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penelope-potter · 2 months ago

Note

can you make a part 2 to the daeho fic you posted where him and the reader get closer as the games go on? 🥹 it was so good im obsessed!!

worth protecting — kang daeho

daeho makes it his mission to protect shy!you during the games. as a result, a connection begins to grow between the two of you. this is a part 2 but can be read on its own!

part 1 | part 2

note: thank you lovely anon! I’m so happy u requested because I needed an excuse to write a 2nd part hehe. bit of a disclaimer, thanos is a bully in this but only for the plot lol

kang dae-ho x shy!fem!reader, fluff, overprotective dae-ho, 3.7k words

—

You sit by yourself, knees pulled to your chest, trying to look as small as possible.

The guards have taken some of the men to the bathrooms. The rest of your team from the second game — Dae-ho, Jung-bae, Young-il, and Gi-hun — went with them. Dae-ho had hesitated, not wanting to leave you on your own, but you’d assured him you’d be fine.

You’re starting to doubt your own judgement. You feel as if all the eyes in the room are on you. They aren’t, of course, but you are the only one sitting by yourself, so you feel quite vulnerable. It doesn’t help that your team had been the last ones to complete the second game, and when you’d returned to the main room after completing it, nobody in the room looked very happy to see you.

You’re so preoccupied with trying to seem as small and insignificant as possible that you don’t notice a certain somebody approaching you. It’s not until you see his shoes come into view that you realise you’ve been cornered.

“Hey. Señorita.”

You recognise the voice. It’s Thanos, the obnoxious rapper with purple hair and an obvious drug problem. Another set of shoes join his, and you assume it’s Nam-gyu, the man who’s been glued to Thanos’ side since the first day. Your traitorous heart starts to pound in your chest.

“Don’t ignore me,” Thanos drawls, when you don’t look up. You can hear the amused grin in his voice. One of his hands comes into view and he gestures for you to look up with two ringed fingers, “C’mon, look at me.”

You obey, worried about what he’ll do to you if you don’t do what he wants. Thanos and Nam-gyu loom over you, wearing twin mischievous grins.

“There’s your pretty face,” Thanos muses, nodding to himself. He looks over his shoulder at Nam-gyu. “Isn’t she pretty?”

Nam-gyu nods. “Oh, yeah. Where’s the rest of your team, gorgeous?”

You don’t dare to open your mouth. You’re not sure what will come out if you do. You glance around the room, looking for someone, anyone who might help you. But your only friends aren’t back yet, and nobody else is paying attention to you. You suppose this is what you get for purposefully making yourself unnoticeable.

Thanos laughs harshly at your silence. He bends over you, bringing one foot to rest on the metal platform just below the one you’re sitting on.

“They left you behind, huh?” He says, leaning forward so his face is uncomfortably close to yours. “Don’t worry. You can join Team Thanos.” He gestures to himself with both hands, smug. “We’ve got plenty of room for pretty girls like you.”

You shake your head, and finally manage to find your voice.

“No, thanks. I’m happy with my team,” you say, trying your best to keep your voice steady.

Thanos scoffs, a look of disbelief twisting his features. Nam-gyu scoffs as well, cursing under his breath before leaning into your space as well.

“Oh, c’mon,” he says, running a hand through his greasy hair and smirking at you. “Leave that nutjob and come join us. Please?”

Nam-gyu clasps his hands in front of him like he’s begging. Both men lean towards you, and you instinctively start to move back.

“No, thank you,” you say again, your heart hammering in your throat. Maybe if you scramble up the steps behind you, you’ll be able to get away from them. “I—“

“Hey!”

All three of you turn your heads towards the noise. To your utter relief, Dae-ho is storming towards you, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“Oh, look,” Thanos says to you, grinning gleefully and pointing at Dae-ho. “It’s your boyfriend!”

He and Nam-gyu start to laugh like a couple of lunatics. You wonder, vaguely, if they’re high. Though you wouldn’t doubt that this is just how they act without the influence of drugs. Dae-ho reaches you and steps between you and the two other men protectively.

“What’s going on?” He asks in a steady voice, staring them down.

Thanos shrugs. “Nothing, man. Just trying to be friendly.” He leans around Dae-ho, eyeing you with a smirk. “Do you think we could borrow your pretty teammate for a while?”

Dae-ho moves to the side, using his chest to block you from Thanos’ vision. “Leave her alone.”

Thanos scoffs. “Or what? C’mon, brother, can’t you share?”

Dae-ho grabs Thanos by the front of the shirt, fuming. “You little—“

“Boys.”

Everyone looks to see who’d spoken. It’s Young-il, closely followed by Gi-hun and Jung-bae. Nam-gyu moves back a step, clearly intimidated. Young-il already beat him up once, he probably doesn’t want to experience it again.

“That’s enough,” Young-il says in a smooth voice. He eyes Dae-ho, who’s still gripping Thanos’ shirt and looking like he might punch the other man in the face.

Dae-ho contemplates Thanos for a few long seconds, then finally drops him.

“Leave her alone,” he says in a low growl. It’s the most intimidating you’ve ever seen Dae-ho. He’s about the same height as Thanos, but he somehow seems much taller.

Thanos just scoffs, glancing at Young-il, who makes sure to step in front of you too. The message is clear — mess with her and you’ll mess with us, too.

“Whatever, man,” Thanos huffs, dusting off his shirt with an air of faux nonchalance. “You’ll regret not letting her join my team when she’s dead.”

He grabs Nam-gyu and the two of them stalk off, but not without throwing you and your group dirty looks the whole time. Once they’re out of earshot, you let out a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding.

Dae-ho spins around, and squats down to be at eye level with you.

“Are you okay?” He asks, worry clear as day in his voice. His eyes search you for injuries, frantic.

You nod vigorously. You hadn’t realise you’d been frozen to your spot, but now that Thanos and Nam-gyu are gone, your body relaxes almost instantaneously.

“I’m okay,” you say.

Dae-ho takes your face in his hand. “They didn’t hurt you?”

You shake your head. “No. No, I’m fine, Dae-ho.”

Dae-ho studies your face. He’s very very close, close enough you could kiss him if you wanted to, and his palm is warm on your face, his eyes full to bursting with worry. Your stomach flutters a bit, though you’re not sure if it’s from your interaction with Thanos, or the fact that Dae-ho has become so protective of you in such a short time.

Young-il and the others move up behind Dae-ho.

“You’re alright?” Young-il asks you.

You nod. “I’m fine. Thank you for scaring them off.”

Young-il smiles at you. He glances at Dae-ho, who’s still holding your face. You can’t read Young-il’s expression, but his smile grows.

“I think Dae-ho did most of the scaring off,” he muses.

Dae-ho blushes. He’s saved from having to say anything when Gi-hun moves forward and puts a hand on your shoulder.

“If they try anything, you come to us, okay?” He says, and the other older men nod. “We’re a team now.”

“Okay,” you say quietly. You’re grateful for their help, but you don’t like all the attention being on you. “I will.”

Gi-hun nods, satisfied, and he, Young-il and Jung-bae move away, finding a spot on the metal steps nearby but not too close, leaving you and Dae-ho alone.

Dae-ho’s hand drops from your face and you, embarrassingly, miss his touch as soon as it’s gone.

“Thank you,” you say earnestly.

Dae-ho just frowns. He glances over his shoulder and you follow his gaze to where Thanos and Nam-gyu sit across the room. They’re still glaring in your direction, and muttering to each other behind their hands.

When Dae-ho turns back, he still looks worried.

“I’m fine,” you say hastily. You don’t want him to worry about you, and you really are okay. Dae-ho and the others arrived just in time. “Really.”

Dae-ho sighs, running a hand through his hair. “What did they want, anyway?”

You shrug. “I don’t know. They asked me to join their team…as if I ever would.”

Dae-ho chuckles at your scathing tone. His laugh is a fond, easy sort of sound that makes all the tension in your limbs relax. Dae-ho himself finally relaxes, too, moving to sit next to you, his knee brushing yours as he settles down.

“Well, I can see why they wanted you,” he says. “You were so impressive in that second game. Where’d you learn to play ddakji like that?”

You shrug one shoulder. “I used to play a lot as a kid,” you say, shy under his earnest gaze.

Dae-ho does this thing, you’ve noticed, where he makes sure to always look into the eyes of whoever he’s talking to. It’s charming, sure, but your nerves don’t handle it very well. You duck your head.

“Thank you again for protecting me,” you say softly.

Dae-ho shakes his head. “It’s no problem, Y/N. They shouldn’t take advantage of you just because you’re quiet.” He ducks his head as well, following your gaze, forcing you to look him in the eyes, “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

You feel your cheeks go hot. He’s very close again, face to face with you, and his doe-like eyes are locked onto yours in a soft but somehow horribly intense gaze.

“It’s okay,” you say. “Doesn’t matter now.”

Dae-ho straightens up, squinting in the direction of Thanos and his team.

“If they ask again,” Dae-ho says, frowning a bit. “You won’t say yes, will you?”

In what world would I? You think to yourself. You shake your head.

“No. I like our team. I like you,” you say without thinking. It’s not meant to be a confession, but it sure sounds like one when you say it like that.

Thankfully, Dae-ho doesn’t mention it. Nor does he mention the mortified look on your face when you realise what you’ve just said. He just grins.

“Mm, I like our team, too,” he nods decisively, glancing over at the other members of your team, who are chatting together nearby. “We’ll stick together from here on out, yeah?”

—

“Is this really necessary?” Jung-bae asks Gi-hun, hauling a mattress over one of the metal barriers surrounding the bunks.

You stick your head out from behind him, a stack of pillows in your arms. Gi-hun nods, addressing your group, who are clearly wondering why he’s so paranoid as to make you sleep underneath the bunks.

“Once the lights go out, somebody might attack us,” Gi-hun explains. He takes the mattress from Jung-bae and pushes it under the bottom bunk. “The prize money still goes up if we kill each other. It’s a part of the game they designed.”

You glance at Dae-ho. You’re not sure if you believe what Gi-hun is saying, but he has been here before, and he’s been trustworthy so far, so you should probably believe him, right?

Tensions are on a high again, now that the second vote has been cast and the result has remained the same. You’ll play another game, courtesy of the O voters. And honestly, seeing how they act during the votes, you wouldn’t put it past some of them to attack you in the night for the possibility of more money.

Dae-ho gives you a look, as if to say, “It’ll be alright,” and you nod. You feel safe with him, and your group are the reason you’re even still alive after the second game. They defended you against Thanos, and even before that, they let you join their team, though you’re sure they easily could’ve found someone stronger or more useful than you.

You and Dae-ho join Jung-bae and Gi-hun in the gap between the bunks, helping them to push the bedding underneath the metal frames.

When you straighten up, Dae-ho pulls you aside, a hand on your shoulder.

“Hey, don’t worry, okay?” He says, concern etched into his face. He glances over at Gi-hun. “I’m sure he’s just … paranoid.”

You nod. “Yeah,” you say, though even to your own ears, you sound a bit unconvinced.

Dae-ho smiles at you, giving your shoulder a pat.

“It’ll be fine,” he assures you. “If you want, I can sleep next to you? If that makes you feel any safer.”

You pause. For some reason, the thought of sleeping next to Dae-ho makes you nervous. Though, not with fear. You think you might be developing a crush on him, which you realise is absurd in a place like this, but he’s been so kind. He’s kept his promise and has been looking out for you ever since the first game.

During the second game, he offered to ask the other men to let you join their team, and when they hesitated he convinced them for you. He’s thoughtful, too, and he’d been so protective during the second game and after. You worry liking him will only make this whole situation worse, but on the other hand, you might die tomorrow. What’s the use in worrying about a little crush?

You nod. “Okay,” you say, smiling at Dae-ho. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

Dae-ho gives your shoulder a squeeze, then moves away to help Jung-bae with another mattress.

—

“Are you comfortable?” Dae-ho whispers into the quiet.

The lights went out a half hour ago. Gi-hun offered to go on first watch, and Jung-bae’s already out like a light. You can’t see Young-il from where you’re lying but you assume he’s settling down, like you and Dae-ho. You’ve both slid under a pair of bunks, two mattresses laid out on the floor next to each other for you to sleep on.

You look over at Daeho. “It’s sort of cramped,” you say, amused at how silly you probably look lying under the bunks like this. “But I’m okay.”

Dae-ho chuckles. “I’m not sure this is even necessary. So far, nobody’s attacked.”

You laugh too, “Yeah, well. It can’t hurt to be too safe, right?”

Dae-ho nods. “Mm, I guess you’re right.”

Silence falls over the two of you. You’re tired, but you don’t really feel like sleeping. You’ve got a lot to think about. The third game tomorrow, for one. Though, you’re so glad you have a solid team now. You’re certain they’ll look out for you, and you them. You owe them that much. Then there’s Dae-ho, who it seems you owe a lot. He’s been your constant shadow this whole time, and you couldn’t be more grateful.

You’ve felt the beginnings of something unnamed start to bloom in your chest whenever he talks to you. It’s worse now, lying so close to him like this. His arm keeps brushing yours as he shifts himself around. You can’t ignore the little jolts of electricity that go through your arm every time he nudges you by accident.

Dae-ho whispers into the silence again. “What’re you thinking about?”

You wonder if he can tell you’re thinking about him, or if he’s just got terrible timing. You look over at him.

“The game tomorrow,” you say. It’s a half lie. You were thinking about the game tomorrow, but you got distracted by thoughts of Dae-ho.

He frowns. “Are you scared?”

You shrug one shoulder. “A little. But … I’m glad I have you,” you say honestly. Then, so you don’t sound too hopeless, you add, “And.. and the others, of course.”

Dae-ho hums. Either he doesn’t notice your slip up, or he’s gracious enough to ignore it.

“We’ll be fine, Y/N. Most of the other players, they don’t really have proper teams. I’m sure if we stick together, we can make it out alive.”

You nod, staring up at the underside of the bunk above you. Dae-ho nudges your shoulder with his.

“Get some sleep, okay? I’ll wake you when it’s your turn to keep watch.”

You nod. The others hadn’t even wanted you to have a turn keeping watch, but you’d insisted, knowing it wasn’t fair on them if you slept through the night.

“Promise you’ll wake me up,” you tell Dae-ho seriously. You have an inkling that if you don’t make him promise, he’ll just let you sleep, covering your shift for you. You stick your pinky up in between your bodies, “Pinky promise?”

Dae-ho chuckles softly. “I guess I can’t argue with a pinky promise,” he muses, and hooks his pinky with yours.

—

Dae-ho hates to see you sitting by yourself, looking so alone as you diligently keep watch over your group. He’s just finished his turn keeping watch and woken you up for your turn, though he felt awful waking you when you looked so peaceful fast asleep.

He hasn’t known you very long, but in the time he has known you, he hasn’t seen you so relaxed as you were when you were asleep. Though he will admit, you seem to be warming up to him quite a bit, and you’re far more relaxed around him than the first time he talked to you.

Dae-ho wonders if he should go sit with you, or if that would make him seem too desperate. He makes his decision before he can think about it properly. He slides back out of bed and gets up, walking over to where you sit leaning against the metal railing and keeping watch.

You twist as he approaches. “What are you doing?” You ask. “Aren’t you gonna go back to bed?”

Dae-ho shakes his head. “Can’t sleep,” he says, sitting down next to you.

You raise an eyebrow at him. “You barely tried.”

Dae-ho shrugs. “I’m not tired anymore,” he lies.

He’s actually exhausted, but he’d rather sit with you than go to sleep knowing you’re sitting by yourself in the half dark, alone and vulnerable.

You study him like you’re trying to work out if he’s lying or not. Dae-ho feels weirdly nervous under your gaze. He’s grown to care for you quite a bit in the short time he’s known you, and he also happens to think you’re really pretty. That, and he finds your crippling shyness really cute.

You must decide he’s telling the truth, because you shrug.

“If you say so,” you say, though you sound grateful to have someone to sit with you.

Silence falls over the two of you. Dae-ho feels a connection to you that he can’t quite explain. It started the moment he saw you in the first game — you were petrified, as was he, but he suddenly felt like it was his responsibility to help you get over that finish line.

He could’ve left you alone, after that. But he didn’t — instead, he took you under his wing. It was simple. You seemed like you were worth protecting, so he protected you.

He studies your face in the silence. You’re gazing up at the absurdly large piggy bank hanging from the ceiling. The gold light illuminates your features, clinging to your eyelashes like starlight. You’re very pretty, and as you get more and more comfortable around him, it seems you only get prettier.

He’s mesmerised. He can’t explain why, but you’ve become important to him now.

“You’re staring at me,” you say quietly, breaking the silence.

Dae-ho blinks. He hadn’t realised how long he’d been staring at your face. He says the first thing that comes to mind,

“No, I’m not.”

You giggle and twist to look at him. “Yeah, you are. Why are you staring at me?”

You tilt your head, puppy-like, your tired eyes curious. If only you knew why he was staring. He worries if he told you the truth, you’d melt into a puddle.

Dae-ho decides to tell half the truth. “You’re interesting,” he says simply.

You look surprised. “Oh? Interesting in a good way, or interesting in a bad way?”

Dae-ho grins. “Definitely a good way.”

You laugh softly, and there’s a look on your face that Dae-ho can’t quite read.

“I don’t know what that means,” you say airily.

Dae-ho nudges your shoulder with his. “It means I like you,” he says, grinning like a fool. “You’re interesting, and I like that about you. Does that explain it?”

You blink rather rapidly, and your shoulders start to creep towards your ears. Oh, right. Dae-ho almost forgot how shy you can get. He’d be sorry to have embarrassed you, but you’re so cute he doesn’t have it in him to feel very sorry at all.

“What?” He asks innocently, chuckling a bit. “Did I embarrass you? I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

The ‘sweetheart’ sort of just slips out before he can stop it. It suits you, Dae-ho thinks, but unfortunately, the pet name sends you over the edge.

You go red hot in the face, pulling your knees up to hide your face in them. You wrap your arms around your legs and mumble something unintelligible into your sweatpants.

Something like aching fondness blooms in Dae-ho’s chest like a bruise. He gets an arm around you and rubs your back.

“Hey,” he says, half accusatory and half fond, “Where’d you go?”

You mumble something else that he can’t quite make out. Dae-ho leans in closer, curving his arm around your lower back.

“What’d you say?” He asks, a grin tugging at his lips now. He’s quite enjoying teasing you, though he hopes he’s not crossing a line. “I can’t hear you when you’re hiding, Y/N.”

You emerge grudgingly, revealing your face screwed up in what he thinks is embarrassment. You glare at Dae-ho, though there’s no heat behind your eyes.

“Leave me alone,” you bemoan, a pout tugging at the corners of your mouth.

Dae-ho pauses. “You don’t mean that, right?” He asks, amused.

You nod vehemently. “I do. You’re teasing me on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Dae-ho muses, and then he chuckles at the look on your face. You’re cute when you’re annoyed, though he’s almost certain you’re far less annoyed than you’re letting on. “Oh, c’mon. You’re an easy target, you know that?”

You huff. “Yeah, I know,” you mumble, the tips of your ears glowing red.

Dae-ho wonders, vaguely, if it’s silly to be developing a crush in a place like this. Then, he decides he doesn’t really care if it’s silly or not.

He pulls you closer. “Sorry for teasing you,” he says softly.

You shake your head, and, surprisingly, you lean into his chest a bit. “It’s okay. I don’t mind it when it’s you.”

Dae-ho raises both eyebrows. His chest feels funny, like his heart wants to rip free of his ribcage. He can’t see your face, but if he could he worries he’d kiss you on the spot. Instead, he just holds you, your body going lax against him, your head falling to rest on his shoulder.

Sure, maybe it’s a bit silly to be crushing on you at a time like this, but Daeho decides something at that moment. Just like you’re worth protecting, you’re also worth having a crush on. No matter the circumstances

thank you for reading! reblogs are appreciated as always ᡣ𐭩

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penelope-potter · 3 months ago

Note

If you’re taking requests….(hmmm let’s see…. OH i know!!!)

How about Alastor getting his first crush on a girl. BUT…the girl has never been in a romantic relationship before and is completely oblivious to Al’s flirting. She finally gets the hint when he uses his southern accent (he overheard the reader talking to Angel Dust about how she’s into guys with a southern accent and he’s from the south) and properly asks to court her.

That’s all. Have a wonderful day/night/whatever time you’re reading this

PLEASE AND THANK YOU ��️❤️❤️

Alastor never fancied himself the type to get flustered. That sort of nonsense was for others—blushing debutantes and young fools stumbling through their first dances. No, he prided himself on being composed, controlled, unbothered by such trivialities.

Which made the current state of affairs all the more humiliating.

He watched her from across the lounge in the Hazbin Hotel. She was sitting at the bar counter, thumbing through a paperback novel, oblivious to the low thrum of activity around her. Her lips moved as she read silently, occasionally pausing to tap her finger against her chin in thought. The motion made something tighten in Alastor’s chest.

Ridiculous, he thought. He, the Radio Demon, reduced to a fluttering mess by someone so utterly… unaware.

He’d been trying, subtly, to get her attention for days now. At first, he attempted charm in his usual, grandiose way—offers of assistance, carefully timed compliments, little magic tricks involving floating glasses and animated shadows that danced to the music he played.

Nothing.

She had smiled, of course—politely, sweetly—but it was the same smile she gave everyone. There was no spark of recognition, no blush, no hesitation in her step when she saw him. No indication she realized he was flirting.

Alastor was nearly offended.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and one foot lightly tapping the floor in time with the jazz record spinning in the background. Angel Dust sidled up beside him with a smirk, catching the direction of his gaze.

“She still ain’t taken the bait?” Angel asked, popping a bubble of gum.

Alastor’s smile didn’t falter. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, sure. You’ve been hovering around her like a moth on a porch light. Just ask her out already.”

“I would never be so crass,” Alastor replied, waving a hand dismissively. “Romantic pursuits require finesse. Elegance. A gentleman’s touch.”

“Uh-huh,” Angel said, unimpressed. “Well, finesse ain’t working. Maybe try something she actually notices?”

He was about to dismiss Angel entirely when the spider demon added casually, “Heard her talking yesterday. Said something about accents.”

Alastor’s ears perked up ever so slightly.

“Oh?” he said, a little too quickly. “What…sort of accents?”

Angel grinned wickedly. “Southern ones. Said she had a weakness for ‘em. Dunno why—probably the cowboy fantasy or whatever—but she went on about it for, like, ten minutes.”

Alastor straightened, smoothing his lapels thoughtfully. That… was useful information.

He was from New Orleans. He had worked hard to soften the lilt of his accent in public speech, preferring the crisp neutrality of radio diction. But the cadence, the musicality of the South still pulsed in his blood. Perhaps…

“Thank you, Angel,” Alastor said, turning away.

“Don’t mention it, Casanova.”

The next day, she was once again in the lounge, seated at the piano this time, fingers ghosting over the keys as she hummed tunelessly to herself. Alastor approached quietly, his smile soft but sharp, a hunter’s smile, just a little more dangerous today.

He leaned on the piano and said smoothly, “Now, ain’t this a picture? A darlin’ little thing all wrapped up in her own music.”

She looked up, blinking at him, startled. “Oh! Alastor. Hi.”

He gave a slight bow, letting his accent drip a little thicker than usual, like honey poured slow from the jar.

“I was hopin’ I might find you here today.”

She tilted her head, clearly confused. “You were?”

“Mm-hmm.” He leaned in just a fraction. “You see, I’ve been thinkin’—you’ve got a voice sweeter than magnolia wine, and fingers more graceful than a summer breeze. A man could get lost watchin’ you.”

There was a pause.

Then, with a furrow of her brow, she replied: “Do I have something on my face?”

He blinked. “Pardon?”

“You’re… looking at me kind of weird. Is there something wrong?”

Alastor exhaled through his nose. He chuckled—light, pleasant, but tinged with exasperation. “Nothin’ wrong, sugar. Quite the opposite.”

She smiled sheepishly. “Oh, okay. Sorry. I’ve just never been good at reading between the lines.”

That much was becoming abundantly clear.

“Tell me,” Alastor said, letting the chair beside her creak as he sat down, voice velvet-smooth, “have you ever had someone court you before?”

She blinked. “Court me?”

“Yes.” He folded his hands, suddenly earnest beneath the ever-present grin. “Take a genuine, gentlemanly interest in your company. Walk you through the gardens, sing with you in the parlor, bring you little gifts, if you’d let him. Someone who’d admire you deeply, and… respectfully.”

She was looking at him now, her book forgotten entirely.

“You’re asking if I’ve ever dated anyone?”

“Precisely.”

“…No. I haven’t.”

“Well then,” he said, voice dropping just a touch, gaze meeting hers fully now, “I’d like to be the first.”

There was a beat.

Then, a very quiet, “Wait. You’re serious?”

“As serious as a New Orleans summer is humid.”

Her mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. “…Is that what you’ve been doing all week?”

“I do hope I haven’t been too subtle,” he said dryly.

“Oh my god,” she breathed, pressing her hands to her face in embarrassment. “I thought you were just being…you!”

Alastor’s laughter bubbled out before he could help it. “And what, pray tell, does that mean?”

“You compliment everyone! You do magic tricks for fun! You talk like a dramatic novel character. I thought that was just your thing!”

He grinned wider, if that were possible. “Ah, but did I compliment anyone else’s eyes in prose-poetry style? Did I call Husk’s frown ‘poetically tragic’ or Charlie’s footsteps ‘music to rival Debussy’?”

“…No.”

“Exactly.”

She groaned softly, dragging her hands down her face. “I missed everything. I’m so sorry.”

“There’s no apology needed.” His tone softened. “Romance isn’t a language everyone speaks fluently. But I’m willing to teach, if you’re willin’ to learn.”

She looked at him again—really looked this time. There was something genuine beneath the eccentricity. A glimmer of vulnerability in the way he held her gaze, even as his smile stayed fixed and bright.

“…You want to court me,” she repeated.

“If you’ll have me.”

She laughed under her breath, disbelieving. “I don’t even know how to be courted.”

“That’s alright, sugar,” he said gently. “I do.”

She paused. Then gave a small nod.

“Alright. You can court me.”

Alastor lit up like a marquee.

“Excellent!” he said, standing and offering her his hand. “Shall we start now? A walk through the garden, perhaps? I hear the moon’s lookin’ especially lovely tonight.”

She took his hand, hesitantly at first, then more surely. His grip was warm and steady.

As they walked toward the lobby doors, she looked sideways at him.

“So, just to be clear…was the shadow puppet of a heart yesterday part of the flirting?”

“Oh, most definitely.”

“…Wow. I thought that was just performance art.”

Alastor chuckled.

“We’ve got a long way to go, don’t we?”

She smiled. “Guess so.”

But her fingers stayed in his, and for the first time in a very long time, Alastor felt the quiet thrill of possibility stir beneath his ever-cheerful facade.

Maybe love wasn’t as trivial as he thought. Maybe—just maybe—it was worth learning how to speak her language, too.

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penelope-potter · 3 months ago

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GOOD OMENS

1x01 • “The Beginning”

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penelope-potter · 3 months ago

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GOOD OMENS "I Know Where I'm Going"

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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He tried and that’s what matters

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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It'll be okay *puts a little flower in your hair*

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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Dads day date

Another chaotic week and fluff 📻🍎 for healing the soul

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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the world isn’t so bad. it has you in it, after all.

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

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His friends ♡

(I drew this for Angel's birthday. Happy birthday Angel!!! 🎉)

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penelope-potter · 4 months ago

Photo

Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

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penelope-potter · 5 months ago

Note

Hello~

I heard your requests are open if that's still up to date. If that's so, could you write something for Toilet bound hanako-kun?

Where hanako is insecure and think that reader doesn't trust him, so reader's trying to prove their trust so they jump off the school building in front of him. (He catches them of course) and he asking: "what's gotten into you, do you want to die?!" And reader is like: "it wouldn't bother me, maybe I could be with you forever then."

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND HAVE A NICE DAY! <3

Hello!

Yes request are open! I just took some time off because i got a procedure in the eyes. Now i can see without a blurry vision!

I hope this is of your liking, please let me know what you think!

TW: Mentions of death and jumping.

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When you started seeing supernaturals you got scared.

Sure, some are cute like the Mokke, but... The rest?

Because all of them had rules and "buts" attached to them you were wary to believe them.

What if the price is high? what if to leave their boundary you need to hurt a friend?

But this fear did not happen with Hanako right away.

It would be because he was the first supernatural you ever saw.

The first one to tell you there was a price to pay for granting your wish.

You soon realized all of them had a "catch".

Thus becoming wary.

Hanako observed your interactions and at first he was glad you weren't easily fooled like Nene was.

But on the other hand, a little voice told him that also applied to him.

So, Hanako being Hanako, he kinda kept some informations from you on purpose - he thought that if he told you everything you would grow suspicious and hate him even more.

Well, he was wrong.

He ended up hurting you a lot more.

Because you trusted him. You believed in what he said because he saved you a thousand times. Because he was honest upfront about his price.

Alas, when you started noticing he didn't share somethings your heart broke.

You decided to confront him in the bathroom one day.

With a little scowl, you called for him, not chanting like you usually do. - chanting the Hanako-san, Hanako-san.

The boy thought some went south, especially because you were alone, no Nene or Kou with you.

So, when he appeared he was a bit worried and his voice sounded a bit urgent.

But when you puffed your cheeks and explained why you were there, confronting him about his secret keeping, his worry shifted gears.

Hanako tried to argue with you and reason that you hardly believed any of them - even Tsuchigomori-sensei sometimes.

At this point you had tears in your eyes.

You grabbed him by the collar, but couldn't speak much.

So soon you let go of him and that action made Hanako think things were a bit settled.

Until you asked a very strange thing:

Y/N: So... you say you hide things from me because you think i distrust you?

Hanako: ....

Y/N: ... I will show you... I... I will prove to you i have always by your side!

You dashed out of the bathroom.

Because of your emotional state, Hanako followed you suit, calling your name.

A million things crossed his mind of what you could do.

Piss off a supernatural? Get cursed? Enter a boundary? Or.... seek Tsukasa?

The boy was sweating cold when he realized you were headed to roof.

Nothing supernatural related was there...

When he caught up to you, you were poorly seated on the fence.

Hanako called out to you.

But as soon as you heard his voice, you turned to him, eyes puffy and red.

You just relaxed and let your weight go, falling off the roof.

In an instant you could see the hakujoudai coming towards you and disappearing out of your sight.

You squeezed your eyes shut, but you never fell to the ground - something was pushing you up and another something was holding your wrist.

When you opened your eyes, you saw Hanako.

He had tears in the corner of his eyes, he was panting and had mixture of worry, sadness and anger on his expression.

He managed to pull you up and you both sat there in silence for a moment.

You were both shaking, but soon Hanako blew up at you:

Hanako: W-what do you think you are doing?? You could have died!

Y/N:.. I, I told you i would prove it t-

Hanako: Dying proves nothing!

Y/N: You would at least mean i could be all the time with you!

Hanako gritted his teeth

Hanako: Dying doesn't mean you will become a supernatural!

You were in tears and sobbing

Y/N: I- I know! But ... you came to me! And this is my point.

Hanako fell silent for a moment.

Y/N: See? i trust you with my life...

The boy gritted his teeth once more, but this time to hold back tears. He closed the space between you two and gave you hug:

Hanako: Idiot... I will always be by your side.

Even though he was trying not to cry, a tear or to rolled down his cheek.

He wanted to tell you a lot more, but the words got stuck on his throat.

When you pulled away, Hanako dried your tears gently.

Placing his forehead agaisnt yours, he asked you to promise him to never do this kind of thing.

You said you would if he talked to you more, if he relied on you.

You both agreed to it.

It was an awkward way back to the bathroom and even more awkward when Nene show up with Kou.

But you two started to slowly build this bridge.

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Thank you for reading!

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