cup of tea, and in hindsight, i can’t say i loved it that much. i definitely enjoyed it a lot more in the moment. the whole concept is completely stupid (literally everything happends because of a love potion), but if chaos is your thing, you might like this one!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Oh My! (You didn't know?) by mago_teung (T) 13,977 words [aofuta] --- "I like you! Get it through your thick skull!" ". . . okay?"

spinoff i mentioned above!! honestly, i like this one better than the main fic, haha. it’s very funny and sweet!! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Burning Deep, Burning Bright by jellyryans (ryankellycc), ryankellycc (NR) 28,031 words, 4 works [asanoya, kagehina, daisuga] might want to check tags?

this series is absolutely amazing. asanoya focused, but there’s a kagehina and a daisuga fic too!! it’s such a fun twist of the whole asahi and nishinoya fight that happened early on in haikyuu!! it’s so cool to see it in a harry potter au... not really a hogwarts au though, just a harry potter au in general. 

⭐⭐⭐🌗 As Well As You Know Me by Authoress (E) 8,542 words [daisuga, bkg hinayama, kuroyaku] very smutty, check tags!! --- There's nothing like a Gryffindor v. Slytherin match to get the blood pumping. Well, that is, except angry post-game sex, but Suga's a prefect, he would never instigate something like that, right?

umm... i don’t really like smut?? like, i don’t read a lot of it?? so i can’t say whether or not this is “good smut.” but, i like hogwarts aus!! and i loved the whole bit about house loyalty/pride, it was funny, and made a lot of sense considering actual lore of hogwarts!! 

⭐⭐⭐🌖 woo you by bishounen_curious (G) 755 words [daisuga] ---  Suga snickered. “You really have no idea why I’ve been practically stalking you for a week?”

suga has the confidince i’ll never have, i can only dream... and daichi’s oblivousness to why suga’s been “harrassing,” him is so funny,,, this is really just such a funny fic!! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spellbound by orphan_account (T) 6,847 words [daisuga, bkg kuroken, iwaoi] --- Out of all the people Daichi had to fall for, it had to be a Slytherin. Their two houses were supposed to hate each other. To be fair, he was nothing like the stereotypes preached. He wasn’t snide, slimy or pompous. He was beautiful in an ethereal kind of way. He was almost ghostly pale, all innocent brown eyes and silvery-blonde hair. Sugawara Koushi, the boy who was even sweeter than his name suggested.

daichi being done with his underclassmen is so funny, i can’t!! this fic is definitely really funny, but it’s also just extremely sweet?? huge rec from me!! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌗 quidditch gloves, parchment, and custard cream by h_lovely (T) 12,450 words [matsuhana] ---  After class, Matsukawa finds Hanamaki in the tall cushy grass by the lake.

hajdkasdjakd, matsuhana > everything !! i love them so much gahhhh!! look at them!! look!!! and a freaking matsuhana hogwarts au??? ‘course i’m going to love it!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌗 snowflakes by arsenicjay (T) 3,622 words [bokuaka] --- Bokuto is a simple wizard with simple needs; a nice date, a little romance, and he's all good to go. Or, Akaashi and Bokuto spend a day in Hogsmeade just before Christmas.

they’re so ahdjakdj??? skrunkly?? little blorbos?? i love this sort of fluff,,, the cultural differences/references were really fun too!! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ don’t let this magic die by canvases (oilpaints) (G) 8,498 words [semishira] --- Shirabu and Semi don’t really get along. By some twist of fate, they wind up sharing a room at the Leaky Cauldron after running away from their respective homes. Both plan on cutting ties as soon as they return to Hogwarts, but cramped rooms have a way of getting even the coldest of people to open up, often in the most unexpected and magical of ways.

i love semishira with, like, my whole heart, and this was so good!! their development- and their banter is written so well!! it’s so funny!! and their dynamic?! chefs kiss. i love this fic so much :’). (if you couldn’t tell by the rating i gave this fic, i have huge bias towards semishira)

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Haikyuu at Hogwarts by Killthespare (T) 622,936 words, 5 works, ongoing [daisuga, asanoya, ushiten, kiyoyachi, yakulev, akisae, bokuaka, shoumika, amanai/ennoshita] ---  Pretty much as the title suggests: a Hogwarts!AU with Haikyuu. It's planned for 7 book series so definitely a longer series. This first few can be read out of order with only minor confusion (about as easily as the first few Harry Potter books can) but there is an overall series plot in addition to the individual plots of each story. As of the fourth book, the previous third story should really be read before the fourth or later books.

i really like this series!! the characters are all really well handled!! it unfortunately hasn’t been updated in a little while, but the author says that they’ll be updating dec.18-19, so now would be a great time to get yourself caught up on the series in prepreation for the next chapter!! i will say, the current book is bound to get interesting... 

⭐⭐⭐🌘 in which tsukishima and yamaguchi win ten points for slytherin by deanpendragon (T) 3,990 words [tsukiyama]

very crack-y i’d say. i think what i originally said when i bookmarked this fic sums up my feelings about it quite well: “eeeeeeeee!!???”

(if you couldn’t tell, i really like short, fluff-and-no-plot sort of fics.)

this is shorter than i’d thought it’d be,,, i’ll probably end up continuing this post as i read more haikyuu hogwarts aus, but here are my recs for now!! 

[alphashley14]

One Of Us

A Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated/Mystery Skulls Crossover

Chapter Eleven

Keep on Living

After their impromptu concert, the Mystery Skulls gave their guests a full tour of the mansion - the parts they were allowed in anyway - and they were told about the house’s other ghosts. 

First were the suits of armor, which lined the hallways and seldom moved, but were very much haunted and would come to life to defend the house. And then there were the paintings, which were also haunted, moved and spoke like in Harry Potter, and apparently could be real assholes. So they were advised to walk quickly past the paintings and to try to avoid interacting with them. They were also warned about the mirrors, which apparently sometimes “showed upsetting things in your reflection.” But when asked, the Mystery Skulls couldn’t elaborate much on what exactly that meant, because what the mirrors showed varied a lot person-to-person. 

“That shouldn’t be an issue though,” Lewis explained. “It’s usually just the free-standing mirrors that do that, but those were all covered up.” 

His use of the word ‘usually’ did not put anyone’s minds at ease. 

“Apart from that, we get your usual run-of-the-mill haunted house activity. Moving objects, doors opening and closing, the occasional spirit orb. The usual.” Vivi shrugged.

“‘The usual’, she says.” Ricky said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. 

“No kidding,” Scooby agreed behind him.

“But like, what about the ghost from this morning?” Shaggy asked. 

The other five guests stopped, looked at Shaggy, and asked in unison: “What ghost from this morning?”

Lewis looked alarmed. “He’s- around,” He said quickly. “And he is… the most powerful spirit under our domain. But he cares about us, and he won’t hurt anyone. He prefers to keep hidden, at least for now. He’ll show himself when he’s ready. And he uh- he wanted me to tell you Shaggy, that he’s sorry for how he acted this morning. He was worried about Arthur, and sometimes his temper gets the better of him.” Lewis said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. 

“I’m sorry - time out. How exactly ‘did he act this morning’?” Velma demanded. 

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“Alright then, if we’re going to take on Professor Pericles, then what’s the plan?” Marcie asked, scratching the head of the Dead Beat that was hovering in the air beside her. 

“Ever-changing,” Arthur replied from his seat in Mr. E’s armchair. “There’s a lot that Ricky didn’t know, so phase one of the plan - which I hope to have done by the end of the day - is mainly reconnaissance, testing the waters… and setting the stage.” 

“What do you mean by that?” Marcie asked. 

“As of right now,” Arthur said, “Pericles and the others see Ricky as a doormat. They’re convinced they’ve got him all figured out and aren’t bothering to tread lightly with him or to give him a single ounce of basic respect or privacy. Ah - speaking of: Dead Beats, I have a job for you.” 

The three ghosts went rigid at attention. 

“I need one of you to haunt the spaces around these rooms to give us advance warning if someone is coming. Even when we need to leave these rooms to do other things, I still need one of you to be here at all times unless I say otherwise in case someone tries to sneak in and snoop or install monitoring equipment. Can you do that for me?” 

The little ghosts made an affirming chirp, bickered amongst themselves for a few moments, then one of them sped off to do as Arthur had said. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t think to do that earlier. It would be astronomically bad if one of them overheard or even knew I was talking to you. As for you Marcie, there are several things I need from you. First and foremost is a laptop. One that isn’t being monitored by Destroido or by Professor Pericles that we can use to hack into the system.” 

“I don’t have one.” Marcie immediately lied. 

‘Arthur’ inhaled sharply through his teeth, steepled his palms together, then pointed them at her. “Marcie, let’s be real: that’s bullshit. You’ve betrayed Mr. E twice and were most likely already planning to do it again. There’s no way you don’t have a device at the ready. Or at the very least, that you don’t know how to make a computer that way. Ricky has been prohibited from using the internet and all of his activity within Destroido’s own systems is being monitored. Even sending you that message was a calculated risk. I literally cannot do anything if you can’t or won’t get me a device.

“But at the same time, I understand why you’re holding out on me. You still aren’t fully convinced that I’m not Mr. E, that this isn’t some kind of trick, or that the torture-button even exists. And if this hypothetically was a trick and you exposed just how prepared you were to betray Mr. E, the consequences would be really bad for you. So… I guess I’m going to have to prove it.” He groaned. 

The Dead Beats warbled with concern. 

“Don’t worry, guys. I’ll be fine. This was already part of the plan, anyway. Looks like it’s just going to happen sooner than I thought.” 

“What are you going to do?” Marcie asked. 

“Hit several metaphorical birds with one stone,” Arthur replied. “How quickly can you get your stealth suit? The one that makes you invisible and allows you to climb walls and stuff? Ricky told me about it.” 

“I can’t,” Marcie said. “I know where it is, but Mr. E put it in a password-protected safe.” 

“Iscariot.” Arthur said. 

“Huh?” 

“I-5-C-A-R-1-0-T. Iscariot, but with a couple of letters switched for numbers - that’s the passcode. It’s a reference to the traitorous disciple, Judas Iscariot. Ironically, according to Ricky, Professor Pericles came up with it. He figured none of you would ever guess that the passcode came from Christian Lore, given that none of you are religious and Professor Pericles is evil as hell.”

“Oh, wow. That is ironic.” 

“Very. Especially when you consider that it was Pericles who was the Judas of their group. So, knowing the passcode - assuming that is the passcode - how quickly do you think you can get it?” 

“From here? If I use the vents it’ll take me like two hours there and back to get it without anyone or any of the cameras catching me.” 

“And if you have a small, invisible friend looking around corners and messing with security cameras as you pass?” He asked, pointing at the Dead Beats. 

“That- … would cut that time in half.” 

“Great. Then… it’s about 1:00 now, and taking into account what I need to do… hold on, let me think… at 4:00, I want you in your stealth suit, hiding in the rafters above the hallway where the Dead Beats picked you up - where you have that camera hidden for Velma.” 

If Marcie had a drink in her mouth, she would have spit it out. “So you do know about that!” She cried. “I knew you asking for me in that hallway wasn’t a coincidence! But how?” 

“Shaggy told us about it,” Arthur said. “I needed anything and everything I could use, Ricky was giving me all this info, and Shaggy wanted to help too.”

“Uh-huh… and what do you want me to do once I’m there, exactly?” 

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“Jeepers, Shaggy. That must have been scary.” Daphne exclaimed after Shaggy finished telling them about when he’d woken up in Arthur’s body.

“Like yeah, it was,” Shaggy said. “But like, that was pretty much the only scary part. The Mystery Skulls were super nice to me after they realized what had happened. And I didn’t see any more ghosts until I met the Dead Beats with you guys. So like, I’m all good.”

“That’s no excuse!” Velma exclaimed angrily, rounding on the Mystery Skulls. “Don’t you think you ought to have better control over your ghost?” 

“Oh, we don’t control that one. It’s his responsibility to control his damn self," Vivi said dryly, giving Lewis the side-eye. “But, we can’t fault him this time. He thought he was talking to an evil spirit and that Arthur was in danger.”

“He gets um… pretty defensive and aggressive when it comes to Arthur,” Lewis explained. 

They concluded their tour without further incident, and once they reached the end Lewis informed them, “The only place that’s strictly off-limits is the basement.” 

“And Lewis is going to tell you why that is,” Mystery said pointedly, “because you’re a bunch of meddling kids and your first instinct will probably be to go looking for the basement if we don’t tell you why you should avoid it.” 

There was a beat of stunned silence. 

“That’s- he’s… out of line, but he’s right.” Fred admitted. 

“It’s about the spirit we were talking about earlier.” Lewis explained. “The basement is the paranormal center of the house, and it’s also where he lives. There’s a lot of energy down there that I don’t want you guys around, and neither would he. So… please don’t go down there.” 

“There’s also a section of the library you shouldn’t look at unless one of us is with you, because the tomes are magical and/or cursed.” Vivi added, “We’ll show you where it is when we go into the library later. And obviously, use your common decency and don’t go into anyone else’s bedroom without permission.”

“Speaking of: we figured we’d save where you’d be staying for last.” Mystery said.

The Mystery Skulls’ rooms were all in the West Wing of the mansion. They set up their guests in the set of guest bedrooms in the East Wing and let them pick their own rooms - save the one closest to the connecting hallway, which apparently was already taken by their informant. 

Fred and Daphne naturally took the largest bedroom at the end of the hall. And wanting to stay close together, the others took the rooms closest to theirs. It made Ricky smile bittersweetly at the sound of Shaggy and Scooby romping like a couple of youthful idiots into their room. Velma, shaking her head, took the one across from theirs. Leaving Ricky (who just stood back and let the others pick first) with the last room, which was adjacent to the room that was already taken. 

Which was fine with him; the rooms were all about the same. Peeling mauve wallpaper with a Victorian-style heart pattern, the same redwood paneling as the rest of the house, their own stone fireplaces, and their own bathrooms. The furniture was a similar redwood, with skulls and broken hearts worked into the designs. And the beds were… unique. 

“Hey, the bed is coffin-shaped! This place is awesome!” Everyone heard Fred exclaim excitedly. And when the others walked into their own rooms, they found that theirs were the same: irregular six-sided kings with black sheets and comforters, very tall headboards, and tattered raspberry-colored bed hangings that matched the carpets and curtains. It was macabre, but it fit the spooky vibe of the rest of the house perfectly. Ricky’s space back home was kind of dark, but this was dark in a different way - and Ricky kind of liked it.

Ricky let himself fall back on the black plush mattress with a sigh. What and where even was “home” anymore? He’d lived at Destroido for years. But try as he might, he couldn’t muster much attachment to the place. He was proud of his company and what he’d accomplished, but at the end of the day it was just a building that gave him a roof over his head and made him money. His personal space wasn’t a place he ‘looked forward’ to retiring to, and apart from his keytar there wasn’t really anything waiting for him there. What had ever really made it “home”? 

He had no idea which of his relatives were still alive or if they’d even want to see him if he came out as not-dead. He’d renounced Pericles and the others (though they were still oblivious to what extent). And Cassidy was-

… Cassidy was gone. She was gone, and she was never coming back. 

And it’s all your fault. You killed her. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. 

He’d said such awful things to her the last time he’d seen her. 

“Ah, yes. The naive Cassidy I once fell in love with.” He remembered his own mocking tone so clearly. Cynical, bitter bastard. No matter how much it hurt or how frustrated you were, why would you take that out on her? ‘Once’ my ASS. As if you could stop loving her! 

He knew all too well what he’d done to drive Cassidy away, so of course he knew they hadn’t been close for a while by the time she… 

And yet, he couldn’t help but feel her loss stabbing at his chest, clawing his heart out - as if he’d lost the only thing he had left. 

He was at least being treated well by the Mystery Skulls and the kids, but how long would that last? They wouldn’t need him around anymore once the body-swap was fixed, this mystery was solved, and his former friends and the entity were dealt with. And he couldn’t see why they would want him around after that either. Or rather, why would anyone? If he was being honest with himself, with Cassidy dead and him finally breaking away from the rest of the original Mystery Inc., he… he really didn’t belong anywhere, anymore. 

It wasn’t safe and he hated it there. But… maybe now the only place left for him was as a shoulder for Pericles to perch upon.

Or better yet: maybe the world was better off without him in it.

No. Absolutely not. No way. Where the hell did all of that even come from? He asked himself, running his hands over his face. Going back to Pericles? Dying? Did you hear nothing your better half said? That’s ridiculous! 

‘I don’t think you realize just how bright our future could be.’ That’s what his better half had told him. But Ricky just couldn’t see how that could be.

I don’t want to think about this anymore. And I have more important things to think about anyway. Back in the box you go. 

Holy fuck, this had been a long day. And given that it was just a little past noon, it was far from being over. Shit, was it seriously only 2:00? He swore it felt like this day had just dragged on for weeks. He was exhausted. 

But he couldn’t fall asleep. Nope. And just to make sure of it, he sat up. Arthur was working his ass off and probably doing some pretty stupid and dangerous shit on his behalf right now, and the least Ricky could do was return the favor. 

Right at that ideal moment, there came a knocking at his chamber door. 

“Come in,” he called. 

Vivi opened the door and poked her head in. “Hey, Mystery- sorry. Mister. E. Is the room okay? If it’s awkward for you to be staying this close to the kids, we could move you elsewhere if you want.” 

“It’s fine.” Shit, that came out snappy. And after she’s been nothing but nice to you! At least pretend not to be an asshole! “But- thank you for asking. This is… nice.” He added quickly and in a better tone. It really was a nice room. Spooky, yes. Macabre, definitely. But he supposed that if he was going to stay in a haunted house, he might as well go all-in.

“I’m glad you like it. Do you have any requests?” Vivi asked. “Lewis is thinking about dinner, and Fred and Daphne were going to make a groceries-slash-clothes-slash-essentials run. Like, are you vegetarian? Pescetarian? Allergic to anything or- oh. Right. You’re in Shaggy’s body. So I guess I should be asking him.” 

“I’m not vegetarian. And I sincerely doubt that boy is allergic to anything.” 

Vivi snorted. “True.” 

“I suppose… Apart from clothes, I just need a toothbrush and toothpaste? And 2-in-one? I don’t care what brand,” He shrugged. 

“Got it. I’m pretty sure Mystery Inc. is planning on picking up clothes from Shaggy’s house for you while they’re out. Will that be fine?” 

Ricky nodded. 

“Cool. And dinner? Lewis was thinking of doing enchiladas.” 

“Enchiladas are fine. I’m not going to request anything. I’m just grateful to have someone willing to cook for me. It’s… been a while. Would Lewis like any help when he starts in the kitchen?” 

“Probably not, but I’ll let him know you offered. He feels really bad, by the way - for what he said earlier. He’ll probably apologize later.” 

Ricky cocked an eyebrow. “What did he-?”

“Back at the hilltop, when he was freaking out about Arthur.” 

Ah, right. He remembered, now. “It’s fine, really. He was scared for his friend. Arthur is lucky to have friends like you.” 

“One’s own emotions are an explanation for one’s shitty behavior, not an excuse,” Vivi said, hands on her hips. “Lew knows that. So just don’t be surprised if he brings it up.” 

Ricky didn’t have time to formulate a response to that statement, because that was when his stomach growled. “You have got to be kidding me. Breakfast was fucking huge. How are you this hungry already?” He scolded his own stomach. Ricky was no stranger to overeating. He’d gone through a difficult phase where food had become a coping mechanism and his real body had never lost the weight. But this was ridiculous! 

Vivi giggled. “Apparently it takes a truckload to keep that body satisfied.”

“Shaggy had better be glad that he was born to well-off parents, because if they couldn’t afford to feed him then I don’t know what would have happened to him.” Ricky said, shaking his head.

“Well come on, let’s get you something to eat. Then you, Shaggy, Scooby, Mystery, and I will get started in our library while Fred and Daphne are out for essentials and Lewis and Velma are out collecting materials from the library and haunted museum.”

“Anything I can do to help,” he agreed. Then he followed her out the door. 

Maybe he wasn’t one of them. Maybe things would get awkward and they wouldn’t want him around anymore once he was no longer needed. But for Arthur’s sake, he wouldn’t dwell on that. 

And for his own sake, maybe he could keep pretending for just a while longer. 

But of course, there just couldn’t be a dull moment. Because that’s when Scooby came running out of the room he shared with Shaggy. 

“Vivi! Vivi HELP! Raggy needs help!” 

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“What hole do you think Ricky’s gone and hid in this time, Brad?” Judy asked, ducking her head into yet another Ricky-free Destroido lab space. 

“I’m not sure, Judy. We’ve checked all the labs. If he was doing his rounds, we should have run into him by now.”  

“Then he must not be doing his rounds, Brad. Perhaps he’s in the garage working on the old relic he’s so attached to again.”

“I bet you’re right, Judy!” 

But even after Brad and Judy sauntered all the way to Mr. E’s personal closed-off garage, there was no sign of Ricky to be had there. 

Honestly, where else could he have gone? They had to ask themselves at this point. Ricky was usually nowhere near this difficult to find. 

Brad snorted. 

“What’s so funny, Brad?” Judy giggled. 

“Oh, I was just wondering how it’s possible for someone that fat to hide this well.” 

Judy laughed. “It is impressive, isn’t it Brad? 

Still though, in the back of their minds, they couldn’t help but be a little bit concerned. Hunting for him like this was usually almost as fun as their games with him that followed, but at this point it was getting frustrating. The one place they hadn’t checked was the dungeon Ricky called “home”, but they hadn’t been there since they’d helped Professor Pericles sneak sleeping powder into his dinner, then inject that capsule into his back. And Ricky didn't spend a lot of time there, anyway. It would certainly be unusual for him to be there at this time of day. But then again… he’d been acting differently ever since Professor Pericles came clean about Cassidy.

“You know Brad,” Judy mused, “Ricky was rather brazen this morning. You don’t think he tried to run for it, do you?” 

“I don’t think so, Judy. He knows that would happen if Pericles found out, and he knows he’s too weak to withstand it.” 

“That’s true, Brad. He has always been a coward.”

“Ding-dong Daddy-o. Do we have to go in there?” Brad whined.

Judy laughed. Brad’s impression was right-on. Classic Ricky. 

“Y-you guys, I don’t want to do this anymore. Let’s just go home!” Judy tried out her own imitation, and Brad laughed at it before doing another of his own. 

“Professor Pericles, come back! Professor Pericles, I’m scared. Shouldn’t we just leave this to the Smokies?” 

“I’m going to cower behind Cassidy even though she’s half my size. Ahh! A monster! Now I’m going to jump into Cassidy’s arms even though she’s so small it’s a miracle she can hold me up at all!” 

“You keep her name out of your thin fucking mouth, Judy.” 

The two of them had been so caught up in their mockery they hadn’t noticed the very subject of it lurking in a doorway until they were face-to-face with him. 

“Ricky! So there you are.” Judy said quickly. Her mouth was not thin. Who did this fat twerp think he was?

“Yeah. We were just looking for you,” Brad said menacingly. How dare that ugly bastard insult his Judy? 

Usually, this would be the part where Ricky backed off or tried to make some excuse to leave. 

But he didn’t do either of those things.

Ricky just leaned against the wall, giving Brad and Judy a look that was equal parts blank and judgemental, before he took a swig of the entire bottle of wine he was carrying and went right back to regarding them. He didn’t say anything. Didn’t cower. Didn’t puff up, either. He just… stood there.

Something was wrong with this picture. 

Mr. E’s signature scowl wasn’t nearly as hard, and where usually there would be fire behind his anger, all Brad and Judy saw was this… coldness. It was like a part of the soul within that disgusting body was gone, and something sad and empty was all that remained. 

“Well? Aren’t you going to say anything, Ricky?” Judy demanded after a few seconds of unbearable silence.

“That’s Mr. E to you,” Ricky corrected quietly. “Only my friends called me Ricky. As to whether I’m going to say anything, I really dunno. What do you want me to say, Judy?” 

And Judy- didn’t have a retort for that. But she was such a lucky girl, Brad came to her rescue. 

“Where have you been all day, Ricky?” He demanded. 

“Hmm. Not sure, to be honest. I lost time for a bit. Then I played my keytar for a while. Cassidy liked my keytar - music in general, really. Found this new band recently. I think she would’ve liked them too. But I can’t tell her about it. I can’t tell her any of the things I want to tell her. Because she’s gone - far away from me, probably in a better place than Crystal Cove. Where I’ll never see her again.” Then he laughed half-heartedly, “Classic Cassidy. She always moved on to new things before I did. I never could let go of the past, but her? Hah! She was dynamite. Always blasting forward. Why should death be any different?” 

“Are you fucking drunk?” Brad demanded. 

“I wish,” Ricky said. “But my tolerance is too high for this to do much to me. I considered something stronger, but she deserves better than that. Someone has to feel this pain for her. Because you seem to have forgotten, but thanks to Pericles she didn’t have any family - none of us do. She just had us, and those kids. And you two sure as fuck aren’t shedding any tears for her. Just like no one’s going to shed any tears for us when we die.” 

“Cassidy? That’s what this is about?” Judy scoffed. But Ricky wasn’t even looking at her. He was taking another long drink, his other hand in his pocket, weight casually favoring one hip. “She has no one to blame for what happened to her but herself, just like you don’t have anyone to blame but yourself for where you are.” Ricky finished his swig and looked at the label on the front of the bottle -  not at Judy. Why wasn’t he looking at Judy?! “You’re fools, the both of you. And that bitch-” 

Whatever vile thing Judy was about to say next died on her tongue. Because that was when Ricky suddenly overturned the bottle of red wine over Judy’s head, and the entirety of its contents poured down upon her. Soaking her blonde hair red, running down her face, then soaking into her blouse and dying her white pants. 

Brad and Judy were so utterly stunned that they froze, neither moving nor speaking. Their brains simply not computing what Ricky had just done. 

Ricky shook the bottle lightly to get the last drops out, which pitter pattered onto the top of Judy’s head. Before he finally took the bottle back, read the label one last time, and then chucked it at the wall. It shattered with a loud CRASH that made both Brad and Judy jump. But they were still too shocked to retaliate. 

That same shocked silence hung heavily in the air for another few moments. During which time Ricky scratched the back of his head, momentarily inspected his fingernails, then finally looked at Judy, his eyes scanning her wine-soaked, shaking form. An eyebrow cocked, and his lips pursed. “This is a good look for you.”

That was all it took to snap Brad out of it. 

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND?!” He thundered!

Brad surged forward out to grab Ricky by his collar but Ricky just expressionlessly snatched one of Brad’s fingers mid-grab and twisted it back at an awkward angle as far as it would go. “Don’t fucking touch me Chiles,” he said plainly. 

Brad cried out with pain and had no choice but to yield immediately, bending his knees and twisting his whole body awkwardly to lessen the stress on the digit. 

Judy just stood there. Cold. Wet. Red. Shaking, twitching. 

“What. Are you… doing?” Brad ground out. 

“Letting the intrusive thoughts win I guess,” Ricky shrugged. “I’m kind of fucking tired of you two treating me like your own personal litterbox to shit on, and I seem to have lost the will to care about the consequences. My heart’s being torn apart. I think my soul might be dead. It’s agony. But holy shit, do I feel fucking free.” 

“Just you wait! Professor Perciles is going to hear about this and- Aah!” Ricky twisted the finger in his grip back further. 

“Go ahead,” he said flippantly, “tell Pericles. I won’t be hiding. In fact, by the time he comes after me I’ll probably be existing somewhere in the hallways outside of Central Lab H. That seems like a good direction to wander. Then you all can torture me. Drag me into Hell with you. Destroy everything I’ve built. Disgrace my name. Use my resources to tear this town apart. We aren’t going to survive this mystery, and I’m glad! The last fuck I had to give died with her.” 

Ricky finally let go, and Brad jerked his hand back, cradling it. His jaw was locked, and he was so angry. But that face- those eyes. They were so fucking dead that Brad knew in that instant that nothing he could say or do, no matter how personal or vile, would pierce through to whatever heart was left. 

But Professor Pericles would. 

With a snarl, Brad turned sharply and stormed down the hallway, ushering Judy along with him. 

And Arthur Kingsmen watched them go. 

He didn’t dare let out his sigh of relief until after they turned down the next hallway and vanished. 

Wow. Had that been him? Had he really done that?! His heart was hammering the whole time, and he’d never stopped feeling the urge to run, but he hadn’t! He felt like he could climb Everest right now! He was on top of the fucking world!

But the job’s not over yet. 

And the consequences of those actions were coming. 

Arthur wasn’t looking forward to them, and he wasn’t sure if he could keep up that act through the pain. But he could sure as hell try. And even if he failed, he’d still have the evidence he needed. 

Poor Brad and Judy, Arthur almost felt sorry for them. They were supposed to be the ultimates in their craft, but how the mighty had fallen. They were so warped by the curse, absorbed in their hunt for the treasure, in each other, and in their own wickedness, that they failed to recognize what they were really headed into: a trap. 

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Owwwwwww. Ow ow ow ow OW.

Shaggy had felt the first twinges on the ride to the mansion in the Mystery Machine. But everyone had been talking so nicely with Mr. E, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it at that time anyway, so he hadn’t wanted to worry anyone. 

Then they got in the mansion, they got to meet ghosts, Lewis, Vivi, and the Dead Beats gave them that nice song, they got to tour a haunted house, and Shaggy had been so busy taking it all in that he didn’t notice the twinges getting worse. 

And worse. 

At first when he’d noticed them again, he’d tried to ignore them a little longer because he didn’t want Scoob to worry. 

But he ignored it for too long.

And now it hurt so much he could hardly focus on anything else. 

Like, holy cow. No wonder Arthur felt like he could handle whatever Mr. E was dealing with. He’d been tolerating this for how long? And making it appear like he was perfectly fine to boot? 

Shaggy shut his eyes tight where he was curled up on the black comforter, clutching his shoulder where flesh met metal. It was so weird. It wasn’t just the shoulder that hurt, it was as if the whole side and that whole arm hurt. Only that didn’t make any sense, because the arm wasn’t there. 

That was when Scooby came bounding back into the room, followed closely by Vivi and Mr. E in Shaggy’s body. 

Oh, Shaggy’s body! His skinny, intact, scruffy body! How he’d taken it for granted. He really, really missed it. He didn’t want to be Arthur anymore. He wanted to be Shaggy again, so he wouldn’t have to deal with this! 

“What’s wrong?- Oh no,” Vivi said, and Shaggy could tell from the look on her face that she’d immediately put together what was wrong.

“Arthur’s pain medication!” Mr. E cried, smacking himself on the forehead. “I’m so sorry, Shaggy! We got so caught up in the other stuff that I completely forgot!” 

“L-like don’t beat yourself up about it man,” Shaggy tried not to groan, “l-like, I’m the one who ignored it too long. We both forgot.” 

“What about Arthur’s pain medication?” Vivi demanded.

“His dosage needs to be adjusted,” Mr. E explained. “Arthur warned us that it hasn’t been working right for a while. Fuck- I was so caught up in everything else, it didn’t even cross my mind!” 

Vivi cried out in frustration and spun around to the doorway, where a couple of Dead Beats were looking in with concern. “You - go get Arthur’s meds. You - go get Lewis. Now. Hurry!” 

As the Dead Beats rushed off to do as she’d asked, Vivi calmly sat down on the edge of Shaggy’s bed. “I’m going to help you take Arthur’s arm off. Removing the extra weight should help the pain a bit. Then just stay on your side.” 

“Is there anything I can do?” Mr. E asked, “I could get you something or…?” 

“There’s not much that can be done besides prescription meds. Just- go find Shaggy’s friends. They shouldn’t have left yet.” 

“No! No. Like- uugh… I don’t want to worry them.” Shaggy said. “And like, they’ve got more important stuff to do-” 

Vivi flicked him hard on the nose.

“They’re your friends and they love you. I don’t know your group, but I know that when Arthur’s in pain, nothing is more important to me. Especially not a mystery. And I imagine that your friends feel the same way about you.” 

“Reah, Shaggy. Fred, Daphne, and Velma will be sad if you don’t tell them.” Scooby agreed. “If one of us was hurting like this, wouldn’t you want to know?”

Oh. Shaggy hadn’t thought of it that way before. 

“Oh. Like um… okay then.” 

With a nod, Mr. E swiftly left the room to find the others. Right as he was leaving, Lewis came rushing in with a couple of Dead Beats. 

“They said something about Arthur’s arm. What happened?” 

“Stupid Arthur,” Vivi snapped as the metal arm came off with a click, “didn’t bother mentioning that his pain medication wasn’t working anymore. And now Shaggy’s dealing with the consequences.” 

“Oh, Arthur…” Lewis pinched his temples. “Shaggy, be glad you’re not Arthur. Because when we get him back, I’m gonna kill him. What now, Vivi?” 

Just then, the other Dead Beat returned with Arthur’s medicine in two bottles. Vivi took them from it and set one on the nightstand, and kept the other in her hand.

“Go call Dr. Madrigal,” Vivi told Lewis. “We can give him more of this as needed, but we can’t give him more of the strong stuff willy-nilly, and we need to know by how much to adjust his dosage for the future.”

“L-like… how long will that ta-a-aaake??? Owww!” Shaggy whimpered. It was throbbing, now. There was like a couple moments of relief when Vivi took the arm off, but now it hurt even more. Shaggy could feel it with every beat of his heart.

“I’m so sorry, Shaggy. I know it hurts, dude. But hey-”

And Lewis started doing a little dance, singing, 

“You got to keep on livin’, 

Livin’ for the good life, 

Holdin’ on, holdin’ on, holdin’ on- 

“You know what? Sorry. I think I made it weird. I was just trying to lighten the mood.” 

“L-like it’s okay, man. You were just trying to cheer me up.” Shaggy half-laughed.

“If it’s any consolation, It’s not usually this bad,” Lewis grimaced. 

“It’s worse for Shaggy because he’s not used to it,” Vivi said gently. She put the other bottle between her legs so it wouldn’t roll off the bed, placed her hands on Shaggy/Arthur’s stump and started to massage it and the shoulder around it with practiced ease. “That, and Shaggy hasn’t done any of the mirror therapy Arthur has, so it’s possible that it’s been rendered null and void. And today’s been really stressful - which can make ghost pains worse.” 

“G-g-ghost pains?” Scooby cried, shaking. 

“Don’t worry, Scooby. It’s not that kind of ghost.” Vivi explained. “Lew-lew, get one of the Dead Beats to bring us a bottle of water. Shaggy needs something to swallow his pills with.” Lewis nodded and left, and Vivi went back to talking to Scooby. “Basically Scooby, Shaggy’s body- or rather, Arthur’s body, is supposed to have two arms. So Arthur’s brain is confused as to why it doesn’t. So even though it’s not there, to Arthur - and therefore to Shaggy now - it still sometimes feels like it is. Sometimes it feels like when one of your limbs falls asleep. And other times it can hurt a lot more. The pain is real, and it feels like it’s happening in the missing body part, even though it’s not there. That’s why people call them ‘ghost pains’. It’s very normal for amputees like Arthur to have them - lots of them do.”

Just then the rest of Mystery Incorporated came rushing into the room with Mr. E not far behind, totally out of breath. It suddenly occurred to Shaggy that they were quite a distance from the front entrance of the house, and he’d probably run all the way there and back just to make sure he caught Shaggy’s friends before they left. 

“Shaggy!” Fred, Daphne, and Velma cried as they rushed to his side.

“L-like, hey guys,” Shaggy groaned, smiling. 

“What happened? Are you okay?” Fred asked. 

“Like, I’ve got ghost pains,” Shaggy laughed half-heartedly. “But like, not the kind of ghost I can run away from.” 

“It didn’t even occur to me that Arthur might experience those, or that Shaggy would have to deal with them. I’m so sorry Shaggy,” Velma said, gently taking his hand in hers. 

“It’s not just ghost pains either,” Vivi sighed. 

“There’s something else?” Daphne exclaimed. 

Vivi sighed. “Arthur has another condition that many amputees have called heterotopic ossification.” 

“I know what that is,” Velma said. “Bone starts growing where it shouldn’t be. A lot of people get it after a major surgery or major injury.”

“That’s about it,” Vivi said. “It manifests as a bony, often painful lump under the skin. In Arthur’s case, he’s pretty lucky. His isn’t located on or near a joint, so it doesn’t restrict his mobility. And it’s pretty small - only about the size of a grape - and doesn’t show any sign of getting bigger. But it does bother Arthur every now and then. He could get it surgically removed, but because it’s at the site of his amputation and Arthur’s arm port is connected directly to his body and nervous system, it would take the greatest surgeon in the world to not ruin it.”

I can afford the greatest surgeon in the world, it suddenly occurred to Ricky. If they all survived this, then Ricky saw no reason why Arthur should have to keep living with an extra hunk of bone in his arm. If it was causing him pain and he simply couldn’t afford to have it safely removed, then what were rich friends for? 

… Huh. How long had he thought of Arthur as a friend? They’d met literally this morning, and one could even argue that didn’t count, considering it was via astral projection. No, it didn’t make sense for him to jump to calling Arthur a friend. Arthur just… pitied him. And understood him. And for some reason saw fit to treat him with more kindness than he deserved. 

Yeah - he’d help Arthur out. But it would just be him… repaying Arthur’s kindness. Especially considering that Arthur was probably putting himself through a lot of pain on Ricky’s behalf. 

… But it made Ricky absolutely sick to think about that. 

Another hiss of pain from Shaggy broke him out of his thoughts. Ricky suddenly felt very useless, and very guilty. Why? Why should Arthur and Shaggy be the ones hurting? If they were going to get body-swapped, then why hadn’t Ricky simply switched one pain for another? Why did he, the one who deserved it the least, get to be the healthy one?

Just then, a pair of Dead Beats entered the room and zoomed above Ricky’s head - one of them carrying a bottle of water in its mouth. Mystery (looking oddly guilty) followed close behind, passing by Ricky’s feet. “Any word? Did Lewis get through to Dr. Madrigal?” Vivi asked, taking the water bottle and uncapping it for Shaggy. 

The Dead Beats shook their heads and did a short duet that was undoubtedly an annoying imitation of hold music.

“Ah. He’s on hold. It’s a doctor’s office, so I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.” Vivi said, handing the water to Shaggy and unscrewing the medicine bottle. She handed Shaggy two pills, and he obediently swallowed them with a mouthful of water before putting the water bottle on the nightstand and laying back down. “Scooby,” Vivi said, re-capping the bottle, “can you run down to the kitchen and get Shaggy a snack? He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and if he doesn’t put something in his stomach, then he’ll get really queasy and it’ll take longer for the medicine to kick in. There should be crackers in the pantry and cheese sticks in the fridge.” 

“Roh-kay!” The dog said. And he obediently hopped off the bed and trotted out of the room. 

“Remember to get him a normal-sized snack, Scoob! Arthur’s body doesn’t eat as much as Shaggy’s does!” Fred called after him. 

Shit, all this talk of food was reminding Ricky how hungry he was. Don’t you fucking dare growl right now, he thought at his stomach. 

“So like, what now?” Shaggy groaned. 

“Scooby’s going to bring you something to eat, and then you’re going to take a nap, okay?” Vivi said. 

She reached out to ruffle his hair, but stopped herself. That’s not Artie, she reminded herself. He looks and sounds like him, but he’s not. Remember, Vivi. He might not like you doing that.  

Fuck, she missed Arthur. 

“You’ll- you’ll feel a lot better after you rest a while and give the meds time to kick in.” Vivi said, taking her hand back and hiding her sadness behind a smile. 

“But like- you need help in the library…” 

“And you will help us. After you rest. Don’t worry. I’ve got Mystery and Mystery- pffft. Mystery and Mister. E. to help me with that.” Vivi corrected herself with a laugh. 

“And what should we do?” Fred asked. 

“Just go, guys. You’ve got important stuff to do and like, I’m alright. The meds’ll kick in,” Shaggy said.

“If you’re sure, Shaggy…” Daphne said apprehensively.

“Really guys. I’m fine. Like, I’ve got Scoob.” 

“Okay then. I really hope you feel better soon Shaggy,” Velma said. She affectionately ran her hand over his hair and bent down to place a kiss on his forehead. 

“Aw, Velms…” 

As the other members of Mystery Inc. took turns fussing over Shaggy and bidding him goodbye, Ricky stood back in the doorway, and his heart screamed. 

Because he’d realized something. 

He had failed. Again. Their parents didn’t care enough, and Cassidy was gone. So that just left him to have the backs of the new Mystery Inc. 

He had no family. He had no friends. His company didn’t matter. With Cassidy gone, he had exactly one thing left in this world left for him to care about. One thing that he still had the opportunity to do right. And that was these kids. 

Velma, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Scooby. And maybe Arthur, Vivi, Lewis, and Mystery too.

Ricky cared about those meddling kids. 

Cassidy had loved those meddling kids. 

In a big way, they were all that was left of her. They were her legacy. And they could be his, too. 

He couldn’t die. Not even when he got his own ugly, expendable body back. 

Even if he had no way of seeing what good times could possibly lie ahead for him, he had to keep on living. Not for himself. Not for Pericles. Not even for her - because what good would holding on for the dead do? He had to keep on living for them. They would not fall apart like him and his friends had. They would grow up, and they would grow old. And they would be happy. And if Professor Pericles wanted to destroy them, then he’d have to destroy Ricky, first. 

And if it came to that, then Ricky would be damned if he wasn’t going to take the bird down with him.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice Vivi slip past him. 

Shaggy was taken care of, and with everyone else distracted, this was Vivi’s chance to sneak off and make a call. It hadn’t occurred to her to do it when she and Lewis were in the van earlier, so she had to make that call now. Vivi made her way to the West Wing and went into her room, locking her door behind her so she wouldn’t be overheard. She moved Boku the turtle plushie aside and sat down on her blue bedspread. Then she pulled out her cellphone, and dialed. 

It rang for a few moments, then the person on the other end of the line picked up.  “Hey, Uncle Lance! It’s Vivi- oh! Cassidy! Hi! Just who I wanted to talk to! Yeah - it’s time. We need you to come back to Crystal Cove. Like, now… Yeah! We've finally teamed up with the kids. They’re great! Also, Arthur’s once again wound up in a crazy, supernatural-related mess, and Ricky’s in trouble-... Yeah, he’s not hurt. And he’s safe now. Sort of. He’s with us, and we’re taking care of him, don’t worry… Yeah, he’s definitely not working with Pericles anymore… Yes, we’re sure…. It’s a long, and very crazy story. You’ll have to see it to believe it… No, we haven’t told them you’re alive, and no we haven’t told them about us. But we’re going to tonight. Think you can get here in the morning?”

At LAST! Chapter Eleven is posted!!! And I hope you all liked it! This was definitely a chapter where I gave some of the other characters some attention. It's no secret that Ricky is my favorite character and I love writing him, but this isn't just his story. Speaking of: as sad as it is to see Ricky's negative thoughts coming back, one pep talk is not magically going to make those go away. Even if it was a good pep talk, and it did help. Writing Brad and Judy was... fun, actually. As much as I hate them, there's something satisfying about writing characters that are unabashedly deplorable and pathetic. Especially when they get (at least part of) their comeuppance within the same scene. GOD, I hope you all enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it. Because that jjjust might be my favorite singular scene in the entire fic so far. And of course, sorry Shaggy, I couldn't forget about Arthur's pain. And any amputees who read this: I'm not an expert. I did like two hours of research and then went where the fic took me. So if I got anything horribly inaccurate, then deepest apologies. But HEY - Cassidy's coming out of hiding soon! Woot woot!!! 🎉 Make way for the QUEEN!!! 👑 This is the longest chapter of the story so far, at about 7,600 words or so. I really do try to write shorter chapters or split up longer ones so updates may be more frequent, but this time I just couldn't. Also, I would like everyone to know I just got a new job. On one hand: YAY! MONEY! On the other hand: even though it's only 20 hours a week, it takes up what are usually my most productive hours of the day. AND I have to juggle it with commuting to school. So between job, school, and schoolwork I have to do at home, I'm exhausted and there's hardly any time for writing so... updates will probably take a lot longer now. 😔 So it's only fair that my last chapter unemployed is a long one. I decided to post Chapter Eleven here on Tumblr before on AO3, just because the response on Tumblr has been so good. 😊 I'll post chapter eleven to AO3 tomorrow morning. EDIT: Fuck it. I've got time and my readers on AO3 have been good to me too. I'm posting it there this evening instead.

Chapters One through Ten of 'One of Us' are presently posted on Archive of Our Own.

[giransbunnywife]

I know I already rambled about Bunny and Chet’s ship but this is a bit more explanation of their dynamic and just random ramblings bc I literally can’t stop thinking about them. They’re like so good and fucking cute it’s not fair. But to give you a better idea of how shit goes between them (no official timeline bc I’m still figuring that out so no timeline specific discussions from the campaign).

Warning(s): self insert x canon, fluff, and slight suggestive mentions throughout

Bunny was already with the group whenever Chetney was first introduced, and like I said in the previous post it was like obvious love/infatuation at first sight. He was completely enamored by her and very obvious about that. Well… to everyone but Bunny who was jsut confused lmao. At this point she was only dating Dawn, though there was heavy hints at some connection with Fearne and Dorian at this time.

Chetney would continue to flirt with her heavily on and off pretty much from then on. There would be plenty of moments that others would see this, while Bunny remained completely and blissfully unaware. She would go on top capture the hearts of many, like Fearne and Dorian and Laudna (to name a few), and yet she would be none the wiser too his antics. Until Dawn and Imogen pointed out to her just exactly why the old gnome had always been so cheeky with her.

Everybody found her to be quite adorable and sweet, though he would be a bit... over the top with it. Nobody disrespected or talked over Bunny in his presence, even if she was in the wrong or wasn't exactly... right. It wouldn't matter. That's how far fucking gone this goddamn gnome was.

Though Bunny was not particularly reciprocating to his advances, she would respond somewhat playfully. But with a very strong insistent that it would be “in his dreams”, though some moments suggests she definitely lusted after his wolf form. Once she caught on it was lots of cutting of her eyes at him or pushing him away, in moments that weren’t all that serious. She was very vocal that it would never happen.

Eventually this would result in yet another transition of their dynamic which I call the “make her jealous” phase, in which Chetney starts playing a little hard to get with her. Slowing his roll a little bit and seeming like he stopped the whole gag, when in reality he was just switching up his angle. And even though it got a couple teasing remarks from the others to the validity of such an approach, hilarious it seemed to fucking work.

Bunny became rather disturbed by such a change, even though they tried to hide it with a faulty façade. All the times that she would get caught up in his flirting or heavy comments, instead it was nothing short of a quip or two thrown her way. None of which the intensity that it used to be, and she didn’t like how much her body reacted to the change. How differently she felt after the attention was no longer focused on her.

This continued on (most likely even after the split) with a few people catching on to her change in tune since his new approach ended up working. Though, it might had ended up working too well considering that they ended up hooking up in the process. And this doesn't stop there, considering Bunny ends up doing this again... and again... and again.

Eventually their dynamic has yet another shift, and this is where things really kick into high gear and her feelings really come to a head. Because now that they're physical, she starts getting even more jealous than she had been before. This might have been made worse by him purposefully making her jealous bc he found it cute and amusing... which wouldn't work in his favor too well. Thus resulting in the final stage of things before everybody, including Chetney, knew that her feelings had changed.

And slowly as things are revealed more and more, their dynamic finally comes to a head once she admits that he had captured her heart. That she can't hide it anymore, and in fact, he had fucking won. Something that would make him even more insufferable with her, and the two of them would become the corny ass couple that they are now.

[prettybbychim]

trigger warning for death and specifically the death of someone i knew

there’s this family i know, they babysat me a lot when i was a kid and i honestly remember my time with them more so than with my own parents. i ended up babysitting their kids when i got older

the wife got sick, i can’t remember if it was a new development or they already knew she wasn’t feeling good for awhile. but one evening, she sat down in the living room to rest and fell asleep. husband covered her with a blanket and he didn’t realize she was already dead by then. i believe they figured it out the next morning

a lot of fucking people died. the world was shutdown. they’re still dying and now the world is continuing on like nothing happened. had a lockdown for a few weeks and then everything is fine

it’s not fine and it’s still very real and somehow people started viewing it as a bad flu (let’s not forget that people also die from the flu very fucking often)

my mom is immunocompromised. she’s had covid like 3 times mostly bc she’s an idiot who disregarded masking and isolation. literally was still going to bars and clubs near nightly, kissing on guys and shit (had a wild phase following the divorce w my dad lol) on top of doordashing which is a very high contact job. everybody is touching everything and everything is touched by so many people

she got covid before it was officially a pandemic, before it was really on anybody’s radar. and she passed it to her boyfriend at the time

second time she had it she had gotten married to another dude. they both had it. his symptoms were fairly mild in comparison to hers. i begged her to go to the hospital, i begged and i pleaded and she refused bc she “was fine” and she was not fine. she could hardly breathe, hardly move. she’d fall to the floor from weakness and lack of oxygen. ended up with covid pneumonia, which is as it sounds, pneumonia caused by covid, from what i understand. and it comes back even now, it’ll just rear its ugly head at random

and she was so pleased to rub it in our faces that our concerns were unfounded. that she was fine and that she got better.

this is not the first time she has exhibited this behavior either, not only to herself but for others in her care. me, for example, but we’d be here all evening if i talked about it all. another example, my dog

so another trigger warning for animal death and neglect bc i have to get this one off my chest now that ive been reminded of it

my sunshine baby ripley was suddenly in so much pain and constant distress. would hardly eat, couldn’t walk up the stairs that lead to the backyard. i’d have to heave her up to get her back inside and she’d cry and howl because it hurt so fucking much. so i started walking her out in the front yard to potty

she was a lovable girl but she enjoyed her space. would get so grumpy if u sat close to her. just huff and grumble and go pout somewhere else. around this time though she clung to me 24/7. had to be laying on me, had to be touching me. i was also home 24/7 with no job, no money, and no car and i begged and begged my mom to help me take her to the vet and my mom said she was playing it up for attention

dogs tend to mimic owners when they’re in pain. limping like their owner does. she was not mimicking. she had far too many symptoms to just be faking it and i fucking hate the very insinuation that she was being an attention whore bc even if she was, then still means something is wrong and needs to be addressed, even if it is just throwing a ball with her longer than normal. she would not act out for no reason. they don’t manipulate, same for young children

and she had so many fucking reasons. i have pictures and i have videos bc my mom was never home to see it (re: prev boyfriend and bar hopping) and i wanted evidence to convince her and to also show the vet once i could actually fucking get her over there

she was in so much pain for far too fucking long. cancer was eating away her abdomen, multiple organs. i remember she’d shriek when i had to lift her bc i would touch her abdomen and i remember how bloated she looked

and i know we’re talking about covid but this is the exact same shit my mom was pulling on herself. i would beg and beg and she wouldn’t listen and she could’ve fucking died too. i blame her for the needless suffering of my sunshine baby and i blame her for her lack of care for herself, but she can do that all she wants bc it’s her body her life whatever but u don’t fucking do that to another living being. neglect yourself, be cruel to yourself, deny yourself necessary medical treatment but don’t you fucking dare force an innocent helpless animal who relies on you for everything to go thru that same shit

off topic again sorry

my experiences with covid were so mild compared to everyone else and i’m so tremendously fucked up by it. i can’t imagine what other people have gone through that they just Refuse to talk about for whatever reason. the whole goddamn world was traumatized by this shit, and i am not using the word trauma lightly here. i mean it, the entire world was traumatized and suddenly we’re supposed to act like everything is fine. like we didn’t experience terrible horrible unforgettable things as a collective.

it's practically taboo to still talk about covid but god i wish we could acknowledge the worldwide trauma it's clearly still causing in people. like, it's flat out just. not "polite" to talk about how a mass deadly event might, JUST MIGHT, emotionally affect us a little bit. how an airborne invisible-to-the-eye thing can just BE anywhere now. how abandoned we still feel by our respective governments. how we've lost family, friends, either to death or misinformation and cults, which they cling to because they're ALSO afraid but often refuse to admit it because it'd mean admitting covid is real and ongoing. we just. can't talk about it i guess.

[roanofarc]

also i have some new ocs their names are maz isa eugenia and aerielle and they’re wlws in a band

[triforce-of-mischief]

How the Chain Feels About Touch

@squigglywindy @silvercaptain24 (figured I'd ping you since you both got a sneak peek already)

Warning for whatever the heck happened between Warriors and Cia

Time: loves being supportive, always ready with a shoulder or back pat. Malon can be very clingy when he’s been away for a while, and he’s overjoyed when one of the boys comes to him in the meantime. He liked it when Malon played with his long hair and she can touch his face as long as she doesn’t specifically rub the fierce deity marks (left cheek is the safest place). 

Twilight: also supportive especially as Wolfie. Of course not everyone is allowed to pet or snuggle with him in wolf form and he doesn’t seek out physical affection. This is more out of pride than anything else. He’s used to kids climbing all over him and back pats so he’s kind of become indifferent to a lot of kinds of touch in his natural form. He’s still getting used to truly affectionate touch though. It surprises him every time and the surprise can overwhelm his enjoyment at first. He will occasionally give out supportive brotherly pats and even a hug if they’re really close.

Warriors: nobody can touch him without permission since his nerves are still shot from Cia and the War. He’s not quite ready to invite physical affection yet, but he likes giving big brother affection as long as he doesn’t think about it too much first. Being in a war meant that for years, the only touch that happened was roughhousing or medical treatment. After being objectified by Cia, he has a long way to go until he can feel comfortable with casual/intimate touch again. He does miss it however, and he hates that he hasn’t found someone he trusts enough yet (although that may change soon). If one of his closest brothers is extremely distressed he may force himself to offer a hug as he considers it his duty, but he would rather sit with them and talk. He feels safer in his armor and scarf.

Wind: still getting over the kid phase where he got poked at a lot but he’s not afraid to seek out comfort if he really needs it. He thinks he doesn’t like people messing with his hair but it turns out to be because most of the time it’s teasing or smothering. Nobody is allowed to just touch his face or hold his hand unless they have an approved reason to do so. He’s still learning how to read people so the most reliable types of affection he can give are a hug or holding hands.

Four: people who he trusts are allowed to touch him but he’s not crazy about it. Due to his size he is usually only treated like a child so he doesn’t really know how he would react to respectful physical affection. His standoffish nature means that nobody really goes to touch him anyway. Only when he is very tired will he get snuggly. His methods of affection depend on who is receiving it.

Vio: received all of the standoffishness and does not encourage touch at all. He understands the concept of physical affection and support, but is terrible in a crisis and would rather use his words. Anybody who touches him will receive a withering, unamused glare until they back off.

Red: being the emotional one, is super clingy and seeks and gives as much physical affection as possible. He has never gotten enough hugs from the others and is very excited to meet the rest of the Chain.

Blue: usually reacts negatively, sometimes defensively or even violently, against unexpected touch. However another member of the Chain may be able to calm him down and to his surprise he finds that he enjoys it.

Green: accepts touch, he’s often too polite to deny it, but he doesn’t exactly enjoy it. Sometimes he will initiate a quick pat or grab to refocus someone.

Wild: needs touch, but more than touch he needs trust. Trusted people are allowed to give him grounding pats and hugs. In moments of extreme distress he will be lost if there is no one he trusts enough to launch himself at to be held, instead he will run away and take much longer to recover. If he lets someone do stuff with his hair that is an achievement of Ultimate Trust. He’s not really sure how to offer comfort, but if the occasion rises he will try his best.

Legend: thinks that he hates it but in reality he has not recovered from bad experiences (nothing abusive don’t worry). He is especially defensive of his hair and doesn’t realize that he can demand consent. His attitude does him no favors as it mostly invites teasing. Any uninvited touches on his skin make him flinch away and snap at the person but later he feels regretful and he can’t figure out why. He feels super awkward initiating touch but even worse when he can’t seem to end it.

Hyrule: still considers touch as a wonderful new novelty and has just recently calmed down about it. Living on the road in a post-apocalyptic wasteland for 7 years did wonders for his touch starvation which of course he didn’t know about until he met the Chain. He will grab anybody’s hand (as long as they are comfortable of course), loves having his hair played with, and hates sleeping alone now.

Sky: team hug expert. Misses Sun every day so he makes up for it by spreading physical affection around the Chain. He doesn’t really have many times when he hates touch, a grounding hand on his shoulder during a tough moment is virtually always appreciated.

Malon: just as supportive as Time if not more. She is better at reading people and comforting them without touch than Time is. She enjoys when her husband holds her hand and plays with her hair as casual moments of intimacy. 

Ravio: very snuggly but also very lonely. Living with Legend has been interesting because pretty much the only way he can get them to touch each other is by being overdramatic and forcing the hero to shove him away. Some days he will hide in his bunny hood as a way to shield out the world and show that he wants to be left alone. This usually only happens if he hasn’t been touched in too long and he hasn’t yet gotten the point where he is aware of that fact.

Fun facts from comic canon:

Time has given the most touch

Four has only received touch three times, and they are all from Wind!

Warriors and Time give way more than they receive

Wild receives way more than he gives

Second to Four, Sky may be the one who has given and received the least touch!

[harringtonstilinski]

Don’t Let It End - Steve Harrington

Author: @stilinskiparker Characters: Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader Word Count: 2,673 Warnings: ST4 spoilers??, aaaaangst, pov switches, character death, y’all are gonna fucking hate me :) Tropes/AU’s: Best Friends to Lovers | Fake Dating | Soulmate AU | Established Relationship | if you can think of any more, let me know! Smut: no | yes; Requested: Yes. I hope this meets your expectations! I also added a twist at the end ;) A/N: Hi, friends! This contains small spoilers for S4V1, so if you haven’t watched it already, pls do not read. There’s two pov switches, but they’re happening at the same time. Where the first pov ends is basically where the ending of the second pov (third person pov) begins. It’s confusing, but go with it, lol. BUT, I hope you like this! If you do, please do not hesitate to reblog and give some feedback, whether it be in the reblogs, comments, or my inbox. As always, read at your own risk and enjoy 😊

FIRST PERSON POV

Sitting at the cemetery with Max wasn’t what I wanted to be doing at that moment, but here I was; sitting at Billy’s grave with her.

Billy Hargrove and I had dated the year prior. How? I’m still not sure to this day. I think he just wanted a fuck buddy since Mrs. Wheeler was way out of his league… plus, he was a minor at the time he tried getting into her pants.

During that time, Max and I had grown even closer than what we were before, almost like sisters. I needed her and she needed me. Her mom didn’t seem to mind.  Max and I were close from the Dart situation two years ago when Steve started babysitting her from that night in the junkyard.

My little brother, Dustin, was happy that Billy and I broke up, though he was kinda sad about the reason. Dustin and Billy never got along, and he was pretty pissed about the fact that I dated him after he threatened to beat the shit out of Lucas at the Byer’s house… and after he kicked Steve’s ass.

Speaking of Steve, he was my boyfriend now. When Billy died that night at Starcourt Mall, he held me back from going to the lower level of the mall, whispering in my ear that Max needed to be the one to cry over his body.

Steve and I were best friends then, and even before then in high school and middle school… well, pretty much since Kindergarten. We’d been put in the same classes since then. He was there for all my phases, even my Classic Rock phase that didn’t seem to fade out.

Steve confessed his feelings for me that 4th of July night, but he let me go at my own pace, since I’d had feelings for him, too. Around October ‘85 is when I told him I wanted to be his girl, and he was happy. 

Three months might not seem like enough time to get over someone dying, but since I had Steve by my side the entire step of the way, it was easy. He’d let me cry on his shoulder, stay however long I wanted to at his house. 

Now, five months later, Steve drove Max and I, as well as Lucas and Dustin, to the cemetery, where she and I were sitting. I listened to her read a letter she’d written for Billy. She’d written letters for everyone, myself included.

As she was reading her letter, the sky went dark very quickly, so I looked around, not really seeing anything before I heard a clock chiming. That’s odd. Why would there be a clock in the middle of the cemetery?

I heard laughing before I heard someone calling my name. Scared would be an understatement for how I’m feeling right now.

“Y/N/N,” the voice said again. I stood up, recognizing the voice, seeing a figure standing in the distance. “I’ve been waiting to hear those words from her, Y/N/N. Waiting so very long.”

I sighed, my breathing getting a little heavier by the second. “Billy,” I breathed.

He walked closer to me as he said, “But it wasn’t the full truth, was it? And you. Jumping into Harrington’s bed not three months after I died. You never really loved me, did you?”

“Billy, I know this isn’t you,” I said, holding my hand out in front of me a little bit.

Stopping in front of me, he said, “I think there’s a part of you, buried somewhere deep, that wanted me to die that day just so you could get with Harrington. That was maybe even… relieved. Happy.”

“No, that’s not true. I loved you, I did,” I said, through my tears.

“That’s why you let him stop you, isn’t it, Y/N/N? It’s okay. You can admit it now. You’ve always had feelings for Harrington. No more lies. No more hiding.”

“Stop it, Billy, that’s not true,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. “I swear it’s not true!” I started sobbing at this point.

Backing me up while walking more towards me, Billy said, “It’s why you feel so much guilt. Why you hide from your friends, from your little brother, the world. And why, late at night, you wish you never met me while smiling in the comfort of Steve’s arms.”

The clock started chiming again as I shook my head. 

“That is why I am here, Y/N/N. To end your suffering once and for all.”

I missed the ledge of his grave, landing on my back. I went to look back at him, but what I saw instead terrified me. Vecna.

“It is time, Y/N,” Vecna said. “Time for you… to join me.”

I got up and started running through the cemetery, muttering apologies along the way as I ran over the gravesites. 

I stopped running once I found a small brick wall I could hide behind, trying to quiet my breathing. The only people I could think about Steve, Dustin and Max. Lucas, too. I thought about getting out of whatever mindfuck place I was in. I couldn’t leave them behind. Not them, not even the Wheeler’s or the Byer’s. 

I made the most stupidest decision I could make and looked from behind the wall, seeing Vecna appear out of the shadows, his deep voice saying, “You cannot hide from me, Y/N.”

I ran until I could run no more, looking around me, screaming,“Steve!! Dustin!! Max!! Lucas!! Steve, please help!! Dustin!!”

Seeing red appear to my left, I turned and faced it. What possessed me to walk towards it, I’ll never know, but I did. It was like the sky had painted red, like the roses from Alice in Wonderland. 

I looked behind me, trying to see where I’ve been… and to also see if Vecna was still following me. Looking back in front of me, I walked a few more feet before hearing something squishy under my shoes. I looked down, thinking it was mud, but then I suddenly realized that I’d seen these types of vines before; two years ago in the tunnels.

I looked up, seeing what looked like spikes sticking out of the ground, little pieces of something else floating around. With my investigative side coming out, I decided to walk further into the Forest of Spikes.

As I got closer, I walked up to, what I’m imagining, would be stairs. I saw a flight of stairs that looked like they led to nowhere, a grandfather clock floating in the air and chiming, a front door floating, and the structure of what looked like a house.

“What are you doing in here, Y/N?” Vecna asked.

I stepped on what looked to be some time of white berry. When I pulled my foot away, I screamed at the top of my lungs, backing away, seeing nothing but a shit of spiders crawling from where I stepped.

“Come back to me.”

I turned around, screaming again when I saw Chrissy Cunningham’s body on some sort of post before seeing Nancy’s friend, Fred Benson, on another post, both of them tied up with vines.

“How do you like them, Y/N?” Vecna asked, making me turn to face him. “Would you like to join them?”

“Never,” I seethed, turning to my right and starting to run when a vine caught my ankle. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” I was dragged along the ground before my pack hit a post, the vines holding me tightly by my legs, wrists and neck.

I was whimpering and crying, knowing full well that this was where I met my fate until Steve, Dustin and others would find a way to break me out.

Hearing the words “Wait and see, time is all that we really need” made me look behind Vecna, seeing everyone crowding around me as my favorite song of the moment played on, everyone yelling for me to wake up.

“They can’t help you,” Vecna said, the vine around my neck tightening. “There’s a reason you hide from them. You belong here with me.”

“You’re not… really here,” I choked. 

“Oh, I am,” he answered. “I am.”

Vecna raised his clawed out hand above my head and I immediately started thinking of happy memories; ones with my brother and the party, with Billy… mostly with Steve before the audio started to get all distorted.

“No,” I quietly grunted. “No, no, no n–” I gasped, feeling Vecna’s nails enter my head and face. My last words I thought of before all I saw was black was, “I love you, Steve.”

THIRD PERSON POV

Looking at his girlfriend sitting at her ex-boyfriends grave wasn’t something that Steve wanted to do, but Max had asked her to come with her, so she did. Lucas was sitting on the hood of the car, while Dustin stood in the passenger door with arm on it and his foot propped up. 

Steve tapped at the outside of the car before looking at his watch. “They’ve had long enough,” he said, getting out of the car, closing the door behind him.

“Steve, just give them some time,” Lucas said.

“I have, alright, Sinclair,” Steve responded, backing his way up the small hill behind him. “I’m calling it. Max wants to get a lawyer, she can. Y/N’s still coping, I need to make sure she’s alright.”

Steve continued his walk through the graves, reaching Y/N and Max. The younger teen was wiping the tears from her face as Steve walked up and said, “Guys. Time to go, yeah?”

Max nodded her head, looking in Y/N’s direction, eyes going a little wide. “Y/N/N?” She looked up at Steve, fear in her eyes.

The older teen looked at his girlfriend, putting a hand on her shoulder, saying her name a couple times while noticing her eyes looking the lightest shade of blue on her iris’ with red replacing the white. “Y/N!”

Shaking his girlfriend, Steve yelled for her to wake up, clapping to get her attention. “Y/N/N, wake up!” 

Dustin's face went more serious, seeing and hearing Steve yelling at his sister.

“Y/N, wake up!” Steve said, distress and sadness laced in his voice. He looked over at two younger male teens, yelling at them before going back to trying to wake his girlfriend while Lucas and Dustin ran to Steve, Max and Y/N.

Max was scared the whole time, not knowing what to do, fresh tears coming to her eyes as she watched the girl that was like her sister sit in a trance. She tried yelling out Y/N’s name to help Steve wake her up, but so far, nothing was happening.  

Max, Lucas, Dustin and Steve were shaking Y/N, saying her name, trying desperately to get her out of the trance.

“You gotta get out of there!”

“Wake up!”

Grabbing Dustin’s jacket, Steve said to the boy, “Go call Nancy and Robin. Go call Nancy and Robin!”

Running towards the car, Dustin had only one thing on his mind; to save his sister. “Don’t worry, Y/N/N. I’m coming, I’m gonna help save you.” Once he made it to the car, he grabbed his walkie talkie, hitting the button on the side and spoke into it, “Nancy, Robin, do you copy? This is a code red! Do you copy?!” At no response, the teen said, “Shit. Robin!! Robin, where the hell are you? This is a code red, I repeat a code red!”

“Dustin, it’s Robin. We copy.”

“Holy shit, finally! Please, please tell me you have this figured out,” he said, standing on top of Steve’s car. He’d deal with the consequences later.

After Robin had told Dustin what to do, he ran back up to Steve, asking what his sister’s favorite song was. 

“Styx’s Don’t Let It End,” Steve said. “She’s been loving it lately.”

“Roger that,” Dustin said, before hightailing it back to the car to find the tape. When he couldn’t locate it, he grabbed Max’s bag, grabbing a handful of tapes, along with Max’s walkman and hightailed it back to his sister. 

“Y/N/N, you gotta get out of there,” Lucas said. “Can you hear me?”

“Guys!” Dustin said, out of breath, dropping the tapes to the grass.

“What is this?” Lucas asked.

“Her favorite song!” Dustin answered. “I couldn’t find the tape! I figured Max might have it!”

“Why?!”

“Robin said if she listens – it’s too much to explain, help me find her song!”

The four boys and girl looked through the tapes, trying to find the one with Don’t Let It End on it. After a frantic search, Steve said, “I got it, I got it! Put it in! Put it in!”

Dustin took the tape and put it into the walkman, Max putting the headphones on Y/N’s ears, Lucas pressing the play button.

Frantically, everyone continued to yell at Y/N to wake up before her body lifted into the air. Not a few moments later, with everyone still yelling out her name, Y/N’s arms and legs began to snap in different directions, her jaw doing the same before her eyes started bleeding out. 

When her body dropped back down to the ground, Steve immediately grabbed her and pulled her into his lap. “Baby,” he said, tears starting to stream down her face. “Baby, wake up. You gotta wake up. Please, baby, wake up.”

Sighs of defeat were heard from the other three teens, Dustin quietly saying, “No,” with tears in his eyes.

With sobs wracking his body, Steve still tried to get her to wake up before Dustin put an arm on his shoulder, saying, “She’s dead, Steve! She’s dead!”

~~~

Back at the Wheeler house, everyone gathered around the table in the basement, sitting on the couch and chairs provided.

Max sighed, standing from her sitting position. “That wasn’t her favorite song.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Steve asked, distraught.

“Just what I said. That wasn’t her favorite song.”

“Then what was it?” Dustin said.

“Yeah, enlighten the class,” Steve said.

Max sighed again, hand running over the top of her head. “When her and Billy were dating, he introduced her to that metal shit he used to listen to. She took a liking to this one band, Night Ranger.”

With expectant looks, she exasperatedly sighed. “Her favorite song was At Night She Sleeps!”

Steve thought about it for a moment, running his hand through his hair while quietly saying, “Oh my god.” 

“What?” Dustin asked.

“I should’ve known,” Steve said. He sighed before saying, “She used to always play it on my record player when she’d have a shit day. She was loving Don’t Let It End lately that I thought it was her favorite.” He sat down, head in his hands while tears came to his eyes. He whispered to himself, “It’s all my fault.”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself,” Robin said, sitting next to her best friend. “It was the only song you could think of in that moment of trying to save her. Yes, it didn’t work, but you tried, and that’s all that should matter is you trying. She would’ve done the same if the roles were reversed.”

“If I know my sister, she would’ve told you to not beat yourself up over it,” Dustin said. “Like, Robin said, you tried. That’s all that my sister would’ve wanted.”

Steve looked at the younger teen, giving a small smile before reaching into his pocket, bringing out a folded up polaroid of the girl he loved more than anything. He saw a future with her, he saw having children with her. 

Steve made a promise to himself that whoever he loved next, might not be as much as he loved Y/N, but he would definitely try to give them the best life they could possibly ever imagine.

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

A/N 2:  hi, friends! let me know what you thought about! again, please do not hesitate to reblog and give some feedback, whether it be in the reblogs, comments, or my inbox.

Additional Notes: we’re also adding a lot of new things up top! let me know what y’all think about that! is it more organized, is it more chaotic? let me know! :)

~~~

Forever / Everything Taglist: @stiles-o-dylan24 @stixnstripesworld @fandom-princess-forevermore @quanticobae @mischiefandi @kellyashcroft @lauren-novak

Steve Harrington Taglist: none yet!​

If you’re tagged and didn’t want to be, please let me know.

Italics wouldn’t let me tag!

~~~

*Please don’t post my writing anywhere else without my consent. The author of this work will always and forever be @stilinskiparker.

All characters, story lines, and plot aside from y/n and her storyline & plot, are all of the work of The Duffer Brothers.

*These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

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Posted on July 12, 2022

[lethargical-lily]

omg i saw the Hua Cheng!Mc post and i know i have to ask— 1st years +dorm leaders with Wei Wuxian!Mc? (if it's too many characters you can just do dorm leaders, i love my demonic chaos gremlin and your writing is just *chef's kiss*)

Dorm Leaders + First Years x Wei Wuxian!Yuu

Fair warning, I’ve never read any of the stuff he’s in even though I really want to😭 Therefore I will be using the WIKI so if I get anything wrong please excuse me

If you took a shot everytime Wei teases someone you’d go blackout

🌹Riddle Rosehearts🌹

They wouldn’t get along immediately

Wei is not one to follow rules, you can probably take a guess as to why that’s a deal breaker for Riddle

It doesn’t mean Wei won’t tease him though

Probably worse than Floyd tbh

He respects Riddle’s strive for “justice” (mainly just staying in line) but he thinks it’s going the wrong direction

He punishes those who care for him just because he follows noticeably idiotic rules which aren’t in place for protection or justice, but are in place due to personal interest

Long way to say Wei doesn’t like them

He’s the first one who races to help Riddle during his overblot though

He believes despite everything Riddle shouldn’t be the one who’s punished because of his past

This is literally canon to the writer therefore it’s canon to me

Any time Riddle is about to do the Off With Your Head thing and Wei feels like said person doesn’t deserve it, he’ll intentionally be the one to get hit instead

Then Riddle and Wei start scolding each other which turns into a yelling match

But truly Riddle just doesn’t want him to be so self-sacrificing when he doesn’t need to be

It worries him that it will have worse consequences in the future even if it’s what Wei thinks is right

Wei greatly despises Riddle’s mother since she played a great role in Riddle’s suffering as an innocent child

So if he ever sees her it’s on site

Also Riddle will think it’s very cultured of Wei to play the flute, he thinks having artistic experience in general is very important

But then he sees the flute control the dead

Riddle: 😐😑🫥

He’s dealt with too much BS to deal with this

He knows he essentially plays god but he rarely acknowledges it unless need be

It’s not even because he thinks it’s bad, he’s just truly very tired

❤️Ace Trappola❤️

Besties right off the bat

Idk I just know they like to fuck shit up together

You two were probably playing a prank around Halloween time

Part of it involved “raising the dead”

I put it in quotation marks bc Ace thought Wei was exaggerating

Like he would just dress up as a zombie or something

He did not

Ace needs some time to process wtf he just saw

He comes to the conclusion that he needs to know how he did it

THEN THE ACE APPRENTICESHIP BEGINS

Or at least that’s what Ace says, Wei isn’t convinced (I don’t even think it’s possible for Ace to do it)

But Ace is determined nonetheless

He slowly tries to chip away at Wei

Wei is hella stubborn but he can’t lie he finds Ace’s determination endearing so he gives it a shot

It goes how you probably expect

There are undead people everywhere, Riddle is screaming at them, this is the best day of Floyd’s life, Leona’s sleeping etc.

The building is probably on fire and Ace is trying to figure out how to make dead people die again

Wei’s just kind of off in the corner thinkin “….I’m gonna kiss him”

So that’s what happened :D

Ace probably tried to play it off all cool n crap but I’m just saying if a tall, handsome man with dark long hair kissed me I would be blushing all over too

After that even though it’s been confirmed that they both have feelings for each other Ace still acts like he’s in the unrequited love phase by trying to impress Wei whenever he gets the chance

Wei knows what he’s doing and stupidly enough it’s working

I just think they’re both a little stupid with Wei being caretaker stupid and Ace being ‘has to be cartak-ed’ stupid

♠️Deuce Spade♠️

Deuce would be a goody two shoes and be like “We shouldn’t mess with the dead >:(“

Wei: I love you but i did not ask

But yeah I don’t think Deuce likes Wei’s power

He respects its power, but he genuinely doesn’t believe it’s smart to play god

One of the very few times he has the group braincell

He probably turns like mom friend or something and is like “Karma’s gonna come for you smh”

Good thing Wei likes milfs

Wei’s stupidity and audacity to fuck with the laws of nature is attractive to Deuce for some reason or maybe I’m just projecting

Funnily enough, even though he doesn’t think it’s a good idea, whenever there’s severe danger, aka overblots, Deuce is the first one to be like “DO THE THING”

Wei does a shit eating grin and Deuce always knows what he’s about to say

“Oh but I thought KaRmA wOuLd CoMe FoR mE”

Just a very confusing dynamic but one that’s fun to watch

I also think Deuce would simultaneously joke about fighting Wei/saying he “hates him” but anyone who’s genuinely disrespectful towards Wei he would throw hands with

I’m torn between the idea of Wei threateningly standing behind him when Deuce challenges someone to a fight and lightly whispering “Don’t” to the opponent

Or being off to the side sipping tea and being his No. 1 fangirl

Either way, Wei is Deuce’s little meow meow that’s committed war crimes and Deuce is Wei’s himbo

🦁Leona Kingscholar🦁

wei would call him el gato don’t hate i’m just god’s messenger

To be fully honest with you

Wei is giving very much Ruggie 2.0

Which means Wei and Ruggie get along amazingly and their major bonding point is irritating Leona as much as possible

Leona is genuinely scared/hj

Just to mess with Leona I feel like Wei would flirt with his sister in law

“I know you’re my date to this stupid ball my brother made me come to but do not do anything stu-“ ”damn that lady over there lookin hella fine😫” ”THATS THE FUCKING QUEEN”

But in all seriousness he cares a lot about Leona and seeing him be happy and succeed, he just doesn’t know any other way to display it

When Leona takes naps, sometimes Wei will give him a forehead kith and a blanket or just something soft in general

But most times he’d go like “Awwwww🥹” and not even 5 seconds later he’s dropping him into a body of water

At first that is definitely a point of irritation for Leona but he knows he can’t stop him so he adapts

He now he always has a snorkel and goggles on him to sleep in the water

Wei loves this game they play but everyone else thinks Leona’s dead

One time when Leona slept for like 12+ hours straight in the pool, Savanclaw fell into chaos

There was no mourning for their fallen king (except maybe Jack) everyone was just at each other’s throats trying to determine who their next ruler would be

Wei was just smiling in the corner

There’s nothing that will ever be more entertaining than watching a bunch of overgrown cats and dogs howling at each other

Ruggie knows what’s going on and fist-bumps Wei

He also takes the opportunity to steal from Leona’s room

Eventually when Leona woke up Wei was waiting by the pool with a towel and the news on everything that happened that day

Leona didn’t even care to deal with it until the next day

They snuggle, Leona says it’s for “warmth”, Wei knows it’s just an excuse for physical contact🥰

🐺Jack Howl🐺

He would fear him

Because SAD FACT Wei has cynophobia (extreme fear of dogs) due to his background having to fight with dogs for food on the streets

He would avoid Jack like the plague

Even if they don’t know each other very well Jack would feel bad

He thinks it’s due to his scary demeanor so he tries to make friends

It takes a while to see noticeable progress

It’s not until Jack notices Wei shrinking in on himself less and not fidgeting with his clothing as much that he’s comfortable saying they’re at least friends

But because of all the time and effort put into building up their relationship this actually made them both develop romantic feelings for one another

Jack definitely wouldn’t feel like Wei likes him back therefore Wei is the one to confess

Wei teases him for the noticeable tail wag

Speaking of which, once they’re in an established relationship Wei would be touching Jack’s fluffy tail and ears CONSTANTLY

Because he knows they’re sensitive spots for him

Jack is kind of like Wei’s exposure therapy but Jack can’t say he’s displeased because it leads to lots of hugs

And if he were to say that it would be a noticeable lie due to his tail wagging every time Wei is around

🐙Azul Ashengrotto🐙

Business opportunity

I do not know how Azul can benefit from the raising the dead thing

But he’ll find a way

But he can definitely make some bank on the flute abilities

At first I think Wei agrees to play for the lounge as a way to make a little cash

But how could he ever pass up the opportunity to relentlessly tease a tiny Octo-man

Maybe I’m wrong but I think Floyd and him would get along well

And I think Wei is cool with Jade

I’m honestly kinda thinking Little Mermaid style romance but replace the voice of an angel with really impress flute skills

The more Azul hears him playing at the lounge, the more he’s like “Wow I never noticed how good he is with his mouth, or his long luscious hair, or charming smile, or smooth hands, or-“

Azul thinks it’s just admiration

Wei can tell by the blush on his face that it’s not

Their first kiss is when Monstro Lounge is closing up for the night

It’s only Azul, Wei and the twins left

Azul is doing last minute paperwork, Jade and Floyd are cleaning except Floyd’s not really cleaning because he’s too busy being a nuisance with Wei

At a time when Wei and Azul are alone it starts off with Wei teasing him for his ‘admiration’

Obviously this is pretty embarrassing for the octopus

I do not know how or why but Wei convinced him to kiss him bc according to him “If you kiss me but don’t feel anything then I’ll agree that you don’t like me”

Maybe OOC for Azul to try to prove himself like that but he agrees

Azul did in fact feel something emotional

They probably made out or smthg

After that it’s the Scary businessman boss x Very Hot Worker

Just Wei strolling in and sitting on his lap while Azul is in meetings

It takes a while to get used to but once Azul does it’s something he barely notices

The clients are insanely confused though

There’s probably a lot of dudes stopping by the lounge trying to woo Wei

But then Wei’s mean, small, and angry bf comes out and they scram

Power couple❤️

🥳Kalim Al-Asim🥳

HE JOINS THE POP MUSIC CLUB AND SHREDS ON THE FLUTE

im crying

its canon

that would be so amazing

Just like

Kalim makes Wei so happy

It’s like an infectious laugh personfied

Like things suck but their positivity rubs off on you yk?

Wei does a lot of stupid shit and since Kalim is down for anything he’s constantly dragging him into stupid situations

Like setting the school kitchen on fire

Or the halls in sticky notes (Kalim put little compliments on some)

Jamil is in pain

But Wei also sympathizes with Jamil so sometimes he tries to give him a break by just taking Kalim to do stupid crap where Jamil can’t reach them

The image of Kalim and Wei on the magic carpet while Wei is shredding on the flute, undead bodies everywhere

Incredible

Kalim doesn’t know how to feel abt Wei’s ability

On one hand he thinks it’s super cool

On the other it’s very scary

He enjoys admiring it from a distance

Wei likes to learn dance moves from Kalim

It’s just a silly goofy time

Kalim SPOILS him

He knows about how Wei grows up and that’s why he feels the need to give him the nicest things

Even if Kalim never tells him this specifically he knows what he’s doing and the idea that someone literally wants to give him the world to make up for the fact that he was treated like garbage BY the world is so 🥺🥹😭😩❤️

I so desperately want them to perform the hardest rock concert with the pop club and Wei is head banging on the fucking flute

Please I need it so bad

🦚Vil Schoenheit🦚

Wei is on his knees tbh

It’s kind of like he teases Vil for how much effort he puts into something kinda useless but he’s also like “I’d smash tho”

Idk if Wei knows how to do makeup but I think he’d pick up on it pretty fast

He doesn’t usually put any on himself tho, he’s god’s favorite there’s no need

He likes to joke with Vil that he needs the makeup but Vil knows he’s joking

He’s also god’s favorite, he’s simply accentuating it

Tbh idk what to put for them here

It’s kind of like hot sophisticated malewife x hot chaotic malewife

Idk why I’m so obsessed with carrying positions but Wei would undoubtedly carry Vil by his thighs wherever they go

Speaking of thighs Wei is obsessed with them

He always makes those kinds of jokes that aren’t really jokes about how he wants to die between Vil’s thighs

One time in physical combat, Vil did that move where you incapacitate your opponent by tightly wrapping your legs around their neck

Wei definitely could’ve won but he chose not to

He may have lost the battle but he won the war

Vil is also incredibly tired to fully acknowledge the power Wei holds

It makes for some pretty epic photoshoots with Vil though

Especially for Halloween

Rook follows Wei obsessively

I’m split between Wei being irritated or going with it and helping Rook annoy Vil with his simpery

You can choose

🍎Epel Felmier🍎

Wei: “omfg is that a midget”

Epel: “I may be short but that means I have easier access to your vulnerable knee caps”

That’s it

That’s the entire relationship

Wei teasing him for being short, Epel threatening him with violence

You know how Ace and Wei are chaos buddies

Yeah Epel and Wei are “kill off the entirety of humanity and destroy all physical beings for funsies” kind of couple

It’s bad

Like really bad

For everyone else, not for them, they’re having the time of their lives

Epel is No. 1 instigator

I can’t get this out of my head you know those cat videos

Like the ones where the owners make the cat look like they’re dancing

Epel and Wei

Epel is the cat

Just dangling from Wei’s hands who is making him dance to hyperpop

I’m sorry

But like, Epel also wants to be taught how to do what Wei does

Like really fucking bad

It goes abt the same as it did for Ace, but instead of Epel begging him he does a bunch of stupid shit to prove his strength and that he is worthy of wielding such power

Wei isn’t actually convinced but he’s got a crush he’s only so powerful

The building is on fire pt. 2

But this time they somehow managed to make demon monsters

They don’t know what to do, everyone is screaming, Floyd has already created an apocalyptic hierarchy

Epel tried to argue with Wei about how he did it wrong (as if Epel knows wtf he’s doing💀)

Idk how but it ended in a kiss

Arguing is romantic

👾Idia Shroud👾

……………….he would play “emo boy” by ayesha on the flute anytime he’s around

I do not know how he learned it

Or why he even bothered to

But he did

And it was only for Idia

I think Idia and him met very similarly to how Idia and Lilia interact

Meaning Wei discovered online games and met Idia through there

Wei playing video games would be so funny

He’d either be an absolute troll or gets insulted and puts your gaming rep in the ground

Idk if playing flute translates to gaming but I think it would and this mf got hella dexterity

Idia and him meet on a first person shooter where they talk absolute trash on each other and spend the whole time targeting one another

This blossomed into a really good friendship

Like friendly rivals

Wei with his infinite charisma convinces Idia to meet in person

Then it’s the spiderman meme

Because of course who hasn’t heard of the necromancer that came from another universe just to enroll in a random all boy’s school?

But apparently he’s a gamer too???????

Idia is very intimidated

This is the most high level boss he’s ever had to face and he did not come in nearly as prepared as he should

It takes a while but Idia barely notices him becoming really close to Wei

He’s just very comfortable a lot more than he is with other people

He actually wants to do more social activities as long as it’s with Wei

Eventually they kind of become like a duo, like the people that if they got in a friend group would still be better friends with each other than they are for the rest of the group

As they continue to get more comfortable with each other they barely notice that they essentially have approached romantic borders

When they actually admit they like each other as more than friends basically nothing changes

Gamer boyfriends🥰

🐉Malleus Draconia🐉

this

og meme by @BTS4327 on twitter

I know Malleus is supposedly powerful but no amount of strength will ever be able to top bringing back the dead

This only fuels the rumors of him being scary n crap

“He’s so evil that his partner is capable of making the dead his mindless slaves😱”

In the other room Lilia is explaining to them how to play Candy Land

He definitely isn’t but I just feel like Wei is taller than Malleus

It just fits

But Wei would be the one to be bridal carried

Even though Wei is old as crap he gets modern memes and like a language, you must speak it to be fluent

Malleus understands nothing but that’s not new

But bc Wei is old asf he can more easily explain newer concepts to Malleus

Wei thought it would be funny to teach Malleus the “do u know da wae” meme

Wei and Lilia are absolutely delighted

But the rest of the students at NRC have never wanted to die more

With that said these mf’s would kill and die for each other

They both protect the crap out of each other knowing their partner is fully capable of doing it themselves

But just imagine pissing off Wei, then you have a dragon coming at you

Or annoying Malleus (you’d have to have balls of steel to do so) and you have a horde of the undead on the way

The moment Malleus overblots, Wei is willing to rip the universe apart to get him back

I don’t know why but there’s just a deep and intricate connection between them that’s second to none

Talk shit get hit

⚡️Sebek Zigvolt⚡️

Sebek really looks up to Wei but refuses to say so

He also has thoughts of “Oh my Wei is more powerful than master” but then immediately berates himself for even thinking such a thing

As a result he’s very cold to Wei, not because he wants to but because he doesn’t want to risk the chance of “betraying” his master by seeing anyone as better than him

Therefore he keeps him at a distance

I don’t even think Wei would notice Sebek trying to keep him at arm’s length, or if he did he simply did not care

He wanted to be friends with pretty crocodile fairy

And that’s what he did

Lilia teased Sebek a lot both for the romantic and platonic parts of their relationship

“Aw you made a new friend Bek! Look at you all grown up🥰 where does the time go🥲”

But also “Don’t take it too harshly Wei, I think he’s mean to you because he LiKeS yOu”

(Side note: For any young one reading this, even if a person likes you that doesn’t give them a pass to be mean to you. You’re not required to deal with it just to spare their feelings)

It takes a lot of time for Sebek to understand the concept that he can like others while still holding respect for his master

And that those are two different parts of his life that only interfere if he lets them

Tbh I don’t think they’d even get together until Sebek is almost out of NRC

But they’ve also become very close in the time they’ve known each other and acknowledge that they’ve basically been playing the role of an old married couple in their previous school years, just minus the title

Did I mention they’re like an old married couple?

Bc they definitely are

Sebek = malewife that argues abt the stupidest shit

Wei = girlboss who lets him have a one sided argument but also looks at him like he’s the sun and moon

My own writing is starting to make me like Sebek more💀

I just love the “unnecessarily angry all the time x person who’s pretty chill but likes their partner’s fire” dynamic

Sebek would scold him for raising the dead

Crap abt respect n stuff

Wei gives him a rock-flute concert to taunt him

[tripleaxeldiaz]

Congratulations on almost 1.6k!!!

If it sparks any inspiration, I'd like to request: 💃 + "Loud, so everyone can hear" from the first list for Buddie <3

HI THIS IS LATE BUT ILY THANK YOU ENJOY THESE ABSOLUTE IDIOTS

(also on ao3)

The club is loud, so loud it feels like the bass pumping through the floor could rattle the teeth right out of Buck’s mouth. He swivels his head around, thankful for his height as he tries to find familiar faces in a sea of dancing bodies.

They’re in the far corner in a roped off section, with a printed out sign and everything: The Spouses of the 118 Club.

(“That’s what you’re calling this? I’m a spouse of the 118 too you know,” Buck says, absolutely not pouting about it.

Maddie shrugs from the passenger seat of Athena’s car. “Spouses and Non Blood Relatives of the 118 then.”

Karen leans in from the back seat and honks the horn. “Let’s go Diaz!”

“I’m coming!” Eddie shouts as he walks through the front door and down to the driveway. He stops next to Buck, using his shoulder for balance as he slips his shoe the rest of the way on. “We can switch off,” he says quietly. “You can go next month.” He straightens up and smiles brightly at Buck, kissing his cheek before getting into the backseat. Maddie hands a flask back to him and blows a kiss out the car window as they back onto the street.

Buck’s still not pouting as he waves them off.)

He weaves through the rest of the dance floor and steps over the rope. Ghosh’s husband offers him a fist bump (which he accepts) and Butler’s wife offers him a tequila shot (which he declines) as he continues his path to the back of the room. Finally, he makes it, squeezing between Coronelli’s fiance and a waiter before dropping into an empty chair next to Maddie.

“Buck! You’re here!” She throws her arms around his shoulders, wine glass tipping dangerously close to his back. “Buck’s here!” she says to the room at large. There’s a loud cheer that ripples through the crowd, though he’s pretty sure it’s actually for the two waiters that just brought over more Jello shots. “Wait. Why are you here?”

“Eddie called, said he was almost ready to leave” Buck shouts over the music.

What Eddie had actually said, in the voicemail he’d left after 5 texts of nonsense emojis, was:

“Buck. Baby. This is so fun. I wish you were here but this is so fun. Have you ever had Jello shots? I bet you have but wow they’re so good! And dancing is so fun! And I’m good at it! Karen said so! I’m so tired but this is so fun but I miss you so much. I’m gonna go keep dancing though bye.”

After being around drunk Eddie on multiple occasions, Buck knew that the overexcited rambling phase meant he was about 45 minutes away from falling asleep somewhere he shouldn’t. He figured he should be at the bar on standby before that happened.

(And totally not because he was feeling a smidge left out and wanted to see what this spouses club was all about. Not even a little bit.)

“Do you know where he is?” Buck asks.

Maddie twists around in her seat. “He was with Karen on the dance floor for a while, but I don’t know where they—”

“Buck!” That’s all the warning he gets before he gets a lap full of his very sweaty, very drunk husband. “You’re here! Hi!”

Eddie’s black t-shirt looks even tighter than it did when he left the house, hugging his chest and arms in all the right places. His hair is insane and covered in glitter, there’s a glowstick around his neck and a flush high on his cheeks, and his smile is the brightest thing in the whole club.

Buck smiles back just as big, because how could he not when Eddie is this happy? He falls a little bit harder in love, too, and harder still when Eddie winds his arms around his neck and rests his forehead on his shoulder.

“I missed you and I wanted you here and now you’re here. How did you know I wanted you here?”

“You called and left me a very cute message,” Buck says, adjusting them both so they didn’t fall backwards out of the chair that was not built to hold two grown men. “Just wanted to be here when you were ready to leave”

They still almost topple over when Eddie sits up too fast, looking at Buck with the world’s biggest puppy dog eyes, tears swimming in the flashing lights.

It seems they’ve made it all the way to emotional drunk Eddie. That definitely means it’s time to go.

“You know me so well,” Eddie says, reaching up to grab Buck’s face with a little too much enthusiasm. “You know everything so well like trivia and stuff but you mostly know me and I love you so much.” He’s shouting over the music by the time he gets to the last part, leaning in for a kiss aimed at Buck’s cheek but landing closer to his eye. There’s a chorus of awws from the people around them, and Buck can’t even pretend to be embarrassed — he likes everyone knowing how stupid they are about each other, drunk or sober or anything in between.

“I love you too baby,” he says, surely with a dopey grin on his face. Eddie lays his head back on his shoulder and starts to go boneless. “But I’m not carrying you all the way to the car, so we gotta go.”

Eddie sits up, eyes half closed. “Okay fine.” He scrambles to standing, grabbing Buck’s hand and doing nothing to help him up. “Bye guys!” he shouts to the room. “Buck’s taking me home!”

“Yeah! Get some!” Karen crows, giving Eddie a high five as they pass by.

“Karen stop,” Maddie groans.

“What? I’m being supportive!”

Buck pulls him toward the door as Eddie blows a kiss back to her. He stumbles all the way to the car without falling somehow and is asleep before Buck pulls out of the parking lot.

~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie finally crawls out of bed at noon the next day looking like glittery death warmed over. He collapses onto Buck again, this time on their couch and much less amicable than he was last night.

Buck only laughs at his expense a little bit. “So you had a good time?”

Eddie groans. “My tongue is still blue and I’m pretty sure I’m sweating tequila.”

“Karen sent a video of you guys dancing, I didn’t know someone could be so hot and so dorky at the same time but you pulled it off.”

That earns him a throw pillow to the chest. “You’re definitely going next month, I’m getting too old for this.”

(He does not go next month. He lets Eddie keep going because he’ll gladly stay home for the night if he gets to see Eddie that happy and carefree on a regular basis. And he always, always, always picks him up.)

[wallflowerimagines]

Hi! I looove your posts! Thank you so much for sharing your writing!

I was wondering… could you maybe write about the Four Lords with a shy S/O that gets bold and defensive when someone insults the lords? or calls them names? And the Lord’s reaction to the S/O acting different? Dk if im explaining myself >.<

Again! Love your work! Have a great day!

We stan protective partners on this blog!!

Warnings: uh...insults? They're pretty over the top😅 Also swearing.

Alcina Dimitrescu

Honestly, Alcina is more than able to defend herself.

She's got a tongue like a viper, and the thickest skin imaginable. If you really want to hurt her feelings, you have to be someone whom she already respects to a certain degree, or she won't even be phased.

Still, when she leaves a room, there's always some idiot that thinks it's a smart idea to talk shit.

Maybe it's a maid, maybe it's a guest in the Castle, but either way you're not having it.

"God, you're annoying." There was a pause before they opened their mouth again, and you rolled your eyes. "No please, by all means, continue to share your lack of taste with the rest of us."

You disassemble this dumbass, starting small with comments about their personality (trying to keep it classy), but escalating the more they choose to double down on the comments.

Alcina comes back into the room to find you practically screaming at this asshole.

"Look, all you have accomplished here today is revealing that you are a fundamental disappointment on every possible level. My life is worse now that I've heard you open your mouth, you disrespectful, shit licking worm fucker."

Alcina is stunned. You do not give off "aggressive guard dog" vibes at all, yet here you are defending her tooth and nail. While she had seen brief moments of your inner strength and protective streak (mostly towards her daughters) she just...never thought you would do the same for her.

It's not because she doesn't trust you or love you! But nobody has ever done something like this for her before? Ever? She's never had anyone try to protect her--not physically, and not even verbally. She's been so independent for so long that it's... Strange to see you support her so openly.

She doesn't need you to do this for her, she doesn't even expect it, but you do it anyway for no other reason than the fact that you love her. You want people to give her the respect she deserves.

I'm going to be real here: Alcina has never been closer to swooning before in her life. You're overcoming your shyness because you believe in her so much-- it's not a gesture meant to be romantic, but Alcina can't help but see this as a massive statement of your commitment to her.

Seriously. This is such a massive thing for her that if proposals weren't already on her mind, she is mentally picking out a ring for you the minute this happens.

Then, of course, she glides into the room, kisses you until you're breathless and babbling, and smirks at the unfortunate peon who thought they could get away with insulting House Dimitrescu.

She's in such a good mood that she's considering going easy on the idiot. Maybe removing their tongue would be enough of a warning?

Donna Dimitrescu

You don't really know how it's possible but apparently some people don't like Donna Beneviento? Some people think she's scary and unpleasant????

Wild. Can't imagine what that's like.

The two of you are honestly the sweetest, most toothrottingly adorable couple-- blushing when you hold each other's hands, sneaking glances at each other across rooms, giving each other kisses and forgetting whatever was on your mind...

Honestly, anybody who's critical of your relationship with your girlfriend is just a hater. Fuckers can pound sand😤

Still, you are pretty shy, so it takes a lot for you to defend yourself if someone comments about you. It can take a lot of courage to stand up against rude remarks, and sometimes it's easier to walk away.

Defending Donna, on the other hand?

The minute someone even thinks about dismissing her, you are ready to throw hands.

"My lovely girlfriend already said no, meaning you're either deaf or too stupid to pick up on simple social cues," you purse your lips and give the rude and pushy Villager a patronizing once over. "You and your opinion are equally useless. Get the fuck away from us."

Donna blinks.

She... Was not expecting this??? At all?? You're so nice! You always tell her about your attempts to avoid confrontation! What's going on??? How did you get the guts to say what she's always wanted to say?

Meanwhile, Angie is LIVING.

The little doll chimes in to assist you with the verbal homicide, working as a tag team to absolutely murder this moron. She's half partner, half hype man, and is so excited to do this with you. Normally, she has to protect Donna all by herself, but she's relieved and reassured that you stepped in first.

'USELESS IS TOO NICE, THOUGH! THAT IMPLIES THEY AREN'T A POINTLESS, RANCID, LONELY FREAK. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY CRY WHEN THEY MASTURBATE.'

You high five Angie, still glaring daggers at the unfortunate villager.

The two of you continue to ream into the villager, while Donna hovers nearby.

As surprised as she is, she's also grateful. She's only really ever had Angie to help shield her from insults and disrespect (and occasionally inducing horrifying hallucinations that make people claw off their own skin), but having you in her corner makes her feel safe.

Not to get totally sappy, but you're like her knight in shining armor in a lot of ways. And the fact you two are so similar is really motivating-- She wants to one day be confident enough to return the favor. Until then, she's happy to watch her two favorite people have fun insulting some stranger ❤️

Salvatore Moreau

With you being so shy, Salvatore is surprised how often he takes the lead in your relationship.

He's not normally all that outgoing, but you seem to bring out a side of him that's very protective. Whenever you have a bad day he wants to bundle you up and keep you safe from the world.

If he so much as holds your hand you start stuttering and avert your gaze. It creates a feedback loop where you both get flustered, but Moreau has never felt steadier. Despite your shyness, you make sure he knows how much you love him.

You're sweet as pie and twice as kind--Salvatore is the luckiest man in the world, nobody can convince him otherwise 💕💕

So it comes as a total shock that when a passing fisherman spits in your path and calls him a freak, your entire demeanor does a 180.

Your posture straightens and you look the villager dead in the eye, "I don't believe anyone asked your opinion."

Salvatore: 😳

This is not the time, and he totally knows it, but, uh, something about your tone??? Really does it for him???

While he's attempting to process why exactly he's starting to short circuit, you proceed to verbally shred this person to bits with clinical efficiency-- nothing is off limits.

They might try to defend themselves, but it's useless. You do not let up.

"Ugly? Monster? Bitch your teeth are throwing gang signs, don't throw stones from your shining glass house."

You insult their appearance, what they're holding, their smell-- you get so fucking mean that you might even make them cry.

Moreau is just lost right now, trying hard to figure out how exactly you were able to gain all of this confidence so quickly.

He's not upset! In fact he's very flattered! But, he also doesn't want you to get into a fight with some unimportant stranger. (After all, if they so much as throw a punch, they're straight up dead. Moreau is a patient man, but he's not that patient. You do not hurt his partner and live to tell the tale.)

He may a healer but...

Eventually he steps between you and the fisherman in an attempt to deescalate the situation, but you just kiss him on the cheek and step around him, determined to make your point.

Blushing hard, Moreau lets you do what you want. What can he say? Fish man likes himself a protective partner 💞

Karl Heisenberg

Magnet Man is not the most social guy to begin with, so any opportunities you have to stick up for him are already pretty slim.

He mostly knows you as the shy, sweet, easily flustered partner that lets out a cute squeak every time he sneaks up to hug you from behind.

Karl's honestly happy just to spend time with you all alone in the Factory. It's not the best or healthiest mindset, but he'd be perfectly content to only ever see you for the rest of his life. Spending time with anybody else feels like a boring waste in comparison.

But occasionally, you do head out into town with him. Heisenberg wants you to be safe so he doesn't do it often, but running errands with you is a weakness of his. It's domestic in a way that he's never experienced before.

He likes it ❤️

What he does not like is the shopkeeper starting to give their opinions on the quality of your relationship with him.

Most insults Karl will let slide because he doesn't particularly care. However if anyone makes a comment on how scared (shy) you look around him, how you must be being threatened into being with him, how poorly Lord Heisenberg is treating you...he won't stand for it.

But before his fingers can even twitch towards his hammer, you snap.

"You're clearly the blindest cocksucker I've ever met--so wipe the cum out of eyes and mind your own fucking business."

Karl does a double take.

He's heard you curse before, but quietly. The words coming out of your mouth are WILD right now, he has NEVER seen you so angry. You're defending him with the aggression of a wild animal, and it's simultaneously HILARIOUS, but for some reason he's also getting a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest?

He doesn't need you to protect him like this, but seeing you blatantly argue how much you love and cherish him in public reassures him in a way he didn't know he needed.

Still, hearing you call the shopkeeper "shit for brains" is the funniest thing that's happened in years.

Heisenberg starts laughing, and the more you shout at the idiot, the harder he laughs. Is it weird how hard he wants to kiss you right now?

Eventually, he just has to drag you away, cackling as you continue to shout insults at the unfortunate shopkeep. There's got to be an alley around here for some good old fashioned privacy 💕

[sns-tropes]

sns fic: without you

chapter summary: No one's ever really asked Sasuke what he wants. Not like this.

pairing: sasuke/naruto (ninja!verse) post-698, part three one-shot to heart in your hands

rating: Teen (i guess), warnings: angst, hurt/comfort, anxiety, trust building (words: 3k+)

A/N: OH LOOK, sasuke and naruto in an actual relationship where they communicate. unreal. (also if you haven't read the first two parts, this might be brain rot but i guess you could read it alone for the feels) you can read part 1 here on ao3.

- jeni

Sasuke tries to be home often. It’s strange that there aren’t many other places to be but home, but it's hard sometimes. He knows he’s supposed to be reporting, doing his job, writing out his daily findings. He does find things. But Naruto does most of the work.

He thinks Naruto does most of it, not for any kind of merit, but just to have something to do. There really isn’t anything to do up here. Cook maybe. Sleep. Contemplate how cold it is in the snowy weather. 

When Sasuke gets home, he checks the calendar. One year to date. Halfway through their mission. Sasuke feels like he hasn’t taken full advantage of the time. He feels like he hasn’t grown like he thought he would. He feels like he hasn’t grown as much as Naruto has. He’s not sure if that makes the thought sting more. Naruto has changed so much for the better. Sasuke feels stagnant still. 

He feels cold up here on the mountains. Ichiro keeps him warm most nights. He wonders why it seems like him and Naruto are too busy for each other. He doesn’t ask. He won't. Can’t. It’s not in his programming.  

Naruto mentions that he misses spring and summer. Sasuke doesn’t know what to make of that comment. Something in the back of his mind is screaming, ‘he’s tired of you.’ Logically, that doesn’t corelate. But Sasuke has never really functioned off of pure logic anyway. 

Naruto doesn’t do anything to urge those kinds of negative thoughts. He’s patient and kind, and always welcoming him home. So why is Sasuke telling himself that none of it is sincere? 

It’s late now. Too late to ponder on such negative thoughts. He’s tried to train his mind away from it. These kinds of thoughts seem to occur more often at night. He lays his head down and he truly can’t believe that an entire year has passed him by. He reaches out to scratch Ichiro’s head, and he gets soft purrs in return. Slowly but surely, it will lull him off to sleep. He isn’t sure where Naruto is. He’s not here, that much is certain. He’s missing the familiar creak of the wood that gives way under Naruto’s careless steps. 

Sasuke wonders when he became this needy. He’s not quite sure when it happened. Maybe it’s not that Naruto is tired of him. Maybe it’s because he’s finally realized just how much Sasuke hurt him. Perhaps he’s figured out just how much damage Sasuke has done, just like Sakura realized it. No number of apologies and heart to hearts can cover up some of the awful things that he’s done. And even though they’ve spoken on it before, on more than one occasion, even Sasuke knows that some kinds of hurt never truly vanish. He doesn’t particularly favor her, but that doesn’t ease the guilt somehow.  

Maybe Naruto is starting realize that. For lack of a better phrase, maybe their honeymoon phase is over. Maybe they’re just- growing apart. His throat tightens at the very thought. Sasuke scoffs in the dark. It’s so ridiculous, what he’s come to. He tries again to get comfortable in the blankets, feeling like crawling out of his skin. 

He’s not sure is he even has room to be upset. His eyes fall on the ruck sack in the corner. It’s the one Naruto came up the mountain with his belongings when they first made the trek. It’s empty now, unmoving from its usual lazy spot on the floor. Naruto uses it to run errands into town every now and then.  

Naruto has always worried about Sasuke leaving him. It seems that Sasuke should have been the one worried. Because he's always had Naruto’s love, support, and loyalty. It’s been unwavering. There’s nothing that Sasuke could do that Naruto wouldn’t forgive. But Sasuke feels like it would be foolish to assume things will stay that way. 

He’s really not sure what his life would look like without him. It would be a lot less worth living for, he thinks. It's too sad to think of. He feels pretty pathetic, imaging it in self-pity. He’d never admit it. 

He tries not to stare intently as Naruto gently crosses the floor boards of their temporary home. It’s a relief to see him return from wherever he was, but Sasuke shows no signs of relief or even that he may be awake. He tries to suppress the shiver that catches up to him from the sheer cold of the night. It’s useless. He shivers almost violently, not being able to help it. And just when he thinks that there really isn't any hope left for them, Naruto stops dead in his tracks. He turns around. Not swiftly at all. But rather slowly, carefully, like his body itself is a worried question. 

“Sasuke?" 

Sasuke doesn’t really have a mind to acknowledge or deny him, he just sits in a strange state of neutrality where his heart and bones ache with something. He’s afraid. Always afraid. As many trials as they push through, he still cannot seem to clear the storm. The storm that keeps him indoors until Naruto takes his hand and yanks him outside the door into its depths. He’s starting to realize that maybe Naruto won't do that every time. Maybe he’ll have to step out himself once in a while. 

He shivers again, and it almost overtakes him. He thinks maybe it isn't the temperature that’s affecting him now, but his own fears. He breathes deep and shuts his eyes for a moment trying to calm down. 

Sasuke feels awful, like always as of late. Torn open, like always. He wishes he could locate the exact spot of these feelings and reach into his own chest to rip them out. He’s tried so many times, but this time feels different. It feels heavier, almost crushing.  

A warm hand touches his cheek and Naruto realizes right away that Sasuke isn’t cold at all. Not even a little. It must be some kind of anxiety tick. It’s really not uncommon for Sasuke to have them, but never to this extent. 

He continues to shiver, worrying Naruto to a new degree.  

“W-what?” Sasuke stammers under the gentle touch of Naruto’s hand.  

Naruto laughs low and knowing. It makes Sasuke tremble even more.  

“Not feeling well?” Naruto says far too gently. Sasuke reaches forward, completely unthinking. He grabs onto Naruto’s shoulders, trying to ground himself. He doesn’t understand what’s gotten into him.  

“Having a moment?”  

Naruto isn’t unfamiliar with these feelings, falling victim to many episodes himself. He wants Sasuke to know it’s okay to just ride the wave and lose his footing. He’ll catch him. 

“I feel fine.” Sasuke all but grits out. A clear lie. Naruto is calm though, like he knows exactly what’s ailing him. 

Naruto presses a soft kiss to his lips, and Sasuke wants to pull away from him, feeling undeserving of attention. But he doesn’t. He just can’t. His instincts won't allow it. There’s so much for him to feel here with Naruto. Even when it’s rare, he wants it so desperately. He clings helplessly to it like a priceless relic. 

“You’re shaking, you know.” Naruto tells him. “I can make tea?” 

“No, I’m not cold.” 

“Then should I stay here?” He asks softly. Sasuke tries to push him off with a scoff, but it’s so weak and without effort that Naruto only laughs. 

“I’m not making fun of you.” Naruto says seriously, a hand flying to Sasuke’s hair to pet through it gently. “I’ve missed you.” 

Sasuke’s breath hitches a bit. So, it was all in his head then. It was in his head like every other time he’s ever doubted that someone could possibly love him.  

“Seems like you’ve been avoiding me,” Sasuke bites out. That’s really not what he means to say. He’s still not very eloquent after everything. Naruto just hums thoughtfully in response, because he really hasn’t been at all. He knows better than to take the bait. He can't fight with Sasuke right now, not when he clearly needs his attention.  

Naruto has explained to Sasuke many times that he likes to give him space. They work better when Sasuke comes to him of his own volition. Sasuke knows this and has acknowledged it, so he’s not quite sure why he still acts this way despite that. 

Naruto is looking at him so sweetly as he continues to comb the hair out of Sasuke’s eyes patiently. 

“What?” Sasuke asks, noting the fond stare he’s receiving. 

“It’s sorta weird.” Naruto starts, “That we ended up here. It's really crazy that we aren't dead.” He chuckles lightly. 

Naruto has a lot to say about everything still, even after a year. He holds back for Sasuke. Because Sasuke is not very talkative, and he doesn’t want to bother him with his sentimental rambling. But Sasuke doesn’t stop him. Naruto knows deep down that Sasuke is just as sentimental as he is, if not more. He simply would rather die than show it. He just nuzzles further into Naruto’s hand, scooting closer for warmth. He isn’t telling Naruto to shutup, so He wants to hear whatever corny thought he has. 

Naruto snakes an arm around him, pulling the covers over them both now. 

“Did I ever tell you,” Naruto clears his throat, “About the dream I had, our first night at the med center?” 

Sasuke’s brow furrows. “No. Tell me.”  

He’d like to hear about it. Peering into Naruto’s dreams used to be one of his favorite pastimes. He doesn’t do it anymore. He figures if they’re trust building, that’s a good way to start. 

“I dreamt we were still out there. In the rubble.” He sighs breathily. “I dreamt that we never got up. We just bled out.” 

Sasuke just hums in response, trying not to show just how uneasy the thought of Naruto dead makes him. It’s disturbing to hear Naruto mention their deaths so casually now. They went years carelessly stating how willing they are to die. Sasuke can’t imagine justifying such a thing now.  

“I know it’s kinda morbid, my brain does weird stuff. But it wasn’t really that bad. It was almost... peaceful?” He pauses, thinks for a moment. “Like I was ready.” 

Naruto can hear Sasuke let out a shaky breath, but he’s finally stopped trembling.  

“Sorry, I’ll stop talking.” 

“No-” Sasuke stops him, finally calming down. “I mean- Keep talking.” It’s helping him come down off of his panic. 

“You want me to talk?” Naruto chuckles. “I thought my voice was annoying.” He throws Sasuke’s words back at him from earlier that morning. Sasuke had told him that his voice was very annoying as he sang an old folk tune that they hadn’t heard since they were eight years old.  

“I lied.” Sasuke quips, suddenly not feeling as shy as he usually is. “Tell me more.” 

“I guess I don’t really have much else to say about it. Just something I wanted to get off my chest.” He says tiredly.  

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”  

“I had just got you back.” He mentions quietly, quieter than he’s been thus far in the conversation. “For the first time in a while death was the very last thing on my mind.” 

Sasuke frowns, thinking his word choice is interesting.  Got him back . He wishes Naruto never had to feel like he lost him in the first place. He wonders how long regret can linger before someone would go insane from it. 

“Did you think of it often?” It’s times like these when Sasuke really tries to connect with what Naruto is saying. “Death, I mean?” 

“More than I should have.” He says, pulling Sasuke in closer. 

“About your own? Or others?” 

“Always others. But I thought that if I lost enough people, I might just die of sadness.” 

“That doesn’t sound like you.” He deadpans. 

“Yeah, I guess not.” He chuckles. “Intrusive thoughts.” 

Sasuke sighs deeply, leaving it at that for now as he rests his head on Naruto’s chest. He’s gotten used to this now. Physical contact. Touching just to touch. There is no goal is mind. Naruto runs his fingers back through Sasuke’s hair. It almost lulls him to sleep, but not quite. It just settles him down into something more pliable and reasonable. 

“I should go over our report for this week.” Naruto sighs and attempts to pry himself away from Sasuke and get up from the futon.  

Unthinkingly, Sasuke tugs him back. “Just-” He stops himself, flushes a bit, “We can do it in the morning.” He suggests. 

Naruto chuckles, slightly confused by the suggestion. He stays put nonetheless. 

He knows that this is peculiar behavior for Sasuke to display, but it’s not like he’s never seen it before. From time-to-time Sasuke will get nervous or anxious, or maybe just overall unsure of himself. There was a time when Naruto would have considered it extremely out of character for Sasuke to act this way. But ever since they’ve moved out here on the mountains, it’s been more frequent. He gets the opportunity now to know himself better. 

Naruto doesn’t think this is a bad thing. He gets insecure sometimes as well. But he also figures that despite Sasuke’s nervousness, he is someone that knows what he wants. If he didn’t want Naruto, he would have just left instead of extending his hand to invite him along.  

He thinks it’s a  good thing  that Sasuke gets like this sometimes. To Naruto it means that he’s getting more in touch with his emotion, which he supposes is never a bad thing. With how many years he pushed them down, Naruto wants to see him feel all kinds of things.  

Just when he thinks Sasuke is asleep he starts to pry himself away. But Sasuke isn’t asleep. No, not anything close to asleep. Naruto discovers he’s quite awake as he feels Sasuke press a soft kiss right to the pulse point of his neck. Naruto’s breath hitches a bit. He never knows what to expect sometimes. But it’s not unwelcomed.  

He thinks it will be left at that. Just one kiss. More follow shortly after the first. Soft, open mouths kisses that become breathier with every passing moment. He preferers when Sasuke initiates things like this. He never wants him to feel like it’s an essential part of the relationship that they have. Because really, it isn’t.  

The most important thing is that they’re together, and everything else comes second. Sasuke has expressed once or twice to him that it seems difficult to ask for these kinds of things. Because it’s difficult to ask for something he craves desperately but seems to feel guilty in wanting. Naruto wants him to know that he deserves all the things he wants. 

Naruto is trying to work on the consent thing with him. Problem is, he’s not really a talker. He tends to clam up during sex and try to keep every word and sound to himself. It brings Naruto back to the first time they had together. It was a little awkward. A little difficult. But somehow perfect.  

Nothing has changed at all. He still wants him in that very same way, one solid year later. 

Sasuke seems slightly annoyed at Naruto’s lack of reaction, and it almost sounds like he’s pouting. Naruto chuckles fondly at him, pulling back to get a good look at his expression. Now’s the perfect time to test out just how much he’ll say.  

“Hey...” He whispers to Sasuke, nudging at his nose with his own, teasing him with a kiss. “What are you up to?”  

Sasuke just makes a noise of distaste. That’s not enough for Naruto. “Tell me what you want.” He persists.  

Sasuke hates that it’s come to this. He hates asking for anything. He wishes Naruto would just take the reins. He seems to be good enough at it. Why can’t he do it more often? For once, he doesn’t want to think about anything. He just wants to turn his brain off for a bit and feel. 

He pulls away, feeling stupid for initiating it. 

“Hey, no,” Naruto says gently, snatching his wrist to try and draw him back. “Come on, talk to me.” 

Sasuke looks into blue eyes. They’re too honest to look at. 

“Nothing has changed.” Naruto says. 

The simple sentence holds so much weight. 

“Why do you always want me to  tell  you?” Sasuke asks frustrated.  

“Because- that’s just- I just want to make sure you’re comfortable with what we do.” 

“Of  course  I am.” He scoffs, pulling away again.  Which is terrible, because even in his annoyance, he only wants to be close. It’s ridiculous, considering what they’ve done in the past. He doesn’t really get Naruto’s point. 

“That doesn’t work for me. You have to tell me what you’re thinking.” 

“I don’t- I’m not fragile. You don’t have to ask every time.” 

“Oh, I shouldn’t?” Naruto says sarcastically, “So you’re just okay with anything I wanna do?” 

“ Yes .” He says bitingly.  

“So, I can tie you up, then? Slap you around? Call you names?” 

Sasuke flinches. 

“N-no.” 

“Great. That’s why I need you to talk to me.” 

Sasuke doesn’t say anything. He feels ashamed of himself when Naruto curls away from him. It’s difficult to say what he wants sometimes because he hardly knows himself. Right now, he’d just like to be held. He supposes he could ask for that at least, but he still feels so disappointed in himself.  

Naruto sighs tiredly, flipping to face him again. 

“Try again.” He says patiently. “What do you want right now?” 

“Just- Just stay close.” He stutters. 

Naruto seems semi-pleased with that answer, so Sasuke tries a bit more. 

“I feel better when you touch my hair.” He mumbles embarrassingly. “It calms me down.” 

“Okay,” Naruto says in that gentle voice again, that one that Sasuke craves. “Good. That’s good.” 

He blessedly pulls him close again, hand back to carding through his hair. He melts into it again feeling relief rush over him. There’s a lot of things he doesn’t understand still about why Naruto is so adamant about this. 

“Do I always have to ask?” he mumbles against his chest. 

“No. But you need to tell me when I ask you.” 

Sasuke grumbles in defeat. He would rather Naruto guess what he wants than have to say it every time. He supposes it’s a habit he’ll have to break if he wants this to work. 

“You should be more specific.” Sasuke tells him. 

“About what?” He replies in confusion. 

“Like- be specific about what you need to know I'm okay with.” 

“Sasuke- that doesn’t make sense.” He sighs. 

He’s trying to figure out how he can make him understand. 

“It’s easier for me to answer with yes or no.” He says, and hopes it’s not the wrong thing to say. 

Naruto hugs him a little tighter. Maybe he does understand. 

“Okay. I can do that. Like before?” 

Like before when everything was fresh and new and Naruto asked him about everything. That’s always when Sasuke felt the most cared for. He scoffed at him back then too. But he didn’t mean it. Every time Naruto asked him what was okay with him, his heart fluttered happily behind his scowl.  

Things are different now. They’ve had time to get to know themselves a little better here in isolation. Away from prying eyes. It’s left both of them more lost than they’d like to admit. Sasuke especially. There are no appearances to keep up with here. It leaves them questioning what they really need from each other. 

“Like before.” Sasuke confirms.  

“Okay, yeah.” Naruto sounds proud of him. It makes Sasuke’s heart swell with something new. “Can I kiss you?” 

Sasuke nods, but nothing happens.  

“Yes.” He says, brain slowing a bit. 

Naruto pulls back enough to look at him properly. He’s smiling at him proudly, and Sasuke feels a little high on it. He kisses him carefully, with a certain impatient edge.  

Sasuke loses track of time for a little while. Their lips are swollen by the time they pull away. 

“Was that so hard?” Naruto teases breathily. 

Sasuke for once, doesn’t scoff at him. He lays his head down on Naruto’s chest, wondering how he ever let himself slip so far into doubt.  

“You know, right?” Naruto asks him sleepily. Sasuke knows what he means to say. He reaches for a hand to hold, chest too tight for the beat of his heart. 

“I know.”  

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

weird, m | ksj

pairing(s): seokjin x reader

summary: Your roommate and best friend, Kim Seokjin, forgot to double-check the autofill information and shipped his package from the online sex shop with your name on it. Naturally, this ends with you tying him up and sucking his dick, and him tying you up with you riding him like a wild animal. Wait, what?

warnings: rated M (18+) for language; friends with benefits; crack (sorry, I can't be serious for more than two seconds when writing Seokjin); yes, reader usually fucks younger dudes XD; smut (fem reader, D/s dynamics (both switches), bondage, m-receiving oral, thigh riding, cowgirl, spanking); non-idol!BTS - just two best friends fucking for sexual exploration, don't mind them

technically a prequel to love roulette, m | myg yes, this is the explanation to that mysterious package, but is it really an explanation or rather an excuse to fuck WWH, you decide

--

“Seokjin, can I ask you something?”

“Hm?”

When Kim Seokjin looked at you, it was a bit like looking into the eyes someone much younger than you even though he wasn’t. He had that youth about him, the ‘here’s-to-never-growing-up’ sparkle in his large brown eyes, complete with parted lips in a small ‘o’ and, alright, yes, his Nintendo Switch in his hands.

“A long time ago, I asked you which way you think you lean, more dominant or more submissive, no?”

His handsome face flushed pink, slowly scooting away from you.

“Er… yeah, I remember…”

“What?”

“Huh?”

You poked him and he squeaked, slapping a hand over his side even though he was wearing a brown sweatshirt. Seokjin was always cold, even during the summer.

Your best friend was an odd character.

You chuckled. “Why are you being so awkward? I thought we were over this phase.”

Well, he should be. You had known Seokjin since elementary school and seen him, er, date was a strong word for what you both were doing in middle and high school, more like being bumbling messes and walking in on each other bonking classmates, but, hey, what mattered is that you both got better at it over the years.

It being sex.

Not romance.

You both still had only sketchy ideas about what romance was supposed to be.

“We are,” your best friend coughed, clearing his throat for absolutely no reason. “We are, I just…”

“Used my name for purchasing goods from an online sex shop?”

He choked and nearly flung his Switch. You caught it, swiftly placing it on the coffee table as you procured the cardboard box from behind your back, already open, address and name circled in thick black permanent marker on the rather inconspicuous package.

“W-What, that’s absurd, why would I ever–?”

You hummed pleasantly, sweeping the box away from his lanky limbs and his flailing hands. For someone who didn’t purchase goods from an online sex shop, he sure was interested in getting the box. He tumbled into your lap, and quickly scrambled back, black hair suddenly fluffed and wild from the movement.

“Something tells me you didn’t check the autocomplete form before clicking submit.”

You saw Seokjin choke on air.

He jerked away from you and fumbled with his phone beside him. You peeked over his broad shoulder and saw that he was scrolling through his emails like a madman, except Seokjin had a bad habit of never deleting any. He had maybe fifteen thousand unread emails to sort though.

“You don’t have to check. I am sure I didn’t order red cotton bondage rope and a leather flogger.”

Seokjin whipped his head around, face redder than a tomato, looking halfway between fainting and screaming.

You raised an eyebrow. “Is it for you or a mysterious imaginary girl that you’re dating?”

Now your best friend seemed to be contemplating holding his own breath until he passed out to avoid your questioning.

“I-It’s not for me!”

“Oooh, then who? You’re not an internet hookup kind of guy though… unless she was dumb enough to put her full name as her username, then she’s too airheaded to be a catfish–”

Seokjin flapped his hands, smacking you in your pajama-covered chest, sputtering. “No one! There’s no one! I just…!”

You caught one of his wrists, raising an eyebrow.

“Just?”

He froze.

Silence.

“… Seokjin?”

You left go of his hand. It stayed there, frozen in the air.

Ah, it seemed as if his soul left his body.

Rest in peace Kim Seokjin. You were the handsomest best friend one could ask for.

You prodded him in the side again and Seokjin doubled over, trying to cover his face with the large sleeves of his sweatshirt, long legs in black sweatpants curling up as if he could cocoon himself away from the conversation.

“Seokjin, you can be interested in whatever you want,” you snickered, placing the package next to his fetal positioned body. “I simply thought it was funny that you accidentally used my name. Although I wouldn’t use that flogger on a real person, only for posing in pictures. In any case, have fun being freaky by yourself and not for some mysterious woman you refuse to tell me about.”

You stood up, about to leave and give your best friend some space. You shouldn’t go too far teasing him after all.

“What do you mean?”

You stopped, looking back. Seokjin’s large brown eyes were peeking out of his splayed fingers, shifting awkwardly when you made eye contact. He cleared his throat. He was doing that a lot for someone who seemed perfectly healthy ten minutes ago, shrieking at himself for missing the ledge in his game and dying.

It had seemed like a good time to interrupt and embarrass him so you could save your eardrums.

He coughed and pointed to the box. “About the… um… whip… thingmabob…”

You cocked an eyebrow. “Isn’t it obvious?”

You marched over and opened the box, making Seokjin jolt and cover his red ears instinctively, but you ignored him, pulling out the black pleather flogger you had already unwrapped from the plastic – purely from thinking it was your own package, by the way, no other reason, surely not because you were mildly curious about what your best friend was into, nope – and you slapped the short three tails into your hand, wincing.

“This kind of cheap material is too plastic-like. If you use this on bare skin and hit too hard, you’re going to cut someone and I know you’re squeamish around blood, unless you secretly have a blood fetish too and have been a really good actor all this time–”

“How do you know that?”

You blinked at his question.

“What?”

Seokjin sat up, giving you a confused pout. “Why do you know something like that?”

Now it was your turn to shift your eyes around.

“Uh…”

Er… how to tell your best friend that the younger guy you were casually fucking for the past couple of weeks was, ah, rather knowledgeable about certain things, was, um, interested in teaching, uh, yeah, teaching…

Seokjin squinted at you suspiciously. “Is it that idol trainee that was here two nights ago when I was out drinking with Hose–”

You waved your hands very quickly, tossing the flog aside carelessly and slapping your thigh to silence Seokjin and his far too invasive questions. “Look. I just don’t want you to hurt anybody on accident, okay? Your rope choice was good though. You should always use an organic material for shibari, cotton, hemp, linen if you’re rich, but you’re a cheapskate, so–”

Your best friend narrowed his eyes into slits. “How much younger is that guy compared to you again? Hm? And what was his name? Ye–”

You slapped a hand over Seokjin’s mouth, smiling sweetly and dangerously, reaching into the box and pulling out the red cotton rope.

“I know a lot of knots now and I can tie a noose just for you, Seokjinnie.”

Your best friend, rightfully so, looked terrified.

“Now. Let’s talk about you, okay? Okay.”

You removed your hand and held onto the rope.

Seokjin gulped, but then shook his head vigorously, frowning. “What did you call it?” He was already moving past your death threat. Smart man.

“Call what?”

“Shi-something?”

“Shibari? Japanese rope tying?” You lifted the cotton cord in your hand. “Is that not what this is for?”

Seokjin blinked very rapidly.

You blinked back at him. Then it dawned onto you. “The diamond-y rope patterns where they’re all tied up and stuff.”

“Ah! Yeah! That!”

“You want that done to you?”

Seokjin jerked to one side. “What? No! To someone else. Maybe. No. What?”

You slowly placed the rope on his lap and scooted away.

“Uh… huh. Okay. Enjoy.”

“Wait,” he blurted.

“What?”

“CanIpracticeonyou?”

“Can you WHAT?” you echoed shrilly.

“Right, yeah, okay, never mind–”

-

“Seokjin.”

Your best friend choked on his own toothbrush and threw himself into the bathroom wall, colliding into the towel bar and howling in pain while simultaneously hacking up a lung.

“I’ve decided I am going to teach you some simple knots to prevent me from having to pick your naked ass up from the police station or hospital,” you said calmly as Seokjin half-died on the floor tangled in your mint green and his navy-blue bath towels. “And because I don’t want to have to cut some poor girl off your bedframe because you’ve blacked out running onto your door trying to find me.”

“I’ve never–” he wheezed.

“But you will if I don’t take precautions,” you cut in, grabbing your purple toothbrush and putting toothpaste on it as Seokjin attempted to collect himself off the ground. “Like that one time you ran into the window when that wasp was in the apartment.”

“That was a fucking wasp, you freaked out too!”

You started brushing your teeth. “Yeah, but I didn’t knock myself out and wake up with a fat bump on my forehead. That was you,” you gargled.

“Ack…”

“Anyway, I know a few things and I figured I would do a good deed and enlighten you.”

“Who taught you? Was it Ye–”

You jabbed Seokjin forcefully in the ribs and he immediately shut up because he choked on his toothbrush again.

-

“Why do you have scissors?”

“For cutting the rope.”

“Yeah, but why are they so big?”

“That’s what she said.”

Seokjin narrowed his eyes. “I hate you.”

“Cool, now I’m gonna tie you up. Give me your hands.”

You unwound the end from the bolt and frowned, nudging his knee with yours. You were both sitting on his bed, him cross legged and you on your knees because he was wearing black sweatpants and you were wearing no pants, just your usual large lavender pajama shirt with a pattern of yellow stars.

“Take off your sweatshirt. It’ll get in the way.”

“But I’m cold.”

“You won’t be because apparently this shit turns you on,” you snickered.

“Shut up, it does not. It’s the other way around,” Seokjin grumbled, yanking his chocolate brown sweatshirt over his head.

You paused.

“I thought you were more sub.”

Seokjin froze, head half-out of his sweatshirt. You waited. He didn’t move. You waited some more. He coughed and chucked the article of clothing aside, yanking his white t-shirt down and smoothing his hair, not looking at you.

You waited.

He smoothed his hair for a full two minutes.

“Um, anyway–”

You planted a hand on his knee and Seokjin tried to chop your hand away, only for you to snatch his wrist, so his other hand came up to stop you, but you wound the end of the rope around his wrist and bounced off his mattress, pinning your knees on top of his knees and making him squeak as he tumbled back into his pillows, bringing you with him. You had to jerk your head out of the way to avoid collision.

“My nuts!”

“I didn’t hit your precious nuts, you numbsku–”

Hang on.

You locked eyes with Seokjin under you, who gawked back at you, absolutely terrified.

“… You are still a sub.”

Seokjin winced. “Ugh, it’s just… I’m getting older, alright? I can change my mind…”

You could get off him. You could let it be. You totally could.

But were you going to?

No.

You straddled his abdomen and brought his hands to his chest with a big grin. Seokjin’s eyes turned into giant brown saucers. He looked ready to pass out and not from your weight because you weren’t putting much weight on him.

“W-W-What are y-you d-doing?!” he shrieked.

You rapped him in the forehead. “Teaching. Pay attention. Hands up.”

“You aren’t taking your rings off?”

He was referring to the three silver rings you wore on a daily basis – an onyx stone on your left middle finger, a goat-head shaped ring on your right thumb, and a skull with a jester hat on your right ring finger.

You raised an eyebrow. “Why do I need to take them off?”

He lifted his hands and gave you an exaggerated shrug in between your thighs. Come to think of it, Seokjin had a rather broad chest so you had to spread your legs pretty wide to accommodate and hover over him.

Precarious.

“Ah, perfect.”

Your best friend yelped as you wrapped the rope around his wrists, leaving the end sticking out between them, first focusing on loosely binding. He tried to break away, but you harshly squeezed his sides with your thighs, narrowing your eyes.

“Stop squirming.”

He froze at your cold tone, shifting his eyes awkwardly.

“Watch. Now.”

His eyes immediately snapped to your hands.

“Wrists together.” You nudged them so the inner parts of the wrists were touching. “A little space in the center,” you added, looping out the end of the rope. “I’m just teaching you how I learned it, there are a few ways, but the details are important so you don’t prevent loss of circulation,” you added seriously, waiting for him to nod before continuing. “So, wind it around a couple times, but don’t overlap. Four or five?”

“But I can still get out.”

You glared at him. Seokjin shut up and jammed his plush pink lips together, shaking his head rapidly as if to say, who me? I wasn’t talking!

“Turn it ninety degrees like this,” you demonstrated. “And start going perpendicular to and in between the wrists to create the binding. Line up each coil side by side. Mind the starting end here. Then…” You reached for the scissors and snipped the excess away, dropping the rope and scissors beside you on the bed. “You tie it off on the outside. I use a square knot, so this end over this end, and then retie it the opposite way. Try to break free.”

Seokjin frowned at the red rope around his wrists, twisting it this way and that, squirming underneath your legs. You put your hands on your waist triumphantly, nodding to yourself in pride. You did a good job! It looked neat and it was inescapable without tightening on any blood vessels to cause any dangerous loss of circulation.

Hang on.

Seokjin froze.

You froze.

You both looked down.

You smacked him in the cheek.

“Ow!”

“What are you looking there for?!”

“Why did you hit me? Why do you always resort to violence?!” Seokjin accused, jabbing you underneath your breasts with his bound hands. “What is going on down there?”

“Nothing! Stop moving!”

“No!”

“You–”

You closed your thighs around Seokjin’s waist and sat down on him, causing him to gasp, wind knocked out of him as his diaphragm was pushed up into his lungs, struggling with the rope between his wrists and resorting to slamming them down on the bed above his head. You growled as you towered over him. He started yelling, as he always did.

“Yah!”

You slapped your free hand over his mouth.

“Silence.”

He glared at you behind your palm, breathing hard. You sat on top of him, breathing just as hard. He was bigger, strong, yes, but not in the position of power and – being honest, after all – your best friend was never really out to fight you and win. He was more of a ‘I’m-going-to-be-stupidly-annoying-until-you-do-what-I-want’ type, which made him rather childish in some ways. You were more of the ‘I’m-gonna-beat-your-ass’ type.

In conclusion, it was a healthy friendship.

Seokjin started licking your palm and making crazy eyes at you.

Your eye twitched.

“Stop it.”

Unsurprisingly, he did not, in fact, stop it.

“I said, stop it.”

And you slid down, past the wet spot now on his t-shirt, planting your soaked panties on top of his crotch, grinding down, and, yup, Seokjin bucked and yelped, immediately stopping and seizing up as if he could hide the massive erection that you had been willing to ignore but he was being a little – nah, actually, an extra-large, supersized – shit and it was getting on your last nerve, so what better way to resolve a wordless argument (on his part, heh) then humping his hard-on?

You removed your hand and Seokjin had a brief moment to gasp your name before you slid the pads of your fingers onto his tongue, rubbing it roughly and making his eyes nearly bulge out of his head.

“I told you to stop, but you aren’t listening,” you snarled.

Seokjin whimpered, brown orbs glassy, pupils blown out.

You stilled.

Hold on a second.

You had a brief epiphany where you realized you were grinding on your best friend’s dick with him tied up and you were wetter than the Yellow Sea. This wasn’t some guy you picked up at the night market that won you that sleeping Pikachu at the claw machines, only to chat him up and end up with bed with a guy who was – ack, never mind his age – anyway, this was your best friend.

Kim Seokjin.

Oh shit, I’ve gone too far.

You let go, backing up. “S… Sorry, I–”

But then Seokjin’s plush lips closed around your fingers, sucking hard and you choked slightly, feeling his hips roll and the tip of his clothed erection hit your covered clit. He was glaring at you. You gasped as his teeth gently but firmly caught your two fingers. It did hurt, but only a little. Mostly it sent a rush of rather uncomfortable and mind-boggling arousal racing from your knuckles to your core, drenching your panties further.

“Don’t stop,” he mumbled around your fingers.

Don’t stop?

DON’T STOP?

His teeth let go, panting, staring into your eyes.

“Don’t make this weird,” Seokjin muttered, shifting his gaze. “Don’t make this weird, okay?”

His brown eyes flickered back to you. His bound hands were still over his head, black hair flaring out of his pillows, white t-shirt messed up, still trapped between your thighs. You paused, fingers slipping out of his lips, the pads trailing on his lower lip, turning it glossy with his saliva.

Your heart was racing fast.

He furrowed his dark brows and, for the first time, his serious expression made you think that perhaps, maybe, there was a side of him down there, the other side to the coin.

“I just…” Seokjin exhaled slowly, not looking away from you. “I trust you to do this. You’re capable and knowledgeable. I know you are. Word gets around with your, er, habits with younger guys…”

You felt your cheeks heat and you scratched your head awkwardly.

“Anyway, it’s fine if you wanna… er… get off. With me. Because I’m so handsome and all.”

You were thiiiiiiis close to leaving out of sheer embarrassment that instantly dissipated at Seokjin’s sudden unexpected self-compliment. Instead, your eye twitched and you squinted in annoyance.

Seokjin coughed, ears singeing bright red. “Unless you can’t, of course. Because it’s easy to fall in love with me, and that would be very bad considering I don’t want to marry you–”

“I don’t want to marry you either,” you snapped. “You’re ugly.”

Seokjin gasped dramatically, highly offended. “How dare you–!”

He abruptly sat up and you twisted back, only for his arms to swing over your head and sandwich you between his tied wrists and his chest, ramming you back onto his lap and his hard dick. You hissed and bit down your moan, not willing to admit it was mildly turning you on, because of course neither you or Seokjin hated each other – only in that classic way best friends hate and love each other at the same time – and, yeah, sure, you could admit Seokjin was handsome and cute and fun to be around, but he wasn’t the one, not that you knew what the one was supposed to feel like or knew if you would ever feel such an intense, romantic love, but you had this strange idea that the one for you would be someone who could understand you on a different level, and you didn’t have that with Seokjin even if you did talk all the time. You were quite sure the feeling was mutual and now, looking into his brown eyes with a scowl, you saw that the feeling was indeed mutual.

Also, Seokjin was an immature shithead.

A loveable, worldwide handsome, immature shithead. Redeemable.

Still.

You were horny.

And Seokjin was horny.

You weren’t going to date Seokjin ever, but your best friend was hot as hell and you could definitely bang him without any regrets.

“Let’s fuck,” he breathed into your face.

You raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t make it weird.”

Don’t make it weird, yeah, okaaay dude–

Your thoughts were suddenly cut off when Seokjin kissed you.

His forearms closed in behind your back and he pressed his bound wrists into your shoulder blades, pushing you into his solid chest and his embrace, taking your breath away. He always had good hugs, even if they were just to comfort you when your favorite flavor of ice lollys stopped being stocked at your local grocery store – still tragic to this day – and even when he was clinging onto you like a howling monkey because a cockroach was in the bathroom and he was screaming at you to kill it and nearly blowing out your eardrums, even then…

Now.

You closed your legs in around his hips and rolled your crotch into him, suddenly kissing him back.

He gasped into your mouth, your eyes half-opening, him gazing back at you, long lashes and dark eyebrows and glowing tan skin, holy shit, your best friend was handsome as fuck, why did other men even try when Kim Seokjin existed?

“Are you falling in love with me because I’m so handsome?” Seokjin teased, nipping at your lower lip.

Your eye twitched. Oh, yes, that’s right, because you’re annoying.

You shoved him and he yelped, clutching your back as you both fell onto the bed with a flump! You slid out from under his arms, skin prickling at Seokjin’s involuntary whine at your departure. Don’t make this weird, yeah, okay, don’t turn me on this much, dumbass, you are reminding me of… You pushed the thought away.

You didn’t want to think about other people when the person you were touching was right in front of you.

“What are you – yah!”

You gripped the waistband of his sweatpants and yanked down, exposing his underwear – bright blue, nice, nice – and his clothed erection, leaning in, hot breath ghosting over it, Seokjin jerking his arms about because he seemed undecided on either if he wanted to see or not see, but you let him deal with that in his own time, lowering your mouth, tongue extended, fingers splayed over his hips, silver rings glinting in his bedroom lights.

“You look like a demon,” you heard from above you.

You planted your tongue on the spot where the head of his cock would be and soaked it with saliva.

“F-Fuck!”

That shut him up real quick.

Your eyes drifted up, lapping slowly, barely stimulating the sensitive head through his underwear, closing your lips around it so the fabric clung wetly to the taut skin underneath. His cock swelled and twitched under your mouth; the action was mirrored by Seokjin’s jaw. He was clenching it along with his hands balled into fists, gasping for breath.

“O-Oh, f-fuck…!”

You were beginning to get the hint with each passing second of working your tongue around his rapidly hardening cock. Seokjin had put himself in the sub category when you asked back then because he liked to things being done for him. It was less about the mental aspect and more of the physical acts of service in his case. However, he wasn’t very good at articulating what he wanted and thus the natural pattern of someone just doing it led to, ah, exhibit A.

You currently parting your lips and letting your tongue snake out, coating the length with saliva.

But.

You could see it in his eyes, that burning intensity.

Maybe part of it was because it was you. He probably didn’t have those butterfly jitters of trying to woo a stranger or the nervousness of looking bad in the honeymoon phase of a relationship. There was already a level of comfort – and the ability to readily shit-talk each other at any moment – and so Seokjin was free to relax, even if it was a bizarre situation of sexual discovery.

“Take it off,” he growled.

Your fingers creeped up his sides, hooking over his boxer briefs. Slow, deliberate, kissing up his length, on the tightrope, dominant in your control, submissive in the action, raising your head so Seokjin could lift his hips, feathering kisses on the exposed skin and making him hiss and shudder, eyelids fluttering, slipping into subservience a little.

At the end of the day, who killed the unwanted bugs in your shared apartment?

Yeah, you.

“Oh, f… fucking shit…”

You tilted your head and ran your tongue up and down the length, licking up the sides and circling around the thick head, bordering on frustratingly soft, switching to wet, sloppy kisses when his hands raised, making him pause, gazing down at you curiously and attentively, entranced by the action. You ducked down, tongue slurping around his balls, lifting his cock, kissing, sucking, eyes closing, tip of your wet muscle drawing zig-zag patterns that soft skin.

Seokjin moaned your name.

A shiver of electricity went up your spine.

Alright, fine, you were getting turned on.

You wrapped your lips around his balls and enveloped them both with your mouth.

“Whoa!”

You opened your eyes to see Seokjin staring wide-eyed at you, hands straight up to stare at you between his upper arms. You almost laughed at the hilarious triangular-looking pose, but your mouth was currently full, so you restrained yourself.

“That’s possible?! You can put both nuts in your mouth at the same time?!”

Uh.

Where you supposed to respond with your cheeks stuffed with his nutties?

You hummed casually in response.

“A-Ah…!”

Seokjin gasped at the vibrations and the movement of your tongue slapping all over them, short, rapid licks all over his skin, watching him with a cocked eyebrow, but he didn’t even notice, hands dropping and moaning to the ceiling, his eyes closing and savoring the hot wet warmth and the power of your mouth, shivering as your hand slowly stroked his length in time with your tongue.

You let him bask in it before detaching and swallowing his cock.

“Gah!”

Seokjiinie, you thought wryly, we gotta work on your repertoire of sex sounds.

You spied him looking down at you, so you paused around the swollen head and slid your tongue out, circling and wrapping around his length while sucking on the tip and rubbing the back of your tongue along the underside.

Seokjin made a bunch of weird croaking noises that were, strangely, rather attractive. Okay, you could admit it. You were kind of a sucker for your best friend in the most platonic way possible… while in the middle of sucking his dick.

What?

He was handsome!

You began to bob your head up and down, tongue and lips descending, taking him deep so you kissed the base of his cock, head buried in your throat, waiting for him to glance down at you, hazy brown orbs under lush lashes, and you would peek your tongue out and lap at his balls, interrupting the tightness, causing him to swear and jerk his hips up, urging you to keep consistent speed and pace, all the while watching every single movement of your tongue. You kept this irregular pace, slow, then fast, then slow again when he looked at you, then fast when the ecstasy was too much and he closed his eyes, over and over. You could see that a battle was being waged Seokjin’s pretty head, between wanting to observe the lewdness of you licking his balls with his hard cock buried in your throat while also desperately needing to get to the fuck off.

“You… bitch… suck me off properly, fuck…”

You raised all the way so only the head was in your mouth and sucked, rubbing up and around it, swirling all over, teasing the slit and soaking the sensitive skin, rutting it against the roof of your mouth and Seokjin groaned, pressing his head back into the pillows, black hair covering his eyes, fists pressed to his chest.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, please, let me cum!”

His hips rammed up and you dug your nails into them, wincing as the head hit the top of your throat and slid down, cutting off your air, and then he began to thrust erratically, the position, inability to use his hands as leverage, and your resistance not letting him set up a good rhythm. You had to force him back down, popping your mouth off, snarling.

“I’m gonna gag if you do that! You want me to vomit on your dick or what?”

But all of a sudden Seokjin sat up again, grabbing your pajama shirt and yanking you to him, saliva dripping down your chin and then it was on his chin, a messy, savage kiss, ravenous need in his actions, pulling you to him, close, closer, you twisting and then gasping as he pushed one of your thighs down, planting your soaked panties on the exposed part of his thigh.

“Ah, Seok–”

He attacked your lips again with a light growl, sparks shooting across your skin, his thigh rising and bouncing you both on the bed, his legs still tangled in his pants and underwear but the effect was undeniable.

Seokjin was making you ride his thigh.

Whoa.

He bit your lower lip and sucked hard, your eyes fluttering closed, hips rocking, heat turning hotter, wet turning wetter, your sticky, sweet juices clinging to his upper thigh, your own pressed against his saliva-covered cock, wrapping your arms around him, close, closer, you thrusting your tongue in his mouth and him moaning before he did the same to you, starting a tug of war, rubbing harder against his skin, his muscle tensing against your covered clit, friction and wetness everywhere, too many clothes and no eye contact, one of your hands slipping into his black locks and tilting his head, deepening the kiss and inhaling his exhale, shuddering at the erotic nature of the moment.

He mumbled your name against your lips, still clutching your pajamas, stars bunched in his hands, fingertips pressed into the curve of your breasts.

“Can I try the rope tying now?” Seokjin whispered, voice gravelly and low.

-

“Excuse me?”

There was a ripped-open condom wrapper sitting on the bed.

“What?”

Your pajama shirt, bra, and panties were on the floor, along with Seokjin’s shirt, sweatpants, and underwear.

“Why are you – gah!”

You sucked in a breath as you sank down on his cock. Fuck, it was tight, tight as you lowered yourself onto his hips, Seokjin gasping and clutching the long length of red cotton rope that you had carefully untied from his wrists. You had even taken the extra step to massage them afterward, not that he needed it because of your careful work – good job, past you – but he appreciated it all the same, because deep down Kim Seokjin was a prince.

“Oh my God, you’re so tight, shit, shit, shit…”

You neglected to tell your best friend that you were both low-key proud of and turned on by your own ability to take dick without much foreplay. That little edge of tightness added just the right amount of spice of pain that amplified to the pleasure.

Okay.

And yes, you felt a special kind of glee as you witnessed Seokjin’s stunned shock and near passed-out expression from being inside you.

You held out your wrists and grinned. “Go ahead. Tie me up.”

Seokjin gawked at you like you had three heads.

You squeezed your breasts together with your upper arms, tilting your head with a devilish grin.

“God, you’re so hot, but you look crazy,” he wheezed.

Your grin dropped and your eye twitched. “Is that supposed to be a compliment or…?”

Seokjin shrugged, and moved your hands so they were in the better position for him. Much to your annoyance, he didn’t elaborate.

“Um, let’s see, you left a bit out to use as a tie and…”

You began to rock your hips.

“H-Hey!”

The side of your lips curved upward. “What? We’re multitasking.”

“We–?” Seokjin choked, gritting his teeth as you pulsed around his hard length, rolling your hips gently, adjusting until you found a comfortable spot so the head hit you in just the right spot, ah, yes, right there, spreading your fingers out over his chest, leaning your forehead against his, not quite going full force but a slow, deliberate rhythm that wasn’t going to make either of you cum, but, damn, did it feel good.

Seokjin shuddered, gasping your name.

“Tie me up, Seokjin,” you murmured back, caressing his skin.

His eyes darted up, saturated with lust, searching your eyes, and you gazed back.

You could be a real jerk right now.

His hot exhale washed over your lips, a shudder of nervousness.

But this was your best friend, and he was trusting you.

You tilted your head and kissed him softly, flush against his plush lips.

“Come on,” you nudged his nose lightly. “Do it.”

You viewed him from under your lashes. He shivered. Almost.

He needed only one more little push.

“Want you, Seokjinnie,” you breathed against his skin, hints of need and desperation in your voice.

A small smile danced on his lips, staring into your eyes.

You might have fallen for him a little bit in that moment.

“Okay.”

He kissed the side of your mouth, a teasing little peck, and you smirked, turning your head so you wouldn’t break the image you had created for him, but he was already looking down, busily occupied with your wrists, so you drew back, focusing instead on riding him, closing your eyes. You built a leisurely, pleasurable pace, leaning forward a bit to rub your clit against the base of his cock, sighing contentedly at the way he filled you, a wonderful, thick, satisfying girth that you could get used to, other than the fact that most of the time Seokjin drove you up the wall, but, hey, maybe if both of you reached a certain age and you were still single, maybe you could marry your best friend solely for having accessible dick…

“Ah! Perfect.”

You cracked open one eye.

And tried not to burst out laughing.

“Erm… well…” you coughed, tugging at the rope a little. It looked messy and rather hideous, parts overlapping and twisting awkwardly, but he had the… basic idea? It wasn’t like you were going to do anything dumb anyway, so it was pretty good for a first time.

Seokjin frowned. “I don’t know how you did it so neatly…”

“You line up the coils next to each other – ah!”

He seemed to think that was good enough and grabbed handfuls of your ass, causing you to tip forward and brace your hands against his chest, gasping as his hips thrust up into you, abrupt pleasure blooming up your core, sudden squelch of wetness between your joined hips.

“Come on,” he grunted, clenching his jaw, tone getting deeper and more dangerous with each word. “I have to get off, and now.”

He smacked his hands down on your ass and you almost whimpered.

Almost.

Seokjin drew back a little, giving you a strange look.

“W… What?” you managed to get out.

He tilted his head. “Do you like that?”

You almost said, no, of course not, but you stopped yourself, looking down at the red rope tied around your wrists, heat flaring in your cheeks, ass stinging slightly from his slap.

His cock twitched inside you.

Your eyes flickered up to him. A sly smirk danced on your lips.

“Yeah. I like the things you do to me.”

You saw Seokjin pause, brown eyes widening a little, black hair over his forehead.

You pushed him down on the bed. He gasped, but he was used to it now, gripping your ass and tipping his head back as you began to really ride him, waving your hips to ram his cock into your pussy, not even noticing the moan seeping from your lips, fuck, it was good, fulfilling and deep, your bound hands on his chest, fingers spread out and nails digging into his skin a little, but Seokjin seemed to be into it, his own nails sinking into your ass, pushing you down with every descent, hitting you harder, rougher, intensifying the pleasure, building onto it. Hot breath, warm skin, joined hips, loud slaps, rocking bedframe, your breasts bouncing with each thrust, gazing at each other through half-lidded eyes, not quite seeing each other but drowning in the gratification, the roughness, gasping sharply as his open palm smacked down on your ass again, making it bounce and jiggle in his hands, your core and thighs squeezing tighter, witnessing his tight hiss of desire, mesmerized by your sound so he did it again, spanking the other cheek, and you did it again, whimper creeping out, arousal consuming his handsome features, intoxicated by your reaction to his action so he did it again and again, hard, stinging slaps as you rode his stiff, quivering cock harder and faster, fuck, Seokjin must be incredibly turned on because he was so fucking hard, just so incredibly sexy how hard he was right now, even the pain was nothing but an injection of added carnal pleasure, throwing your head back and sinking your nails into his skin, fucking him recklessly, forgetting about hiding your moans, who the fuck cared, not you and not him because Seokjin too was crying out, the sinful sound of sex echoing off his bedroom walls, except instead of you in your bedroom putting headphones on to drown him out, you were in his bedroom, doing it, fucking the daylights out of him.

Alright.

You could see why girls wanted to date your best friend now.

Seokjin was a loud dork, but he had a great dick.

“F-Fuck, Seokjin, fuck!”

He had a similar response, although it was more a choked garble of your name mixed with, “Oh fuck, I’m gonna cum, fuck!”

You must really be drunk on his dick because even that turned you on and tipped you over the edge.

Your thighs tensed and you moaned deeply, tucking your chin down and spreading your palms onto his pecs, wrists straining against the cotton rope, a rapid torrent of adrenaline soaring through you and then you smacked your ass down onto Seokjin’s crotch, whining as you came in vicious pulses of pleasure, clenching around his jerking length and you realized Seokjin was clutching your ass, pinning it down so you couldn’t move, shooting his release into the condom, so much that you felt his cock shudder and throb inside you, head buried in your deepest, most pleasurable spot, you feeling all of him and him feeling all of you.

Holy shit.

You almost saw stars.

“Hah… wow… I guess I can’t blame younger dudes for wanting this pussy…”

Your eyes weren’t open but your eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“Shut up, Seokjin.”

-

“Come on, man! Look what you did!” Seokjin barked accusingly, pointing to his chest with red indents of your rings.

“Excuse me? I’m the one who has scratches and a bruised ass!”

“You’ve marred my beautiful skin! I should fine you!”

“Where’s that fuckin’ whip – get your naked ass back here, Kim Seokjin!”

-

Hm, well, maybe you would find your true love some other time. Maybe try gambling?

--

masterpost

[myckicade]

Prompt: Ok so we all know Coco is touch starved, and would be clingy af in a relationship. What about Coco x wife!reader, while she’s trying to do basic errands/chores and Coco is her shadow?

A/N: I’ve been waiting for this one. I really have. Hee hee. I just adore Coco. <3 . This piece sort of follows the story of the last two Coco x Reader pieces I have written, but it will stand-alone, just fine. And, I swear, these things just have a mind of their own. I can continue to apologize for length, and content, but, in the end... I let the story tell itself. ;) . <3 .

As a warning, I come from Vermont, where we have a plastic bag ban. Last I knew, California was the first state to have one. I don’t know how that would translate to Santo Padre, but… When I mention fabric bags, I mean reusables, and the ban is why. ^^;;;;.

Title: Worthwhile

Teaser: He’s a little rough, your Coco, foul-mouthed, and quick to anger. Untrusting, and bitchier than a woman, on his best day. But, once you have his love, you have it. All of it.

“Okay…” you murmur, slowly, eyes scanning over the paper in front of you. Fifteen items, nothing crazy. Shouldn’t take you more than an hour, tops, and that includes travel to and from the store. “I think I’ve got everything we need… And, specials included your beer, and those little frozen cream puffs.”

Beside you, Coco groans, deep and guttural. “Fuck, I love those things.”

You giggle, but keep reading. Your man is too damn cute. “Feminine products.”

“Do those count as special?” Coco genuinely sounds thoughtful, as he steps up behind you, where you are leaning over the counter top. He wraps his arms around your waist, chin coming to rest on your shoulder. “Kinda’ a necessity, ain’t they?”

Tipping your head, you glance to your husband. Seriously. This man is a treasure. “Why don’t you run for political office?” you tease, pleased when Coco chuckles.

“Yeah, my record’ll look great, on the campaign trail.”

You shrug. “You can tackle pink tax, and tax evasion, at the same time.”

Coco grins, and steals a peck off your lips. “What else you got on there, muñeca?”

“Hmmm, let’s see…” You turn back to your list, tapping the pen against your lips, thoughtfully. Spying the next item on it, you try not to let out another giggle. He’s not going to like this one. “Letty asked if we could have that cauliflower pizza thing for dinner, tonight.”

As expected, this groan is decidedly not from food lust. “Fuckin’ vegetarians. When the hell is she gonna’ get over this shit?”

“It’s just a phase, Coco,” you remind him, for the… Well, honestly, you’ve lost track. It started shortly after the wedding, Letty’s change in diet, and you’re still not convinced the two aren’t related. You’re just not entirely sure how. But, two months in, and she’s still looking healthy, so you won’t send up any alarms. “It’s very popular at her high school, right now.”

Coco scoffs, disgusted. “When the hell’d she start copyin’ other people, anyway? My girl ain’t no follower.”

The words send a shot straight to your heart. He’s a little rough, your Coco, foul-mouthed, and quick to anger. Untrusting, and bitchier than a woman, on his best day. But, once you have his love, you have it. All of it. The love he has for Leticia is the greatest proof. They may carry on like cats and dogs, but when push comes to shove, there is nothing they won’t do for one another. My girl. It brings a warmth to your soul, and a smile to your lips.

You shake it off, enough to formulate a response. “She’s figuring out how to be her own woman. Trying new things.” You shrug, not wanting to make a big deal of it. You were Letty’s age, once, of course. And, a girl, to boot. Some things, Coco just won’t be able to understand. “It’s a process.” He hums, still disgruntled, but doesn’t push out another word. “You want anything else?” you ask, holding up your list. “I’ve gotta’ get going, before I run into the football widows.”

Before you can even take a step away, Coco tightens his arms around you. “You sure you gotta’ go, though?” he asks, leaning in to brush his lips against your neck. “With the house all to ourselves, like this?”

“If I don’t go,” you start, as Coco’s touches gain intent, becoming teasing kisses. Damn him. It feels nice, you won’t lie, but there are other things on your mind, right now. Priorities.

You’re just… having trouble remembering what they are.

Oh. Yeah. Shopping.

“If I don’t go, we won’t have anything for dinner.”

Another kiss, accompanied by a barely-there swipe of tongue. You shiver, and Coco moves his lips to your ear. “We can order in,” he whispers, breath so invitingly warm against your skin.

Oh, this asshole.

“And, what are we supposed to have for breakfast, tomorrow?” you try, again. “Half an Eggo, and a pack of Skittles?”

Coco cuddles you closer, again. “Ain’t you never heard about livin’ on love, baby?” Some of his smoothest work, that is. And, it’s almost convincing. Almost. You can imagine the afternoon ahead, if you give in. Your clothes will come off, and won’t be back on until the last second, before Letty walks back through the front door. By that time, you’ll be too tired to roll your ass off the bed, let alone go grocery shopping. And, you promised Letty you’d talk Coco into that cauliflower pizza.

“Great as that sounds,” you agree, preparing to capitalize on the truth. You ease yourself away from Coco’s stubborn hold, and give him one more smooch, just to soften the blow to come. “I don’t think Letty will appreciate the sentiment.”

A third groan. You must be going for a record. “C’mon, (y/n).” Oh, he’s whining. It’s so cute, it’s unreal. “We’ll find some place that delivers that rabbit food shit.”

Unfortunately for Coco, you’re already grabbing your bag. Lucky for you. You’re still two seconds from giving him what he wants. (He just doesn’t need to know so). “I’ll be back in a while.” God willing. “If you think of anything else, call my cell.” You rush out the front door, and don’t look back. If you see the look on your husband’s face, you know you’re as good as done.

*

Well, what the shit? Coco stares at the front door as it closes, you on the wrong fucking side of it. His arms are at his sides, palms turned toward the ceiling. That went so well. He kind of can’t believe you just walked away, like that. Left him alone, and wanting. In your big, empty house.

He probably should have volunteered to tag along, instead of just chasing you off.

Fuck.

Glancing around, Coco tries to find something to do. Something to clean, at the very least. But, that’s the trouble with having moved in with you, after the wedding, he supposes. Ain’t nothing to tidy up. Not that the three of you don’t have possessions. They’re all just in their proper places. Probably Leticia’s doing, in the end. He’d had a long talk with her, before the move, that she absolutely has to keep her shit where it belongs. Your house isn’t like their house. There aren’t burn marks in the carpet, or gouges in the coffee table. Dishes go in the damned dishwasher, not left to pile up on the counter, or in the sink. Beds get made. Laundry gets folded, and put away. No more wrinkled heaps in the clothes basket. So far, the kid’s been doing good. Real good.

Coco, though? He’s never felt so unnerved in his life.

It was different when he just visited. Spent a night or two, here or there. He’d almost felt at home, then, stupid as it sounds. At home, with the knowledge he wasn’t staying. But, now? Now, the reality has settled in, and he feels so-so… out of place. There’s so much he’s struggling to adjust to.

You have a purified water system installed under the sink, where Coco is used to buying bottled water.

You have a dining room, where Coco and Letty are used to eating on the couch.

You have an extended cable package, whatever the fuck that is.

You kind of have it all, here, certainly by comparison to what Coco is used to. The best of everything. Which really makes him wonder – not for the first time – what the hell you’re doing with a dirt-poor biker for a husband? You’ve had this conversation, on multiple occasions, and you’ve explained yourself, every time. But, this time… This time, you’re not around to give that speech. You’re not around to hold him, and kiss his face, and reassure him in a way that only you can. No, you’re at the grocery store, shopping for Coco, and his kid, which was apparently a better offer than staying home with him.

Oh, nope. Nope, he’s doing it, again. He can feel it. You love him, he reminds himself. You’ve got his ring on your finger, his last name, and – God-willing – his baby in your belly. By choice. All by choice.

Coco takes a deep breath, in. Lets it back out, slowly. Tries not to get sick, for all the nerves coming up to greet him. He wraps one arm around his own torso, free hand moving up to cover his mouth.

Fuck, he hopes you get back, soon.

*

You let out a deep sigh, as you park your car in the garage. Oh, it is so good to be home, at long-last. Talk about Old Home Week. You’d run into everyone, and his brother, at the grocery store. Shopping had taken nearly twice as long as you’d meant for it to, and you just know Coco must be losing his mind, by now. You hate to think about it, in such terms, but, sometimes… Well, sometimes, Coco reminds you of a new puppy. You can’t really leave him alone, without some kind of separation anxiety creeping up on him.

Ah, well. At least he isn’t ripping down the drapes, and shredding the couch cushions.

You blink. Well. That you know of.

Shaking your head, you climb out of the car, mentally preparing to unload armloads of bags. Maybe, if you really, really try, today will be the day you can finally get all twenty bags in, in one trip.

Right. And, shortly thereafter, you can have both forearms set, and casted. Be a real turn-on, in the bedroom.

You’ve managed to grab half a dozen bags, when the door to the mud room opens. “Hey, don’t grab too many!” Letty warns, as she comes hopping down the steps. “Let us help!”

Glancing up, you smile. For having had such a rough start, Letty can be a sweet girl. You know she gets that from her father. “Well, thank you,” you reply, resting a few, fabric handles onto her outstretched hands.

Letty grins, lowering her hands to her sides, before leaning in. “Did you talk him into it?” she whispers, conspiratorially.

You snicker, and whisper back, “He isn’t getting a choice. He’s outnumbered.”

“Yes!” Her hiss of victory is hardly subtle, catching Coco’s attention as he pokes his head out the door.

“You two plottin’ against me, again?”

“Yes,” you and Letty reply, in unison, leading you to erupt into a fit of giggles.

Coco is all grins. “’Course, you are.” He strides closer, he and Letty dancing around one another as she moves into the house. You lean into the car, and retrieve a few more bags. If Coco’s out here, he might as well assist. He’s peering into the car, once you stand back up, and lets out a low whistle. “Damn, (y/n)! You buy out the whole store, or what?”

“Hardly,” you reply, dryly. You hold up your hands, offering Coco the bags. “Here you go.”

“Oh, don’t mind if I do.” Thankfully, your hold on the bags is solid. Instead of grabbing the groceries, Coco’s hands are suddenly groping all over you. One hand is settled firmly at your ass, the other sliding into your hair, at the back of your head. He wastes no time diving in for a slow, deep kiss, and, damn, does his timing suck. He could have at least let you put the bags down, first. The contact makes you tingle, and has you regretting your decision not to stay home. Coco pulls back, after a few seconds, and hums. “Mm. Best delivery ever.”

You can’t help the small snort of amused laughter that leaves your throat. “Good try, Coco,” you praise, easing back far enough to offer him the bags, again. The look of disappointment on his face is just pitiful. “I’m not banging you in the garage.”

He has the grace to mock gasp. “I’d never!” It’s a crock, and you both know it. He looks too amused to be repentant, and you look too aware to be angry. You just raise your hands, slightly, in a third offer. Coco sighs. “All right. All right.” He takes the bags from your hands.

“Thank you.” You grab another load for yourself, rounding the open car door to follow Coco’s lead, into the house. One more trip for each of you, and you should have it covered. So much for only buying fifteen items.

Coco might be right about buying out the store.

*

Watching from the dining room, Coco has a good view of you and Letty unpacking the last of the groceries. Damn kid, she’d thrown him out, about ten minutes prior.

“Less groping, more helping, Coco,” Letty had warned him, after he’d tried to pin you against the sink.

It had been his last warning. Now, he’s been banished. Not the worst thing in the world, not really. Over the last few weeks, he’s really learned that there are some tasks he’s not so fond of. Pruning roses… Yeah, he’s pretty sure you’ll never let him do that, again. And, hey, nobody told him what to fill the bird feeder with. Unpacking groceries goes on that list, somewhere between line-drying laundry, and a streak-free mirror. He’s not sure why. Goodness knows, it makes him feel like a kid at Christmas, most times. Since being with you, though…

Since being with you, he feels like he’s taking advantage of something.

Yes, groceries are a strange place to let that feeling land, but he can’t help it. Coco’s been responsible for feeding himself since before he cares to remember. The only time anyone provided his meals was during deployment, and half that shit barely passed for edible. You, though… You keep the house stocked with more food than he’s seen anywhere, outside of a corner market. Letty always has options to take to school, and there’s a nutritious dinner on the table, almost every night. (Some nights, he actually does win the battle for delivery). If Coco goes on a run, you send him along with snacks for the road. And, yeah, he kinda’ likes that. He also likes the energy bars you picked out for him, last week. Something with cherries, and dark chocolate. He wonders, for a second, if you picked up any more. Come in handy during his mid-week trip outta’ town.

Coco blinks. Then, he does it again, just for good measure. That’s it. That’s what’s so fucking weird about this whole thing.

It’s you.

Okay, no, it’s not you, you. But, it’s you. It’s you, taking care of him. It’s you, seeing to his needs. Letty’s needs. It’s you, being his wife, his partner. It’s you, slotting into the place of role-model for his teenaged daughter. Welcoming them into your home. Not treating it like it’s your home. It’s you, being so fucking perfect for him, it’s taken his mind all this time to catch up with reality.

Coco doesn’t get perfect. Perfect doesn’t want him.

Except, now, it does.

Before he knows what he’s doing, Coco strides into the kitchen. He doesn’t wait for you to put the box of pasta in the cupboard. He just takes it from your hand, ignoring your confused look, as he tosses it onto the counter.

“Coco!” Letty admonishes, but it’s no use. He’s already lifting you off the floor, arms around your perfect backside. The kid gives a long-suffering sigh, he hears it, but pays it no mind.

Nothing – nothing – is going to keep him from holding you in his arms.

Your own arms go around Coco’s neck, and you smile down at him, surprise still lingering in your eyes. “Uhm… Hi, there.”

Coco grins. “Hey, muñeca.” Leaning up, he pecks you on the lips.

“Can I help you with something?” you ask, to which Coco shakes his head. Closes his eyes, as your fingers play in his hair.

“Nah. Got all I need.”

*

Pulling a package of mixed vegetables from the half-unpacked shopping bag, Letty rolls her eyes. You two… God, you’re gross. Coco always has his hands on you, no matter what you’re trying to do. It’s a wonder you don’t carry a damned fly swatter around. Actually, it’s a wonder you ever accomplish anything. He’s always smooching, and smiling, and snuggling at you. It’s disgusting. It’s pathetic.

It’s so damned cute, it’s sickening.

Really, Letty’s enjoying seeing Coco so happy. Like, genuinely happy. Not the false pride he carries around with his kutte. He’s more relaxed, nowadays. He drinks less, and he spends more time at home, both of which mean he’s not hanging around with those skanks at the clubhouse. He eats more, he’s healthier… Nothing to complain about, there.

And, hey, she has no complaints about you, either. You’re pretty cool, all-around. A woman who takes care of herself, and her family, and doesn’t bitch about either one. You’re not using Coco for money, or status, none of the shit she’s always been worried her father would fall into. There aren’t arguments, every night, not even between herself and Coco, as of late. No hostilities, nothing to avoid the house over. Just good dinners, and movies, and a new fish tank in her room. (Okay, so, you’d earned some major points with that birthday gift. She hadn’t actually expected to get one, when she’d mentioned it). For the first time, she understands what a peaceful, happy family feels like. It feels nice. It feels like home.

Glancing back to where Coco now has you perched on the counter top, stealing the most syrupy-sweet smooches… Letty can’t help but smile. Home is A-okay by her.

*

The sound of the air conditioner humming in the bedroom usually lulls you right to sleep. Tonight, it’s just providing you with white noise, a low background track to your thoughts. You don’t mind, not really. It gives you a few minutes to reflect on the day that’s just ended. To plan your day, tomorrow. To weave your fingers through Coco’s hair, and listen to him breathe. That, alone, makes it worthwhile.

Coco has been asleep against your shoulder for nearly an hour, now. Your arms are wrapped around him, comfortably, his own around your waist. You’d urged him up to bed, after he’d fallen asleep on the couch, his head in your lap. He’d snoozed from the middle of the movie, to the end of the nightly news report. Letty had tsked, and complained that no one had any business, whatsoever, in falling asleep during Zombieland. (How he’d stayed asleep was still a wonder to you, both, for how hard you’d been laughing at Tallahassee). With your fingers in his hair, Coco had been blissfully unaware for a couple of hours.

Glancing down, you take in the sight of your husband’s sleeping face. He looks so damn peaceful, the kind you’d outright murder to preserve for him. Coco’s still struggling with sleep, and relaxation, even though you’d hoped it would ease up, once your nuptials had passed. Most of it, you know will never go away. Anxiety doesn’t have a magic wand, or some perfect little on/off switch. And, all things considered, today wasn’t a terrible day. You’d been able to leave the house, with minimal panic on Coco’s part. Granted, it had taken extra time to get the groceries put away, and dinner made, but… You understand, as much as you are able to, that Coco needs the reassurances. It doesn’t cost you anything to carve a few moments from the day, every here and there, to give him what he needs.

Okay, so it did cost you that first batch of pancakes, this morning. They’d burned on the stove, and set off the smoke alarms, when he’d insisted on a dance through the living room. But, Coco loved the song you’d been playing on your Spotify, so there was really no denying him.

Oh, and… Yeah, you’d missed that phone call from the bank, the week before. Your husband had slipped up next to you, on the porch swing, and snuggled you to within an inch of your life. An easy fix, and you still got the business loan, but…

And, sure, you’ve been late to work, on numerous occasions. Coco has a habit of sneaking into your morning shower. And, after that… Well, hell, you own the company. It’s not like you have to explain to the boss that you’re late to your shift, on account of baby-dancing. (Fucking forums).

Point is, you’re more than happy to take care of Coco’s emotional needs. It may take you an extra hour to pay your bills. Daily tidying may have become every-other-day-if-you’re-lucky tidying. And, your ass may have gone numb, tonight, while he slept on your thigh. During which time, you could have loaded the dishwasher. Taken out the trash. Any number of tasks that have been neglected, in the name of Coco. They can wait.

Leaning in, you press a tender kiss to your husband’s forehead, before settling back in, and closing your eyes. Yes, chores can wait. Work can wait. The whole world can hold it, with both hands. So long as you’re around, Coco’s well-being will never have to take the back seat.

*

P.S. If Coco denies it, he’s full of it. He fucking loved that cauliflower pizza. Fucking vegetarians, indeed.

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[luci-in-trenchcoats]

If I Fell For You (Part 4) - Safety Nets

Summary: The reader has her first date with Jensen, a simple dinner at home with him and the kids, but when they get a moment alone, he shares some information about the accident hardly anyone knows. Just as things start to get moving with the pair, Jensen has to head to Canada for filming ahead of schedule but he’s not so sure he can go back to whole weeks away from his family right now...

Masterlist

Pairing: Jensen x nanny!reader

Word Count: 5,200ish

Warnings: language, death of a spouse, mention of injury, depression, anxiety, self-worth problems

A/N: Shopping buddies are the best ;) Please enjoy!

________

“Can I help set the table?” you asked the next evening, Jensen shaking his head at you.

“JJ, can you set the table for me?” asked Jensen. She jumped up from the couch and got out silverware, setting an extra spot for you.

“Y/N, are you and dad on a date?” she asked when she finished up. You looked down from where you leaned back against the counter, Jensen chuckling.

“Yes we are sweetie. If this goes well I’d like to take Y/N out on Friday, maybe you guys can go to Uncle Jared and Aunt Gen’s,” he said.

“You should go out with dad,” said JJ. 

“Oh I should?” you said, crossing your arms. “Why’s that?”

“Cause he’s strong and handsome and smart and funny and…” she said, holding up her hand and counting on her hand. 

“The hair,” he whispered, a smirk crossing your face.

“Oh and he’s only got a few gray hairs!” she said.

“Oh. Well that is interesting,” you laughed, Jensen smacking himself in the face.

“Great hair, JJ. Not gray. Great,” he said.

“You do have gray whiskers,” she said.

“Like...barely,” he said. “See what I put up with? A few teensy tiny little patches in my beard if it grows out.”

“I don’t know if I can date a man of such frail age,” you said. He cocked his head and you laughed, JJ giggling as she went to get the plates.

“Keep it up you two,” he said. You walked over to him, JJ going past with the plates. “Come to tease some more?”

“I was told you’re quite handsome, thought I’d get a closer look,” you said. 

“You can have as close a look as you want,” he said, flashing you a wink.

“Calm yourself, Casanova,” you said, reaching up to the cupboard to get another plate for JJ. “Here sweetie.”

“Thanks,” she said. She set it ran back over, hugging you. “Don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” you said.

“Good,” she said. You bent down and picked her up, resting her on your hip. 

“Where’d you think I was going?” you asked. She shrugged and Jensen stopped stirring the pot.

“I don’t know. Wherever you were before. Dad’s a lot happier since you live with us now,” she said.

“Well taking care of you three is hard all by yourself,” you said. You set her down and patted her head. “Go get your brother and sister for dinner.”

“You’re good with them,” he said, stirring the pot again.

“They’re people. Small people that don’t know half of what adults do but still people. Sometimes you gotta treat ‘em like it. Most of the time actually,” you said. 

“I talked to her earlier about this whole situation,” he said.

“Besides listing off all your selling points what’d she think?”

“Well apparently she’s in favor of me asking if you’d marry me tonight,” he said.

“Oh. Shotgun wedding. Simple. I like it,” you laughed. He turned his head and smiled, glancing down for a long moment, slowly returning.

“Why doesn’t this situation scare you? The kids, me who has been all over the place lately, not to mention my job, long distance, the shit you get just for-” he said, your hand covering his mouth.

“I didn’t say it’s not a lot, Jensen. It’s scary. Of course it is. Every single one of my relationships has ended badly for one reason or another. Friendships. Family ones. Romantic ones. You’re handsome and you’re so successful and I’m literally a nanny but you said you wouldn’t hurt me. So I’ll trust that you won’t and you trust I won’t hurt you and it’ll work itself out.”

“That simple huh.”

“I’m easy going. Let’s keep it simple,” you said.

“Simple works,” he said as you pulled the pot off the burner before it bubbled over. “Simple definitely works.”

“This is not a good idea,” you said two hours later, the kids in bed, you and Jensen jumping up and down on the trampoline in the yard.

“Oh most certainly not,” he said, landing near you and sending you up. You yelped and landed back down on your bottom, Jensen bouncing again, sending you up again and laughing this time. “Well that’s a cute sound.”

“Boys. Is it taught somewhere that you gotta tease a girl when you like her?” you asked, Jensen pulling you to your feet and bouncing around lightly.

“Right after manly man class, duh,” he said. 

“You would have failed, I can tell you right now,” you said. He scoffed and you shrugged. “That’s kinda a really good thing.”

“That your ex? Tough guy all the time?” he asked.

“Not like, to that extent or anything. I had a bad day and I really needed someone and he let me down. He got mad at me for it actually. He called depression a phase I needed to get over with,” you said. He stopped bouncing and you did the same, glancing down. Next thing you knew he playfully tackled you onto the trampoline, rolling to his side and smiling at you. 

“Some of my friends have it. One of my best friends does. Jared. If he ever knocks on the door late at night or whatever, let him in.”

“You take care of everyone in your life it seems,” you said.

“You take care of the people you care about, not insult them. Hopefully the ex figures that out someday.”

“How’d you figure it out?” 

“I don’t do anything anyone else shouldn’t,” he said.

“Maybe that’s it,” you said. “You’re unapologetically good and you don’t even know how rare that is.”

“It takes up too much energy to be angry or mean or cruel. I’d just rather be happy,” he said.

“You got a lot of friends, don’t you.”

“My fair share,” he said.

“How many would you call close?”

“Maybe ten or so.”

“How many real close?”

“Two or three.”

“How many know what really happened that day? Your wife…” you said. He stared at you and swallowed.

“How do you know?” he asked quietly.

“Because when we met you said she died in an accident but then you said it was her head. You’re holding onto something, something you don’t talk about.”

“She was driving when the aneurysm happened. I was in the car with her. I almost died. It’s seemed easier to lie about that.”

“Who knows?”

“My parents and Jared. They’re the only ones.”

“You ever talk to anyone about it?” 

“I went to talk to someone a few times. I’m better now,” he said with a smile. “I don’t share a lot if you may have guessed already. Not to too many people. But you it feels so easy to.”

“Must be special,” you said. He smiled and reached a hand over, twirling a piece of your hair in his fingers. “That why you like me?”

“There’s a lot of stereotypical reasons to like someone and part of that is true in why you choose someone I suppose. But there’s this other part that when you meet someone that you can’t really explain.”

“I get that. I get all of it. My brain always seems to want to go to the bad scenario first I suppose,” you said. You looked up at the black sky, Jensen toying with another strand between two fingers. “I wish it didn’t do that so much.”

“You’re just trying to protect yourself is all,” he said.

“But I come off as pushy and distant,” you said, turning your head. “Like I’m that person that’s cool with everything being casual.”

“Well think of it like this trampoline. It’s the only thing holding us up right now right?” he asked and you hummed. “Well my life, I’ve had thousands of safety nets below me to catch me when I fall so even if I tore through one, there was more to hold me up while the others got fixed. You never had as many to start and I think more of yours broke and there was no way to fix them in time so you kept tumbling through until you got to the ground.”

“Your point?”

“Maybe some people hit the ground and others never do. But the people who hit the ground, as they go back up they can make the best most solid nets in the world to hold them up. One good net beats a thousand flimsy ones.”

“So at what age do I get the wisdom?” you asked, turning your head and smiling over at him.

“You don’t. My job has made me fall through more nets than I wanted to and this year made me realize I might not have a thousand strong nets at the bottom but I just needed one to get by and now I’m working back up. You’re not even close to being down low either. You’ve already had the hardest part of your life. It’s all up from here.”

You leaned over and he lay back on the trampoline, gazing up at you. You lowered your head as he cupped your cheek, pulling you in close until your lips were touching. Part of your mind was reeling from that in itself but the other half knew that was his first kiss since his wife. You inched back but stayed close, Jensen peeling open his eyes. 

“You okay?” you asked.

“Very,” he said. You lay back beside him, Jensen letting you go. His hand reached out for yours though and laced your fingers together. “Why’d you kiss me?”

“Wanted to,” you said.

“Cool. I wanted to kiss you too,” he said. 

“Alright then.” You stared upwards, the trampoline shifting again. He popped into view propped up on one arm, your head turning slightly. He was flush, even in the dim light. He moved slowly but you let him come to you, a barely there gentle kiss that lingered, a thousand gears going in your head, likely a thousand more going off in his. 

“I’m okay,” he said quietly as he pulled back a few inches. Your fingers carded through his hair and he smiled. “I’ll get the hang of this again. I promise.”

“That was more than enough for one night,” you said. “We said slow and we’ll go slow, okay?”

“Sounds good with me.”

Two Days Later

“Y/N, can I have a word with you in my office?” asked Jensen as you were picking up after dinner. You hummed and put the last fork in the dishwasher before following him down to a quieter part of the house. He shut the door behind you and he ran his hand over his face. “This is about work, my work, but it’s going to involve you. Heavily.”

“What’s up?” you asked, taking a seat in a chair. He sat in his by his desk, scrunching up his face.

“My job with that TV show, The Boys, it films in Canada. I’m gonna need to be up there four, maybe five months. The way things used to work with my wife was I would fly back home every weekend or every other weekend. I never went more than 2 weeks seeing the kids. I don’t have to film every day but it’s easier to stay there for the week. But it’s...it’s difficult for me. It’s difficult for them and...they lost one parent this year. I can’t stay away that long for months. I just can’t do it anymore.”

“That’s perfectly understandable,” you said.

“I’d like to temporarily move to Canada while I film. No flying back and forth. The kids can see me everyday and I can see them. JJ’s school still offers remote learning and I’m homeschool certified in a pinch. Twins can do daycare easy. The only issue I have is the same one I originally did. I still need a nanny. Only now in a different country...and it’s gonna be more late nights on the regular.”

“I see,” you said.

“This isn’t what you signed up for so if you don’t want it, that’s okay. I can find a nanny up there and we can try long distance and-” he said before you stood and walked in front of him.

“I’m in.”

“Really? I mean it’s gonna be awhile before we’re back in the states,” he said.

“It sounds like fun.”

“Awesome. I was really hoping you’d say that,” he said.

“So where are we going?” you asked.

“Toronto. Well, near there. I gotta start filming start of February but there’s promo stuff to do in late January,” he said.

“It’s already late January,” you laughed. “When do we have to move?”

“Uh, tomorrow,” he said. “Just got the call a few hours ago. I got a house to rent lined up already.”

“Oh wow. Alright. Uh, what do I need to do exactly?” you asked.

“Keep stuff normal. Don’t worry about cleaning or anything. Maybe box up anything you want to bring and some of the kids stuff. Toys, books, that stuff. I’ll handle their bags. We’ll ship it all up tomorrow and take a flight up at night,” he said.

“Okay, cool,” you said. “Wait I need like, a snow jacket right?”

“We’ll get you set up there with coat and boots and all that,” he said. 

“Gotcha,” you said, starting to leave before you spun around and walked smack into his chest. “Wait. I have a lot more questions actually. Like...I don’t have a passport?”

“I know which is why tomorrow morning first thing you’re gonna go down to the post office, get your passport done up and when it comes in, we’ll get it shipped up to Canada,” he said.

“How do I get into Canada though?”

“We share a border with them so we bring your license and birth certificate, you can go right on in no problem,” he said.

“Oh. Okay,” you said. “Wait. I’ve never been on an airplane before. What-”

“Okay,” he laughed. “Take a hot second and breathe and we’ll go from there. I know it’s last minute but it’ll work out. I promise.”

“Y/N,” said Jensen, tapping your shoulder two days later. You hummed and reluctantly turned your head away from staring out the back sliding doors to the snow covered yard and trees around you. “Have you ever seen snow before?”

“No. Not like this,” you said, head going back to staring outside. “It’s something out of a movie.”

“You had that same look on your face when we took off last night in the plane.”

“What’s that?”

“Those little moments where the years fall off and you get that childish joy, like nothing bad has ever happened,” he said. 

“I suppose there’s hope for me yet,” you said with a smile.

“Oh there was always that,” he chuckled. He threw an arm over your shoulders and you leaned into him. “Can I still take you out Friday?”

“Who’s gonna watch the kids?” you asked.

“My buddy.”

“Does he exist?” you said, grinning at him. 

“Cute,” he said, ruffling your bedhead. “Yes he does exist. How’s Friday night sound?”

“Do I need a dress?” you asked.

“Probably. It’s a nice place,” he said. “My favorite place in Toronto actually. Jeans are perfectly acceptable there though.”

“I’ll pick out a dress today too,” you said. You kissed his cheek and watched them turn an ever so light pink. “You’re cute.”

“Shut up,” he chuckled. “Put your boots and coat on the card I gave you alright? That’s a business expense.”

“Whatever you say boss,” you said. “I’m gonna duck out before the little ones get up. I’ll try not to be gone too long.”

“Take your time. Drive slow in the snow until you get the hang of it, okay?”

“I will. I promise.”

“What the fuck’s the difference between therma heat and therma wear…” you mumbled to yourself, gawking at the glove rack at the store an hour later.

“I think it’s just marketing,” said the guy on the other side. You jumped and managed to knock about five pairs off the hangers. He laughed quietly and peeked his head around. “Didn’t mean to spoke ya.”

“It’s alright. I’m…” you said, the man smiling as you shook your head out. “Um...I…”

“You okay?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. You nodded and he smiled. “You sure cause you were just having a life crisis over gloves a second ago and now you can’t seem to form a sentence.”

“You’re Home…” you said, shutting your eyes. “You’re the actor that plays...I’m having a fucking day.”

“Looks like it,” he said, bending down and picking up some of the gloves. He laughed again and you got the ones closest to you, putting them back. “You know it’s like ten degrees outside right? Not exactly sneaker weather.”

“I know. This place looks pretty but it’s worse than a Texas summer almost with how cold it is.”

“I thought you sounded not from here,” he said with a smile. “I’m not from around here either. I do better with the heat myself.”

“Okay um, listen...uh, what’s your name, not Homelander?” you asked.

“Antony,” he chuckled again.

“I’m Y/N. I’m just gonna get the weird stuff out of the way cause…” you said as he smiled but stepped back a foot. “Yeah. Um I’m a fan but like...do you know Jensen Ackles?”

“Why?” he asked.

“He’s my boss...and my boyfriend but that’s another story. We might run into each other at some point, probably very likely. Just wanted to throw that out there.”

“Your boss?” he asked.

“I nanny his kids. I wouldn’t believe me if I were you either. I should go,” you said. You groaned when you were past him, hearing a pair of feet jog to catch up with you. 

“I know you. You were on his instagram last week right? Yeah okay, that makes sense why a clueless Texas girl is stressing over gloves.”

“Excuse me?” He shook his head and smiled. 

“Get a pair of thick gloves, thinner ones but not too thin, a warm hat, good boots for traction along with some boot spray and go with a longer hooded parka. It’ll be warmer. Throw in a few pairs of wool socks to be sure,” he said.

“Oh. Thank you,” you said. You looked back at the store and then to him. “There’s like five hundred coats in here.”

“How about you buy me a cup of coffee and I’ll help you out. Deal?”

“Why would you help me?” you asked.

“Well I’m gonna be working with Jensen quite a bit and he’s your boyfriend too apparently plus it’s just nice,” he said.

“You’re so not like your character.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. We’ll be out of here in an hour tops.”

Antony turned out to be very helpful since apparently you had an uncanny ability to be attracted to the least warmth rated items in the whole store. But you had your parka and boots on now, other items tucked away in the bags as you browsed through a rack of black dresses at a different store.

“We dress shopping now?” said Antony, sipping on his coffee cup.

“Dude,” you said, jumping again. “You gotta learn to make noise.”

“It’s my natural stealth,” he said. “That one.”

“What?”

“That one,” he said, nodding to a dress on the wall.

“I can’t pull that one off,” you said.

“Try it. I’ll watch your stuff,” he said.

“You’re oddly nice,” you said. “To a stranger.”

“Well this beats my plans of walking around the mall buying crap I don’t need. Besides, I like you.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

“I’m taken,” he laughed. “Come on. Everybody needs a shopping buddy.”

“Okay but if you’re a weirdo Jensen will kick your ass,” you said, finding your size and taking it off the rack. “Just sayin’.”

“I like the guy more already,” he said. “It’s not like it’s your first date or anything.”

“...Second date.” He stared and looked away. “It’s…complicated.”

“I heard about...you know…the accident,” he said. 

“Let him bring that up,” you said and he nodded. You took the dress into the changing room and smirked at the mirror. “Alright, maybe we give this one a shot.”

You changed back and found Antony on a bench outside. 

“I should take you shopping more often,” you said. “You have good taste.”

“Sounds like a winner,” he said, handing you back your bags. “I gotta head out for work but it was nice meeting you, Y/N. I’m sure I’ll see you around very soon.”

“Me too. Thanks for the help today, really.”

“Not a problem at all. See ya later,” he said as he headed out. You gave him a wave and picked out a pair of black heels to go with the dress before you were heading home.

“Hey Jensen,” you said late that night. He’d had to go in for some photos in the afternoon and had taken quite a bit longer than he’d anticipated. “Leftovers are in the container on the top shelf.”

“Thanks, Y/N,” he said. He rubbed his eyes and padded into the kitchen before tossing the container in the microwave.

“Um, Jensen? Can I talk to you about work?” you asked. His ears perked up and he nodded while he looked around for a spoon. “Second drawer to the left.”

“Thanks,” he said. “So what’s up? Something wrong?”

“Not exactly. I was thinking earlier though about a backup plan,” you said. He took out the container and grabbed his spoon sitting across from you at the table.

“What’s a backup plan?” he asked, shoveling a spoonful of too hot pasta into his mouth.

“Well down in Austin, say I was suddenly unable to perform my job duties cause I’m sick or hurt or I’m off on vacation or whatever. Down there I have a network of other nannies that could step in temporarily, they can do a pick up or drop off in a bind, that sort of thing. It’s kind of a support group in way. It’s good for me and for you.”

“They must have one of those things up here?” he asked, taking a slower bite this time. You spun your computer around and he nodded. “Tornanny. That’s cute. You gotta sign up or something?”

“I need to take a four hour class. They have one on Saturday morning. Is it okay if I sign up?” you asked. He chuckled and took another bite of food.

“Weekends are still yours to do as you please. I need a bit more help during weeknights or mornings but weekends are still yours. I’m also compensating your pay for the additional time and no you’re not winning that argument so don’t even try.”

“Okay. I’m gonna sign up,” you said, turning the computer back.

“What was that thing on the side?” he asked.

“Hm?” you said as you started filling in the form.

“Some happy hour thing on the side,” he said. You flicked your eyes over to the side of the page and saw the group posting. “That could be fun.”

“Do I look like the kind of person that goes to happy hours?” you said.

“Well maybe you could meet a nanny friend in this group, one you could maybe get to cover for you if you ever needed it. I did steal you away from everything you know to a different country with a days notice after all. I’d go with you if you want,” he said. 

“What about the kids?”

“Hm?”

“Jensen. I’m starting to see a fatal flaw in me being the nanny and us dating. I’m the person that should be watching the kids when you go out,” you said.

“Hm,” he said, eating for a few moments. “You do have a point. I think we need to renegotiate your contract.”

“Wait you’re firing me?” you said, Jensen shaking his head and laughing. “Okay cause you were about to lose a girlfriend for a second there.”

He smiled to himself and looked down, playing with his dinner. 

“So what are you talking about?” you asked.

“Well, girlfriend,” he chuckled. “How about this? Weekends you don’t work, at all, for any reason. If you watch the kids for an hour while I duck to the store, it’s cause you’re doing it cause of us, not as part of your job. If we want to go out or on a date on the weekend, we’ll get a sitter. I had a go to in Vancouver when I lived there. I’ll give her a call, see if she knows anyone out here that would work. That sound good?”

“I guess that’s alright,” you said. He raised and eyebrow and you shrugged. “I enjoy our alone time, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to take away from them though.”

“I appreciate the sentiment but I’m not saying…” he said before he trailed off and ate the last bites of his food. “I moved us so they could see me everyday which is far more than they ever did when I filmed my show. I will still make them breakfast. I will still put them to bed. I will still have lunch with them and play with them and all of it. They’ll always by my first priority. But a relationship with kids doesn’t always mean the kids are around. Sometimes they come with, sometimes they stay home. I’m not talking about ditching them for days on end. A few hours on a Saturday night, most of which they’ll be in bed asleep is all I’m talking about. We have a right to a little bit of time for ourselves. It’s not as easy with them than it was the first time around but we just have to try harder is all.”

“Okay,” you said. “I’m good with that. How was your first day?”

“Good. We did a lot of promotional stuff. I won’t start acting until next week. I heard you met Antony shopping today.”

“Yeah. I didn’t get a chance to tell you when I got home earlier. He seems like a nice guy.”

“He does. He invited us to dinner once we settle into a routine,” he said. “Apparently you two are shopping buddies now.”

“The man does know how to choose a dress.”

“Good thing I packed my lucky suit up here,” he said. 

“Speaking of suits...you wouldn’t happen to have any of you in your Soldier Boy suit from today?” 

“No spoilers,” he said with a smirk. You jutted out your lip and he rolled his eyes, taking out his phone. He tapped and slid it over to you, your eyes wide. You must have stared for a solid minute before you looked over at him, Jensen leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head and a huge grin on his face. “You think I’m hot, don’t you.”

“Pft, no,” you said, biting your bottom lip before you licked it. He was still grinning out of the corner of your eye and you gave him the phone back. “Maybe...you’re kinda hot. But it’s totally the suit. Like right now, ugh, horrendous.”

“Nah, I’m hot,” he said, sticking out his stomach and rubbing it.

“I’m impressed you can actually do that,” you said. 

“Everybody’s got a tummy,” he said. “Seriously though, you think the suit is cool?”

“It looks awesome. I’d love to see it in person,” you said.

“Oh you guys will be on set at some point,” he said. “I’m kinda nervous about next week.”

“Really? Why? You’re a great actor.”

“Have you ever seen a single thing I’ve done,” he chuckled.

“I did in fact see that horror movie on a date years ago. Something with like mining?” you asked. 

“That’s what you saw? Like that movie? I hope the date worked out at least,” he said with a big smirk.

“Actually it was the crappy ex,” you said.

“Oh. You guys must have dated for a long time then.”

“Since we were seventeen,” you said. He stared and you shrugged. “I kept waiting for him to grow up and change. Eventually I realized he never would.”

“Did you love him?”

“I loved the idea of him. I liked him. I was with him for close to 12 years so I obviously liked him. But it wasn’t love. I could never be myself all the way around him and that’s not a way to live. There was none of that feeling when you first meet someone, you know?”

“Would I be pushing to ask if you ever thought about marrying the guy?”

“He did propose actually. A few times,” you said. “I turned him down. Things really went downhill from there though.”

“Why’d you say no?”

“I didn’t want to marry someone that made me feel bad about being me. Got tired of him telling me to get over everything that happened as a kid, dress a certain way, should I really have dessert, that kind of crap.”

“It’s part of who you are. I wouldn’t exactly call your past something to get over,” said Jensen. “Why would he even make you feel bad about it? You’re so normal.”

“I don’t think his daddy hugged him enough,” you said.

“No need to be a dick to other people for it,” he said. You smiled as you finished filling out the rest of the form for the class before sending it off. “Hey on the plus side I did get a good recommendation for daycare today. I was gonna check it out tomorrow morning, maybe get the twins in next week. Apparently they’re also hooked up with a school so JJ can go to school with some other American kids too instead of being stuck behind a screen here all day.”

“That’s great news. She can make some new friends that way. You know I was thinking maybe she could get signed up for indoor soccer. When I played the new season normally started right at the beginning of February.”

“Is it safe?” he asked. “I thought that could get pretty dangerous.”

“Adult leagues can be but kids her age it’s just running back and forth mostly. She could make some new friends, give her something fun to look forward to.”

“It’s not a bad idea. I would like her to be involved in something since she’s out of dance and soccer back home right now. I’ll talk it over with her in the morning,” he said. “She say something to you about it?”

“No. I just know what it’s like to be the new kid,” you said. “Soccer helped me make friends at school.”

“You and your mom move after your dad passed?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah. I was little so I don’t remember so much,” you said, an email coming in that your spot in the class was reserved. “Alright. Looks like I’m all set for eight on Saturday.”

“I’ll try not to keep you out too late on Friday night then,” he said.

“I never said that.”

“I like flirty you,” he said, both of you looking up at the ceiling when you heard a loud pair of giggles. “Duty calls. Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight Jensen.”

________

A/N: Read Part 5 here!