#without that angsty turn or undertone | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

freyito · 1 year ago

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"ꜱᴛᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ" ⨟ ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ ᴡ/ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ ʙᴏʏꜱ

i know i was like just hornyposting and all buuuut i've had such a rough couple of days and everythings really building up. figure i'd sit down and write out my favorite "prompt". hurt/comfort... without the hurt, i guess. too hurt to write the hurt :P. essentially what the boys would do when your feeling down and ask to stay with em, of course. is this what im calling the boys now? yes. its MY fic and MY comfort, i get to choose the silly little name for my boyfriends.

cw: gn reader, angsty undertone, comfort, just fluff, bonus characters!, not proofread

⎯ Liu Kang

You do not even need to speak. Liu Kang can see it. You are hurt, near breaking. You trail behind him all day, head down. You actively seek his touch, small things, reaching for his hand, brushing your fingers against his bicep. You are afraid to say it, and yet, he knows.

That night, before he leaves your room to attend to his duties as Earthrealm's protector, you finally speak up. Those three simple words, so quiet, so soft. He does not hesitate to turn around. He is logical, he likes to think, but you pull him in. Within moments, he is in bed with you, his arms wrapped around you firmly. He presses his forehead against your cheek, and whispers,

"I will not leave you, my dear, I am here. Forevermore."

⎯ Bi-Han

Bi-Han knows you almost better than the back of his hand. However, he prefers to let you wallow in peace. He is afraid of pushing past your boundaries, and as such, he is far more distant. Yet, he worries. He worries with his whole heart. However, he cannot let it show. So he is as cold as ever, in front of the Lin Kuei. Strong, vigilant, unyielding.

Tonight, he does not let you go. He misses you so, and you have no need to tell him what you need. It is tender. He pulls you on top of him, holding you close by the waist. And yet, you still speak. And he listens. His gaze softens, tremendously. He looks as if he may be on the verge of tears. His voice steady, as he speaks, yet his face betrays his tone,

"There is no possibility of leaving you, no, not even in death."

⎯ Kuai Liang

Kuai does not know what ails you- but he must. He must know. You have done well to shy away from him, but he is hot on your trail. He knows that hollow look, devoid of emotion, too afraid to show any. Because if you show one, you show all. He does not smother you, no, but he does question you.

The questions stop at night. It is quiet. He is afraid of pushing you further. So Kuai Liang leaves you alone in the bed, with one last kiss on your forehead. Yet, he stands in the doorway. He waits. You speak. And he listens. All you say is one word. He retreats back in bed with you, pushing you closer to his neck. He runs his hands through your hair, calming you down. To still your beating heart. And he speaks with conviction,

"I am here, as long as you need, forever, if you so wish, my love."

⎯ Johnny Cage

Perhaps, Johnny is too much for you recently. And that's okay! He knows his limits. Yet, he finds himself seeking you out. He misses your warmth, your smile, you. He knows that he can be loud, that he can be a lot. And he's always given you space. Yet that look you hold, it is miserable. And he knows exactly what you feel. He follows you around, as if a lost dog, the entire day. He wants you to have space, but he wants you to say those words.

And you do, that night. Finally, those words escape your lips. Just what Johnny wanted to hear. He's got you wrapped up in the blankets, pulling you up into his chest. His hand rests on the back of your head, gently rubbing his thumb into your hair. He presses a kiss to your forehead, and whispers, gently, almost out of character,

"It's alright, sweetheart, I'm not leaving, not tonight, not tomorrow, not anytime."

⎯ Kenshi Takahashi

You cannot hide that sinking pain within your heart, Kenshi can hear the melancholy dripping within your words. He can hear it in your breath, your actions. How your footsteps drag, how slow you walk. He can see it, too, do not be fooled. You stay close, unnecessarily close, you look up at him with such heavy eyes, you stay quiet. He knows. He is waiting for you to act on it, to act on the voice he hears at the very edge of his mind. He is a telepath, you must remember.

And so, when you speak your mind finally, he is all too eager to make sure you know he won't leave. He pulls you up onto his chest, his heartbeat even, soft, and regular. The moment is tender, and he lets your words hang in the air. Silence covers you two like a blanket, comforting. And finally, as he runs his hand down your sides, squeezing your waist gently, he speaks,

"Do not be afraid to tell me what you want, my heart. I will stay close, I will stay."

⎯ Kung Lao

Kung Lao does not need words to stay by you. Night and day. He is glued to your side, trying to cheer you up with his charm. He does not give you enough room to sulk. He's dragging you along with him, even if it's something as simple as watching him train. To keep you at ease, to put a smile on your face. He is making sure everything he does has that effect.

Yet, you still ask him to stay when night comes. He does not deny it, and he pushes himself closer. As if you were not in his arms already. But he makes sure you know he heard you, he squeezes you, and lets out a soft sigh. There is nothing that will take him away from you, and you must know,

"I won't. Nope, not even tomorrow. I'm here as long as you want me here."

⎯ Raiden

You cannot keep Raiden away from you. The minute your expression is somber, he is following close behind you. He does not ask, or interrogate you. But he follows. He is on the lookout for any sort of thing that could have stolen his light from him. What has gotten to you, what dares rip the spark of his life from you? He does not know how to ask you, he is afraid that perhaps it is him.

But it is not. Your hand pulls him back to you by his wrist as you speak. And he obliges. He does not know what has made you feel this way, but he does know, that maybe even this one night will be enough to bring your smile back. He will stay here, as long as you need, as long as he needs. And he makes it known,

"Oh, my light, nothing can keep me away from you."

⎯ Zeffeero

Zeffeero is on you the minute your face so much as drops. Perhaps he is a stubborn lover, too prideful to admit that he cares deeply for you. But he cannot handle loosing your presence, his sunshine. He wants your attention, but does not say so outright. He will do that little thing with the water manipulation and the shapes to amuse you... without you asking. And when that does not bring the smile back to your face, he does not know what else to do.

His heart near stops when you tell him to stay that night. He feels so stupid to have skipped over that part. But he accepts. He tries to show restraint, however he is by you within a matter of seconds. He places a kiss on your jaw, before hiding his face in the crook of your neck. His arms wrap around you, keeping you close. Just as he wanted to the entire day, and he finally speaks,

"Do not scare me so, my dear. I want to keep you safe, and I'll stay until you no longer want me by your side."

⎯ Tomas Vrbada

Your distance is noticeable. However, Tomas does not act upon it. He believes that you need the space you have put between you and him and everyone else. So he does not question it. However, there is a void where you once were. His world fills with the same emptiness and sorrow you felt at your absence. He cannot help but seek you out in the final hours of the dawn. He is afraid, once more. He does not want to pressure you, so he turns his back to you.

You surprise him with your words, he near spins on his heels, a wide and beautiful grin gracing his face. He makes no effort to hide this. His happiness, his light has asked him to stay, and he would be a fool to deny them such a request. He practically throws himself back onto the bed, and wraps his big arms around you. He presses his forehead against yours, and holds your gaze. He speaks, quietly, softly, and you can even hear his smile in his voice,

"I am here for you, Drahoušek. I always will be. Do not be afraid to come to me."

⎯ Baraka

Oh, how Baraka feared this day would come. You have turned your back to him, the air around you rife with despair. He is not afraid that you suddenly dislike him. He is afraid of loosing your positivity. One of the very few things he has held onto because of his affliction. You make him forget all that is bad within this world, within him. And now, there is an absence. He does not know what to do.

But that night, you guide him. Through his own sulking, your words pull him away. Yes. He will gladly stay. If that is what you want. If that is what it takes. He keeps his distance, still. He will always be afraid of his infection spreading. But he sleeps in the same room. And just before you drift off into sleep, you hear him,

"I cannot lose you. Please, tell me when, and I will be there."

⎯ Geras

Geras has reason to believe the reason you have pulled away from him is because of his absence. Because of him. Human emotions are a strange thing, they are intricate, even more so than the dozens of timelines he has watched over. Oh so suddenly, you are turned away from him, too caught up within your own thoughts to voice what has been troubling you. Perhaps it is the fact that he does not have nearly enough time for you. That is the answer he settles on.

Before he can leave you that night, your pleas make him stop. They make him understand, even for a second. He was so sure you were asleep. And yet, you are awake, asking him to stay. He is unsure what to do. But, he must give his love what they want. What they deserve. So, he leans in, and places a gentle kiss on your cheek. His words follow soon after,

"I will always be here, my duty is important, but so are you. Know this, I am always watching over you."

⎯ Syzoth

You've ran off. And Syztoh does not know what to do with himself. He paces, he fidgets, he waits. He must see you again. But you were so hurt beforehand, and he does not know why. You have withdrawn into yourself, without a word. And Syzoth does not know how to comfort you. He knows you are feeling down, horrible even. Yet, he feels as if he has ran you off. His insecurities well up within his mind as he waits. And waits.

And the time comes where you ask him, you reach for him. Your voice quivers. Oh my, how could he have let this happen. He pulls you in, almost bringing you down to the ground. He wraps himself around you, burying his face into the crook of your neck. His nerves calm, in that moment. Muffled, he speaks, his words true and clear, if not a little shaky,

"I waited, my love, and I will stay. I will always be here. Every moment, every moment you need me."

⎯ Havik

Havik is apprehensive. He does not quite understand what to do in this situation. With you, his lover, in front of him, a mess, voice hoarse, your emotions addle your mind. He looks at you dumbfounded. He reaches for you, but his hand does not meet your shoulder. Now, you feel as if you are miles away from him. Space. That is what he understands, now.

But, the space he has given you is broken that night. You find him in bed, intertwining his fingers with yours. His scarred flesh does not scare you, as much would believe. His eyes are warm, peaceful for once. The words are on the tip of your tongue, yet you do not need to speak. Havik answers, regardless,

"Finally. Do not run from me like that again, I do not mean to leave you alone."

⎯ Shao Kahn

To return home, where you are not waiting for Shao in the kitchen, it is a nightmare. The worst is the first thing that runs through his mind. You are lost, perhaps. Taken. But he finds you, safe and well. Back to him, on the edge of the bed. He does not speak, but he lets his presence be known. He lays down on the bed, facing you, and simply watches.

Until it is time for you to speak, you look at him with such sad eyes. He is there. You do not have to ask, for you know the answer. But you ask, anyways. Shao simply reaches a hand out to you, and pulls you back in bed gently. Tonight, he can. Maybe not tomorrow morning, but tonight, he can. And he will,

"I will always stay by your side. I am here to keep you safe, do not forget it."

⎯ Shang Tsung

Shang Tsung pampers you, right out of the gate. He hates to see you like this, so sullen, so quiet. It is his goal to pull you out of this feeling. Even if it hurts his wallet. And yet, it seems his plan falls short. He is disheartened, to say the least. Perhaps he might sulk, as well. But he doesn't, or he tries not to, anyways. He simply follows you around, now. Trying to lift your spirits.

And that only comes when night falls, nestled underneath the covers. Shang Tsung is still close. Extremely close. Yet, you can't help but ask, regardless. And he listens. He chuckles softly, and pulls you in for a quick peck on the lips. For a moment, he stares into your eyes, rolling your words over in his mind. His tone is sly, but his words are, for once, kind,

"There you are, my darling. Of course I'll stay. Who would I be if I didn't? I'll stay forever, if I must."

⎯ Reiko

Reiko wants to be soft with you, and yet, he can't find a way through to you in this moment. He does not understand why you've withdrawn from him. Why you are so somber. He decides that it is space you need, not him. So, he gives you exactly what he believes. Yet, he still keeps an eye on you. He wants to make sure you are safe, regardless. Even as you sulk.

You find him once more at the end of the day, laying in bed. The idea of him, of Reiko, relaxing, seems so odd. Yet, he is lounging. He is waiting. So you speak, and all he can do is look at you. He gestures towards the bed, and you do so. Laying down, he holds you close. Properly. His arms wrapped around the small of your back, your forehead against his chin. And he speaks, finally,

"If I am to say no, then I would rather be decapitated by General Shao himself. Do not ever hesitate to ask, you know I will."

⎯ Erron Black

Outlawin' and Gunslingin' is a hard trade. What's even harder is making sure you are happy. And now, you are pulling yourself away from Erron. This mood you're in... he's going to get you to snap out of it, dammit. And he tries. He tries real damn hard. He flaunts off his skills, just how quick and precise he can fan the hammer, maybe take down some poor bird from the sky. Yet, you still look at him, devoid of emotion.

Erron has all but given up until you find him in the bed that night. Somehow, you look more of a mess then before. And he just can't forgive himself for it. Yet, you still ask. He's dumbfounded, really. He doesn't know what to say. But, his body knows what to do. Absentmindedly, he pulls you into the bed by your hand. He keeps you close, yet still leaves distance between your bodies. His hand finds your cheek and caresses it with his thumb. Finally, he's found his words, and so he speaks, for you,

"Ya ain't gotta worry about me leavin', pumpkin. I'll stay riiiiiiight here, long as ya need."

⎯ Takeda Takahashi

You're quiet. You're so damn quiet and it's almost irritating for Takeda. He can't get to you, he can't break through this heavy, melancholy air around you. He's following you around, regardless. He's going to find out why you're acting like this, and if it's because of someone, he won't mind sweating a little. But it isn't. It isn't cause of anyone, it isn't cause of him. It's cause of you. And now, he truly doesn't know what to do. So he backs off.

Until you find him once more, seeking his attention. His touch. His comfort. Takeda doesn't deny this, as you slink into bed, behind him. You tap him on the shoulder gently, and he turns his head back to you. Before he can speak, you ask. The lightbulb goes off in Takeda's head, and suddenly, he feels horrible. You didn't need him following you around like a bodyguard all day, nor did you need the bombardment of questions. You simply needed him. So, he responds,

"Don't scare me like that, dammit. Of course I'll stay, but just... yeah, yeah. I'll stay."

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phantomskeep · 3 months ago

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The Early Bird Gets The Worm - Chapter 1

The Early Bird Gets The Worm

Chapter 1 - 9 Out 10 Doctors Prescribe Child Rearing for Emotionally Constipated Families

Written by @agent-sushi-fbi & myself uwu

Read it on AO3 here!

Masterpost | Chapter Two Was he still wearing traffic light colors? No. Was Bruce going senile as he got older? Yes, and he was gathering evidence of it every day.

Dick wondered once again why they were having so many issues between them as he swung to the next rooftop, landing almost gracefully amongst the leftover rain on the asphalt. Stumbling on his feet was embarrassing nonetheless and he grumbled to himself as he kicked a pebble across the roof, watching as it hit an old AC unit with a hollow clang. Honestly, he came to Gotham to help Bruce out of the goodness of his heart while Tim is out of town and how does the man respond? By treating him like he's still a little Robin meant to dutifully take orders without question!

“Fucking old man, treating me like I'm a kid,” Dick muttered under his breath, not caring who heard him nearby, he was alone on the roof anyway.

“This ‘fucking old man’ can still hear you,” Batman’s deadpan voice came over the line. Dick froze on the spot, shoulders tightening as he heard the quiet undertones of anger. Oops, comms were still on and open to the shared channel… “Either mute your comms or keep those thoughts to yourself, Nightwing.”

Dick pondered for a minute, putting his hand on his chin like he was really thinking on the idea before he responded. “Nope, I'll pass,” he told Batman cheekily, smirking to himself. He was an adult now. While Bruce may have taken him in and taught him all he knew at Dick's lowest point, it doesn't mean the man gets to treat him like a child anytime he comes by home Gotham.

He was his own grown man. Nightwing had his own city to protect now–he was even a well-established member of the hero community in his own right! He didn’t need some emo flying furry telling him what to do anymore. Covering his eyes from the light drizzle that had picked up again, he observed the area below him, staying alert for any sort of disturbance that may pop up and ignoring Bruce’s displeased grunts. It wouldn’t be good if Dick were to miss a crime after their little “spat” earlier, as Aflred would call it. A screaming match was a more accurate description if you asked anyone else, and he was not willing to let it open him up to more criticism from the “World’s Greatest Detective” later on when they were back in the Cave.

Stiffly, the black and blue clad vigilante stalked to the edge of the darkened rooftop, trying his best to not clench his fists like some angsty teenager. What was he even hoping to gain, coming back here? The man stood, pondering as he gazed down at the busy streets of his childhood home. A pat on the head, like the good little dog he was acting like? Bruce calls, so he comes running? Dick scoffed at himself, turning his head sharply. He aimed his grapple, firing it at the corner of a nearby building. With the grace born from years of practice, Nightwing danced between towering structures as he continued his Batman-approved patrol route.

“Nightwing, behave yourself over comms or you will go back to the Cave for the night.” Dick grit his teeth, jaw clenched tight as Bruce tried to basically ground him. He shook his head, preparing to land on the next rooftop, but stopping just shy to grab onto a gargoyle sitting on the edge of a lower office building. Leaning against the cold surface, Dick felt the sharp points of the creature’s horns digging into his back help to ground him in the moment.

“Batman, you do not have a say over my actions or whether I am benched anymore,” Dick told him, evenly spacing out his breaths as he tried to keep the rage at bay. He felt like there was a ball of heat in his chest he was desperately trying to cool as he methodically rubbed his gloved fingers over the stone ridges of the statue's ugly face.

“Nightwing–” Bruce started to grunt, so Dick turned off his comms as a response and took in a deep breath of the familiar, smoggy Gotham air. This city may not have been where he was born, and he may not live here anymore, but the man found peace flying through her night sky. This would always be his home. As ugly and villain-infested as it may be… This shithole was his shithole.

Ever since Jason passed, Dick knew things needed to change so he could preserve this feeling and keep this dysfunctional family intact. Tim helped a lot in the beginning, when Dick was too bitter to do more than practically tell a thirteen-year-old to handle a drunkard on his own. But, he's trying to make up for it now by helping on patrol and making them all participate in family dinners twice a month. It wasn't much, and he could admit it wasn't really working since he'd noticed Tim wearing sound proof headphones more often than not when Dick and Bruce were together. It broke his heart that another little brother of his felt like he needed to prepare himself for an inevitable screaming match from his family members.

Dick was trying, he really was. But Bruce just made everything so hard.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of multiple trash cans falling over each other nearby. His face twisted in confusion, eyebrows scrunching together as his head whipped around to find the source of the noise. Body becoming a tightly coiled spring of focused intent, he silently crept closer to where he heard the cacophony. The noise became apparent in the way of a metal lid rolling out of the alley below and into the street like a quarter, spinning and spinning for a moment before falling flat. Dick cautiously peered over the edge of the roof, eyebrow raised at what he could imagine he'd find. A goon passed out drunk? A working girl kicking the nuts of a deadbeat harassing her? An internet famous Gotham-patented radioactive raccoon?

What he certainly did not expect was an unruly mop of black hair peeking out above the trash cans, only visible against the dark of night in contrast to the silver metal they clung to with tiny baby hands. He watched in disbelief as this child (so tiny and cute, he had to admit) stumbled to their feet, swaying as little as they reached for the contents of the trash. Dick felt sick just looking at the spill, but he felt worse knowing the child was doing this out of desperation. Tapping on his lenses, they zoomed in on the kid and he saw how small they were and how scrawny they looked. Alfred would faint at the sight of how skinny this child was and Dick would be right there with the old butler.

Making a quick decision, Dick hastily hopped onto a pipe that clung to the building he stood on and quietly slid down it like a fireman's pole. He didn't want to scare the small child who, at closer inspection now that he was on the ground, looked similarly disgusted at their options before them. The kid was still swaying, the movement picking up in speed before they plopped onto the asphalt, groaning.

Dick rushed forward, panicking, but his sudden burst of speed startled the child. The tiny twig of a human scrambled back, a weakened wheeze of panic bursting from their lungs as they held out a small hand to ward off the vigilante.

“Hey, hey now,” Dick soothed as he crouched down to make himself seem smaller. “It’s okay, you’re okay…I’m not gonna hurt you.” The practiced “soothe the victim” voice was easy to fall into as domino-covered eyes worryingly took in the shaking child. He wanted to reassure this kid as much as possible, but he knew that he couldn't promise them anything. Making a promise to a child was important, he learned young that if you couldn't keep that promise the child would see it as a loss of trust.

“S-stay back!” The kid’s squeaky voice tugged at Dick’s heartstrings with how much terror it held. “Yo-you can’t t-take me!”

Dick slowly lowered himself to fully sit down on the filthy, trash-covered alley. He grimaced at the smell (was that sludge on his glove?) and he crossed his legs, letting his arms hang disarmingly on his knees. Keeping his body language loose and unassuming, Dick smiled goofily at the other. “My name’s Nightwing, I’m one of the heroes here in Gotham tonight. You’re safe now, no one’s going to take you while I'm here.”

Icy blue eyes peered out from behind a dirt-stained hand, reminding Dick of a different time, a different alley-found kid who was taken too soon. By Batman's stinky cowl would he let another one be lost to the horrors of this city as well. When the kid spoke, their voice was full of doubt. “How can I trust you? For all I know you could be some weirdo looking to kidnap me!”

A surprised laugh burst from Dick before he could contain himself, causing the filthy child to flinch away with a startled squeak. He sobered up quickly at that reaction however, leaning away from the kid to give the illusion Dick was no longer directly in their space, but still close enough to keep an eye on them. He's met children like this before, wary of adults or the world around them in general, only relying on themselves at an age where they can't do enough to keep their heads above water. Blinking rapidly at the thought to hold back his tears, Dick remembered when Jason first came to the manor. Even as distant as he was with his brother at the time, he saw how the pre-teen acted out of self preservation even months into Alfred's mother-henning.

This kid had the same fear written in the lines on his young face, as well as the same steel of determination in his eyes. Dick respected it, but he still was worried about this child who looked like they hadn't eaten a proper meal or slept in a bed in months.

“I might be a weirdo to some people for sure,” Dick agreed casually. The kid blinked in surprise and he grinned a little in triumph, quickly smothering it with a serious expression. Exaggerating his actions, Dick twisted his head this way and that around the alley as though checking for anyone listening in, before he leaned a little bit forward with his hand blocking his mouth. The child shuffled forward a few inches, alternating between staring him down and checking the alley themselves with wide eyes. Dick resisted the urge to laugh again, focusing on trying to ease the kid into believing that he was safe.

“Between you and me? My friends think I'm a super big weirdo for putting peach jam in my pb & j's,” he told the kid, nodding his head sagely. All he got was a deadpan look in response, all of the sudden interest he got was lost from the kid before him.

“So you're not just a weirdo, but also super lame with no taste buds?”

Wow, okay, so Dick was a little offended… or maybe he was impressed? The kid gave him a look that was reminiscent of Alfred or Jason when he tried to argue he could help in the kitchen. The “are you seriously this stupid to defend yourself like that” look.

Yeah, maybe a little more offended than anything. Didn't mean the kid wasn't cute while doing it.

Quick thinking made Dick grab at his uniform with striped fingers, gripping the fabric around his heart. “Ouch!” He wailed dramatically, flopping his legs forward as he used his toned core muscles to lean backwards, careful to not let more of the filthy alley touch him. “Ah! Truly a strong opponent, I cannot win!”

Quiet giggles echoed around the alley, causing Dick to grin in triumph. He titled his head to the side a bit to better see the small child. Their face was scrunched up in mirth, both hands covering their mouth in an attempt to better muffle the joyful sounds trying to escape. Encouraged by this, Dick resolved to continue to give the best performance of his life.

“I will simply never recover,” Dick moaned, making his body twitch dramatically. “This is how I die…the great Nightwing, struck down in a battle of wits by a toddler!” He gasped, reaching one hand up to the sky as he gave his big finale. “I can…see the light! It’s calling me…must…go…” He murmured quietly before giving a final spasm with an extremely convincing “blegh”, letting his arm drop to his chest and sticking his tongue out of his mouth.

As the giggles continued, they got closer. Peaking an eye open just a bit, Dick could see the kid toddling closer to the felled hero. “You’re silly,” they said, poking at Dick’s cheek hesitantly. “That’s not what death looks like.”

Dick could feel his heart shatter. This kid, no more than, what? Maybe four or five years old? This poor, tiny child was trying to correct Dick on what dying looked like. It made Bludhaven’s protector want to just scoop them up and wrap them up in a giant, fluffy blanket and protect them from the world.

“It’s a good thing I’m not actually dead then, huh?” Dick said with a grin, trying so hard to not let what he was feeling filter through. Bright smile for the tiny concerning child, bright smile.

The child cocked their head to the side like a curious puppy. “Well, duh,” the little thing scoffed, relaxing a bit at the horizontal hero. “I'd know it if you were actually dead.”

*****************

He really needed to get some meat on this kid’s bones, like immediately. Dick felt like he was carrying a small bag of potatoes while he grappled through the streets of downtown Gotham towards Wayne Enterprises to meet B for their patrol check in. Maybe if he showed the kid to Alfred, he could just keep him safe at the manor and he wouldn't worry about the tiny thing in his arms being so tiny anymore.

“Where are we going?” A squeaky voice shouted in his left ear. Was there a ringing bell nearby?

Dick smirked, glancing quickly at the child before shooting his gun at the side of Wayne Enterprises, clicking the side button and rocketing them up the side of the skyscraper. He heard a soft gasp over the rush of wind before his world was filled with small, uncontrollable giggles and Dick tightened his hold.

“We gotta meet up with someone, little one!” He cheerfully shouted back as the duo landed at the top of the tower. With his feet squarely against solid concrete, Dick set the child down to face away from the large drop off the side of the building. He was worried the kid would either get scared, or want to try jumping off and he wasn't sure which was worse right now. A quick glance around told Dick that Bruce was still doing his own patrol. “Just stay away from the edge, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” the little sass monster said as they shakily walked towards the center of the helipad. “I’m not dumb.”

“Uh huh,” Dick sassed back as he hovered over the kid. “You wanna tell me your name yet?”

Cold eyes narrowed as the child looked up at Dick. “No, you’re still a weirdo.”

Yikes, Dick thought. Whoever this kid's parents were deserved an award for raising such a menace to society. “Okay, okay,” he said airly. “I’ll figure it out one day, just you watch.”

“Oh, so now you’re a stalker, too?” The kid said as they flopped onto the concrete flooring. “Maybe I should’ve run away. Stranger danger and all that nonsense.” They flapped an itty-bitty hand dismissively.

“I thought we established that I wasn’t a stranger already?” Dick wasn’t pouting. He was an adult, and adults don’t pout at children winning in a battle of sass.

“No, we just established that you don’t know what it looks like when people die. Do you even pay attention to anything?”

Dick rolled his eyes, sauntering over to nudge his foot against the kid's thigh. “I paid enough attention to notice that you're good at avoiding questions. Why is that?”

“Nunya,” they told him. Dick felt the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. No, he would not act like Bruce.

“Nope, I'm not playing that one,” Dick told the kid, who pouted that they couldn't finish the joke. “Come on, I can't keep calling you ‘kid’ or ‘that tiny child lighter than a grape’ now can I?”

They squinted at Dick, crossing their arms awkwardly since they seemed to refuse moving from their starfish position on the ground. “Rude. You talk to every kid you meet like that?”

Dick smirked, “Just the ones who think they’re tall enough to talk back? Where do you reach on me again?” Dick mimed checking the kid's height against himself and stopped with it below his knees. Was it petty to make fun of the small child’s height? Yes, but he didn’t care. “Oh right, sorry but you're not tall enough to verbally attack this adult.”

“Whatever,” they muttered, turning away from Dick. But he noticed the kid kept him within their peripheral vision, just enough of an angle to pretend they couldn't see Dick even if his every movement was being tracked by blue eyes. It was just like how Jason acted, back when he was first introduced to life in the manor. Luckily, that meant that Dick had more than enough experience with snotty scared children to make sure this one kept feeling safe around him.

“So,” Dick said after a few moments of silence. “Like I said earlier, we’re gonna be meeting up with someone. But what I didn't mention was that it's Batman.”

“What kind of name is that?” The kid said, their spunk seemingly reviving itself in the few minutes where they didn’t speak. “Who wakes up one morning and decides to name their kid things like Nightwing and Batman?”

Dick spluttered. “It’s a superhero name, kid. It’s meant to not be normal.”

“You should’ve been named Jeff. Now Jeff is a good name.”

Dick paused, scrunched his nose a little in confusion before responding. “So, do you want me to call you Jeff since you like it so much?”

The kid scoffed, not fully paying attention and obviously still insulting him mentally. “Pffsh, no, call me Danny because my name isn't Jeff, stupid.”

Dick smiled like the cat who ate the canary. “Well, well, Danny is such a nice name,” he told Danny. Dick was enjoying the expression on his face when he realized that he messed up, the horror seeping into his features and a devastated tilt to his lips as he turned to Dick. “Thank you for telling me, now is Danny short for anything?”

Danny pouted and it was so cute Dick wanted to coo and squish his little cheeks. “No, just Danny, you weirdo.”

“No last name?” Dick prodded, poking at Danny’s thigh.

“You’re subtle.”

“And you’re going to answer!” Dick cheerfully said, walking around to stand at the front of the black-haired boy.

“You can’t make me do anything,” Danny glared up at Dick, arms still crossed. “You’re not my dad.”

Dick wasn't sure why that comment stung unlike the others, but he moved past it. He scoffed obnoxiously and mimicked Danny's pose, jutting his hip out in a move of pure sass. “Well I may not be but–”

“Nightwing.”

Dick froze with whatever bullshit he'd pull out of his ass dying on his lips. He saw Danny raise a questioning eyebrow at the scene, clearly interested in the drama, but Dick didn't focus on it. Instead, like always, he responded to Batman's voice. It didn't matter he wasn't Robin anymore and someone else held the title, it didn't matter he was all grown up and had his own name now. When Batman called, a Robin always whistled back, standing at attention like the “good little soldiers” they were.

Sighing, he turned around and put his hands behind his back, feet spread apart as he nodded at Batman. Because this wasn't his father figure, the man who raised him despite the emotional intelligence of an ant. This was Batman, who didn't take disappointment or inadequacy from his sidekicks. No matter what happens, we'll always be little soldiers reporting for duty, won't we?

“Batman, no unusual activity for the night. There were the two robberies I reported on patrol, as well as stopping a street girl from being taken into an alley and shot. Oracle has the recordings from my suit already uploaded for review.” Simple, to the point, just the way Bruce liked it. All done.

“Hrn.”

What? What did he forget?

“Hey! Why do you go around with your underwear outside your pants like that?” Danny interrupted.

Oh…right, he forgot about Danny for a minute there.

The silence across the rooftop was louder than any words shouted into the night sky could be. Dick tensed as he shifted, covering more of Danny from Batman's view as he watched the man's cowl wrinkle up. Internally he winced, wishing he had honestly thought this out better but at the time, he had only been focused on gaining Danny's trust. Once he had it, something in him wouldn't let the kid go and, frankly, he didn't want to. But in hindsight, this was definitely not one of his best ideas. He snorted lightly, thinking Jason would have made fun of him for being an idiot right now–like the time he tried to catch a runaway ice cream cart and slipped into a pile of cold sugar that spilled on the ground instead.

“Why do you have a civilian child here, Nightwing?” Batman practically growled, causing Dick to frown and tense his shoulders in a defensive response. He knew the man had been having problems since Jason's death. Tim had been trying his best to help Bruce out of a dark place, but sometimes he seemed to fall back into those old, angrier patterns on them. It was not appreciated, but he knew it took time to work through grief. It was small mercies the man wasn't sending people to the hospital or himself into an early grave on the daily anymore.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Well, during my patrol I noticed a disturbance in an alley and–”

“He met me! So, why are you looking at Nightwing like he's a bad guy, Batman? Aren't you two friends?” Danny popped up at his side all of a sudden. Dick startled, quickly shooting a glance at where the boy had been five feet away and he wondered at how he didn't hear so much as a squeak until Danny spoke. “You shouldn't be mean to your friends,” he nodded sagely at his own words and Dick held in a snort of amusement. “That's what she always used to tell me.”

Dick paused. Danny hadn't mentioned anyone he knew before now. Ignoring Batman's glowering, he tilted his head down to catch Danny's eyes. But the kid was gazing past them both, the bright blue dulling in the throes of some kind of possible memory. Telegraphing his movements slowly, Dick lightly touched the tips of his fingers to Danny's shoulder and whispered his name. “Danny? You okay in there, bud?”

It took a moment for the kid to shake his head like an old, wet dog, blinking slowly and gazing back at Dick. He nodded, glancing down at his tiny hands as though they held all of the answers to the universe’ most difficult questions. “Yeah, I’m good. Why?”

“You spaced out there a little bit,” Dick carefully told him. He watched Danny’s eyebrow’s furrow and mentally debated pushing. He was curious if the child would open up to him a little despite the hulking bat furry standing behind him like a living shadow. Cautiously, he held his hand a little more firmly on Danny’s shoulder and asked him what he was wondering. “Danny, who is this ‘she’ you mentioned?”

“Uhh…” Danny stalled, titling his head and giving an awkward smile that was barely more than a tick of the lips and didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t know?”

“Alright, kiddo.” Dick murmured, a bit disheartened hearing the response, but doing his best to not show it. He gave a sharp nod and turned his head to look at his mentor. “But, yeah, B he’s right. Shouldn’t you be nicer to me?”

“You’re endangering a child, Nightwing.” Batman growled, disapproval practically flowing off the man. It took years upon years for Dick to understand the different levels of Bruce’s inflections and what they meant, like learning a whole new language. But now? It was clear as day to him looking at the man. The big, bad bat was pissed and disappointed at his oldest protege’s actions. Dick tried to not let it hurt him (and show on his face) as much as it did.

But he also felt a flare of anger swell up in his chest. Indignant, Dick stepped forward, close enough to block Danny completely from Batman's sight and get in the Dark Knight’s face. “You want to talk about endangering children, B? You would know all about that, wouldn't you? Picking us up off the streets like party favors.”

Dick shook his head, a scoff falling from his lips as his hands vibrated with the anger now burning his veins at the hypocrisy of the moment. A quick tug to his leg made him stumble though, and he almost fell when Danny barged past him. A cry on the tip of his tongue, Dick watched as the little tyke stomped over to Batman and crossed his tiny arms.

“Hey! He may be a total weirdo, but Nightwing is really nice and he's been taking good care of me!” Danny pointed a finger at Batman and Dick realized with dawning horror and amusement that this child was lecturing B, for him. He felt his heart beat as tears pricked the corners of his eyes. “So you stop bullying him right now!”

“Kid,” B started gruffly, reaching a hand to grab him, probably. But Danny smacked his gloved hand away and took a shaky step back. He stumbled over his feet closer to where a stunned Dick stood, gaping at the scene before him.

“NO! I DON'T WANT YOU TO TOUCH ME, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY! HE'S NOT NICE!” Danny shouted at the top of his lungs, shaking arms firmly clung to either side of him. His body faced Batman, but his head was turned to a spot just over the man's shoulder. The kid started swaying side to side again, and Dick knew that tears were welling in Danny’s eyes even if he couldn’t see the boy’s face.

Dick scrambled forward, recognizing the signs from earlier. The vigilante caught the child in his arms and pulled out his grapple gun. “We will discuss this more later, at the Cave. But right now Danny is upset, so I'm going to take him to Agent A. For the rest of the night, you're on your own.”

He whispered comforting nonsense to the shaking, brooding child in his arms as he walked away and didn't look back. Not even when Danny heavily propped his chin on Dick's shoulder to keep an eye on Batman as they left. “What was all that about Danny? Who were you yelling at?”

Dick was sure Danny wasn’t talking to Bruce at that time, his head had been tilted too far to the left and he spoke as though he were talking about Bruce to someone else. But no one had been there. It made him a little concerned he might have something in his system and resolved to have Alfred examine him after they got some real food into Danny.

Danny cut him a quick glance out of the corner of his eye, not bothering to move his head’s position and smirked maliciously. If he didn't think everything about this kid was adorable, he'd probably be unnerved at the expression, paired with little baby fangs poking past his lips he hadn’t noticed earlier. Danny replied to him, but in a loud enough voice so that it would carry across the roof to where they left Bruce, no doubt standing guard as he watched them leave.

“I was talking to the ghosts that follow him, duh.”

#dc x dp #dp x dc #dpxdc #dcxdp #danny phantom #dick grayson #dick adopts danny #danny is a feral trash gremlin #Patrol Partners 2024 Participant #Patrol Partners 2024 Event #batfam #fanfiction #dc x dp fic #danny fenton #deaged danny fenton #shock surprise hes still rabid

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osaemu · 1 year ago

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OSAMU DAZAI: ❛❛ FALSE GOD ❜❜

.ೃ࿐ dazai's far from the perfect boyfriend, and you're not the perfect girlfriend either. NSFW

contents: fem!reader. gets kinda angsty but nothin' major. toxic undertones. not a songfic but there's one line from false god included. mostly cunniligus. kinda self-indulgent.

author's note: obscure ending, interpret it however u want.

osamu dazai is a cynic, and he has no shame in admitting that.

every word you say and every man you smile at, dazai knows. behind those coffee-brown eyes lie a calculated gaze, and it's fixated on you. it's as if you're nothing more than another pawn in his games — just another player for dazai to manipulate at his will.

dazai figures that it's just human nature. everyone has their own motives, and everyone has their own secrets. being raised by the mafia, he's practically been trained to analyze every move made by another. after all, since he can't read minds, he has to assume that even you can't possibly be this good to him.

one day, when you bring him lunch at the agency, he asks what you'd like in return. you pause, a bit confused, before shaking your head and replying that it wasn't meant to come off that way. dazai insists that he do you a favor or something in return in order to avoid being indebted to you.

it stings, really, the idea that dazai thinks that your relationship is nothing more than a contract. and after weeks go on with dazai's suspicious eyes boring into your back every time you do a favor for him, you finally tell him so. you tell him what you thought you'd never have to tell him — that you don't have any ulterior motives in dating him.

dazai disagrees.

"i can't talk to you when you're like this," you murmur, shaking your head. and you really can't. honestly it's frustrating and draining — you don't want to have to prove to dazai night after night that you aren't with him for anything else than him.

your boyfriend's eyes narrow slightly, and clearly, he's trying to find your angle. is this a ploy to gain sympathy from him? or are you trying to guilt-trip him into doing something for you later? whatever it is, dazai decides that the best course of action would be to leave. for now, at least. he'll come back when you're asleep.

"okay."

dazai turns and leaves, going off to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what. you're left standing in the doorway, dumbfounded and not sure where to go from here.

two wineglasses and three hours later, he returns and finds you passed out on the couch. under any other circumstances, dazai'd be worried, but there's a trashy romcom playing in the background and a half-empty wine bottom on the table, so he figures that you're fine.

he walks over, careful not to wake you. dazai holds a bouquet of pink roses in one hand, and he uses the other to gently caress your cheek.

"god, you're so dramatic," dazai whispers, eyes trailing over your drowsy figure. his words are laced with muted affection, as if he can't find a way to express it without a petty insult on top of it. and well, maybe you are somewhat dramatic, but the way he sees it, he'd rather make up now than drag this on later. he sets down the bouquet and kneels down to your level, and the faint scent of whiskey lingers in the air.

"i wish i could be your perfect boyfriend," dazai says quietly, trailing his fingers through your hair. "but i just can't be, and if you want me to leave, i will."

dazai knows you're awake and listening to every word, and he also knows that you don't underestimate him. he's confident that you're aware that he knows you're not actually asleep, but for the sake of the moment, he gives you that choice. you can either keep pretending to sleep and brush him off, or you can open your eyes.

you open your eyes.

maybe you're just a hopeless romantic, but you could swear that a soft, relieved sigh escapes dazai's lips. lips that are now on yours as dazai attempts to make up for all the times he's pushed you away. and it's likely that even now, dazai won't change. he never does, no matter how many promises he makes. but it's nice that for once, he's trying to make up for what he's lost. even if it isn't much.

but you do get pretty close to forgiving him when his mouth isn't the only part of him on you. dazai's slender fingers make quick work of his coat as he tosses it to the side, eyes focused on you, only you. he doesn't have time to wonder if this is what you wanted all along of if it's just the sex scene in the romcom that's making him do this, but one thing leads to another and soon he's eating you out, tongue turning the edges of your vision white.

if you had doubts about the existence of heaven before, they were gone now. you swear you can see stars as dazai eats you out, and the lewd sounds that fall from your lips are downright sinful. you beg for more, more, more, and dazai obeys, giving you everything that you ask for.

it's funny how weeks of underlying tension can be eliminated in the span of an hour, but if there's anyone who could do it, it'd be dazai. as his tongue flicks in and out of your drenched cunt, your ability to form cohesive words vanishes, and all you're left with is his name.

"god, 'samu, please don't stop," you gasp, hands tangled in his hair as he looks up at you from his spot in between your thighs. his mouth has always worked wonders on you, whether it's through his poetic words or if it's through his skillful tongue, and now is no different.

your chest heaves as the coil in your stomach tightens as you feel yourself getting closer to your breaking point. you're entirely convinced that the world's stopped around you, and that there's nothing but you, dazai, and his lips in the universe.

if death was like what you were feeling right now, then by all means, you were entirely willing to give up your life for pleasure like this. the feeling of transcendence from your spot beneath dazai to a world above was unlike any other, and only dazai could take your hand and lead you there.

"eyes on me, darling," dazai murmurs, voice barely audible over the smutty noises coming out of your mouth. somehow, his voice is steady, and if you weren't so fucked out, you'd overthink this by leaps and bounds.

you chant his name like a prayer as you fight to keep your eyes open. you want nothing more than to tilt your head back and close your eyes, but somehow, you're certain dazai would end this torturous, hedonistic moment if you were to disregard his words.

blind faith was stupid, so stupid, but times like these would make you follow dazai anywhere. his words, his lips, his eyes, all of it. who were you, a mere mortal, to resist his decadent charms?

"more," you whisper.

he gives you more. dazai fucks you until your vision is hazy and you can't feel anything but him, and when you finally start to come down from your hour-long high, you're met with the sound of his sultry laugh.

"you wanted this, didn't you?" dazai breathes, eyeing you intently.

you nod, unable to do much more than that. dazai hums in reply, lean body collapsing on top of you. his mind is spinning, processing thousands of little details and thoughts all at once. his head hurts, his body's sore, and he's tired and ready to sleep, but one look at your fucked-out smile and he's hungry for more.

dazai presses his lips to your bare shoulder, and maybe you're imagining it, but you sense an undertone of self-satisfaction in what he whispers next.

"that's what i thought."

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parkerdoeswriting · 1 year ago

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I Don’t Wanna Keep Secrets Just to Keep You

(TASM!Peter Parker x GN Reader)

category: fluff with sort of angsty undertones?

summary: reader is dating spiderman for a half a year, they want to see his face.

warnings: not a lot tbh, breakup themes but that’s it

word count: 1.3K

A/N: Kinda a part two no one asked for to Walking Back Home, but you don’t gotta read it to understand this

It’s been 6 months since you and Spider-Man had that moment together in the alleyway. He was the most amazing boyfriend ever. From the late night talks on the rooftop of your guy’s “spot”, to him “walking” (swinging) you home from school each day, and him sneaking into your room from the fire escape so you can help him with his injuries.

But you couldn’t help but feel- upset about the whole relationship? You’ve never seen his face, you don’t know anything about him besides the fact he’s your age and he’s a guy, and you can’t even confirm those things!

“Penny for your thoughts?” a voice breaks your pondering, bringing you back to your room.

You look at the voice, seeing Peter, you remember you invited him over so you guys could study for finals. You smile faintly at your best friend, Peter knows all about you and Spider-Man’s relationship, so you could tell him about it.

“Just thinking about bug boy” you sigh, resting your face on your knees.

“What about him?” Peter says, scooching closer.

“Oh, uh, it’s nothing” you rub your neck, not wanting to tell Peter about your doubts.

He raises an eyebrow at you not wanting to tell him what you were thinking about. You blush as soon as you realize what he was thinking.

“No- no! It’s not- those thoughts” you bury your face into your palms, laughing softly.

“So why don’t you tell me?” he laughs, looking at you.

“Fine, I’m having- doubts” you confess, biting your lip.

You can see Peter’s face faintly drop, his eyes widening.

“Wh-what?!” he exclaims, his mouth agape.

“It’s not that I don’t love him, I really do, I just don’t know like- anything about him!” you say, fidgeting with the hem of your shirt.

“I just, I wanna be able to see him without a mask, like a regular boyfriend?” you add, your face contorted with frustration.

Peter remains silent, he looks kinda- sad?

“Come on, tell me you didn’t grow attached to my boyfriend from my stories” you joke, trying to lighten the mood.

“No, that’d be crazy” he rolls his eyes playfully at you.

“So, are we gonna study or not?” you give him your signature smile, grabbing your notes.

Timeskip two days later..

You were still sitting in your room studying alone, your parents out with friends. You yawn, debating just giving in to sleep. You get up from your bed, heading to your wardrobe to grab your pajamas, shuffling through your drawers.

Knock knock knock…

You turn, the familiar knocking on the window making you sort of guilty. You were sort of ignoring your boyfriend, your doubts making it hard to face him. You shuffle over to the window, opening it, letting the warm air flow in.

“Hi babe” Spider-Man says, sliding in and giving you a swift masked kiss.

You smile faintly, burying your face into his chest, tracing the spider emblem with your fingers.

“Whatcha doing here?” you whisper softly, taking in his scent just in case you break up with him tonight.

“Wanted to see you” he mumbles back, rubbing your back.

You both stay like this for a while, waiting to see who the first to let go is.

“You staying for the night or are ya heading out?” you pull away, grabbing your pajamas and a pair of emergency pajamas for your boyfriend.

“Staying” he says, his shoulders dropping as you pull away, taking the pajamas from you.

You smile faintly at him as you swiftly change into your pajamas, not minding him staring. You walk back to your bed, falling down onto it. He watches you, changing from his suit to the pajamas. You sigh as he joins you, noticing he still hasn’t taken off his mask.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asks, falling back in the same manner as you, cuddling your body.

“Mm, it’s nothing” you rest your hands on his face, picturing what it’d be like to feel his skin.

He removes your hands from his mask, cupping them inside his hands, bringing them close to his chest.

“I don’t think it’s nothing” he whispers, resting his forehead against yours.

You suck in a breath, averting your eyes so you don’t have to look at him, your memory flickering back to your conversation with Peter.

“I just, I wanna be able to see him without a mask, like a regular boyfriend?”

“Hey, please tell me?” he adds, still clutching your hands, bringing you back to the present.

“Will I ever see your face?” you blurt out, your face heating up more and more by the second.

I can feel his body tense beside me, his hands clutching a little tighter around mine. I can feel him sigh, pressing his forehead a little harder against mine.

“I’m just.. scared” he replies sadly.

“Why would you be scared?” you caress his face as you sit up, looking down at him.

“I don’t want you to think I’m a loser or something and dump me” he answers, leaning into your touch.

“I could never, I think I could love you no matter what” you frown, sort of upset that he thinks you're that shallow.

No one dares to speak next, leaving you in uncomfortable silence for what seemed like ages.

“Do you want to see?” he whispers so quietly you can barely pick up on it.

Your eyes widen, your head slowly nodding up and down. He sits up as well, both of your hearts beating with anticipation.

“Can you uh, look away for a second?” he asks, his voice cracking.

“Mhm” you turn around, fidgeting with your fingers as you wait.

Spiderman lifts up his mask and sets it in your lap, causing your heart to flutter. Peter plays with his hair to fluff it back up as he breathes in to calm his nerves.

“You can look now” he informs you, his heart racing more and more.

You take your time turning around, you don’t know what or who you expected to be behind the mask. Your eyes subconsciously shut, only opening when you’re sure you’re making direct eye contact with him.

You let out a soft gasp as you see your best friend sitting there, your eyes and mouth widening.

“P-Peter?” you reply, your face heating up.

“H-hi” he responds, his voice sounding ashamed.

You look at him, disbelief flooding on your face. Memories come back of things you’ve shared about Spiderman to Peter, and you’re surprised you hadn’t put the dots together sooner.

“I’m sorry” his voice quakes as his eyes brim with tears, his hand clutching onto his pant fabric.

He starts crying, but you can’t move. Peter, your best friend, your- boyfriend?

“Peter?” you repeat again, finally snapping from the dazed out state you were in.

“Yeah..” he wipes his tears, putting on a brave face.

You can’t help yourself, you should be furious at Peter for not telling you, but you aren’t. How could you be so mad at the boy you love?

You leap forward in bed, wrapping your arms around him as you bury your face into his neck. You can feel his body start to sniffle again, reciprocating the hug.

“You’re not mad?” he says weakly, his hands clutching you like you’ll fall through his fingers.

“I’m fucking furious, I love you” you pull back, holding his face in your hands.

He doesn’t know whether or not to frown or smile, whether or not to pull away or kiss you.

“I love you Peter, okay? I’ll love you no matter what” you reassure him, pecking his lips.

He smiles faintly against your lips, holding you closer.

“Thank you for showing me your secret”

#why can’t he look at me like that #andrew garfield x reader #tasm!peter x reader #tasm!peter fanfiction #peter parker x reader #tasm! peter x you #tasm #peter parker fluff #peter parker x you #peter parker x y/n #peter parker imagine #peter parker fanfiction #tasm!peter parker #tasm!peter x you #tasm!spiderman x reader #tasm!peter imagine

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ilovemilestellersmoustache · 1 month ago

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Tolerate It

WC: 1.4K

Summary: You gave up your dreams for Connor, which was fine. But why can’t he at least give back what you’ve lost with at least being present.

A/N: It’s not the exact same as the song bc thats toooooooo angsty

Y/N had known Connor Bedard for as long as she could remember. They had grown up together, inseparable since they were in diapers. Their parents were close friends, and it was natural that they would be, too. Childhood friends, partners in crime, and each other's confidants, they had shared everything—their dreams, their fears, their hopes for the future. As they grew older, the bond between them only deepened. It was always easy with Connor; their friendship was effortless, built on a foundation of mutual trust and support.

It was no surprise when that friendship began to shift into something more as they hit their teenage years. The late-night conversations grew longer, the touches more lingering, and the looks more meaningful. It was unspoken at first, but eventually, Connor confessed his feelings one summer night when they were sixteen, sitting by the lake they had always gone to as kids.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Y/N,” he had said, his voice quiet but filled with certainty. “I mean, you’re everything to me.”

That was all it took. From that moment on, they were more than just friends—they were everything to each other.

When Connor got drafted into the NHL, it was the culmination of everything he had worked for. Y/N was there at the draft, her heart swelling with pride as his name was called. It was a dream come true for him, but there was a bittersweet undertone. Y/N had gotten into her dream university, too—across the country. They had always known this moment was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier.

The days leading up to their inevitable separation were filled with unspoken tension. They tried to act like everything was normal, like they could handle the distance, but the reality of being apart hung over them like a storm cloud. Connor was set to move to Chicago, and Y/N was supposed to head to California.

It was the night before Y/N was supposed to leave when Connor finally broke. They were sitting in his car, parked in front of her house, the silence between them heavy.

“I can’t do it,” he said suddenly, his voice strained.

Y/N turned to him, her heart clenching at the look on his face. He looked lost, desperate, like he was barely holding it together.

“Connor—”

“Don’t go,” he whispered, reaching out to take her hand. “I know it’s selfish, but I need you here with me. I don’t want to be without you.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him, torn between her dreams and the boy she had loved for so long. She knew how much playing in the NHL meant to Connor, but she hadn’t realized how much her presence meant to him. She was his rock, his constant. And as much as it hurt to give up her dream, she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving him like this, knowing how much he needed her.

So she stayed.

Y/N transferred to a university in Chicago, and for a while, everything seemed perfect. Connor was thriving in the league, making waves as a rookie, and Y/N was doing well in her new school. They were together, and that was all that mattered. They had made it through the toughest decision of their lives, and things were going well.

Until they weren’t.

It started slowly, in ways that Y/N could almost convince herself weren’t a big deal. Connor was always busy—more and more "team activities" kept him out late, and she was no longer invited. She would see the other girlfriends and wives at events and wonder why she was being left out. At first, she brushed it off, thinking it was just the demands of his career. She told herself that the NHL was a whole different world, and maybe she just wasn’t meant to be a part of that aspect of his life.

But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Y/N began to feel the cracks in their relationship widening. She would wait by the door for him to come home, feeling like a little kid waiting for a parent who never showed up. Sometimes she would set the table with their nicest dishes, hoping for a quiet dinner together, only for Connor to come home hours late, too tired to even notice her efforts.

Each missed dinner, each late-night out without her, each forgotten promise—it all added up, piece by piece, until Y/N felt like she was drowning in her own loneliness. She didn’t know how to talk to him about it. How could she? He was now Connor Bedard, the NHL star, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. How could she add her own pain to that pressure?

Besides, she had given up everything for him—her dream university, her own future. She had sacrificed it all because she loved him, and she wanted to believe that it had been the right choice. But now, as she sat alone in their apartment, night after night, she began to wonder if Connor even noticed how much she had given up for him.

One night, after yet another evening spent waiting for Connor to come home, Y/N reached her breaking point. She had spent hours preparing a special dinner again, hoping this time her makes it home in time for some time to reconnect with him. But when he finally walked through the door, hours later than expected, he barely acknowledged her. His face was tired, his eyes distant, and when she asked about his day, he gave her nothing but short, distracted answers.

She couldn’t take it anymore.

“Connor,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “Do you even care anymore?”

He looked up, startled by the intensity in her voice. “What? Y/N. I’ve just been—”

“Busy?” she finished for him, her frustration spilling over. “You’re always busy, Connor. But you’re never busy with me. I don’t even know what’s going on in your life anymore.”

Connor frowned, looking uncomfortable. “It’s just… the team, the pressure, it’s a lot.”

“And I’m supposed to just sit here and wait for you? To figure it out by yourself? We’ve always gotten through things together Connor. I just get why you won’t let me in anymore. Why I feel like I’m not even a relevant presence in your life. It just feels like I’m begging for footnotes about anything you do anymore.” Y/N’s voice broke. “I gave up everything for you, Connor. And I was fine with that. That was my inevitable decision. I just thought we were in this together, but it feels like I’m just… here. Like I’m only around for when you need someone. What happened to us?”

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly at a loss for words. “Y/N, I asked you to give up your dreams for me but only because—”

“Because what Connor. What. If you’re implying for support that cannot be further from the truth. You’ve been so distant like I’m not even here.” she interrupted, her voice raw with emotion, eyes widening as she never meant to actually say it out loud “Maybe you didn’t think that decision through, but you had asked me to stay. I think you were just scared to not have anyone for the first time in your life. And I was too, that’s why I stayed, but also because I love you. But now, I don’t even know if that means anything to you.”

There was a long, heavy silence between them. Connor looked at her, his face torn between guilt and frustration, but he said nothing. And that silence—his inability to reassure her, to tell her that he still loved her, still needed her—spoke louder than any words could.

Y/N felt something inside her shatter.

In the weeks that followed, things between them grew even more strained. Y/N tried to talk to him, tried to salvage what was left of their relationship, but Connor seemed more distant than ever. It was as if he had retreated into himself, caught up in the demands of his career, while Y/N was left alone to pick up the pieces of what they once had.

The worst part was that she couldn’t bring herself to leave him. She had come so far, sacrificed so much, and the thought of walking away felt like admitting defeat. She loved him—she had always loved him—but she was beginning to realize that love wasn’t enough. Not when it was one-sided. Not when she felt more like an afterthought than a partner. Her loved should of been celebrated, but it seemed like he just tolerated it

One night, after yet another fight that ended in silence, Y/N sat on their bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t keep living like this, couldn’t keep pretending that everything was okay when it clearly wasn’t. But leaving him—it would destroy him. She knew that much. He assumed she was fine, that she was content to be there for him, to support him no matter what. But what would he do if she broke free, if she finally walked away and left them both in ruins?

Y/N closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She didn’t know what to do. All she knew was that something had to change—before it was too late. But deep down she knew what she needed to do.

#connor bedard #connor bedard imagine #connor bedard x reader #jack hughes x reader #quinn hughes x reader #trevor zegras x reader #chicago blackhawks #jack hughes #luke hughes x reader #nhl x reader #matt rempe x reader #quinn hughes #umich hockey #Spotify

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missmeinyourbones · 1 year ago

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Hiiiii L!!! Congrats on ur milestone bby!! It was so hard to choose a prompt I was stuck on so many of them but I’d love to see ur take on the prompt “weird, but fucking beautiful” with Touya<333

WEIRD, BUT FUCKING BEAUTIFUL (t. todoroki)

a/n: bad communicator dabi, reader has a birthmark, descriptions of skin and scarring (???) angsty undertones but ultimately very soft (like dabi), i love u oz

L’s MIDNIGHTS EVENT!

There's a lot that Dabi can't say.

He thinks his lack of verbal charisma was wired into his brain and decided by the stars above from the very moment he was born into this world.

It's not for a lack of feeling, he likes to justify. In his head, Dabi has said what he would deem to be Shakespearean things about how much he loves you—but when it comes time to turn those thoughts into syllables from his lips, they never sound nearly as nice.

Something Dabi is good at, he likes to think, is admiring you. It comes natrually, he doesnt need to think about it.

He loves learning about your body, finding out new things about your skin and shape and self. Enjoys learning how you like to be touched, how you like to be loved without the words he can't really say. He thinks that must be how people in love feel, a bit foolish but willing to sit in silence just to catch a glimpse of something worth while.

Having crawled out of bed and whined about your soreness from last night, you search the room for your discarded jeans. And Dabi does what he does best and watches you.

He appreciates how your skin stretches and bounces when you bend down to grab your pants. How it pudges by your hips and tummy when you shimmy into your jeans and fasten your zipper. He likes how your arms flex and arch as you button your bra around your torso—and he loves how your tiny little birthmark on your back contorts with the normalcy of it all.

It's moments like these, horribly mundane and, for a lack of a better word, boring, that make Dabi realize just how lost in you he actually is. The way you exist, ridiculously regular and undeniably human, makes him want to cry, sometimes. He doesn't think you realize how special that is, to be normal.

Your irritated tone interrupts (what you don't know to be) his sweet introspection.

"Would you stop that?"

You see the smallest twinge of a smile from the corner of his mouth when he plays along.

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like that," he watches you shrink beneath his heavy gaze.

"Like what?"

You raise your eyebrows at him, in a look that reads nothing but annoyed, and he allows himself to huff out a sound of amusement at how easily aggravated you get sometimes.

"Oh come on, don't be pissy," he teases, but you choose to ignore his taunt and continue getting dressed.

He continues to watch you twist into your shirt, and he's grateful it's sleeveless as it leaves the pretty little imprint beneath your shoulder within his sight. He watches you catch his eye a few times, sees how you grow more irritated with each and every flicker of his stare on your skin.

When you (not so) gently scoot past him to collect your phone from the nightstand, he's quick to wrap his fingers around your wrist and guide you closer to him.

With a scowl on your face, you let him. His hand finds your chin, turning you upward to look at him, pout and all.

"Hey," he whispers with a bit of an edge, one he doesn't mean to have but has accepted as a part of him. When you flicker your eyes over him, he softens his bite a bit, "Talk."

After a sigh or two, your response comes shy, flushed.

"I don't like when you stare at me like that," you whisper against his palm and he can feel the heat of your cheeks flooding with embarrassment.

"Feels like you're making fun of me or something."

"Making fun of you?" his face frowns in genuine confusion. "The fuck are you talking about?"

Not sure if he's fucking with you or not, you take a beat to read his expression. He's serious, for once—you can tell there's no ill will in his furrowed brows and slightly concerned eyes.

Eventually, you deflate and state the obvious, "You're looking at my birthmark."

…Yeah?

"And?" he decides to say instead.

"And I hate it," your voice becomes a bit more strained, "so stop looking at it."

Genuinely confused at the sudden tension between you two, Dabi shrugs and loosens his grip on your jaw, leaving his hand gently ghosting your skin instead of holding you in place.

He sounds a bit critical when he scoffs, "What's there to hate? It's a birthmark."

"It's gross and weirdly shaped and ugly."

And he can't but wince at the pure irony of your words. Because you're always the first person to kiss his scars, trace their growing and scaling patches, and remind him that they're beautiful because they're his.

And here you are, loathing something as measly as a barely noticeable birthmark for the sole reason that it's yours.

He wants to tell you what you tell him, that it's beautiful because it's yours. That he wants to trace it with his tongue and see its outline when he closes his eyes.

But Dabi isn't that poetic, so he settles for shrugging and using his free hand to reach out and touch it.

As his calloused thumb skims the mark, he hums to himself in thought.

"Was thinking about how it's kinda shaped like a mushroom."

He smiles a bit when your eyes roll at his statement. Your skin heats up again when you weakly remind him that, "It's weird."

"Yeah," he merely agrees with a soft nod, "but it doesn't make me want you any less."

Gently, he takes the pad of his thumb and lovingly swipes it across your bottom lip, caressing the skin and attempting to let his touch say what his words can't.

And you know, he knows you know. Because even though Dabi isn't great with words and can't say what he means, what he feels, that doesn't mean he doesn't feel it. He feels it more deeply than anyone you've ever known.

In the softness of the moment, you cock your head to the side and gently bite down on the length of this thumb. It's unexpected but doesn't hurt, and Dabi knows you well enough to know what it says. Thank you. I love you.

He nearly blushes at the intimacy, mumbling out a sarcastic, "Fuckin' ow."

"Don't be a baby," you choose to gently kiss the spot you sunk your teeth into, "that didn't hurt."

It didn't, he thinks. I liked it.

Again, his tongue betrays him, "You're so weird."

Allowing yourself to lean into his touch, your voice taunts him a bit. "But that doesn't make you want me any less, does it?"

Dabi chooses the easy way out and simply kisses you, and through this tongue gently prodding at your bottom lip, you know his answer.

No, it doesn't.

#L's MIDNIGHTS EVENT!#dabi x reader #touya todoroki x reader #dabi x you #touya todoroki x you #dabi fic #touya todoroki fic #dabi angst #dabi fluff #touya todoroki angst #touya todoroki fluff

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blueparadis · 2 years ago

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❝ BORROWED ❞ + GOJO SATORU !

+. CWs —» slice of life au + band au, pov!shift, use of italics, f!reader, guitarist!gojo satoru, angst and feels, $mūt descriptions, domesticity, some past incidents, undertones of fwb and hook-ups, mutual pinning but kinda angsty, confession. wc – 1.5kish

+. PRECIS —» Gojo Satoru chased her like a traveler chases a mirage in a desert until she became his muse.

+. NOTES —» this was originally for ex’s & oh’s collab for oh’s hosted by @trafaligar ( @/zorotits ) but now it's just a plain drabble since I'm super-late; OH! this is also my first time writing on him properly, celebrating the ‘unboxing event’ by a lil drabble || redirect to blog navigation. also tagging – @dearestgojo @satorhime @orchid3a.

“No time is wasted, ever. It just passes and we as humans misunderstand it, always.”

“Misunderstand ? Time ?,” (y/n) said half-turning towards her one night stand. One of his arms is still over her waist, and the other sort of acted as a pillow for her. His eyes are vivid and lips, a little mischievous enjoying her reactions to his actions.

“Um-hm”

(y/n) turned towards him, completely. He bites the inner side of his bottom lip watching her adjust herself in his huge frame, tucking herself towards him. “What’s that supposed to mean, Satoru?” she whispered keeping her palms on his naked chest looking at him in a cheesy way. Tsk! such a tease. Satoru pulls her towards himself closing the inches gap between them earning a tiny gasp from her. His hands are rough but he is gentle now. His words are generally crude but now it's mellowed. “Well.” Satoru swiftly pulled his arms from underneath her. “Not telling.” he said sitting by the edge of the bed. The blanket is still clustered around his torso yet (y/n) frowned and turned the other way again.

“oh! What's this? Feeling shy after having sex with me. ” Satoru quipped slipping into his trousers. But she did not respond, not verbally. Just another eye roll before leaving the bed. Gojo notices that she is wearing a tank top and a boxer-brief, the visible skin glowing from getting freshly fucked.

Come to think of it, Satoru does not remember the time he was lulled to sleep. He remembers coming home with her, a bit drunk and needy, eating her out, fingering her, getting a skilled blow job . . . ( even though he was hesitant at first; but when you got on your knees, assured him with a smile that you are gonna be just fine, that he is gonna be just fine, he could not help but feel a little jealous. how many guys have you been with before him? He likes it, he likes you being confident and bold but does not like the way you got here. But that is not something he should think about right now. Never let the one-night stand dwell after dawn. ) . . . and then fucking her against the glass window of the balcony. He even remembers taking a shower without her, eating chop-suey with her at two in the morning, and enjoying the cold gusts of wind and the smell of tobacco lingering from her fingertips and corroding his nostrils. He even remembers singing her a song, boney fingers strumming against his guitar with her cheeks pressed against his shoulders and soft hands curling around his belly as he sang :

“Let's fall in love for the night

And forget in the mornin'.” Satoru is not much of a singer. He has never been one. That part belongs to Utahime. But when he heard ( y/n ) humming with him, he continued to sing :

“Play me a song that you like

You can bet I'll know every line.” ( y/n ) locks her hands over his tummy and her voice rises feeling Satoru's smile reverberating through her cheeks.

“I'm the boy that your boy hoped that you would avoid

Don't waste your eyes on jealous guys, fuck that noise

I know better than to call you mine.” (y/n) was still naked, only the stained bed-sheets wrapped around her body while Gojo still sang in that untoned voice. It was a good laugh, a good tease for him to be used later in the day.

When Satoru came to bed after smoking another joint, (y/n) was half-asleep. He does not particularly remember if they talked a bit or not, but all he remembers is the feeling of her boobs against his arms as he clamped his hands around her waist. He even heard a chuckle, as if she was mocking him, he could have sworn it — as if he was being a little more vulnerable than usual. But when she took his arm and interlaced her fingers with his, maybe that is when he fell asleep, maybe . . .

“Sa-toh-ru” You call his name one more time before taking your bag. With his hair down, half-clad he looks like a complete stranger. It was not always like this. He was like an open book to you. You could read his thoughts without him verbalizing it, and he was aware of it— through and through. But now, you are introduced to an entirely new side of him— which is a lot more mature and mutilated contrary to the side you always knew of him— childlike and unscathed.

“Yeah! Coming.” he yelled being out of your vicinity. By the time you were done wearing your pumps and covering the first set of staircase Satoru had already caught up with you or did you get slower? Is he actually keeping up with you or are you letting him keep up with you? After this impulsive long night, it is hard to say who is leading whom. Sometimes it was Satoru who would lead the way, sometimes it was ( y/n ); now they almost coincided. But parallel lines never coincide, or do they?

“Here, sit.” Satoru stated firmly grabbing her by the wrist and making her sit in front of him. The bus is not at all crowded. He could easily sit beside her but he would rather not. He needs to keep her at a distance. He needs to let his feelings sediment. He needs to clam down, not lose his wits because he just had sex with that one person he held dearest for the longest time. He needs to tell Suguru about it, otherwise he will explode, or at least he thinks so.

“Satoru,” you patted on the space beside you asking him to sit. Ah shit! Now he has to sit beside you, he cannot stand and wait for his mind to be at calm. “you know you can't stand and wait forever ” Satoru chuckles and takes the seat beside you. The bus is currently going towards the jam-venue. It is still forty minutes from the next turn. He has forty minutes to have you as a lover. These fleeting moments, where Gojo has the chance to steal her from the world and make her his and only his. These little secrets, tiny bubbling affection — your temper and tantrums — your angers and anguish — he can have it all if he could just bury his feelings that he has for you under the carpet. You would trample them every time you visit him on weekends, and he would let you. He would let you just to forget the history you share with him, just for mere a few moments when he could have you as a lover rather than a friend.

Even though ( y/n ) was not a part of the band, somehow she was intimately attached with his band. Every weekend she would go to watch them, watch his friend, Satoru, only him. Yeah, that's right. All she needs is courage, courage to say her feelings out loud before saying it to anyone else, even him. Just as he said during this noon, “No time is wasted, ever. It just passes and we as humans misunderstand it, always.”

Besides his reaction would not be a surprise to you. Satoru would be surprised if you were to acknowledge his feelings for you, acknowledge your feelings for him. Satoru would say something like, “Oh! So you knew all along?”

Satoru interlaces his fingers with hers earning her surprised stares. Finally, for once she is surprised by his behavior. “Yeah I know.” he beams. “I wasn't planning to.” Thirty-five minutes from the destination, thirty-five minutes for you to calm yourself down. Thirty-five minutes of his stone-cold fingers filling the gaps in your palm. So, he is nervous too. Oh! has he been nervous all along?

Satoru could feel her nervousness at her fingertips, as they tightly held onto his palm. If he were to look hard enough, maybe he would see the imprint of your palms through his. If he had been careful enough maybe he would not have confessed so blatantly, so plainly. If he had been courageous enough maybe all his songs would be about ( y/n ).

—

@tokyometronetwork

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wangxianficfinder · 2 years ago

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Fic Finder

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1. Hi! I hope you can help me find this fic.

Wangxian is married here. Lan zhan was cursed to forget his love to wei ying and wei ying did everything (like studying the curse) to lift it out. I remember in the end, Lwj remember his love to wei ying and apologized to wwx for treating him bad. He felt guilty and resentful to himself but wwx assured him that its fine since he was cursed

NOT FOUND! stuck under the moon by perilously (E, 13k, WangXian, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cursed LWJ, Non-Penetrative Sex, Post-Canon)

FOUND! could be "an effect (without a cause)" by astrobandit, which is deleted from ao3. If this is the fic they are looking for, i have a copy.

NOT FOUND! Blue water by huxiyi (E, 24k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Temporary Amnesia, Case Fic, Curses, Cultivation Sect Politics, Established Relationship, Angst with a Happy Ending, References to Depression, Discussion of Grief, Discussion of bodies, Explicit Sexual Content, Dom/sub Undertones, Under-negotiated Kink, Additional Warnings In Author's Note)

NOT FOUND! Unavoidable by diamondbruise (T, 18k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Amnesia, Jealousy, Misunderstandings, Falling In Love, Again, Happy Ending)

NOT FOUND! tonight i can write the saddest lines by sarahyyy (G, 3k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Amnesia, Falling In Love, Domestic Fluff)

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2. Can anyone help me find a fic where part of it talks about how if he'd asked, JY would have done WWX's hair for him like she did JC's, but he never asked so he learnt on his own (possibly to avoid YZY's rage?)

FOUND? Always walked a very thin line by tucuxi (T, 22k, NHS & WWX, JYL & WWX, WangXian) It's a small bit that happens when NHS is brushing WWX's hair, and WWX thinks that nobody's done that for a long time

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3. Hello!! I'm looking for a jiang wanyin/lan xichen centric fic where jc is stuck in a time loop??

He repeats his lives 5-6 times and lan xichen remembers all the timelines where he actually already loved jc

But he married meng yao as a friendship marriage in one tl

In another tl jc murdered meng yao and lxc witnesses amd goes into seclusion because of it

combining the lxc/jc + the time loop tags yields only three fics so it should be easy to find the right one (i haven't read any of them so i wasn't sure), and looking for lxc/jc + searching the word 'groundhog' turns up one more fic but it doesn't seem relevant to the ask

NOT FOUND! Incrementally by xxdz (M, 15k, WIP, XiCheng, Time Loop, Horror, Murder Mystery, Inspired by Happy Death Day (Movies), Post-Canon, Blood and Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Temporary Character Death, Character Study)

NOT FOUND! there is no one beside me by h0ngcha (Not Rated, 16k, WIP, XiCheng, Time Loop, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD, Suicide, Mental Instability, Depression, Mild Gore, Canon Divergence, Suicidal Thoughts, JFM's A+ parenting, Bittersweet Ending)

NOT FOUND! silver bell by willowcatkin (G, 8k, XiCheng, Post-Canon, Time Loop, yunmeng bros reconciliation, Sort Of, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, JC-centric)

FOUND! Four Out of Five by castieldeansangel (T, 9k, XiCheng, WangXian, XiYao, One-sided ChengQing, Time Travel, 5 Times, Fix-It of Sorts, XiCheng endgame, Angst with a Happy Ending, JC-centric, Butterfly Effect, Dubious Morality, Canon Divergence)

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4. you guys are wonderful! thank you so much for all your help finding fics!!! i have a half itmf/half fic finder question --- any angsty dark lan clan fics that focus on wei ying, but especially one where they break his soul bond(?) with Lan Zhan --- i think i remember one where later on they need WY's help - any suggestions greatly appreciated! (also in an Itmf)

FOUND? Say my name and his in the same breath by ataratah (M, 38k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Rejection, Mutual Pining, Found Family Feels, Temporary Character Death, magical baby aquisition, Angst with a Happy Ending, No Golden Core Transfer, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies)

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5. hello! theres this fic i know i read on ao3 but cant seem to find in my history or bookmarks. i hope it wasnt deleted. its post canon, lan zhan and wei ying go out on a mission but lan zhan gets infected or hit with a curse without them noticing, and starts gradually losing all his senses, starting with hearing, then i think sight, then so on until he cant move or do anything at all and he’s at risk of death. wei ying and lan xichen figure out together how it happened and they save him so lan zhan is completely healed by the end. i believe it was either M or E rated bc there were a couple sex scenes early on but i dont think they were very explicit. i hope you can find this fic, thank you so much!!

FOUND! shadows in the sun rise by Yuu_chi (E, 24k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Night hunts, Curses, Intimacy, Light Angst with a Happy Ending, They're married and they're in love)

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6. Hi! I read this incredible fic a while back and forgot to bookmark it - it's about WWX losing his memories when he comes back and getting to know LWJ as Mo Xuanyu while he tries to uncover his past?

FOUND? Love Song In Reverse by timetoboldlygo (T, 237k, WangXian, Amnesia, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Falling In Love, Slow Burn, agressively mixing and matching novel and cql canon, No Homophobia, Mentions of Starvation, Parental WWX)

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7. Hi! Can you help me find these 2 fics? I tried filtering out but can’t still find it.

A) Modern Au. Wwx left the jiang family and then met Lwj. I remember the two started living together but then as the time passed by, wwx notices that lwj isolating him to outside world. I also remember wwx broke up with lwj but lwj is stubborn keep coming to wwx school. He even threaten wwx about the jiang family so he’ll come back to him.

B) Modern au too I think? I only remember Lwj saw wwx burying a dead body (i think it was wen chao) and assist him on it.

Thank you so much!

7A)

FOUND! It had to be Fate by darkbrokenreaper (E, 4k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Emotional Manipulation, Gaslighting, Rape/Non-con Elements, Obsession, Possessive Behavior, dark!LWJ)

7B)

NOT FOUND! release me from the present by merlinnn (E, 34k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Explicit Sexual Content, Dark Academia, Also Light Academia, Studying,Lots of it, Implied/Referenced Sexual AssaultV, iolence, Murder, Dead Poets Society, brief homophobic language, body disposal, Mildly Dubious Consent)

FOUND? 🔒 The inherent romanticism of hiding a body together by Aki_no_hikari (T, 4k, WangXian, First Meetings, Love at First Sight, Modern, Corpse Desecration, Corpse Disposal, Pigs, dark Wangxian)

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8. Hello! The fic I am looking for is one where Jiang Cheng somehow erases Wei Wuxian from existence. Jiang Yanli lives as a consequence, but now everyone is subjugated by the Wen, as without WWX the Sunshot Campaign lost. I have only seen this fic in passing and really want to read it but now I can't find it lol. I remember that there was a tag for "Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji / Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian", so I assume at some point they get him back, but I cannot remember any more details other than this. Thank you so much for your help and I hope you have a wonderful day!!! @coffeeshopdragons

FOUND! The Way It Wasn't by KouriArashi (T, 72k, WangXian, XiYao, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It, (eventually haha), Slow Build, Family Feels, Moral Ambiguity, Eventual Happy Ending)

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9. hi ! me again 😅 i was wondering if any of you know the fic where lan wangji forgets about his love for wei wuxian (i think he got cursed?) and is very indifferent towards him. It starts with him forgetting to buy chili oil for wy to him not wanting to spend time together anymore. At one point he asks wwx “why did i marry you?”. I think lwj was conscious the entire time he was cursed and was heartbroken bc he could see how everything he said and did was hurting wy. I knew i read it recently but i cant find it in my history for some reason. thanks so much you guys are amazing <33 @makkachiin

FOUND! Does anyone even read work titles? idk what to call this by Nighttdust (M, 14k, WangXian, Curses, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, though not to much, Both get hurt both get comforted, Established Relationship, Post-Canon, Happy Ending, Protective WWX, Insecurity, a bit only)

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10. Hello! Currently looking for a fic in which LWJ and WWX spent a night together in a tent and there was misunderstanding when LWJ woke up thinking he forced WWX to have papapa-

JC ends up threatening LWJ if WWX ends up preggo then he will not be allowed to see them (I think Wuxian was a carrier??), because JYL then entered the tent right after LWJ left and saw WWX all bruised up (it was hickies) whilst passed out (sleeping only) and assumed LWJ SA her Xianxian. JGY and LXC are also there-

FOUND? The Teapot Plot by ToxicAngel13 (M, 51k, WangXian, Misunderstandings, protective Jiang siblings, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, Idiots in Love, Post-Sunshot Campaign, Pre-Burial Mounds, Potential for M-Preg, Fix-It, Emotional Hurt/Comfort)

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11. Hi, I'm looking for a fic where wei ying starts out in the modern world as a doctor who has fallen on hard times and can't practice as one anymore because of previous mistakes. He dies in a lab explosion and gets sent to the canon-time cultivation world, where everyone believes he's an evil megalomaniac. Lan zhan realizes that wei ying isn't evil and takes him back to cloud recesses, where wei ying learns cultivation - there is some smutty dual cultivation involved, then comes happy every after. @annie-booksforfood

FOUND? Transverse by Kytrin, Mslead (E, 192k, WangXian, ChengSang, ZhuiLing, ZhenYi, Dimension Travel, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Enemies to Lovers, Transmigration, Past Lives, Canon-Typical Death, Don't worry - he gets better)

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12. Hiya! I saw on this post for Medium Blues over on WangxianFicRecs that there's a short sequel to the fic, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere. I looooove the fic so much and would really like to read the sequel, so I'm wondering if anyone happens to have more info or a copy? Thank you! @gentil-minou (the author may have deleted the sequel because medium blues had been deleted before - Mod C)

Oooh I do remember that a medium blues sequel was begun but I think only a chapter or so was posted?

~*~

13. Hey, can you please help me find a series?

It's about a-Yuan, and he could see ghosts/spirits. He could see WWX, he drew Madam Lan, and he spoke about YZY to JC when he was in Lotus Pier and called her violet spider. @utxqia

FOUND! 🧡 Lan Sizhui Sees Dead People Series by darkbrokenreaper (T, 30k, WIP, WangXian, LWJ & LSZ, JC & LSZ, Canon Divergence, Fluff, Kid Fic, Hurt/Comfort, lsz sees dead people, Paranormal)

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14. Hello, this for the “Find a Specific Fic” tag. I’ve been looking for fic staring a older Lan Wangji who gets sent back to the cloud recess ark, and meets his younger self who becomes jealous. The younger Lan Wangji is jealous because Wei Ying is no longer pestering him anymore, opting to instead follow the older Lan Wangji who spoils him. Hopefully this helps, and thank you for your hard work. Sincerely, Bianca. @biancabaryonx

FOUND? vinegar jug by dandelion_san (G, 7k, WIP, WangXian, Time Travel, Humor, Awkward Crush, Jealousy)

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15. Hello, I'm trying to find a fic where both Mo Xuanyu and Wei Wuxian get cursed. All I can remember is that Lan Wangji ends up in the woods and WWX helps him getting out, but when he tries to thank him WWX disappears. LWJ then finds the Jiangs and inquires about him but they can't actually remember him: they only remember they had a brother once (I think?). Hope this makes enough sense and thanks in advance

NOT FOUND! Second Summer by Anonymous (M, 142k, WIP, WangXian, canon, Post-Sunshot Campaign, Mystery, Amnesia, Memory Loss, Curses, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, somebody lives/somebody else dies, Golden Core Reveal, canon-typical lack of lube)

FOUND? never been away so long by sundiscus (G, 905, WangXian, Modern AU, Pre-Relationship, First Meetings, Ambiguous/Open Ending, (but a happy ending in the endnotes!), Ghosts, crossposted from Twitter)

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16. needing y'all's help again i cant remember the fic where wwx agreed to transfer(??) or visit or help a school/workplace bc he gets to use a mass spectrometer. i can't remember the plot, just that tidbit T_T thank you so much

NOT FOUND! The Best Gift by Lan_Wangjoe (E, 45k, WangXian, Modern AU, Mistaken Identity,Miscommunication, Romantic Fluff, Family Fluff, Family Dynamics, Falling In Love, Idiots in Love, Nice LQR, Fake Science, Science Husbands, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adopted Children, Marriage of Convenience, Secret Marriage, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Himbo LXC, Everyone Is Alive, Good Parents JFM and YZY, Genius WWX) it doesn’t have a spectrometer as such, but I think it might be this one?

FOUND! 🧡 CSI: Gusu Edition Series by Stratisphyre (M, 39k, WangXian, WWX & LQR, Modern with Magic AU, College AU, Golden Core Reveal, Single parent WWX, Good Uncle LQR, Hospitalization, Allusions to violence and murder) the first fic in csi gusu has the mass spectrometer :>

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17. I'm back, like any other wangxian addict, for more ficfinding expertise!

A) always a girl WY is emperor LXC's concubine, who he shares with LWJ. Of course the 2 are in love and when LXC starts to tire of her and politics get in the way, they stage a withdrawal/escape and live happily ever after far away from the emperor in the south?

B) CR study arc, where LQR gives WWX the same advanced tests he gives LWJ. After, NHS complains about how his cheatsheet tips didn't make sense and that's how WWX found out about the harder test. @mreisse

17A)

FOUND! Red Lotus Blooming at Sunset by janewritesstuff (Jane_de_Plaine) (E, 18k, WangXian, XiXian, Jadecest, Implied Others/LXC, Royalty, Historical, Female WWX, Concubine WWX, Harem, Threesome - F/M/M, Porn With Plot, Consensual Infidelity, Voyeurism, Angst with a Happy Ending, extended tags in author's note, Dark LXC)

17B)

FOUND! Just Say Yes series by edenwolfie (M, 338k, wangxian, canon divergence, matchmaking, pining, cloud recesses study arc, getting together, fluff, humor, hurt/comfort, everyone lives au)

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18. Hi hello, I'm struggling to find this wangxian ao3 I'm hoping that it was not deleted. I don't really remember much but wei ying didn't die but got save from falling of a the cliff and when he gain consciousness he can't remember his name that's why the one who saved him gave him another identity and his been living that identity for years. On wangji side, this is still part of the story he raises lan yuan by himself, actually no one died in this fic jiang yanli is still alive

FOUND? Until The End by abCEE (M, 365k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, war changes people, resulting to OOC, no pinning, Established Relationship, Mpreg, Good Uncle LQR, a little grey LWJ, a bit of JC bashing from LWJ, BAMF JYL, 16 years of yearning, mainly CQL verse but has scenes from the novel as well, LSZ is WangXian's Child, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Canon Rewrite, Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts) WWX awakens in chapter 16 and his new name is Gengxin.

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19. Hello! Good day! I hope you can help me find this fic. I don’t know if it is a time-travel fic or not. All I can remember is that Madam Yu got pregnant and the sect leader, jiang yanli, jiang cheng, and wwx were happy. But eventually they learned that madam yu cheated (i forgot if its a wen or not) so the baby is actually not sect leader jiang’s child. I think they learned this after the masscre of lotus pier when madam yu ranaway.

FOUND? 💖 A Chance by CorkaHadesa (M, 86k, WangXian, Time Travel Fix-It, Sunshot Campaign, Pre-Sunshot Campaign, BAMF WWX, BAMF LWJ, Canon Divergence, Established WangXian, Married WangXian, Secret Marriage, OOC, Second Chances, YLLZ WWX, Homophobic Language, but only from YZY so it's not that important because she's a bad person, i don't agree with her words, Minor Character Death, Happy Ending, Mpreg, Not Everyone Dies AU, the dead ones are the bad ones)

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20. Hi. I'm looking for a fic that I was pretty sure was luckmoonly's and was in the many lan babies series but now I am worried about my brain because it's not there and the traces of it are gone, to the point I think I hallucinated that fic. But if I remember the title was "The fault in my core" and WWX was supposed to get his core removed but they found a core baby near it so they didn't continue the operation. Pls tell me I was just looking at the wrong place with my f-ed up memory 🥹 and the fic is somwhere out there and I was just too stupid to find it. Thank u in advance! ❤️

FOUND! The fic was deleted. All your informations (name, author etc.) were correct. I have a copy, if you want one. - @bluekittenfire

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#wangxian #mdzs #wangxian fic finder #wangxian fic search #the untamed #wangxianficfinder #long post

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femmmie · 11 months ago

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Ao3 wrapped

Here is a list of some of my favorite fics I wrote this year. I had so much fun doing it, and feel like I have gotten back into the groove of it! Only for adults!

Uncharted Territory: Ian and Anthony are just reunited, but Anthony spirals into a panic attack, thinking he should have been there for Ian all those years. Lots of sexual undertones...

The Hot One: a comedy of sorts, featuring jealous!Anthony, implied Shayne x Amanda and weed. I forgot I haven't finished this story, oops! Definitely will the coming year.

Black Widow: a story about Sarah Christ and a tentacle monster, need I elaborate?

Feet 2: part of my feet trilogy, featuring Angela x Arasha. They're doing yoga together but Angela is distracted.

Danthony2023: as one of the two only Danthony shippers, Dan being the other one, I felt the solemn duty of writing a fic for them. I am very pleased with the result.

Swaffling: a funny yet hot ianthony fic where Anthony feels insecure being the 'new' guy and Ian helps him find his confidence.

Just Like That: an Antmien fic where Damien is on holiday and has a certain encounter with a mystery person...

Then Do It: an Ian x Shayne x Courtney fic set in the Inbetween years.

All Of The Lights: Shayne and Damien accidentally sneak on Ian and Anthony doing questionable things in their office. Shayne gets in his head about it. Shaymian tension.

Bromance In Paradise: a comedy set in a reality show AU. I'm very happy with how this one turned out.

Without You: an angsty little fic about Anthony who's about to quit Smosh. He tries to reach out to Ian, but no luck.

Falling: about Anthony being jealous of that one time Amanda kissed Ian...

Walnut Grove: Ian and Anthony go on holiday together and watch the Milky Way.

Three's a party: my longest fic to date! It revolves around Ian, Anthony and a mystery girl. Feelings get explored, hands are held, very spicy times commence... there's empty parking lot weed smoking, lmao!

#smosh #fanfic #ianthony #arasha x angela #ian x courtney x shayne #antmien

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skyfallslayer · 2 years ago

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The Daughter of The (Dare)Devil - Story 8 (Part 2)

Series Masterlist

Series Summary: A Series of stories revolving around the MCU timeline of Matt Murdock and his Daughter, Kaila. Being the child of a vigilante can be hard and scary at times, but it doesn’t mean she ain’t going to enjoy the most of it.

(Can be read as Y/N if you’d like)

Story Summary: Part 2 - Matt always knew his night job would give him enemies, but never in his wildest dreams he would have thought his day job would too. Or, someone with an old grudge comes after Nelson and Murdock in the worst possible way (Set During 2x03, "New York's Finest").

Date: 3/3/23

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 8,432

Warning: Fast Paced Story; Possible OOC (?); Karedevil; The Murdocks Are Stubborn People; Matt Being a Bad Dad (?); Kaila Being Bratty (?); Child Neglect (?); Attempted Murder; Minor Blood; Unhealthy Coping; Guilty; Talks of Murders and Murdering; Non Consensual Touching; A Brief Reference To Rape; Heavy Angst; Heavy Language; Crying; Mental Break (Down); Karen and Foggy Are The MVPs Here Again (And Brett's Added To That List); Kidnapping; Allusions To Mental Illness. I'm Going To Hell By Putting The Adults Through The Ringer. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

- Let me know if I missed anything, please.

A/N: Yeah... I'm going to hell for this. I warned y'all this season was going to be angsty af, but hey! You're still here! And for those of you who wanted to see Frank, well here he is. He's going to be a nice addition to this series, and you'll be seeing him throughout. Anyway, enjoy!

Several loud knocks erupt the whole house the following morning. Their guest started shouting after no response, and kept going until someone answered him verbally or physically.

The answer was physically.

The front door opens just as Foggy was about to do another round, and holds back his surprise. “Why aren’t you answering my calls?” He asked, as he slipped inside, not taking a second to realize the state his friend was in. “Look I know you’re probably not in the best shape still but me and Karen really could use you down at the station.”

Matt nods slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah.” He said, sounding unsure with himself. He sighs. “Yeah, let's go.”

Foggy raises an eyebrow. “You want to go? And I don’t have to argue with you to do so?” He asked, getting a shrug as a reply. He frowns worriedly. “Are you okay? You normally don’t give up so easily.”

Matt clenches his jaw, looking down. “I’m…” Another sigh. “You know what? I’m fine. Let’s just go. My stuff’s by the door.”

“Okay.”

The bedroom door creaked open, and the teenager came out, still in the same clothes as yesterday Foggy noticed, with headphones blasting music she knew her father didn’t like. She slowly beelined for the kitchen, keeping her gaze away from the adults.

“Hey, K-Pop. What’s happening?” Foggy asked, trying to be his upbeat self. But she didn’t bother to listen, she just grabbed a snack from the cabinet and a bottle of sparkling water from the fridge and started walking back.

“Hey, Hey!” He tries again, waving his arm, getting her to stop. Despite the glare he was met with, and the uncomfortable shuffle from his friend, he still tries to be himself. “What’s with the sour puss? It’s a beautiful day! Why don’t you enjoy it?”

Kaila remained silent and continued her trek without a word, closing the door rougher than she should have.

Foggy blinks and looks back at his partner. “What is going on with the two of you this morning? Is she okay?” He asked, worriedly.

Matt looked at the floor with a subtle shrug. “I-I don’t know.” He replies, sounding so defeated in his undertone.

Foggy notices this and deepens his frown. “Is she… is it that time of the month?”

Matt shakes his head. “No, she…” He bites his tongue. “Nevermind.” He turns on his heels for the front door. “Let’s get going before Karen chews us out.”

Now something was going on here. He could see it. But as much as Foggy wants to do some detective work into this, something was telling him not to poke the two bears in the room.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Empty bottles and glasses, empty boxes and containers laid scattered around her room; Untouched except for the stuffy summer air. She laid on her side in bed, her lights dimmed low as she scrolled through her phone carelessly.

She ignored the text messages she was receiving from Foggy, and a few from Karen (who even tried to call once or twice). She knew that they knew something was up with her and her father, especially how she acted earlier, and knew they were just concerned for her. But…

I just don’t want to talk to any of them right now. She really didn’t want to face any of them, she didn’t want Karen and Foggy reassurance or pity; and she surely didn’t want to even see her father let alone talk to him right now.

No, siree. His words still stung. Still stabbing her with a knife. Still burning her with a lighter.

““Well maybe I wouldn’t have to worry if you weren’t here.””

She lets out a tiresome groan, squeezing her eyes shut.

Maybe… maybe he didn’t mean it. She could only pray for that as yet another memory creeped in.

““Kai, I didn’t mean that.”” He said as both their hearts clenched for different reasons.

““Then what did you mean?”” She asked, hurtfully. And when she saw how her own flesh and blood couldn’t come up with an answer, she bit her lip to hold back the tears in her eyes.

But if he didn’t he would’ve come up with an explanation. She sighs, opening her bloodshot eyes slowly.

I really, really don’t want to talk to– Her phone suddenly chimed with a message. Out of a new instinct, she went to swipe it away, but the name across the top stopped her actions.

JAYDEN: Hey, just checking up on you. You’ve missed two shifts now.

She blinks and looks at the time. It was a little after eight pm, and her supposed shift she called out earlier ended not too long ago. She frowns, feeling bad all of a sudden. She couldn’t help but eagerly reply.

YOU: Sorry, my dad got hurt the other day and then we got into a huge argument. I just wasn’t myself today.

That was pretty much the truth right there, one that she easily wanted to tell.

Weird.

She usually is tight lipped when it comes to these ‘daredevil episodes’.

JAYDEN: That’s no worries! Sorry to hear about that.

She smiles, feeling her heart flutter and her cheeks get warmed.

He’s so sweet.

YOU: Don’t be. I just wish he’d listen to me sometimes. You know?

It took him a minute to respond, enough time for her to roll onto her back, snuggling the pillow to her chest for comfort.

JAYDEN: I remember my dad being stubborn like that when we used to hang out. I guess that’s just in their nature.

Kaila raises an eyebrow, curiosity peaks. He’s never mentioned his dad before, only his mother.

YOU: I take it that you and your dad aren’t close?

JAYDEN: Not really. He drove my mother and I crazy. Which is the reason why they split.

She frowns sadly.

YOU: I’m sorry to hear that. I guess both our families are incomplete.

JAYDEN: Is it just you and your dad?

YOU: Yeah, pretty much. My mom kind of just left me at my dad’s doorstep.

JAYDEN: Ouch. That’s… rough.

YOU: It’s fine. But other than that, I really don’t have relatives that are alive. I mean, my dad’s best friend is like an Uncle, and he’s got a newer friendship with a woman named Karen who’s kind of been like a mother to me, so… yeah.

JAYDEN: Sounds like a good enough family to me. I wished I had that.

Her frown deepens before smiling. She quickly texts a response before chickening out on the idea.

YOU: Hey, I’m scheduled to be off tomorrow. Do you want to hang out?

She practically holds her breath as she watches those speech bubbles float, taunting her. Maybe that was too soon. Why did she even write that? They don’t even know each other that well. What he if thinks she’s crazy and—

JAYDEN: I actually would like that a lot :)

It took Kaila a few seconds to process that before she giggled in excitement. She rolls back onto her side, just as she and Jayden decide what to do.

This will be fun. She thought, blissfully. This would be good for her. Getting out of the house and making a friend that she desperately could use right–

A loud knock came from the front door, startling her up. She furrows her brow as she recalls the time.

Who the fuck could that be?

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Why the fuck does he keep spacing out like that?” Their Client, Grotto, complained.

Nighttime had arrived at the police, just in time for the DA to tell them to get moving to their next location (Unaware that their client was about to be used as fish bait). Both Karen and Foggy followed his gaze to Matt who was leaning up against the water fountain; He’s been having the same expression on throughout the hours, which was plain as day.

“I mean, I know he’s blind, but that guy seems like he’s in the clouds.” Grotto continued, sounding a bit nervous this time. “Is he still under the weather?”

Karen and Foggy shared a look.

“You know what, Grotto? We’ve got to get ready to head to the DA’s location. Why don’t you have one of the officers escort you to the car? Will meet you there.” Karen said, in her kind tone that no one could say ‘no’ to.

Without a second of hesitation, he just nodded and left.

Karen sighs. “Okay, so… what’s going on with him?” She whispers.

Foggy sighs too, rubbing his temple. “I… I don’t know.”

“And you’re sure it’s about Kaila?”

“That’s my best guest. You should have seen it earlier. She was so… angry, and Matt looked like a kick puppy.”

She purses her red lips, thinking. “It was probably an argument. Did you try texting her?”

He nods. “Yeah. Texting and calling her. I know she’s seen them because my messages are on read.”

“I’ve got those too.” She shifts her weight and steals a look behind her. “He needs to go home. We can handle the rest of this.”

“Agreed.”

But I know he’s probably not going to go home right away. Foggy thought, and frowns.

“I’ll… I’ll try talking to him. Convince him to go home.” He replies.

“Okay.” She says, with a shake of her head. “I’ll go meet up with Grotto.”

“Okay.” He watches her leave before going in the opposite direction. “Matt?” He calls out with no response. “Matt?”

Matt shuttered when he felt his shoulder being touched, and cocked his head in that direction. “Hmm?”

“Go home, Matt. Me and Karen got this.” Foggy encourages but he can already see the denial on his friend’s face.

“No.” Matt said, shaking his head and straightening up. “No. I-I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Foggy holds his hand out, telling him to stay right there. “Look, I don’t know what happened between you and your daughter, but I think you need to go home and fix it.”

Matt looks at him with a miserable expression. “I don’t think I can…” He said, just above a whisper. It made his friend’s heart clench.

“Then try. Even if she ends up shutting the door in your face. Just be there and try your best, okay?”

The brunette looked at his feet, conflicted. He ends up exhaling heavily. “Okay.”

“Good.” Foggy said, before becoming stern. “And I mean it, go home. Don’t even try to do your nightly activities. Me and Karen will be fine. Grotto will be fine. Go home, try, and rest. Please.”

“I-I will, Foggy. I’ll try.”

“Good. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.” Foggy pats his friend on the shoulder before leaving. But maybe he should have stayed. Maybe he should have followed to make sure Matt actually did what he asked. Because now the lawyer was leaving with an…

He was leaving with an empty–

Empty–

Feeling inside.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Kaila tucked her phone into her pocket as she walked towards the front door. She was cautious as she unlocked it, opening it just enough to see who it was. She was met with a man that was probably around her father’s age; balding and looking on his own phone with his widened eyes. He also reeked of cigarettes. She tries not to scrunch up her nose because of that.

“Can I help you?” She asked, tucking a quarter of herself behind the door.

“Uh… Is this…” He glances at his phone again. “Nelson and Murdock?”

She held back the confusion on her face. “I’m sorry?”

“Is this Nelson and Murdock? The defense attorneys?”

She blinks. “Um, this is an apartment building. You know that, right?”

“Well I heard it was in an apartment building, so… I mean…” He looks at the screen again. “This is the address they gave me.”

She furrows her brows. “Who gave you this–” The words died on her lips when she got a good glance at him. It didn’t take a genius to know what a covered holster looks like. She tries her best to hide her fear as she grips the door. “You’ve got the wrong place.”

She tries to close it shut but he blocks it with his strong elbow, his demeanor suddenly changing drastically.

“Uh, I don’t think I do, sweetheart. I know your father and his partner aren’t home, so I was wondering if I could talk to you.” He said, with a smile that was spine-chilling.

Her fight or flight instincts were on the edge, as she tried one last time to do this civilly. “Like I said, you’ve got the wrong place.” She replies, and uses her whole body to try to slam it shut again, but he was quicker.

She suddenly finds herself on the floor with a loud thud, immediately scrambling to get up. Kaila senses him near her and decides it is the best time to use those self defense moves she was taught. She manages to land a kick in his shin, just enough to stun him for her to get up and kick in the stomach harder, sending him into the door. She chucked the side table at him, trying to buy herself some time to escape up the stairs leading to the roof she could lock, or one of the windows that had the fire escape. But whoever this man was was fast.

Faster than she was.

He snagged her by the wrist roughly, pulling her towards him. Hissing through the pain she tried to land another hit but he had the upper hand. His large palm finds its way around her throat, pinning her to the wall abruptly with a loud crack. She feels the effects of the strangling quickly, her air being blocked almost completely, and consciously starts clawing at the hand with her own.

No. Not again. She flared her nostrils, digging her sharp nails into his hand before coming up with a move on the fly. When she saw how close he was, she pushed her foot off the wall to give herself enough momentum to slam her kneecap into his jaw.

He cried out, loosening his grip as she wiggled herself free. She didn’t even allow herself to take in a gulp of air, instead she bolted for her bedroom, her phone trembling in her hand as he was hot on her tail. She pulls up the call log, scrolling down towards the name, clicking on it to–

He pulls her feet out from her underneath her with a shriek, her body dropping like a brick. She hears her phone free falling, then bouncing somewhere she couldn’t see, couldn’t reach. Her eyes widened as she started trying to crawl away, but couldn’t. He was pulling her towards him again…

Just enough to make her scream.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Foggy’s gut feeling had been right.

Matt had chosen to be the devil again. And even though he was upset that he didn’t go home like he should have, he had interfered just in time before the Punisher and/or the DA had killed their client. I guess he should thank him later for that. Yet…

If only he could.

He found himself staring down a hole to the bottom floor of a parking lot, broken glass and blood smeared everywhere. This is where he last saw Matt go up against the Punisher, and for some sinking feeling he knew that the red ooze was all from his friend.

Oh, God, Matt. He runs his hands through his hair, taking a few steps back.

God, Matt. You were not ready to take him on. He just prays he had escaped, prayed he was lying on a rooftop far far away from here; Or he was back home, or had run to Claire’s. He just wishes the universe would do him good just this once.

But I know that’s probably not true.

The sound of Karen’s heels came storming in his direction, getting his attention. “You just scolded me for just thinking about running out here, and then you go do the complete opposite!” She yells, throwing her hands up.

“I know, I know.” He holds his own hands up. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

She sighs, irritation subsiding. “It’s fine, it’s just… you scared me, that’s all.”

He frowns apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just don’t do that again.”

“I won’t.” He takes a second to look around, lowering his voice. “Where’s Grotto?”

“DA’s got him back in custody. They want to go back to the station to… discuss things.” She replies, bitterly. “I can’t wait to rip Reyes a new one.”

“Which she well deserves after this shit show.” He straightens himself out, ready to get back into the game. “Let’s wrap this up quickly. We’ll come up with a new plan with Grotto tomorrow. He probably needs the rest after all this.”

“Agreed.”

They start walking together back before Foggy feels his phone vibrating his pocket, pulling it out just to check it. He halted them both immediately to a stop, his face holding confusion.

“What?” Karen asked, worriedly.

“It’s Brett.” He replies, showing her the screen.

“Well, answer it.”

Foggy swipes the green button, bringing it up to his ear. “Hey, Brett. What’s happening?”

‘Is Matt with you? I’ve been trying to reach him.’

He frowns at how unease he sounded. “No. He’s not. Why? What’s going on?” He asked, sensing Karen’s eyes on him. He heard Brett sigh and move around.

‘Are you standing right now?’

Foggy blinks and looks down at himself. “I am…”

‘Well you might want to sit down for this if you can.’

He didn’t like where this was going. “Spill it to me, Brett. What’s going on?” He heard another sigh on the other side.

‘We got a call from a woman claiming she heard someone screaming and knocking things over, so she called for a wellness check. The address she gave happened to be the Murdock’s apartment.’

He felt his eyes grow like saucers. “What?” He said, loudly.

“What’s going on?” Karen asked, not liking how he was looking.

‘A couple guys check it out. Half the apartment was trashed, a few blood spots, and a phone under one of the beds. Whoever came in there left a note.’

“Left… left a note? That doesn’t make any sense. Why would…” His heart suddenly dropped into his stomach. “Wait. Is Kaila okay? Is she there with you?” He asked, quickly, frantically as he could see Karen’s scared expression.

The other side was quiet for too long. Maybe she–

‘It’s a ransom note, Foggy. Kaila’s been kidnapped.’

And then the world seemed to grow so cold this night, everything freezing in its place. This couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be. It’s just… that’s not… it’s not right, it’s…

He swallows hard. “What…?”

‘I suggest you get down here at the apartment. And try getting a hold of Matt for me if you could. He should be here too.’

He said nothing as he hung up the phone, his arm dropping to his side as he started off into space, trying to process all this.

“Foggy?” Karen calls out. “What’s going on? Why did you mention Kaila?”

With a shaky breath and a look of fear he said,

“We need to wrap this up quickly.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The last thing Matt expected was to be chained up against a chimney and a crazed man telling you, ‘Goodmorning, Sunshine’ sarcastically. Out of survival instincts, he struggled against his restraints, listening as the Punisher started to sew a wound on his arm shut.

“They say you don't hear the bullet that gets you. Always thought that sounded like a bunch of bullshit to me.” He said, holding back a wince when he tightened the string. “How about you, Red?” He cuts the knot with his knife. “When I cracked off your forehead the other night… did you hear that?”

Matt rustled against his chains again. His feet kicked wildly against the ground, trying to get free. He ends up letting out a sound of frustration when he realizes he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“You can bash against your chains all night. Only way you get out of here, only way you walk free, is if I want you to. Know that.” The gunman said, sounding sincere about it.

“Why didn't you take my mask off?” Matt asked, confused by many things at this point.

“Don't give a shit about who you are.”

“You killed everyone else. Why am I still alive?”

“Huh?”

“I got in your way twice now and you don't strike me as someone who just lets that happen.” But he got no answer, instead, Matt heard him open up a crate, his senses coming back enough to tell him what was inside. “Military grade hardware. You seem to know your way around it.”

The gunman sighs and starts taking two boxes out as Matt continues to badger, “And you sure carry yourself like a soldier. What are you gonna do with all this?”

“I'll do what's required.” Was Punisher’s answer.

Silence grew between as he finished setting up everything before taking a seat, and pours out hot coffee from his thermos, slurping loudly.

“This another one of your missions?” Matt asked, calmly this time. Deciding to take a different approach. “That's why we're here, isn't it?” He hears him exhale. “How many will this make? I'm guessing you've done this, what ten, maybe 20 times?” Another sigh. “How long's it been? Six months, a year… or your whole life? Something tells me you don't take breaks.”

Matt pauses when he hears him start assembling a gun, and frowns even more. “You know, no one else has to die. You could stop now. Walk away.”

The Punisher stops his movements, and gives the man in the devil suit a cold look. “Walk away?” He asked, in disbelief. “Could you do that? Could you walk away?” Now it was his turn to not get in answer. He shrugs knowingly. “Yeah…”

He finished assembling his gun just in time for everyone in town to hear the church bell in the distant ring. He stands up, marching to the other side of the roof to survey the skyline.

“What is that, midnight?” Matt asked, digging into his capturer some more.

“St. Matthew's.” Punisher says, which surprised the lawyer.

“You a Catholic?”

“Once.”

“From New York?”

“Once.”

That got Matt to chuckle. “You still go to Mass?”

He frowns. “Stop now, Red.”

“Stop?”

“Stop digging.”

“Ah.” Matt nods. “You know, a funny thing about New York… few people are actually from here. The ones who are, they don't leave. They can't, they, uh… They feel like the city's a part of them. You know? Until one day, something changes. Maybe they get older. And then they have to leave, they have to get out. See the world, maybe. Maybe they enlist? Where'd they send you?”

Punisher stops walking, turning his eyes on him. “You a shrink, Red?” That got the devil to shut up, realizing he was too loose with his tongue. “Now, come on, you must be something when you're not wearing the long johns, right?”

Matt frowns again. “I'm just a guy.”

“Yeah? You ever been to war?”

“No.”

“Yeah… then don't talk about it.”

“I've seen some fights.”

“Sure you have.”

“Well, I almost had you beat.” Matt said, almost amused.

Punisher sighs again, quietly. “You talk about trading hands on a rooftop, Red. I'm talking about shit, okay? Shit that you ain't been in.”

“I know one thing.”

“What's that?

“War changes people. Sometimes they see things they can't unsee. Come home to find home's not there anymore. It changed. Or maybe they did.”

“Yeah, fair enough.”

“I'm just saying, I know it can be hard.”

“Do you?” He asked, casting him a look. “You know it can be hard? You run around this city in a pair of little boy's pajamas and a mask. You go home at night, right? Take that mask off, maybe you think it wasn't you who did those things, maybe it was somebody else. Well, see, soldiers… we don't wear masks, yeah? We don't get that privilege.”

He walks over to another crate, getting something else from it, and setting it down somewhere.

“You know what I think?” Matt said, voice real low and calm again.

“What's that?”

“You're still at war.”

“Oh, for crying out loud. So, you charge by the hour, doc, or what?” Punisher taunts as he ends up back in the first spot, sitting down again.

“Why am I here?” Matt asked, more out of boredom rather than curiosity.

“Everything you do out there in the streets, Red, it doesn't work. Did you know that?”

Matt chuckles. “Oh, and what you're doing is better?”

“What I do, I just do. It's out of necessity.”

Now a scoff. “Come on. You know you're not the only one, right?” Matt begins, sounding fed up all of a sudden. “Who did you lose? Huh? Was it someone you loved? Well, boo-hoo. Let me tell you something, buddy. Everybody's lost someone. Doesn't mean you have to do this.”

Punisher clenches his jaw. “Well, loss doesn't work the same for everybody, Red.”

Matt finds himself chuckling again. “Yeah, that's right. It's clearly not working for you.”

“Maybe not. We don't get to pick the things that fix us, Red. Make us whole. Make us feel purpose–” He starts loading his rifle with the magazine. “My moment of clarity? It came from the strangest of places.” He tilts his head. “What kind of name is The Devil of Hell's Kitchen, anyway? I mean, really?”

Matt grows quiet as that comment gets under his skin. “I didn't ask for that name…”

“I'm sorry, I don't see you running from it.”

“I don't do this to hurt people.”

“Yeah, so what is that, just a job perk?”

“I don't kill anyone.”

Punisher looks at him with disbelief as he tightens his hold on the gun. “Is that why you think you're better than me?”

“No.”

“Is that why you think you're a big hero?”

“It doesn't matter what I think or what I am. People don't have to die.”

“Come on, Red. You believe that?!”

“I believe it's not my call, and it ain't yours either.” Matt snaps with a stern bite.

“Somebody ask you to put on that costume or you take it upon yourself? You know what I think of you, hero?” He begins, standing up and walking over. “I think you're a half-measure. I think you're a man who can't finish the job. I think that you're a coward.” He kneels down. “You know the one thing that you just can't see? You know you're one bad day away from being me.”

Matt was about to reply, until he heard a familiar phone starting to ring. He hears the gunman sigh, fishing the device from his pocket.

“You know, for being some… hero with a secret identity, you might not want to carry around your personal phone.”

Matt furrows his brows before his heart sank at a realization. He recalls putting his personal phone into his pocket rather than his burner one by mistake when he was changing.

Shit. I didn’t realize that. He swallowed as he could hear his screen being turned on.

“Oh, wow. Someone’s missing you, Red.” Punisher continues, reading. “Someone named Karen, one named Brett, oh…” He scoffs. “What kind of a name is Foggy? Wait a minute…” He stares at him with hatred. “You a cop, Red?”

“What?” Matt asked, confused.

“You’ve got several calls from a local police station. What gives?”

Police Station? He wonders if the station’s calling him about Grotto, but that doesn’t seem right. But before he could question further he heard someone’s keys jingling nearby.

“Someone's coming.” Matt whispers, hiding his panic.

“Shit. Guess I'd better make a run for it.” Punisher said, lying.

“Hey, don't hurt him.”

“Yeah? Let's hope he doesn't give me a reason to.”

“What's all that noise?” A man said once arriving on the roof. “If it's you damned kids again, I swear I'm callin' the cops!”

“I'll say this once, Red. You make one sound, and I'll open his head up all over this roof.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Foggy and Karen stumbled into the apartment, the cops letting them slide under the tape. They took in the scene, watching as cameras flashed and people were dusting for fingerprints or anything else that could be deemed useful.

“Oh god…” Karen mumbles, nauseous at the scene on hand.

“Did you get a hold of him?” Brett said, meeting them at the end of the hall.

“I couldn’t. I left a few voice mails. Hopefully he receives them soon.” Foggy said, frowning.

“Well, I don’t want to worry you anymore but if we don’t hear from Matt anytime soon I’m sending out a squad. I need to make sure he hasn’t been taken either.”

Karen shifts uncomfortably, covering her chest with her arms. “So, what happened? You said there was a note?” She asked, worriedly.

“Well, I can’t show you the note until we test it for clues, but from what I briefly read it's a ransom note.” Brett starts explaining.

“A ransom note? Why would someone want to take a fifteen year old girl?” Foggy asked, anxious.

“Like I said, you’re going to have to wait for us to read it to you.” The officer frowns. “But I’ll tell you this, Kaila put up one hell of a fight. In the end, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.”

Brett steps aside so they could get a better view seeing how some of the furniture was knocked over, books and other objects scattered on the floor. And something else.

“Is that blood?” Karen asked, staring at the wall. The two men followed her gaze.

“Indeed it is.” Brett said.

“Is that from…”

“We took a sample. It’s already going off to the lab for testing.”

Karen squeezes her arms, a distant memory starts to form.

““I-I…”” The girl chokes. ““I-I didn’t mean to. I j-just grabbed it as leverage, but then one thing turned to another and then I… I-I…”” She sobs loudly. ““I-I…””

“Karen?” Foggy said, touching her shoulder, startling her.

“Hmm?” She hums, looking pale as snow itself.

“We should go.” He said, getting a nod from her.

“Try to get a hold of Matt again. Tell him to meet at the station this time. We should have some evidence to go over.” Brett replies, before departing.

“F-Foggy…?” Karen said, shaky.

“Yeah?”

She looks at him with her big, blue pleading eyes. “Please tell me this is a dream.”

Foggy gives her an expression of pity, and shakes his head. “God, I wish it was.”

I wish it was.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Matt could only listen while this exchange goes down, and desperately tries to get out of his restraints.

“Who the hell are you?” The old man snarled as the Punisher walked up to him, cornering him at the doorway.

He cracks a little smirk. “Frank.”

“What are you doing up here, Frank?”

“Well, the truth is, um, I'm pretty sure that this here roof, right here, this is the, uh this is the last patch of real estate in the entire goddamn United States where a man can just have a little peace, be by himself, and, uh, have a smoke.”

The old man looks at him suspiciously. “Never seen you around.”

“Yeah, no. I'm, uh, in town just visiting my crazy sister.”

“Betty in 2B?”

Frank chuckles. “I see you've had the pleasure.”

“Can't say I blame you.”

“Nah.”

“My wife's the same. Made me quit a long time ago.”

“You know what they say. It's for our health.”

“What about the enjoyment of life?”

“Guess they'll worry about that when they're dead.” Frank said, chuckling, but his joyful expression fades when you could hear chains rattling in the background.

“What was that?” The elder asked, expression fading too.

“Uh, it's just just a rat.” Frank admitted, cocking his silencer that was out of sight.

“We exterminated.”

“Lot of guys… they half-ass it.” He places the gun behind the door, aiming at the man’s skull. “Remember my uncle used to tell me that all the time. He fumigated.”

“Hard work.”

“Yeah, well. It's all he could get after the war. You know, curse of a soldier.”

“Ain't that the truth.” The man nodded.

“Yeah. You serve?”

“'Nam, 3rd Marine Division.”

“Fighting 3rd, huh?”

“Goddamn right. You?”

Frank shakes his head. “Yeah, yeah. Iraq, Afghanistan.”

The older man smiles with fondness. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I gotta go down right now, but, you… you smoke as much as you like, son.”

Frank chuckles once more. “Thank you, sir. All right.”

“All right, son.” He said, heading back down the stairs.

“Hey, Marine!” Frank calls out, putting the safety back on.

“Yeah?”

“Semper Fi.”

That got the man to smile, patting his chest with pride before continuing his journey. Once he was gone, Frank put his façade back on, slamming the door shut.

“Frank.” Matt tested out his name once he was closer. “That's your real name?” No reply. “You get off threatening innocent people?”

Frank sent another glare. “He was only in danger because you squealed, because you can't follow orders–”

“You had a gun on him. You thumbed back the hammer.”

“Yeah, well, that was for you. Part of the show.”

The blind man laughs. “What does that mean?”

“I really have to spell it out for you, Red? Huh? I'm disappointed. Listen carefully, okay? You listening? Yeah? How 'bout now?” Frank runs over and digs the barrel into Matt’s forehead. “You listening? Feel it?” He exhales heavily. “I'm not a bad guy, Red.”

“You wanna explain that to the orphans and the widows of the men you killed?” Matt said, bitterly.

Frank pulls the gun away, scoffing. “For Christ's sake, that's what you think? I'm just some crazy asshole going around unloading on whoever I want to?”

“Yeah, that's exactly what I think.”

“That it?”

“You think you're anything else?”

“I think that the people I kill need killing, that's what I think.” Frank replies, grabbing something before climbing the ladder up to a billboard.

“You left men hanging from meat hooks!” Matt pointed out. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

“They got off easy, in my opinion.”

“You shot up a hospital.”

“Yeah, and nobody got hurt who didn't deserve it.”

Matt hung his head low in disbelief. “Oh, yeah.” He smacks his lips. “What about you, Frank? What happens the day someone decides you deserve it?”

Frank starts setting up something while replying, “I'll tell you what, they better not miss.”

“Come on, you run around this city like it's your damn shooting gallery. You think you do–”

“Yeah, what do you do? What do you do?! You act like it's a playground. You beat up the bullies with your fists. You throw 'em in jail, everybody calls you a hero, right? And then a month, a week, a day later, they're back on the streets doing the same goddamn thing!”

“Yeah, so you just put 'em in the morgue.”

“You're goddamn right, I do.”

“You ever doubt yourself, Frank?”

“Not even for a second.”

“Really? Really?” Matt almost scoffed at that. “You never think for one second, ‘Shit, I just killed a human being’.”

“That's being pretty generous.”

“A human being who did a lot of stupid shit, maybe even evil, but had one small piece of goodness in him. Maybe just a scrap, Frank, but something. And then you come along, and that one tiny flicker of light gets snuffed out forever.”

Frank, filled with even more rage now, comes down from his perch, crouching down in front of prey like earlier. “I think you're wrong.” He hisses.

“Which part?” Matt asked, tightening his jaw.

“All of it. I think there's no good in the filth that I put down, that's what I think.”

“And how do you know?”

“I just know. Look around, Red." He throws his arms out. "This city, it stinks. It's a sewer. It stinks and it smells like shit and I can't get the stink out of my nose. I think that this world, it needs men that are willing to make the hard call. I think you and me are the same!”

“That's bullshit, Frank, and you know it!!!” Matt tugged on his chains, adding more fuel to his words because of it.

“Only I do the one thing that you can't. You hit 'em, and they get back up.I hit 'em, and they stay down. It's permanent. I make sure that they don't make it out on the street again. I take pride in that.”

“Let me ask you this.” Matt asked, feeling his blood boil.

“What's that?” Frank said, feeling the same way.

“What about hope?”

“Oh, fuck.”

“Come on, Frank–”

“You wanna talk about Santa Claus? You wanna talk about Santa Claus?”

“I live in the real world too, and I've seen it.”

“Yeah?” Frank snarls. “What have you seen?”

“Redemption, Frank.” Matt replies, hearing his head shake.

“Ah, Jesus Christ.”

“It's real. And it's possible. The people you murder deserve another chance.”

“What, to kill again? Rape again? Is that what you want?”

“No, Frank. To try again, Frank. To try. And if you don't get that, there's something broken in you you can't fix, and you really are a nutjob.”

That got him to snap. Frank stood up, hand on the gun tucked in his pants. “What did you say?” He said, the crazy look in his eye doubling.

“You're…” Matt knew he had just poked the bear, and tried to choose his next words wisely. “You're unhinged… Frank. You are. You think God made you a one-man firing squad.” He chuckles. “But you're wrong. There is goodness in people, even in you. And you're gonna have to kill me, 'cause I'm never gonna stop coming for you, until I take you down.” He pauses for a second to catch his breath. “You wanna know why?”

“Why's that?”

“Because you're insane.”

“Hmm.” His eye twitched, and Frank was about to knock Red out cold before his phone started to vibrate again. He sighs, fishing it out again. “Save by the bell. You’re lucky.” He takes a quick look at the screen. “You’ve got a lot of voicemails, Red. Here.” He picks up and throws into Matt’s lap. “Listen to those while I finish up. Might be the last time you hear from your friends.”

Frank walked off as the phone started its routine. Matt tries to ignore it, trying to drown out whoever was speaking by rattling the chains.

[You have 15 Missed Calls, and 32 Text Messages, and 5 New Voice Messages from Foggy]

[New Message:]

*Beep*

“Hey! I swear to god I hope you have your personal phone on you, because I lost the burner number. So… uh… god, I don’t know where you are, but you kind of need to pick up, man! This is urgent! [Pant] P-Please! Pick up! I’m begging you!”

*Beep*

“Fuck…” Matt curses under his breath, which made Frank chuckle at his struggling. “Turn it off. Turn it off and we can keep talking.”

But Frank shook his head and continued to work.

[New Message:]

*Beep*

“Dude!! [Pant] Seriously, where the fuck are you? I need you to answer the goddamn phone!! Please!”

*Beep*

[New Message:]

*Beep*

“Please answer your phone. Please. I… I rather not say what’s going on in a voice recording. I'd rather tell you over the phone! So… fucking answer! Or… c-come to your apartment? Me and Karen are going there. Please meet us there! You need to be there. Please.”

*Beep*

Matt continued to squirm in his binding, his mind going to overdrive. Foggy sounded…

Scared. Like,

Really, really scared. He couldn’t even think of a time he sounded so distressed. All he could think about was ‘Why?’. Why did he sound like that? Why was he pleading, begging him to answer? Was it because he knew Foggy saw him fight the Punisher, and was just worried what had happened to him? He wanted to believe that was it, but the thing about meeting at his own apartment didn't sound right. Unless…

He came clean and told Karen who he was, but that didn’t sound right either. So what was it–

[New Message:]

*Beep*

“We’re at your apartment. Where the fuck are you? You seriously need to be here! It’s a goddamn emergency! So please, get down here, I… [A choked up sob] Jesus Christ, Matt. I-I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to handle this. I… I don’t think I can walk in there… please… pick up. Please?”

*Beep*

“Foggy…” Matt whispers, slowing his movements.

God, he hated how he sounded. Distressed and… he was sounding like was going to cry? Cry over what? Was he having a flashback to when he found out about his nightly activity? When he found him covered in blood and drenched in the Hudson? Was that what he was worried about finding?

Jesus, Foggy. He grits his teeth and starts moving again, listening for any signs that the chains would break.

The next one rolled in. The next one…

The next one he wishes was first.

[New Message:]

*Beep*

“Matt… [Sob] we’re heading to the police station, I… I didn’t want to record this b-but… [sigh] m-maybe if I do, you’ll come quicker? I don’t know I… [groan] God. Jesus, Matt it’s… It’s about your daughter, man. It’s about Kaila–”

That’s all it took for him to stop moving and drown everything out completely. He became so oblivious he didn’t even realize that Frank had stopped what he was doing to listen.

His daughter.

Something happened to his daughter. Something happened to–

“A N-Neighbour called in. Said s-she heard screaming and things being th-thrown around so the cops checked it out. [Sob] God… Matt s-someone took her. They don’t know who, b-but someone did. Th-They left a r-ransom note, and there w-was blood and… a phone and… God. And… Jesus–”

Matt heard him sob again. It was like a knife to his heart and punch to his gut. He just…

Couldn’t believe he was actually hearing all this.

“C-Can… can you like… come down to the station? Please. Or… give me a call and I’ll come get you but… [A shaky breath] I don’t know what to do, they were asking me questions that aren't registering and… Karen just started hysterically crying and… we’re a mess. Jesus… Matt, come to the station. Please.”

*Beep*

[There are no more messages. Would you like to save? If so, please say–

Matt couldn’t hold back his body from shaking, or his lower lip quivering. He could no longer hold this strong front up. Argument or not, someone had his kid. Someone took his kid and left a sick note. A note he didn’t even want to imagine what it said.

Daredevil be damned.

His mission be damned.

“Pl-Please–” He croaked out, sensing Frank looking his way. “I-I swear, I won’t tell anyone you’re here, I won’t tell anyone your name, I won’t tell anyone what you're doing, just please…” He swallows. “Let me go. Let me go. I got to find my kid, please. Please.”

It grew silent, but Matt’s head was still spinning enough to not even notice the expression on Frank’s face and the tears started to swell in his eyes. Matt just thought the Punisher was just thinking this over, or feeling him out that he was telling the truth or not. Maybe he…

Wait.

Well.

Maybe he won’t be getting out of here. Why?

Because Frank had just pulled out his gun.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Not caring how he looked, not even wondering if he had wiped all the blood off his lip, but Matt bursted into that room dressed like he was for his lawyer job earlier. He felt his friend’s eyes on him, he heard Karen and Foggy’s rapid heartbeats, Brett’s nervous energy; He smelled the dried ooze on Foggy’s chewed off nails, and Karen’s smeared mascara. This…

This was worse than he thought.

He didn’t even let anyone question where he was, and nobody even thought about asking where he was thankfully.

“What happened?” He said, trying to hide how nervous he was (a failure). He felt Foggy suddenly beside him, letting him take his seat at the table next to Karen, and asked again, “What happened?”

Brett frowns and begins, “One of your neighbours gave us a call, wanting us to do a wellness check, when the unit arrived your apartment was in disarray. There were no signs of forced entry, which means the kidnapper knocked on your door and your daughter answered. But Kaila put up one hell of a fight, and it shows.”

Matt swallows visible, and his hands in his lap curled into fists. “Did…” He felt his friends’ hands on his back. “Did you find any evidence?”

“We did. It wasn’t a lot, but we did.” Brett admits with a nod. “There was blood found at the scene, and we did some testing. Turns out it belongs to Kaila. Then there was the ransom note which we tested for fingerprints, we found nothing.”

“What did the note say?” He asked, taking it in.

That question made Brett lose his composure slightly. Like he didn’t want to answer but had to. “Well… to a surprise, the note wasn’t for you, Matthew. It was addressed to Nelson and Murdock.”

“What?” Foggy said, as they stared in disbelief. “W-Why us? Why take the kid?”

“To sum up what it says, the kidnappers claim Nelson and Murdock need to pay for what they did. It states that your firm failed to help your first official client, which is stated to be the kidnapper’s brother.”

“But…” Karen begins, holding up her hand. “That… That doesn’t make any sense. I… I was the first client. Right?”

Foggy nods immediately. “Yeah, she was Matt and I’s first client! You know this, Brett!”

“Hey, I’m just reading what’s on there.” Brett said, calmly. “But, Miss Page, do you have any brothers for the record.”

Her tense body deflated, a sore spot had been touched and you could see. “I-I had one. But he’s no longer walking amongst us, so…”

“Was there anything else?” Matt asked, nervously steering the conversation back on track.

“We found your daughter’s phone.” Brett replies. “The only evidence we found was that she was just trying to make a call before she was overtaken.”

“And what was the call to?” He dared to ask.

Brett frowns dismally.

“The call was to her father.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Her head felt like it was about to split open.

She squeezed her eyes shut from the pain, tasting the copper and musty fabric on her tongue. She felt ropes itching at her hands and feet binding her to an uncomfortable chair.

She tried to mutter her father's name but it came out as a whine.

“Ah, you’re awake.”

She stiffened upon hearing the voice. It made her feel just as uneasy as earlier.

“Good.” A slimy hand roughly grabs her chin, forcing her to open her eyes. “We can have a chat about how your father and his partner ruined my life.”

And he grinned that made her want to pass out again.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Matt had drowned out his friends in the background, still not moving from his spot on the chair. Brett had left some time ago, saying something about getting his daughter’s phone back to him, but he wasn’t listening. How could he? The officer in blue just admitted that she tried to call him. Tried to call him. After their whole argument and saying things that shouldn’t be said to one another, she still tried to call him for help. The one fucking time he didn’t even think about answering, and that could very well cost him everything.

What have I done? He thought in horror, and just kept repeating it to himself.

“It’s gotta be me, right? There’s no other explanation, right?” Karen said, pacing around. “Did you have another client before me?”

“No! You were the first one.” Foggy said, also pacing around.

“You sure?”

“Yes!”

“Oh, god.” She covers her hand over her mouth, thinking. “We gotta give them something Foggy, or they’re never going to find her.”

“Don’t remind me.” He said, running his hand through his hair. “Maybe we can go back to the office? Let’s go through all the files from last year and see if there’s something, because there has to be.”

“That sounds like–”

They all paused when they heard that sniffle. It was so quiet but they still heard it (maybe it was a second nature thing?).

All eyes fell back on Matt who was hunched over with his face in his hands, trying not to shake under their gaze.

“Matt?” Karen said, worriedly.

“I-It’s all my fault…” He said which was almost missed if the room hadn’t been rendered so silent.

Foggy frowns with pity. “Matt, don’t say that. It’s not your fault.” He assures, but that wasn’t good enough to hear.

“I should have done something… I should have gone straight home. I’m such an idiot…”

“Matt, you’re not. You’re–”

“No. You don’t get it.” He removes his hands, showing that he had taken his shades off, showing how much of a mess he had really become. “We had an argument. A bad one, and… god… I said something I shouldn’t have said. I-I thought avoiding her is what she wanted but now… I wished I didn’t.” He sobbed, and whispered, “She tried to call me.”

“Matt.” Karen said, heartbreaking at the sight.

“I just want my baby girl back…”

Matt covers his face again, letting all his emotions go. Everything he had buried since last night came undone, and now he was crying like he hadn’t cried in a long time.

His body shook, and continued to shake even after four loving arms wrapped around him, and whispered comforting, loving things into his hair.

Damn him for being a bad father.

Damn him for choosing the devil before her.

But…

Damn anyone that thought he could stop him from coming to her rescue.

May God have mercy on his soul for what he’s about to do.

A/N: Insert 'I'm Going To Jail' Vine >:) - TBH, I don't think this story was that good, but I still posted it for your guys' thoughts. So hopefully it lives up to ya'll. I promise the next on will be better! And maybe... I'll stop torturing you guys one day? Because you remember how light and fluffy the first two stories were? *Sigh* The good old days...

-Taglist is open if anyone wants to join-

@stinkywhore @invinciblerikkai @glass-ghost

@your-not-invisible-to-me @ohtacosindrome

@mirkwoodshewolf @dreamscandys

@omniromanticbitch @987coley

@hearts4murdock @katnisspeetaprim

@astrobees @cg94 @simpingforpeterparker3000

@cg94 @winterschildren17 @wolfgirl-205 @hallecarey1 @mademoiselle-marquise-blog

@graciegoeskrazy

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sunwarmed-ash · 1 year ago

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Sinful Sunday: On deck- Figure You Out

okay so really the backstory of this whole fic was I got stoned and was starting to try to write and Figure You Out by VIOLA came on spotify. Less than 12 seconds into the song the angsty Steddiegrove story started forming in my brain.

Then I started thinking about how it would be cooler if Eddie performed this modified version of the song post breakup with Billy. and THEN I started thinking about who would be on tour with Corroded Coffin and because this is my fic and my obsessions I chose OG Panic! At The Disco :D

thus the steddiegrove, rydon, eddie/brendon 2000s band au fic was born

i also didn't expect to write more than the song fic haha so thats why theres only one chapter. Maybe if yall like it enough ill write more 👿

CHAPTER DROPPING THIS SUNDAY!!

in the meantime, here's a little teaser

Chicago: Punk Never Dies Tour 2005

Panic! At The Disco has just cleared the stage and their stage crew is busy setting up Corroded Coffins gear while the crowd demands a second encore. It's been a few days, since his break up with Billy, but it's still eating at Eddie. He hates that he's in such a bad mood. He loves the stage. He loves performing. But his personal life can’t get its fucking shit together and its bleeding all over his stage persona. Even two weeks later.

He's far enough into his head he doesn't even notice there's someone in front of him until they make physical contact.

“Eds? You good man?”

It's Gareth. 15 years his band mate and he knows Eddie and his moods like the back of his hand. Eddie gives him a tight lipped smile. He's not. Not even a little.

“Yeah man, sorry. Didn't sleep great last night.”

Gareth smirks and rolls his eyes.

“So I guess I should be blaming Billy then.”

Any other day, Eddie would laugh it off. Maybe agree, flirt, or make an over the top sexual remark. But not today. Not after Billy yanked out his heart, crushed it with his boot and then pissed on it.

“We’re done.”

Gareth's playful face drops and he looks a little queasy.

“S-Shit, man, I-I’m so sorry.”

“You didn't know,” Eddie says, shaking his head and slapping the back of his bandmates shoulder to indicate the end of that conversation. “Come on, gotta get warmed up.”

Billy is practically vibrating out of his skin. He looks like he's either going to pass out or throw up.

“I don't wanna be here Steve,” he says for the 7th time since they arrived at the small venue, but based on the never ending mood swings and constant name dropping of his ex, it's more than obvious to Steve Billy does want to be here. Needs it actually. Steve knows Billy never should of broken up with Eddie. Even if the blonde convinces himself, poorly, he's better off without him.

“Yes, you do. Come on, I’m right here. I’ll be right here, the whole time.”

The stage lights change and Eddie turns to face the crowd, still high off that last long. Evidently so are they, because the pit is still active and Eddie watches with glee as the security guards try and fail to stop it. He's arguably feeling a little bit better. Their first few songs have turned an already wild crowd feral. He makes a risky decision, and hopes it's the right one.

“Okay so this next song is brand new. LIke, I wrote it a week ago new. And, well, it's drastically different than anything we've ever written or performed, but I don't know, what do you think guys? Think this is a good crowd for it?”

The crowd explodes and Eddie laughs, high off their approval.

“Alright alright, ya convinced us,” he says before nodding to the band to start setting up for their new song. Gareth changes his black bass for an electric-red one, Jeff swaps his bass for the electric violin, and Mike starts up the simple, repetitive drumline with a bass boosted modification. Eddie switches his handheld microphone for a headset, eagerly waiting for his tour mate to return to the side stage.

The song starts off starts off slow, with a deep base undertone accentuated by an electric violin that Eddie thought feels so sexy once they get to the chorus. He's never performed it live before, only twice at practice before the concert tonight, but in his head it's going to be sexy. Mostly, he just had alot of feelings about one resident asshole Billy Hargrove that he needs to get out. The stage is where he healed.

#sinful sunday post #figure you out #steddiegrove #rydon #eddie munson #brendon urie #panic at the disco #ryan ross #billy hargrove #steve harrington #stranger things #find me on ao3 #sunwarmed ash #links in bio #i post new stuff every sunday #sinful sunday

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existentialmagazine · 1 year ago

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Review: Tally Spear’s new single ‘Imposter’ is a dark electronic-pop, emo-rock fusion of sounds wrapped up in an anthemic narrative of feeling lost in life

London-based LGBTQ+ artist Tally Spear has been following her own musical path since only twelve, performing publicly and writing of mental health and coming of age narratives in each of her releases. Tally’s newest single ‘Imposter’ is a fiery introduction to her discography of hard-hitting tunes, as she’s without a doubt a firecracker to keep an eye on.

Without wasting a moment, ‘Imposter’ right away clashes into its heart-thumping soundscape from pressing play, a concoction of dark electronic pop, emo-rock and pop-punk stylings made to pulsate through your brain at full force. As the first verse dominates through an undertone of quickly strummed electric guitar and steadily pounding electronic beats, Tally sets the pacing for rising tensions to build, feeling like quite the calm before the storm. The pre-chorus only further moulds upon that foundation with the gritty electronic guitar coming more into view and the spiking beats look to get under your skin. It all finally kicks off in the choruses’ highly anticipated explosion though, with aggressively strummed guitar, volatile drum clashes and Tally’s angsty, in-your-face vocal performance that picks up from the verses’ more clean, soaring lines. The bridge absolutely peaks in an instrumentally melting high with electronic stutters, a shredding guitar solo and continually slamming drums that don’t for a second let you do anything other than head-bang furiously along. As the track ebbs and flows throughout from high to low, ‘Imposter’ will have you completely hooked on every single twist and turn, raising your adrenaline and getting your blood pumping to the max.

Mixed with her thunderous sound, ‘Imposter’ is just as lyrically ferocious with Tally dominantly opening up about some of her most personal struggles, working through her experiences with imposter syndrome just in life itself. Watching on the sidelines as everyone seems to have it all figured out, Tally sings ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, how long can I keep making it up?’ , seeking direction and answers while everyone around her continues making strides forward. Continuing with the line ‘don’t know which way to move in or how to help myself’, the track almost pleads for guidance as Tally feels she should know what she’s doing in adulthood, but instead feels just as lost as ever. Youthful in her mind, the lyrics reveal ‘I’m getting older but I never seem to grow up’ , weighed down by the responsibilities and expectations of getting older while being no closer to figuring out where she’s headed. With others progressing through their careers and relationships, Tally can’t help but believe she should be making the same progressions, caught up by the small snippets of what everyone chooses to share about their lives and wondering why she isn’t in the same place: ‘think I should know what I want by now.’ Through every deeply revealing line, ‘Imposter’ makes it clear that this is an anthem for everyone who’s still carving their own path and stumbling through life blindly, taking it at their own pacing regardless of how much of an outsider it leaves them feeling against the masses. But really, everyone is a little lost on their journey, and ‘Imposter’ is that reminder that even when you’re feeling alone there are others just as confused on their own directions too.

Check out ‘Imposter’ here to appreciate the bombastic soundscape and hard-hitting lyricism Tally has penned!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

#music #singlereview #tallyspear

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thismessymasterpiece · 2 years ago

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What I Look Like in Your Eyes

Summary: Eddie has a tough question. Answering it would be too hard but letting it go unanswered only breeds more questions and they’re only going to get tougher.

Eddie Munson x Reader (no pronouns used!)

Category - Fluff, maybe an angsty undertone because we know me :)

TW - Written on phone (let me know if you notice any typos/grammatical errors or something because of that!)

Please let me know if I missed anything!

Author’s Note - Short and sweet today because I am struggling with my phone. Proofread and all so it should be good to go, albeit short :( I hope you can enjoy this little baby blurb anyway :)

“Hey, Y/N,” Eddie’s head suddenly snaps up and away from the guitar who’s strings he has been plucking, sitting against his bed on the floor.

“Hey, Eds,” I move from a seated position on his bed, back against the wall, to lay on my stomach behind him with my face beside his.

“I, uh… I’ve got a question for you,” He tenses, cheeks rouge as he stares directly at the wall he faces.

Something’s very clearly up. I don’t like it.

I grab his chin and nudge him lightly to look at me. He doesn’t.

Pouting, I respond, “Yeah, wassup?”

“How do I know if I have a crush on someone?”

I certainly wasn’t expecting that.

“How do you- why?” I question.

Finally turning to me, his cheeks go darker. Personally, I can feel some heat in mine.

When he doesn’t respond, I draw a finger across the apples of his cheeks, grinning broadly.

“Hey… twins!” I tease as his face goes even more distinctly rosy. He smiles at the floor.

When he finally looks back at me, a certain morose undertone has overtaken his eyes.

“Seriously, though… how do I know if I have a crush on someone?”

“Eddie, I cannot tell you how you know something like that… your feelings are valid but they’re yours and so… that’s you.”

He is clearly dissatisfied with my answer, turning his eyes away when I do.

We sit in silence for a moment, an uncommon awkwardness befalling the air between of us and sizzling the very molecules of air with tension.

I turn onto my back with a thump, gazing upon the ceiling and crossing my hands over my stomach.

“Well, I don’t know about you,” I begin, “but for me…”

I suddenly trail off, clueless as to how I am to discuss this without giving away the one thing I could never tell him.

“For me, it’s when you cannot stop thinking about them, no matter what you try. You feel strange, a good-and-also-bad-but-mostly-good strange, when they’re around but you still look for them in any crowded room. It’s when you read a romance book but instead of the characters, you’re thinking of them. It’s when you wonder what you look like in their ey- why are you looking at me like that?”

I suddenly trail off, noticing Eddie staring intently at me. I hadn’t realized until now that he had moved to lay beside me.

Suddenly, I was wondering what I looked like in his eyes and he mine.

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sophiria · 3 years ago

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HQ characters + their secret relationships

Excerpts of a secret relationship between the two of you, unaware of the indiscreet eyes trying to pry.

Pairing: fem!reader x timeskip!character

Main characters: Keiji Akaashi, Osamu Miya, Takahiro Hanamaki, Tobio Kageyama, Wakatoshi Ushijima

Content warnings: suggestive themes, angsty undertones, timeskip manga spoilers; plus (not related to the main pairings) miscommunication, a reference to implied emotional infidelity, and one to cheating

Word count: around 500 or 600 words for each pairing

Keiji Akaashi.

His silky hair tickled your neck as he pressed soft kisses all over the bare skin, and his hands rested on your hips while you sat on his desk.

"Keiji," you breathed, one of your hands tangled in his hair while the other was splayed on his back, "it's getting late, there's nobody around the office but us."

He hummed at your words and then sucked your neck skin into his mouth as a low moan left your lips.

"We need these moments to ourselves," he said languidly, raising his head to look into your eyes, "since we didn't make our relationship public."

His blue eyes scrutinized your facial expression, and you picked up his glasses, slowly placing them on the bridge of his nose. He was waiting for you to say something back, and you heaved a sigh after a few moments of silence.

"You know why I still want to keep things quiet between us," you murmured, "I don't want to hurt him. Especially not right now, when he's so happy about where his career is going."

He slightly tilted his head, never breaking eye contact with you. "I don't want to hurt him either," Akaashi replied, stroking your thighs with his hands, "still, it's completely illogical to continue a secret relationship when we're both sure about where we stand," he added, "it could take a while, but he'll understand in the end."

You nibbled at your bottom lip. "You're right about all of that," you conceded, "but I still feel guilty."

Akaashi’s deep gaze never left yours. "I understand you, but we can't be afraid of our feelings and hide them. We didn't hurt anyone—we just fell for each other."

You licked your lips and nodded. "That's not wrong."

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on your forehead. His lips trailed down over your nose and then your lips, catching your mouth in a sensual kiss while you hooked your legs around his waist and wrapped your arms around his shoulders.

What neither you nor Akaashi realized, though, was that there was a pair of golden eyes watching you. He had been so happy to surprise the two of you and let you know he had a free night to spend out with his two favorite people—only to end up with his heart aching in his chest as he was rooted on the spot, unable to tear his eyes away from the intimate display of affection.

Bokuto heard every word too, and he couldn't believe that the best friend he adored and the best friend he deeply loved would do that to him behind his back.

He clenched his fists as his stomach kept sinking, and he turned around, swiftly walking away from the people who broke his heart and betrayed his trust.

Osamu Miya.

"Samu!" you giggled as he tickled your hips and pressed quick pecks all over your neck and shoulders, "I'm never going to finish flavoring this onigiri if you keep distracting me like that!"

He left a kiss on the nape of your neck, eliciting a mild shudder from you. "Ya know, there's no rush for those," Osamu reminded you, placing his chin over your shoulder, "we don't work tomorrow."

You picked up a small portion of seaweed. "I know," you replied, slightly tilting your head back so that you could look into his eyes, "but I'm actually preparing them for us so that we can have delicious homemade delicacies when we visit Tokyo."

An enamored smile appeared on his lips. "Ya always know what I like without askin'," he noted, "I'm a lucky guy."

You smiled bashfully as you averted your eyes, keeping your gaze fixed on the almost-done rice ball. Osamu studied the slight change in your expression, and he quickly gathered that something was troubling you.

"Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around your waist so that your back rested against his chest, "it won't be long before we can go public with our relationship, ya know? Just a bit of patience."

Your fingers absentmindedly hovered over a plate of pickled ume fruits, selecting two of them. "I just hope that the people we care about will not blame us," you murmured, "because I feel like that is inevitable—a repercussion for our actions."

Osamu frowned and then shook his head. "Why would that even be?" He gently guided your body and turned you around to face him. "We fell in love and didn't intentionally hurt anyone. The people that love us will understand."

You placed your hands on his chest and tilted your head up to look at him. "Samu..." you breathed, "I was married to someone else when we began to love each other," you reminded him, "and my cousin caught us together the day after I and your former best friend separated."

He inhaled sharply. "It sounds kind of bad when ya put it like that," he acknowledged, "but we both know how things went, and..." he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against yours, "we're not in the wrong. And our feelings are genuine. They've always been."

You sighed and then embraced him as he did the same. "Shinsuke keeps telling me how embarrassing our next Inarizaki High reunion is going to be," you mused, "I'm not sure if he says that to annoy me or because he means it for real."

Osamu smirked softly as he held your body against his. "Knowing your cousin, I'm pretty sure he's bein' serious."

You hummed in agreement and then nuzzled his neck, hugging him tightly. "I'm still sorry that you lost your best friend, Samu."

He kissed the top of your head. "Don't be. It was bound to happen," Osamu reassured you, "I love you, and in any scenario, I'll always choose you."

Little did you know, though, that your ex-husband Suna Rintarō had no intention of granting you a smooth divorce based on mutual agreement.

Takahiro Hanamaki.

"Hiro," you pouted as you hugged him from behind, "I kind of want the rainbow candy cotton."

He angled his face towards yours. "And here I thought you wanted to eat the pink one in honor of—you know," he gesticulated towards his head, "my hair color."

You licked your lips. "I mean…" you trailed off, "we can eat that one together."

He smirked. "Oh yeah?" Hanamaki turned around and wrapped his arms around your waist, walking you both towards the wall of a secluded street in Shibuya, "sounds good to me."

You parted your lips as he dipped his head and kissed you hard. He cupped your cheeks with his hands, and you slightly tilted your head to one side as you felt him breathing in.

You raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

A pleased smile appeared on his lips. "Did you wear the perfume I bought for your birthday?"

You bit your lip and then looked up at him through your lashes. "Of course," you replied, "I'm pretty sure it's the third fragrance in a pink bottle you gifted to me."

He hummed and then nuzzled your neck. "So you think of me when you look at them."

Your eyes flashed with amusement. "Oh, I do think of you," you murmured, "though you know that I don't want you to spend all of your savings on me. We're both in between jobs, and we need to do some budgeting."

His lips ghosted your neck. "You're definitely better than me at that," he said earnestly, splaying his hands across your back, "and you could have that job Mattsun told you about, you know? The offer is still standing."

You stroked the nape of his neck, and he shivered lightly. "I'm grateful for that, but I don't really feel like going back to Miyagi. I love Tokyo," you stated, "and I don't want to be away from you, Takahiro."

He raised his head, and his eyes softened as he anchored his gaze on yours. "Neither do I," he told you warmly, "besides...anytime we go back we have to be careful."

You sighed softly. "Yeah," you said as you lowered your gaze briefly, "I just hope one day they can see us hand in hand instead of having to sneak out."

He held your chin between his thumb and index finger. "Me too," he paused, drawing in a breath, "and I don't think they can fault us for being in love with each other."

Your eyes twinkled as a fond smile surfaced on your lips. "No, they can't."

While you and Makki were lost in your bubble near a cotton candy stand, you both failed to register the darkening eyes watching from a few meters away.

Due to a chance occurrence, your best friend Iwaizumi and your step-brother Matsukawa decided to catch up and eat at a popular Izakaya nearby.

But what they didn't take into account, though, was coming across the public display of affection you and Hanamaki were currently engaged in.

Tobio Kageyama.

The early morning lights shone on the city of Rome while the two of you were relaxing on a comfortable sun lounger located on the rooftop of Kageyama's apartment. His hands were wrapped around your upper body, and his lips ghosted over your chest, trailing kisses over the bare skin.

"Tobio," you murmured, running a hand through his dark hair, "you still have to go over some important parts of your Ali Roma contract and decide about your sponsors, plus how many commercials you want to shoot."

He lifted his head and moved his lips over your neck. "There's still time for that," he grumbled and then nibbled at your earlobe, "I've been here for six months, and I signed a five-year contract."

Your mouth parted. "I know," you replied, sighing softly as his lips on your skin left a warmth that had you shivering, "but my employer is pestering me about it, and I'm not exactly keen on getting reprimanded while doing my job, a new one at that."

He scowled. "If your boss gives you trouble, I'm going to have a few words with them," he grumped, holding your chin to angle your face towards him, "they should allow you to do your job instead of bothering you."

You couldn't help the amused laugh that left your lips. "You never liked my boss," you mused as you tilted your head to accept his lips on yours. Tobio sucked your bottom lip into his mouth and then paused to mutter a muffled damn right.

"Tobio…" you breathed as your lips brushed against his, "the public can't know we're together. Not yet."

A sulky expression crossed his face. "I still think it's ridiculous," he fussed, "it's not like anything will actually happen if those two know about us."

You raised an eyebrow and smirked softly. "It was your manager's idea."

The pout you grew to love appeared on his lips at your reminder.

You placed your fingers under his chin and leaned forward, giving him a quick peck over his parted lips before he eagerly captured your mouth once more.

Unbeknownst to you both, an overzealous photographer working for a major sports website specializing in gossip had reached you in Rome. They were on the edge of their seats as they snapped pictures of the tender, intimate moments you and Tobio were sharing, all while thinking about the scoop they had on their hands.

It didn't take long for a wicked grin to surface on the paparazzo's lips as they studied the photos they had taken.

After all, you were the step-sister of Argentina's superstar Oikawa Tōru and the former girlfriend of Japan's heartthrob Miya Atsumu.

Most volleyball fans were aware that your name had been dragged into the sports tabloid because of how poorly your relationship with your now-ex-boyfriend had ended and, before that, because of a private rift with your step-brother.

What will the two setters think when they see the pictures of you smooching their historical rival plastered all over Japan's sports websites?

Wakatoshi Ushijima.

"Toshi, are you sure you're comfortable like this?"

He grunted affirmatively, splaying both of his hands over your thighs. "You know I'm strong," Ushijima murmured, latching his lips to your neck as a soft gasp left your lips, "I don’t mind staying like this with you."

You slightly tilted your head back, smiling to yourself. "Oh, I know that you're strong," you breathed, slowly adjusting your position as your bottom rested on his muscular thighs, "and everyone else knows it too."

He wrapped an arm around your waist so that your back was flush against his chest. "You're the only one who truly and deeply knows how strong I am," he placed a kiss behind your ear, and you shivered, "perhaps since we're staying in a hotel here in Tokyo, we could try again what we did in Paris after that dinner Satori prepared for us."

Your cheeks burned at the reminder of the strength Wakatoshi showed you behind closed doors. "To be fair, Tendō fed us oysters and strawberries," you recalled, "paired up with red wine and various desserts full of chocolate and honey. They are all said to have aphrodisiac properties."

He hummed. "I think we would have tried out those positions even without that kind of sexually stimulating food," he stated, "though that delicious dinner helped us."

You chuckled softly. "I feel like we have to thank Tendō for quite a number of things," you mused, "after all, he officially introduced us while you were visiting him in Paris."

Ushijima nodded. "Yes, he did," he rumbled, "I remembered your face, you know? I saw you watching the match between your school and Shiratorizawa back in the day."

You nibbled at your lower lip and smiled. "You liked seeing me dressed in green and yellow?"

A gentle smile appeared on his lips. "Those colors suit you, actually."

Your gazes met as you angled your face towards his, and he leaned forward, catching your mouth in a passionate kiss.

"I hate that I can't walk out of here and be in public with you," he grumbled between kisses, "it makes me impatient."

You sighed. "I know, Toshi. But we have to be patient and wait until the right moment. You know that."

He paused as your lips lightly touched and gave you a slight nod. "I'm aware," he acknowledged, "in the meantime, I often remind myself to be grateful that we can spend a lot of time together when we're both in Europe, without worrying about someone prying into our affairs."

You brushed your nose against his. "Besides Tendō," you grinned, "our matchmaker."

Ushijima smirked. "Yes, apart from Satori."

Your lips connected once again, and you lost yourselves in each other's arms while the gala in honor of the Japan Volleyball Association was in full swing.

Although both of you thought you were safe from probing gazes, a pair of dark eyes witnessed and heard everything.

Sakusa Kiyoomi was at a loss for words as he watched the two of you, disbelief coursing through him. His cousin Motoya was your husband, and you were childhood sweethearts. When you were at Itachiyama, the two of you were always together, and you were the only people Kiyoomi fully trusted.

Of all the things he imagined, Sakusa never thought you would be capable of infidelity, let alone Wakatoshi, a man he genuinely admired and considered a friend.

His brows furrowed as he took a step back to leave his position, but not before throwing an icy stare at you and Wakatoshi. No matter the reason you were cheating on Motoya, Sakusa couldn't help but think that his cousin needed to know about your adultery.

#haikyuu x reader #hq x reader #haikyu x reader #haikyuu angst #hq angst #haikyuu imagines #haikyu imagines #hq imagines #haikyu angst #akaashi x reader #osamu x reader #hanamaki x reader #kageyama x reader #ushijima x reader #haikyuu reader insert #haikyuu self insert #hq self insert #hq reader insert #mywriting*

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