#what happened months ago for them also happened months ago for you

[green-butterfly-writes]

Little Thief (Part 2)

Part 1

Summary: Red Hood has a new informant, and nobody likes it. Two of the bats meet them. It’s not what they expected.

Trigger Warning for starvation and animal/child abuse. Read at your own risk.

Also, there is angst, but I promise it will get better soon 💚

I'm Dyslexic, and don't have a beta, so spelling mistakes are likely to happen.

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

Red Hood had a new informant. One he would not name. And nobody liked it. This mystery individual had given him the location of Cobblepot’s new scheme a month ago, a warning about a big bank robbery two weeks later, and a tip to look into what the Black Mask was doing five days ago. It was good information, but Batman (being paranoid as he was) didn’t trust it, and neither did anyone else. It was likely a trap, but Jason protected his informant with such passion that nobody could get anything out of him. At least, not until today.

Jason was out of commission for a week, and Gotham was in deep trouble. The Joker had broken out of Arkham and despite thoroughly examining every inch of every abandoned or rundown theme park, amusement center, and playground in Gotham, they hadn’t found a trace. It took a mix of bribery, black mail, threat of bodily harm and a significant amount of painkillers for Jason to agree to give them instructions on how to get the information they wanted. Which is how they ended up on a random rooftop with a bag of fast food.

~~~

Two figures made an unwelcome arrival at your designated meeting place. Instead of a single pair of feet softly falling on to the roof, and the air being filled with the familiar scent of sweat, gunpowder, and campfire cologne mixing with deep fried chicken, the wind sent a wave of overpowering floral detergent, mint shampoo, and citrus no-tear soap to assault your senses. The sounds of two individuals landing harshly on the roof stabbed at your sensitive ears, and even though the moonlight glowing from behind them obscured their appearances, you could price together who had intruded upon your night.

They both scanned the roof from their vantage point, and you crouched closer to the ground and leaned against the brick box that functioned as an access point to the roof, hoping the shadows would hide you long enough to make an escape plan. 

After seeming to confirm there was no human in sight, the taller of the two figures turned to examine the surrounding buildings, and the smaller crossed his arm over his chest and huffed.

“I don’t trust this,” the smaller one petulantly mumbled, quite enough you weren’t sure the man behind him could have heard, “Everything about this is suspicious, the secrecy, the location, the set up… who trades information for a burger of all things.”

“I heard you the first seven times Robin,” the taller of the two answered, dropping a familiar looking paper bag on the ground before arching into a handstand, “but this is the best — and currently the only — shot we got.” The words hung in the air for a moment before he added, “and it’s not a burger, Jay was very particular about that”

The boy huffed in frustration and looked ready to lose his temper, but with the cargo confirmed as food, your plans of a quick quiet escape were all but abandoned. Even with the smaller one — Robin — facing away momentarily to glare at his upside down companion, the temptation of food was just too strong. You hadn’t seen Red Hood in three days, nor had you eaten in just as many, and your stomach ached with need. Under better circumstances you could have dove between the two and stolen away with the food, but the past several days had been brutal, and every movement hurt. You opted to stay where you were, in hopes a better opening may present itself.

The taller of the two righted himself to his feet, and looked around at the surrounding building again, before lifting one hand to his ear, “you sure we got the right place? I don’t see anyone… no I checked, I’m sure. What do you want us to do,  just wait around? For what?! Yes… Yes! I understand that, but is this really — no, I promise. And who’s fault is that?…” he spoke heredity and harshly, and with all the standard Gotham street noise closer than it could be, it took you a moment to register the mumbling of another voice. You scooted closer in hopes of hearing the other side of the conversation, but due to a mix of pain and exhaustion, you stumbled, disturbing some of the debris around you, and while the taller of the two remained seemingly oblivious to your presence, Robin’s piercing eyes locked on you your location, still obscured in the shadows.

He grabbed hold of the sword on his back, and confidently stepped forward. You hesitated for a moment, before carefully extracting yourself from the dark, staying close to the ground in hopes of seeming as small as possible. Robin froze for a moment upon first impression, though his face was unreadable. He slowly sheathed his sword, and in turn you rose from the ground to stand. He took a soft step forwards, and you did not back away. He took another slow step towards you, lowering himself slightly, trying to appear less frightening, and in turn you made a small shuffle forward. By this point Nightwing had fallen silent, watching your careful dance with his companion. A delicate back and forth until you were three feet apart.

“What are you doing here thalabun?” he asked softly, more rhetorical than anything. You weren't sure how to answer the boy, how to explain your relationship with crime ally's guardian, so you stayed there, looking at him, examining is spiky hair and soft skin, familiarizing yourself with the citrusy smell that wafted off him, listening to his faint, controlled, rithmic breaths. 

“Give me the bag,” his voice was sharp and stern again, head aimed at his elder.

“No way,” came a swift response, “we need it for the informant, remember?”

“I'll only take a little, look at it!” Robin exclaimed gesturing to you, “plus we've been here for almost twenty minutes. I don’t think they’re coming.”

Nightwing seemed to mull it over, carefully examining you, before picking up the bag and launching it at a waiting Robin. Robin unwrapped the chicken sandwich, and pulled off a piece of the patty, tossing it at your feet, where you quickly lapped it up. Nightwing wandered over to where his partner was sitting on the ground and dropped beside him.

“Ok Robin. What's next? The informant is a no-show, and we still need to find the joker. Where else could he be?” they both sat in silence considering the question, pondering what — or rather where — they missed. A small, strangled ‘yip’ echoed into the damp cold of the night, and both vigilanties snapped their attention back to the fox. It yipped again, tail wagging, as if to say ask me. 

“You wouldn't happen to know where the joker is, would you?” Nightwing asked, almost sarcastically. He got a yip in response, and a head bob that resembled a nod. That made him pause…

“You do?” he repeated, beginning to doubt his vision and sanity. But as if to assure him of both, the creature repeated the gesture. “Could you show us?”

That… was a bit more difficult. Your body hurt and you were tired, three days of no food, little sleep, and constant harassment from kids, store owners, and wild animals alike had taken a toll. But you wanted to help. To be useful. At least to pay back the kind souls for feeding you, but also because doing good felt nice. And very little seemed to feel nice these days. So you summoned what strength you had, and launched yourself at them, leaping between, and landing on the hard floor with surprising grace. You pushed all your energy, all your hope, and strength, and thankfulness, into your legs so that they would go, go, GO!

You made it just short of the edge of the roof before your legs gave out and you were consumed. By darkens. By pain. Your back hurt, burning with every cut and bruise you had ever received. Your legs stung and ached. Your stomach clawed at your flesh begging to be filled or released from its prison. You were surrounded by darkness. Deep and unending, it was cold and quiet, yet all too loud, swallowing you, leaving you with nothing but pain. Everything hurt. So, so much. And you were alone, with no one to treat your wounds or hug your suffering heart. There was no warmth to reach for, no soft blankets or squishy stuffed animals. Just you, alone, cold, and in pain.

Two small, steady hands buried themselves beneath you, before carefully leaning you against something soft and sturdy. A kind hand shifted to run from the top of your head to the base of your tail, before repeating the motion. It was soothing, inside and out. Slowly the pain alleviated, and your breathing evened out. The dizzy feeling lifted, and you summoned all of your will power to crack open your eyes just a bit. You were met with the soft concern of Robin, worry visible even though the mask he wore. Robin’s steady breathing softly lifted you ever so slightly, and you focused to match his breathing: in and out, in and out. He smelled clean and strongly of oranges. It reminded you of the girls home you had lived in for six months before it was shut down for feeding the kids expired food. It was not a good place, but it was kinder than many others. You had missed the smell. 

“How about I carry you and you point to where we need to go?” he recommended softly, still running his hand down your spine. You basked in his warmth and soft touch for a moment longer, trying to regain your strength, before shifting in his hold and pointing at Gotham’s skyline. 

“That way?” You briefly nodded in confirmation, and both boys launched themselves off the roof and into the night air.

You had never seen Gotham from this perspective. Sure you climbed up fire escapes, and sat atop many buildings, but it was nothing like this. Nothing like soaring through the air, skyscrapers flying by. The way the wind licked freely at your hair reminded you for a moment of a trip you had taken with your mother long ago. She was driving on an empty dirt road, heading to the beach. The air was sunny and warm, the breeze swayed the trees in a methodical way, and your mother had let you stick your whole upper torso out the window. Distant street noises brought you back to reality, and looking down you saw the cars and people, they reminded you of Mr. Knox’s toy train display, the one that nobody but him was ever allowed to touch. They all looked so small from here. 

Eventually you all landed outside a junkyard with a broken front gate. You led them inside, between piles of broken cars and rubbish, around the sharp metal and spilled oil, all the way to a faded, rusty, ice cream truck. Its hood was dented, the paint was chipped, and it was missing its two back tires, but a distinctive, infuriating, familiar laugh radiated from the inside.

The two vigilantes exchanged a look, before Nightwing turned to you and held out a crinkled paper bag.

“I guess you were Hood's little informant,” he breathed out. You gladly accepted the payment, and retraced your steps out of the junkyard and into the concrete jungle of Gotham.

Once you were long out of view, and hidden in a grimy abandoned back alley, you softly plopped the bag on the ground. Your food was in a bag and wrapped in foil, you’d need thumbs to get it out. You didn’t like being in human form, not right now. You were skinny in both forms, but without the fur coat being a fox provided, the wind and cold seemed to sink right into your bones. It didn’t help that your small amount of clothing had definitely seen better days. But food is more important than momentary discomfort, so you shift, trading your tail and matted fur for arms and skin. 

You unwrap your chicken sandwich and sink in your teeth. The bread gives way softly, and a delicious crunch sounds as the lettuce brakes away into your mouth. The tomato bleeds its sweet juices onto your tongue, and as your mouth finally closes around the first bite of food you’ve had in days, you realize that by some miracle, despite the hour weight and cold conditions, the center of your crispy, chewy chicken patty was still warm. You barely finish chewing the first mouthful before taking a second, desperate for food and warmth.

You wonder if Red Hood is ok.

Thank you all so much for reading! Let me know what you think 💚

Notes:

Nightwing and Robin intentionally landed loader than they normally would in hopes of alerting the informant they had arrived, since they were expecting a human.

Jason, on the other hand, always tries to be especially quiet when coming to meet you because he knows your ears are sensitive.

'thalabun' is fox in Arabic according to google translate. if this wrong please, please let me know, as I intend to use it with some consistency moving forward.

ALSO!! Illustration

tag list:

@4rachn3

Let me know if you want to be added 💚

[kavehscanvas]

Chat I'm gonna ramble

I have multiple hyperfixations that every once in a while I think "oh I'm getting normal about this now I think" and suddenly I'm BLASTED with the knowledge that I'm, in fact, not normal about it AT ALL

So this is a list of things I'm normal about until I'm not normal about, for fun

I spend like from a week to a month being EXACTLY the image above, to the point where even >I< get tired of hearing me talk about something

Danganronpa, unfortunately. Resurfaces at least once a year, and so far it's happened 3 times around my birthday. I don't think I can break the curse and I've stopped trying

Steven Universe, but specifically ALL the Ruby and Sapphire appearances. I can binge ONLY the episodes where they appear and sometimes the ones leading up to it for the full impact. That's why my Kavetham Rupphire crossover exists.

Genshin Impact hasn't gone anywhere since I got into it, I never had the chance to think I was normal about it. But every once in a while I might think I'm normal about Enkanomiya, The Chasm, Perilous Trail or Guizhong and I get SLAPPED by my own insanities

HSR but specifically the Xianzhou Luofu continuances from 2.4 and 2.5. I am ABNORMAL about the Yaoqing Trio, I am ABNORMAL about Lingsha, I am ABNORMAL about the transition from Dan Feng to Dan Heng in the shackling prison

Ordem Paranormal as a whole. Since Natal Macabro released I haven't been able to let go of it. I can't do anything without thinking "what if I inserted the NM cast into this". I binged the ending of Desconjuração this week. I watched two whole episodes in one day, and MIND YOU. THE EPISODES ARE 4 HOURS LONG.

Like two months ago I got beamed with Akame Ga Kill thoughts. Chat. It was so much worse than all the other times. I lost track of how many times I watched this anime since 2017. This time I only intended to watch a couple of the episodes, yk "the fun ones" (where my faves die) and ended up watching THE ENTIRE ANIME. In two days. I did not come out of it with my sanity intact. And this time I absorbed even more plot points that I had missed the other days and I was even more analytical of the characters and chat. Chat I don't think I can recover from this one. The Run thoughts come back to me every time I open my gallery. Ohhhhhh vaguely androgynous blonde man with good intentions but questionable actions who is the normalest person in his group and has angel imagery despite having a LOW ASS V NECK that shows a considerable amount of his chest save meeeee. Save me small pink girl with a gun double her size and trauma that turns into motivation. Save me lady who killed a guy with her bare fists with no power back up while she was dying from several gun wounds and also bit into a guy's blade with her teeth and it was literally so attractive I physically had to stop and gush over it because I'm attracted to beautiful and strong women.

This was not my intention but I think that last point is a very good example. I am, in fact, not normal about it. I literally thought a few hours ago "huh maybe I should delete some of these AGK skins, I don't use them a lot" past me I have news and I think you won't like them ...

[retiredteabag]

Dog-sitter!Toji - chapter 9

last chapter - next chapter - series masterlist

Synopsis: Toji was quite accustomed to objectifying himself for a check. And to be frank, far worse actions as well. Now he’s not sure what to do with himself after meeting the kind and generous owner of the dog he pet-sits for.

read along as Toji learns that you don't need to lose yourself in order to love and be loved.

Toji has never been the type to hold back.

He's honest and dislikes waiting to express his thoughts, even so, he had been holding in these feelings for a long time now.

How could it be that it took working together with you under extreme stress for him to realize that no one had seen him as a human quite like you had.

And for you, in the midst of your anxiety and strain, you consider him, in the small things he does such as ordering food, and in the large, working by your side to fight this battle day and night.

Dark evening nights bled into fresh mornings, unearthing the man who had threatened you had been the both of your main goals but along the way Toji grew more and more comfortable thinking of you as a friend.

In the past, when you had asked him to consider you as a friend, he would mentally roll his eyes. You were his employer, it was out of the question. But now? He found himself wondering why "friendship" seemed too gentle a term. Why is it he was wanting more?

You on the other hand, you had learned long ago to be honest with yourself. Even before, when you felt giddiness at his appearance or when you noticed yourself fixing your hair in the car, you were able to recognize your attraction to the man.

This attraction was not just physical though, he was dedicated and kind, humble and brave. You wouldn't say it, no matter how much your heart melted when you saw his nature.

Especially not now, when you needed to prioritize your dog.

--

Your hands shook as the attorney described the process of what defending you in court would look like. As it had turned out, despite there being a real case against your dog, there was still but a little evidence to suggest that your dog had initiated anything.

You also learned that the plaintiff not coming to you for months after the event was not a good look for them. Each passing hour, the ache in your heart would lessen. The beginnings of your chest easing helped you prepare yourself for the proceedings.

What you had not expected was how the dog that had attacked Toji was an unregistered working animal.

This would suggest that the work the dog was trained for was illegal or nefarious in some other nature.

In all honesty, you had expected the man who had shown up at your door to have been running a puppy mill of some sort.

Far from your realm of possibility was how dark the world could truly be. Toji had taken it upon himself to "do some digging", only to find that the Tosa Inu that had put your dog in the animal hospital over night had been an underground fighting dog.

The more you listened to what that could possibly mean, the sicker you felt. You were even more grateful to Toji though. He insisted that he hadn't hired a PI or anything, simply stating that he "knew a guy" who could uncover whatever had been happening behind the scenes.

Gambling was illegal in all areas of Japan but even worse was dog fighting. Several prefectures, including Tokyo had the act banned and on the level that this ring was operating, it was fair to assume other crimes were occurring behind the scenes. Betting on dog fights merely scratched the surface it seemed.

Even knowing all this, it wasn't until animal welfare organizations got involved, promising to back you in any way, that you began to rest easier at night.

--

You had spent what felt like an eternity yet somehow a blink of time making legal arguments in your office. You worked until your brain hurt and your eyes strained from the light of the computer screen.

During working hours, your attorney would occasionally be at your residence, working with yourself and Toji. Witnesses to Toji's injury, and your dog's behavior needed to be called forth, receipts and bills from the veterinary hospital needed to be located and confirmed for court proceedings, photographs of the scene in which the dog fighting ring was located needed to be confirmed. It all took far longer than you were expecting.

After working hours you would find yourself writing down your thoughts, hoping your lawyer was right to presume a positive fate. With the only companion you had known for years on the line however, it was a challenge to remain calm.

With his constant and unwarranted vigilance, you insisted Toji stay with you at the house. He had stayed in the guest room before and if he was so determined to help, the least you could do is offer him a place to stay.

It didn't take much convincing on your part, he stood by you through the whole ordeal.

One night, after a particularly grueling day of unburying evidence of animal abuse, you sat on your couch, tenderly stroking your dogs neck as tension built within your own.

It was funny to think that not even a month ago taking off this much work would be unthinkable to you. For the first time in your life, you had burned through all of your PTO, vacation, and sick leave. You were lucky enough to have an employer, though unperturbed by your usual overworking nature, was willing to be lenient with your schedule due to the nature of the issue at hand.

You had been mindlessly playing with the dogs ears, staring at the noiseless television before you when the gentle steps of the man you had come to appreciate so much found their way into the living room.

"Care if I join you?" He spoke softly, perhaps worried to startle you.

Attempting a carefree manner, you tried for a grin, "Of course, come, sit down."

He shuffled closer and sat to the other end of the dog, the beast, who had all his life (to your knowledge) been inconsolably frightened by men, did not hesitate to lay his head atop Toji's thigh.

The man laced his fingers through the dogs fur, smiling softly. "How are you feeling?"

Your shoulders jitter slightly as his hand brushes your own. Your dog lifts his head a moment to look at you. Huffing he plops his head back, returning to rest on the man's leg. Your heart races like a silly schoolgirl. "Good, good, everything is really looking up, you know?" You swallow a bit, "Toji, really, I know I said it before but I just wanted to make it clear how grateful I am to you. You really don't have any obligation to be here, helping me-"

The man by your side seems to straighten a bit where he sat. His hand as stopped moving and he just looks at you.

"-ever since that day at the animal hospital, when you put the needs of my boy here over your own, before that really, I have been in your debt. I hope it was never a burden... I hope you know what a comfort your presence has been."

"No." Toji's spine is taught and he takes a gulp of air before continuing on quickly, "no- no its not a burden at all. And...owe me? How could you owe me?" He laughs a bit at the notion.

Before you interject to make some painfully sweet comment, he pushes on, "You must not know-" he stares at you now, only a few breaths away, "how...lucky I am to be able to do this job, to be of some help...to...have even met you."

He's stumbling over his words, he never does that, but you make him weak somehow. You make him want to take care with his words. You make him feel so very human, so very alive.

"Well..." You fiddle with your hands, having long since moved them to your lap to avoid the strange thumping that occurs when your fingers cross. "I feel like the lucky one."

--

After weeks of scouring information, preparing documents, and developing exposé's, the result you could have only prayed for arrived.

The very next morning your attorney practically bounded in through the front door. She was laughing and flinging around a written notice as if it was a ticket straight to the pearly gates of heaven. Upon the address line, in bold letters, was a miracale in ink.

"COURT FILING: DISSMISSAL "

"W-what does this mean?" You smile up at your lawyer, her hoots and hollers were contagious.

"What does it mean? It means that coward of a litigant has withdrawn the charges!"

It took a moment for the elation to fill you, you repeated her words over and over, you gave her one clear look as if to ask, 'does that mean what I think it means?"

She just nodded.

You broke down in laughs. The dog wove in between your legs sensing your joy, Toji came rushing into the foyer, words of 'what's going on?' left him before he saw you grinning on the floor, scratching the dog's neck.

He smirks as if he had been counting on this the whole time, steadily walking your way until he is within arms reach. He displays one arm stretched out to you.

Under the assumption he was going to pull you up from your spot on the ground, you reach a hand to take his own and gasp when he dips to pull you into his arms. Lifting you with a steady grip.

"Toji!" You laugh, oh how it felt good to laugh once more.

The dog circled you, panting and wiggling his butt. The other person present was talking about how you had every means to come after the man with your own counterclaim, having found so much on his name. But it was all background noise. You were too caught up in the grasp Toji had on your waist. His smile. His laugh. All of it.

It wasn't until you were placed carefully back on your own two feet that you noticed the woman awkwardly grinning at the two of you.

You knew that you might still have a fight ahead of you, and it was one you would willingly take. But at this very moment, you felt incandescently happy. Nobody was taking your baby from you, and in all these efforts, it seemed you had made a close friend.

And perhaps even a connection verging dangerously close to something more.

--

Some cheap barbecue spot was not what you had expected when you told Toji you would get him whatever he liked in celebration.

"Honestly, I only started eating well when I began looking after your place." Toji takes a piece of beef that he grilled and placed it onto your plate, taking a spoonful of broth for himself.

"That's funny, I kind feel the same, I got so nervous that you wouldn't have anything to eat that I started planning for my groceries." You look down at the bite he prepared for you and smile.

The man before you narrows his eyes, "Well... I'm glad you started eating better." He spins his chopsticks around and flips some meat over on the grill.

"You know...you never asked for anything-" You start, recalling how you had left a note in the early days asking if there was something he wanted from the store.

"You never had to get me anything." Toji grins, "You've been more than generous."

There's a long pause occupied by the both of you taking bites of your dinner and smiling. You'd been doing that an awful, you realize and compose yourself, slightly embarrassed, "I don't think you know how much I appreciate you, Toji." You point an accusing finger at him.

And you don't know how much I love hearing you say my name he thought but kept it to himself.

"Nahhhh, I think I do. You kinda wear your heart on your sleeve."

You roll your eyes, recalling how he had seen you in so many positions, the awkward early phase, angry, teary, even sick, he had seen it all. Once again, you cringe at how much of you he knows.

"If you knew you wouldn't be calling me generous. Before I had someone I could trust with the house and dog, I was so stressed all the time. Work was piling up and I hated leaving home, knowing he would be anxious."

You recall all the nights before Toji when you tearfully considered rehoming your most loyal partner.

"Well now you're free to overwork yourself from the comfort of your office." He teases.

The two of you went on eating and poking fun at each other. Every little instance of connection between you two drew you both closer. Dark times bring out the true nature of individuals and identify exactly who someone is.

And who you were was everything he desired.

Dedicated, hardworking, kind.

Even Toji was surprised by his own unquestioning nature when it came to helping you. He would do whatever it took to see you happy.

--

Toji had insisted on driving you to dinner. He told you he was taking you to his favorite spot. For a time, he was embarrassed by his car, seeing you sitting in the passenger seat almost felt like a sin but you just grinned at him, and conversed easily.

He felt like a student again, driving as carefully as ever to ensure the safety of such precious cargo.

At the end of the night, when he pulled up your drive way, he told you to stay seated.

Confused, you couldn't help laughing when he came around to get the door for you.

A part of you, however small, hoped he wasn't just teasing. Hoped he might see you as more than his employer. Hoped this connection between you two would not end with the resurgence of the sun.

You tell him he didn't have to walk you to the door but he just scoffs and bares the cold by your side. The celebration was still fresh between you.

You didn't even have your hand on the door yet, everything of the day was weighing on you, the way he had lifted you up and held you, all the smiles you shared, all the easy conversation. You knew it had to stop, or you might end up deluding yourself further than you already had.

"I think it's fair to say you've gone above and beyond dog sitter status, Toji. I'm sure you'll enjoy staying at your place for once."

You had meant it lightheartedly. You really had felt bad these nights when he worked into the evening, staying in your guest room to support you. Pulling out his reading glasses for the first time in years. Despite your blithe attitude, he seemed to get all serious.

He looks at his shoes for a moment, the wind chilled you to the bone but Toji doesn't flinch.

Everything in Toji's mind was telling him to keep his mouth shut.

He was nothing special to you, no matter how kindly you told him otherwise. He had nothing to offer you. He was an ally cat of a man to your show cat of a women. He was never going to be any more than the dog sitter. Why risk the best position he had ever been granted? Why put an end to this dream he had been living?

But Toji has never been the type to hold back.

"I don't think I can keep on like this."

He doesn't look at you, still too occupied by the pavement.

"What?" Barely a beat had passed before you try to bend and catch his eye but he lifts his face to the heavens.

At one point, money was all Toji cared for, he was willing to do anything for it, but now, he was feeling things he hadn't felt since he was a boy, maybe things he never had before.

"This..." He sighs and finally gives you a resolute look, "this is my job."

You're taken aback. Replaying the words a hundred times within a millisecond. Trying to see his meaning. The words hurt, yes, you knew you paid him. Of course none of his actions meant anything more than job security. But as much as you had told yourself to be realistic, his kind and selfless attitude had started to leak into your brain, making you feel special.

You step back, still not opening the door. Wanting now to see him leave. To solidify this moment. "Right. Yes, Toji, of course."

He's still looking at you, pupils blown wide but he doesn't hesitate. "I'm afraid you’re gonna have to find someone else." in stark contrast to before, he never strays from your vision. He shakes his head as if to say, 'no'.

"What?" You repeat. Suddenly afraid of his meaning you try to take a step down to meet him at the landing but he holds up a hand. "What do you mean?"

Had it been too much? The court case? The working together? Had it only been pleasant for you? All those nights chatting on the couch, all those sweet "goodnight's"?

He pulls back his hand, one quick inhalation of the night's air was all the courage he could summon and coincidentally, all he required, "I've got these feelings that aren't exactly appropriate for the workplace."

All to be heard are the whistles of wind on the trees.

"So I think it might be best-" He's shaking his head again, not believing a word, "for you to find someone...less...attached."

It makes him chuckle, as broken as this moment makes him feel. How long has it been since he has been attached, since he has felt like this at all. How silly.

"Toji...Toji what are you saying?"

"All of this" his makes a show of his hands, "all of you, who you are, how you behave, what you do for others. I never want to lose it. It's my job, but deep down...I know it's more than that." He keeps heaving in breath, making wild motions with his hand, begging you to understand, "I want to be there to take care of the dog, I want to stay and take care of you when work is too much, I want to go for walks and eat dinner together, I don't even want to be paid anymore-GOD I cannot believe I just said that-"

He's laughing but your mind is morphing back into the dreamlike notion you had been shoving away. No words escape your lips as you grab hold of his hand, "I thought...I thought you wouldn't think of me like that..."

Now he's looking at you like you've made some ridiculous joke.

"I thought you just... liked taking care of the dog..."

He guffaws. "I do..." he inhales shakily, "believe me. I do. But... I definitely like you more."

You don't even know when his hand went to graze over your cheek but suddenly, your face is feeling warm in spite of the chill.

"I-I just can't believe- I feel...Toji I was talking myself out of this just a moment ago."

His eyes go all soft, you wonder if you had ever missed this look of his, "Is it too good to be true if I guess you feel the same?" "Gosh, Toji, No! I-" You pull his hand from your cheek and use it to cover your eyes.

Not too long ago, you felt like floating, thinking the day could not possibly become greater in importance, but life has a funny way of proving us wrong.

--

For a moment there on the porch, you had thought that he might kiss you. Right there on your doorstep in the cold, with your dog rolling his eyes inside. But Toji didn't, in fact, he pulled himself back. Holding your hand, murmuring that he wanted to "do this right" as he played with your fingers.

And for the second time that day, you have the overwhelming desire to dance around your house. To spin and clutch your heart as impossible hope filled your senses. Only this time, as the door closes and you watch out the window, a hand clutched to your chest. You grant yourself the privilege.

A moment to yourself of pure delight.

Hidden from your view, Toji was experiencing a very similar sensation, palm displayed across his pounding heart, he settles his head against the steering wheel and wonders if this all is a dream.

〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰

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[angelicqsa]

𝘾𝙍𝙐𝙎𝙃.

︶︶ ୨♡୧ ︶︶

𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 | 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 | 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯.

𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 | 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦.

𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 | 𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘶𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩! 𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨.

You have just moved to the outer banks, some may call it the paradise on earth but you don't exactly see why people call it that since many of your interactions have been with stuck up bitches.

There's also these names being thrown around, "kook" and "pogue" you have no idea what either of them are but from what you can tell being a pogue isn't to good.

You move to the figure 8 a real beautiful place in the outer banks, rich cars, big mansions, mini mansions and golf courses. After you move you often visit the huge community garden.

It's been about a month since you moved, your days usually consisting of reading, tanning, visiting the garden and sometimes swimming. You didn't really have any friends. Until about a few day ago a girl named Sarah Cameron sees you in the garden and pursues a conversation with you...

"Those are probably the most beautiful hydrangeas i've seen." Her feminine voice cuts through the sudden silence and murmurs of the garden.

You gasp with a panicked looked and whip your head back, startled from the sudden voice.

"Im so sorry! i didnt mean to startle you! are you okay?" Sarah jumbles out with guilt.

You are slightly surprised she was even talking to you, but decide to smile softly and shyly say "Its okay, you didn't mean to."

She smiles with you and holds out her hand, "Im Sarah by the way, i love that top of yours it's so gorgeous"

"Thank you! i love your shorts! the bows add a nice touch" You hear a deep masculine voice call out for Sarah, the voice didn't sound too far, Sarah heard the voice then turns around and say "Over here!"

You look around awkwardly, a random girl randomly comes and talks to you, if you didn't know any better you would think it's a setup of some kind, but you gave her and her... friends.. the benefit of the doubt and turn around and continue gazing at the hydrangeas.

After a few seconds you hear a pair of footsteps, your back is to them so you continue minding your business.

"Who's your friend?" Another deep voice says, his was higher than the one before.

Them calling out your presence causes you to turn around slightly panicked and feeling slightly ambushed by the attention.

You see a Sarah standing next to a tall guy with slightly slicked back blonde hair and a buttoned up shirt.. a bit fancy for a garden but whatever, on the other side of him theres this gorgeous man..

Tall, buzzed cut brunette hair, beautiful blue eyes, sunkissed and one hell of a smile.

You were at a lost for words, completely frozen just staring at this man, and he was staring right back at you with the same amount of maybe admiration..? lust? you didn't know, but you gazed right back into his slim blue eyes.

"This is uh.. uhm.. i didnt catch her name.." Sarah says sheepishly with a small smile.

She wait a few minutes as her, and both mystery men were staring at you.

The mystery guy with blonde hair looks at the blue eyed boy then looks at you catching on to what was happening and snickers. Sarah, completely oblivious then waves her hands "Helloooo? Earth to mystery girl".

This causes you to snap out of the i guess you could say.. trance? you were in and look at her and blonde boy, "Sorry! Im Y/N!"

Sarah smiles and says "Well this is my boyfriend Topper" She looks up at the blonde dude and he just smiles and extends his hand for you to shake . He gave off a vibe of one of those douchebags who act innocent.

You shake his hand and smile, you then look at the buzzed brunette waiting to get his name, you were excited even.

"Im Rafe, Rafe Cameron." He says with a full smile, perfectly white teeth. 'Jesus he's like my dream man' you thought.

Eager, you go to shake his hand quicker than you did with the others.

It was safe to say you were intrigued with Rafe and his presence.

They ask if you wanted to join them to see the rest of the flowers, little did they know you already saw them all and really enjoyed going to the garden. Nonetheless you still agree deeming them kind with pure intentions.

Here you are now, back in the garden, your new safe haven in the crazy world. A picture of the gorgeous boy pops in your head, his smirk, his eyes.. his big veiny hands you imagine him touching you in all the right places with them. You squeeze your legs at the thought, praying no one noticed.

"Well well well.. if it isnt new girl in town, with a slight staring problem" That familiar deep voice murmurs from behind you.

You turn around, surprised to hear his voice again.

"Seems like you also have a staring problem from what i recall?" You say with a slight smirk.

He grins at you and nods, 'he looks fucking perfect' you thought. Sunkissed skin, a nice baby blue button up, khaki shorts and a glimmering silver chain.

You were admiring him once again which he notices immediately and smirks.

"You are adorable" He says.

This catches you off guard and snaps you immediately out of the trance, adorable?? 'is he flirting with me right now??, what should i say??' you panic. You immedietly recover.

"Adorable you say? why's that hm?" You say with false confidence.

"Your little cute dress and bows." He says while moving his hands towards your bow and his smirk forming into a smile.

You smile and blush at the compliment at a loss of words. You didnt exactly know what to do or how to react, you didnt exactly have much experience with stuff like this.

Noticing your pause, he lunges towards the hibiscus bush and plucks one off the leafy bush, then proceeds to put it in your hair which pulls your bang back.

You two were close, extremely close. You look up at him with a smile, still blushing profusely.

He looks down at you with a small smirk.

So much tension was in the air. You only just met this guy.. how could you feel this way about him after one interaction. You felt a little embarrassed, but the way he looks at you, the way his hand felt with yours, the way his presence alone speaks volumes was more than enough to override the embarrassment.

"Thank you.." You squeak out nervously with a smile.

"No problem" He murmurs, his icy blue eyes still boring into yours. After a few moments and the whispers of the wind, he backs away slightly.

You couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed, which was pathetic considering you just met him and dont exactly know him.

But that adds to the intrigue you have.

Rafe on the other hand couldnt believe his eyes. When he first walked into the garden he immediately spotted you, 'The gorgeous girl from last week'.

Before he had a chance to go up and speak to you, you were already off and walking away towards the bush area of the garden.

He decided to pursue you and walk in your direction.

When he met you for the first time he couldn't believe his eyes. You didnt look anywhere taller than 5'2 or 5'3, luscious blonde hair that when kissed by the sunlight seemed to glow, gorgeous green eyes and a cute little pink dress.

He knew the moment he laid eyes on you, he had to have you, despite you being new to the island and typically tried to avoid the 'newbies'.

When your pretty green doe eyes first gazed into his and made eye contact, he felt his heart beat fast. 'Jesus she's making me feel things.. we only just met' He thought.

When you spoke in that soft and sweet tone, he was on a mission to hear that voice again.. and again.. and again.. he'd never get tired of hearing it.

After the first interaction, he was eager to run into you again, so he thought 'There a chance i could catch her at the garden again, you cant see everything after one visit...'

And he was sure right, he laid eyes on you and immediately felt giddy, which was something that doesn't happen often.

Now here you two were, with smiles on your faces. And you decide to speak up.

"How's Sarah?"

"She okay, i think you should hang with us, last time you did it was pretty fun" Rafe says with a smile.

You feel like jumping up and down with excitement but obviously you couldnt so you just grin and say "Well thank you, you guys were pretty fun to! and i'd love to hang with yall again!"

He smiles and nods. He pauses for a second seeming like he was contemplating.

He then says, "How about we hang one on one? You and I?"

You are completely caught off guard but nonetheless you were extremely happy that he suggested that.

You nod your head and softly say "I'd love that. When would you like to?"

He smiles and looks around, "Now sounds perfect. Is that okay?"

You say 'yes of course' embarrassingly fast and eager.

You both persue the garden looking at different bushes and flowers and facts about them you didnt focus to much on it since you've been there a lot. You mainly focus on the conversations you have with Rafe.

The similarities you both have, your hobbies and what makes you happy. You both bonded greatly.

You couldn't stop grinning and having a feeling of luck.

You both eventually get tired of walking and he offers to take you to a restaurant called 'The Wreck' and you obviously agree.

You two had a great time and you got to know him very well and you both clicked. You felt happy, light and airy once he dropped you off home. You were really starting to feel glad to be in the Outer Banks. Thanks to Rafe Cameron.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 ☄. *. ⋆

ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐яєqυєѕт!

─────⋆˚࿔𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐪𝐬𝐚𝜗𝜚˚⋆─────

[mushyblushyredhead]

Go to Sleep! — Sonic Movieverse

Summary: It’s movie night for the Wachowskis. But after Sonic helps himself to some sweets before bed which results in a sugar rush, it’s nearly impossible to get him to sleep. Fortunately, Tom and Maddie know exactly how to tire out a sugar rushed hedgehog.

Lee!Sonic 🦔💙

Lers!Tom & Maddie 🍩��

Word count: 3.8k

A/N: My first Sonic fic that I wrote four days ago while being bedridden from being sick 🤒 Takes place after the first movie. Also, I just wanted to quickly write some Sonic fluff to take my mind off things this month and cuz my Shadow plushie was delivered today. ^^ enjoy!

Tooth-rotting family fluff ahead! May be too sweet for reader consumption!

It was movie night in the Wachowski household, something Sonic had been looking forward to all week. Just him, Tom, Maddie, and Ozzy for the whole evening binging movies and feasting on junk food. And tonight, it was Sonic’s turn to pick the movie.

The little blue hedgehog quickly skimmed through the channels before sorting through the movies catergory of their streaming service, trying to decide what movie they should watch. But there were so many options. How was he supposed to pick just one?

Tom and Maddie had already settled down on the couch, popcorn bowl wedged between them. Even their golden retriever, Ozzy, had taken a seat on the couch.

“Sonic, c’mon,” he heard Tom say. “Just pick a movie already. The longer you decide, the less time we’ll have for our movie night.”

“I’m trying!” retorted Sonic. “There’s just so many good options, it’s hard to pick one!”

Tom rolled his eyes fondly, muttering “oh, this kid” under his breath. Maddie overheard, and couldn’t help but giggle.

“Ooh! I think I finally got it!” Sonic exclaimed as the loading icon appeared on the TV screen. He zipped back to the couch, squeezing in between the couple and making himself comfy.

“So what movie did you pick?” asked Tom.

Sonic beamed. “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie!”

Tom and Maddie exchanged glances before simultaneously uttering, “Ohhh no.”

When the scene came where SpongeBob and Patrick were scarfing down triple goober berry sundaes, Sonic’s eyes widened at the sight of the cartoon depicted ice cream sundaes. “Whoaaaa! I wanna make that! Can we make that after the movie? Can we? Can we?!”

“Slow down, buddy,” Tom chuckled. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to eat a heaping ton of ice cream right before bed. You’ll be bouncing off the walls for hours.”

“Wait, can that really happen?” Sonic asked, immediately convinced. “Now I really wanna try it!”

Maddie quickly intervened. “Uh, Tom’s right, sweetie. We don’t want you to have a sugar rush keeping you up all night. We’ll have ice cream earlier tomorrow.”

“Awww…” Sonic’s ears dropped. Maddie ruffled his head apologetically to get him to smile again.

As their attention pivoted back to the movie, Sonic got a brilliant idea. An hour later after the movie concluded—and Sonic quit scream-singing the lyrics to “Goofy Goober Rock”—it was time to put his idea into action.

“All right, everybody, time for bed.” Maddie ushered them all off the couch before calling Ozzy to take him outside. Tom picked up the empty popcorn bowl and switched the TV off. He caught a certain little blue hedgehog trying to quietly slip into the kitchen.

“Sonic.” Said hedgehog froze in his tracks. “You heard Maddie. Upstairs to bed.”

Sonic shyly twiddled his fingers. “I-I know, I just…wanted to get a quick glass of milk before I go. Y’know, wash out all that popcorn I ate.”

“Well…okay. But make it quick.”

“Okay!” The little hedgehog internally squealed at how excellent his plan worked. “Perfect,” he whispered to himself. “Now to finally make that triple goober berry sundae. Let’s see…what do I need? Ooh, I know!”

Sonic managed to snag everything he needed to make the sundae in under two seconds. He silently thanked Tom and Maddie for having all the ingredients in the kitchen. Then, he quickly constructed his sundae based on memory in another second. When that was done, he stepped back and looked at the finished product. “Whoo! Not bad for a first timer!”

He had successfully made a screen accurate triple goober berry sunrise: three large scoops of vanilla ice cream dripping with chocolate syrup, an M&M smile, and banana limbs with cherries on the ends.

Sonic felt like he could tear up at the sight. But no, no time for that. He had to eat this fast. While also trying to savor every bite at the same time.

As soon as Maddie came back inside with Ozzy, she asked, “Did Sonic head off to bed already?”

“Not yet,” Tom answered, now changed into his pajamas. He gestured to the kitchen. “Said he wanted to get some milk before he went to bed.”

The sound of a spoon cluttering and scraping got their attention.

“That…doesn’t sound like he’s just getting milk,” Maddie said uneasily. Tom slowly shook his head, parental instincts kicking in. The couple slowly peered inside the kitchen, and their jaws dropped at the sight: Sonic sitting on the counter, his face coated with ice cream and chocolate syrup, as he attempted to lick the bottom of his bowl clean.

“Sonic?!” exclaimed the couple simultaneously.

Said hedgehog jerked his head up at the sound of his name, smiling sheepishly as he was caught. “O-Oh…heyyy guuuuys…”

“Sonic…” Tom began slowly. “What are you eating?”

“Uhhh…triple goober berry sunrise?” Sonic shrunk under the parental glares. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it! It just looked soooo good in the movie, I thought…maybe I could make one before bed?”

“After we explicitly told you no?” Maddie asked in her stern mom voice.

Sonic lowered his ears before flashing an apologetic smile. “I promise to clean up?” He zipped around the kitchen in a streak of blue light as he tidied up. “There, see? Like it never happened!”

Maddie tapped the corner of her mouth. “Except you missed a spot here.”

“Oh!” Sonic licked his lips. “Got it!” He suddenly squeaked in surprise as he was lifted off the ground.

“All right, you’re going straight to bed,” he heard Tom say. Sonic whined and tried to squirm out of the awkward hug lift. “Don’t give me that. We warned you about having ice cream before bed even though we promised you we’d have some tomorrow.”

“But I couldn’t wait! And anyway, what’s the big hap? I cleaned up, didn’t I?”

“That’s not the point. And tomorrow, we’re going to have a talk about this.”

“Awww you’re no fun, Donut Lord!” Sonic whined. He managed to squirm free and raced up the ladder stairs to his attic bedroom.

“Aw geez…” Tom sighed as he facepalmed.

“At this rate, he’s not going to get any sleep,” said Maddie.

“Unless we duct tape him down to his bed.”

“Tom!”

“I’m kidding! But that’s still an option we can use as a last resort.”

“How about this,” Maddie suggested. “Instead of…that, we’ll gently tire him out; give him soothing pets and rubs, tuck him in snugly, read him a story. That should put him to sleep quickly.”

“Hm. Okay, that works.”

It did not work. Sonic was far too hyper to settle down no matter what they tried. Not even soft scratches to his ears or under his chin pacified his sugar rush. And that always was a good remedy whenever the blue hedgehog was restless.

Tom and Maddie sat helplessly on the edge of Sonic’s race car bed, while he continued to do laps around his room and babbling gibberish. He was bouncing off the walls. Literally; curled up as a blue hedgy ball and bouncing from wall to wall, as if he were a ping pong ball.

Tom turned his attention to his wife. “Well, if we’re both in agreement with restraining the hyper hedgehog to his bed, I’ll go get the duct tape from the garage.”

“We are not duct taping him to his bed.”

“What about those calming gummies you give to Ozzy during the Fourth of July? That should do it, right?”

“Tom! I’m not giving canine calming gummies to a hedgehog!”

“NyQuil? If it’s safe for human consumption, it should be safe for him.”

“Tom, no!”

With no other options, Maddie suddenly perked up with an idea. “Hang on. I think I’ve got something. Something my sister and I used to do with Jojo when she was younger, and in a similar predicament.”

Her husband looked relieved. “Really? What is it?” She motioned for him to come closer to whisper so Sonic wouldn’t overhear. His lips slowly curled into a big grin.

As the hyper hedgehog continued to zoom across the walls, he was oblivious to the fact that his parental figures were plotting something against him. It wasn’t until he heard them call out his name that he skidded to a stop, while still bouncing in place.

“All right, Blue Devil, can you settle down now?” asked Tom.

“I can’t! I’m too hyper!” Sonic declared, still bouncing on his toes.

“Well, will you at least lay down in bed?” Maddie coaxed, patting the bed.

Sonic thought about it for a second, before getting a running start and leaping onto his bed. He landed face first with an “oomph!” before bursting out into giggles.

It was hard for the couple to stay mad at him because sometimes Sonic would be too cute for his own good. His sweet giggles and smile almost made them forget why they were displeased in the first place.

“Alright, we’re not going to tell you again, Sonic,” Maddie tried to sound stern, but the grin on her lips proved otherwise. “You better go to sleep right this instant.”

“I can’t! I’m too hyper!” Sonic repeated through breathy giggles. He giddily kicked his legs, already making a mess of bedsheets and blankets.

“Last chance, turbo toes,” Tom playfully warned. “Go to sleep now or else you’re gonna get it.”

Something in Tom’s voice sparked a fluttery feeling in Sonic’s tummy. Anticipation; and anticipating some sort of playful consequence if he didn’t abide. But there was also a streak of provocative cheekiness. He dared to defy.

“Heh, make me, Donut Lord!” Sonic challenged, sticking his tongue out.

Tom and Maddie exchanged devious grins. Oh, this kid was so asking for it!

Sonic emitted a surprised squeak as his wrists were suddenly grabbed and pinned above his head. The culprit? Tom and Maddie each took a wrist as they sat on either side of him. “Aaah! Hey, what gives? Aw, you two are no fun!”

Tom smirked like a villain. “We warned you, Sonic.” Then he glanced at his wife. “So, Maddie, looks like we’ve got a sugar-rushed hedgehog. As Green Hill’s most elite and respected veterinarian, what do you propose we do?”

Maddie hummed, pretending to think. “Well, normally it wears off on its own. But it looks like we have a severe case here. And there’s only one way to cure a severe sugar rush…”

Sonic didn’t like the way they were speaking to each other. Something in their voices seemed suspicious, like they knew something he didn’t. What were they planning on doing? And why did their cryptic conversation make even more anticipatory butterflies fill his belly? What witchcraft were they doing to him?

His questions were answered when he heard the couple say, “A visit from the Tickle Monster!”

Sonic suddenly burst out into squeaky giggles as two hands gently fluttered against his ears and neck. His ears twitched with every soft tweak, and he attempted to scrunch his shoulders. “Guhuhuys, nohohoho! This ihihis so nohot fahahahair!”

“Again, we warned you,” Tom smirked. He moved his hand down to tase Sonic’s side, resulting in a high-pitched squeak.

“OkAHAhay! Okahahay! I’ve learned my lesson!” the giggly hedgehog squeaked out. Tom and Maddie paused for a moment.

“Hm, should we believe him?” asked Maddie.

“Mmm…nah.”

“What?!” Sonic exclaimed. “But—But, I mean it! I learned my lesson! I-I’ll never ever eat ice cream before bed again! Swear!”

“Hmm, then why don’t we believe you?” Maddie playfully asked, hovering her wiggling fingers near the hedgehog’s side.

Sonic gasped and tried arching away from her hand as far as he could. “B-Because…Because you guys are jerks, that’s why!”

Maddie pretended to be offended. “Excuuuse me?! Calling us jerks now, huh?”

Normally, Sonic would be terrified of Maddie’s reaction to his choice of words. But he was feeling too playful and cheeky at the moment. And he knew nothing serious was going to happen to him. He just enjoyed seeing the look of their faces as he got quippy with them.

“Y-Yeah! You’re not only jerks, but you’re also fun sponges!” Sonic dared to say. “You suck the fun out of everything!” Then, just to be even cheekier, he dared to stick his tongue out at them again. “Mmmh!”

“Ohh that does it! Tom, hand him over.” Maddie cradled the little blue hedgehog in her lap, who was now giggling and eyeing her with wide anticipating eyes. Awwh, he must really want this.

She wasted no time and rapidly wiggled her fingers against his sides. Immediately, Sonic arched his back with a squeal before erupting into more high-pitched giggles.

“EEEEEAAAHeeheeheehee!! Mahahahaddie! Mahahaddie, nohohohoho!”

“Who is this…Maddie you speak of? I’m the Tickle Monster! And you’re mine, you sassy little hedgehog!” She empathized by tasing Sonic’s sides, making him arch with another squeal.

“AAAAAHH! Whahahahat?! No you’re nohohohot!”

“Oh yes I am! And you’re not going anywhere!” She gently pulled him back into her lap as she noticed Sonic was trying to roll out of her lap.

He yelped and made a dramatic show of reaching out for Tom. “Donut Lord! H-Hehehelp! Sahahave meheeheehee!”

“Oh, I’ll save you, all right. Hand him over, Maddie.” Sonic was passed over, and thought he was safe. But that split second of relief was only short lived as Tom suddenly dug rapid fingers against his ribs and under his arm at the same time.

“AAAAAEEEEHEEHEAAAA!! NAAAHAHAhahaha!! Nohohohot cool, Donut Lohohohord!”

“Who are you calling Donut Lord?”

“AAAHAhahahaha! Y-Youhoohoohoo, Tohohom!”

“I’m not Tom, I’m also the Tickle Monster!”

“HaHAAAhaha! Nohohohoho! NAHAhahat you too!” Sonic giggled madly, rapidly shaking his head. “And quiHIHit sahahaying that! I’m too old for thahahahat!”

“Too old for the Tickle Monster? I beg to differ!” Tom switched tactics; yanking one arm up and scribbling his free hand into the exposed little underarm.

Sonic emitted a girly squeal, and shrieked with laughter. “EEEEEEEEEHEEHEEHEAAAAAAHAHAHA!! NAHAHAHAHAHO! I-I AHAHAHAHAM!! I’M TOO OHOHOLD FOR THE T—HAHAHA! THE TI—MMPHHEEEEHEEHEEHEE!!” Sonic was too flustered to even say the words. And unfortunately for him, that didn’t go unnoticed.

“Aww having a little trouble saying the words ‘Tickle Monster’, sweetie?” Maddie couldn’t help but coo.

“N-NOHOHOHO!” Sonic squeakily protested. No way in Green Hills he was going to admit that he couldn’t say the t-word. Or that just hearing the word flustered him to no end.

“Is it because you can’t actually say the word ‘tickle?’”

Uh-oh. Now they were on to him.

Sonic blushed, panting as Tom halted his attack. “N…No..? Of course I can say it! I have absolutely no problem saying—that word.”

“Ohhh, so sassy, hyper from a sugar rush, and can’t say the word ‘tickle?’” Tom pointed out. “Good to know!”

Sonic rolled his eyes and giggled. “You’re soho meheeheehean, you fun sponge!”

“Oho, still gonna call me names?”

“That’s right!” The blue hedgehog sat up, quickly recovering from the tickly onslaught mere moments ago. “You guys are not only mean, but you’re fun sponges, wazbags, and also hobknockers!” He crossed his arms with a huff before bursting out into giggles as he saw the couple’s mouths agape. “Oh my—hahaha! You…You should see your faces right now! Ahahaha!”

The couple exchanged glances again before Maddie nodded at her husband, silently giving him the green light. Tom gave a single nod back. Time to bring out the big guns.

He made a grab for the little hedgehog, securely cradling him. “All right, you little sass master. Since you clearly still have a lot of energy left to keep sassing Maddie and I, that means you can still take a lot more tickles. Lucky for you, I know just how to teach sassy little hedgehogs like you a lesson for being so snarky. Time to bring out the old Wachowski family special!”

Sonic tilted his head like a confused puppy. What the heck was that supposed to mean? He let out a soft squeak as he was lifted up closer to Tom’s face. “What are you up to, Donut L—AAAEEEEEEEEHEEHEEHEEEEEEEK!!” He didn’t have time to finish his question as Tom leaned down to press his face against Sonic’s belly, and playfully nip the soft surface. “NAAAAAHAHAHA!! NAAHEEEEHEEHAHAHA!! N-NOHOHO, WHAHAHAT ARE YOU DOIHIHIHIHING?!!”

“This Tickle Monster grows tired of your sassy comments, and has simply decided to eat you instead!” Tom spoke against the twitching tummy, chuckling as he heard Sonic shriek like a girl again.

“EEEEEEEEEHEEHEEHEAAAAAAHAHAHAHA!! NAAAAAHAHAHAHAO!! DOHOHON’T PLEAHEEHEEHEEHEASE!! THAHAHAHAT FEELS WOHOHOHORSE!!”

Sonic was squirming like a leech on a salt covered sidewalk. The nibbles to his belly were unbearably tickly. Tingly currents were zipping up and down his spine, and he could feel them all the way down to the tips of his toes.

He frantically batted at Tom’s head, silently begging his father figure to have some mercy on him. Fortunately, Tom did get the message. “So, are you ready to apologize for your sass and head off to sleep? Or do we need to keep teaching you a lesson?” The couple hovered their wiggling fingers over the small hedgehog, making him squeal and curl for protection.

“Aaaah! No, no! Wahahahait! Lemme thihihink about ihihihit!”

After Sonic caught his breath, he tapped his chin and hummed in deep thought. “Hmm….I think you guys need a second opinion before calling yourselves professional Tickle Monsters! No way that’s true! I mean, look at me; I’m still hyper, and full of energy, so HA! Your sneak attacks did absolutely no—AAAAAHEHEEHEEHAHAHAHA!!”

“That’s enough sass out of you, mister,” Tom interrupted. He had scooped up the hedgehog, not wasting another second and mercilessly scribbled under his arms.

Sonic screeched and slammed his arms down to his sides, merely trapping the still wriggling fingers there. He jolted with a louder screech when he felt nails scribbling and digging into his belly. “W-WAIT, WAHAHAHAIT!! NAHAHAHAT THERE!! NOT THERE!!”

“Where? Here?” Maddie innocently asked, vibrating a clawed hand against the center of Sonic’s tummy.

Sonic squealed another octave. He frantically shook his head, kicking his legs at 300 miles per hour. “AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!! NAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAO!! NAHAHAHAT THEHEHEHERE!!”

Tom chuckled. “Y’know you keep saying ‘not there’, but I’m not hearing you apologize.”

Sonic may have been laughing his quills off, but he was a stubborn hedgehog. “N-NO WAHAHAHAHAY!! I’LL NEHEHEHEHEVER AP—HAHAHAHA—APOLOGIZE!!”

“Suit yourself, buddy.” Tom and Maddie paused their attacks one last time before switching spots. Maddie grabbed and held Sonic’s wrists above his head while Tom made a grab for his legs. “Just so you don’t try and kick me in the face while I do this,” he told Sonic after he shakily asked what were they going to do to him now.

“Oh, just a secret family combat tactic that’s lethal enough to paralyze a victim within seconds,” Tom stated like a villain as he wrapped an arm around the fidgeting hedgehog’s legs.

Sonic gulped. “P-Paralyze..?”

The couple had to fight the urge not to break character. Sonic just looked too cute! He actually looked like a scared puppy, wondering what they were about to do. They wanted to tell him right there that he had nothing to worry about, and explain what they were going to do, but…it was better to show rather than tell.

The fluttery anticipating tingling intensified as Sonic felt Tom slide his arm behind his back, arching his stomach. He had a bad feeling about this. “W-Wait, what are you..?”

Tom took a deep breath, dove down, pressed his lips against the center of Sonic’s belly, and blew hard.

Sonic threw his head back and screamed. “AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHEEEEEEAAAAA!! NAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAO!! WHAHAHAT IHIHIHIS THAHAHAHAT?!!”

“They’re called ‘raspberries’, Sonic,” explained Maddie with a giggle.

Tom lifted his head. “But like I said, they’re a very lethal weapon that can cripple a victim! Like, for instance, sassy-mouthed hedgehogs who refuse to go to bed!” He leaned down to pepper more ticklish raspberries all over Sonic’s tummy.

And Sonic? He couldn’t stop squealing and screeching hysterics. This was way worse than the nibbles from earlier! “AAAAAAAAHEEHEEHEEHEEHAHAHAAAAAA!! NO!! NO—AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAA!! THIHIHIS IS SOHOHO MUCH WOHOHOHOHORSE!! AAAAAAAAHHH!!”

“Good! Maybe this’ll teach you not to be sassy to your parents!” Tom spoke against the soft tummy again.

“B-BUHUT I WAHASN’T EHEEHEEHEEHEVEN BEING SASSY!! AAAAAAAHHH!! NAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAO!!” Sonic’s protests were interrupted as another fat raspberry was blown to the center of his belly. “O-OKAHAHAY!! OKAY!! I’M SAHAHAHAHARRY!! I’LL GO TO BEHEHEHED NOW!!” He meant it; he could feel his quills starting to spark and he was starting to lose it. Plus, he didn’t want to accidentally cause a power outage if his quills continued to spark.

“You promise?” he heard Tom and Maddie ask.

He nodded frantically. “YES, YEHEHEHEHES!! PROMIHIHIHISE!!”

The couple finally ceased and released him. Sonic lay limply on his bed, panting while trying to rub away the aftershock tingles from his stomach. “That…you…you guys…are so mean..!” Tom and Maddie laughed, affectionately rubbing his ears and head.

“Well, now you know what happens when you refuse to go to bed,” shrugged Tom.

“And when you get sassy with your words,” Maddie added, booping Sonic on the nose.

Sonic sheepishly smiled. “Okay, I guess I did walk into that one. Sorry for sassing, I think it was the sugar rush.”

Maddie gave him more pets to the head. “Now do you see why we don’t want you to have sweets before bed? It’s for your own good. So you can avoid dealing with the Tickle Monsters as a result.” She playfully tased his side one last time for emphasis.

Sonic arched away with a cute squeak. “EEEP! Okay, okay! I get it! No more! Just…please stop calling yourselves that.” With one final pet to the head, Sonic yawned as his ears drooped.

“Ready for bed?”

He sleepily nodded. “Mm-hmmm…”

Maddie carefully slipped off his sneakers while Tom snugly tucked him in. Sonic was out like a light after that. Smiling, the couple each took a turn giving Sonic a good night kiss to his forehead. Their hearts swooned as they saw the little hedgehog smile in his sleep at the affectionate gesture.

“See? What did I tell you?” Maddie whispered to her husband. “A visit from the Tickle Monster works every time.”

THE END <3

[obsessedhoneycomb]

Family

George Russell x fem!reader

Summary: While you thought you're about to spend your perfect anniversary night with your boyfriend, life reminds you otherwise.

Warnings: sadness, depressive thoughts, infertility, pregnancy, endometriosis

Word count: 1k

A/N: What can I even say.. I've been at the doctor's today, for check up after my surgery, which was a year ago and I got confirmed that my endometriosis is growing back. Not that I wouldn't know, because I know my body, but being said the facts out loud is hard. I spent my afternoon crying, curled on the couch, questioning myself in case of being able to have a child one day. To get myself out of the misery, I wrote this, because I would like to have someone to come home to me and hold me in his arms, just giving me the support through all this shit. I already wrote a few pieces endometriosis related, so if you want, check it out too. Love you all. <3

---

It was meant to be a perfect day, you had plans to cook some dinner and also had some spicy things in your mind for the night.

Getting through your doctors appointments was something you got used to in the last year, after you had a surgery for your endometriosis. You felt something was off for a few months, your cramps crawling, stabbing you in the back again, those flares being harsh to the point you couldn't even sit. But you held your optimism, trying not to scare George, because worrying him while he was at his prime perfomance during the season wasn't on the list.

Today was meant to be special because you had a two years anniversary.

"Can you see these lesions here? It's back again, I'm sorry."

The words you somehow expected, but didn’t want to hear. The same spiral of pain, hormone shots, nausea and... infertility.

Yeah, you discussed it with George, because everything seems so easy to talk about with him, the idea of having kids.

It gutted you deeply, that you might not be able to give him a child.

As you got home, the space was quiet, only the soft humming of aircondition was heard, making your heart clench, that he's not even there to embrace your mess, even though it's not his fault. George was meant to be home in the evening, but you had a message in your voicemail, that he can’t get home in time, because of the delayed flight. Okay, he'll be here in the morning.

But your sadness and depresive thoughts will be with you through the night. Torturing your mind, getting the best of you, making you feel worthless and weak.

---

"Baby...?"

The faint sound of the deep voice woke you from the nap. You cried yourself to sleep in the living room, still wearing your clothes you went to the doctors in. The coat scattered on the ground next to the couch, your shoes kicked in the hallway, tissues to which you drowned your tears everywhere around you.

George knew something happened, it tugged at his heartstrings, when he saw you like this. Sad, messy and depressed.

You groaned a little, disoriented, while he sat beside you, his gaze locked on your face.

"What happened?"

Softly, he took your hand into his, brushing over your knuckles, the warmth of his skin seeping into yours.

Then it hit you again. "It's back again, I'm sorry."

Tears burning in your eyes, you avert them to the side, not able to look into his beautiful ocean blue eyes.

"Hey, love... Don't do this. I know, that something is wrong, but don't try to avoid me, I'm here for you, remember?"

The flicker of hope, that you’re not that worthless went through your mind, your gaze finally locking on his, pouring all your hurt into the pool of his positivity.

"I was at the doctor's today."

Oh no. There's was only one thing that was able to get this reaction out of you.

"How bad is it?"

His hand wander slowly to your cheek, brushing a thumb over it.

"It's not worse than last time, but still... It's there. Again. For fucks sake, again. I hate it so much. I hate myself."

The breaking point, your emotions flew out, your voice cracking and your tears staining your cheeks, your eyes red even more than before.

George pulled you closer to him, letting you lean against him, as you buried your face in the crook of his neck. The scent of him mixed with his cologne was enough to calm you down a little bit. He was your safe haven.

"Shhh... It's okay, just- just let it out. Be angry, scream and cry. Don't hold it in your mind. I'm here to hold you, to pick up your shattered pieces." his voice was soothing lullaby, when your cries got louder and more desperate. Brushing his fingers through your hair, he pressed the kiss on your temple, rocking you as his arms were wrapped around you tightly.

"I might not be able to have a child, George." you choked out between your sobs, and he looked down at your face with frown.

"Is that the thing that concern you the most?"

"Obviously. What a woman I am, to not give her man a child."

George felt partly offended by your words, but he kept his composure, because he was used to your hateful comments towards yourself, even, for the most of the time, you were a hell of a confident woman, loving yourself.

"Don't talk like this, please. You're much more than a baby machine." he tried to be funny and.. it worked. You smiled through your tears. He reached for your cheek, wiping off your emotions, smiling a little.

"You can't lose hope just like that. We can be lucky, you know. We just have to try, be patient and somewhere along the way, we're gonna be blessed. I don't care if it's gonna be in a month or in years. I'll be there for you along the way. As I always am. And even though we don't get lucky, I'm lucky to have you. And that's all that matters in my life, because you're my family."

And as ever, he managed to give you peace, calming warmth flooded your soul, making you sure in that George is the one.

---

Watching the screen of the ultrasound machine as you laid down on the examination table at your doctor’s, you couldn’t shake the excitement. George, holding your hand, standing beside you, was watching your expression, his chest fluttering at how happy you were.

"Ah, seems like you got very lucky." The doctor chuckled, pointing to the screen, showing two strong fetuses.

"What does it mean?" George asked first, clearly confused.

"That means that you're gonna have twins."

You nearly passed out while you gasped loudly.

"What?! Two of them?"

George only chuckled, kissing your forehead, nuzzling his nose to your hair, inhaling the scent of your shampoo.

"Guess we were pretty thorough with our trying." he whispered with teasing tone in his voice.

[arbitrarykiwi]

Dates with Nam-Gyu

a drabble about what dates w/ Nam-Gyu would be like

Warnings: weed / smoking weed mentioned otherwise sfw

A/N: I literally can’t get this man out of my head yall…it’s BAYYDDDDD. Im sorry to those of yall who are wanting the next part of the smut fic I promise im still hard at work on the 3rd/last part of Third Times a Charm but just took a lil break to just rant about my love <3

Dates with Nam-Gyu are spur of the moment. Coming out of no where but are always an adventure. As sporadic as they seem, they’re always strangely thought out.

It’s like he knows you inside out. Like you’re a book he’s read front to back more times than he can count. You’re sure he knows things about you that you’ve long since forgotten about. That one drink you loved from that one pop up six months ago? Yeah you couldn’t even remember the name of it now but he somehow knows the ingredients and gathers them to make it again for you at home randomly.

The dates come out of nowhere and are surprisingly almost always his idea.

You guys are walking home from picking up his work check and see a new aquarium open? He’s immediately pulling you across the street by the wrist, taking you the entire wrong way from where you need to be to go home to pull you into the aquarium and navigate it strategically to find your favorite sea creature.

You mention a new flower shop that opened in town your friend told you about while you guys are pulling up to the plugs house to get some weed? He’s skipping the road you turn down to get home to drive to the shop, pull into shops parking lot and take you inside so you can pick out whatever flowers you want.

You look a little too long at the beach while your guys are walking home from dinner in the middle of the night? He’s throwing you over his shoulder and running down the wooden steps to the beach. The smile on his face widening as you giggle and pound your fists on his back. When you get put down you quickly kick off your shoes to sink your feet into the sand- you’re immediately pushing at his chest with a yell of ‘you’re it!’ before sprinting off down the beach. He darts after you with a loud laugh. You think you guys were on that beach for three hours before you went home.

You look a little too bored by the TV show you guys are watching on a rainy night? He’s pulling you up off the couch with a laugh and tugging you out the apartment door into the raining outdoors to splash in the puddles and twirl you around in the rain. He also makes sure to snap pictures of you as you dance around the empty streets, loving the candid pictures he gets of you the most.

He really does adore you. Looks at you like you hung the moon!! He has a note in his phone about everything about you. Anything you like, all your favorites, your birthday- including the time you were born, all special dates involving your relationship- he’s devoted.

As for planned dates- they’re always on dates that mean something in your relationship. And they are ALWAYS perfect. He honestly tries so hard that he overdoes himself sometimes, getting anxious that you won’t like it and spilling the surprise days before it happens because he’s worried he did something wrong and you wouldn’t like it- you never hate it though. It’s always more than you could have asked for.

6 month anniversary? He takes you out of town to a place that he saw you like multiple times on instagram. A cute air bnb out in the woods with a private infinity pool that over looked the mountains. He even got there a day earlier to set up flowers on the dining table surrounded by various gifts he got you, including a stuffed animal he saw you pick up multiple times at the mall weeks ago and never bought because you talked yourself out of it.

Anniversary of the first time you guys hung out and smoked together? He sets up the house before you come back from errands, TV set on the old show you guys watched then, he somehow found the old ass rolling tray you used years ago and set it up on the table with the same snacks you guys ate that day and the weed he bought just for this occasion. You genuinely didn’t even know what the occasion was until he told you- and it damn near had you sobbing at how cute he was.

1 year anniversary? Fuck he’s going all out. He’s planning a trip that lasts a week that starts the day far y’all’s anniversary. The day of, he’s taking you shopping telling you to pick out a new outfit for dinner- dress, shoes, jewelry, makeup everything. He’s buying it for you. Even stupid little plushies you find cute along the way, he’s telling you to pick it up so he can get it for you. He takes you to a fancy restaurant you talked about wanting to try, full course five star meal. He gifts you a necklace at dinner, one that you have been talking about- one you never asked him to buy because it’s so expensive, even going the extra mile to get a small ‘N’ engraved on the back. When you go on the trip the next day you find you’re flying first class- he really loves spoiling you.

[elcor-thespian]

YES I get to talk about my character's names.

Nephele Mercar (my canon Rook): So I unintentionally made protagonists for the first three games that I strongly associate with an element. My Warden, Ilayna, is a fire mage, my Hawke is very Water sign coded and loves the sea, and my Inquisitor, Terrwyn, is Dalish and very connected to the earth. Once I realized that (Maybe like 6 months ago?) I knew I had to make my protagonist for this game Air themed. So I picked a name before I knew anything about the game, and I can't believe that we have a companion named Neve, which sounds so similar to Neph. I also named my Hawke Seraphina and then when DAI came out....I'm just saying if I had a nickel for every time DA introduced a companion with a name that sounded like a shortened version of my character's name, I'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

Nephele means "cloud" and in Greek mythology she was a nymph made from a cloud and was the mother of the centaurs, and is also connected to the Golden Fleece.

Names for my other DATV characters under the cut:

Nasreen "Raven" Aldwir: Each of my characters has a different bird code name given to them by Varric. They are all present at the Lighthouse, but Nephele is the protagonist.

Nasreen is a Persian name that means "wild rose". I really wanted something with a nature connection, and something that maybe hinted at something a little darker/edgier. I also just love this name and I think it's pretty.

Aleksei "Magpie" Laidir: means "protector of man". I gotta be honest, I don't remember why I chose this. I often have a harder time choosing male names. I also didn't have the firmest grasp on who his character was going to be at the time. If I were to name him now I probably wouldn't pick this, but now I'm very attached to it and I feel like it fits him perfectly (Although again, it's close to Elek and IF I HAD A NICKEL)

Brenna "Kestrel" Thorne: Brenna is a name I've liked for a while and wanted to use, and for a bit it was going to be my dwarf character's name. Depending on where you look, it might mean "high hill", "princess", "strength", "dark hair" or "burn". I feel like if you mixed all these ideas in to a soup, you would come out with my character.

Elspeth "Crow" de Riva: This was the DATV OC that I named last. Elspeth is the Scottish form of Elizabeth and means "chosen by God". Again, I do not remember why I landed on this. It's not Italian or Spanish. I don't think Elspeth is fully Antivan, and she had this name when she got to the orphanage. I think some people just call them "El", since it's easier to say in an Antivan accent. Elspeth is non-binary and they don't love their name because it's pretty feminine, but they also don't have a strong idea of what they would change it to. I kind of like that their name is at odds with the type of person they are.

Konstantin "Wren" Ingellvar: Russian name meaning "constant or everlasting". I wanted something German/Slavic/Russian, and this was the name I liked the best. I also think that the meaning works for him. He's not the biggest fan of his code name, and to be honest neither am I. But I'm in too deep now.

Paloma "Dove": Paloma literally means "dove". Paloma is my ex-Saarebas character, and so they chose their name. There wasn't a ton of thought behind it. She does a lot of people watching, and she heard a mother calling for her daughter, Paloma, in the market one day. She liked the sound of it, and she wanted a name that wouldn't stand out too much in Minrathous and she had no concept of what a normal name would be. She practiced saying it over and over and decided she could live with it.

It’s Monday Morning 👎👎👎🚫🚫

It’s the Rook Introduction Hour ! 🥳🥳🎊🎊🙌

For new people, it works like this: I ask you about your Rook, and if you want you can rb and answer, and then I’ll rb it back here and comment a bit !

I really made you all work last week, so let’s do something easier: What is the significance of your Rook’s (first) name? Who gave it to them— did they pick it themselves? Do they have any nicknames (besides Rook)? Who gave those to them? Do they like their name?

Feel free to answer as much/little as you like!

[ravennaortiz]

The Elevator Chronicles: Juices Story.

Summary: What happens when you get trapped on an elevator with your hot neighbor? As always 18+

You had just stepped into the elevator after a day of shopping when you heard a male voice call to hold it. Normally you would have ignored it but you had recognized the voice of your hot neighbor across the hall. Your heart raced as he jogged into view as you held the door. You had had a crush on him since you moved in almost a year ago. The two of you had gotten close and he had invited you to a couple of the parties his motorcycle club threw on Fridays.

“Thanks” he said as the door shut. Shooting you his signature smile as he leaned against the wall of the elevator.

Before you could respond the lights went off and the elevator jerked making you pitch forward into him. Your bags falling from your hands as you tried to steady yourself.

“You okay?” asked Juice as he easily caught you his arms hugging you close a bit longer than he needed.

“Yeah” you replied glad the lights were off to hide your embarrassment as you realized your hands were gripping the front of his shirt, effectively groping him before you stepped back. “What happened?” you inquired as your eyes started to adjust to the dark.

“I’m guessing this old elevator finally bit the dust” replied Juice with a chuckle as he stepped around you to push the buttons on the panel. The elevator sounds had been a running joke the last few months and it had begun to get slower it seemed. The whole building was wondering when it would finally go out as the landlord refused to look into it.

“Ughhh, please don’t tell me we are trapped” you replied as panic started to tickle your brain.

“Jeez, tell me how you really feel about your current company” teased Juice as he pushed the emergency call button.

“It’s not you. It’s me” you rushed giving yourself a smack to the forehead mentally for saying something so stupid.

“I know. I’m only teasing you” replied Juice as a dial tone filled the elevator. “I know you hate enclosed spaces. We will be fine though okay?” he soothed as he grabbed your hand in the dark and squeezed gently.

“Think we might be here a bit” stated Juice after a few minutes of just the dial tone playing. “Might as well get comfy” he added as he slid down the wall to the floor. Gently pulling you with him. ”Hungry? I got tacos with chips and queso from that hole in the wall down the street.” He offered as he rummaged around for his bags.

You laughed as you scooted closer to him. “Yeah. I hate to take your dinner though”

“Don’t worry about it. You can just take me for dinner tomorrow” replied Juice as he divided up the food.

“You drive a hard bargain Juice. But deal I’ll take you to dinner if you let me ride on the bike” you replied as you took your food.

“Damn is it that easy to get a woman on your bike? Just offer her food while trapped on an elevator?” he teased making you laugh.

By the time you two had finished eating you were feeling more relaxed. A woman had come over the phone and stated it would be a few hours but that they were aware of them being trapped. So that had helped also.

You were leaning your head against Juices shoulder eyes closed when he spoke.

“So I got dinner. What did you get?” he asked as he nudged your bags with the toe of his boots.

Grabbing the bags you started pulling stuff out as you spoke. “Pair of heels, clothes, some lip balm and a-“ you started before stopping abruptly as the box of condoms came into sight. Your face heated as you tried to move on but Juice picked up on your nervousness.

“Ohhhh do we got something naughty in the bag?” he teased as he pretended to grab the bag. Laughing as you smacked his hand away.

“What is it?” he continued as you two wrestled around on the floor as he tickled your sides.

“Okay okay” you conceded as you laughed and held the bag to him.

“Oh what luck these are my size” he said with a straight face as he shook the box of condoms in the air and winked at you.

You rolled your eyes as you began to put your stuff back in the bags.

“So tell me about him” stated Juice as he leaned back against the wall watching you.

“About who?” you asked frowning as you looked at him

“Your guy that you got the condoms for” replied Juice with a laugh.

“Oh…im not dating anyone…..its just in case….when out….ya know?” you muttered as you moved to grab the box from him. Looking up at him when his grip didn’t loosen.

“I see…. Maybe you want dessert then?” inquired Juice quietly as he pulled the box from you and opened it. “Cause I could do dessert” he added as he pulled a condom out.

“Dessert would be great” you replied as you nodded.

A few minutes later you were both naked. Hands and mouths roaming each others bodies as you straddled his lap. Bouncing on his thick cock. Moaning and groaning as he sucked and nipped at your nipples. His fingers gripping your ass, occasionally delivering a firm smack that had you crying his name out.

“Wanted to do this for so long” he groaned as he pulled from your chest and nipped up your neck before latching onto your mouth. Swallowing your moans down his throat as he started to thrust up into you. He grunted as your body clamped down around him as you came, nails digging into his shoulders. His thrusts became erratic before finally slamming into you one more time as he came.

Just as you were catching your breaths the elevator started moving and lights came on. You both scrambled to get clothes on but not before Juice spoke.

“Don’t put too much on. I’m going to need a bit more not quite full” he stated as he grabbed your panties and tucked them in his kutte.

[alelathedragon]

Well ga damn. I hit the big one zero zero.... OVER A MR PUZZLES AU TUMBLR SEXYMAN COMPETITION

I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY

FUCKING WHEEEEEEEEEZE god i dont even know what to say that i havent already said at this point, the small community of Mr.Puzzles lovers is so fucking wholesome and funny, ive made lots of friends. Made new mutuals. Being involved in so many things whether it be simple Answers to my asks, character interactions, drawing war.

Im going to give a quick shout out to my best friends :3

@kizzorelli my wife/playtonic one of the best things to happen to me period. Silly rodent whos art speed is concerning but amazing

@thecourtofinfestation EEEEEEVIL BEST FRIEND literally so awesome, ANOTHER best thing to happen to me in my life period. We're in sync on another level

@mothfoxwastaken bug woman. Zeroist funny person on the planet

@mpc07-foundtheinternet ramble more MORE. I love your ideas and playing with ya!

@infundi360 wife again/playtonic another best thing to happen to me in my life period. Literally how are we friends ur so pog

@your4thwallbreaker i just met you like a month ago but if anything happened to you i would kill everyone on this app and then myself. Youre super cool and i went on a rattle about that but fuck you get rattled again bc my heart is too large

@thestuffiesheadquarters you have wormed yourself into my life and i am attached to you by the hip/playtonic. Silly goober i enjoy holding in my palm

@liliththequeenofdemon you also speedran yourself into my life broda, youre really funny. Silly, and i enjoy your company :3

@alex-dolmatescu2-0 GET OVER HERE MY FELLOW SOCIALLY AWKWARD PLUSHIE!!! I wuv ya and your funnies. Youve been sweet to talk with and also just a large help with the sexyman poll i cant thank u enough like goddamn

My new mutuals!!! HIHIHI!!!

@the-masked-astro

How the FUCK do you keep track of all your characters and give them all the screen time they deserve you absolute MADMAN/pos. I always admired your artwork - but i have the funny ADHD so everytime i liked one of your posts or reblogged them... And MEANT to follow you.... I got sidetracked immediately 😅 BUT I FIXED THAT NOW!!! literally youre a god of some assortment for being able to give all your fellas screentime and awesome writing. SMG4 wishes he could do that

@michealscorneroftheinternet

Youre TEHCNICALLY my mutual now!! Following my holiday smg4 account that ive been working on slowly. And like i think you deserve to be shouted out anyways. Me when i look at your posts for literally 20 minutes picking out the smallest details and thinking about them. Me when im constantly looking forward to the next drop and all the nitpicks i get to do, it's like a gift basket to my eyes i love biting onto your content with my jagged teeth and ripping it to shreds. Even though ive never commented on your Change In Script. Know that im looking at it a normal amount and thinking about it on the regular. Same for The Fallen one you and Dorro are making. Im happy to see them here for Change in Script!!

@theclosetcreature

I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH YOUR ART TICKLES MY BONES. the way you DRAW GAW DAMN. It's so crunchy and delightfully pleasing to my soul. I have to restrain myself my reblogging every single damn post you've ever made period. Going through your entire blog and reblogging every single one type of deal lol. Ur chill. Happy to have you :3

@fenicearts420

DRAGONNNNNNS DRAGON DRAGON DRAGON DRAGON DRAAAAAAGOOOON

Ive expressed how much i love your HTTYD content BUT FUCK YOU WERE DOING IT AGAIN

THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND SKILL IN YOUR HTTYD ARTS BLOW MY MIND, MAKE ME KICK MY FEET, GIGGLE, RUN AROUND THE ROOM, CRY AND GIGGLE AGAIN

YOU SHOULD BE A HTTYD CONCEPT ARTIST SAVE THE SERIES. S A V E IT FROM LIVE ACTION HELL PLEAAAAAASE *cough* ahem

Your self ship dynamic is very silly and wholesome at the same time. Critter and sophisticated man dynamic my beloved. You're charming and i like seeing the tags you put in your reblogs.

I feel like im missing someone so i might come back and edit this later

Oh yeah and btw im going to be a stinky fucky little cheater and just say the tumblrsexyman competition is my 100 follower special 👊✌️👉👉👉 suck it /silly

[tribalauthor]

THE WISEWOMAN (roman reigns ff) <chapter 6>

word count: 2.5k

Sophia's POV:

Heat was roaming over my whole body as I was sitting on Roman's lap, body to body or more precisely clothes to clothes.

Mouth to mouth.

We were having a heated makeout session with slow and sloppy kisses and some little moans coming out of us.

I could feel his not so short beard tickling my whole face. Unfamiliar sensation for me since I have never made out with a too bearded guy. I could also feel his huge hands on my butt and squeezing it.

We stopped for a bit to take a breath and stare at each other. The spark of lust in his deep brown eyes let me know what he wants.

However, it's not the time or place.

"I think we must stop." I spoke through my heavy breaths.

I abruptly opened my eyes and slightly lifted my head.

What dream did I just have?

I swear this didn't happen in real life.

Me and Roman just drank ONE glass of wine then we took a nap, we got in New York and he drove me home. That's it.

I checked the time on my phone and it's almost noon.

I got home really late or must I say early - around 5am.

After I did my morning routine I put on some gray sweatpants and dark blue blouse, ready to drink my coffee and do some pilates.

Maybe talk to mom if she is here. I know it's Saturday but being a surgeon is very, very demanding job and you have to be available 24/7.

It has been like this since I remember myself.

Couldn't spend too much time with my mom, so basically my dad raised me...until he died 9 years ago.

Although it has been almost a decade, you can never get over the pain of losing a parent especially when he was so close to you.

During my college years uncle was the one who supported me to pursue my dreams. He even helped me a lot with the studies and everything.

I learned a lot from him.

I remember ever since I was a kid my dad always told me that I resemble uncle in so many ways. He even said it's like I'm uncle's daugher and not his.

My dad was way different from uncle though. While uncle has this formal, practical persona and so on, my dad was more of like a free spirit.

He was changing jobs constantly. Couldn't really keep himself in one place. I remember him and mom always argued. He just didn't like the idea of mom bringing more money at home than him. That fact was crushing him every single day until he decided to overdose and end it all.

It's kind of stupid, if you think about it, ain't it?

He could have just asked for a divorce and still be here with us but I know dad loved mom with his whole heart although mom is a very, very difficult woman.

Perfectionist at its finest, unemotional, smart.

I mean she needs these qualities for her job, I know that but I admit she is not easy. I also admit that I inherited a lot from her and it's not just the looks.

As I went downstairs to make myself some coffee I heard some voices chattering.

Oh God, did she invite somebody?

When I got in the living room, I saw my mother drinking coffee and eating with my two best friends from college - Tina and Cleo.

My two beautiful, 10/10 best friends who've been by my side since first year of college.

Tina is a long haired brunette woman with light brown eyes, skinny body and the most beautiful smile in the world and I mean it. A literal angel came from heaven and she got married a few months ago to a very good man.

He is meant just for her.

Cleo is a curly girl with light brown skin and hazel eyes. Body is tea, fashion sense too and she got engaged last month. Therefore we shall expect a wedding soon.

"Somebody forgot she invited guests over the weekend." mom scolded me.

I put my hand on my temple.

"I'm so sorry, girls." I said as I went to the table and hugged them.

"It's okay, Soph. You are a busy Wise Woman." Cleo teased me and I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Oh me and Noah watched Smackdown last night. He is a big fan of the show and suddenly I am too." Tina chuckled and I slightly wrinkled my lips.

"Me and Jeremiah too. He is crazy for WWE." I scratched my neck. "You were amazing, girl. Best thing of the night and I'm not biased."

"Thank you." I batted my eyelids and looked at mother.

"I took a few glimpses. Sometimes I think you came out of your uncle, not from me." she stated and shook her head. However, she didn't quite use a cold tone, it was rather proud in a way. Judging by her expression, she is lowkey proud.

"That guy Roman is something else though. I made a comment how hot he is and Jer...just agreed." my jaw fell on the floor. "He is his favorite."

"Oh my God." I put my hand on my mouth and headed to the coffee machine in the kitchen box.

"A normal man would feel jealous but he said 'yeah, I know' and continued watching." Cleo still seemed in disbelief but so am I.

"Noah likes Cody more but he made an interesting statement." Tina hinted something and I turned on the machine while being all in ears. "He said that Roman and Sophia look cute together."

"He said what?" I turned around immediately in shock.

"He said that he envisions a deeper storyline with you two." she added and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Storyline as in the show or storyline out of the show?" my mom asked in case she didn't understand.

"I think he meant in the show but who knows." Tina replied as I grabbed the ready coffee and went to them.

"So what's going on with yall?" I finally sat on the table.

Roman's POV:

Right now I am training with Jon and Josh in my home gym. Whenever we can, we train together. We have always been together.

Especially with the twins. We've been like triplets our whole lives. They are my closest family and friends that I have, to be honest.

We literally grew up together ever and have been through so much long before WWE.

"Uce, that Paul niece...goddamn." Josh started speaking while lifting his weights. "Seems like a big gem."

"Yeah, she completely nailed it last night." I agreed.

"And you want to nail her, don't you, Joe?" Jon just put me in the hot chair.

"What?" his younger twin furrowed his eyebrows. "Uce..."

"My plans are long-term." this is what I decided to reply.

Josh seemed really confused as hell.

"She is Paul's niece and probably around 20 years younger than you...and us." he stated and I rolled my eyes.

"Twelve years." I corrected him.

The twins exchanged looks. Josh was confused and Jon had confirming look.

"These two didn't shut up the whole ride. Me and Yoko had to move to the bedrooms." Jon pointed at me.

"Well, good luck with making a young woman like her fall for you." Josh managed to say and giving me that look of judgement.

"It's like yall don't know me." I was actually disappointed. "I can and I will get her." I declared. Damn. 'Believe that' almost came out of my mouth.

"Well, you better start working cause it seems like she has a lot of admirers and now that she got into the business, they will become even more." the elder twin advised me and I just flashed a smirk, looking down.

"Mission already started." I uttered.

Sophia's POV:

"We are in a process of wedding planning." Cleo said and my jaw dropped.

"Already?! I thought yall weren't gonna rush." I exclaimed.

"We thought that too but we tend to talk about it a lot so me and Jer actually started thinking of concepts." my friend had that amazing glow of a freshly engaged woman and the excitement rush of planning a wedding.

I am really happy that they found the right guys for them. Sometimes I can't help but wonder when I will find mine.

The door bell cut off Cleo's storytime.

Mom got up saying that she will check who it might be.

"As of now we are thinking about a small spring wedding, like a garden party with lots of flowers." me and Tina nodded in agreement, liking the idea.

I suddenly saw my mom going into the room carrying a bouquet with a white wrapping and red flowers.

They looked kinda like lilium but I'm not quite sure.

"These ones seem like a great idea." she got into the conversation and my friends also turned to her, shocked at the view.

"Does my mom have a secret admirer?" I cocked my eyebrow and smirked. I mean she is a pretty attractive woman and she has always been but her next man has to be a billionaire or something.

"They are for you actually." she replied and handed me the bouquet.

The flowers were red on the outside and white on the inside. Insanely pretty and smell amazing, too.

Oh my God.

I saw there was a not so little card in it and it was written 'for Sophia'.

"The WWE men started with the wooing." Tina commented.

"Can you read it aloud? Please." Cleo begged.

"My dear Wise Woman. Seeing you last night trying to read "Goddesses in every woman" (I didn't quite leave you but it still made me think) evoked a thought in my head which goddess hides in you. My first thought was Aphrodite but then I realized you are actually Athena - the goddess of wisdom. I also did a research about her that she is portrayed as a companion of heroes (me in the case). I also checked out that the Roman equation of Athena is Minerva and the flowers you see in this bouquet are Amaryllis 'Minerva' symbolising determination and strength. Also, they kinda look like you ;)

Sincerely from Your Tribal Chief"

I rested my back on the chair trying to process everything I just read right now.

My friends had the same reaction and I swear I could see surprise in mom's face too.

"Holy, these old school men don't play." Cleo grabbed her curly hair. "How many times have you two met?"

"Just two. Last night and when I was hired." I replied.

"Olivia, I think you have a son in law in the way." Tina warned mom.

"Let's see how long he is gonna keep this energy. He is an athlete after all." mom shrugged it off.

"A hella romantic one, though. Goddamn." Cleo swore once again. "Old school men really don't play. This is exactly how you do it."

I bit my lips trying to hide the big grin that would stick on my mouth.

This is romantic, indeed adding the fact that I have always associated myself with Athena and Roman has no idea. He was just thinking about this.

"What are you waiting for? Call Roman and thank him." Tina scolded me.

"Right." I mumbled and took my phone then left the table, so I could talk in private.

He gave me his number the day we met, so we have our contacts.

I dialed his number and I felt my heart pounding fast in my chest.

I am still feel the adrenaline in my blood. This is literally the sweetest thing a man has ever done for me.

"Hey." I heard his bass-deep voice that could drive any woman crazy and I am no different.

"Hi, Roman." I replied with my soft feminine voice.

"I received your present." I continued talking and bit my lip. "Thank you so much for the gesture and especially the astonishingly detailed card." I chuckled slightly. "You just left me speechless really." I spoke frankly.

I heard his deep chuckle.

"I am a man of detail, sweetheart. Remember that." he spoke in a matter-of-fact tone and I almost fell to the ground.

A detailed man? Oh my God. Literally my dream.

"I love the flowers too." I added. "Thank you so much once again. Can't spell romantic without Roman." I giggled at the realization I just had and I heard him laughing.

"You said it alone."

"You are welcome, Soph. I am capable of even more but you are gonna see in the future." I swear to God he would wink at me if we were face to face right now.

"Can't wait." I bit my lips.

"By the way, what are your plans for today?" he changed the topic.

"I am hanging out with my friends now then I will work out and then I don't know. What about you?" I literally have no plans for later.

"Well how about we go out tonight?" he asked me.

"Hmm...where?" I replied with a question. I know I shouldn't agree immediately.

"Somewhere nice." I hate him. Why doesn't he tell me the specific place? Did he think about it or he is as of now.

"Okay." I said after a few seconds.

"Great. Be ready at 7. I'm gonna pick you up." Roman said with a note of command which I cannot help but find hot in a way unless he crosses the line.

"See ya." I said and hung up.

Okay, what should I wear?

"Definitely not that" Cleo said with judging tone after I showed them an option from my wardrobe.

"I think you should stop with your snobbish business outfits and pull something out of the slut wardrobe." Tina advised me and started roaming into the clothes in my big wardrobe.

"Something with big cleavage." Cleo gave her clues and she pulled out a very, very short red dress that I have which is more for the club.

"Girls, I am dealing with the face of sports entertainment. He is taking me to a dinner at a very expensive restaurant, most likely and not the local pub, okay?" I tried to explain them the deal since they don't seem to understand.

"Plus, he is an elder man, not one of our peers." I added.

"True." Tina agreed. "Then something classy" she started looking around again.

"And still revealing but noy so much." Cleo yelled after her. "Revealing cleavage but not so short."

"I think I found the one." Tina announced as she pulled out a hanger with black sleevless dress and a black little fur collar.

I put it on me to see where is the length and it's a bit below the knees which makes it perfect, in my opinion.

"Oh my. I completely forgot about this set." I gasped.

"It's even still with the tag on it." Tina almost facepalmed.

"Some black heels and pretty necklace and you are ready, sweetie." Cleo said.

"Plus your signature hair volume and natural curls." Tina made a chef's kiss. "Make him weak."

"He is a professional athlete. There is nothing weak about him." I slapped them with logic once again.

"Okay but he is still a man. Make him nervous." Cleo said in one of these villian-like daring tone.

I licked my lips.

"We'll see." I just said.

[eightmakesonebraincell]

i've only been on atinyblr for a little under two years but it has been long enough to see many of the writers that used to be active with me start to deactive or go on indefinite hiatus' one by one. just a month ago i had joked to yumi that writers were starting to drop like flies, but it feels like in the past week or two, that is really what has started to happen. there has been a sudden increase in writers leaving and as a fellow writer, it is one of the most saddening things to see because that could be any of us the next day

as writers, we write for ourselves but above all, we write and post for readers. without feedback, there is no point uploading content because what difference would it make than to just keep them hidden in our google docs instead? absolutely none. please consider leaving feedback when you read somebody's fic, especially if you are the type to discover a wonderful writer and then proceed to spend the next few hours/days going through their entire masterlist. if you enjoy an author's fics enough to devour what is months and years of  hard work, please take an extra bit of time to show your appreciation. the comment, reblog or ask that you send may not even equate to 1% of the amount of time that was lovingly dedicated to that piece of work(s) you have just read

i'm also going to be honest and admit that i went through a period of time where i deliberately added smut to my works just for reach. most namely when i was writing 'ateez as royals', i strategically started hongjoong and san's au's with smut that would be visible before the keep reading cut specifically for the purpose of (quote unquote what i said to yumi) catfishing readers into giving my fic a go. it's a sad mentality, but one that is very real for many writers because there is such a stark disparity in popularity and engagement between smut and non-smut works

obviously everybody has their preferred cups of teas when it comes to reading fics. the writers of a fandom are a wonderful representation of how many different types of teas are  offered. let's show our support and love to more types of tea–not just by liking but by reblogging, leaving a comment or sending an anon ask–to help keep the fandom and its variety alive <3

to a dying? atinyblr

i don't usually speak about these things, but a lot of blogs (amazing writers) are leaving this platform or taking time off bc of lack of engagement which serves as a big demotivating factor. especially and specifically in this atiny fandom, some things have come to my attention and i just want all readers and writers to take a look at this post and refresh some reading and writing etiquettes, as well as revive the essence of being a part of this fandom.

feedback:

i understand that there are a lot of silent readers on here, but since tumblr is dying and our fandom is not very huge, the least you can do to show the writers some support is like the post. 

which brings me to the point that the like function didn't even exist in the past. this site still runs on reblogs. as readers, to show your favourite writers some semblance of support, you should be reblogging with tags. a simple ‘#ateez x reader’ or ‘#ateez fics’ is enough. it's literally not asking for much– reblogs are the only way writers can get reach.

if you cannot do that bc of your blog's aesthetic or whatever, side blogs exist. if you still cannot do that, a simple anon ask appreciating the writer sometimes saves them.

also, what has happened to the quality of reblogs? readers consume years of writers’ work and efforts in mere hours and don’t even leave any feedback? art in general in all forms is very underappreciated and with all sorts of problems like plagiarism, ai writing and everything, true art and writing is dying and needs to be appreciated now more than ever. we’re literally the last generation witnessing ai take over in all fields of arts. appreciate content creators before it’s too late, don’t be a content glutton!

updates and requests:

asking writers for updates when they specifically mention that they would prefer posting at their pace is wrong for so many reasons– we all have a real life. you, the reader, do too. just like you don't always have time to read, writers don't always have time to write. do you ever see the writers asking their readers 'why have you not read my latest chapter?' 

most of the times, writers mention in their bio/faq post or elsewhere that they do mind being asked about updates. respect your writers, please, and do a little scroll before you send such demanding asks (also, sugarcoating when asking for updates does not make it any better!)

if you are only asking about updates, it demotivates a lot of writers bc these same people will disappear when it is time for feedback. writing is a form of art. we can write, artists can paint, musicians can compose music, but all of it has no meaning unless it is shared with an audience and appreciated. readers are just as important as the writers but there is no way of knowing fics are valued unless feedback is given.

the same goes for requests. you can only send a request when the requests are open, which is usually mentioned in the writer’s bio/faq post. it’s literally not that hard to check if requests are open and it’s basic decency to not send a request when the writers specifically mention that requests are closed. when sending a request, please be courteous. a ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ are examples of being courteous when sending requests.

the fanfics in atinyblr:

i understand that you can read whatever you like, but why is it that in the atiny fandom, fics that do not contain smut hardly ever get attention? as a writer, i enjoy writing and reading smut, and while i am not specifically a smut blog, i have noticed how fics containing smut get far more reach than fics that do not contain smut– not just in my case, but other amazing writers as well. 

there are such amazing fictions in this fandom. all fics are crafted with dedication and care, yet stories without smut often get sidelined. writers are not able to express themselves in their writing freely anymore and they simply conform to a genre they know readers will consume, as they are forced to consider adding smut to their stories so they can get more reach in this fandom. i have heard accounts from a lot of writers who were inclined to add smut to an otherwise smut-free fic just for reach.

this is by no means hate to the smut writers. i am also not placing blame on them. smut drabbles have always been in this fandom, and there are amazing smut writers out there, doing their thing. it is the readers here who are failing the writers. readers are quick to talk about the lack of ‘good fics’ or ‘plot’ yet will not even bother searching for these works. there used to be a good balance and appreciation for all genres alike.

i know that smut is what's hot and trendy these days, and drabbles in general, no matter the genre, are easier to read when you want to take a short break. but there is such a lack of longfics in this fandom, especially as of lately, and as someone who has personally witnessed the ratio of longfics decrease exponentially, i felt the need to point this out. appreciate all writers! appreciate all genres! longfic writers need as much validation and encouragement as drabble writers, and vice versa! don't be too harsh on longfic writers for not pumping out fics at the same speed as shortfic writers.

and on that note, smut drabble writers experience a lack of quality feedback despite the high engagement, so readers, please don't hesitate to point out exactly what you liked about a fic, even if it's a short drabble! be kind to those writers, give them time to write and be kind when sending requests! they may post more often but they, too, have a life.

tags:

this is specifically for the people who will post a very normal picture of a member, no caption, but tag it something like #ateez smut, #ateez hard hours, #ateez x reader. and for the people who tag their asks with irrelevant tags– literally learn to tag your post properly, and stop crowding the wrong tags. you're just proving the point that if you don't tag a post with the smut tag or something similar, it won't get reach. if you've posted with a caption, that makes sense (though it still doesn't warrant some of the tags being used there).

as for writers, also learn to use your tags appropriately. fics that do not contain smut should not be tagged with smut related tags. believe in yourself. i get that there is the problem of reach but do not overcrowd tags with irrelevant material.

disclaimer:

this is by no means about me. if i cared about the notes, or lack thereof, i would have stopped writing a while ago. while it is challenging to be a writer here, especially as of lately, i still enjoy posting whatever i write no matter the genre or the word count. but it's a bit disappointing that my planned out fics get much less attention than a simple smut headcanons post that i wrote in the heat of the moment with my friend in literally a few hours as a joke (which has reached almost 10k notes btw in a span of 2 years). sure, it has exposed my blog to new readers but that's about it.

this post is for all the amazing writers who have left, are thinking of leaving, or are struggling to voice these problems because they are afraid of being marked as 'problematic' or a 'hater' or something worse. i am not afraid to voice my opinion on here, and if you think that i am wrong, feel free to interact with this post and correct me because i am not claiming that i am right about this.

these are just the observations i have made as someone who has been actively writing on this platform for about 4 years now, and since i have a decent number of followers, i hope this post gets more reach. do not be afraid to reblog this if you agree, and even if you do not, reblog this so someone else gets educated. i may have missed some points so feel free to add if you want too.

[just-j916]

The Guilt of a Gunshot

This is inspired by this post from @ideasarestuckinmyhead! : read here!

This is also my first fanfic that has been sitting in my drafts for about a month now—so enjoy!

Word count: 1467

The silence after the shot was eerie; so eerie that it almost hurt. Sugarboo slowly lowering their arm that held the gun as the adrenaline had started to wear off.

They felt like they could scream, cry, do something, anything to prove that they felt something after shooting Derek. But… no. They couldn’t. Not after what they did. They knew what they were getting themselves into. They… asked for this. They did this for their boys. Even though they might not forgive them for what they had done.

Before they walked to the door, Sugarboo looked at Derek’s lifeless body, emotionless. No remorse. No mercy. Just blank.

Upon opening the door, to their confusion, there seemed to be nobody in the bar anymore. 


‘Did everyone leave?’ They thought. They figured the gunshot was loud but they didn’t anticipate that everyone would scramble. They then thought back to what Alphonse said. The gun would be enough to scare rats shitless.

They looked around and noticed two bodies on the ground of the bar. One of them being the “guard” that they’d seen when they first walked in with Derek and the other was… familiar. The confusion turned into fear as they realized that the other body was Seth’s.

“Holy shit! Seth! Oh god, you—you’re bleeding!”

They carefully and somehow successfully managed to pick up Seth’s body, considering he was taller and bigger than they were. They carefully placed his head on their shoulder as they tried to gently shake Seth awake. They knew that this was their fault that he was like this. He must’ve come looking for them. And that thought alone was enough to make Sugarboo’s heart drop.

“Seth… please wake up. I’m so sorry. I didn’t—I didn’t mean for this to happen to you I just—!”

“Sugar…”

That sentence alone was enough to cause them to pause. They looked down at Seth’s face and noticed that he was conscious.

“Seth! Thank goodness you’re alright! I’m so sorry about everything I just—!”

“Shh… Sugar… it’s alright. I’m alright. I’m just… so tired.”

“Seth, please stay awake… just until I can find Alphonse so he can drive you to a hospital. Where is he? If you’re here then shouldn’t he be close by?”

“No, he’s at the train yard. We… split up to look for you.”

They figured that their boys would look for them. But it didn’t hurt any less hearing it aloud.

“I guess I’ll have to get there by foot. I can’t risk your injury getting worse but I can’t just leave you here—fuck! What do I do?”

Just as they finished their statement as they dredged out the bar with Seth in their arms, they noticed a similar van pull up.

“Is that… Charlie’s van?”

Sugarboo looked at Seth confused until the passenger window rolled down revealing Jessie.

“Ma, how did you get that hunk-a-junk to start?”

The question asked was quickly interrupted by Jessie.

“There’s no time for questions, hun. Just get in the van so we can get you boys to a hospital. I already picked up Alphonse from the train yard and he’s… well… roughed up.”

This caused Sugarboo to freeze up. Both of their boys had gotten hurt because of them? They devised this plan to try to help them but instead they… made everything… worse.

Jessie seemed to notice the expression on Sugarboo’s face and she was quick to cut them from their thoughts.

“Sugar, Alphonse is going to be okay. I promise. We just need to get both of them checked out to make sure nothing else serious is wrong.”

This was three hours ago. Three long, excruciating hours. They sat in the waiting room, embarrassed, ashamed, and just… empty. They had solved their problem but at what cost? The boys getting hurt? Them being tainted? It hurt. It hurt so fucking much. But they didn’t have any right to feel like that. They had to be the strong one. The one who kept everything together. The one who fixed everything.

They had managed to help Alphonse and Seth to make amends. They had managed to create countless goodies for people across their nowhere town. They had managed to keep everything together even when they felt like a third-wheel when the three were in the same house. Their house. Why did being strong hurt so bad?

They were pulled out of their thoughts when they heard footsteps walking towards them. They looked up to find Jessie, who gave them a slightly solemn look.

“You alright, Sugar?”

They could barely move. Whether it was from shock or just pure exhaustion, nodding their head seemed like an almost impossible task. Keyword: almost.

“I… I’m fine.”

Jessie sighed before taking a seat right next to them before putting a hand on their shoulder.

“Sugar if you need to cry, then cry. I promise I’m not going to judge you for doing so.”

With that sentence, everything about their facade seemed to fall as quickly as the tears fell down. They quietly sobbed as Jessie wrapped her arms around them.

“They’re going to be so… pissed at me.”

“No, Sugar, I promise you those boys aren’t going to be angry at you. They love you so much. They are in that room right now, waiting for you. Hell, when I went in there the first thing that Alphonse asked me was if you were alright. They are going to be thrilled to see you.”

Were they though? Would they accept the fact that they shot Derek? Would they still accept them if they had blood on their hands now?

After a few minutes, they seemed to have settled down, so Jessie escorted them to the room the boys were staying in. They looked at the door, scared. They took a deep breath before knocking on the door. They heard a familiar voice, which seemed to be Alphonse’s, telling them to come in.

Once they opened up the door, they slowly slipped into the room, their eyes quickly darting to the ground. Too afraid to look either of them in the eyes.

“Boo! Hey! There you are!”

“Hey, Sugar…”

Both of the boys quickly could tell something was up as they both glanced at each other from their separate beds before turning back to Sugarboo.

“Boo, are you alright? You aren’t hurt are you? Come here.”

Sugarboo walked over towards Alphonse’s hospital bed before taking a seat in front of Alphonse. He scanned them for injuries and didn’t see anything visible. While the injuries weren’t visible to him, he could tell that they had been crying, so they were obviously upset. He cupped their cheek with his hand and slowly turned their head to look at him.

“Boo, I can tell you’ve been crying. What’s the matter? Derek didn’t hurt you, did he?”Alphonse managed to breathe out.

They shook their head before they started to weep. The tears fell down their face once again. What happened to keeping it together in front of them? They don’t know.

Alphonse quickly wrapped them in a tight hug with one of his hands on the back of their head, slowly brushing his hand through their hair, trying to comfort them.

“I’m so sorry… the both of you got hurt because of me. I wanted to help and I just—!”

“Boo… shhh… it’s okay…”

“No it’s not! I fucked up and you both should be upset with me right now…”

“Hey… Boo, look at me…”

Reluctantly, they turned their head upwards towards Alphonse.

“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. While what you did scared me a bit, I’m not mad at you…”

“Well, you should be…”

“Boo, what you did took guts. I wouldn’t ever be mad at you for doing what you did. Although, I would appreciate a heads up next time…” Alphonse admitted, smiling softly at Sugarboo.

Seth watched the two fondly as he sat up in his hospital bed. Seth laughed before following up with, “Yeah, I would prefer if there wasn’t a next time. Ever.”

Sugarboo turned away from Seth, chuckling at his words before looking back at Alphonse. They looked at the bruises and marks on him as the guilt began to wash over them once more.

“Boo, hey… I’m alright. It’s nothing that I haven’t dealt with before,” Alphonse admitted with a slight smile on his face.

Tears welled up in Sugarboo’s eyes as they tried so hard to hold it together. Seeing him like that hurt. They knew that this was their doing.

Almost immediately and instantaneously, both boys are by their side, comforting them. Even if they didn’t know if they deserved such kindness after what they did, they chose to bask in the warmth provided by their boys. Just for a little while longer.

[sardar106]

am I in bed procrastinating sleep? yes did I forget to make this post from the Cathedral anniversary from the beginning of the month? also yes. so you get it now

in regards to my Cathedral Anniversary fic where Icarixis has a breakdown in the worldport when they realized the date, and the grave that the wack glitched in, in the Cave of First Breath the grave had an abstract drawing of the reaver with the blade being a yellow feather instead of being Centross’ normal one and I drew this so long ago and keep forgetting to post it

rant about it and it’s part in the fic under cut

so the idea of it was that 1: Centross died there. it’s his reaver, when they held then gave to Fable when he told them he’d bring him back. He used it to protect them. it was used for other not so good stuff in the past but it’s his

2: it’s Icarus’. it’s their feather. a part of them died in that cave. they also physically started dying from their time there after the Cathedral. Centross died. a part of them and who they were died too

3. it reminds them of Fable’s wings. his wings, when first given to him by Rae, were basically laser lights shining from his back. a light around him. a light in Icarus’ life. but after what happened in the cave, they changed to long, golden blades. and with the yellow feather being a long blade, their mind just went to that.

[caffinedragon]

For Dante(MW Rook) the worst thing that ever happened to him also doubled as they day they fell head over heals for Emmerich.

Vorgoth and Emmerich had insisted that he make a few more friends then just them and so he had begun making attempts.

For a couple of weeks he was unsuccessful until he met a young woman and they got started talking about the newest smutty romance novel they were reading.

it started to become an almost weekly thing, where they would both grab the same book, read it and then discuss it like their own personal little book club.

At the height of their friendship he had even brought her to see the Rookery where he kept all his corvids, gushing about each one and telling stories about them, while she in turn showed him all her dolls that she had collected and how rare each one was and the stories behind them.

He was excited, thinking that he had finally succeeded in making a new friend.

So excited in fact that he wanted to have his friends meet each other so they could have new friends too.

However, when he asked the girl if he could bring his friend Emmerich for their next meeting since he had already read the book they were working on, she got upset.

Because apparently, to her, they weren't just having weekly book meetings and friendly info dumping sessions, she had believed they had been dating for several weeks.

Panicking he tried to explain how it wasn't his intention and since it wasn't something that never came up he had assumed that their relationship was purely platonic, but she was having none of it.

So, in order to bring the point home of why he would never date her, he revealed that he only liked the company of men when it came to such things and when she started slinging insults at him he just left.

He immediately told Emmerich everything that had happened, including who she was, and what she said/called him and before asking if he had done something wrong.

Emmerich calmly explained that he had done nothing wrong and that her assuming their relationship was something it wasn't was no fault of his. But made sure to write everything down he had said, just in case.

Emmerich would not elaborate on what that meant and Dante didn't push and instead just went back out to try and fins himself a new friend again.

Then, about a month later after he had started to make headway with the family that did his tattoos, he came back to the Necropolis to the young girl standing outside of his rookery with a half dozen guards carrying dead birds and a smug smile on her face.

Dante pushed through them to the Rookery to see every one of his birds dead. The rookery silent except for the woman gloating about how he broke her heart so she was gonna break his.

He didn't listen to her as he picked up one of the bodies, cradled it against his chest, dropped to his knees and screamed.

He kept screaming until his lungs burned and his throat was sore, clutching the body to his chest so tightly it caved in like it was filled with dust.

That was when he froze and looked down.

The body crumbled in his fingers as if it was so long dead the barest touch turned it to nothing.

Wait...

That wasn't right...

That was when he heard Emmerich push through, demanding what was going on.

When the girl gloated about what she had done, he heard the sound of a slap and the girl gasping in offense.

He didn't here what Emmerich said but whatever it was got her to leave in a hurry, leaving him with what he had believed moments ago to be the bodies of his beloved feathered friends.

When Emmerich kneeled in front of him he looked up at him, holding the crumbling body in his hands confused.

Emmerich chuckled nervously, "It seems she moved with her plan a little earlier than expected. I had hoped i would be able to warn you when you got back but..."

Dante stared at him, his hands shaking, unable to speak.

Emmerich in response tapped his staff against the ground.

A glamour lifted from the Rookery, revealing that the birds that had been in here were in fact nothing but groups of bones and feathers made to imitate his beloved birds.

"What?" He croaked out as he dropped what was in his hands.

"Do you remember when i asked you what you wanted for your birthday?"

he nodded as he dared to hope.

"Well, i got it done just in time. I moved them in their the day before yesterday. Come, let me show you."

Emmerich walked him over to the new Rookery that was built in a more centralized location of the Necropolis.

It was twice as big and allowed for his friends to come and go as they pleased through a hatch in the ceiling.

There was even a specific spot to leave offering to the birds and another where they could leave little trinkets in exchange.

Dante began to cry joyful tears right before he turned to Emmerich and kissed him, then wrapped the man in a tight hug as he sobbed in relief into his shoulder.

Emmerich returned the hug and sighed, "I am sorry that, even for a few minutes, that you believed you had lost them because of her. When you told me her name I realized I knew who she was. She is a vindictive creature and i should have warned you but I wanted to make sure that your friends were safe first and i couldn't let her know they were being moved."

"It's okay. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"You are absolutely welcome. The Necropolis would not be the same without them and neither would you. It was my honor to keep them safe."

After that, Dante was done. There was no one else after that day.

---

For Dragona, it was when Lucanis went missing.

Because just as with Caterina, they knew that the body that was brought back wasn't his.

The proportions were wrong, the face was wrong, the scent was wrong, everything about the body was wrong, even the clothes.

And when no body believed them they went postal, screaming at everyone who wouldn't listen and when Illario tried to tell them to get over it they rounded on him and started beating on him, screaming, "Where is he?"

They knew Illario was jealous of Lucanis.

They knew Illario was jealous of them.

But out of the two of them, Lucanis would be the only one that he could get to believe him.

So Illario had waited until Dragona was out on a job to make his move.

The ring had allowed them to know this and they were going to get answers.

However, before they could do serious damage, Viago pulled them off as Catarina called for quiet.

Catarina then called Dragona to follow her into her quarters where she laid out the plan.

They were both in agreement that Lucanis was still alive somewhere and would need to be found.

And that the only they would have the skills to find him.

So, making up the story about the Antaam operation, Catarina released Dragona to go after Lucanis in secret.

Which, coincidentally is how they run into Varric and make use of his connections in exchange for helping the Veilguard.

Heyo, it’s Friday again!

It’s the Rook Introduction Hour! ✨🎉🎊🥳

How it works: I ask you a question about your Rook(s) and you answer it with as much brevity or verbosity as you desire. You can do this whenever you want, and I’ll reblog it + add some comments! There’s no time limit— if you want to do the older ones, they are collected here! (The post is updated on Fridays!)

Today’s Question(s): What is the worst thing that’s ever happened to your Rook? Was it during the course of DATV, or before that? What impact did it have on their life? How did it change them as a person? If their decisions had a part in creating the situation, do they regret it?

Thanks for sharing !

[niobiumao3]

So like. re: the Inquisitor Phee/CX-Tech thing.

Grabbing younglings, we see them do it a lot. And there's one they get. But they get stranded/stuck with her a while. And finally they get back. But now it's been, like. A month. And they're attached. And they have to give her back.

Attachments. etc.

He knew in that way he’d come to accept was normal for them that she was far past thinking about doing it and on to actively making plans. In fairness, he was also actively making plans, though he liked to think he’d been less obvious about it. This was, it turned out, wishful thinking on his part. “How far would we need to go,” she said one night in the darkness of their quarters. She was curled on her bunk, he’d been lying on his rack without sleeping. He considered that. “To the outer rim. Wild space would be preferable, if we can locate a planet or port, but the outer rim is sufficient to begin with. A cycle, at a minimum, in the least connected place we can find.” Numerous scenarios played out in his head. “The larger issue would be them tracking her in the Force.” “I can handle that.” “You can?” “I can.” Interesting, if not entirely unexpected: finding people in the Force was empathic, and Phee was empathically inclined. She probably would be the most capable of hiding herself and another if she needed to. She continued, “But what about your tracker? I can’t do shit about that.” “I determined how to block its signal some time ago.” “Will that be enough?” “It is a temporary solution. We will need to have it removed, which will require either an appropriate facility, or a skilled surgeon willing to stay quiet.” She sighed. “That’s a lot.” “It is. But it can be done.” “Okay. So we need to figure out how to get her out, unnoticed long enough to get clear.” “Yes. We can take a Dagger or a [] to start, but we must abandon whatever we flee in and obtain something less conspicuous at the first opportunity.” She was silent a time. Then, “I can’t believe we’re talking about this like it’s even possible.” “Of course it’s possible. Certain, no. Probable…perhaps not even that. But when it comes to us, working together, I have come to accept we are quite capable when we are determined.” He heard the sound of her moving about, felt her crawl into his rack with him a handful of seconds later. She was small enough to make it workable, if a tight fit in which they had to curl around one another. “I just.” She stopped, swallowed. “I can’t let them keep her. I can’t let them do to her what they did to me.” One of her hands drifted to the scar on his chest. “To us.” He set his chin on top of her head. The mere thought of Djoura enduring what either of them had was unacceptable. “Agreed.” She shuddered, gripped him tightly. She didn’t need to say aloud what they both knew: death would be the kindest thing to happen to either of them if they were caught. Yet the notion that a little girl would be subject to the same thing was more than enough to outweigh the risks to themselves. Tech could never have forgiven himself for not at least trying. But they wouldn’t merely try. They were going to succeed. Because they had to.