#yes i really really should but the heart wants what it wants WHAT CAN I SAY

[grugruel]

hi, can you please write more of Arthur morgan😭I love your writing so much!🫶

Thank you!🫶 It makes me so happy to hear that you enjoy my writing, it really spurred on my motivation!😌 Still, I've been trying to write this for weeks, but ended up rewriting and starting over. Now im finally done, hope you enjoy this too!🥹

You've Kissed Me For Less

Pairings: Arthur Morgan x f!reader

MDNI/NSFW

Masterlist

Summary: Arthur wants to teach you hunting. But as your effort proves fruitless and the weather fouls, Arthur needs to keep you warm in the cold hours of the night.

Word count: 3.1k

Warnings: forced proximity ish, pinv sex, sideways sex, cream-pie, petnames (sweetheart, girl, honey, darlin'), fingering, slight handjob, tension, flirting.

AN: The arrow misses. Not proofread!

Knock, draw . . . Hold . . . Aim, and . . .

"That's right . . . Atta girl."

Crack.

The furry beast jerked in surprise. Looking up, it's ears twitched and turned, attempting to determine the source of the sound. It's dark eyes alert and contrasting, standing out from the light snowfall filling the air.

She stood on unsteady feet, the broken twig beneath her boot throwing her off balance. "You're thinkin' to much, girl," he whispered, his warm breath caressing her neck, making her hair stand on end. "Release."

Siddled up to a tree, they were out of sight from their prey. A large pair of hands guided her arms, and a strong chest pressed firmly against her back. In the cold landscape they found themselves in, the reassurance from the heat of his body was duely welcomed.

She inhaled, holding it for steady aim. But restless and unfocused, she moved her weight from on foot to another–the snow crunched beneath her heel.

Her breath caught in her throat as the beast whipped in her direction, and their eyes met.

Release–the arrow pierced the air.

The gentle beast grunted and wheezed, fleeing as it bounced out of sight.

And where it had stood, her arrow struck bark. The shaft now coated in snow as the force of the blow shook the spruce and rid its branches of the bright, clamoring weight.

"Well," he began, attempting to hide the amusement from his tone. "It ain't easy . . . It's only your first."

She chuckled, her bow arm slumping to her side. "We've been at it all day, Arthur. Thats the fourth shot I've missed."

"Plenty of time to work on your trackin'."

She grunted, throwing her head back in frustration.

He'd wanted her to learn hunting so she could fend for herself if the need ever arose. But as long a she had him, it wouldn't. And if truth be told, she preffered it that way. Secretly sighing in relief each time the arrow missed it's target.

That day, they'd awoken with the sun, and been after the same deer all day. Poor bastard. He should really count his blessings, had Arthur been the one holding that bow they'd been heading back to camp within the first hour or so.

But the weather hadn't been a hassel. Soft clouds had sprinkled light snow all morning, only just coming to an end. But the air was clear and hellishly cold, enough so for the humidity in the air to freeze and glimmer as the mid-day sun shone upon them.

"Were in headwind." She shrugged. "And the poor thing darted off into the woods, we could continue tracking it from there," She said, and pointed toward the otherside of the lake. Surface frozen and snowed over, footing wouldn't be a problem.

"That so?"

"Well, yes-- what? What you grinning for?"

"Poor creature," he quoted, jerking his chin to the side. "You've been missin' on purpose."

She scoffed. "You think too highly of me, Arthur. I would gladly miss if I'd had the aim for it. But as it stands, I'm a poor shot with a bleeding heart."

"Nah, I think of you just right, sweetheart. But we needa eat." He pointed toward the treeline. "And the food just ran off."

She sighed heavily. He was right, but that didn't mean she'd be happy about it. "Well, let's go then. But I cant promise we'll be eating deer tonight ."

No," he began, a smirk spreading scross his lips. "But I can." He took the bow from her hand and the quiver from her back.

Alright, there were no more blessings to be counted.

"Your faith in me is lackluster, Arthur."

He scoffed and stepped onto the ice, nodding for her to follow. "First I think to highly of ya, 'n now its lackluster . . . Would you rather have me wither away . . . Starve to death?"

The ice sang beneath their feet as she thought about it, and her eyes automatically turned to his broad shoulders and thick arms. Her mind drifting to that hard chest and strong hands. "No . . . That'd be a damn shame," she said. "But I do have the basics down, would I really have to I could probably find myself some game."

Arthur chuckled, then stopped. "Tell you what . . . We passed a cabin, head back there and set up shelter," he said and looked toward the sky, the sun passing it's peak. "We're too far out, and probably won't be makin' it back to camp before dark. And I'll track down dinner."

"Really?"

Arthur kneeled down by the shore, examining the tracks. "Nah, don't want you to kill unnecessarily."

She was awed. That man possessed such kindness but was so careful with showing it, and she couldn't imagine why.

Her chest warmed and cheeks blushed, she hoped the cold could be played of as an excuse. "Thank you, Arthur. Truly," she smiled at him. But she wanted to convey her gratitude properly, for it was no small favour he did her.

"No need to thank me, honey. I understand."

But that wasnt enough, so- without thinking, she removed her glove and leaned down. Her hand found his jaw, and her lips his cheek. Gently, she pinched the sharp edge with the pads of her fingertips. And gently, she pecked his face with soft lips.

It was supposed to be a friendly gesture, but as her warm fingers met his cold skin and the stubble along the sharp edge tickled her lips–a trickle of longing brushed her insides.

She'd been sweet on him for a while, which woman wouldn't be? He could be soft and masculine, tough and sweet. He was a manly man, broad shouldered and handsome. He helped her lift heavy things, not because he assumed she couldnt do it, but because he wished to be of help.

She could not think of one thing she yearned for more.

So this touch, it must've been her subconscious. How many times she'd thought of brushing his cheek in gratitude, she could not remember. This time was no different.

As the sun shone on his face, and he'd done her this kindness, her mind must've gotten tired of all impulses stopped by her conscience and simply moved for her.

Now there they were, neither knowing what to do next.

Their eyes were locked on eachother, and Arthur's lips were parted as if he wished to say something but couldn't quite.

"I, I'll just-- I'm heading back, then. To that cabkn-" she began to gesture in the general direction, her mind keeping her tongue busy by rambling. "What am I saying, you can track me," she joked, awkwardly laughing, flustered by her own impromptu affection.

"I can . . . I'll find ya'." Was all he said, still kneeling and looking up at her.

Good, good good good. Before she knew it, she'd already turned around and began making her way back. Embaressment prickled her face, a thousand small needle points taunting her, and Arthur's reaction did nothing to ease her mind. She'd been a fool.

-

Night was closing in and the wind was picking up. Heavy snow began to fall, but thankfully, the cabin was abandoned and the roof was intact, protecting them from the weather, but not the cold. She managed to get a fire going in the old hearth, but it helped very little with warmth when the walls were ramshackle, allowing drafts and especially rough wind draw through.

Shivering down to her bone marrow, the girl hugged herself tightly. "Fuck me," she swore beneath her breath. "Ridiculous." The weather had changed within an hour, completley flipping the serene day into a hellish night. "Could think were in the damned arctics."

She'd endured 3 hours by her lonesome, thankfully forging for firewood before the storm set in.

But she couldn't help but worry for Arthur. He was a rugged man, but even he had limits. She kept thinking It'd all be alright once he got back there, to her side. But what could one man to about the weather?

With the cold came the hunger, and the regret not long thereafter. "Damn conscience," she muttered, her stumache growling.

She could barely see the trees surrounding the cabin, the snow doing more to sabotage her sight than the darkness. It was falling so thickly she could barely see between the flakes.

"Sorry for bein' late," announced a voice.

Startled, she turned toward it–the door opening had sounded like another howl from the wind. Trough the heavy curtain of snow, Arthur emerged, flakes swirling around him as he entered the cabin and the glow of the fire embraced him. "Damn tracks got muddled . . . blown over," he said, the overflow of irritation noticeable in his demeanor and tone. He looked weathered, clothes roughed up from the storm, hat collecting a nice layer of snow, cheeks and nose rosy. "Deer would've been too heavy in this shit," he gestured toward the snow and slammed the door shut behind him. "Got us some rabbits instead."

Wearing an incredulous expression, she had to laugh. She'd been worried about him being alone in this shit storm, fearing he might've frozen to death. But no, he brought rabbits, that's all.

"What's so funny," he asked, preparing the animals before placing them above the fire and taking a seat next to her.

She glanced at him. "That's all you got to say? You got some rabbits?"

"I already apologised to ya."

She scoffed, amazed by his resilience.

The annoyance began to melt from him, the heat thawing his mood. "What? I dont get a 'thank you' this time? You've kissed me for less."

She froze, narrowing her eyes on him. Those familiar needles pricking her skin again. "You didn't magically happen upon an extra blanket or so, did you?" She changed the topic, and as if to prove her point, a particularly violent shiver descended upon her.

Arthur shook his head, then removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. " 'Fraid not," he said, then handed her the cooked meat.

He wore another jacket beneath, but it was thin and unsufficient, in her opinion.

"Thank you," she whispered, and kissed his cheek once more. But there was no embaressment this time. Their eyes met, silently communicatingas mouths were to occupied with chewing. She suspected there'd been a lack of words even without the chewing. "I've kissed you for less," she agreed, then redirected her gaze into the fire.

-

They spent the next half hour in quiet as they ate, nothing but the howling wind and crackling fire to keep them company.

Eventually unrolling their bedrolls and attempting to sleep, a few short words for communication when needed. It proved difficult, however, for the night wore on and the temperature continued to drop.

She could hear her teeth clattering in her skull, even with Arthur's jacket on.

"You're still freezing."

"A-are you not?" She stuttered. The hearth was cramped with their bodies side by side. " 'M sorry if I w-woke you." She hated the idea of her body shivering so much it cost him his sleep.

"You'll get pneumonia, girl. We need to get you warm."

"H-how you figure t-that?"

"Well, I-- hell, let me warm you up."

She didn't stop to think before she spoke, proving a common theme. "Do it, Arthur p-please. Before my t-t-teeth shatter."

She heard a rustling behind her, and then she felt him slip into her bedroll. It was tight, but enough space for then to move around. "We needa get those off you," he murmured, voice gravelly.

She nodded profusely, feeling the familiar contours of his chest against her back. He removed both the jackets from her shoulders until there were nothing but the two thin fabrics of their shirts between their bodies.

She sighed, it felt like a radiator against her back. "F-Feels better already," she said, her dtutter subsiding and shivers calming.

"Good, you're alright, girl," he comforted, wrapping one arm around her waist as she propped her head on the other. He pulled her closer, leaving no space for the heat to escape.

Feeling his hand on her like this felt . . . Heavenly. As if his large hand was molded just to fit her curves. "I want more . . . Arthur. Warmer."

Without a word, he removed his shirt and got back into position. If freezing to death was all she had to do to achive this scenario, she would've done it earlier. Moving to do the same, she yearned for his heat to seep into her directly, skin to skin.

The body behind her stiffened, suddenly worried. "You don't have to, girl." He stopped her.

"I-I want to, Arthur. Im fine."

With her words of reassurance, he relaxed. His hands found hers, aiding her in the removal. She'd had no time to make it clear that there was no corset covering her since hunting didn't require one.

Arthur's breathing hitched at the revalation, prompting him to clear his throat. And his hands were simply hovering, uncertain where they belonged, where they were allowed.

"First time seeing a woman without a corset, Arthur?" She teased, uncertain where this sudden confidence came from, if it simply wasthe bizarre nature of the situation, or that it was only her bare back he could see.

He chuckled. "No, ma'am. 'S just . . . I dont wanna take any liberties."

"I don't mind, Arthur," she whispered. There's no liberties she wouldn't allow him to take, she thought.

Slowly, the hesitance melted away from him, and his fingers found her ribs. She sighed, content with their feeling. They burned, but pleasantly so. The reaction from her core was the only thing growing unbareable. Gaining confidence, his hand slid lower, following the length of her ribs. Fingers stopping just beneath the hill of her breast, hus thumb stroking small circles over her skin.

She hummed appreciatively, forgetting herself.

"Feelin' good?"

"Mmmh, warmer." She was finally relaxed enough to feel the low heat radiating from the fire, but with the numbness gone, the wind grew more noticeable. At times, a strong gust of wind would seep through the walls and graze her skin. Sending new shivers and goosebumps rippling across her body.

The retaliate and keep her heat up, she nudged herself closer to Arthur, tucking her hips and rear into his crotch. This gained her a low groan, and his fingertips sinking into the skin of her ribs like gentle claws.

"Better lay still now, girl," he warned, breathing onto her shoulder.

"Why's that?" She asked, but just as the words left her lips, she felt something slightly harden against her thigh. "Oh . . ." She gasped. Feeling it through both fabrics of their pants impressed her, salivated her.

" 'M sorry, sweetheart, 'm sorry." His thumb brushed back and forth, suddenly grazing the underside of her breast. She felt a twitch below the hips.

"Sorry, s-- I dont mean to," he breathed hard, leaning his forehead against her shoulder, attempting to focus.

"You can touch, Arthur."

"Now, honey . . . "

"I want you to," she assured him, knowing he might question the circumstances.

He shook his head hesitantly. "Dont wanna go takin' advantage of ya'."

You couldn't ever." She grabbed the hand that rested beneath her breast and guided it atop her, nipple already hard from anything and everything he does. "I want you to touch me."

He relented, andsqueezed her breast, releasing a grunt simultaneously. His lips found her neck, gently placing kisses on her skin.

She pushed back against him, grinding down on his crotch. "I want more than touching, Arthur . . ."

"I don't deserve you," he groaned, hand sliding over her chest to wrap his arm around her torso, bost breasts pressing firmly against his forearm.

The arm her head rested on reached down, brushing down her abdomen and beneath her pants. She gasped as his fingers found her clit. "All of you . . . Please." Her hand reach behind her, working to unbutton his pants as she turned her head over her shoulder, and their lips found eachother.

As the last button came undone and his length was free, her hands wrapped around it, gently stroking him and reveling in the pleased moans he breathed into her mouth.

"Hold on, hold on-" he stopped her. "I'll--" he swallowed, lips stalling against her own. "We only get one chance . . . tonight." He tried to clarify. " 'N I want ya' the right way." His hand momentarily left her chest to brush his fingers over the hand that held his member.

"I want that too," she whispered.

With her go-ahead, he pushed her pants below her ass and lined himself up with her entrance, her ass neatly tucked against his crotch, fitting together like piezes of a puzzle, perfectly matching. "Atta girl," he praised and pushed inside her.

They moaned simultaneously, lips reattaching. His hand were quickly back to work, breasts and clit stimulated by his expert hands all the while he thrusted in an out of her. "Feel so good."

She couldn't help but smile, panting between kisses as her body burned for him, every singel nerve flooding with electrical currents. "Harder, Arthur. I beg you. Im . . . G-Getting close. "

Arthur slowed his pace, arm leaving her clit to hold her torso, exchanging arms so he could hook her leg onto his arm for better leverage, reaching deep, hitting her core.

She cried out.

"C'mon, darlin'." He bit her lip. "Im right here."

"Mm, mhmm," she whimpered, the pressure in her core building, ready to topple over any second. Her vision grew blurry, chest heaving and breathing hard. And then- she came. Pleasure rolled over her, Arthur continuing to thrust into her as he prolonged her orgasm. "Breathe girl, you're alright," he comforted her. Fingers playing with her nipple. "Doin' so good."

She shook, she shivered, but the cold was no longer the reason, Arthur was. "Where-- where can I-"

"Anywhere," she moaned, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Too good to me, youre too good to me," he repeated. "Good girl." He grunted, finally toppling over himself, spilling his seed inside her. With a few final ruts, they collpased in eachothers embrace, sweat coating their skin.

"Is it hot in here or . . . ?"

Arthur chuckled and kissed her shoulder. "You're welcome, sweetheart." He wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Pretty girl."

"Thank you, Arthur," she said, and kissed his cheek.

"I get both now? A 'thank you' and a kiss? What's gotten into you?"

"Well," she held back a giggle. "You did."

"Funny," he said, a grinn on his lips, foolishly proud.

[gothicrazor]

Anything for you

Kurt Wagner x Fem!Reader || Rating: PG(?) || WC: 1.4k

Inspiration: Foreigner's God - Hoizer

Content Warning: afab reader, unrequited love (both reader + Kurt), Kurt pining

Authors Note: First time writing for X-Men! Please be kind to me I'm trying pookies, hopefully this turns out okay or I might actually weep! I dunno if anyone would want a part two of this, just lemme know ig??? Also let it be known I used deepL for the few things he said in German... Please don't hate me 😔

Who knew the kiss on the back of a gloved hand could really tank someone's mood as quickly as anything else at a typical Saturday night dinner. Watching the gleam drain from your eyes across the table was something he's sadly used to now. Following your eyes to the end of the table to what he knew you were staring at.

His dear sister and one of his closest friends. Rogue and Gambit. The strongest "couple" next to their leader and his wife. A force strong and immovable. Rogue, too scared to stray. And Gambit, too loyal to look anywhere but her eyes half the time.

And it kills you. Anyone who knows you can see your heart break every time they connect.

Thankfully, no one seems to be paying attention to you, no one but the blue mutant across the table from you. He finds it hard to keep his eyes anywhere but on you. Always has since you met all those years ago. He's seen you at your best, the fierceness burning behind your eyes during the heat of battle. And at your worse... Grieving the loss of something you could never have in the first place.

Your chair screeches, moving across the hardwood of the dining room harder than you intended. Standing up too fast, everyone stared in surprise.

"I'm gonna turn in early." Scott's brow rose behind ruby quartz shades as he stood up.

"Everything okay?" You smile, trying to keep up the facade, not wanting to openly weep in front of the team you call family.

"Just a little tired from training." You grab the edge of your half-eaten plate of dinner before you're met with the rough hand of Logan next to you on your wrist.

"Leave it kid, go get some shut eye." His face almost looks slightly worried, as you don't even put up an argument as usual. Just nodding, you push your chair in and hurry out of the dining room.

Kurt watches you leave, tilting his head to watch you rush up the foyer stairs as chatter picks back up at the table.

"Do you think she's sick?" His ears perk up to the concerned whisper of Jean's voice, looking at Scott as he sat back down at the head of the table.

"It's not unlike her to keep quiet when she's not feeling the best."

"She's barely been eating more than half her food in the past week Scott, I'm starting to get worried. She hasn't been like this since the Professor died." Kurt's head turns, chiming in with his usual soft tone.

"I'll check on her after dinner." Jean and Scott both looked at him. Jean smiling softly as she squeezed his shoulder.

"Thank you, Kurt. She'd probably talk to you before any of us." He nods, his dark hair bouncing lightly before turning his attention back to dinner.

Walking down the hall, he stops at your door, glancing at your nameplate before raising his fist to knock. Freezing for a moment, knowing you'd expect him to come upstairs anytime after you left. Why should he bother to knock at this point?

But Kurt is quite literally a creature of habit. So he does.

Two soft wraps hit the door before grabbing the knob, edging the flat wood open to peek inside. Your room is still dimly lite, only the moon from your window cast over the person-sized lump under the covers of your bed. A soft mutter of your name leaves his lips, yellow eyes glowing as he looks down at the bed.

"Can I come in?" A whimpered 'yes' is all he gets in return, stepping inside with the subtle click of the door closing behind him. The familiar creak of the bed fills the room as he sits on the edge, tail curling over your legs covered by blankets. Hand meeting your side under the covers, eyes falling to their usual worried state, like every time he's comforted you this way before.

Rubbing gently over your lower back, he doesn't say a word, just feeling the slight tremble of your body hidden away from his line of sight. You sniff, pulling the blanket from over your head to look at him, eyes bloodshot and miserable looking. Something he's seen too many times before but still breaks his heart seeing you like this.

"Can you lie with me, please?"

"Anything for you, mein Schatz." He gets up, walking around the bed, pulling the covers back as he climbs in next to you. Fixing them back in place, you assume your natural spot of your head on his chest and his arm around your shoulder. The gentle rub of his hand down your bicep in a soothing gesture.

"Are you okay?" His voice barely raised above a whisper, his cheek settling onto the top of your head. You take in a sharp bit shaky breath trying to calm yourself.

"It's getting harder and harder to be around them... I don't..." You choke up for a second, breathing out a soft whimper.

"I don't know... How much longer can I stand to see them together... It's so unfair of me to feel this way because he'll never love me... Not like Anna, but I just can't... Stop it. I just - I feel terrible for so many reasons." Kurt hugs you tighter, knowing that feeling all too well. Unrequited affections for someone who'll never see you as anything more than a good friend. It almost hurts him knowing you're feeling how he feels constantly.

"I know, I wish I could take the pain away from you." You shudder, sniffling against his chest. Tears welling up in your eyes as you hold onto him like a lifeline, trying to ground yourself in desperation. Squeezing your eyes shut, the tears slipped, soaking the front of his suit.

"I feel so stupid." You whine, starting to hiccup against him, tears sliding past your lashes in groves. Kurt shushes you, moving his hand to your back to cradle you closer. Sharp claws raking over the back of your uniform, gentle touch as he always has with you. His hand moves up, thumb rubbing over your cheek and turning up your chin to look at him.

"You are not stupid, meine Liebe. It's okay to feel this way. The heart wants what it wants. Unforgiving or not, you can't help that."

"Why does it have to be him of all people?" His lips turned to a frown, seeing the hurt behind your eyes. Still wiping your eyes with his thumb, he just shakes his head.

"I wish I could give you the answers. Remy is... A kind man who deeply cares for those he loves. I can see the appeal. But you'll be okay. Eventually, I'm sure of it. You're very strong after all." You just blink, breath quivering as you start to calm down a bit.

"I'm strong..." You mutter under your breath, making him smile slightly before your head goes back to him. Finding his shoulder to lean on, you take in a deep breath, shutting your eyes as you exhale and repeating the words like a prayer.

"Ja, the strongest I know."

"Thank you, Kurt, I don't know what I'd do without you." You give a weak smile as you relax against him, feeling his head leaning against yours.

"And you'll never have to find out, that's a promise." You smile a little wider, a chuckle escaping your lips.

"Can you keep holding me for a little while longer?" He smiles against the top of your head, soaking in the shared warmth between the two of you.

"Of course." You sink into his body, putting your full weight against him. His grip tightened around you. Taking in a deep breath, his eyes wandered from your relaxed expression to the window. Watching the night sky as you slowly drift off in his arms.

Feeling you go slack in his grip, Kurt looks at how relaxed you are now. Thumb moving back over your delicate features like a feather. Something he's done too many times now. But you're so beautiful to him. He can't help but want to touch you. Lips pressing the crown on your head, lingering longer than necessary.

"Ich liebe dich..." His eyes shifted back down to your face, waiting for a reaction he never got. Good or bad. It's just another confession that's gone unheard dozens of times now. No matter how much he's said it.

Smiling at your sleeping expression, he moves down the bed. Shifting onto his side to hold you against his chest. His tail wraps around your waist as he keeps you close.

Cherishing the little moments, he gets to pretend he has your heart... No matter how much it hurts his heart.

♡Thanks for reading♡

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Vesuvia Weekly: MC is M6's embodied impulse control

Hear me out, Julian mutters, elbow deep in ink stained parchment sheets with eyebags for days. It's moments like these that you can really understand where the "mad scientist" rumors of him started. He's been obsessing over this new article published in a Prakran journal ever since it arrived at the clinic - three days ago. You can't even tell which eye is plagued and which is just bloodshot.

"Julian, you need to sleep."

"Hear me out, my dear -"

"No."

~

Hear me out, Asra chuckles, that impish smirk dancing around their face while they hold their latest creation out of your reach. Should you have known better than to leave him unsupervised with the shipment of new sample items to add to your shop? Yes. Did it happen anyways? Also yes. Does the mystery glob in their hand appear to be gaining sentience? You don't want to know.

"Either let me see it or take it outside, Asra."

"Hear me out, my love -"

"No."

~

Hear me out, Nadia croons, two slender, gauze covered arms circling your waist. You know better than to fall for her suggestions as easily as you normally might. Tonight is a meeting of all kinds of important guests, crucial to Vesuvia's progress on the international political and economic stage, and about to be very boring. You'd like to give in and discover what her sultry tone is offering, but you know better.

"Nadia, you know how important this event is."

"Hear me out, my darling -"

You groan. "No."

~

Hear me out, Muriel grumbles, burly arms protectively folded around the bundle of muddy fur and a furious blush creeping its way up his face. You love his heart for nature, you really do. You also love your indoor living space to feel like an indoor living space. Having what appears to be a muddy, hyperactive, flea-ridden skunk with a nervous tick as your new bed mate doesn't feel very "indoors."

"Muriel, I just cleaned the hut."

"... hear me out."

*SKREEEEEE*

"No."

~

Hear me out, Portia slurs, loose curls all spilling to one side as her eyelids droop and her lips stretch in a relaxed grin. You love it when she tells Barth to "surprise her" with her drinks on date night. You love it, but you don't necessarily support it when she suggests setting fire to the ship of that one sailor who looked at you wrong several hours ago and making off with all the gold in the hold.

"Portia, that's arson."

"Exactly. So hear me out, cutie -"

"No."

~

Hear me out, Lucio whines, bottom lip jutting out and hands folded in his attempt to plead with you. It's not easy to interlace your fingers when one set of them is made of spiky gold but he does it somehow. You glance from his silver puppy eyes, to the traveling fair of curious wonders, to the absolutely ludicrous prices posted at every booth, to the half-empty coin purse hanging limply at your hip.

"We can have fun there, or we can eat for the rest of the week, Lucio."

"I have an idea, hear me out -"

"No."

[honeyhoneypp]

Luffy x Reader. Luffy asking for Sanji's help to became a gentleman so he can date Reader. (SFW)

How To Be a Gentleman

Luffy asking Sanji’s help to become a gentleman

Has Luffy started to become more respectful towards women? You wonder what has happened with his attitude, especially when it comes to you. But little did you know that he started to change for you, hoping that you would like him back and that he could be worthy of dating you.

Female pronouns!

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

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper were fishing, waiting for a catch while Nami and you were sunbathing. Suddenly, Sanji arrived with three drinks.

Sanji— “Nami-swannnn!!! ____-channnnn!!!”

Luffy quickly turns his head around. He doesn't know why, but he gets annoyed when Sanji flirts with you. He feels an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. He hates it. Is this what we call jealousy?

But that uncomfortable feeling in his stomach quickly goes away when he sees you. He loves staring at you. He knows that he likes you in another way. He finally realized and understood that a few days ago.

Sanji— “Ladies I brought you some drinks!” — He gives each one of you a drink —

Nami— “Oh, thank you, Sanji!”

— “Thank you, Sanji! You're such a gentleman!”

Gentleman... that word again. You always call Sanji a gentleman. Is being a gentleman really that good? Do you like guys that are a gentleman? He wants you to like him!

Sanji— “You’re welcome, lovely ladies! Now where’s Robin-Chan!? ROBIN-CHANNN!!!!”

Sanji quickly goes to search for Robin while you giggle and drink the delicious drink he gave you. Luffy simply stares at you but quickly looks away when he feels the fishing rod getting pulled.

Luffy— “Hey guys! I think I caught something pretty big!” — He starts pulling the finishing rod —

Chopper— “Let me see! Let me see!”

Luffy pulled a big and scary type of fish, it was almost twice his size!

Chopper— “WOOOH! SCARY!!”

Usopp— “WOHOOO! THAT THING IS HUGE!!”

Luffy— “Hey, ____! Look at what I caught!”

He stands next to you, holding the still-living fish, unintentionally putting the fish's mouth near your head.

— "LUFFY, GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" — You quickly stand up and move away from him —

Nami— “Luffy, what the hell! Learn to be a gentleman!”

Luffy just stands there. He should learn to be a gentleman? Maybe he is right; maybe you do like gentlemen, and that's the only way he could get you to like him. He should ask Sanji for help since he's a gentleman.

Some hours later

Sanji was getting started to prepare dinner, but he didn't expect to have some company.

Sanji— “Wait for dinner, Luffy, it's not ready yet”

Luffy— “That’s not what I came here for”

Sanji— “Mhmm?”

Luffy— “Sanji, I want you to help me to become a gentleman!”

……..

Silence filled the room. Sanji stopped cooking.

Sanji— “…You want to become a gentleman..?”

Luffy— “Yes.”

Sanji— “Are you serious? Why do you want to become one right now?”

Luffy— “Well, because ____ likes gentlemen and I want her to like me because I want to ask her out on a date!”

Sanji— “WHAT?! No, no, no. There's no way you're asking her out!”

Luffy— “What?! Why not!? C'mon, Sanji!”

Sanji— “You’re too stupid to even understand what being a gentleman means!”

Luffy— “Well that's why I'm asking you to teach me! C'mon, Sanji. I really like ____”

Sanji stares at Luffy and starts to think for a moment: would it be a good idea for Luffy to date you? He knows that Luffy would never intentionally break your heart, but he's too dumb for this kind of relationship!

Plus, he'll be heartbroken if you date someone. But he never expected that it was going to be his captain falling for you.

Sanji— Sigh — “Well… I guess I could teach you some things…”

Luffy— He smiles — “Thank you, Sanji! You're the b-”

Sanji— “BUT! If you ever break her heart I’ll kick your ass, understood!?”

Luffy— He nods —

Sanji— He sits next to Luffy — “First of all, men mustn’t kick a woman! That’s the biggest mistake you can do! Never kick with a woman”

Luffy— “What? But I already-“

Sanji— “NEVER KICK A WOMAN!”

Luffy— “ok.”

Sanji— “Good. Now, always let ladies first!”

Luffy— “First in what? In fighting?”

Sanji— “No, stupid! I mean in everything else other than putting them in danger! You must always protect women.”

Luffy— “I don’t like this…”

Sanji— “And third, shower.”

Luffy— “What?”

Sanji— “Shower! Luffy, no offense but you stink, how many times do you shower per week?”

Luffy— “Uh… I don’t know, maybe one day in a week..?”

Sanji— He sighs — “Okay.”

Luffy— “…So that’s it? That’s all I need to do for ____ to like me?”

Sanji— “You still need to learn more! Go take a shower first!”

Luffy— “Okay, okay!”

After Luffy went to take a shower, Sanji taught Luffy everything he knew about being a gentleman, including how to take care of his hygiene, to take you on a date first and don’t rush things, never to hit a woman, how to respect women, and of course, how to take care of women. Oh, did I also mention that he taught him how to respect and take care of women, especially you?

You've probably noticed that he has been more respectful towards Nami, Robin, and you these past few days. He has been opening the door for all of you, becoming more protective of all of you, and speaking to all of you with respect, just like a gentleman! You wonder where this sudden change came from.

Luffy— “Okay! I think I'm ready for this.”

Luffy confidently went to search for you and found you calmly reading a book in the library. He was hiding a rose behind his back.

Luffy— He takes a deep breath — “Hey __- I-I mean! Hello, beautiful lady.”

— Your shift your gaze from the book to look at Luffy — "Luffy? Oh, hey! Um... Did you say 'beautiful lady'?"

Luffy— He takes a rose out the rose and puts it behind your ear — “A beautiful rose for another beautiful rose”

Of course, you get a little flustered; you didn't expect Luffy to ever say those kinds of things. What was he trying to do? Why was he acting so differently lately? Why was he talking like that? Is he trying to flirt with you?

— “Um… Luffy? Why have you been acting so different these past few days?”

Luffy— He gets down on one knee in front of you and says — "My beautiful ____, from the moment I saw you, my heart felt warm. Not just any kind of warm, but a warm feeling that made me want to spend the rest of my life with you." — He confesses, trying to remember the confession Sanji made him improvise for hours —

— “Luffy…”

Luffy— "Even in the toughest moments of my life, your smile lights up my world. Every moment I spend with you feels like a dream, and I want to continue living in this dream. So please, do you want to go on a date with me?”

You didn't know how to react; you didn't know what to say. You were in shock. You didn't know Luffy could say those kinds of things, and you didn't know how he felt towards you!

— “Luffy… Yes I want to go on a date with you and I feel the same way toward you but-”

Luffy— He hugs you — “That’s great, get ready then.”

— You nod — “W-Wait, Luffy!”

Luffy— “Yes, ____-chan?”

— You giggle — “Don’t get me wrong, I like the way you're acting, it's really sweet. But why the sudden change in behavior? This isn't how you usually act”

Luffy— “…It’s nothing” — He starts whistling while looking the other way —

“He's such a bad liar” you think

— “Be honest with me.”

Luffy— “Fine…I asked Sanji to help me become a gentleman so you could like me…”

— You laugh — “Aww, Luffy! You didn’t have to do that! You know, I always liked you, I like the way you are, you don’t need to become a gentleman for me”

Luffy— “Really?! I thought you only liked gentlemen! Like Sanji!”

— “Aw, Luffy. I don’t have a crush on Sanji, he’s just really nice and I always thank him for that. That doesn’t mean I like him, you silly.”

Luffy— “Shishishi, you’re right. You only like me! Because we're dating now!”

— “Haha, you’re right”

Luffy hugs you, and then you two go on a date. The date was basically exploring the island where they arrived. Of course, Sanji was heartbroken when he heard that you were dating his captain, but at the same time, he was happy.

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

Sorry this isn't well written, I'm new to this but I hope you guys liked it 😅

Please let me know if I made spelling mistakes, some things don’t make sense or got their personality wrong!

[stormysunday9]

I've been editing this for too long now and I just need to put it out into the world. The ending doesn't feel quite right...but maybe that's because this story just isn't done yet!

Featuring: happy Joe, some 18+ stuff, and a bit of cheese.

The Missing Piece

I was now five blocks from work and the man who had  stepped out behind me after I locked the door was still following closely behind me.

I started to panic, I was at least another ten blocks from home. It was starting to get dark. I was 5'5 and all I had to protect me was my lunch bag and the yogurt I didn't eat. My heart was pounding. I didn't need to turn around to see him, I could sense him there.

This was a pretty affluent neighbourhood, maybe I could just pretend I lived here. I walked past a couple more homes, then started the journey up one of the long driveways, not daring to look behind me. When I reached the front door, I pretended to unlock it, hoping I'd sold my story to my creepy shadow. When I twisted the knob, the door opened easily, and since I was no longer thinking clearly I just stepped inside.

After a moment of relief from being off the street and into safety, I looked up to see a very tall man standing in front of me with a look of both shock and concern fleeting over his icy blue eyes.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so so sorry! There was a man, I don't know, he's been following me since I left work! I still have so far to go, I was getting scared, I didn't know what to do, your door was unlocked, I didn't mean to come in...." I was still tripping over my words as the man placed his hands on my shoulders and tried to meet my wild eyes .

"Hey, hey." He said firmly but calmly. "It's ok, you're ok. I know, I saw him on the camera, he was following you up the drive. Do you want me to call the police?"

"No, I don't think so. I don't know. I didn't even get a good look at him." I replied. "Do you mind if I sit down?" I asked embarrassingly, the adrenaline was fading and I felt like I might fall over.

"Yes of course", he ushered me to the couch, "and my security camera, I have a clear shot of him on there."

"Oh smart. Ya I can get an image from there then, I'll file a report tomorrow. I'm so sorry for all this." My head was finally starting to stop spinning and my heart slowing down, allowing me to take in my surroundings a bit more clearly. This was a very nice house. Very clean. No clutter. I looked over my shoulder to see him coming back from the kitchen.

He carefully sat down near me on the couch, being sure to leave a full cushion's worth of space between us. He handed me a glass of water and said, "I'm Joe, by the way."

"Hi Joe", I responded, and took a quick drink of water before adding, "you should really lock your doors."

He let out a chuckle and a grin spread across his face. "Well, in this particular instance, I'm kind of glad I didn't. My manager was supposed to be stopping by, so I left it open."

"Oh my gosh, let me get out of your hair then. I don't want to get you in trouble with work! I just need to call an Uber." I started searching my bag for my phone.

"I would like to drive you home if that's ok. Not sure how many more strange men you should add to this day." He raised an eyebrow at me, presumably waiting to see if I was going to laugh or start crying.

I laughed. "That's very kind, but what about your manager?"

"Don't worry about that, my job is pretty secure," he smiled, "let me grab my keys and my shoes."

I noticed he was wearing slippers currently, slippers which I could only describe as old man slippers. He did seem to have an old soul aura about him. I followed Joe out to his garage, that housed multiple vehicles - a very flashy sports car, a futuristic looking truck, and a Mercedes G Wagon. And it looked like we were taking the latter. He must be some kind of tech mogul, I thought to myself, but what's a tech mogul doing in the middle of Ohio?

When we reached my house, which was about an eighth the size of his, I turned to look at him. I couldn't help but think how warm those cold blue eyes looked. 

"Thank you so much, seriously." I said. "You're a real hero."

He chuckled. "Would I be able to give you my number?" He asked.

My wide eyed expression must have given away what I was trying to keep my mouth from saying because Joe immediately spoke up.

"Not like that!" He backtracked shaking his head, "just in case you need more security footage, or a witness statement of something. Or anything at all really. I'm usually around. Except Sundays. I work Sundays." 

I handed him my phone and he quickly typed his number in and handed it back to me. 

"I'm Casey, by the way" I said as I stepped out of his truck. 

"Hi Casey," he smiled.

"Lock your door, Joe!" I yelled over my shoulder as I walked to my front door.

I saw him give me a hand to forehead salute through the passenger window. I walked inside, locked my own door, and peeked out the window, just in time to see him pull away.

---------------

The next couple days were less eventful. I had security cameras installed at the shop. I filed my police report at the station. And I ordered some bear spray from Amazon. I was glad when the weekend finally rolled around, and on Sunday headed over to my friend Jess' house for our weekend supper tradition. Jess and her husband always hosted, and our other friend Kate and her boyfriend joined, and then me, the obligatory fifth wheel. The boys usually watched football and us girls caught up on gossip and played board games.

The girls and I were playing a very distracted round of Uno while the boys yelled at the game on the TV. I casually glanced over at the TV after being served multiple miss a turns in a row, and what I saw put my heart in my stomach. 

Unforgettable icy blue eyes.

"Ummm, who is that, Trevor?" I anxiously asked Jess' husband.

"Joe Burrow.", Trevor replied.

"I can read the screen, Trev, I mean who IS he?"

"The quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. And you're a disappointment to the whole state of Ohio for not knowing that."

"Harsh, but ok...and like, he's pretty good? Or what?"

Trevor rolled his eyes and turned to look at me, "ya he's like top three in the league, easy. Why, Case? You finally gonna become a football fan?"

I excused myself from the Uno game that I was never going to win anyway and grabbed my phone from my bag. I searched my contacts. J...O...E...

Joe with the Unlocked Doors.

There he was. And with a sense of humor at that. I opened the contact and began to type.

Wow. Your overconfident sense of job security makes so much sense now!

Presumably he wouldn't be texting back anytime soon. Based on the tv screen he appeared to be rather busy at the moment. 

Later that evening I was laying on the couch, working on a bracelet I was making and watching Netflix when my phone lit up.

Shocked Pikachu gif. (Classic choice.) So you're not a football fan then?

I just don't know anything about it. But today I learned Joe Burrow is the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals. And that sometimes he leaves his doors unlocked. 🤷‍♀️

Ha! Both of those are true. I'm glad you texted.

It was a shock response.

I'm glad anyway. So now you know what I do, what do you do? Aside from walk into strangers houses, of course.

Cold.

I'm actually a dog groomer. I make pups pretty for a living. I have a little shop on Hudson, which is where I was walking from when I broke into your home.

That's unexpected, and so cool. Love that you've got your own grind. 

Well my grind doesn't garner me multiple vehicles in my garage, but I do love it. It only affords me my old Bronco that starts half the time, and not at all in the winter.

Is that why you walk?

Sometimes. But I do like being outside. And "that day" I chose to walk. Looking back, evidently a poor choice.

Maybe not all bad since you met me?

Haha, I dunno, I got to meet the quarterback of an NFL team and didn't even ask for an autograph! 🫤

Funny. Maybe don't think of me as that, just think of me as Joe.

...with the unlocked doors! 

Exactly. 😉

We continued to message back and forth, joking and laughing while also learning a bit about one another, when I looked at the time on my phone and couldn't believe how late it had gotten.

I think I better get some shut eye. Early start tomorrow. Nice chatting with you. Goodnight, Joe!

Goodnight, Casey. Sweet dreams.

It took me a while to fall asleep that night. What is happening? He's so nice. And absolutely gorgeous. Now that I could think about him a little more clearly and not in a fear filled state of adrenaline...wow. He had to be a full foot taller than me, with what appeared to be the strength of a Greek god, and the fluffiest, wavy hair that was just being begged to have hands run through it. And a little curl that kept falling onto his forehead no matter how many times he pushed it back. And those eyes...oh my gosh those eyes. 

Pull yourself together, Casey! I scolded myself. I was being ridiculous. And I needed some sleep, it was back to my not so lucrative grind tomorrow.

----------------

Monday morning I was back in my element. The Bronco started, my first dogs of the day were settled on the floor around me, my coffee was just right. Maybe it would be a good week. With my headphones on, and high velocity dryer blasting, I almost didn't hear someone walk through the door. I looked up, startled so see a man with a hoodie pulled over his head and wrap around sunglasses on his face. He must have seen the fear in my eyes as he immediately reached up to push the hood off his head and replace it with his sunglasses.

Joe.

I felt my face flush. I turned off the dryer and put my headphones around my neck.

"What on earth..." Was all I could get out.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just figured that you saw what I do, so I wanted to see what you do...I hope that's ok." I could see a worried look in his eyes.

"How did you find me?" I probably should have reassured those baby blues, but I was still so confused.

"Well you told me your shop was on Hudson. And there was a dog groomer on Hudson called Casey's Place.....so I guess I'm a detective?" He was still feeling out if he'd made a mistake.

I laughed. "That's fair I guess. You googled me?!"

He let out a chuckle. Those seemed difficult to evoke from him, but I felt like I could make it my full time job just to hear the sound and watch the corners of his eyes crinkle.

"You haven't googled me?" He asked with mock accusation.

"Actually, no," I admitted, "I think I'd prefer to learn about you from you."

He smiled, "well I guess we've determined who's the better person then!"

He suddenly sat on the floor cross legged, and the three dogs already on the floor immediately ran to him and began climbing and licking him maniacally.

Jealous, I thought. But only said, "well that's a good sign."

"What is?," he asked while trying to avoid getting dog tongue directly in his mouth.

"Never trust someone your dog doesn't trust! And they seem to love you."

This time he blushed.

I lifted the dog on the table down to the floor so he could join the fun. 

Joe tried to untangle himself from the dog pile and stand back up. "I was wondering if I could take you to lunch?" he asked, barely making eye contact.

Wow, is he...nervous? I wanted to say yes so bad, but I was the only one in the shop today, and I couldn't leave the dogs unattended. 

"Could I take a rain check?" I asked, hoping my eyes didn't look as desperate as I felt.

"Of course," he replied, "I knew you were working, I'm sorry."

I gave him a little pout, and the corners of his mouth turned up. 

"I'll talk to you soon!" He said and quickly turned and walked out the door.

My heart sank. Did I just turn down Joe Burrow on a date? But my job, I've worked so hard for this shop, and surely he gets that. I hoisted the dog back onto the table and got back to work, while my heart continued to chastise my brain for being too responsible. Then my phone chimed. I looked at my watch to see a message from Joe. I pulled out my phone to open it.

Do you like onions?

Well...I guess he still wants to get to know me? First what I do for a living, now my produce preferences?

I typed back, Yes with a question mark.

Message read, no response.

This man is an enigma. 

And then 10 minutes later my door dinged and in walked Joe with two greasy paper bags, a tray loaded down with drinks, and a smile that could light up the dark.

"You still have to eat, right?" He said with a shrug of his big, broad shoulders and began to spread out a selection of burgers and fries across the grooming table that wasn't currently in use.

"I got you a soda, a milkshake and a coffee because I don't know what you like yet." He explained 

Yet. Oh my gosh he was adorable. I melted, perhaps obviously.

I pulled up two stools, suddenly a little unsure if one would even support Joe's enormous size. He sat down and it looked almost comical.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized, unable to choke back my laughter, "I don't normally cater to football stars". 

He brushed it off, quickly. "All good, a lot of furniture is too small for me. Or I'm too big for it. Whichever."

He took a big bite of a burger while I grabbed a couple fries, unable to take my eyes off him, trying to understand what these last several days were coming to. My overthinking brain couldn't take it anymore, and I just spit out "Why me?"

Joe turned to me, looking straight into my eyes, with surprise. "What do you mean?", he seemed genuinely confused. 

I took a deep breath. "Well, like, you're you. You're obviously super attractive, you're a famous athlete, you're talented, smart, focused, funny, kind, charming... I'm sure you could have your pick of anyone in Ohio - no, in America. Maybe even Canada too. And then, I'm just me."

"You think I'm attractive?" He said, eyebrows raising, blue eyes mischievous.

I rolled my eyes.

"But seriously, Casey," he continued, "I'm intrigued by you. I love that you know who you are, and what you're about. You're beautiful, you're smart, you're focused. And honestly, I kind of liked that you didn't know who I was."

I could feel the flush of red flowing up my face, I've never been good at accepting compliments. Especially from this remarkable specimen of a man sitting so very close to me right now.

"I really don't think you're giving yourself enough credit", he continued, "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the day I laid eyes on you. I wasn't going to push it, but when you texted me yesterday, I knew I didn't want to let you get away." 

He placed his large hand on my thigh, I think to comfort me because he could tell I was overwhelmed, but it had the opposite effect and made my heart beat 10 times faster.

"I like you too, Joe. I just don't know what this would look like. Dog groomer dates NFL superstar? I'm an introvert. Sometimes I get anxious if the grocery store is really busy."

Joe burst out laughing. "Maybe just don't overthink it, and we can see what happens?" He smiled, his eyes pleading with mine, feeling like they were reaching in and pulling directly on my heart. A smile started creeping across my face, despite my best efforts to convince myself there was just no way this was happening, and then Joe leaned in and planted his full, beautiful lips on mine, leaving absolutely no doubt that it really was. 

------------

The rest of the week was bliss. Late nights facetiming until we fell asleep, Joe stopping in with coffee for me at work (now that he knew that was my drink of choice). I was living for getting to know and understand him. I'd never known someone so focused, so loyal. He was incredibly intelligent, loved his family, he was thoughtful, awkward enough to allow me to believe he really was human, and so adorable when he tried to flirt. And probably most surprising, he was quite introverted too, preferring to keep a small circle, and still navigating the fame that he had now achieved. 

I also learned that the day before game day, as far as anyone in the world is concerned, Joe Burrow does not exist. He takes the day to focus, watch tape, and avoid distraction and chatter at all costs. He definitely takes his job seriously, but I get it, he loves what he does.

So Friday night he picked me up to go to his place for supper. He wanted to avoid a public outing, to avoid the media storm that was sure to follow. I thought that sounded like a great idea. He pulled up in his white G-Wagon around 7pm. 

I climbed up into the passenger side. 

"Did you lock your door?" He joked.

"Hilarious.", I replied, "why do you always drive this thing? Don't get me wrong, you look hot as hell behind the wheel, but I know you have a garage full of choices."

He blushed and tried to hide his smile. "Those were all phases I thought I was going through I guess. This thing is my favourite. And the least conspicuous". 

He put the vehicle in gear and reached across the console to hold my hand. It was a short drive to his house, despite us living in very different neighbourhoods. We walked into his house that already smelled like food as his cook was busy preparing game day prep-appropriate nutrition. We sat down on his oversized couch (he seemed to have purchased furniture more suited so his size), and he turned to look at me. He grabbed both my hands in his, making them all but disappear. 

"I have a question for you," he started.

Uh oh. Serious Joe was also unreadable Joe. 

"Oooook," I said nervously.

He squeezed my hands. 

"It's nothing bad, I was just wondering if you wanted to come to my game on Sunday. You don't have to sit in the suite, I can get you tickets for the stands. You can bring friends if you want. Whatever you want."

Oh boy. There is nothing I wanted more than to be there to support him, cheer him on, watch him do his thing, see him in those tight pants in person... But I wasn't sure I was ready for that kind of debut yet.

"Joe...."

He could sense my reservations immediately.

"It's ok," he reassured me, "I wanted you to have the invitation, I totally get it if we're...not there yet." He seemed genuine, but also a little sad. Damn those puppy dog eyes.

"It's not that, I just haven't really told anyone about us yet, I wasn't even sure there was anything to tell, and I barely understand the game, and if at any point you'd be there with me I'd be all for it, but I know that's not how game day works. I will be there, and soon....I think I just need a little more time." My eyes were pleading with him to understand. 

And of course he did. He wrapped me in a big hug. "I'm looking forward to that day, and it makes me unreasonably happy to hear you talk about the future, even if you're just talking three weeks from now." He was grinning like a fool. I was absolutely falling for this man.

"I have a proposition, perhaps a bit of a compromise. What if you come to my place after your game. I would really like to see you, especially if I have to be Joe-free tomorrow." I tried my best puppy dog eyes, and they seemed to work.

"I can do that," he agreed, "but if we don't win, I can't say how good of company I'll be".

"If we don't win?!" I mocked, "well that doesn't sound like Joe Burrow at all!"

He laughed. That was still my favourite. They didn't come easily, but I would spend my last day trying just to hear that beautiful sound. 

----------

Sunday afternoon I plopped down on the couch with a coffee, a blanket, and my phone. I turned on the tv to the game. And suddenly felt very, very nervous. I wasn't sure what the superstitions were about talking to the players before the game, but I decided to send Joe a quick text. Knowing him, he doesn't even look at his phone prior to a game. 

Have fun today. We're the lucky ones, getting paid to do what we love ❤️

He replied with the kissing face emoji: 😘

Swoon.

I spent most of the game googling - offside, the pocket, roughing the passer, why are they punting, what is a punt.....this was gonna be a steep learning curve. I also spent part of the game covering my eyes when Joe was about to get hit. This was so intense. It was a hard fought game, but three hours later the Bengals finished with a loss by two points. Now I was even more nervous. I was about to meet After a Loss Joe. Knowing how seriously he takes his job, I knew losses must hit him pretty hard. 

45 minutes after the game ended, the G Wagon's headlights shone into my front window. Well, he still came over so that was a good sign.

I opened the door to him not standing as tall as he usually does, but he still wrapped me in a hug and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. 

"Hi", I said softly, meeting his eyes. "I'm proud of you, that was amazing to watch". 

He offered a small smile and walked across the room to collapse on the couch.

I walked to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of tea  and him a glass of water, then joined him in the front room. I set the cups on the table, and sat down on his lap, running my hand through his freshly washed hair. He wrapped his long arms around my waist and rested his head against my shoulder. I didn't say anything, just listened to him breathe, while I breathed in his fresh shower scent, and enjoyed how small I felt on his expansive lap, with his strong arms enveloping me. 

Eventually he swung his legs up onto the couch and scooted down so he was laying down, taking up the whole length of the couch. He moved me to the side so I was tucked in between his body and the back of the couch. I rested my head on his chest.

"I just hate letting the guys down," he finally spoke.

I didn't offer a response. I didn't think he was looking for one.

"I fumbled that snap, I don't even know how, but that was about to be a big play, and instead it was nothing."

I pushed myself up onto my elbow so I could see his face. He stared at me for a minute.

"Aren't you gonna say anything?" He asked.

"What could I possibly have to offer? I spent the whole game googling terminology and covering my eyes cuz I was scared you were gonna get hurt!" I admitted.

Unexpectedly, his face relaxed, and he laughed. 

"If it helps, I thought you looked great, I found the game really exciting, for what I understood, and I kinda hoped you were gonna show up here in your uniform still because wow, apparently I love a man I uniform." I said with a knowing look. 

"Is that so?" He asked, a smirk on his face

He sat back up, and scooped me back onto his lap, this time so I was straddling him and looking right into those beautiful eyes. He stared at me for what felt like forever before saying, "You're my missing piece." 

"Sorry?" I replied, confused.

"It's just, I have everything I ever could have wanted from life, and I couldn't figure out why I still wasn't where I wanted to be. This is the first time I've ever held onto a little hope after a loss, because I still had something to look forward to. I was excited to come here. It's you, Case. I was missing you. And now here you are. And I'm sorry to tell you, but now that I have you, i'm never gonna let you go." His face was so soft, relaxed, certain.

I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. His sincerity made me emotional. I didn't risk speaking, as I knew my voice would give away how much I was feeling for him in that moment. Instead, I leaned into him and kissed him deeply. His tongue forced it's way into my mouth, playing tag with mine. I ran my hands through his hair like I'd been dreaming of doing all week. 

He slipped his hands under me and lifted us both off the couch in one swift movement. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, still kissing his mouth, his cheeks, his neck. 

He gently laid me down on my bed, and I shimmied my body up to my pillow. He climbed onto the bed on his hands and knees, hovering over me like a real Bengal tiger about to devour his prey. He started at my forehead and began working his way down, kissing every inch of me. He pulled down the shoulder of my shirt and planted soft, yet hungry kisses on my bare skin. He then pushed my shirt up, exposing my belly, kissing me more. I pulled the shirt over my head, exposing my bra. More kisses between the exposed parts of my breasts. Down to my belly button, where he began to unbutton my jeans. 

"You're so beautiful" be breathed out between kisses. 

"Hold on," I begged, and pulled his shirt over his head. I almost gasped, taking in every inch of his expansive, muscular torso. A bruise on his bicep, a scar on his belly, and the most phenomenal abs I'd ever seen. 

"You're ethereal." I panted.

"Your vocabulary is so sexy", he grinned, and continued planting kisses all over me. He pulled my jeans down and kissed his way back up my legs. When he made it to the warm, increasingly wet place between my legs, he sat up on his knees, taking in all of me. I should have felt self conscious, but instead I felt safe, even beautiful. I pulled him back into me and began sliding his track pants over his hips. He wasn't wearing underwear. His cock sprung out, erect and very large. I looked up at him, he was waiting for a response. I may have whimpered.

"Is this ok?" He asked.

"I can't think of anything I want more", I replied, perhaps a bit desperately.

He slid my panties down and let his fingers enter me. I couldn't have been any more wet, but the feel of his hard length rubbing against my thigh as he fingered me was making me feral. 

I put my hands on his shoulders, drawing his attention back to my face. "I want you," I panted, "all of you."

His face was flushed, and he smiled. He positioned himself back on top of me, and slowly pushed his hard cock into me. It slid in easily with how wet I was, and filled absolutely every bit of me. When he finally bottomed out, I gasped 

"Are you alright?" His face showed genuine concern. 

"Never been better," I reassured him. I wrapped my legs around him, taking in every inch, while he kissed my neck and thrusted into me, slowly, steadily. I was digging my nails into his back. He felt so good. I never wanted him to stop. He continue to place soft kisses down my neck, on my breasts, letting his tongue linger on my nipples. Despite how strong this man was, he couldn't have been more gentle and attentive. 

When his face was near mine again, I told him to roll over. Excitement flickered over his eyes, he smiled, and obeyed.

I straddled him and began grinding my hips against him. In this position, he went even deeper into me, I could feel him in my belly. I couldn't stop staring at him. The more I took in every perfect angle of his face and body, the quicker my body forced itself against him. My clit rubbing against his abdomen in my own slickness, I could feel myself reaching my climax.

"Are you close?" I breathed, holding onto him tightly.

"I'm ready when you are," he smiled.

I began rocking harder, faster, reaching around to cradle his heavy testicles, watching his face writhe in exquisite pleasure until I felt every nerve in me release while I pulled him in even deeper and tighter in the throes of orgasm. I felt him buck his hips into me while moaning in pleasure, savoring his own release. I collapsed onto his hard body, completely blissed out. 

He wrapped his arms around me, and whispered "wow..." Between ragged breaths. 

I rolled off of him and curled in beside him as tightly as possible. His arm around my back, mine draped over his perfect torso.

"After that, I won't be going anywhere either, just so you know." I told him while tracing small circles with my finger around his chest. 

"Nothing would make me happier," he smiled, and turned to kiss my cheek. 

I guess I better start figuring out how to be a little more comfortable in crowds....

----------

[gothamhappiness]

Being in a relationship with Bruce Wayne: a journey - Hi, Jason (Part V)

It's a big series about an afab!reader who doesn't like Bruce Wayne and who still falls in love with him (he fells quicker and harder)

Reader's origin story // Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

Warnings: no proof reading, Jason's relationships with Bruce and Dick are discussed, mentions of Joker, violence, death

You met with Dick again in a bookstore. At first, you thought that it was quite a strange coincidence, until you saw him trying to talk with a very big boy who didn’t seem very interested in talking with him. Dick appeared upset ; the other boy was just shrugging and trying to focus on the books in front of him. 

You hesitated to go to them; you didn’t want to intrude. You weren’t too sure to recognise the other boy, but his face somehow seemed familiar. What decided you was where they were standing: the classic literature aisle of the store. Which was what you were looking for when you entered the shop.

You thought you could just say hi and then leave them alone if your presence was annoying them. You carefully walked to them.

“Hey Dick” you greeted the boy who turned around and instantly smiled at you. 

You weren’t too sure if it was a real smile yet, so you didn’t come closer to him, but his answer showed he was actually glad to see you.

“Hey, Y/N! What are you doing here?” he asked

“Buying books I guess.” you teased “I was looking for Mansfield Park or Emma, now I finished Pride and Prejudice” you said. 

The big boy to whom Dick was trying to talk to, quickly turned around and looked you up and down. He watched you with curiosity sparkling in his green eyes. Dick took his chance before his brother could go back to the cover of the book he was holding.

“Y/N, this is Jason, my little brother. You seem to share the same taste in books” Dick introduced the two of them

“Hi, Jason” you smiled as you cautiously observed him, remembering who he was now you knew his name.

You remembered what you read about Bruce and his son “who came back from the dead” and all the headlines about “Bruce arguing with his adoptive son”. It had quite broken your heart at the time.

“You’re Bruce’s new girlfriend?” he asked you quite bluntly

“I hate titles and I hate to feel like a possession. But yes, I'm currently seeing Bruce.” you replied and Jason nodded “I’m surprised you heard about me.” you added. 

“Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. It's just that things are rocky with Bruce.” Jason said and you reassuringly smiled at him “And yeah, everyone is talking about you in the “family”. Dick and Tim said you were nice.” Jason explained his first coldness to you

“I understand; Bruce isn’t always easy and you don’t know me” you nodded

“Ah yeah?” Jason arched an eyebrow at you. 

He had expected you to take Bruce’s defence, like everyone else.

“Let’s say that I like challenges.” you smiled “And I’m not Bruce’s lawyer” you joked

“You should thank god for that, or you would have a lot of work” Jason grinned and you could tell Dick was quite happy about the current interaction.

“Can I buy the two of you a drink or something? Or a meal” you asked. “There is this sweet little café right outside the bookstore” you offered

You actually wanted to know more of them. Jason was curious about you so he agreed. Dick wanted to come as well, but he quickly received a call from Büdhaven. He reluctantly left the two of you together. Dick would have enjoyed some time with his brother too, but maybe you would help. If you helped with Bruce, he was certain you could do pretty much anything. At the same time, he really hoped Jason wasn’t going to scare you away from the family as a way to avenge himself.

But you knew better; you had met Red Hood before and you liked him.

You settled in the café. You started to talk about literature at first. You were both passionate so it was a good conversation starter. You gave each other some recommendations and debated on characters you liked or disliked. Your point of views on characters were often based on your experiences, so it naturally led to a conversion about each other’s lives. And of course, you arrived at the subject of Bruce Wayne.

“I’ll tell him to apologise to you. He shouldn’t have acted that way even if I do agree with the no killing rule” you said “You’re both right in a way, but… Bruce should have talked to you, he should have let you know what was going on with the Joker and why he couldn’t kill him. Why you couldn't kill him either. He should have been there to appease your anger, not the opposite” you said

“You’ll quickly learn that he doesn’t talk much. Especially not about his feelings. If it gets too personal, he’ll push the subject away. If it can hurt him, he’ll run away. He's a bad dad for that. And he might be a bad partner to you as well” Jason told you

“I’m sorry about what happened to you. It must have been so difficult to wake up without your family. And in a body you didn’t know. You did good, despite the murders and everything. Actually, Red Hood has always been my favourite vigilante” you admitted without commenting on the last part of Jason’s words. You wanted to believe that Bruce would make an effort for you.

Jason chuckled as you mentioned his vigilante persona.

“It’s true you never wrote anything bad about me. I thought you were scared of me… Until I realised we actually met” he teased, his eyes litting up

“Oh you remember? Yes I used to live in your territory, and now I’m nearby. I stand by what I said that night: I know what you did for people like us, that’s why I thanked you. Bruce can’t understand what it is to be poor and lost and to have to do bad things to survive. But I’ll make sure he does better with you.” you said “Just promise me to speak with Dick. Your brother looks like he is very eager to have you back in his life. He seemed very sorry you weren’t speaking with him earlier” you added

“I will try to talk with him again then. Thank you for… Thank you. I think I really needed to have this conversation with somebody but no one wanted to have it and I couldn’t really go to a therapist. You’re easy to talk with” he whispered, a little bit awkward

“I know” you smiled “I’m glad if I’ve been able to help”

“Is it your good action of the day to go to Heaven?” Jason joked 

“Absolutely” you giggled

A moment of comfortable silence engulfed the two of you. You both enjoyed your tea before you resumed talking:

“Hey you know what, this is my phone number. You can call or text me whenever you need it.” you offered

“Why?” Jason plunged his eyes onto yours. 

He was definitely not used of adults being there for him, especially without a catch

“Well I’m afraid I’m a family woman and my own family sucks very much. And since Bruce wants me around, I’d prefer it if I can get along with his people. I’d like to take care of you all.” you admitted, feeling a little shy to say all of this out loud.

Jason was also very easy to talk to.

“I don’t think I’m one of his people. Not anymore at least.” Jason sadly smiled at you

“You can be one of mine then. Take it as a repayment for allowing me to go back home every night without having to worry about anyone slicing my throat off” you insisted

“All the pleasure’s mine” he chuckled before saving your number onto his phone “You know, everyone says Bruce is nicer since you’re around. I have to admit this is true. Maybe happiness can truly change a man” 

“Even a bat?” you joked because Jason’s words were touching you a little more than you wanted to show it

“Even a bat” Jason nodded

A few days later, you received a message from Jason, clearly tasting the water with you.

J: Hey wanna go have some lunch together today or tomorrow?

You: Today sounds good :)

After this, you regularly had lunch together and Jason clearly started to see you as a motherly figure, and you saw him as a son. He crashed at your place more than once after patrol, so you could eat together. Bruce never commented on your relationship with Jason, but he heard you when you asked him to apologise.

Which he did.

Jason accepted it and tried his best with Dick and his other siblings. He was still feeling awkward around everyone, but he was slowly spending more time at the manor, even when Bruce was there. 

When Bruce asked if you wanted to meet all of his children anytime soon, you agreed but you instantly sent a message to Jason to make sure he would be there as well. He eagerly agreed because he couldn’t wait for you to be officially a member of the Batfamily.

--

PART 6

--

Taglist for all my work <3

@blublock404

@wind-canoe

@silverklaus

@couldeatthatgirlforlunch

Taglist for Bruce Wayne <3

@alishii

Taglist for this series <3

@Esposadomd

@moraxussy

@resident-cryptid

@legendarypiratecheesecake

@randomnamedmira

[thecircularlibrary]

helooooo

i love your writing!!

can u pls do a lyrason as parents one shot?

tyyy

aw thank you <3 here you go!!!!

oh darling don't you ever grow up

Grayson x Lyra

warnings: n/a

words: 1135

border credit: @strangergraphics-archive

Gianna Annelise Hawthorne was the most beautiful thing Grayson had ever laid eyes on. Nothing could’ve prepared him for the feeling of holding his daughter for the first time. Lyra was looking up at him, and no matter how much other people might say she was a mess, to him, she was glowing. He looked into Gianna’s brown eyes and he saw nothing but her mother in them, in every single way that mattered. Her tiny hand grabbed his finger and he lifted it and kissed it, promising her that he’d be there. Promising her that he’d care, that she’d never have to feel what he and his brothers had felt.

Lyra’s mom told the nurse to open the door and let in Grayson’s family. The sudden cacophony of sounds that entered the serene room should’ve been something Grayson anticipated, but he didn’t. Gigi, Avery, and Savannah went to Lyra’s side as his brothers went to his. Nash was the first to hold her. Jameson was the first to cry.

✠⚞☀⚟✠

“Sweetheart, you can sit on the counter while I make breakfast, but if you do, it has to be over there,” Grayson pointed to the actual counter, not the island where Gia had been seated 3 minutes ago. He was making waffles; past-tense. Present-tense, Grayson was covered in flour. His five-year-old daughter was giggling as he picked her up and moved her. 

“Grayson, have you seen my—Oh!” Lyra covered her face in a laugh before walking over to Gia. 

“Gia…what did you do?” Lyra was giggling the exact same laugh as their daughter. Meanwhile, Grayson was still covered in flour. He looked at her, completely deadpan.

“Oh, is something funny?”

Lyra covered her face with her hand, but Grayson could still see a smile in her eyes.

“Nope. Nothing funny here. In fact, this is very serious and I think it calls for an emergency DoorDash order,” Lyra was fighting to keep a straight face in her jeans and graphic tee—the pro of working as a Google software engineer was that she could dress functionally without needing to dress seriously. Grayson had to remind himself to stop thinking about her clothes by looking at the half-mixed waffle batter (which they no longer had enough flour to finish) and then looking at his daughter.

“Yes it does. In fact, it sounds like an emergency IHOP order. For two,” Grayson raised his eyebrows at his wife who was still trying to keep a straight face. They both avoided looking at their daughter who had gasped at Grayson’s words.

“Daddy, I want waffles too,” she said quietly. She was a very soft-spoken child and she rarely yelled. The softness of the statement made his heart melt. Even though Lyra was usually the first to cave, Grayson lost this battle.

✠⚞☀⚟✠

“You aren’t wearing that.”

When Grayson was old enough to have kids, he had told himself that he would just let them make their own decisions about what they wore to school. Especially because he already knew he was going to put them in Heights Country Day as soon as they were old enough (the ninth grade). And he really wanted to stand by that decision.

Until his daughter tried to go to her first day of eighth grade in a mini skirt. A Lululemon mini skirt. 

“But Dad, I have tennis after school today and it’s literally a tennis skirt. It saves me so much time if I don’t have to change,” said Gia. She looked exasperated and tired of her father.

“You also have ballet after school some days but I don’t see you wearing a leotard and tights to school on those days, now do I?” This time, it was Lyra that had spoken. “I’ve had long conversations with you about what you can wear to school versus what you should wear to school and I want you to guess where this one falls.”

“Ugh.”

“Answer, Gianna Annelise.”

“Under what I can and not what I should…” Gianna sighed.

“Exactly,” Grayson said. Before he could continue, Lyra shot him a look.

“Please change, Gia,” Lyra pleaded.

“Okay Mom.” Gia walked back upstairs and to her room.

“Mom? I’m the one who told her to change?” Grayson stood confused by the stairs.

“Girls tend to listen to their moms, Gray. It’s nothing personal, I promise,” Lyra said as she patted his cheek and went outside to start the car. He shook his head and questioned how he got lucky enough to have a daughter that was exactly like his wife.

✠⚞☀⚟✠

“Dad! I’m gonna be late if we don’t hurry! I have to get to the tryout clinic early so I can learn the routine early so I can teach it so they can consider me for captain!” Gianna was standing by the door in cheer shorts and a shirt, ready for her junior year cheer tryouts. Grayson was still getting his shoes on.

“I’ll be right there, Gia, it’ll be alright. You’re the best one there so I’m sure they’ll pick you anyways.”

“Thank you, Dad, but that isn’t true. Besides, even if it was, that’s not enough. I need to show leadership and commitment. And I can’t do that if I’m late!” Gianna lost her soft-spoken nature when she got older.

“Okay, okay, I’m ready, let’s go,” Grayson grabbed his keys and went to leave.

“Wait, Dad!”

Grayson whipped around.

“Yes, Gia?”

Gianna grinned.

“Can I drive?”

✠⚞☀⚟✠

Years later, when Grayson was making a senior video for Gianna’s final cheer banquet, he remembered her tiny hands on the day she was born. He remembered her curly hair that bounced as he moved her from counter to counter when he tried to make breakfast in the morning. He remembered her personality growing more and more like her mothers as she grew up. He also remembered things like her joy the first time she did a tumbling pass. Her face when she was fitted for her first pair of pointe shoes. The grin she had when she won her first doubles match. 

He remembered Gianna’s first homecoming and how her cousin Hannah had insisted on Lyra and Avery making them mums. He remembered, specifically, Lyra’s struggle and the way it had been worth it when he and Jameson got to take pictures of their daughters next to each other at their last homecoming. This time, Grayson cried first. 

When she cheered her last football game. When she danced her last Nutcracker with her ballet company. When she played her last doubles match, and won. These memories and their subsequent tears tore through Grayson’s mind. All of Gianna’s lasts. All the things she wouldn’t experience again.

So when he finished the slideshow and needed to pick a song, he knew exactly which one to pick.

[pichiru]

The Sun Also Smiles - Chapter 5

Chapters - [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Summary - With Mabel and Dipper's 16th birthday party on the horizon, Grunkle Stan takes to online dating to find a date for the party. Things start to get real weird real fast.

Word Count - 3,582

Pairing(s) - Stan Pines x OC

Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Mystery

~~~~~~~~

“Sixer, is this really necessary?” Stan panted as he was running on a treadmill in their lab. He was keeping up just fine but of course he was a little winded. Being on a boat nonstop for two years will do that to you.

“Yes, it’s extremely necessary because I don’t want to wake up tomorrow morning and hear that my brother died from over exerting himself if he…” Ford cleared his throat with his fist over his mouth. “Happens to “get lucky” the night before.”

“Why do ya talk about sex like you’re the kids’ ages? Like ya don’t sneak off in the dead of night to be with Fiddleford,” Stan said loudly, unable to control the volume of his voice from running so much.

“Shut it!” Ford snapped as his face reddened from Stan’s words. He was completely unaware that his brother knew about that and now he was self conscious.

Stan cheesed, pleased with himself that he outed his brother the same way he outed him to the kids. “How much longer do I gotta run?? I gotta take another shower cuz of ya!”

“You should wanna freshen up before a date. Anyways, you can stop at any time. Nobody told you to run. I told you to just get on the treadmill. You’re the one who started running like there were demons chasing you,” Ford said in a snide tone.

“Oh for fuck’s sake…” Stan growled, immediately turning the treadmill down to a comfortable speed before hopping off. “Are your tests conclusive?” He asked as he went to the fridge that was in the lab. Ford spent long hours down here since they were back and Stan thought to get a fridge installed so he could stay hydrated at least. He saw a jug of water and sighed in relief.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ford said with his back to Stan, waving his hand dismissively. “You’ll do just fine if you get lucky tonight. I have no doubts. Just watch that your heart doesn’t start feeling funny,” he explained while he wrote on a piece of paper.

Meanwhile, Stan was chugging the water and let out a loud sigh then burped loudly. He put the half finished jug in the fridge and closed it. He wiped his mouth followed by his forehead to get rid of what sweat he could for the moment.

“If I do get lucky, can I bring her down here? Don’t wanna scar the kids. Not somethin they need to be around honestly,” he half joked.

“Yeah, sure,” Ford said, waving his hand again. He wasn’t paying attention in the slightest anymore. He was too focused on what he was doing to hear any of what Stan was saying.

“Loser says, yeah?” Stan said quickly.

“Yea- Oh, good grief,” Ford groaned, putting his head in his hand in defeat. Stan’s obnoxious laughter could be heard receding as he went upstairs to get ready for his date.

Mabel was sitting in Stan’s recliner when he came up from the lab. He walked into the living room.

“Hiiii, Grunkle Stan,” she said cutely.

“Hi, Pumpkin,” he said, ruffling her hair affectionately as he walked past her. “Bein good?”

“As alwaaayyyssss,” Mabel said with a grin.

“Good. Take care of your brother tonight for me, alright? He seems like he needs a lot of support right now.” Stan started up the steps then stopped and looked at Mabel.

“Can I ask you somethin?”

“Anything for yooouuuuu!” She chirped happily.

“What should I get her for our first date?” He asked shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” Mabel hummed for what felt like centuries.

“Cmon kid, I ain’t got all day,” he said playfully.

“She looks like the type to enjoy flowers if they were very specific flowers,” she said honestly.

“Specific flowers?” Stan asked, intrigued by this thought process now.

“Yeah like don’t get her just any old bouquet of random flowers. I’ve seen rose and sunflower bouquets. The red and yellow look soooooooooooo good together. Also! She just seems like a sunflower kinda lady. You know that special fact about sunflowers right?”

“No?” Stan said in a tone that gave his confusion away immediately.

“Sunflowers always face the sun no matter what. And I think, if I remember correctly, if there’s no sun, they face each other. So you could be all corny, hand her the bouquet, and say, “wow! I didn’t know you were the sun with the way these sunflowers are facing you!” Or something like that,” Mabel mimicked in her best Stan voice.

Stan stared at her with a deadpan expression, not buying it in the least bit. “I’ll get her the flowers but there’s no way in hell I’m sayin all that.”

“Why nootttttt! It’s cute! I think she’d appreciate it!” she pouted cutely.

“I think she’d laugh me out of house and home,” Stan chuckled.

“Noooooo! She’s really nice! I don’t think she’d do that to you,” she said, nodding to emphasize her point.

“If you say so kid. Anyway, I’m gonna go get dressed. Don’t let the tv or the phone rot your brain,” Stan said, walking up the stairs.

“Suuuurrreeee!” She said before whipping her phone out immediately and texting the group chat she had with Grenda and Candy.

Mabel said:

Guuuuyyysssss

Candy said:

What’s up Mabel!

Mabel said:

My Grunkle Stan is going on a date tonight and I kinda wanna spy on them 😼😽

Grenda said:

Spy on them?? How would you do that?

Mabel said:

Welllllllllll the driving age is 16 here and Candy is 16,,,,,,,,,,and she has her driver’s license,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mabel said:

���😼😼

Candy said:

I don’t think my parents would let me drive this late in the day

Mabel said:

That’s why yooouuuuuuuuu sneak ouuuuttttt. Just this one time! Please please please please please please pleeeeaaaassseeeeeeereeee 🙏🏻

Candy said:

Sighhhhhhhhh fine. This one ☝🏻 (1) time

Grenda said:

OOOOOOH SPY MISSION SPY MISSION!!!

Mabel said:

Operation Date Night is a go 😈

Mabel hopped up from the chair then hurried up to her and Maze's bedroom. "Maze! Maze, Maze, Maze!" She repeated excitedly but enough to where Stan couldn't hear if he happened to be listening too hard.

"Whaaaaaaaat?" Maze asked in an annoyed tone. He was laying on his bed and reading a comic book when Mabel jumped on his bed.

"Wanna go on a spy mission with me and the girls?" she asked as she got extremely close to Maze's face. Her nose was pressed against his cheek which made her breathe heavily on him over and over again.

"A spy mission? Who are you spying on?" he asked, looking out of the corner of his eye so he didn't move to look at her.

"Grunkle Staaaaaannnnnnnn."

Maze fully turned his head to look at his insanity driven sister. "Mabel, isn't that a little...extreme?"

"Well yeah but don't you wanna make sure that this lady isn't some weirdo freak?" She retorted simply. "I wanna make sure Grunkle Stan is happy and taken care of in his old...er...age. That's all."

Maze sighed heavily. "Okay, even if I agreed to go along with this insane plan, how would we even get there?"

"Candy has her license," Mabel said in a singsong voice as she grinned from ear to ear.

He stared at Mabel for what seemed like 117 business days. "Fine," he said simply. "But if this goes downhill for us, I'm gonna say I told you so. Deal?"

Mabel laughed at that. "Deal!"

"Do you even know where they're going?" he asked.

"I asked Grunkle Ford and he said that they're going to some...wine tasting event at the art gallery. I dunno. Adults are weird," she explained.

"Huh. I knew Grunkle Stan was the artsy type but I didn't think he'd share that so readily with someone he just met. I only found out from Grunkle Ford recently in a correspondence from when they were out on their voyage."

"Mhm, mhm," she responded, nodding her head with her arms folded across her chest thoughtfully. "I'm gonna tell Candy to come get us after Grunkle Stan leaves. I know exactly which gallery they're going to. It's so nice from what I remember."

"Okay. Come get me when they're here and you're ready," Maze said, giving her a quick nod before going back to reading his comic book.

"You're the best little brother I could ever ask for!" Mabel said as she tackle hugged him.

"Hey, hey! Easy on the little stuff!" He said in a strained voice, starting to blush.

"I thought you were over that stuff??"

"Sometimes," he grumbled in response.

"Maze, you're always gonna be the little brother. You just have to learn to live with it at this point," Mabel teased, poking his side which caused him to flinch from being ticklish in that spot.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure," he laughed gently.

About an hour passed before Stan emerged from his room. There was a tolerable smell of cologne wafting off of him and his hair was done perfectly to his standards. He had on a black button up shirt with a fancier than usual, but still simple, gold chain adorned around his neck. His pants were simple but he definitely put on his best pair of shoes for this event. He even put in some old earrings he forgot he had.

Nobody ever really noticed except Ford because his hair was shaggy majority of the time but Stan had six piercings. Three on each ear. One on each lobe and two going up the outsides of his ears. There were two gold hoops and four gold studs. The man even shaped up his beard of all things. He felt amazing and most of all, ecstatic, about this date.

"Kids?" Stan called to the twins in the hallway. "I'm headin out! Be nice and try not to kill each other. Take care of Ford too!" he yelled out to them as he started down the hall to go down the stairs.

"Grunkle Stan!!" Quick and heavy footsteps could be heard closing the space behind Stan. Mabel held up her closed fist at him with her fingers facing upwards. "Give these to her," she said sweetly.

Stan turned to see what Mabel was going on about. "What is it?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow as he stared at her closed hand.

Mabel opened her hand to reveal a pair of well made conversation heart earrings that read, "Be Mine" and "Sweetheart". One was yellow and the other was pink. "She seems like a conversation heart kinda gal. Tell her you commissioned me for these and watch how fast she swoons," she suggested with a wink.

Stan stared at the earrings then took them from her gently. He smiled at the gesture and closed his hand around them. "Thanks, Pumpkin. Appreciate this a lot."  He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

She giggled and blushed shyly. "Let me know how she likes them!!"

"I will. Solana's an artist too and I know she'll appreciate how much work ya put into this, kid." Stan smiled at her gratefully while he patted the top of her head lovingly.

Her eyes sparkled at that fact. "I'd love to see her work some time!"

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind showin ya. Just be patient, yeah?"

Mabel nodded quickly, pursing her lips at the same time. "I got ya!" She winked at him.

"Okay, I gotta get goin," he said as he checked the flashy time piece he had on his left arm. "Don't wanna be late to my first date in years." He chuckled. A date. That felt funny to say out loud.

"Yeah! Gogogoogogogogo!" She urged eagerly, pushing him to go down the stairs faster. "I wanna hear all about it when you get home!"

Stan laughed to himself. As if he'd tell her every single thing. Especially if things were to get a little heated like they did earlier at the store. He made it to the bottom of the stairs intact, no thanks to Mabel still pushing him. She didn't stop until they were at the front door. "Gooooooooo!"

"I'm goin, I'm goin!" he snorted, opening the door to leave. "Be good, kid." Stan closed the door behind himself and walked to his car.

Mabel whipped out her phone immediately and texted the new group chat that she'd made with Maze, Candy, and Grenda.

Mabel said:

Guys. Operation Date Night is a go. 😈

Candy said:

Got it. On my way. 🚗

Grenda said:

I'M SO EXCITED!! 🗣

Maze said:

Ready as I can be to spy on my grunkle

On the drive to the gallery, Stan sang along to the radio to every song that played. Either he listened to the radio too much or they needed to find new songs to play for once. Maybe it was both. He didn't really care either way. It was a way to work off the nerves he was feeling the closer he got to the gallery.

He'd already met her and kissed her but he still wanted to make a good impression on her anyway. He _had_ to. There had to be some way to make for his behavior earlier. Hopefully the earrings Mabel made for her would butter her up even more in his favor. Make it look like he loved his niece and believed in her work. Which does. Obviously.

Once he arrived, he parked the car and cut the radio off to sit there in silence. The nerves were creeping back up on him slowly the longer he sat there in deep thought.

Stan reached in his pocket for his phone to see if Solana messaged him. And by a stroke of luck, she did.

Solana said:

I'm inside whenever you get here. I'm the one in the long and frilly off the shoulder affair 😋🖤 It's all black

Stan 🖤🖤🖤 said:

Alright I'm here I'll be in

Solana smiled at the message before putting her phone back into her purse and waiting for Stan. She was just as nervous as he was, surprisingly. She started fidgeting with her hands to try and work some of the energy off.

Breathe in.

It's okay.

Breathe out.

He's a nice guy. He won't be weird.

Breathe in.

What's to be nervous about?

Breathe out.

What if he thought she was…promiscuous…for throwing herself at him?

Breathe in.

He definitely thought that.

Breathe out. Breathe in.

Oh God.

Breathe out. Breathe in. Breath out.

He does.

In. Out. In. Out.

He does???

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. In…

He does.

The speed of her breathing quickened alongside the speed of her thoughts. It started to become overwhelming almost immediately. Everything around her started to sound extremely deafening but unintelligible gibberish at the same time. Her head started spinning the longer she sat there with herself. It became unbearable.

"...ana?" A voice said through the fog.

"Huh?" She said softly, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

"Solana?" Stan's voice said clearly, snapping her back to reality promptly.

"S-Stan," Solana said softly as she tried to compose herself. She adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder. After shaking her head a little to reduce the fog in her brain, she saw Stan clearly. Smelled him too. He smelled so...*good*.

Stan was standing there with a bouquet of roses and sunflowers like Mabel suggested with a distressed look on his face. He was worried sick about the state Solana seemed to be in at the moment.

“Wow, you look fucking amazing,” she complimented as she looked him from head to toe a few times over. “The sexy black shirt. We just so happened to wear all black and match? That’s cute. And oooh, the earrings? You really pulled out all the stops,” she rambled, trying to get the residual nerves to go away at this point.

Stan’s entire face turned red at the compliments she rapidly fired at him. He was completely speechless.

“I…uh…speakin of earrings. I…I had these commissioned for you. From my niece,” Stan said after clearing his throat. He pulled earrings from a little part on the bouquet and handed them to her in a decorative baggie. The florist did him a solid and gave him a mini bag for them.

Solana took the baggie gently and opened it then poured them into her hand. A soft look plastered itself on her face. It was an expression that held admiration for Stan and happiness that he’d even think of something like this so quickly.

“Stan, I…”

“Oh! It’s not me askin ya to do anything ya don’t wanna,” he said quickly, his embarrassment becoming much clearer the longer they stood there in silence. His neck and ears heated up.

Solana stepped forward then stretched onto her tippy toes in her heels to place a kiss on his lips. Stan cleared his throat to hide the pride he felt in getting another kiss from her.

“Thank you. I love these. I’ll put them on right now, actually.” And she did just that. As she was putting them on, she finally turned her full attention to what was in Stan’s hands.

“Flowers? For me?” She asked, tears clear in her tone. “Homemade earrings and a bouquet of flowers so delicately made and designed? For me?” She asked again as she started sniffling.

“WAIT, why are you cryin!” Stan said, holding his free hand out at her. Admittedly, he didn’t know what to do with her like this so he waited until she told him what she needed.

“Should I get ya some tissues??” He asked worriedly.

“No, no. I’m fine,” she said through her copious amounts of sniffles as she pulled a jet black and lace trimmed handkerchief from her cleavage. Stan blinked at that motion. That was…kinda hot. Solana started dabbing her the waterline of her eyes with the cloth then patted her cheeks dry.

“I’m sorry. It’s just so sweet of you to do all of this and I don’t have anything for you.”

“S’fine, toots. I don’t need anything,” Stan deflected quickly.

Solana rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I asked or said. Now I have to get you something as equally or even more amazing than these gifts. Can I?” She asked, holding her hands out for the flowers.

“Oh, yeah. Sure. They’re all yours,” he said while putting the flowers into her hands gently. “I got ya sunflowers cuz ya been lightin up my life like the purest ray of sunshine since we met and sunflowers always face the sun no matter what. So…yeah.” He took Mabel’s advice but he tried to doctor it up a little from what she originally said.

“Stan, that is…” She started sniffling again. “That’s the sweetest thing a man has ever said to me. You got game, old man,” she joked through her stifled tears.

“Yeah, you know, I try,” he said with a shrug and charming half smile that could only be interpreted as him trying to be humble but failing miserably.

Solana giggled at his attempt to seem nonchalant. “You’re so funny,” she sniffled once more, wiping her eyes and cheeks again. After she did that, she folded the handkerchief up and put it back in her cleavage.

“Are you…ready to get this show on the road? It’s a night of fine wine and fine art beside a fine man.”

“With a fine lady on my arm,” Stan added before holding out his arm for her to take.

She let out an excited but quiet “ooh” sound then took his arm just as he wanted her to. “Wanna get the wine before or after the art?”

“After. I don’t wanna be tipsy for this,” he said honestly.

“I respect that so much,” she said sweetly. “Lead the way?”

“Glad to do it, toots.” Stan started towards the beginning of the gallery with his date on his arm and his confidence through the roof. He leaned down closer to her ear. “Ya look great by the way. I’m diggin the whole goth vibe. It’s sexy,”he said in a low voice.

“Oh!” She said as her face flushed. “Thank you.”

As they walked deeper into the gallery, Mabel, Maze, Candy, and Grenda were peeking around a corner and watching from afar. Mabel and Candy were borderline crying at how Stan managed to pull everything together and make it cohesive.

“I am so proud of him!” Candy nearly sobbed.

“The sunshine line was my idea. He just dressed it up a bit,” Mabel said in a wavering voice as her bottom lip quivered.

Maze rolled his eyes and, of course, put his hands in his pockets. “You guys are so mushy.”

“Guys, they’re getting away from us! We have to focus!” Grenda said as she grabbed Mabel’s face and held it tightly in place. “We have to see,” she whispered.

“Grenda’s right. We gotta go!” Mabel said in a louder than she should voice. Maze immediately covered her mouth.

“Do you wanna ruin your own covert operation??” He asked her. She shook her head. “Then we gotta be quieter so we don’t get found out. Got it?” She nodded and he removed his hand from her mouth.

“Let’s go,” Candy whispered, sneaking forward to try and catch up to Stan and Solana at a reasonable distance. Everyone else crept beside her.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 82

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe: Military School

Words: 5K

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Friday, April 22nd; 10:30 PM - Porto Beach.

Who would have thought we had a little bit of luck in this life? For our last evening in Portugal, we get to attend a concert on the beach. It's a beautiful way to wrap up our vacation.

“Are you having fun?” my girlfriend asks me at the end of a song.

“Oh yes!”

She laughs as I struggle to catch my breath. I don’t like dancing, and yet, I’m having the time of my life tonight. I’m literally drenched in sweat, and it takes a lot for that to happen.

“I can see that. You should take a break.”

“I think you’re right.”

“Shall we go sit further away?” suggests Alexia, who must have overheard us.

“Yes, good idea. Plus, the later it gets, the more crowded it seems.”

Lucy takes my hand to follow the others and lead us out of the crowd. A few minutes later, we find ourselves sitting on the sand. I settle between Lucy’s legs, and she pulls me close against her. We have a perfect view of the stage. I turn my head towards our friends, who are sitting in the same position. It’s really cool to be with them. Our couples have a perfect harmony, and we enjoy the same things. I don’t have time to think more before I feel Lucy’s lips on my neck. I smile and tilt my head a little more to give her access.

“It’s over,” I whisper.

“What is?”

“These holidays. Our little bubble.”

“Hmm... I’d say you’re wrong. Everything is just beginning.”

“How so?”

I think I can feel her amused breath escaping against my neck.

“Well, everything is just starting. Our bubble won’t disappear as long as we’re together.”

My smile grows wider. Actually, maybe she’s right. When we get back, we’ll finally be at ease. We’ve done a lot of things recently, including meeting her family. Everyone was fantastic. Jenni’s family was invited too, so I had Alexia’s support as I wanted, but I didn’t need it. I was really well received. It was truly a warm celebration. I understood why family is so important to Lucy when I saw her so close with hers. They’re close-knit, unlike mine. However, she still hasn’t talked to me about what she’s hiding. The harmony was so strong that I didn’t dare to spoil anything.

“I’m so thirsty!” Alexia complains. “Would you mind coming with me to the bar?” she asks.

“If you want, sure.”

“I can go if you’d like,” offers Lucy.

“No, don’t worry. We’ll be right back.”

I turn around to peck her lips before getting up. We leave with Alexia, leaving our partners behind us.

“I’m going to miss these holidays so much,” she comments.

“Same here.”

“Leaving here will bring us back to reality with a thud, given what awaits us when we return.”

“Oh no, please! Now’s not the time to think about the exam.”

Alexia laughs.

“Well? Haven’t you studied enough yet?”

“Yes, but it’s stressful.”

“Come on, you still have an entire week to work on the most difficult parts.”

“Hmm. We’re not there yet anyway.”

“You’re right. We have another problem on our hands.”

Indeed. We find ourselves in front of the stand, which is packed with people. I sigh, running my hand through my hair.

“We’re going to be here for a while, I think,” she says.

“Yeah.”

We wait for the line to shorten and keep ourselves busy chatting. We talk about a lot of things, but that’s what’s great about Alexia. We can talk about anything without any limits.

“So, with Lucy? Have you managed to find out what she’s hiding?”

I shake my head but smile, thinking about her. The way she looks at me every time I leave warms my heart. It’s like she’s afraid something might happen to me at any moment.

“No, not yet.”

“And doesn’t it bother you not knowing?”

“A little, but not too much. I kept secrets from her for a long time too.”

“That’s true,” she smiles.

When it’s finally our turn, we order our drinks and get something for Lucy and Jenni as well. We leave the crowded stand to return to our partners. I take a deep breath once we’re free.

“Phew, I thought we’d never get out of there.”

“Me too,” I giggle. “It’s suffocating with so many people.”

I nod. A year ago, I couldn’t even imagine being in such a place. I’ve come a long way since then. We head back to our spot. Unfortunately, two men, barely older than us, block our path. They look around Lucy’s age.

“Hey there, pretty ladies.”

“Oh great,” groans Alexia. “Just what we needed.”

Indeed, this is not good timing. With all these people, anyone could be around. Apparently, our skill with Alexia is attracting jerks who have had enough to drink to approach two girls alone.

“Are you going to join your friends?”

“No, our partners, actually,” Alexia answers, raising her drinks.

“Really? Who’d be dumb enough to leave two beautiful girls alone if that were true?”

I start to feel scared. I don’t like this situation, especially the way they’re being so pushy. Bad memories resurface.

“They’re not alone.”

Relief floods over me as I feel Lucy’s arm wrap around my waist. I look at her over my shoulder. She’s tense. Much more than she’s ever been.

“Lucy the loner,” one of the guys in front of us says in surprise. “That’s a surprise.”

Her grip on my hip tightens. I can feel her boiling beside me. I turn my gaze back to these guys, who suddenly seem less unfamiliar. Lucy the loner... What’s that about? I don’t like seeing Lucy like this. I lean over to kiss her cheek and take the opportunity to whisper in her ear.

“Let it go, baby. They’re not worth it.”

“Well, it seems like you’re not so lonely anymore.”

“Well, well. Jarod and Tom. It seems fate has brought us together again.”

“Of course, where Lucy is, Jenni is never far behind.”

Her presence reassures me.

“Let it go and move on. Neither of these girls are available.”

“Well. It looks like Lucy has finally found someone. That’s quite surprising. We all thought you’d end up alone forever.”

These words make me take a deep breath. I really don’t like the way these guys talk to Lucy. They don’t respect her. They talk about her as if she’s never going to achieve anything in her life, as if... as if she’s worthless. And I know what that feels like. I’ve felt that way enough times in my life to know what it’s like. I look at Lucy, who doesn’t even react. That’s definitely a first. She put me in my place plenty of times when we first met. I can’t let them talk about her like this. I just can’t help myself.

“Can you hold this for me, please?” I ask Lucy calmly, handing her the drinks.

My girlfriend takes them with total disbelief. Once my hands are free, I step forward toward these men who think they can act however they want, and I grab the front of the shirt of the first one I see. Surprise flashes in his eyes.

“Who do you think you are with your big attitude?”

“Ona, stop. You just said yourself they’re not worth it.”

“That was before they disrespected you. They’re judging you without knowing who you are. I’m going to make them eat their words, you’ll see!”

I raise my fist, but it’s intercepted before it can reach its target. It’s Lucy herself who stopped me, even though I put all my strength into it.

“Stop,” she repeats much more sternly. “This isn’t the time to start a fight, and anyway, I’ve moved on.”

“I just wanted to…”

“I know, sweetheart. But I don’t need anyone to defend me anymore.”

I relax, understanding her message. I release the man I had targeted, and it’s Lucy who ends up punching him. I don’t regret letting her handle it. She’s much stronger than I am, and let’s just say she didn’t hold back. She must have put all her anger into that punch, and I understand her.

“I never want to see you again. So stay away from us. Do I make myself clear?”

The other man beside him doesn’t even dare to say a word seeing his friend on the ground. I bet she managed to break his nose, but he deserved it. He ends up nodding when Lucy takes a step closer to him.

“Okay, we can go now.”

Lucy takes back our drinks that Jenni had been holding during this scene.

“We’re going to take a walk,” says Alexia, holding Jenni back.

“What? But…”

“Baby, I want to go back to the stage, please.”

“Fine,” the latter mutters.

I smile at Alexia. It’s indeed the right moment to leave us alone. Lucy is a ticking time bomb about to explode.

“We’ll catch up with you later.”

She winks at me before they leave. As for me, I put my hand around Lucy’s waist and take one of the cups.

“Come on, let’s go sit somewhere.”

She nods without a word. We move further away from the stage until we’re far from the crowd. We can still hear the music in the distance, but that’s it. We’re completely cut off from the world.

“Luce…”

“You understand?”

She’s completely withdrawn. I’ve never seen her like this before. We’re sitting next to each other, facing the sea where the waves are crashing in every direction. Tonight is a bit cooler than the other days, but it’s still bearable.

“Not completely… Just, don’t close yourself off. That’s what you always told me.”

She sighs and takes a sip of her beer. She then puts it down and finally turns to me. I can see her eyes shining in the moonlight.

“Come here.”

I open my arms to her, and she doesn’t hesitate to come into them. I tighten my hold to show her I’m here. On her side, she clings to me but says nothing. I don’t want to force her. It’s up to her if she wants to talk about it. There was a long silence before she found the courage to speak.

“My life here hasn’t been easy. I was first abandoned by my biological parents before being welcomed by a loving family.”

I get a knot in my stomach from the words she uses. Here it comes, she’s going to tell me.

“I learned to love them, and they taught me to feel loved in return... It was when I started school that it all began. I was excited at first. I thought I would make friends other than Jenni, who was my neighbor.”

“What happened…?” I murmur.

“I became a target, like a scapegoat. For them, it wasn’t normal that I had a black mother. That was their excuse to push me aside.”

“No way…” I breathe. “And Jenni…” I leave my sentence hanging.

“She stayed by my side, of course. She always has, even though, on the other hand, she was always popular. She had friends, but as soon as they saw me being attacked, she would defend me. After a while, she didn’t even dare to leave me alone anymore.”

“That’s horrible…”

Lucy takes a deep breath. Her head sinks deeper into my neck.

“That’s how it was…”

“It never stopped?”

“Well… It eased off over the years. It was in middle school that things finally calmed down, but it didn’t last long. That’s when I started to be interested in girls.”

No way. That’s exactly why I could never fully come to terms with myself. I was afraid of that reaction. Why are people so stupid? We’re in an era where they should have a more evolved open-mindedness. What they did was just plain cruelty. I had talked to Lucy about my fears, but I never imagined she could have been a victim of it.

“And those guys then…”

“They were the ones who found out. The one I hit, Tom, had hit on me back then. I had turned him down, but he didn’t take it well. So he tried to tear me down any way he could. He overheard a conversation between Jenni and me about my doubts about my orientation one day, and he used it against me.”

“What a scumbag!”

The only regret I have is not being able to punch him myself. How does she stay so strong after that? I would have completely shut down in her place. It’s not normal.

“It’s okay, baby. Calm down.”

“Calm down!? You know I can’t stand people who judge and put others down just for fun! They don’t realize how much it destroys a person!”

“I know, that’s partly why I love you, but that’s just how it is. Whether we like it or not, there’s hatred everywhere in this world.”

“Stop it. In this case, it’s not hatred. It’s just harassment!”

“Ona.”

I fall silent as she straightens up so our eyes meet. How does she do it? I really don’t understand. Just a moment ago, her eyes were shining, and now they’re filled with determination.

“Tonight, that wasn’t harassment,” she says.

I tilt my head. I have a hard time following her.

“I had grown up in high school. I showed them I could fight. I got into sports and even became top of the class. I earned people’s respect. If I had wanted, I could have had lots of friends, but at that time, I didn’t want to. Hanging out with hypocrites at parties wasn’t my thing. That’s why they called me the loner.”

“But then… why did they respond to you tonight? It makes no sense.”

“Well, I think they were surprised to see me again. It was instinct. Everyone knew I left Portugal after high school. I rarely come back here.”

“I see… And your family? Did they know?”

“Not when it happened. They always found out afterward. I had become very reserved, and I didn’t trust people anymore.”

“Why didn’t you tell them?”

“I didn’t want to worry them. I already owed them so much. They were the reason I held on.”

“You’re the first to tell me it’s important to talk about it!”

“Yes, but you’re also the first to understand that it’s not easy.”

I sigh and nod. I understand better now why she never forced me to open up.

“That’s why you care so much about family…”

“Yes, that’s why. Family is important, even if we’re not connected by blood. Of course, there have to be good relationships, but generally, it’s those we can count on at any moment.”

I smile sadly and nod. She’s probably right. Even if it hasn’t always been smooth with my mom, I’m starting to see everything she did for me in a certain way. Plus, I had my dad too.

“You’re right,” I murmur.

She smiles at me before snuggling back into my arms. I take the opportunity to lie down and hug her. I think she needs it. I needed it after every revelation I made to her. I just didn’t dare ask for it. Now it’s different. We’re together. That’s what makes us stronger. It’s us against the rest of the world.

“Why did you date Keira? Not that I mind, but she seems like the type who could be like those people.”

A long silence follows my question. As she described to me, she could easily be that kind of person.

- Keira, it’s Keira. Yes, she could have been someone I hated, but she also had a difficult childhood.

- Oh... Really?

- Keira came from a tough neighborhood, but she did everything she could not to be associated with it. Proof of that, she made it to university. That’s where we met.

- I thought it was at a party?

- Yes, it was. At the freshman welcome party. Jenni had forced me to go. He wanted me to have fun, so I agreed, but in the end, I ended up alone in a corner... Until Keira. In fact, she was the only one who came to talk to me that day.

- Jenni dared to leave you alone?

- Yes, she chuckles. But I asked her to. She had the right to have fun too.

- What happened with Keira then?

- We talked, and she started flirting with me when she noticed I wasn’t indifferent to her charm.

- Is that how you two started dating?

- I had never been with anyone before, and I didn’t trust people much, so... no.

- So, how did she do it?

- She was persistent. Keira was very determined. The first day of the week after the party, she accompanied me to the café I frequented, and she remembered my order. Then she brought me my drink every day. She was very interested in me, and that’s how I grew fond of her.

- Is that what made you fall in love with her?

- No... I think it was more her personality. She had a big heart. That’s what set her apart from the people who persecuted me. She wanted to make a difference. She had a will of steel. She didn’t hesitate to stand up for the weaker ones, even more so after I told her my story. She helped a lot of associations to support people in need who wanted to change their lives.

My heart races. It’s cruel to say, but I’m quite glad she’s not here anymore. I wouldn’t have stood a chance against her.

- She seemed exceptional...

The tone of my voice makes her look up. She smiles gently, running her hand through my hair.

- Don’t get me wrong. She had her flaws too.

- I’d like to know what they were.

- She was very stubborn. Even more than you. And she had a knack for getting into trouble by challenging people stronger than her. When you come from a certain neighborhood, you can’t erase everything. She wasn’t really well surrounded.

- That doesn’t make her any less remarkable.

- No, for sure, but...

She falls silent and shrugs.

- Keira wasn’t perfect. I couldn’t even tell you why I fell in love with her anymore... Maybe because she never gave up on me.

- I think so too. Since you hadn’t known anyone else before... It makes sense that you got attached to her. But the fact that she wanted to help everyone was very honorable. I just don’t understand why she fell so hard.

- I think her past caught up with her. You must know what that’s like... Keira lost her father during our studies. She was close to him, just like you. He was a drug addict, but she tried to save him more than once. As for her mother... She never knew her. She had already died before she could remember her.

- Oh my God...

- I managed to get her off drugs from my side, but I think the emotions were too strong. She went back to her bad habits after that and never recovered.

It’s truly awful. We are really more alike than I imagined. She didn’t deserve this. She was a good woman trying to do the right thing. I understand better why Lucy says she appreciates my determination and doesn’t want me to lose it. She was afraid I’d end up like her ex.

- Her mind simply gave up. In the end, I didn’t recognize her anymore. I knew something bad was going to happen soon. Yet, I stayed by her side. I couldn’t do otherwise.

Her voice breaks, but who could blame her? If I didn’t have the mental strength she talks about, Lucy would have lost two women for the same reasons. I’m glad I didn’t put her through that.

- You don’t have to blame yourself for her death, Lucy.

- I know, I murmur. Some people simply can’t be saved. I learned that lesson well, but it was hard to swallow.

The information strikes me. I’ve heard those words somewhere before.

- Korbin... I whisper. That’s why you said...

She nods.

- I was thinking about her, yes. Because it’s the truth.

I feel sad.

- It wasn’t the same circumstances, but it comes down to the same thing. Whether the past catches up with us or we’re stuck in the past, it’s the same thing.

- It’s not right. Things shouldn’t be like this. Keira shouldn’t have fallen. And Korbin... She had the potential to get out too...

- But that’s how it is. We can’t save everyone.

Fate didn’t bring us together by chance. I’m sure of that now. For Lucy, I must be her greatest victory. Not only did she manage to save me, but now, here we are together.

- Camp Wiegman has been good therapy for me too, you know, she continues. I’ve learned to change people, just like Keira wanted. Some will continue their studies after school or even get a job thanks to the lessons we gave them.

I smile, because I’m going to be one of those people.

- Others will think about this experience for a long time. They’ll remember how annoying we were to them, but also how we managed to change their perspective. It’s this experience they’ll pass on to their children. Surely not their previous life.

Once again, I feel connected to this statement. It’s true for me too. I no longer see things as dark as I used to. For others, it’s something else. They’ve learned to respect others and to be more open-minded. Some, who must be like Lucy’s bullies, will stop picking on the weaker ones. At least, I hope so.

- That’s why I love my job so much. We change people who want a new life. Of course, not everyone can be saved, as I said. This world is too full of hatred to succeed... But if we manage to help a large number, it’s already a good start.

- You’re so right. I hated this school at first, but now, I think there should be more of them. Of course, it’s no walk in the park, but the results are worth it. You just have to hang on.

- That’s what I liked most about you. You’ve been through a lot too, yet you’ve emerged. You fought to take control of your life. That wasn’t the case with Keira.

- Yet, she had you. For me, it’s you who saved me. I wouldn’t be where I am now without you. You’ve been my rock from the beginning, and I know you will remain so.

- And you’re mine. You don’t realize how much you make me better and stronger.

- You were already strong enough before you met me.

- If you say so...

- I say so.

Lucy takes a deep breath as she sits up on her elbows.

- I think about it often, you know. In fact, if you want to know everything, I’m often afraid of ending up like before... Alone and weak.

I smile gently, stroking her cheek. So that was the missing piece of the puzzle. It was her fears. She always seems so strong, but deep down, she isn’t as strong as she appears. I understand better why she has always been so jealous. She’s afraid of losing me. It’s really sweet.

- You won’t be alone anymore. You have me and our friends.

- I know, Ona... But I can’t help it...

- Lucy, we are soulmates. We were meant to meet. I also felt lonely before us. I understand your fears very well, but you don’t have the right to doubt. You’re the strongest of us. If it helps, be as jealous as you want when someone approaches me. Shut them down even. It doesn’t bother me at all; on the contrary. When you do, it warms my heart because I feel like I’m yours. It helps both of us.

I see her relax before me.

- I love you so much, she murmurs.

She kisses me, and I let her because I know she needs it. We feel the same way. Neither of us thought we would find someone so compatible. Yet, here we are, and I wouldn’t trade my place for anything in the world. We complete each other and make each other stronger.

- You know, I wouldn’t be so quick to rejoice if I were you... I say between kisses.

- Oh? And why is that?

- We’re not going to leave each other now. You’re going to have to put up with me outside of school, and for a good while. Who says I’m not more annoying?

- Hmm... Believe me, if you become annoying, I’ll find ways to bring you back down to earth. Maybe I’ll force you to run... Or maybe I’ll...

I smile as I feel her hand slide under my t-shirt. I let her do as she kisses me until she starts tickling me.

- Ah! No! Not that!

She laughs as I squirm under her.

- What? You don’t like it?

- Definitely not

! Stop!

She bursts out laughing, and I can’t help but laugh too. It feels good. To laugh, but above all to be together. We were two wounded souls, and now we’ve managed to heal and become stronger together.

- I love you so much, my favorite commander.

She laughs softly before burying her head in my neck.

- I love you too, my favorite rebel.

Yeah, definitely, my life has become perfect.

[multi-fandoms-posts]

Control and Surrender

X Men Masterlist

SMUT

It’s a hot summer evening, and the air in the room is thick with tension. Y/N and Paddy are exhausted after a long day, but Y/N feels it’s time to turn the tables in the game of control. She knows that Paddy loves to be in charge, but tonight she wants to take the lead.

“Paddy, come here,” she commands with a seductive smile as she sees him sitting on the sofa. His eyes sparkle with curiosity, and he leans back as he watches her.

“What are you up to?” he asks, his gaze challenging.

Y/N steps closer and stands in front of him. Then she leans slightly forward and whispers, “Tonight, you’re not the one in control.”

With a quick grip, she takes hold of his hair and pulls him gently but firmly toward her. Paddy growls in surprise, his eyes widening. “Oh, really? You dare to treat me like this?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing,” she replies with a confident smile. “I’m taking control.”

She leans in and kisses him passionately. Her lips move quickly over his as she holds his hair firmly. Paddy is taken aback by her determination, but the heat between them only intensifies.

“You think you can just take control like that?” he asks challengingly, but there’s a hint of excitement in his voice.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Y/N responds, smiling defiantly. She pulls him closer, making it impossible for him to resist. Paddy is overwhelmed by her passion, and his heart races.

“You’re going to regret challenging me like this,” he murmurs, trying to break free from her grip, but Y/N is resolute.

“Oh, I doubt that,” she says, pulling his hair tighter so that he gasps lightly. “Now you’re completely in my hands.”

She kisses him again, this time more passionately and roughly, while keeping her hold on his hair. Paddy groans, his knees are shaking in excitement as he tries to regain control. “I can’t just let this happen.”

“You need to learn to let go sometimes,” Y/N whispers, looking deep into his eyes. “That’s what makes it exciting.” She doesn’t release him as she tilts his head back to kiss him more intensely.

Paddy growls again, this time a deep, hungry sound. “I love it when you’re this confident, but you should know I’m not just going to give up.”

“Maybe you should,” she replies with a challenging look. “You’re not used to losing control, are you?”

“That’s true,” Paddy admits, trying to loosen her grip, but Y/N holds him firm.

“See? You don’t stand a chance,” she says smugly as she presses against him. “I can enjoy having control.”

Paddy feels his excitement growing. “You’re quite bold tonight,” he murmurs, trying to regain his dominance by pulling her toward him.

“But I’m not so easy to handle,” Y/N retorts, kissing him again as she touches his torso with her free hand. “Let me show you how much fun it can be to let go of control.”

“I like it when you’re like this,” Paddy says, growling softly, but she keeps him firmly in place and closes the distance between their bodies, leaving him with no choice but to succumb to the intensity of her kiss.

“Then enjoy it,” she whispers, giving him one last passionate kiss. “It’s time you learned who really calls the shots here.”

Y/N pulls his hair again, feeling Paddy tremble in her grip. “Just let go,” she says with a mischievous smile.

Paddy knows he can’t resist. “You’re so stubborn,” he admits, trying once more to regain control, but Y/N won’t let him go.

“That’s the fun of it,” she replies as she kisses him again. As he feels the passion radiating from her, he knows he will follow her lead for the rest of the evening.

Y/N feels the tension between them continue to rise as she holds Paddy in her grasp. His growl sounds both of desire and frustration. “You’re just not ready to let me go, are you?” Paddy asks with a challenging spark in his eyes.

“And why should I?” Y/N smiles playfully and lets her hand slide slowly over his thigh until she finally reaches his excitement. A shiver runs through her body as she feels his reaction. Paddy gasps and lets out a soft moan.

“Wow, you’re really bold tonight,” he murmurs, trying to find the right tone as his breathing becomes heavier.

“I told you I’m taking control,” she whispers with a confident grin as she gently wraps her hand around him. “And now you’re going to learn what it means to be in my hands.”

Paddy closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as he feels her touch. “That’s not fair,” he groans as his body responds to her caress. “I can’t just stay still.”

“That’s the whole fun of it,” Y/N says with a challenging smile. She begins to change her grip slightly, sometimes tighter, sometimes softer, sending him on a rollercoaster of sensations. “You’re going to learn to enjoy this.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Paddy murmurs as he struggles to maintain control. His hands are buried in the sofa as he tries to hold back.

“Yes, you can,” Y/N whispers, looking deep into his eyes. “Just let go and let me show you how much fun we can have.” She closes the distance between their bodies and kisses him again. Their lips press passionately against each other.

Paddy can’t help but get lost in the kiss. He feels overwhelmed by her dominance and the desire hanging in the air. “You’re just… incredible,” he breathes out as Y/N continues to tease him with her hand.

“I know,” she replies with a mischievous grin. “And now you’re going to tell me how much you like it.”

Paddy gasps, trying to gather his thoughts. “You’re the one driving me insane,” he admits, relishing every moment of their game.

Y/N tightens her grip and leans in closer to him. “Then tell me,” she challenges, continuing to tease him. “Tell me, Paddy. How much do you want it?”

“I want you. I want all of you,” he murmurs, his voice rough and filled with desire. “Please…”

Y/N grins triumphantly, knowing she has the control. “Then let me show you what it means to trust me.” She pulls him even closer, and her movements become wilder and more passionate.

“I can’t believe I’m experiencing this,” Paddy groans, gradually losing control of his senses. Y/N is simply too seductive, too confident, and he wants nothing more than to sink into this moment.

“This is just the beginning,” she promises, kissing him again while enclosing him in her grip. “Get ready, Paddy. I’m going to take away your control, and you’re going to love it.”

In that moment, Paddy knows he’s in a world where Y/N calls the shots, and he can’t help but let go and enjoy every second.

Y/N feels the explosive tension between her and Paddy as she teases him with her hand. Her touch is confident, and she knows she’s bringing him to the edge. “Can you feel how close you are?” she whispers seductively, watching his body respond to her touches.

“Yes… I can hardly hold back,” Paddy moans. His eyes are closed, and his breath is quickening. He’s at his limit, and Y/N’s hold over him only makes her more self-assured.

“Let go, Paddy. Come for me,” she challenges, tightening her grip as her movements become faster and more intense. She revels in seeing him so vulnerable yet so aroused.

“Y/N… I…” he gasps, and the moment the wave of pleasure overwhelms him, Y/N loosens her grip. Paddy can’t believe what’s happening. In ecstasy, control slips away from him.

With a deep, guttural groan, he surrenders to the feeling. But as the waves of pleasure subside and he gathers himself, he opens his eyes and feels that something is off.

Y/N is grinning, and Paddy senses his anger brewing. “You bring me to the edge, and now you show me that I’m worth nothing?” His tone is sharp, and his eyes flash with determination.

“I’ll show you what I can do,” she replies defiantly, but he doesn’t like it.

“Oh, really?” Paddy responds with a rough edge as he suddenly grabs her by the hips. “Now you’ll see who really has the control.” With a quick yet firm move, he pushes her onto the sofa.

“Paddy, wait…” Y/N begins, but he doesn’t give her time to continue. “You’re going to learn what it means to challenge me,” he murmurs, leaning over her as his hands explore her body.

His touches are rough and determined, and Y/N feels overwhelmed by his passion. “I have no intention of letting you have control,” he growls, kissing her hard, pressing his lips demandingly against hers.

“You’re so dominant tonight,” she moans, trying to challenge him with her gaze.

“And you’re going to love me for it,” he replies with a self-satisfied smile, holding her tight and burying his head in her neck. “You can’t just play with me without feeling the consequences.”

“What do you mean by consequences?” Y/N asks, her heart racing. She’s both excited and nervous about what he plans to do.

“You’ll see soon enough,” he murmurs as his hands glide over her body again. His movements are rough, but there’s a raw, passionate quality that excites her. “I’ll show you who’s in charge, and you’re going to enjoy it.”

With every kiss he gives her and every touch he places on her body, Y/N feels her control slipping away. Paddy has her firmly in his grasp, and that’s exactly what he wants.

“You’re no longer in charge, Y/N,” he growls, pulling her closer as he lets his lips wander over her neck. “I’ll show you what it means to truly obey.”

“Okay, Paddy, I give up,” she murmurs, closing her eyes, ready to lose herself in his dominance.

“That’s what I want to hear,” he whispers with a triumphant grin as he tightens his control further. Paddy knows she has to trust him, and in this moment, he is determined to lead her into a world of passion and intensity.

[howlingday]

Your post about Senukin lets me think about that one manga when she makes Rotten Petals. Jaune as Ngân, Weiss as Lan Hà, and Trà Ly as Elm. It’s about two childhood friends with each other and Ngân wants to confess to her, but always chatting about her new boyfriend. But in reality, Lan wants him to NTR her because she believes her mom that a man should confess a woman first, not the other way around. (Her mom definitely says that as a joke, but Lan always listens to her). Yup, she’s an idiot. But her hopes and dreams are crushed because Ngân confesses he has a girlfriend.

--------------------------------------------------

Y'know, I wasn't sure how to do this series, even though I was interested. To be honest, I was mostly turned away by seeing the prologue (with some less than great voice acting) and not really digging with the plot. It seemed like too many characters for too much drama. Thankfully, there's this guy to provide decent voice acting without the prologue. Anyways, here's...

ROTTEN FLAKES

--------------------------------------------------

Weiss: (On her scroll) My my~! You really miss me, huh~? (Giggles) Oh, grow up~!

This is Weiss Schnee. She's a girl from my childhood, and my best friend. She's living at my place but she spends all day flirting with her new boyfriend on her scroll...

Weiss: Okay, okay... I'll come over to your place and we can cuddle as long as you want~. Oh my goodness, you pervert~! Don't be so lewd~! My best friend is nearby~!

Every time I plan to confess my feelings to her, she has a new boyfriend...

Weiss: Yes, yes, I'll be back soon. Don't rush me! If you want me that bad, then love me more~!

My best friend, even though she came over to my place to hang out, has been flirting with her boyfriend for almost an hour now. If only she could understand how frustrated I am because of this!

This feeling I have inside... Like someone took something precious to me... I hate it... I can't stand it! I've been by her side for years! We did everything together! I should be her boyfriend!

Weiss: Hm? Jaune? What's the matter?

I love my best friend. And I won't let her be take away from me ever again! I... I'm sorry...

Weiss: Jaune? Why are you so quiet?

Jaune: You've left me no choice... (Unbuckles)

Weiss: (Thinking) NO WAY! Is he going to- He wouldn't, would he?!

Weiss: Jaune, don't do-

Jaune: (Lifts shirt) I... I've been going to the gym lately. What... What do you think of my abs?

Weiss: Oh my... So... So these are your "gains," right?

Jaune: (Thinking) I know you so well... We've known each other for so long, I learned what you're into! When we were kids, you used to drag me to the gym to ogle all those sweaty muscles...

Weiss: Looking at your body makes me miss my boyfriend all the more~!

Jaune: Huh?!

Jaune: ...

Weiss: You've grown up so much, Jaune. Who would have thought that scared, little boy playing knights would have become the man you are today? Any woman who becomes your girlfriend is beyond lucky, if you ask me. You're smart, charming, and always kind and caring to those around you. It's a shame, really. You're totally my type, and yet all I can do now is be jealous of whoever the lucky girl is that catches your eye...

Jaune: Hey... You said that looking at my body makes you think of your boyfriend. What does he look like?

Weiss: Oh~? You want to know, huh~? See, he looks a lot like you, doesn't he?

Jaune: Oh...

Jaune: How do we look similar? I just don't see it. Why are you going out with a guy so... weird? He looks like a total goof-off-

OH... RIGHT... I WAS THE EXACT SAME WAY TWO MONTHS AGO...

Jaune: ...

Weiss: HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH...

Flashback~ I still remember how we met, all those years ago...

Jaune: (Kid) Um... Is this yours? I found this by the lake. You can have it~!

Weiss: Ah...

A kind-hearted boy suddenly appeared before my eyes.

Weiss: Th-Thank you...

And the next thing I knew, I fell in love with the same man sitting with me right now.

My mother was a wonderful woman...

Willow: Weiss, a girl should never confess her feelings first. A girl who confesses first is impatient, desperate, and aggressive. A girl who confesses first believes she is not attractive enough to be picked. No girl should ever be in a position where she must await approval or face rejection. The one who offers the diamond ring should be the man. Never be the first to confess, Weiss.

Weiss: ...

Even back then, I always wanted to be just like my mother...

Weiss: Yes, mother...

Weiss: To protect my pride as a woman, I can't afford to tell Jaune how I really feel.

Anyways...

Weiss: I've done enough waiting! I need Jaune to confess to me NOW! I only tell him I have a boyfriend so he'll get jealous and confess FASTER!. WHEN WILL HE NTR ME?!

Yup. That's right. Our heroine of this story is a fucking hopeless loser idiot.

Jaune: Actually... Weiss... There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about.

Weiss: Oh my! What's this? What's this tension I feel?! Is it finally happening~?!.

Jaune: I've been wanting to tell you for a while, but now... Now seems like the right time to tell you more than ever!

Weiss: (Shaking) There's no doubt about it! He's finally confessing to me after all of these years!.

Weiss: Jaune, I-I...

Weiss: Calm yourself, Weiss.

Weiss: (Sips tea) Hmph! Easy game~.

Jaune: I have a girlfriend now...

Weiss: SPPPFFFTTT!

Weiss: A... A girlfriend?! Why, who doesn't have a girlfriend?! Am I not your girlfriend, or at least your friend who is a girl? I am a girl, after all!

FUCK! WHY NOW?!

Jaune: Oh, sorry. I should clarify. When I say "girlfriend," I mean my LOVER.

LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?! LOVER?!

Weiss: HUH?!

As soon as the word "LOVER" was heard, Weiss was instantly on the defense!

Jaune: Um... Weiss?

In the five stages of grief acceptance, according to experts, humans go through an emotional process to come to terms with their experience of loss.

Weiss: LOVER? What is that? Is it served hot or cold?

STAGE ONE: DENIAL

Weiss: Wait one moment! Is Jaune really telling the truth? He could be lying, just like me. All talk with no evidence to back himself up.

Jaune: ?

The heroine of our story has revealed herself. And if that's the case, I'll make Jaune tell me everything!

[evilyesman]

finally drew my fallout 76 oc.....if you guys see me (obstag00n) on there you should give me stimpaks PLEASE give me stimpaks...and yes he will become a ghoul once they drop that update x

More info on him under this ! :3

Crooner with humble beginnings from before the war, Cosmo became famous for his smooth voice and magnetic personality. He was originally supposed to be in Vault 75 but because they were over capacity he was moved to 76, lucky for him.

He was invited to a Vault because of his work for the U.S government, unbeknownst to the public he worked as international spy while on various tours for his music. He didn't really *want* to, per se, but the government didn't give him much of a choice. He has a large burn scar on the left (his right) side of his face because of an altercation while first arriving in the Vault. Because of his espionage being, obviously, unknown to the public, people assumed he was just allowed into the Vault because of his fame and fortune. This assumption lead to a fight with a fellow Dweller and ended with him getting boiling water splashed on his face, yeouch !

Though he enters the Vault age 25, he exits 50 years old. During his time there he picked up some medical knowledge by working in the Vault's clinic. (Though he would've preferred to stay a performer, the demand for singers after nuclear annihilation is admittedly low.)

After leaving Vault 76 he sets out on his Reclamation Day journey, learning about The Horrors all the while. He meets a few upper-class people who invite him to stay with him in exchange for performing at their bars, and he is ultimately forced to choose between a life of luxury and helping the people of the wasteland. He chooses the latter because of the guilt he couldn't shake, and joins up with the Responders. He eventually learns about the Scorched Plague and devotes his time to finding a cure for it. His time in the wasteland and a significant lack of RadAway is what eventually turns him into a slightly scorched Ghoul, to his dismay.

Anyways so yeah classic trope I love of "Arrogant rich and famous guy is forced to become humble again" xox...he had a good heart all along he was just very overconfident and a little bit of a jackass, x. He's not very physically strong but he can charm the socks off a Deathclaw. He's also not too thrilled about becoming a ghoul, having always been a little obsessed with his appearance but he learns to live with it.

[revelboo]

BEGGING ON ALL FOURS FOR MORE STARSCREAM AND HIS LITTLE HUMAN shield PET

Starscream x reader- adopting (kidnapping) a human Pt 2

• At some point you fell asleep wrapped in your weird smelling blanket that’s doing blessedly little against the chill in the huge room. By some miracle, your sleep is dreamless and not full of murderous robots. It’s cut short when you wake up to having a giant, alien fistful of junk food dumped on you. Including soda cans and those hurt.

• Starscream watches you fight free of the little nest you’ve made, while swearing nonstop. Up until you look up and spot him watching. Venting softly in amusement as your shoulders hunch and you drop your wide eyes to what he’s brought you, he waits. If he’s going to keep you as a bargaining chip to thwart the Autobots, you’ll need to be fed.

• Junk food. Your captor just dumped a handful of junk food on you- beef jerky, chips, soda, and candy. That has to be a good sign, right? Why bother feeding you if he’s just going to squish you? You just wish he hadn’t dropped it all on top of you. And you aren’t going to think too closely on where this stuff has come from. It’s not like he can just walk into a store and buy it. You’re snapped out of thoughts of sirens and explosions when you realize those fearsome red eyes are scrutinizing you and when you offer up a quiet and very uncertain ‘thank you?’ Big, scary robot freezes. Those wings on his back flick up then back down. Is… he surprised you thanked him?

• While he’s not exactly accustomed to being appreciated, Starscream recovers quickly enough. Of course, you’re thanking him. Your pitiful human life depends on him now. Which is a bit worrying now that he’s actually thinking about it. But how hard can humans be to care for?

• You’re positive that the thank you did take him off guard, a useful fact you file away for later. If it keeps you alive, then you will absolutely fawn over your captor, because you suspect he not only enjoys the attention, he craves it. And that smug, preening smirk paired with those little wing flutters? For a kidnapping killer robot, he’s kind of adorable. Not that you will ever admit that, because you definitely don’t have a death wish.

• Reaching into the empty cube he’s left the human in so it can’t get under ped, he’s only mildly annoyed that it scoots back as if to avoid his hand. Cocooned in that old cleaning cloth as it is, it doesn’t get far before he catches it and lifts it free. Tiny, soft hands clutch at his servos and he can feel its frantic heartbeat as he carries it to set on his desk.

• Heart hammering against your ribs, you swallow down the panic as he places you on a desk before taking a seat and reaching for a huge tablet. You’re not sure what to make of your new found freedom, but you really wish you’d grabbed a handful of snacks before you’d been snatched. You’re hungry.

• Scrolling through reports, Starscream keeps an optic on his new- what, pet? Yes. A pet. Letting out a long drawn vent, he works and tracks you as you stand up still wrapped in your cleaning cloth and dragging it along as you cautiously move around his desk. It only takes a low growl under his breath to discourage you from getting near the edge.

• Your head snaps around to your captor. Yep, he’s watching you. While you’d only wanted to see how high up you were, that apparently isn’t allowed. You retreat closer to him, watching indecipherable alien glyphs scroll on his tablet.

• “Can you believe those idiots? I told them that mine was unstable,” he mutters to himself, refocusing on his work. What he doesn’t expect is for you to wander closer, little face tipped up toward him.

• “They should have listened to you,” you say because agreeing with him has worked so far. And there it is, he freezes and those wings flick slightly. Red eyes dart toward you and away. Then back. He really does crave validation, doesn’t he? And it’s so easy.

[pivsketch]

picked up stardew valley again, i havent played it since 2018(!) so theres a lot of new stuff to experience. heres some shanes i was fiddling with while taking a break from working on something else. id like to say thanks to my friend synth for valuable input during this process

and just because i happen to have a work-in-progress screencap on hand, heres what this looked like three hours previous lol:

[butterflieswhisper]

hiiii ^^ beastlife fishie analysis. spoilers ahead. etc etc

okay so. the main point of this is simple. I don't think the salmon head cursed c!fishie. Explaining that is the harder part I think. also i'm going to refer to the salmon head thing in e5 as "the incident" from here on out because frankly i think it's funny

Let's start with the incident. The big day. etc. What happened? Why did it happen? Obligatory third questioning statement? Well. She was gifted the salmon head for her birthday by kiwi(or like. someone in the kiwibird system. -bird system. the birds). Immediately upon receiving it she relives parts of season one and fishie herself doesn't really acknowledge it. The other players definitely notice but im not caught up enough in any other pov yet to like have thoughts on that I'll come back to that point someday. Fishie seems shaken, sure, but she moves on so quickly, especially considering what happened just there. 37 seconds of standing frozen, unresponsive. she recovers in 5 seconds. And seeing how she reacts later on to realizing the memory situation--if she was aware that happened, she would probably be concerned by it. She puts it on for a brief second at the end of the party and takes it off immediately. She's otherwise normal -- well. as normal as she is otherwise up to that point. Because that is also how she acts with pretty much any salmon head, even just kiwi herself.

I raise: Episode one, about 8:20 in. The slow zoom on kiwi as the static overtakes every other noise. This is the *exact* same behavior displayed when fishie receives the salmon head, albeit without actual concrete old video footage style flashbacks. In episode two (28:55ish) the same thing happens when she looks at the salmon head in moch's house, but this time there is technically a flashback -- kiwis grave. Fishie moves on immediately and doesn't acknowledge her behavior at all, and, seeing as it is fishie, im inclined to believe that means she does not know she is doing it. Fishie (when alone) will discuss all of her problems in immense, and usually misguided detail (bestie i promise kiwi doesn't hate you???) to the audience and/or herself. I mean she's not alone in episode one, and it is technically presession, and i guess getting struck by lightning is a decent distraction from your problems, but in episode two? She is completely alone. There is nobody with her. She went looking for moch and moch is not there. She still doesn't acknowledge the fiveish seconds she is completely frozen. This happens again and again with kiwi and salmon heads.

And then that leads you to e5. The incident. She's. well. she's doing worse. 0:50. "This will distract me if i leave it up." This is the first mention from fishie herself about how fucking weird she's being, and even then she doesn't seem concerned. I think she does not realize she's being so so incredibly weird about it. If the static and freezing is what's referred to as "distraction" then keeping it in her inventory makes it worse actually so it wouldn't really make sense unless the way it is distracting her is NOT the. well. whatever the fuck is wrong with her (affectionate). After she puts the head on there's the static all the time but for a short brief amount of time she's like significantly more normal and i don't really know if that means anything i just think it's really funny.

And then we all know what goes on during the incident i'm not analyzing this video frame by frame. um. i could. but i am not going to right now. And then she has the conversation on the table with kiwi where she like is normal for 5 minutes. Like genuinely the most. i guess stable? fishie's thought process is is like in the moments directly after the incident. She is immediately understanding with the antikiwi situation, they come to an agreement that they're like. okay now. "thank you for everything and im so sorry i couldnt do more" / "it was short, but it was nice" "i knew what i was getting into when i married you" etc etc and then they kind of rush it at the end because people won't stop dying. But then fishie is fishie and takes it in the complete opposite extreme (from. um. whatever was wrong up until now. to "oh kiwibird must secretly hate me because" and then there's no real good reason she's just like that) and it's also an issue. And i think the season two memory thing is also a part of that but this is so long already and so i'm not going to get into it rn. So bringing all of this back to my original point: the salmon head was not the cause of the curse(?) because she's been so weird all the time forever and the salmon head thing was just like. an effect. of whatever went Wrong(tm) in the season transition. like the head was a vessel to Be Worse about it but i feel like it would have worked with any salmon head she got her hands on and that it happened to be kiwico was a coincidence and also that the head wasn't cursed at all there's just something deeply wrong with fishie s3 in general and uh yeah 👍

I'm so sorry this is so disjointed i had a thesis statement and everything. alas

[slutdge]

Not to get deep here or anything but i really think i dont want to have a relationship with my sister anymore and ive been reflecting on that a lot. like sure she didnt abuse me or really do anything to directly traumatize me, but she voted against me having human rights because im queer, as well as voting for a party that wants to harm first nations people despite both of us being first nations i just.... i dont think i can forgive her for that. weve had laughs and good times together but i find myself unable to forgive her for her politics. i wouldn't tolerate bigotry from anyone else, i shouldnt tolerate it from someone just cause theyre family.