#which is besides the point. but the point is that it's Different. this is an extension of canon sam yes

[aroace-madness]

Comfortable

Captain Marvel was a wonderful guy, friendly, caring, loyal to a fault and always cheery

Everyone loved him or at least respected him

The Justice League especially

So it's not a surprise when the Captain hasn't answered their calls and messages for a few days, they decided to visit him in his home city, Fawcett

Fawcett is a nice city, weird as hell and concerning at times but it had its own beauty

So in all honestly no one was shocked when a big piece of metal came hurling at the league the very second they stepped a foot in the borders of the city

Clark didn't have a chance to take off the ground before a woman in a silver helmet caught it, beside the helmet from which they could see her long Brown hair, she wore a red shirt, a blue belt, and gloves boots and a yellow bottom of a bodysuit that showed off her legs

She putted the piece of metal down on the ground and landed in front of them

“Hello, I’m Bulletgirl” the woman- Bulletgirl extended her hand for a handshake and Diana, who was the closest to her, accepted it

“Nice to meet another sister in arms, I’m Wonder Woman and this” she gestured at her friends “is the Justice League”

“Oh the Justice League, we heard so much about you” Bulletgirl smiled brightly “it's so nice to finally meet you properly, I apologise for the welcome you got but we’ve been having a bit of a problem for the last few day”

“Which includes flying pieces of metal?” Barry cocked his eyebrow, not that she could see

Bulletgirl didn't say anything, just pointed behind her

There was a gigantic robot walking through the city, it seemed to try and swat away whatever was flying around it, probably Captain

“Yeesh” that was Hal

“Yeah, Dr Sivanna started wreaking havoc in that robot a few days ago and we're trying to get him out without damaging the city and hurting people” Bulletgirl rubbed the back of her neck “we’re herding him to a less populated area and evacuating people from there to lessen the risks of anything happening”

Before anyone from the league could say anything, red blurr hitted the ground in front of them

“Ugh” the blur turned out the be a man

“Hi sweetheart” Bulletgirl waved at the man who was apparently her love “i see your ‘i can handle it’ is doing well”

“Oh yeah kick the lying one” the man managed to sit up with a grunt, he was wearing the same helmet as Bulletgirl

“I have the honor to introducing my dunce of a husband Bulletman” the woman said as she helped her husband stand up, his costume was very similar to his wifes, the only difference really were pants and a lack of gloves

“Nice to meet you” he turned to Bulletgirl “Do you have to call me that?” Bulletman grimaced a which made his wife laugh and kiss his cheek

“Now don't be dramatic dear i've called you far worse”

“True” Bulletman shrugged and dusted his clothes off “so, you're the infamous Justice League we’ve been hearing so much about”

“That's us” Clark smiled

“You do look like a bunch of well meaning people, even that shadow guy over there” he pointed at Bruce “dressed in black, cowl, long cape, gloomy demeanor, you must be Batman”

Batman just grunted in acknowledgament

“How are things going back there?” Bulletgirl asked her husband

“Oh, Voltage and Mary are evacuating people from a neighbourhood that Captain, Mr Scarlet and Ibis are herding Sivanna to”

“That's good” She patted his shoulder and turned back to the Justice League “so what brings you to Fawcett anyways?”

“Oh” Barry perked up “we wanted to see how Cap is doing since he hasn't been answering his comms for the past few days but we see why”

“Yeah” there was a silence for a moment “sooooo, do you guys want to help us out with that?”

Everyone agreed

Clark flew over to where the machine was and created a makeshift corridor from ice

Hal started herding the robot with his projections alongside Captain Marvel who waved at him and a man in a red turban

Shayera, Bulletgirl and Bulletman were flying around the robots head to try and confuse Sivana and IT seemed to work

Sivanas machine was slowly stepped towards a big, circular housing estate while Barry was quickly evacuating the last of civilians from the dangered area

When he was finally in a right position, Diana wrapped her lasso around the robots legs, Bruce did the same with his grappling hook

Shayera, Hal and Bullegirl started pushing at the shoulders of the robot while Captain Marvel and Bulletman were pulling them

The robot lost its footing and started to lose its balance. Clark made a giant ice wall to cushion the fall

The machines upper body fell on the ice and shattered it to about a half of it's height before stopping (Barry made sure to catch and put away the pieces of ice, before any of them landed on any building)

Bulletgirl opened the hatch of the machines head and took Sivana out, holding him by the scruff of his kilt while he was kicking and screaming, flailing his arms around

“I’ll take him to the police, Mister Scarlet is already with them making sure that there aren't any any injured or god forbid casualties” Bulletgirl said as she flew away from Sivana in her hand

The rest of the two groups gathered on the ground by the robot

“That was awesome guys” Barry smiled as he joined the group

“It sure was” Bulletman nodded his hand and putted his hands on his hips, seconds before he got tackled and putted in a one arm headlock by Marvel

“You guys were great!” Captain smiled in his typical fashion as he held the Bulletman

The man didn't seem too bothered by his current situation

“Do you have to do that every time?” The man in a red turban asked, tilting his head a bit

“You know I do, Ibis” Marvel grinned at the man, Ibis apparently “you guys were great too” Captain directed his attention to them, completely shifting his attitude

Before any of the League members could say anything else they got interrupted by two blurs, red and blue, flying straight into the Captain

The man didn't budge and just caught the two into his other arm

The red blur was a girl, looked almost identical to Captain, Mary Marvel

The blue blur was a guy, Voltage

Captain didn't say anything, just dropped them as they kept laughing and cheering

“Alright Cap, I think it's time for you to let go of Bulletman” Mr Scarlet said, leaning a bit on Ibis

Marvel sticked his tongue out at Mr Scarlet and eased his arm, letting the other man slip out of his grasp

Bulletman took advantage of his freedom and slapped Captain in the arm. Captain was about to slap back when Bulletgirl landed next to them

“Alright, Sivana is taken care of” she dusted her hands off and looked at the mess

“Yeah this is going to be a bitch to clean up” Ibis sighed

“Yeah, how about you guys start and I’ll escort our guests” Bulletgirl smiled

“Yeah yeah, you do you” Voltage rolled his eyes as he was already starting the clean-up

Bulletgirl motioned to the league to follow her, and they did

“Did Captain Marvel seem, different to you guys?” Clark his friends in a shushed voice as they walked trough the streets of the city

“He did seem much more relaxed around the other guys” Barry rubbed his chin

“He also called them by their names, without all these “Misses” and “Misters” he always uses when addressing one of us” Shayera pointed out

“Hmm” Bruce hummed, thinking

They arrived at the city borders and stopped in front of Bulletgirl

“It was really nice meeting all of you and thank you for your help” she smiled at them brightly

“It was nice meeting you and your friends too” Clark smiled back

“Uhh” Hal interjected “I got a question, you see, Captain Marvel seemed much more relaxed around you guys, how did you get him to let loose?”

Bulletgirl stared at Hal for a few moments

“Is he overly polite with you, is always respectful and seems like he would rather die than be mean to any of you?”

The League was left dumbfounded for a few seconds

“Uhh yeah” Barry nodded “how did you know?”

“Because he was the exact same way with us when he started out as a hero of Fawcett” Bulletgirl explained

“There is no way that's true” Hal shook his head

“Oh but it is, it took him about five years to finally let loose, you gotta give him some time. How long has he worked with you?”

“About a year and a half now” Diana answered

“Oh yeah, it’s much too soon for him” Bulletgirl laughed

“Maybe he does need time to get comfortable” Diana rubbed the back of her neck “how long have you been working together”

“Oh we’ve been fighting together since 1960”

“1960!?” Barrys eyes bulged out, same as the rest of the League really

“What do you mean 1960?” Clark asked in shock, he wasn't even on earth in 1960, he doubted that he was even in plans during that time

“Not to sound rude or anything but how old are you?” Hal asked

“Oh i’m 35” she answered, as if she’s not frying the justice leagues brains

“Wait, wait, wait” Shayera shook her head “ if you've been working with Cap since 1960, then how are you still 35?”

“That's because of the Suspendium” Bulletgirl said as if it explained anything. She must have noticed their confusion since she started talking again “Dr Sivana used a chemical he created, Suspendium, to trap Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel and Voltage in a force Field that would keep them suspended animation, something went wrong and instead of just capturing the three, the entire city got surrounded by the time bubble, as we call it, with Sivana in it. Captain managed to pop the bubble two years ago”

“Two years ago was when there were first sighting of Captain Marvel” Bruce pointed out

“Yes, the second the bubble popped, Captain started flying around the world”

“Wait” Clark shook his head “how come we never heard of something like that ever happening?”

“Oh” Bulletgirl rubbed the back of her neck “apparently everything and everyone that was trapped in the time bubble was completely erased from the maps and history books and only came back when the bubble was popped”

“That doesn't make any sense” Bruce sighed as he rubbed his temples

“Nothing makes sense, bat boy” Bulletgirl shrugged “now, as much as it's nice standing here and talking I really should help with cleaning” She said as she took of from the ground and bid them adieu

“God this is so weird” Barry sighed

“You're telling me?” Clark slumped a bit

“I think it's best if we don't think about it too much” Diana patted her friends shoulders

As they came back to the Watchtower they all agreed not to think too much about the whole Suspendium situation, it would only lead to a headache

They do like Captains friends tho, they seem nice and are good heroes

@puppetwoman17 @shazam-secret-santa

I hope you like it :D

[woso-story]

The Weight Of Love And Loss- Part Five

Alexia Putellas x Reader - Part One Two Three Four Six

The apartment felt unbearable. Alexia had barely lasted two days after your conversation in the café before she packed a small bag and left for Mapi and Ingrid’s. The weight of the emptiness, the silence, and the memories crushed her. Every corner of the space carried a piece of you: your favorite blanket draped over the couch, the little succulent you insisted on keeping in the kitchen, the faint smell of your perfume lingering in the hallway.

But what hurt the most was the bedroom. The space that had once been filled with whispered laughter and quiet intimacy now felt cold and sterile. She hadn’t been able to sleep in the bed after you left, curling up instead on the couch, hoping exhaustion would eventually overtake her.

It never did.

“I can’t do it,” Alexia had admitted to Mapi when she arrived at their doorstep. Her voice was barely above a whisper, and her eyes were rimmed red from days of crying. “I can’t stay there.”

Mapi had simply pulled her into a hug, murmuring, “You don’t have to. Stay as long as you need.”

Ingrid prepared the guest room for her, making it as comfortable as possible. Alexia spent her first night at their place sitting by the window, staring out into the city lights, wondering how things had spiraled so far out of control.

---

The first few days at Mapi and Ingrid’s were a blur. Alexia felt like a shadow of herself, existing but not living. Mapi tried her best to cheer her up, dragging her to brunches with teammates or movie nights in the living room. But no matter how much Alexia tried to participate, the ache in her chest never went away.

One evening, Alexia was scrolling through her phone when she stumbled upon an old photo of the two of you. It was from a lazy Sunday morning, your hair tousled from sleep as you grinned at the camera, Alexia’s arm wrapped around you. The caption read: My favorite mornings.

Her chest tightened as tears welled in her eyes. She quickly put the phone down and buried her face in her hands.

Mapi found her like that, sitting at the dining table with silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

“You have to stop torturing yourself, Ale,” Mapi said softly, sitting beside her.

“I can’t help it,” Alexia whispered. “I miss her. And it’s my fault she’s gone.”

“You can’t change the past,” Mapi replied. “But you can work on the future. You’ve already taken the first step by recognizing what went wrong. Now you have to keep going.

It was easier said than done.

---

At Mapi’s insistence, Alexia made an appointment with a psychologist. It wasn’t an easy decision—Alexia had always prided herself on being strong, someone who could handle anything life threw at her. Admitting that she needed help felt like admitting defeat.

Her first session was stiff and uncomfortable. She answered the psychologist’s questions with short, guarded responses, unwilling to let her walls down. But something shifted in the second session.

“I lost her,” Alexia found herself saying, her voice breaking. “Because I couldn’t see what I was doing. I thought I was protecting her by not letting her in, but I was just pushing her away.”

For the first time, she spoke openly about the pressure she’d felt after her injury—the fear of being forgotten, of losing her place on the team, of failing to live up to everyone’s expectations. And slowly, session by session, she began to unravel the tangle of emotions she’d been carrying for months.

---

Alexia threw herself into her recovery, but this time, she approached it differently. Instead of overtraining to the point of exhaustion, she followed her physio’s advice to the letter, focusing on both her physical and mental well-being.

Her days became a balance of rehab sessions, therapy, and spending time with her teammates. She started journaling, pouring her thoughts and feelings onto paper. She even picked up a new hobby—painting—which helped her quiet her restless mind.

Mapi and Ingrid noticed the change almost immediately.

“She’s getting better,” Ingrid remarked one evening as she and Mapi watched Alexia paint in the living room.

“Yeah,” Mapi agreed. “But she still misses her.”

They weren’t wrong. Even as Alexia started to find her footing again, there was a part of her that still ached for you. She often wondered what you were doing, whether you were as okay as you seemed during that last conversation.

There were nights when she wanted to call you, to tell you about her progress and promise that things could be different. But she held back. She knew you needed time, and so did she.

---

While Alexia was rebuilding herself, you were rediscovering who you were.

Your new apartment became a haven, a space that was entirely yours. The freedom to decorate it however you wanted, to come and go as you pleased, felt liberating. You spent your weekends exploring the park nearby, taking long walks by the lake and watching the world go by.

Work became your escape, and your dedication didn’t go unnoticed. The promotion you’d been working toward for years finally became a reality, and it felt like validation for all your hard work.

But it wasn’t just your career that flourished. You started reconnecting with friends, saying yes to dinner invites and weekend trips. On a whim, you adopted a small Maltese puppy named Mylo, who quickly became your constant companion.

For the first time in a long time, you felt like yourself again.

---

One evening, you were scrolling through TikTok when a familiar face appeared on your screen. It was Alexia, walking onto the pitch, the caption reading: La Reina is back.

Your heart skipped a beat.

Without thinking, you opened Instagram and went straight to Alexia’s account. There it was—a photo of her being subbed on, her face glowing with a smile that looked real, not forced.

You couldn’t stop yourself from double-tapping the photo and leaving a comment: Proud of you.

It was a simple gesture, but you meant it with all your heart. No matter how things had ended between you, you couldn’t deny how much you admired her strength and determination.

---

On the other side of the city, Alexia sat in bed scrolling through her phone. Normally, she didn’t read the comments under her posts, but something compelled her to that night.

And then she saw it.

Proud of you.

Her breath hitched, her fingers hovering over the screen. It wasn’t much, but it meant everything. After all the mistakes she’d made, after all the pain she’d caused, you were still proud of her.

She set her phone down and lay back, a small smile spreading across her face. For the first time in months, she felt a glimmer of hope.

If she kept working on herself, if she continued to heal, maybe—just maybe—there was still a chance for the two of you.

But for now, she would focus on the present, knowing that if it was meant to be, your paths would cross again.

---

And so, while you curled up on your couch with Mylo by your side, and Alexia drifted off to sleep with a rare sense of peace, the future remained unwritten. Both of you were healing, slowly but surely, and perhaps that was the most important step of all.

[ariadnehelx]

title: KISSIN' UNDER THE MISTLETOE!

summary: two attempts mualani made to get you guys to kiss, and one that he made himself. pairings: kinich x gn!reader. tw: none. notes: ahh this took longer than expected! also i made it gn i hope that's okay! <.3

“...Everything is going according to plan.”

Mualani smirked schemingly to herself. It was Christmas time, the most festive time of the year, where every year, a great Christmas party is hosted in Natlan. This year, Mualani took it upon herself to host the big Christmas party.

It was very grand too, what with the great Christmas tree standing in the corner, oh so beautifully decorated with baubles, holly and lights, not to mention the shiny star on top. A diverse range of presents of different shapes and colors overflowed on the floor underneath, labelled with names of guests arriving today. How much fun it would be to open them! The smell of hot chocolate wafted through the air, and one couldn’t help but contemplate how much time Mualani must have spent to plan this dinner, and one couldn’t help but appreciate it all.

But for Mualani, besides all the festivities and planning, this Christmas, she had a mission. A personal goal, one could say. 

To get you and Kinich to kiss under a mistletoe.

The idea came about back in November. While at a weekly hangout with your best friends, Mualani was also there, and somehow the topic of crushes came up, and after being peer pressured into saying the name of the person you liked you slipped up and admitted to having a crush on Kinich… to which, honestly? Mualani was absolutely flabbergasted. 

But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Kinich had always been more open with you, if at all, and, thinking about it further, Mualani realized that as she was the common friend between the two of you, perhaps she could play cupid. Since then, along with being occupied with the dinner planning, she was also planning a perfect moment for the two of you to be caught by ‘chance’ under the mistletoe (that she would hang over you), having to kiss and the lot. 

Although, you could have refused a kiss if you were feeling shy… but Mualani brushed this thought off quickly; there was no way she was going to let Christmas pass and not have you and Kinich officially dating. No way!

By this point, near enough all the guests had poured in, packing the place up with hearty laughter, Christmas carols and so on. Mualani looked to the left; Kachina was receiving presents from Chasca. Behind them stood Xilonen, who had arrived a couple hours earlier to help Mualani out with the decorations and preparations. Looking to the right, Citlali and Ororon were only arriving now. Then, behind those two, Mualani spotted Kinich entering with a fairly small gift in hand, Ajaw groaning something in his ear and Kinich refused to listen.

Then? Mualani caught Kinich staring at you from his place near the entrance. She giggled to herself, and couldn’t help but imagine how the two would look if you ever ended up together. 

Next thing she knew, Kinich had made his way towards herself. 

“Here.” Kinich didn’t smile, but Mualani could feel the warmth behind his unfazed and cold demeanor. “Merry Christmas, Mualani.”

Mualani gave Kinich a good-natured grin, touched, and then gave him a warm hug back. “D’aww, thanks Kinich! I left your presents under the tree, so make sure you check ‘em out later, okay?” When she pulled away, Kinich nodded and the two engaged in a short conversation before leaving to meet his other friends.

“Oh yeah, and Merry Christmas!!” Mualani called out from behind him, trying her absolute best to hide the blatant smirk on her face. Now that the two people she was trying to get to kiss under the mistletoe were here, Mulani’s plan began.

Attempt 1.

Whistling to herself in an attempt to look unsuspicious, Mualani crept closely towards the fireplace, hiding a mistletoe behind her. She’d noticed that both you and Kinich frequented the fireplace, and so she discreetly placed a mistletoe in the most perfect spot, although once placed Mualani did think that some other people might get their chance to kiss instead, considering how much of a common palace it was to be seen in. 

Except, at the current moment, right after Mualani placed the mistletoe, you were crouched down and warming your hands in front of the fireplace. You didn’t notice  Mualani sneakily placing the mistletoe just earlier… and by chance, Kinich was walking towards the fireplace.

Stifling a mischievous laugh, Mualani snuck away from the scene, hiding from the two of you, and watched expectantly.

She didn’t know the reason why Kinich was coming towards you, but he seemingly came there for you. However… 

Just before he could tap your shoulder, just before it was about to happen, the moment left as soon as it came. 

“Heyy, Kinich! I didn’t think you were coming, come on, let’s go have some fun…!” Some idiot guest grabbed his shoulder, before dragging him to the snack table to get some snacks.

Mualani’s anticipating grin wiped off completely, and, huffing and making a mental note to ban this person from the guest list next time (kidding she’s too sweet to do that), she understood that she needed to get creative. She had to try harder. Maybe she should get more people involved. Yes… of course, another scheme was forming in her mind.

Attempt 2.

After her first failed attempt, Mualani decided it would be best to add someone into her plot, so she went ahead and told Kachina about her plans, and of course, your secret crush on Kinich. 

“H-Huhhhh? (name) likes Kinich–” Kachina’s ears turned red when she thought about this new revelation; she was equally as shocked about this as Mualani had been a few weeks ago, and Mualani had decided to enlist her help!

“Shh! Yep, I know! I was extremely surprised too! Kachina, would you mind helping me out?” Mualani whispered. “The plan is simple. You’re going to place the mistletoe on the doorway between there,” Mualani pointed towards the hallway. “And I’ll make the two of them go over there before anyone takes their chance.” she giggled.

“Mm, but Mualani? What if they don’t notice the mistletoe?” Kachina remarked. Mualani tapped her chin in thought, but when she considered this, she had to admit it was a good point. Mualani would have to somehow persuade the two of you to go to a specific place and on top of that, notice the mistletoe. 

“I’m sure they’ll see it. You can’t miss it! You just do what I asked, ‘kay?” Kachina nodded, taking the mistletoe from Mualani’s hands and going over there.

“Okay! Now to convince them to go over there… hm…”

–

After she was able to convince both you and Kinich separately that someone wanted to meet you both, Mualani just had to watch. More watching, of course… This was getting boring now, what with all the suspense, but it would be worth it if you two kissed this evening!

You were already waiting there, having noticed the mistletoe  hanging on the door. Your cheeks turned warm as the implication settled into your mind. Maybe said person looking for you wanted to… kiss you?

If that was true, then you weren’t too sure you’d want that. After all, your heart belonged to Kinich. Your mind didn’t immediately think that it’d be Kinich, not that it was, but you didn’t want to stick around.

So, without another second thought you walked off and joined Xilonen for some Christmas karaoke. Oh boy, Xilonen can sing.

And of course, the person who “wanted to meet you” was Kinich. Yes, Mualani told him the exact same thing, that somebody wanted to meet him for something over there. But Kinich did take his time, and so when he did decide to get this over with, he saw you leaving the exact same place. Coming over there, he too noticed the mistletoe hanging on the door, which, now that Mualani thinks, only an idiot could not have noticed it. 

His heart kind of sank when he realized that if it was you who wanted to see him… maybe… you wanted to kiss him? But… chickened out last second and left. Yeah, that could be the only reason why. At least in his eyes.

Now, something only he knew at the time was that he had a soft spot for you. He’d never felt like this for anyone, in fact; when the two of you started talking he swore he was getting ill… because what was with the butterflies in his stomach all of a sudden? The desire to seek you out? Not that Kinich could accept the truth, but he was in love with you too.

Mualani on the other side of the room had watched the whole thing, you leaving, Kinich’s apparent sadness and then him leaving himself. The way she groans out of helplessness is almost comedic, but now the party's almost over. Luck had not been on her side today at all, huh?

–

Shoulders slumped forward slightly, head hung down… Mualani reflected over today. It had been fun and all, but… she couldn’t get you guys to kiss. The one thing she’d wished for this Christmas! Darn…

The party being over, Mualani and some of her friends who had decided to stay were cleaning up. Kinich would have left… probably? She didn’t know. But you, as the sweetheart you were, decided to help clean up, and it’d been a few minutes since she sent you to go get some cleaning supplies from the cupboard upstairs… Why were you taking so long?

Well, the answer to the question she’d asked in her head came quickly when she was about to enter the room and she froze right outside.

Kinich was dangling a mistletoe… over you.

Suppressing a gasp of surprise, Mualani watched on. Kinich was holding a mistletoe with one hand and his other hand had found its way to your waist, pulling you in.

Then you let out a soft gasp, because no way this was happening. Did Mualani have a hand in this? But little did you know, for all those failed attempts Mualani made hours earlier to get you both to kiss under the mistletoe, this was one attempt that Kinich was making himself.

“Are you the person Mualani told me that wanted to see me?” At your confusion, Kinich’s brows furrow. “I noticed you were running away from there before, so-”

“What? Mualani told me someone was going to meet me… oh.” Now it made sense. Mualani winced as you two came to the conclusion that Mualani was trying to do something here. Not that you two minded it.

“I see… well, now that we’re here… may I?”

Nodding shyly, you were starting to get nervous. However, before you could do anything else, Kinich leaned in, brushing his lips against yours. You relaxed quickly and your fingers slid down to the side of his face.

Mualani couldn’t help the red that decorated her cheek as she watched from afar… but… at least, her mission this Christmas had now been completed. Oh, Archons, this is too cute to watch.

[banditcoyote]

"The Wolves don't live in the same world as you," he pointed out. "They have a duty to protect me and follow my orders, they know me one way, and you know me another. Just because I'm strikingly handsome and I own them doesn't mean I don't make plenty of their skin crawl at the thought of me. Besides it doesn't sound like they asked if you loved me, they asked if you trusted me, which is a different question entirely...." he pointed out. "From an outside perspective....You shouldn't, but it makes me feel.....well I appreciate that you do." "I think I'll wait for you to find out." he ordered easily. Echo pouted. "Are you fluent in French?" he pressed knowing she wasn't and tilting his head just slightly. "Did you understand what I said?" his words were cautious, waiting to see her reaction here, perhaps realizing he did say it with intent after all.

Blood and Moonlight

Sasuga woke in what was at first an unfamiliar area but as she blinked fully awake she realized it was their closet that Coyote had decorated for them. She smiled and took a careful kiss from her mate who was still sound asleep next to her. It really had been an amazing night with the family and then with her husband. As she slipped from his arms, she took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror, her fingers dancing over the fresh marks on her neck and hips. She couldn't have asked for anything more from the night and it was with some reluctance that she dressed. She picked out a pair of warm leggings and a short little skirt to pull over them with some knee high boots and a thick sweater. She slipped from the closet and moved to the bathroom to comb her hair and brush her teeth and get ready for the big day ahead. She gave a stretch and headed downstairs only to find a familiar face waiting for her. "Raphael..." she smiled and moved to greet him with a hug. "I see you are still alive." she smirked. "Want some tea? Coffee?"

@banditcoyote

[gold-onthe-inside]

Christmas Request: Spencer catches wind that one of JJ’s kids (or his own kid) doesn’t believe in Santa, so he commits to growing out his beard, dying it white and dressing up as Santa to bring a lil holiday cheer to the kiddos - can be xOC

santa's little helper 🍬🎅

who? spencer reid (post prison) x bau!reader

summary: after finding out henry no longer believes in santa after he missed last christmas, spencer dedicates this year to bringing the magic of christmas back to his godson's life... with a little help from you, of course.

content warnings: fleeting reference to cat adams, a little kissing, spencer with a beard, ambiguous status of reader's relationship to spencer (could be a wife, fiance, girlfriend, up to you),

In the 12 years you've known Spencer, he's never been keen on growing facial hair, and it had never been something you'd thought twice about. And then Cat Adams had come into your lives and had been determined to ruin the happily ever after the two of had fought so hard to make. Spencer's prison sentence had rivalled only Emily's faked death in the pain it had caused you two, the only difference being that at least Spencer wasn't actually dead. The two of you were a month and a half away from the anniversary of his release, and he'd completely stopped shaving for that year, growing out his facial hair.

You hoped that if it was something serious, he'd have told you, or if not you, his mandated therapist. Besides, other than that, he was taking care of himself, eating well, had finally started sleeping better, you had nothing else to complain about. You'd brought the beard up a couple months ago, but his brow had furrowed in concern and his brown puppy dog eyes baring his heart to you when he asked if you didn't like it. "No, I do like it," you had insisted, which was true. You'd learned early on that Spencer could play around with his hairstyles and you found him no less attractive (just never ever grow out a mullet again, for the love of God).

You'd grown used to it, too, his scruff tickling you when he'd kiss you, which was practically every time he got the chance these days. It's your turn to host the Christmas Eve party and the two of you are going over the house with a fine tooth comb, armed to the teeth with cleaning supplies, and that's when you find the white hairspray, mid-way through your bathroom cleanse. Which would go well with the Santa suit tucked away in the back of his wardrobe. You knew Spencer had his silly moments - with his mismatched socks and magic tricks, and with the amount of times he's pulled stuff out of your ear just to make you smile couldn't be counted. But it felt out of character for him to spend the whole night you had planned (Secret Santa, dinner, and Christmas movies) with white hair and a beard.

He's using all the body strength he has in rigorously cleaning the kitchen floor, intent on making it so clean you could eat off of it, when you trudge downstairs, hairspray in hand. "Spence, is this yours?" you asked, skipping the last step, to the kitchen and he looked up, then froze at the sight of the hairspray.

"It's not what it looks like," he tried, sitting on his knees and you narrowed your eyes.

"It looks like you're planning to dress as Santa at some point," you said, leaning against the doorway, and you watched him stand up and pull off his gloves.

"Okay, yeah, maybe it is what it looks like," he said with a sigh, taking a seat on a bar stool. "Henry, uh, doesn't believe in Santa anymore, so JJ and I were planning to let him stay up tomorrow night and catch Santa in the act."

"Oh," you said, nodding at first, but then frowning a little. "I mean, what's wrong with Henry not believing in Santa? He's like, 9 years old. That happens."

"I know it's developmentally appropriate for him to be questioning these things," Spencer said, letting out another little sigh. "But that's not why he doesn't believe in Santa anymore."

Your frown deepened. "What do you mean?"

He wet his lips, not quite meeting your gaze. "Last Christmas… he asked Santa for me to come home," he said quietly, almost ashamed. "And then when I wasn't there…"

"He stopped believing in Santa," you filled in the rest and he looked so sad. "Spence," you said softly, crossing over to hug him, setting the spray on the kitchen island. "It's not your fault."

"It is," he said, choking a little on his voice as he tucked himself into your arms.

"Honey, you were framed, it's not your fault," you insisted, rubbing his back.

"I just… I can't be the reason he doesn't believe in these things anymore," he mumbled into your shoulder.

"Okay, okay," you said, pulling away to look at him, your hands cupping his neck, thumbs stroking his bearded jaw. "Can I help?" His lips twitched into a smile at you.

"Well, um… Honestly, I think I'm gonna make a mess of the hairspray, and you did such a good job at Halloween with Jack's Cyberman costume--"

"I can do that," you murmured, kissing him gently, and his hands loosened to grasp your waist.

Now, here he sat in front of the mirror in the bathroom, watching you meticulously section and spray his hair, which was already damp from the shower.

"Did you know," he started, and you hummed in recognition that you were listening. "That Saint Nicholas was a real guy? He was Greek."

"The Greeks had saints?" you asked.

"Not really," he said, shaking his head as you sectioned out another piece of hair, coating it gently in white hairspray. "Not the kind you're thinking of, but Nicholas of Myra was real. Born in the third century. He apparently had a reputation for secret gift giving, like… leaving coins in people's shoes."

"Keep your head still," you chastised through a giggle.

"Sorry," he mumbled, tilting his chin up to keep still. "He died from natural causes in like, 340, which, for the time, was a good run. It was like… a hundred years later that he became a saint, but by then of course, all of the people who knew him personally were long gone."

"I hate when that happens," you murmured, shifting his chin so you could colour his beard next. "Appreciating people for what they've done after they've died."

"Well, he was very well respected during his life. The story goes that three separate couples were having financial trouble, and in those days, a daughter without a dowry would either never get married or would become a prostitute. So, according to the story, Saint Nick came in the middle of the night and climbed onto their roofs, and dropped three small pouches of gold down their chimneys."

"Honey, I'm gonna need you to be quiet or you're gonna taste hairspray," you said, colouring his jaw, just the hair around his lips left.

"Sorry," he said, his words muffled slightly, and you could see that he was trying desperately not to smile, his shoulders shaking. "I'm done," he said, and you were fairly sure the shake in his voice was from suppressed laughter.

You chuckle quietly, colouring the last of his beard. "All done, Mr Claus."

"How do I look?" he asked, getting out of the chair and taking a look in the mirror, his eyes going wide. "This looks incredible!"

"Yeah?" you asked, stepping away. Spencer had a habit of exaggerating your accomplishments, but you had done a pretty good job with his hair.

"You're a miracle worker," he said, turning to face you, and you could see his excitement. "Now, Santa needs to go get dressed." You chuckled, stepping out of the bathroom so he could get dressed, and sat by the foot of the bed, waiting.

When he reappeared ten minutes later wearing the Santa suit, the white hair and white beard you'd given him made him look like an old man, but there was a brightness in his eyes as he did a little twirl. "How do I look?" he asked, and in spite of how silly he looked, you couldn't help but find him handsome.

You laughed to yourself. "Perfectly in character. Though you could use a little belly."

"Are you saying I'm too thin?" he said, faking offence. He knew he was skinny but sometimes a little gentle ribbing was warranted.

"I'm just saying, Santa's supposed to be fat."

"I take good care of my cardiovascular health, thank you very much," he said, and he looked so ridiculous in the suit, with the white hair and beard, that you were unable to take the conversation seriously. "You know, the modern version of what Santa's supposed to look like was invented in the nineteenth century," he said, his hands on his hips, still very much in character. "Before then, Saint Nick was usually described as an older, slender man, and before that, he was more of a demonic black man. It's only in the fifties that the modern image of Santa was created."

"Okay, okay," you said, holding your hands up. "Skinny Santa it is." You checked your watch. "We should go before Henry actually falls asleep."

Spencer's expression went from Santa to slightly terrified very quickly. "Crap, is it time already?"

"Relax," you assured him, kissing his cheek before leading the way out. "It's just a little breaking and entering. You leave the gifts, you slip right back out."

"Just a little breaking and entering," he repeated dryly. "Why doesn't that make me feel better?"

You snickered quietly, grabbing your coat and car keys. "For someone who's supposed to be a hardened felon, you're so innocent."

He took offence to that. "Hey," he said, as you both started out of the house. "I was incarcerated for three months. I am very much street wise now."

You opened the passenger side door for him. "Streetwise? Really?"

He climbed into the passenger seat, sticking out his tongue at you as you shut the door.

"I know all about the street life," he said, as you got into the driver's side. "I know how they talk, I know what they do, I know..." His voice trailed off as you shot him a look. "Okay, so maybe everything I know about the street life comes from television."

You couldn't help another laugh as you started the car.

His lips curled into a smile when he saw your reaction, and he leaned across the middle of the car to kiss your cheek. He sat back in his seat and you began the short trip to JJ's house. "Alright, JJ said she's gonna leave the back door open," you said, going over the plan with the same gravity you used for unsub takedowns. "There's cookies and milk left on the kitchen counter. The tree's in the living room."

"Got it," Spencer said decidedly, nodding. "Cookies, milk, tree, simple."

You turned off the headlights as you approached the house, killing the engine across the street. Spencer got out of the car and jogged across the street, ducking around the side of the house. He found the back door like you'd said, and went inside, very much in undercover Santa mode. He went into the kitchen, making for the counter where the cookies and milk were, and that's when he heard it. Quiet footsteps coming down the stairs. Spencer panicked, trying to find a place to hide, but there really wasn't one. The cookies and milk were left in the middle of the counter, there weren't any cupboards or anything of the sort. He was stuck, with only the Christmas tree as a possible cover. There was nothing he could do but hope that whoever was coming downstairs didn't flip on the light as he dove behind the tree.

The footsteps stopped, and Spencer held his breath, his heart thudding in his chest as the Christmas tree needles dug into his skin. He could see a pair of little feet in front of him. They weren't JJ, which could only mean- "Mr Claus?" the little voice said, and he shut his eyes, praying to something, anything that he hadn't been caught by Henry.

After a long moment, he peeked out from behind the tree, only to find Henry staring right at him. "H-hi," Spencer stuttered. "I-I didn't realise you'd be awake."

Henry's eyes went wide. "I-It's really you." He had that childlike glee that came with finding out about the magic of Christmas, and while Spencer would usually give anything to have that look come back on Henry's face, this was a little inconvenient.

"Ah, I-I mean," Spencer fumbled over his words, trying to come up with a valid reason he would be in JJ's house at this moment, wearing a Santa suit and munching on cookies. "Um..."

"Where's your reindeer?" Henry asked, completely enthralled by Spencer, and he realised that he actually hadn't thought of a cover story to accompany the Santa suit.

"Oh, they're in the- they're in the sleigh," he said, and even he thought it sounded stupid when he said it out loud. "They're getting a rest while they can."

"The ride must be hard," Henry said, and Spencer was quietly impressed by that. He was just as smart as his parents, and he probably would have called him out on his lie if he'd given an excuse about a magic sleigh.

"It sure is," Spencer said, trying to keep his voice calm, and he hoped that the rest of the night wasn't going to be as awkward as this interaction had been so far. "Do you mind if I finish eating these? I only get so many breaks tonight." It was the sort of thing he could imagine a real Santa saying and Henry's eyes widened at that.

"Oh, of course," he said, stepping back. "I, uh, need to go to the bathroom." And then Henry was running upstairs. Once he was sure the kid had walked away, Spencer leaned against the wall, letting out a sigh and he silently hoped that you weren't watching him struggle. He finished off the last of the milk and the cookies, and, once he'd composed himself, he made his way to the living room and over to the Christmas tree. He dropped the bag of gifts under the tree, just as he was supposed to.

Meanwhile, Henry was upstairs, trying to get JJ to wake up. "Mom, Mom," he said, shaking his mother gently. "Wake up, Mom, you gotta see this."

JJ grumbled as she got up, Will shifting beside her, but still deep asleep. "What is it, Henry?"

"Santa is downstairs," he said in an excited whisper.

"He is?" JJ asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning a little, Henry pulling her out of bed with all his might.

"Yep. He's downstairs in the living room," he said, dragging her out of bed, and he wasn't kidding because his strength was remarkable. JJ let her son pull her down the stairs, neither of them seeing Santa sneak out the back door. He jogged across the street to the car, getting inside. You watched him in mild amusement as he shut the door, and he was slightly out of breath, which was a comical combination with the Santa suit.

"Mission accomplished?" you asked, a smile on your lips.

"I got caught," he breathed, his voice sounding slightly panicked, and your smile faded into concern as you realised he was serious. "But I think I covered it."

"Did he realise you weren't Santa?" you asked.

"I don't think so," he said, and he did seem a little unsure. "He didn't mention anything about it, and he seemed excited by me being there, but I honestly don't know. It's probably a fifty-fifty chance that he realized it was me."

Meanwhile, Henry had dragged his mom downstairs to an empty living room. "I swear he was here," Henry protested, and JJ was still half-asleep and only slightly confused. "I-I saw him."

"M sure you did, baby," JJ murmured. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"No, I did see him!" Henry said, looking around the living room. He ran into the kitchen. "And he was eating the cookies and the milk!"

"Well, he probably left, Henry," JJ reasoned, following him. "He's got a lot of kids to deliver to."

The wonder on Henry's face was replaced with disappointment, and JJ pulled the nine year-old into a hug. "I know it sucks, baby," she said. "But I'm sure Santa will have left you lots of gifts." Henry huffed, pouting, and JJ smiled down at his adorable expression. "Come on," she said, starting up the stairs. "Back to bed, kiddo."

Once they reached upstairs, Henry climbed into bed, and JJ tucked him in. He looked slightly upset, but JJ planted a kiss on his forehead. Even at nine-years-old, he still wanted to believe in Santa. "So, you believe in Santa again?" JJ asked.

"I told you," Henry said, his voice indignant, sounding very much like his father. "I saw him."

JJ couldn't help a smile, ruffling his hair. "I know."

He gave her a sleepy smile, and then yawned, snuggling down into bed. “Goodnight, mom,” he mumbled.

"Goodnight, baby," JJ murmured. She watched him for a moment, waiting for that slow rise and fall of his chest that meant he was breathing like only the asleep could, and once she was sure he was asleep, she tiptoed out of his room, shutting the door quietly behind her, thanking Spencer in her head.

[secretlysimpash]

Simon Riley, who has hated the holidays and avoided any and all of the festivities for the longest time, finally agreeing to meet your extended family for a holiday party.

After you introduce him to the aunts, uncles, and cousins, you turn your back for a moment to help in the kitchen. When you turn back around to look for Simon...He's gone. Just...Gone. How the hell did you manage lose sight of a 6'3" man?

But thankfully it doesn't take long for you to hear his familiar Manchester accent...Albeit a bit softer than what you're used to.

"So, you made that one?"

"Yeah! Made that one, and...Made that one..."

"Mh, and that one?"

"No, that one's an old one...From my nonnie, that's my mama's mom."

You follow the sound of his voice and...A much smaller, high-pitched voice. Finally, you're led to the Christmas tree in the living room, where Simon is crouched slightly. Beside him is the source of the other voice...One of your younger cousins.

One of their tiny hands is pointing out different decorations on the tree, happily telling him who made what or who placed which one among the colorful lights and silver tinsel. Their other hand is holding onto two of Simon's fingers.

Yes, you snapped a picture. And yes, Simon's quietly rethinking his stance on having kids one day as the kiddo sticks by his (and your) side for most of the event.

[stardust-falling]

Yours, and That's Enough

requested by @gaywarcriminals on ko-fi

Fandom: SVSSS Pairing: Shen Jiu/Yue Qingyuan (Ace-spec relationship) Summary: After resolving their differences, Shen Qingqiu and Yue Qingyuan become close once again. When questions arise from their martial siblings, Shen Qingqiu starts to wonder about the nature of their relationship, and what it is they really are. Words: 1.5k

“So… have you and Shen-shixiong become… cultivation partners?”

Shen Qingqiu very nearly spit out the tea he was drinking when he heard those words from across the hall.

The peak lords’ meeting had just concluded. Yue Qingyuan was doing his usual bit of socialization with his shidi and shimei, while Shen Qingqiu simply did his best to ignore them, as usual. So long as he ignored them, he was slightly less tempted to bash their heads in with the nearest rock— or inkstone, more realistically, but that was beside the point.

It was Jiang Qingyue who had asked the question that made Shen Qingqiu’s head snap up and turn toward where she and Yue Qingyuan were standing near the door to the meeting hall. Yue Qingyuan seemed a little embarrassed, a slight flush on his cheeks, and it seemed almost as though he were deliberately avoiding looking in Shen Qingqiu’s direction.

Shen Qingqiu, for his part, was not having that.

“Ah, well… not exactly…”

Before Yue Qingyuan could stammer out some kind of perfunctory answer, the Qing Jing peak lord stood up quite abruptly, both hands clapping onto the table before he whirled across the room to loop one arm around the sect leader’s, fixing his shimei with a sharp glare.

“Shouldn’t Jiang-shimei be minding her own business?” he asked, tugging Yue Qingyuan close to her side.

Jiang Qingyue tilted her head, glancing from one to the other.

“I suppose I’d forgotten just how sensitive Shen-shixiong’s ears are,” she noted, with a slight twitch of her lip that could be either playful or annoyed… Shen Qingqiu wasn’t sure which, so he would just assume it was annoyance. Not that it really mattered either way.

“So what?” he asked.

“It’s nothing, but… you go from avoiding Zhangmen-shixiong at every chance you can to practically clinging to him inseparably. Can you really blame me for being curious?” Jiang Qingyue shrugged her shoulders, lightly twirling her belt tassel between her fingertips, rotating the beads back and forth. “Besides, it isn’t a bad thing— after all, Li-shijie and I are already—”

“It isn’t like that,” Yue Qingyuan interrupted her with a solemn shake of his head. “Qingqiu and I have simply known one another since our childhood. We had a disagreement once, but now we’ve made up. That’s all there is to it.”

Jiang Qingyue didn’t reply at first, and she didn’t seem entirely convinced either, but if Yue Qingyuan was going to deny it there wasn’t much she could do.

After all, it wasn’t like he was lying. There really wasn’t anything more than that… at least not in the way most often implied by “cultivation partners.”

They were just close, that was all.

They’d been close before.

If Shen Qingqiu had to think about how to describe it… Yue Qingyuan was more like his guard dog than anything else. Or maybe that was Shen Qingqiu? After all, he was the one who would do the protecting. Stupid, impulsive Qi-ge would just get himself killed otherwise. Still… Shen Qingqiu was definitely the one holding the leash.

It wasn’t easy to categorize, and it wasn’t any easier to explain, and yet it was still the most natural thing he’d felt in all of his years of playing Peak Lord.

Now, if only there weren’t any annoyances to ask questions about it and make things awkward.

“Zhangmen-shixiong,” Shen Qingqiu stated, giving a little tug on Yue Qingyuan’s sleeve.

“Yes?”

“I have some things to show you on Qing Jing Peak if we’re finished here.”

“Of course, Shidi. Pardon me, Jiang-shimei, but I must be going now.”

Without another word, Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu departed, with Shen Qingqiu’s arm still tightly hooked around Yue Qingyuan’s, practically tugging him along as though the sect leader were some precious thing that he could hardly bear to allow others to look upon.

Jiang Qingyue— and some of the others, too, who had grown curious after Shen Qingqiu’s sudden rising to his feet— could only watch as they went.

Since when had Shen Qingqiu of all people ever been one to hang off of someone else’s arm?

The situation was just too strange with those two.

Later on, back at Qing Jing Peak’s bamboo house, things had settled into a sense of normalcy as steam rose up from a warm bath, carrying with it the delicate floral fragrances of fine bath oils.

“I didn’t expect they would ask about it so abruptly,” Yue Qingyuan murmured as he carded through Shen Qingqiu’s long, silky hair, gently tugging loose any tangles without pulling at his scalp.

Shen Qingqiu, in the bath, tilted his head back, releasing a little huff of annoyance. “I’m not surprised,” he said. “They’ve always liked asking all sorts of questions about me, poking around when they’re not wanted.”

It had been a few months since he decided he actually wanted to be around Yue Qingyuan— since he’d started showing up at Qiong Ding Peak once in awhile, and a few times even sent for Yue Qingyuan himself to stop by his bamboo house for a cup of tea… and in the end, it had come to this.

Whatever “this” was.

The closeness they had once had when they were children had simply been transplanted onto their adult selves, and now Shen Qingqiu found himself getting annoyed any time Yue Qingyuan started to talk to someone or spend time with someone that wasn’t him. He held himself back quite a lot— he’d lasted a good incense time at least back in the meeting hall, until the topic of conversation had turned to their relationship.

That wasn’t anyone’s business to be asking about anyway.

Just because Shen Qingqiu enjoyed the feeling of Yue Qingyuan’s fingers running through his hair, or perhaps liked to lean up against him and tuck his chin over the sect leader’s shoulder from time to time watching him write out whatever messages he had to send or notes he had to take down, none of that meant that he wanted them to be cultivation partners!

It was… something else.

He tilted his head, letting it rest up against Yue Qingyuan’s arm.

“You should get into the bath as well,” he suggested.

“It isn’t large enough for both of us,” Yue Qingyuan replied.

That was true.

Shen Qingqiu sat himself up with a huff, wringing the water out of his hair.

“Then let’s just go to the springs, shall we?”

Yue Qingyuan smiled a little, wrapping a robe around his shoulders as he stood. “If that’s what Shidi wants.”

Afternoon was fading now, the sun dipping beneath the mountains and the sky turning hues of red and gold. Within the deeper reaches of the peak’s Qingshui Springs were a few secluded hot springs, tucked away in misty caverns. The fading sun entered in through a distant skylight, casting its reflective glow upon the glistening surface of the waters.

“What are we?” Shen Qingqiu asked after they’d spent awhile basking in the warmth of the springs. There was a little frown on his face. He’d wanted to ignore it, because it didn’t matter— but the question still poked at the back at his mind. “You and I… all of this…?”

Yue Qingyuan didn’t answer right away, seeming to ponder the question. “I haven’t thought much about it,” he admitted. “I suppose if we were being technical… then you would be my closest friend, or perhaps a brother?”

“Mn,” Shen Qingqiu replied. The answer didn’t satisfy him, though. It didn’t feel quite right.

Just like calling themselves cultivation partners wouldn’t be exactly accurate, nor did he have any real wish to get married like Jiang Qingyue and Li Qingxiao had, there was still that sense of wanting Yue Qingyuan all to himself that would make far more sense in that sort of framework… not to mention that if they weren’t cultivation partners, then Yue Qingyuan was technically available, and the last thing Shen Qingqiu wanted was for him to be available to anyone…

Yue Qingyuan’s fingers found his own beneath the water, and all of a sudden the sect leader had leaned in to press his forehead up against Shen Qingqiu’s.

“I don’t think it matters what we are, just that we are whatever that is. If you need something to call us, just call me yours,” he said. “I think it gets the point across, don’t you?”

Shen Qingqiu blinked, pulling back a little to meet his gaze. He was quiet for a few moments, then shook his head so quickly that water droplets flew from his hair.

“Stupid Qi-ge,” he said with a sigh. “You really don’t need to be so happy about this— why don’t you wipe that ridiculous-looking grin off your face?”

Despite all that, even he couldn’t deny that his own lips had curled into a smile as well.

Maybe Yue Qingyuan was right. In the end, he was Shen Qingqiu’s… and Shen Qingqiu was also his.

Wasn’t that the important part, after all?

[a-bad-case-of-the-stephs]

Hi there!! SO glad you asked this because i was planning on rbling op anyway to make this post all abt stephanie brown bc that’s my favorite hobby and pastime.

You’re right to mention Dean, her ex. We only see him twice in total, and only one comic while they are dating. Besides that, there are two unnamed civilian girls who appear one time and Steph refers to as friends during her pregnancy arc, but who also didn’t know how far along she was with her pregnancy and who Steph later calls shallow. (Implying that they are likely not close friends at all). Thats it. Until after War Games, that’s literally it.

Steph really doesn’t seem to have any friends at all between her pregnancy and her death, especially not close ones, besides the vigilantes in her life.

When we take into account how Steph mentions she feels distanced from her peers due to her pregnancy, and the fact she had to leave school for a period of time (plus the fact she and all her classmates had just moved schools as we’ll), it makes since that she became isolated after her pregnancy (likely as a result of it).

Post-pregnancy, Steph is very invested in her vigilante work and spends plenty of time with Cass and Tim, but has no other friends who are ever mentioned or even alluded to. At all.

Great example of this is the fact that despite Robin 1993 showing us multiple different funerals of teen characters all of which had multiple teenagers in attendance, Steph’s funeral was seemingly attended entirely by adults (save for Cass and Tim).

Point is, Steph was socially isolated post pregnancy pre war games, and that (if you ask me) is part of the reason she leans on the vigilante side of her life more and more leading up to the events of War Games, and part of the reason she gets to attached to approval in that area- it was sort of the only thing she had going for her. Like lowkey her only social connections were with vigilantes and her mom.

She was kinda lonely!! As Spoiler, and especially as Robin. She no longer even had her relationship with Tim during that time.

(Post infinite crisis and after Steph’s return to Gotham we know Steph has made friends, which is why I clarified pre war games, and she goes on in Batgirl 2009 to also make friends, both vigilante and civilian)

There's something supremely funny about how pple characterize Tim and Damian as loners w/ little social interaction when they're also the only Robin's to have named friends out of uniform. Legit all of Jason & Dick's friends are intrinsically entwined with their vigilante work meanwhile Tim was running d&d campaigns & Damian is over here reluctantly joining the gotham equivalent of the scoobydoo gang.

Tim's literal boyfriend is someone who he canonically knew in high school on a purely civilian level.

[mischiefinbloom]

Hiiiii! Could you please do a James x Hufflepuff!reader please? Just something really fluffy, maybe with the reader helping some first years with something, and James being super happy? 😊 Thx!!!

(Also, sorry if it’s kinda off, this is my first time requesting something 😅)

thank you for your request—it means a lot! I hope you enjoy it!

୧ ‧₊˚ something different

₊⊹ summary: your quiet kindness catches james potter’s eye, leading to an unexpected conversation and an offer that might change everything.

₊⊹ pairing: james potter x hufflepuff!reader

₊⊹ warnings: maybe one...? use of y/n, besides that, nothing!

it was a lazy autumn morning, and the great hall was bathed in golden light streaming through the stained glass windows. you were sitting at the hufflepuff table, the smell of toast and coffee mingling with the cheerful chatter of students around you.

lily evans, as always, was beside you, gesturing animatedly as she talked about the upcoming arithmancy class, something that seemed to excite her more than anything else that week.

"I need to finish this reading before class, but the library is unbearably crowded." lily sighed, turning the page of her notebook impatiently.

"we could go earlier, if you want." you suggested, taking a bite of the apple on your plate.

before lily could respond, a noise from the gryffindor table caught her attention. it wasn't uncommon for the marauders to be the center of attention in the hall, but that particular morning, it seemed sirius black was exaggerating even more.

he was laughing loudly, gesturing as he told some absurd story to peter pettigrew, who could hardly contain his tears from laughing so much. remus lupin seemed bored, focused on his coffee, but james potter...

you knew james potter was always noticed. tall, with messy hair and that confident smile, he seemed to radiate energy.

but that morning, he wasn't looking at sirius or peter. he was looking at lily.

"you're aware that james has been staring at you for the past ten minutes, aren't you?" you said, trying to sound casual.

lily rolled her eyes, "he's always staring."

you chuckled softly, but couldn't help but glance at james. he quickly looked away, as if he didn't want to be caught. there was something about him you could never fully understand. james was a force of nature, but he also seemed to carry something more. something he rarely let show.

that afternoon, you and lily went to the library as planned. the place was quieter than usual, which was a pleasant surprise.

while lily got lost in books on ancient runes, you decided to explore the herbology section. you were so focused on a volume about magical plants that you didn't notice when remus lupin appeared beside you.

"this one's good, but the author exaggerates the properties of mistletoe." remus's voice was calm, almost musical.

you looked at him, surprised, "you've read this book?"

remus shrugged, a small smile on his lips.

"I read everything."

it was easy to talk to remus. he had a calm presence that made you feel at ease, and his observations were always interesting. you ended up spending more time talking than studying, exchanging comments about the professors and classes.

"you're different from the rest of them, you know?" you commented at one point, referring to the marauders.

remus laughed, but there was something melancholic in his gaze.

"they're not as bad as they seem once you get to know them, trust me."

before you could respond, sirius appeared.

"moony, are you stealing evans's friend?" he teased, leaning against the shelf beside you.

you felt your face heat up, but remus just rolled his eyes. "cease it, sirius. don’t bother her."

sirius smiled mischievously, but then his gaze fell on you.

"careful, darling. staying too close to us can be dangerous."

there was something in the way he said that that seemed half-serious, but before you could ask what he meant, sirius was already pulling remus away.

it was late afternoon, and the castle corridors were bathed in warm light filtering through the stained glass windows. james potter was alone, something rare. he had left the quidditch practice early, claiming he needed to fetch a book from the library.

as he walked down the corridor, something caught his attention. a first-year student was kneeling on the floor, desperately trying to gather a handful of scattered papers.

she seemed frustrated, almost crying, but no one around seemed to notice her struggle.

then he saw you.

you were coming down the stairs and stopped immediately upon seeing the scene. james stood where he was, curious, watching.

you approached the girl carefully, without haste, and knelt beside her.

"hey, need help?" you asked, your voice soft and gentle.

the girl looked up, hesitant, but eventually nodded.

as you gathered the papers, you organized them carefully, murmuring words of comfort.

"don't say that, everyone makes mistakes sometimes," you said when she apologized.

james stood still, his heart beating faster than he expected. there was something different about you. something he couldn't ignore.

and, for the first time in years, lily evans was not the only person on his mind.

in the days that followed, james couldn't get the scene out of his head—you helping that first-year student as if it were the most natural thing in the world. he didn't know why, but there was something about that gesture that seemed to encapsulate everything he had begun to notice about you.

in transfiguration class, he saw how you bit the tip of your quill while listening attentively to professor mcgonagall's explanations. during breaks, he noticed how you always made sure to divide your time equally among friends, ensuring no one felt left out.

james didn't know how he had never noticed these things before. or maybe he did. but had been so focused on lily for so long that he had never allowed himself to look around.

now, he was looking.

it was a particularly cold night, and you were leaving the library with lily. the hours had slipped by as you reviewed for the upcoming charms exam, and now the corridors were almost deserted.

"I thought my fingers would fall off after writing so much." you said, shrinking against the cold wind that passed through the slightly open windows.

lily smiled, adjusting her scarf around her neck. "don't complain, at least you know you'll ace the exam."

before you could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor, and an unmistakable voice caught your attention.

"evans! thought I'd find you here."

it was james. he had that mischievous smile on his face but seemed less intense than usual. lily sighed, but he ignored her and looked at you.

"hey, hufflepuff," he said, his eyes shining for a moment before turning back to lily. "I need to talk to you about the prefect meeting."

lily hesitated but eventually nodded. "okay, but make it quick, potter."

as they moved away to talk, you leaned against the wall, watching the torches flicker in the darkness of the corridor. a few minutes later, james returned alone, his face slightly flushed from the cold.

"she's always like that with you?" you asked, without thinking.

james chuckled, a low and genuine sound. "always. but I guess I've gotten used to it."

"you're persistent, that's for sure."

he raised an eyebrow, surprised by the comment. "is that good or bad?"

you shrugged, a small smile on your lips. "depends on who's on the other side."

james fell silent for a moment, just watching you. it was as if he was trying to figure something out, as if, for the first time, he didn't quite know what to say.

"you know, you're different," he said finally, his tone softer than usual.

you frowned, confused. "different how?"

"I don't know. just... different. good different."

before you could say anything, lily called for you from the other end of the corridor. you gave james one last look before joining her, leaving him standing there, alone.

that night, as you tried to sleep, the conversation with james wouldn't leave your mind. there was something in the way he spoke to you, something that felt... different.

meanwhile, james was sitting in front of the fireplace in the gryffindor common room, lost in thought. sirius tossed a crumpled piece of parchment into the air, clearly bored.

"what's with you today?" sirius asked, tossing the parchment in james's direction.

"just thinking."

"about who?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

james hesitated for a moment before answering. "y/n."

the silence that followed was brief but loaded.

"y/n?" sirius repeated, surprised. "no offense, she's great, beautiful too, but... she's not evans."

james sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. and that's what's confusing me."

remus smiled but didn't say anything, leaving james lost in his own thoughts.

in the following week, james began to approach you more, subtly but noticeably. he asked questions about classes, helped you carry your books when he saw you were overloaded, and even started showing up in the library more often.

at first, you thought it was a coincidence, but soon you realized it wasn't. and, to your surprise, you didn't mind.

one afternoon, as you walked together through the gardens, james looked at you with a smile that seemed to carry more meaning than he was willing to admit.

"you know... these days, you’ve been the brightest moment for me without even realizing it." he said, straightforwardly, a faint flush of color warmed his cheeks.

you stopped, surprised, "what?"

"I'm serious. I... I don't know how to explain it, but... you make things seem easier."

there was something in his sincerity that made your heart beat faster.

"james... I..." you began, but he interrupted you, gently holding your hand.

"I know we have our differences, but... how about we go out tomorrow night? just the two of us. we can have dinner in hogsmeade, maybe. what do you think?"

you looked at him, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. you never imagined that james potter, the mischievous and sweet boy, would make such an intimate invitation, specially to you.

"I'd love to," you replied, smiling shyly.

he smiled back, squeezing your hand.

"then it's a date. tomorrow night, at seven o'clock, at the main entrance. don't be late."

you laughed, shaking your head.

"I'm not the one who's late here, potter."

"true," he agreed, "but I'll wait for you anyway. I always will."

and so, with a smile on your lips and your heart racing, you said goodbye to him, eager for what the next night would bring.

[gaylordscooter]

Cut Off

[warning for binge drinking and references to self harm]

He didn't know what to think when he saw the scars on his arms. He knew they were there but he never brought it up. He wasn't good at handling situations like that. He wasn't good at comforting others, he never has been. Not even when he was Sans.

And then Blue pointed out some of them seemed to be recent given that they weren't as healed as the others.

Instantly, he knew what caused those scars.

That argument they had. After he stabbed through his soul.

He avoided Killer as much as he could for about a whole week afterwards until they made up.

IT’S YOUR FAULT. YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAVE CARVED THOSE YOURSELF.

Horror seemed to come to the same conclusion. He stared at Dusk knowingly. He sighed and carefully put a shirt on Killer along with his usual jacket.

They weren't going to bother with changing his pants, comfort be damned. They've already intruded enough on his personal space.

Afterwards, Blue asked Horror to have a private talk with him in his room and that he’ll have one with Dusk after.

It was puzzling, but Horror went with him anyway, leaving Dusk alone with Killer.

It left him some time to ruminate, specifically about his relationship with him.

He stayed crouched down by the couch Killer was sleeping on.

They never labeled what it was—Killer seemingly didn't think of their relationship as anything special, which is what spurred that argument in the first place. Considering Killer's apology and the new scars on his arms, that couldn't be further from the truth.

It's true that initially it was casual. The kissing, the drugs, all of it was just to get away from everything.

Their horrible living circumstances, Nightmare, their guilt—those nightly meetings warded them off even if it was for just a little bit.

At first it didn't matter who the other person in the room was. It didn't matter who they were smoking with. They weren't…Killer wasn't thinking of him when they kissed. Initially.

And then it stemmed into something more, after the night they agreed to quit it with the drugs. Now they did matter to each other. The whole reason they hung out at night had changed. They liked each other's company. They liked each other.

Yet being trapped under Nightmare's grip evaporated any hope for a proper relationship. Killer always avoided talking about their relationship too—but Dusk didn't see that as the main problem.

But now they're somewhere new. Somewhere safe, hopefully.

SOMEWHERE YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE.

They could have a proper relationship now, he supposed, but diving into one immediately—living with each other—was starting to seem like a bad idea.

He cares about Killer a lot more than he ever expected to, so he wanted to do this right.

But what would that even entail? Was that even possible for them?

He studied Killer’s sleeping face. He didn't exactly look peaceful. He cupped his face with a hand. He felt him lean into the touch.

At least in their current states, he doubted it.

IT’LL NEVER HAPPEN. DO YOU THINK EITHER OF YOU CAN GET BETTER? AFTER EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE?

Horror walked into the room a few minutes later. “you're up,” he said.

Dusk looked at Killer, but he was still asleep.

“no, i meant it's your turn to talk to him.”

Dusk rolled his eyelights and stood up. He walked into the hall even as Horror was trying to tell him where Blue’s room was located. He didn't need directions, it was pretty obvious with the light to his room being the only one that was on in the hallway.

Besides, he also had a concerningly easy time locating monsters in general, but that wasn't relevant in this specific instance.

He opened the door, which startled the skeleton inside.

His sockets widened. The room looked so similar to Papyrus’s, but it was off. While the layout was the exact same, the color of the carpet was different, the figures on his table weren't the same, and his bed looked like a rocket-ship instead of a car.

SEEMS FAMILIAR.

“Oh my god, I didn't realize my room would throw you off. Sorry,” Blue fretted. He was currently sitting on his bed with a clipboard and pen in hand. Seeing him in the room instead of Papyrus grounded him a bit.

Dusk waved his hand dismissively. It was fine.

“Please, take a seat.” He gestured to the stool in front of his bed. It was kinda funny how professional he was trying to be despite the setting.

He sat down.

“So…I want to preface this by assuring that you and the others are not getting kicked out of the hub. I just wanted to talk to each of you one on one to properly sort things out. The hotel room you and Killer are staying at is actually a temporary place to stay before we build a permanent home. My question to you is: do you want to continue to live with Killer?”

Blue managed to ask the one question Dusk wasn't sure how to answer. He ended up staring at him blankly.

“This choice isn't permanent of course, you could always change your mind.”

It was mostly Killer’s choice to live in the same hotel room. He went along with it without complaint. They were used to living in the same building after all. It was comfortable, but it might've been too comfortable.

If they continued to live with each other, would they even find any motivation to go outside? He doubted Killer would.

YOU WOULDN’T EITHER.

Finally, Dusk shook his head.

Blue quickly jotted something down. “Alright. Um, another thing I wanted to mention. I don't know anything about what you guys went through when you were under Nightmare’s captivity, but I know it must've been rough—and I’m not exactly licensed—but if you need someone to talk to I’m available.”

Dusk looked at him blankly. It clicked for him that the torn-up coat Blue was wearing was a lab coat. This guy was a wannabe doctor.

His silence only made the other skeleton nervous. His eyelights darted from side to side as he waited for a response. When he didn't get one he cleared his metaphorical throat and went on, “What I mean to say is, I’m a therapist—again not officially, but it's not like I can get licensed anymore—but that's besides the point! I got a PhD in psychology, so I have the knowledge…Okay maybe I forgot some of it…Most of it. Sorry, I’m rambling.”

Dusk perked up. If this guy had knowledge in that field he could probably help Killer better than he could ever. That was a pretty big “if” considering his questionable qualification, but Dusk knew with how things were now, he wouldn't be able to provide the support Killer needs. He was hardly keeping it together himself, he couldn't provide comfort for him for much longer without being dragged down too. For lack of a better way of wording it.

Hell, the only reason he's been keeping it together was out of pure stubbornness to make sure Killer was okay. He couldn't keep that up for long, that was for sure.

If they were going to live on their own, Killer would need someone else to support him.

OR ELSE HE’LL KILL HIMSELF.

can you not.

He glared into Blue’s eyelights. Did he really want this guy to be the one to do it?

Who else would it be? Horror?

Hell no. He's also got enough to deal with on his own.

“you can help?” he asked.

Blue’s sockets widened. “I…like to think so?”

That wasn't the most confident answer.

CAN YOU BLAME HIM? IT’S HARD TO HELP SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T DESERVE IT.

shut up.

“watch over killer.”

He watched Blue’s grip on his pen tighten.

“Okay,” he said.

No, he wasn't satisfied with that. He needed to be sure. 

“promise me.”

Blue blinked in surprise, before a look of conviction crossed his face. “I promise. I promise I’ll keep him safe.”

LIAR.

He wrote something down again. “Um, is there anything I could do to help you?”

Dusk was about to shake his head, but then he thought of something.

HEY.

“medication.”

“Oh um, I don't have access to any medication…what specifically did you want them for?”

He pointed at the side of his skull.

Blue cocked his head as he tried to understand. “Headaches?”

…Well that was a problem too but not the one he was thinking about. He shook his head.

“Uhh, hearing? Do you have a hard time hearing or—no wait, that wouldn't make sense, are you having auditory hallucinations?”

Honestly he wasn't sure if the voice in his head was a hallucination or something else. He knew it wasn't actually Papyrus. Though that did take him an embarrassingly long time to figure out.

I AM PAPYRUS. YOU JUST CONVINCED YOURSELF OTHERWISE BECAUSE YOU CAN’T FACE IT THAT I HATE YOU.

Yeah, that wasn't Papyrus, but he still had no clue what this was. He shrugged.

“If they're hallucinations, antipsychotics could probably help. It doesn't always work though…but I probably wouldn't be able to get you any in the first place and I’d have to make sure they're hallucinations first,” he rambled. “What are you hearing, exactly? If you don't mind me asking.”

DON’T TELL HIM. YOU ALREADY SEEM INSANE ENOUGH AS IS.

Dusk’s hands gripped his arms as he curled into himself as much as he could on the stool. He didn't want to speak anymore, but he had to get this out.

DO YOU? IT’LL ONLY PUT YOU IN DANGER.

He pointed at Blue’s clipboard.

“Oh! Do you want to write it down?” Blue put a clean sheet of paper on top before handing it along with his pen over to Dusk.

He hesitated before writing down the first word, but once he started the rest was written quickly. He handed it back for Blue to read before the dumb voice in his head could protest.

The look on Blue’s face shifted as he read. His eyelights flicked up to Dusk as he continued and then he put the clipboard down off to the side. He covered his mouth with a hand as he processed what he read. Blue was looking everywhere but at him. It seemed he couldn't bring himself to face Dusk anymore.

I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A MISTAKE.

“That's…that's horrible, having to deal with that, I’m sorry,” he said.

Dusk didn't expect sympathy. He just told him that he killed his own brother and he was plagued by his voice ever since. If anything—

YOU DESERVE THAT.

Blue’s voice got quieter, “i—i have something i need to confess.” He clasped his hands together tightly. “I already knew that you killed your brother.”

Dusk’s sockets narrowed. He curled his hands into fists but he remained seated.

Blue had the gall to shut his sockets, “I know more than I should about you and the other two. You saw the book with my notes. I wasn't sure if any of you actually read through it, but there's an entry on other versions of you guys. They're not exactly the same as you, so I don't know exact details but I know you and Killer have…murdered a lot of monsters.” Once he finished talking, he finally opened his sockets. He hesitantly looked at Dusk.

HE KNOWS ABOUT ALL OF YOUR SINS.

That only made his actions more confusing.

“why are you trying to help us, then?”

It seemed Blue wasn't expecting to be asked this question because all of his anxiety washed away and was replaced with exasperation. “I told you guys already that I want to. I get that it's hard to trust me when you hardly know me but can't you suspend your doubts at least a little bit? Sure, you've hurt a lot of monsters, but that's no excuse for you to give up on ever being good again. Everyone can—”

“don't finish that sentence,” Dusk said.

Blue’s breath hitched as he was interrupted. “right, sorry.”

Everyone can be a great person if they try. That's what he was going to say.

Of course the person trying to help them is so similar to Papyrus. It was a cruel joke, really.

Well, this wasn't exactly a joke. It wasn't funny in the slightest.

Blue cleared his throat, “After I finish talking to Killer, I’ll take you all to your new homes in the Hub. If you don't have any questions that will be all. I'd appreciate it if you told Killer to come over here.”

Even if he did have questions he was frankly too preoccupied with the upcoming conversation he was going to have with Killer. So he simply gave him a nod and got up to walk out.

Once he got to the living room he saw that Killer was awake. He’ll never get over how Killer lights up whenever he sees him. It was—he wasn't used to it.

His brief exchange with him was awkward. He sighed once Killer went over to Blue's room. He didn't mention anything about living apart yet. He probably should've done so before sending him over, but he wanted to put it off for as long as he could.

Which isn't for long at all.

He sat on the couch next to Horror, dreadfully awaiting when he’d return and he'd have to explain everything.

At first he thought Horror was going to be mercifully silent, but after a minute of silence he spoke up.

“so, are you and killer still gonna share a room?”

Dusk threw his head back against the couch with a groan.

“i’m taking that as a no. good for you.”

Dusk glared at him.

Horror shrugged. “what? i’m being honest. it is good for you, and probably killer. you two are…” he trailed off trying to find the right word, “hazardous, together.”

“you think so?” Dusk signed frantically.

Horror raised a brow bone. “is that sarcasm?”

Dusk fell back against the couch again, deflated. Hazardous? That was one way to describe their relationship. How many injuries have they caused each other?

It was to let off steam, was the excuse they had, but considering the scars was it just another way Killer would hurt himself?

The thought made him sick.

HE’S USING YOU.

What did that even mean at this point?

He couldn't answer.

“so me and papyrus are gonna move into our own house, separate from the rest of the guys. it's gonna be weird getting used to living with him again.”

Showoff.

THAT’S NOT SHOWING OFF. YOU KILLED ME! THAT WAS EASILY PREVENTABLE!

It wasn't that simple but he has a point. He gave Horror a thumbs up. Good for him.

“i’m mostly saying that just in case you come over to visit me. i know it's hard for you to be near him, so.”

Dusk let out a half-laugh half-hum. How weirdly considerate of him, and about Papyrus nonetheless.

Back when Horror learned he and Killer murdered their brothers, he was furious towards them. The only reason he interacted with them was out of self preservation, and even then it was rare.

Maybe being tormented by the same being was the easiest way to bring anyone together.

Or maybe he just realized he wasn't really qualified to judge them after all he's done.

If they wore each other’s shoes they’d find they’d do the exact same thing. It’s funny how being the same person works.

Either way, it's surreal that they're friends now. Though, he kinda thought he’d stop being so friendly once they got away from Nightmare.

“anyway, how are you gonna tell him?” he asked.

He didn't have the answer to that, so he shrugged.

Horror snerked, “dude, seriously?”

“what would you say?” he signed, moving his hands in a stilted manner.

“you really gotta brush up on sign language, i can barely understand you.”

Dusk clenched his hands shut in silent annoyance. He wasn't wrong. His sign language was horrible. He was only going off of what he remembered from past resets, and even then he only took the time to learn it in timelines where they reached the surface. Which were very very distant memories.

“just be upfront. it's not like you two have to live with each other. ‘sides, he’ll be fine on his own.”

Dusk leaned his head forward and gave him a skeptical look.

“probably…” he added without much certainty.

He dreaded the conversation to come. That dread didn't dwindle at all when Killer entered the room and swore at him.

Horror fled the room immediately. Which was fair, but he would've appreciated some support.

He didn't even say anything yet and Killer was already on the verge of crying. His voice cracked as he yelled, usually Dusk found his voice cracks amusing, but now it made his soul twist.

He brought up a point Horror told him. Only for him to panic even more.

LOOK AT HOW MUCH YOU’RE HURTING HIM. IS THIS YOUR REVENGE ON HIM AFTER HE CALLED YOUR RELATIONSHIP A JOKE? WAS HIM CUTTING HIMSELF OVER YOU NOT GOOD ENOUGH?

He didn't want to hurt him. This wasn't revenge. He didn't want to hurt him!

HE KNOWS YOU HATE HIM.

He cared about him!

He loved him!

The words came out of his mouth before he realized it wasn't the best time to say them. It was a horrible time to confess, Killer was already overwhelmed.

That was the first time he said “i love you” to him.

He needed him to know how he felt. He needed him to be sure that they were splitting out of necessity and that he didn't hate him.

“we need to spend some time apart,” he said.

Killer started hyperventilating. God, he was shaking. It looked like he was going to fall over at any moment.

THIS IS WHAT YOU DO TO HIM. YOU’VE MANIPULATED HIM. NOW HE CAN’T STAND BEING WITHOUT YOU.

YOU’RE AWFUL.

YOU GAVE HIM THOSE SCARS.

Dusk hugged him, hoping it would calm him down.

Killer immediately clung onto him in return. His hand tightly gripped his jacket, desperate to keep him here.

He tried explaining why they had to be apart.

“dust, please, i’ve already been alone for too long!”

Dusk moved his hands to his shoulders and pushed him away so that he could look at his soul.

It looked the same as it did that night when they decided to quit doing drugs; it was jagged and changing frantically.

He didn't know what it meant exactly, but it didn't mean anything good.

Just like his soul, his face was a mess. He was crying. He thought he was mad at him for calling him “Dust”. He didn't even notice he did.

It hurt to see him like this, but that probably didn't compare to what Killer was going through.

It’d be worse if they stayed together. They wouldn't be able to leave their room. Why would they, when they had each other? No, he didn't want to live like that. It was going to be hard adjusting to a new life and meeting new people but they needed to.

YOU DON’T DESERVE TO.

Things will be better for both of them.

They just had to rip off the bandage first.

That whole conversation was worse than anything Nightmare’s put them through.

No, being overtaken by that parasite was worse, actually.

Either way, it ended up being motivation to go outside once they got back to the Hub. Only for him to b-line towards Grillby’s once he found it.

Once he walked into the place deja vu rushed through him. It looked the exact same as his Grillby’s, the only thing that reminded him that he wasn't in his universe were the patrons.

It was a lot more packed and it wasn't just the usual Snowdin residents that were here. Luckily, because it was so packed, no one paid him any mind when he walked in.

If this was his universe, everyone would greet him.

As he walked towards the bar he noticed that the establishment wasn't the exact same—because it seemed to be double the normal size.

That was the only noticeable difference so far, though.

Grillby himself looked the same, he was also cleaning a glass like he usually did whenever he had some downtime.

Feeling bold, he took a seat at the bar, not many people were sitting around here anyway.

Grillby looked at him, waiting for an order.

And then he realized he didn't have any gold on him. Maybe this Grillby would also put up with a stupidly long tab.

It was weird seeing him again. Fortunately, he's gotten used to seeing different versions of monsters he's killed. Even though they looked the same there was something off. It was like he could tell they were from different universes.

However, this Grillby didn't feel off to him at all.

He didn't need anything fancy to drink so he just ordered a glass of beer.

Grillby gave it to him without a word, which was typical of him.

He tried drinking it slowly at first, trying to seem casual and then he threw that out the window once he realized he didn't really care right now. He wanted to get wasted.

When Blue took them back here, both he and Horror accompanied Killer to his room. Horror practically dragged the skeleton over to his room with how unresponsive he got after their conversation ended.

Then when they said their goodbyes, Killer wordlessly clung onto his sleeve until Dusk pulled away.

Grillby refilled his beer, thank god.

He downed it immediately.

This is only temporary.

Another glass, actually, Grillby brought him two more. He knew he could always rely on him.

They’re not even that far apart from each other. He knows where he lives. He can visit at any time.

Another glass down. The fake Papyrus in his head has gone quiet already.

As his hand grasped the other glass of beer, someone sat down next to him.

“S-SANS?”

Dusk nearly spat out his drink, instead he choked it down, causing him to go into a coughing fit.

“SORRY FOR STARTLING YOU! I THOUGHT YOU WERE SOMEONE ELSE!”

He looked over at the person next to him. Oh god yeah, that was a Papyrus.

Why did this one seem so familiar?

He wasn't even wearing his battle body. He was wearing casual everyday clothes.

He looked a lot more rugged than usual with heavy dark circles under his sockets.

This one had LV.

“it's fine.” Is what he wanted to say. Instead his tipsy mind only managed to say “you real?”

He looked so nervous. “I DON’T SEE WHY I WOULDN’T BE?” He squinted at the glasses on the counter. “HOW MUCH HAVE YOU DRANK ALREADY?”

Dusk looked over to count, but he was distracted by the fact he was currently holding a whole bottle of beer in his hand, apparently. He turned his attention to Grillby, confused.

“...” Grillby looked as blank as ever.

“THAT ISN’T AN EXCUSE TO GIVE HIM SO MUCH ALCOHOL!” Papyrus responded. He pinched the bridge of his nose bone and shook his head in disapproval.

What the hell was happening?

Maybe drinking like crazy wasn't a good idea in a completely new world. Ehhh he didn't really care. Oof, his eye sockets were getting heavy.

A nap sounded real good right now, actually. Consequences be damned, he propped his head against the counter and dozed off.

“HE DIDN’T EVEN ORDER FOOD, DID HE?” Papyrus remarked. He knew this Sans wasn't literally the one from his universe, but the second he saw him he knew he was from a similar one.

Obviously he was from a universe where he didn't die by his hand.

It was shameful, knowing that Papyrus never stooped low enough to harm let alone kill his own brother. He was a horrible brother.

As much as Grillby would insist he did what he had to in order to protect the other residents of Snowdin, he still regretted it deeply.

Seeing a version of his brother that probably succeeded in his task didn't change his mind on that at all.

Speaking of Grillby, “I KNOW YOU RECOGNIZED HIM BUT YOU CAN’T JUST GIVE HIM ALL THIS,” he gestured wildly at the group of empty glasses by the sleeping skeleton, “LIKE YOU’RE TRYING TO SEDATE HIM! YOU KNOW HE ISN’T THE SAME ONE.”

Grillby adjusted his glasses even though they were already straight and grabbed one of the cups to start cleaning it.

“I KNOW IT’S WEIRD, THAT DOESN’T CHANGE MY POINT.”

“...”

“I CAN’T JUST WAKE HIM UP THAT’S RUDE.”

“....”

“I’M GOING TO STAY HERE UNTIL HE WAKES UP SO I KNOW HE’S FINE, OBVIOUSLY.”

Grillby paused his glass-cleaning to procure a shot of warm milk for Papyrus.

“I AM NOT PAYING FOR THAT,” he said, before snatching it up and downing it as if it were whiskey.

Grillby gave him a quizzical look.

Papyrus lowered the volume of his voice, which wasn't by much, “Of Course I’m Not Perturbed By Seeing Such A Close Replica Of My Brother That I Brutally Put An End To.”

Grillby got back to cleaning the pile of glasses.

“IT IS JUST A YOU PROBLEM ACTUALLY…SORRY, THAT WAS RUDE. STILL YOUR PROBLEM, THOUGH. THIS SKELETON NEXT TO ME IS A COMPLETE STRANGER, WE’VE NEVER MET HIM,” he said with total confidence that he didn't have.

At the Hub, it was expected to run into other versions of people you knew, but it was basic etiquette to treat them as strangers. You do not assume anything of them because you've never met this version before. Unfortunately, that was harder to uphold when they were from such alike universes.

It wasn't unusual for loved ones from different universes to settle for you if you were similar enough.

Fortunately for Grillby and Papyrus, they didn't really have to deal with that, being the only people from a “Dust” universe to live in the Hub.

But now this Sans is here.

When Dusk finally woke up, the bar was near closing time.

And the Papyrus was still here—oh never mind he bolted out the door the moment he moved.

He sluggishly moved his head towards Grillby, who was probably waiting for him to leave too so he could close.

“sorry,” he slurred. He put a hand on the counter to support himself as got off the stool. He reached into his pockets for gold that wasn't there. Oh yeah.

“my bad, i forgot i didn’t have any g.”

Grillby waved his hand dismissively, or he was shooing him. “...........It's fine.”

Dusk blinked in surprise. “thanks, i’ll uh, bye.” He gave a quick wave before walking quickly out of there, or at least he tried to. He ended up bumping into multiple tables and chairs until he tripped and fell down before he could even make it to the door. He doesn't know how long he napped but clearly he was still drunk.

He stayed on the ground for a moment, internally hyping himself up to stand.

He heard Grillby walk over. Ah, great.

At the very least he managed to flip himself on his back to look up at the fire monster.

For a moment, it felt like he was back in his universe and this Grillby was the one he knew, but he knew he couldn't be. He killed him along with the others.

Although Grillby had an unreadable face—because he didn't have one—Dusk was able to get a good idea about what he was feeling by looking at the pattern of his flames.

Either being drunk skewed his perception or he was reading it wrong, because from what he was seeing, Grillby was concerned for him.

He knew this look well, especially after he started remembering past timelines all of a sudden. Whenever he drank to stop thinking, Grillby would look at him exactly like this and then he'd offer to help him get home. Sometimes he'd try asking what was up. Which was completely in vain.

Usually this was the part he'd kill him.

The two of them stared at each other in silence. They were off script. They didn't know who was going to make the next move.

Until Grillby decided to take the lead. He knelt down by Dusk. His hands reached out to him slowly, ready to draw back if Dusk said anything.

Dusk’s mind unhelpfully insisted Grillby was about to strangle him or something. He stayed still regardless.

Grillby paused and his hands retreated. “...Why are you here?” He stood up.

“had a bad breakup,” he said. It wasn't really a breakup since they were never formally together, but they did separate so that word probably applied to the situation.

Grillby’s head briefly flared up. That could mean a multitude of things so he didn't want to bother assuming what it meant.

“GOOD LORD, HE HASN’T LEFT YET?” Papyrus's voice startled the two as he opened the door. Apparently he hadn't left the vicinity yet. “HONESTLY, OF ALL MONSTERS TO WALTZ IN HERE AND GET BLACKOUT DRUNK…DO YOU EVEN HAVE ANYONE THAT COULD WALK YOU HOME?” He remained outside, only peeking his head in through the door to be heard.

Well Horror probably could, but he had no way of contacting him. He did get that phone. He wasn't sure if he still had it on him and even then he didn't have the number or a phone.

That's a no.

Dusk shook his head even though it was hardly visible to the Papyrus.

Papyrus sighed dramatically. ��FINE. AS A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN I SHALL ACCOMPANY YOU TO YOUR ABODE TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY.”

“i’ll take my chances sleeping on the sidewalk.”

“YOU CAN’T EVEN GET TO THE SIDEWALK ON YOUR OWN.”

“i guess my chances aren't looking too good. my doom is cemented. maybe even set in stone. just leave me here.”

Papyrus groaned at the puns. “I AM GOING TO GO OVER THERE AND PICK YOU UP AND THEN YOU ARE GOING TO DIRECT ME TO YOUR HOUSE, UNDERSTAND?”

“mmmm no.”

Then he was picked up by warm hands. Oh, Grillby picked him up. He walked him over to the door and was handed over to Papyrus.

The second the two were outside, Grillby hastily closed the door.

“the fuck happened to snowdin?” he asked.

Papyrus huffed, “WE AREN’T IN SNOWDIN.”

He took note of the sky. It was sundown. “we made it to the surface?”

“NO.”

“oh.”

“DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS?”

“shouldn't you know?”

“I’M NOT YOUR BROTHER. YOUR BROTHER IS DEAD. YOU KILLED HIM,” Papyrus said coldly.

Man, his mind was scrambled. For a second he thought there’s been a reset. What timeline was this? No he was kidnapped by Nightmare—and then they were kicked out…Oh yeah. This is the “Hub” or whatever.

He drank way too much.

“i didn't want to…”

“I DIDN’T EITHER! BUT THAT DOESN’T CHANGE IT, NOW DOES IT?!”

He hasn't heard Papyrus get this mad in a while. Wait. “what do you mean you ‘didn't either’?”

Papyrus came to a halt. “IN MY UNIVERSE, I KILLED YOU.”

He may have been drunk out of his mind, but even he knew that didn't sound right. “you wouldn't.”

“WELL, I DID.”

“you can't.”

“CLEARLY I CAN.”

He couldn't even kill the human. How's he supposed to believe he would ever kill him?

“you can't kill the human but you killed me, is that what i’m hearing?”

Papyrus grit his teeth. Despite the conversation, he was still carrying him. “KILLING THEM WASN’T GOING TO STOP THEM. KILLING YOU DID. AND IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.”

“you never have accidents with your magic.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW ME. YOU AREN’T MY BROTHER! YOU CAN’T JUDGE ME ANYWAY.”

“...you can put me down now.”

“YOU’LL FALL ON YOUR FACE. NO.”

Alas, poor Papyrus. It wouldn't matter how much he reminded himself that he wasn't the same Sans. They were so similar to each other's brother.

And he didn't even remember where his new house was. If this turned out to be a torture method that Nightmare came up with, he wouldn't be surprised.

“so what, you're gonna aimlessly carry me around until you happen to find my house?”

“I GUESS SO!”

Of course.

He resumed walking, Dusk decided to accept it. It was an excuse to be lazy. Even though he hasn’t been “lazy” in years.

Then again, he hasn’t been carried by Papyrus like this in years.

[rhiannonsknife]

── ❆ DAY 24: christmas with the yellowjackets

— summary: christmas eve with the yellowjackets hcs (shauna. jackie. lottie. nat. van. tai. laura lee.)

— warnings: fluff. established relationships. gn!reader.

shauna shipman

❆ christmas eve at shauna’s is endearingly chaotic. after a slightly overwhelming family dinner, shauna catches your eye from across the table, her expression speaking volumes. as soon as the dishes are cleared, she tugs you by the hand up to her attic bedroom. It’s small but cozy, filled old soccer trophies, faded posters, a stack of dusty books, and most importantly, it’s just the two of you. she pulls out a half-empty bag of holiday chocolates she stashed away earlier and plops down on the bed, grinning as she offers you one. “this is way better than listening to my mom ask about my ‘five-year plan,’ right?” she teases, leaning her head on your shoulder as you unwrap the candy and settle in for a quiet moment together.

❆ shauna insists on a tradition she started as a kid: exchanging one gift on christmas eve. she pulls out a small box she’s been hiding under the tree all evening and hands it to you with a sheepish smile. “i couldn’t wait for this one,” she admits softly, watching you unwrap it. inside is something thoughtful: simple, but so uniquely her. when it’s your turn, you pass her a neatly wrapped book you’d been meaning to share with her for months: it’s your favorite, but you’ve left small notes and annotations between the lines.

❆ shauna definitely isn’t one for large, over the top gestures. instead, she finds subtle ways to show she’s thinking about you. while everyone’s distracted during dessert, she quietly slides the last piece of hers onto your plate with a small, knowing smile. later, as the family gathers around the living room to watch a movie, she settles beside you, her knee pressed against yours. the way her fingers softly brush against yours under the blanket you’re sharing says everything she can’t in a room full of people.

jackie taylor

❆ jackie insists on everything being perfect for christmas eve, and that includes you. she spends way too long fussing over her outfit, then quickly turns her attention to yours. whether it’s a cozy sweater or something more festive, jackie 100% makes it her mission to ensure you both look like you’ve stepped out of one of these cheesy holiday romcoms she makes you watch. only then, the two of you join her family for dinner. of course, her mom comments on how good you both look, which jackie takes as confirmation that all her efforts were worth it.

❆ jackie adores introducing you to her extended family, playing the role of the best friend perfectly. they might not know the true nature of your relationship, but she makes a point in showing you off nonetheless. she clings to your arm, proudly showing you off and basking in the compliments about how amazing the two of you look together. when her little cousins start to get rowdy, she ropes you into playing board games with them, determined to prove she can win more than just soccer matches.

❆ after dinner, jackie insists on dragging you outside for a walk in the snow where it’ll just be the two of you. complete with scarves, gloves, and her earmuffs. it’s her favorite part of the day; walking hand-in-hand as the neighborhood lights twinkle around you. in her block, the neighbors went all out with their decorations and it’s fun to wander around and look at the different lights and houses. at some point, she’ll stop, her cheeks rosy from the cold, and kiss you softly, whispering, “merry christmas”

lottie matthews

❆ on the 24th , lottie wakes up early, watching you sleep from her desk while she works on the final touches of your present. by the time you wake up too, she’s finishing up her letter for you. you blink your eyes open to the bright, white light coming in through the windows and find her with her legs drawn to her chest and her eyes on you. she gives you something meaningful, albeit a little too expensive for your personal liking, like a charm bracelet with a symbol that reminds her of your connection, and watches nervously as you open it, her face only lighting up when you smile and approve.

❆ with you, christmas feels a lot less lonely and lottie makes use of that in every possible way, relishing in your company. you can spend the day however the two of you like, so she takes you out before anyone else is up, only returning after a thorough walk through the snowy streets of wiskayok. she spends the whole time clinging to your hand and whether there’s something for you to talk about, or just comfortable silence, you both enjoy each other’s company. “i think christmas is way better with you here” she admits before kissing you gently.

❆ she has a sweet but quirky side that shines during the holiday season: insisting you join her in lighting candles for “good vibes” before dinner, picking out the prettiest ornaments for the tree, and even convincing you to meditate with her by the fireplace after the chaos of the day. by the end of the night, you’re both cuddled under a blanket, sipping tea while she curls up against you.

nat scatorccio

❆ christmas eve with nat starts quieter than most. she’s not even used to it being a big deal at all. however, since she started dating you, she’s been showing up on your doorstep every christmas to spend the holiday with you instead: knocking on your door with a lopsided grin and a couple of small, awkwardly wrapped presents in hand. again: she’s not used to big celebrations, but the sight of your warm, bustling home instantly softens her.

❆ nat, being nat, spends a lot of her time deflecting with sarcasm, trying to pretend like none of this is getting to her at all, complaining about your aunt’s fruitcake or your dad’s bad jokes. but you can tell she’s secretly enjoying herself by the smiles she flashes you from across the room whenever the mask accidentally slips. when your family hands her a stocking they filled for her last minute, her eyes widen in surprise, and she mutters something about how “totally cheesy” it is while holding onto it like it’s the best thing she’s ever received.

❆ after dinner, nat drags you (and your siblings/cousins) outside for some “fresh air” and immediately starts a snowball fight, pelting you with snow while laughing so hard she nearly falls over. when you finally tackle her to the ground, pinning her in the snow, she grabs your face with cold hands and kisses you impulsively. “merry christmas,” she says, grinning up at you. “now help me up before i freeze to death here!”

van palmer

❆ van is not a morning person, not even on the day of christmas eve, so unless you wake her, she’s staying in bed as long as possible - even if you’ve got plans for the evening. when you do finally poke and kiss her awake, she insists on dragging the blankets with her to the couch, still half-asleep but grinning as she wishes you a lazy, “merry christmas.” she’s the kind of girlfriend who wraps herself around you on the sofa and refuses to let you go until she’s fully awake and ready for coffee.

❆ christmas movies are non-negotiable with van. she pulls out a stack of VHS tapes she’s been keeping since october and insists you watch them all with her. she recites all the best lines, laughs way too loud at the cheesy parts, and even makes up drinking game rules if you’re up for it.

❆ van 100% thrives on the energy of the holidays, so she makes sure to keep things fun whenever she can: whether it’s putting way too much whipped cream on your hot chocolate, building an absurdly decorated gingerbread house with you, or starting a wrapping-paper-ball fight in the living room, she’s all about making you laugh and creating ridiculous memories together. at the end of the day, she pulls you close under the glow of the christmas lights and whispers, “this might be the best christmas yet”

taissa turner

❆ tai, unlike van, is also up rather early, making sure everything is perfect for the day. she’s not overly sentimental, but lets her thoughtfulness show in little ways, like sneaking downstairs to make you coffee and setting up your favorite breakfast before you’re even awake. she’ll also “randomly” give you a gift so personal and meaningful that you feel overwhelmed in the best way possible.

❆ tai knows how to navigate the chaos of christmas eve much better than you do yourself. if you spend it at your place, she happily helps your family keep everything on track, whether it’s herding your younger siblings or stepping in to help with cooking. but she always makes time to steal quiet moments with you, slipping away to sit outside or wander through the snow, her gloved hand intertwined with yours whenever possible.

❆ if things ever get overwhelming (whether it’s a noisy dinner table or your little cousins running wild) tai is always the first to notice and pulls you aside, offering calm reassurance, a subtle shoulder rub, a tight hug, or whatever else you might need. by the end of the night, you’re curled up on the couch together, her arm draped around you as she murmurs softly, “i love spending today with you”

laura lee

❆ laura lee wakes up extra early on the 24th. it is definitely her favorite holiday and she’s even more excited to share it with you. in the morning,she spends some time reflecting on ‘the meaning of the season’ and invites you to join her -not because she expects you to share her faith exactly, but because it’s important to her to include you in something so personal. you sit together by the tree, sipping cocoa as she quietly talks about gratitude and the hope she finds in the season.

❆ laura lee has a gentle way of making literally everything feel peaceful and meaningful. whether it’s the way she smiles at you during a family dinner or how she softly sings along to christmas songs while holding you close, she makes you feel like the most important part of her day. by the end of the night, you realize you’ve never felt more at home than you do with her.

❆ laura lee appreciates it when you join her for christmas church service, even if you don’t share her beliefs. she doesn’t take your presence for granted, holding your hand tightly in hers as you sit together in the glow of candles and the sound of hymns. afterward, she’s all soft smiles as she thanks you for being there with her. later that night, curled up together under a blanket, she reads to you from your favorite book while you rest your head on her shoulder.

— a/n: merry christmas to all those of you who celebrate today and/or tomorrow!! thank you for joining me on this writing challenge! i really hope you enjoyed reading these as much as loved writing them for you guys! you can find all 24 christmas fics here!! <3

[icrypop]

Christmas with Them

Characters: Angel Dust, Alastor, Husk, Vox, Lucifer, Vaggie, Charlie

GENDER NEUTRAL READER!!

1 of a few Christmas Posts!!! Enjoyyyy!!

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

Angel Dust

- Angel drags you to the most extravagant and chaotic stores in Hell, loudly commenting on tacky ornaments and inappropriate holiday decorations. He insists on buying matching ugly Christmas sweaters for both of you.

- You both turn your living space into a glitter explosion while hanging up decorations. Angel ends up covered in tinsel and insists it’s his “holiday look.”

- A hilariously sarcastic commentary on every cheesy Christmas movie you watch together, especially rom-coms. Angel constantly points out how he’d do things differently.

- Angel’s presents are often over-the-top and flashy, like a sequined stocking filled with novelty items. He loves seeing your reaction, especially if it makes you laugh.

- Angel improvises a "snowball fight" using pillow stuffing or anything he can throw. It quickly devolves into a chaotic but hilarious mess.

- Angel sets up playful (and slightly inappropriate) pranks around the house, like booby-trapped mistletoe that sprays glitter.

- He drags you into a karaoke night, belting out raunchy versions of Christmas classics while pulling you up for duets.

- Angel crafts stockings for both of you, but his is covered in rhinestones and feathers, while yours has a playful inside joke about your relationship.

===============================

You woke up to the sound of loud music blasting through the apartment. Groaning, you rolled over and saw Angel Dust, already in a ridiculous Santa-themed outfit, complete with glittery red heels.

“Rise and shine, sugar! Santa Dust is here to bring some Christmas chaos!” he yelled, shaking a bag full of wrapped presents.

The living room was a mess of wrapping paper, candy canes, and tinsel. Angel had clearly been up for hours, “redecorating” the place. He plopped down beside you, handing you a sloppily wrapped gift.

“I know it ain’t perfect,” he said with a wink, “but it’s fabulous, just like me.”

Inside was a sequined jacket in your favorite color. Before you could thank him, he yanked you into a hug, covering you in glitter. “Merry Christmas, babe! Now, let’s eat cookies for breakfast and watch the worst holiday movies we can find!”

---

Alastor

- Alastor prepares an elaborate Christmas dinner with dishes from various cultures. He insists on you trying everything, recounting stories about the origins of the recipes with his usual sinister grin.

- He takes you to Hell’s version of Christmas caroling, which involves twisted and haunting renditions of holiday classics. He sings with eerie enthusiasm, making the experience both fun and chilling.

- Alastor dims the lights, turns on some vintage Christmas jazz, and offers his hand to you for an impromptu dance in front of a crackling fire.

- His presents are always wrapped perfectly, but they often come with a cryptic backstory that leaves you curious (or slightly unsettled).

- Alastor gathers you by the fire to tell twisted holiday tales, his voice both chilling and captivating as he adds his sinister flair.

- He surprises you with a hand-carved ornament or a vintage keepsake, proudly stating it’s made “with a personal touch.”

- He takes you on a stroll through Hell’s version of a winter wonderland, narrating the history of the sights with a mischievous grin.

- Alastor sets up his vintage record player to play Christmas tunes, occasionally breaking into an impromptu performance to serenade you.

===============================

You awoke to the sound of soft jazz playing from Alastor’s Victrola. The warm scent of fresh pastries and spiced coffee wafted through the air. When you stepped into the living room, Alastor was adjusting a garland on the fireplace, wearing a festive sweater that somehow still looked sinister.

“Ah, my dear, you’re just in time! Breakfast is ready, and the festivities are about to commence,” he said with his ever-present grin.

He guided you to a beautifully set table, complete with an array of homemade treats. “I’ve prepared something special for you,” he said, handing you a small, intricately wrapped box.

Inside was a vintage locket with a picture of the two of you. “A token of my appreciation for the… interesting times we’ve shared,” he said, chuckling.

The rest of the morning was spent in a mix of eerie Christmas carols and surprisingly heartfelt moments, making it a day to remember.

---

Husk

- Husk isn’t big on holidays but agrees to spend Christmas with you, as long as there’s booze involved. He keeps things simple and cozy.

- He teaches you a card game (or makes up his own rules) while sipping spiked eggnog. The banter is half the fun.

- Though he grumbles about the holidays, you catch him smiling when he sees you happy. He secretly gets you a thoughtful gift but denies it’s a big deal.

- Husk shares stories about his life over a quiet Christmas night, his guard lowered just enough for you to see his softer side.

- Husk insists on a lazy day spent napping with you in a pile of blankets, saying it’s the best way to "celebrate."

- He begrudgingly takes you on a tour of his favorite bars, which turns into an unexpectedly fun holiday adventure.

- You play drinking games where the rules involve mocking cheesy holiday tropes in movies or commercials.

- Late at night, Husk shares an old Christmas memory that’s surprisingly heartwarming, making the moment unexpectedly tender.

===============================

When you woke up, Husk was already in the kitchen, grumbling to himself as he poured coffee into two mismatched mugs. He turned and noticed you, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Morning. Figured I’d get the caffeine going,” he said, setting a mug down in front of you.

The apartment was quiet except for the faint sound of Christmas music playing on an old radio. Husk had set up a small tree the night before, its lights blinking lazily.

“I, uh, got you something,” he muttered, pulling a neatly wrapped box from under the tree. Inside was a simple but thoughtful gift—a book you’d mentioned wanting.

“Don’t make a big deal out of it,” he grumbled, though his tail flicked nervously. You smiled and hugged him, making him groan. “Alright, alright, enough with the mushy stuff. Let’s eat.”

---

Vox

- Vox uses his powers to create a high-tech Christmas experience, complete with holographic decorations and a futuristic Christmas tree.

- He ropes you into doing a Christmas livestream or video podcast, where you both show off holiday outfits or open gifts in front of an audience.

- Vox takes you to a VIP Christmas bash where only the most elite of Hell are invited. He enjoys showing you off as his partner.

- Vox designs a one-of-a-kind gadget or accessory for you, showcasing both his creativity and affection.

-Vox creates a dazzling Christmas-themed digital fireworks display just for you, projecting it across the skyline.

- He insists you try on various high-tech holiday outfits, enjoying the playful banter as he models a few himself.

- Vox programs a personalized playlist of Christmas music, mixing your favorite songs with his edgy style.

- You spend hours gaming together, battling in festive-themed games or playing co-op while snacking on holiday treats.

===============================

Christmas morning with Vox was nothing short of futuristic. You woke up to a fully automated greeting, complete with holographic mistletoe hovering above the bed.

“Good morning, darling,” Vox’s voice chimed from his speakers. He walked in moments later, carrying a tray with your favorite breakfast and a smirk on his face.

“You’ll love this,” he said, activating a projection of a virtual Christmas tree. Beneath it were digital renderings of gifts, each one opening to reveal a real-life counterpart.

Your favorite? A sleek, custom-designed gadget with your name engraved on it. “Only the best for my favorite person,” Vox said, leaning in for a quick kiss.

The rest of the morning was spent exploring your gifts, laughing over his high-tech holiday antics, and enjoying the most luxurious Christmas breakfast imaginable.

---

Lucifer

- Christmas with Lucifer is a grand and formal affair. He hosts a luxurious dinner party with the who’s who of Hell, and you’re the center of his attention.

- After the party, he whisks you away to a quiet spot to enjoy the holiday privately, often with fine wine and a view of Hell’s unique “snow.”

- Lucifer gives you an antique or a priceless artifact with sentimental value, paired with a heartfelt (and slightly poetic) explanation.

- He leads you in a slow waltz under Hell’s night sky, showing a rare glimpse of his romantic side.

- Lucifer oversees the lighting of an enormous, magical Christmas tree in Hell, inviting you to stand beside him as his special guest.

- He plays a grand piano, performing hauntingly beautiful renditions of holiday classics for you.

- Lucifer prepares an intimate, candlelit Christmas dinner for just the two of you, complete with fine wine and elegant music.

- He takes you for a walk through Hell’s royal gardens, magically transformed into a winter wonderland for the occasion.

===============================

You woke to the faint sound of classical music and the scent of freshly baked pastries. Lucifer, dressed impeccably as always, stood by the grand fireplace, sipping a cup of coffee.

“Good morning, my love,” he greeted, his voice smooth as silk. “I trust you slept well?”

He led you to the dining room, where a lavish breakfast spread awaited. Every detail was perfect, from the polished silverware to the pristine holiday decor.

After breakfast, he presented you with an ornate gift box. Inside was a rare piece of jewelry, something timeless and elegant, just like him. “A symbol of my affection,” he said softly, brushing a kiss to your hand.

The rest of the morning was spent in quiet luxury, with Lucifer ensuring every moment felt special and unforgettable.

---

Vaggie

- Vaggie prefers a quiet, personal celebration with homemade decorations and baked goods. She insists on keeping it meaningful and genuine.

- You both wrap gifts together, with her focusing on neatness and you possibly sneaking in something silly, which makes her laugh.

- Vaggie enjoys sitting by the fire with you, sipping hot cocoa and discussing your dreams or plans for the future.

- She’s very thoughtful in her gift choices, ensuring each present reflects your interests and needs.

- Vaggie and you spend the evening baking cookies and cakes, with her getting competitive about making everything perfect.

- She creates a scrapbook filled with memories of your time together, presenting it to you with a heartfelt note.

- You both sit under Hell’s unique starry sky, wrapped in blankets, quietly enjoying each other’s company.

- Vaggie sets up a simple but cute photoshoot for the two of you, using props and backdrops to capture the holiday spirit.

===============================

Christmas morning with Vaggie was simple and heartfelt. You woke up to the smell of hot chocolate and the sight of her carefully hanging the last ornament on the tree.

“Good morning,” she said with a soft smile, handing you a steaming mug. “Merry Christmas.”

The two of you sat by the tree, exchanging gifts and teasing each other over your wrapping skills. Her gift was practical yet thoughtful—a handmade scarf in your favorite color.

“I wanted to make something personal,” she said, a faint blush on her cheeks.

The morning ended with you snuggled together under a blanket, watching the lights twinkle on the tree as soft music played in the background.

---

Charlie

- Charlie loves every aspect of Christmas, from decorating to caroling. She’s bubbly and eager to involve you in all her holiday activities.

- She takes you to volunteer or give back in some way, wanting to spread joy to others. Her optimism is infectious.

- Charlie introduces you to quirky family traditions, like singing carols with her parents or making unique tree ornaments.

- Her presents are handmade or extremely personal, always reminding you how much she cherishes you.

- Charlie insists on decorating the tree together, turning it into a fun and chaotic event with lots of laughter.

- She loves creating colorful and creative holiday cookies, and you end up in a playful frosting fight.

- Charlie organizes a festive parade, making you the honorary guest and ensuring you have the most fun.

- She convinces you to write silly letters to “Santa” (even in Hell), just to see what you’d wish for, laughing over your responses.

===============================

You woke up to Charlie bouncing on the bed, her excitement infectious. “It’s Christmas! Come on, get up!” she exclaimed, pulling you out of bed.

The living room was a whirlwind of holiday cheer, with stockings overflowing and presents stacked high. Charlie handed you a brightly wrapped gift, grinning ear to ear.

“It’s not much, but I thought you’d like it,” she said. Inside was a handmade scrapbook filled with pictures and mementos from your time together.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you hugged her tightly. “Hey, don’t cry! It’s Christmas!” she said, laughing as she wiped your tears.

The rest of the morning was filled with laughter, music, and way too many cookies, making it the perfect start to the holiday.

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

[anniebeckcalla]

.✿° dreamies twitter prompts !

drabbles inspired by twitter posts

member: zhong chenle

non-idol au. wc: 637 tw: fluff, nightmares

calla's note: came out longer than intended, sorry everyone

Your eyes jolted open as your hands flailed around helplessly in the pitch black. A sheen of sweat covered your body,made worse by the painful thud of your heart against your ribs.

A nightmare.

Just a figment of your imagination, just a scary adventure from a different frequency, but a nightmare nonetheless. It had frightened you right out of your senses. The tiredness that threatened to overtake you terrified you all the more. You didn't want to have to return to your bad dreams. You let out a mournful whimper, feeling absolutely helpless.

Y/n?” A hoarse voice arose from beside you. With a click*, the room was filled with a soft glow from the bedside lamp. You turned around to see Chenle sat up next to you, blonde hair tousled, eyes half shut. “What's wrong?” he mumbled, reaching out to you clumsily. You edged nearer to him. “I had another nightmare,” you breathed, taking his hand and clasping it tightly. Chenle rubbed his eyes. “I told you not to watch Parasyte too late at night,” he grumbled. “Now we're both suffering from your stupid choices.” Your lip trembled. “Don't be cross, please,” you said. “It was scary.” Chenle rolled his eyes. “Yeah, ,whatever. Come here.”

He pulled you into an embrace, and you tightened your arms around his waist, grateful for his warmth and comfort. You buried your face into his neck, inhaling his soft smell of bergamot and amber. Chenle ran his fingers down your back in a cadenced rhythm, trailing your spine with gentle strokes. Soon, your breathing became in tune with one another; slow, heady, and calm.

Do you know what makes everything better after a nightmare?” Chenle whispered.

“No…” you answered absentmindedly.

“A grilled cheese sandwich,” Chenle replied. You couldn't help but laugh at the seriousness with which he said it, especially after the silence that had filled the room a few moments before. “I'm not joking,” Chenle said, pulling away from the hug. “I'm going to go to the kitchen and make you a grilled cheese sandwich.” He stepped out of bed, adjusting his tartan pyjama bottoms. “Watch me.”

“It's two in the morning.” You pointed at the wall clock. Chenle shrugged. “Doesn't mean anything. It's daytime somewhere in the world.” You made to get up and follow him to the kitchen, but Chenle held up his hand. “Ah, no. Sit back and let me do it for you. Room service and all that. I won't be long.”

As the smell of toasted cheese and bread filled the apartment, you lay back in your bed, pulling the sheets around you. The nightmare was just a distant memory now, replaced by the anticipation of a nighttime snack and your boyfriend by your side. You closed your heavy eyelids just for one moment…

“Y/n!”- “AGGH!”

Chenle's face was hovering above yours. “Fell asleep again, did we?” he smiled. Before you could protest, he held the plate of grilled cheese in front of you. “Here we are, madam,” he said, placing it on the duvet. It smelt absolutely divine and was brown and crispy in all the right places. You hadn't even taken a bite of it, but you already knew that the sandwich was the answer to all your problems. “Maybe i’ll be having more nightmares so that I can have more grilled cheese,” you smiled as you tore the sandwich apart gently to give half to Chenle. “Don't be cheeky! This is a one-time deal!” He pinched your cheek playfully as he settled back in bed next to you.

As you laid your head on his shoulder,munching your cheese delight, absorbing the warmth and soft light, you wondered to yourself what you had done to deserve someone who would make you grilled cheese at 2am, especially after a nightmare.

[thedevillionaire]

Hearthfelt

just a tiny cosy thing

---

Some uncertain time ago the snow had turned to icy rain, drumming a steady relentlessness against the roof, rivulets distorting window views and turning the woodland outside into a blurred, abstracted impression of itself.

Not that Kia minds at all. An entirely different vista commands her attention.

The winterscape outside may well be beautiful but it’s no match for the blazing hearthfire embracing the cabin’s interior – and her blanket-draped, cable-knit-clad, fiercely headcold-ridden husband – in its warm, golden glow. Cerberus, long past the point of fighting it and even further past any point of denial, grabs the latest clutch of what's become a near-constant tissue parade and capitulates into its refuge absolutely, sneezing heavily, brutally, twice, three times, in powerful and merciless succession.

"Oh, bless you," Kia offers, sultry, riveted, as she moves to pass him a glass of the richly herbal mulled wine she's made. Cerberus shakes his head briefly, raises an index finger in urgent pause, half manages a hasty sorry love pardo... and turns away to surrender a fourth, ferocious time.

"Huh-ahh..hh-HEHTSSCHuu! Ah, gods, excuse me." He blows his nose, an ineffectual necessity.

Kia, heatsuffused, blesses him even more emphatically than before, and makes a playful comparison between his reddened nose and the colour of the wine, which he vaguely grumbles about and apologises for somehow simultaneously. It's festive, she insists with an amiable giggle, and you're beautiful, delivers a kiss to his cheek as he sighs in fond resignation, and I love you. Another kiss, this time tender and lingering, and she curls up close beside him, trails a fingernail down his arm and sighs contentedly. “Happy Yuletide, sweetheart.”

He sniffles thickly, rests his head against hers with the echo of a tired smile, and murmurs a quiet mmm of assent. “Happy Yuletide, love." And despite the congestion ravaging the velvet of his voice, his sincerity is untouched – no matter; he’s certain, with her, that it is. 

---

[meelusinee]

SANTA’S LETTERS | R.B X READER

in which you convince regulus to make letters to santa

FICMAS MASTERLIST

pairing: regulus black x reader tags: fluff!!! word count: 2.8k

author's note: merry christmas everyone!!!! i haven't written in a really really long time, though i think i'll be taking a writing break up til new years!! i wanted to give u all a christmas special thoughhh, albeit a little late in the day <3 ONE MORE THING TO NOTE when i come back i plan on a one to two week schedule rather than an every day schedule, though no promises <3

PRESENTS

“My love,” you heard Regulus’ voice calling out to you, a curious expression on his face. 

“What is it, love?” you asked, turning to face him.

He cleared his throat before holding up a photo. “Who is this?”

It was a small photo, one from the picture book your mother had gifted you before she died. That photo was a memory you held rather dearly to you. A younger you, maybe from your Fourth or Fifth Year, sitting with the mall Santa. 

“That man?” you asked, a small smirk growing on your face.

He nodded, pointing at the mall Santa. “Yes, the guy. Is that a grandpa or someone?”

“That’s Santa.” you smiled softly, leaning forward over the back of the couch.

“What is Santa?” he asked you.

You weren’t sure how to explain it to him, shrugging simply. “Well, he’s a myth for children. Kind of. Sometimes people dress up as him for children.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Christmas.” you smiled softly. “He’s meant to give out presents and stuff.”

Regulus looked down at the photo before nodding. “Oh.”

You smiled softly. “You haven’t had a Christmas gift before, have you?” 

“No, I haven’t.” he said. “Sirius might’ve when he ran away.”

You shook your head, knowing that he probably didn’t get any presents from his friends either. As much as they cared for each other, they didn’t always show it in a generous manner. Usually, it was through threats of murdering others for each other.

“How about you write a letter for Santa, we’ll mail it out to him.” you smiled.

He raised his eyebrows incredulously, not sure why that would work. “You said he was a myth.”

“Well, maybe he is.” you said with a smirk. “Maybe he isn’t. If you write a letter, you’ll see.”

Regulus rolled his eyes, kissing your forehead. “Fine.”

“How would you open a letter without the other person knowing you’re opening it?” 

Remus looked up from his book and towards you as you asked the question, raising an eyebrow curiously. “From Regulus?”

“For Santa.” you said. “He didn’t know what Santa was, which I think is a crime.”

“So you’re going to open it and pretend you didn’t so he can experience it.” Remus finished your thought, grabbing the letter from your hands and casting a small charm on it.

“He might’ve put a charm to detect things!” you winced, watching him open the letter.

“Please,” he chuckled. “I did the same thing with Sirius, tested 20 different charms to see what would work. I know that he won’t.”

“You’re crazy.” you chuckled softly.

“So are you, apparently.” he smirked.

“Alright, how did you do it?” Regulus asked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” you repeated nonchalantly, smiling softly at the small gift he had in his hand.

It was a notebook that he had been wanting for a while, though you weren’t exactly sure why. He seemed to have an obsession with that brand, as he already had one he’d been filling these past few months.

“The present.” he deadpanned. “How did you know that I wanted one?” 

“I didn’t know, Santa did!” you smiled brightly, clapping your hands.

Regulus looked at you with an expression that said ‘really’, though he knew that you probably wouldn’t tell him. “Thank you.” he whispered.

“I’m not the one to thank, thank Santa.” you said casually, sitting down beside him as he handed you your present. “What is it?”

“Open it.” he smiled.

You opened it with a small smile, ripping the paper to see a journal. It was a journal like the one you got him, except it was full of things. A unique amount of things. Love letters, small photos, poems, and other trinkets.

“What is this?” you asked gently, voice wet as you spoke.

“A journal,” he whispered gently. “For you. I’ve found that you’re the only way I can truly make art that I’m proud of.”

“You,” you muttered, sniffling softly as you flipped through and read some of the pages. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” he whispered.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

thank u all so much for readingg!!! im sorry i havent been posting as much, christmas time is extremely busy (especially since my one year anniversary is like two days before too sob sob sob) I DONT REGRET A THING THOOOO

THANK U ALL FOR SUPPORTING!!! AS ALWAYS, please like comment and reblog, and have a lovelyyyy break <3

[chasedeys]

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR UR JOEMARR THOUGHTS ON JOE WEARING THE TANK 😊😊😊

IT'S REALLY NOT MUCH 😭😭 just cbat music going off in my head as i picture joe burrow finishing up his presser and standing up looking to the left to see ja'marr standing waiting propped up ready to take his place and deliberately making eye contact in his stupid fucking tank top and ripped hearts jeans and pale shoulders and red nose and pale eyes and isn't he fucking freezing is what i'm asking here how well insulated is the paycor stadium really.

anyway deliberate eye contact this is important we know how much joe toes the line between staring people down with uncomfortable intensity (that ja'marr has learned to just roll with over the years) and inability to stare at ja'marr for more than a few beats per minute when they're flirting (see: titans mic'ed up) and goes to step right on the edge of the podium right across from ja'marr trying to haul himself up it but he's kind of blocked by this already-taller-than-him-but-made-taller-by-the-podium douche who's taking way too long to move out of the way.

no idea how the height difference would be affected by the podium but let's say ja'marr's face is level with joe's sternum. he looks down and joe's offering up his pinky, answers it with his own but joe doesn't let go immediately. stares back up in askance but joe's still staring him down and ja'marr's just caught in his eyes immediately, unable to look away. and they just. spend a Moment staring into each other's eyes. in front of all those reporters. hobs is beside himself with joy. yeah.

the pr person in charge of them coughs loud and pointed and joe finally lets go and moves to get off the podium. makes sure to brush his bare arm not hard but purposefully against ja'marr's own clothed arm, makes sure his physical presence is felt and he can absorb some of the heat ja'marr puts out (again is he not fucking cold. the hell.).

ja'marr finally sits and greets the reporters and this might just be a coincidence lmao but he was kind of stone faced the first few minutes of the interview. hot and bothered no?

anyway walks out of the media room and the coast is clear which he's surprised at bc he's lowkey expecting to get ambushed like. within minutes. so that's a disappointing turn of events but he walks off to the parking lot anyway bc he's changed and all his stuff is in his car and boom when he gets there joe's in his car patiently waiting for him and fiddling with his radio.

'did you swipe my keys?' 'yeah, get in, why do you always take so long for pressers. quit having so much fun with it.' 'are you fucking serious. get out.' 'no way in hell you're driving me, get in.' 'it's my car what is the matter with you get out.' 'no just get in ja'marr i wanna fuck.' ja'marr gets in the passenger seat.

super hilarious idea that joe can pickpocket people with high success tbh. or maybe ja'marr's just used to his hands on him idk. his keys were in his back pocket so.

also there were several other teammates in the parking lot starting up their own cars to get home watching the interaction long-sufferingly lmao. you know how loud ja'marr gets.