#I'm just adding since it always comes up. Maybe let's not have the one black character's main thing be goblin slaughter and

[the-weeping-dawn]

Wow comments on the videos about Gort are just filed with legitimate conversations about Wyll and wanting more even little things or just existing things fixed without mods

Larian has been liking comments on other patch 8 things. But won't touch the now routine pleading around the most barebones requests for Wyll.

[indulgentdaydream]

Rooftop Angel

Jason Todd x Reader | Fluff Word Count: 1,314 Warnings: not proofread. a dangerous amount of banter. lowkey stalking but like not in a toxic way more so playing a prank.

Is this anything anyone requested? No. Is this something I thought of writing almost a year ago walking home after classes one night but never wrote? Yes. Did I decide that nickname at his very last line and went back and immediately added it in everywhere else. Maybe.

Is this the first fic I've written since before I was in the ER in July? Also yes. I'm not sorry maybe I would be if I was paid for this.

A cool breeze brushed across your cheeks as you walked down the sidewalk, the street lamps illuminating the dry concrete and the scattering of fallen autumn leaves.

You kept your hands in your jacket pockets to keep them warm, trodding along contentedly with your headphones playing music, filtering out the dreadful sounds of small bursts of late night city traffic. Your last class ran late. A three-hour lecture that ended at 9pm. Usually you'd go and get on the bus right away, but having not eaten before class, you'd stopped to get dinner at one of the late night shops on campus. Afterwards, since the next bus was going to take a half-hour to arrive, you'd decided the 25 minute walk didn't seem too bad.

You were grateful to have the opportunity to take the walk, giving you more time to yourself before you returned to the pile of dishes you knew you had left yourself in the sink.

You kept your eyes on your surroundings, like your boyfriend always told you to. Gotham was no good at night for anyone. Yet, there was no one else on this street, so there was probably no reason to worry this time around.

He also told you to stop wearing your headphones while walking around. Consistently. He just doesn't understand the peace it brings since he doesn't do it.

Halfway through your walk, your music suddenly faded to silence, before your ringtone began to play instead. You sighed at the loss of your alone with music time as you pulled out your phone to see who it was. At the sight of Jason's smiling profile picture, you perked up again, immediately tapping your screen to pick up and shoved your phone back in your pocket, the sound connecting to you headphones.

"Hello," you said cheerfully.

There was no response.

You frowned and pulled your phone back out. The call was still there. You quickly remembered how your headphones had been kicking out on phone calls lately. You sighed and slipped them off, bringing the phone to your ear instead.

"Hi, Jay," you repeat happily.

"Hi, chickpea," his voice filtered through. "What'cha doing?"

"Walking home," You smiled. "I grabbed dinner at Bel's after class and the bus was late. Where are you?"

"Stopped by yours, but realized you weren't home. I'm out and about again."

You frown, "Oh, I'm sorry. I should've texted you."

"That's fine, love," Jason let out a small chuckle, "Staying safe?"

You nod, "Mhmm. Course I am."

"Yeah? Good." He sounded unconvinced. "What was that pause at the start?"

"What pause?"

"The pause that always happens with your headphones."

You purse your lips, "I had them on in case you called."

"Riiiiight," Jason drawled.

You groan, realizing you were caught after having promised him the umpteenth time only a few days ago that you'd be more vigilant, "I promise I was watching around me."

"But you weren't listening."

"I would've seen them!"

"Not if they were coming from behind."

You pause, glancing behind you as you walked. There was no one else on the street except a man that had just left his apartment. He looked tough, rugged jeans and a black sweater with the hood pulled up over his head. He began walking down the steps and you felt a spike of panic before he turned and began walking in the direction you came.

"Mhmm," Jason hummed knowingly, filling your silence. "You're lucky he turned the other way."

"Seriously," you muttered, agreeing, and faced forward again.

You turned Jason's words over in your head. You slow to a stop. You stood for a second before looking out across the other side of the street, then the tops of the buildings.

Jason voice filtered into your ear again, grabbing your attention, "You listening to me, chickpea?"

You whip around to stare up at the top of the building to your right. You catch the slightest glint of red before it disappear behind the edge of the roof.

"Well don't do that," He said.

You couldn't help but smile, still looking up at where you'd last seen him, "Why not?"

"You'll give me away," he argued. "Keep your head down and keep walking."

You smile to yourself, but do as he says. You whisper into the phone to avoid any prying ears in passing alleyways, "Stalker."

"I am not a stalker," He sounded like he was pouting at being caught, embarrassed. "You weren’t where you were supposed to be. I got worried."

You let out a small laugh, "Come walk with me. Walk me home."

You hear the hesitation in his reply, "No can do, love. You know I don't need you associated with the Red Hood."

Scoffing, you kick a pebble, "You hate me."

"I could never hate you."

"Hmph," you can't help but glance up as you pass an alleyway, catching a glance of him jumping across it, a shadow against the light polluted sky. "Just take the helmet off and zip up your jacket."

He chuckles, "And what? Carry it at my side instead?"

"I'll put it in my bag."

"It'll be too big."

"I'll put it under my coat," You counter. "I can pretend to be pregnant. Or have a beer belly."

Jason's laugh made your cheeks warm against the cool air, "I'm wearing my domino mask tonight."

"Then take it off."

"What about my eye black?"

"I've got some make remover in my bag."

He hummed, "You've just got the answer to everything, don't you?

"I'm smart."

"That you are, darling."

"Smarter than you, apparently."

He barks out a laugh at that, "That's okay. I like 'em smart."

You blush at that, a smile tugging at your lips.

"I make up for it though," He continued.

"By being handsome?" You retort.

He hesitated and you knew he was blushing, too. "No, by being more careful."

You roll your eyes at him. There was really no harm.

You reached your apartment building, just passing the last alleyway. A hand clamped down on your wrist that held your phone to your ear, tugging you into it, pulling it away from your ear at them same time. You moved to scream when a gloved hand cover your mouth, pressing you into the wall, deep in the shadow of the two buildings. Not pushed, or shoved, just pressed.

Your eyes fixed on Jason's amused eyes, his faceplate raised to show his face. He taps the hang up button on your phone with his thumb, slipping it back in your pocket to rest his hand on your hip.

He slips his other hand off your mouth and you're already glaring, "You're not wearing your domino mask."

Jason grinned, "Sorry, love." He leaned down and kissed your cheek, the metal along his chin brushing your jaw. "I'm serious, though. Please stop wearing your headphones when walking around."

You huff slightly, slumping against the wall in defeat, "Fine."

Jason hums again and tilts your chin up with his fingers, pressing a kiss to your lips, "Thank you."

You kiss him back, easily accepting the affection from him, "Come inside?"

He gives you an apologetic smile and shakes his head, "I've gotta get going."

You huff dramatically, "You hate me."

Jason chuckles, "Well maybe if you hadn't stopped for that garbage food."

"But it's so good."

"I swear," he shook his head. "If I don't lose you to an easily avoided mugging it's gonna be heart failure from whatever that stuff is."

You grin and lean into him, "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Bright and early," He kissed you again, letting it linger. "Love you, chickpea."

You cupped his face as you kissed him back, "Love you, too, Jaybaby."

With a squeeze of your hip, he took a step back and closed his faceplate, watching you leave he alley and turn the corner, entering your building.

[moonwalkingprincess]

Robert Irwin x reader

I'm lowkey obsessing over Robert even though how I HATE he's using animals as models.

co written by chatGPT.

__

Ever since those ads, people has been rushing in the zoo. Mostly women over 30, drooling all over Robert. Not what he had in mind. He thought people was going to be interesting in the animals, perhaps sponsor them? But people only came for him. Asking him uncomfortable questions, taking pictures etc.

Unlike one girl, who would still pay attention to the snakes. The women frowned as Robert left to some other girl.

"Hey there! Need any info on snakes?"

She turns to look at him, quirking an eyebrow. A beat, then she lets out a short laugh — not mocking, but amused.

"Wait... you’re asking me if I need snake info?" she chuckles.

"Uh... yeah? That’s kind of my thing." Robert grins and the girl gave him a smirk, folding her arms. "Aren’t you the guy on the ad posing with the animals?" Robert let out a disapointing sigh, but he tried his best to smile. "Guilty. But I’m always happy to help."

"Okay then, sure. Tell me something I don’t know." She turns fully toward him now, ready for a showdown. Robert raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Alright... did you know the inland taipan has the most toxic venom of any land snake?"

"What?! No way! I’ve never heard that before... except maybe the last twenty documentaries I've watched." she mockingly gasps. She turnes around looking at the snake in the glass.

"Did you know their venom can kill a hundred men with a single bite? Or that they’re shy and rarely come into contact with humans? Or that they live in the semi-arid regions of central east Australia?"

Robert blinked "Okay, wow." he said impressed. The girl grins. "You thought I was just here for the cute koalas, didn’t you?" she asks. Robert smirks "Well, I mean, you do have koala vibes. But clearly you’ve got the venomous facts to back it up."

"Yeah, well I think I know more than you."

Did this bitch just??? Robert eyes brows went up in anger, trying to laugh it off.

"Excuse me? You know i'm an Irwin right?"

"I know who your dad is. He wasn't someone who had his Shirt half off, holding a black-headed python like it's a fashion accessory. He worked his whole life getting people to respect animals." he said, Robert's body froze at the mention of his dad name.

"I was trying to get... " the girl crossed her arms and cut them off. "You’re posing like it’s a cologne ad. These are wild animals, not props. You think making them sexy makes people respect them more?"

Robert’s smile falters slightly. He wasn’t expecting pushback.

"I’m just trying to get people interested—show them snakes aren’t as scary as they seem." he said defensively.

They are scary. And beautiful. And deadly. You don’t have to sexualize nature to make it worth caring about.

A tense silence. Robert studies her, his posture shifting from defensive to thoughtful. "Okay… fair point." he said quietly. The girl let's out a soft sigh.

"Sorry. I just care about them. The snakes. Koalas. All of them. I don’t want people forgetting what they are just because someone made them look “cool.”" Robert nods at his words. "So do I. Maybe I got a little carried away." she says, getting embarrased. They look at each other. The tension lingers—but so does a flicker of mutual respect." The moment was interrupted by a bunch of scary women asking him if he could sign magazines that had is ads.

"I would love to do that, but I just wanted ot ask first if this lady would like to grab a drink after i'm done with my shift."

You blink, the 5 women stares at you surprised and jealous.

"what?"

I just criticize him why would he wanna go out with me?

"uhhh" you said.

"I can go out with you" said one of the women, but he turned her down? He looked at you again "uhm, yeah, sure." you say.

"great, i'll see you at 5" he says and signs those magazines that belongs to very jealous women.

[fanficsformyfaves]

Reunion

Shaggy Rogers x Daphne Blake's Sister!Reader

WARNING: Nothing but Fluff <3, Mutual Pining, Reader is a Black Belt in Karate

PREFACE: When the gang first split up, of course Shaggy was devasted, but he was more upset that he would never get to see Reader again. That was until they all reunite in the airport for a mystery they were invited to solve two years later

A/N: Flashbacks in Italics!

There aren't any stories about my husband and I am deeply appalled!

SHAGGY'S P.O.V.

"Come on, Scoob. Like, we're gonna be late for the flight", I say,

Packing up our Scooby snacks for the trip, while he dealt with our clothes.

"Oooh, Rooby Snacks"

He says, trynna grab a piece, to which I bat his hand away.

"These are for the trip, man!", I scold,

As he huffed, zipping up our bags. We hail a cab, toss our luggage in the trunk and hop in.

It's been a while since we had a totally rad mystery to solve. Like, as terrifying as those creeps were, I miss getting to work on cracking the case...and getting to hang with (Y/N).

She was like, the most perfect girl in the world. Like, imagine all the best things in one person. Even all the hotdogs, sundae ice creams and rollercoasters couldn't come close to how beautiful she was. She never failed to make my heart do summersaults inside my chest.

But I never had the guts to tell her that. I mean, she was super cute and I was the goofball of Mystery Inc.

So, I knew I had no chance.

"Raggy!", Scoob snaps me out of my thoughts,

Nudging me with his elbow and letting me know that we made it to the airport. While grabbing our bags, I look over at the large tree by the entrance and my heart drops like a sack of potatoes.

There she was in all her glory. With her pretty hair and eyes that shined like gumdrops. She was just as pretty as I remembered. I could already feel the goofy grin settling on my face.

YOUR P.O.V.

"Want anything from the gift shop, while I'm in there?", Daphne questioned,

"I'm good- oh! Maybe food from the McDonald's next door?", I request,

Looking up from the book I bought prior to getting here. I watch as my sister gives me an unimpressed look, placing a hand on her hip.

"What? I missed breakfast!", I retort at her reaction,

"And who's fault is that?"

"Um, yours? If you hadn't hogged the bathroom all morning to do your hair, I would've had enough time to make some food"

"Well, excuse me for caring about my appearance. You think all this takes five minutes?", she says,

Gesturing to herself. Once she realized there was no getting through to me, she accepts defeat by sighing to herself and rolling her eyes.

"Fine, but just this once. That stuff will kill you"

"Not fast enough, apparently", I answer,

Getting back to my reading. She shakes her head, before walking off.

"Be back soon, ciao"

"Ciao", I replied,

Without averting my gaze from the pages.

As I was waited for her to get back, I decided to grab the water bottle I had in my backpack. Just then, my journal falls out from one of the compartments

Jeez, it must've been a while since I've cleaned this out.

I flip through the pages and come across one that was covered in hearts with arrows shot through them. The letters (Your First Initial) and S added together on the insides.

I've always had a thing for Shaggy. He was always such a sweetheart. I remembered how he would always give me the cherries off his sundaes, regardless of how much he wanted them.

"Shaggy, you don't have to keep giving me the cherries, if you want them", I say,

"Like, I know you want them, so...let me be a gentleman", he says,

Picking one off the vanilla ice cream and handing it over to me. For the first time ever, I decided to rid myself of the familiar shyness I was always plagued with and take it from him with my teeth, causing a bright red hue to brush against his cheeks.

"Like, wow", he giggled shyly.

Not to mention, how incredibly cute he was. I couldn't help but sigh at the memories of those pretty blue eyes staring back at me.

I knew I should've said something before we all split up, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it and besides, he probably didn't feel the same way.

As I was strolling down memory lane, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"HiYAH!", I yell,

Hitting whoever it was in the shin, before pinning them to the tree by their throats. Once I realized who it was, I gasp.

"Like, wow", he grinned,

I couldn't help but feel a weird sense of Deja Vu when he said that.

"Shaggy! I am sorry!", I apologize,

Pulling away and fixing his shirt.

"Just as strong as I remember", he says,

Rocking back and forth on his heels, with the same old laugh I remember falling for. I chuckled and bent down to pick up my stuff.

"Oh, let me help you with that", he says,

Getting down and accidentally butting me in the head with his, causing us both to fall backwards, exclaiming in pain.

"Owie!", he whines,

Grabbing his forehead, as I laugh doing the same.

"Good to see you again, Shagster", I say,

"(Y/N)", I hear a familiar sound coming from behind me,

I turn around and see the best boy in the world.

"Scooby!", I yelp in excitement,

As he ran over, barking and greeted me with a lick to the face.

"Hiya, boy!", I scratch at the back of his head,

Whilst his tail wagged and foot tapped softly on the grass.

"Like, he really missed you!", Shaggy says,

Making me turn to face him.

"We both did", he admitted shyly,

My heart skipping a beat listening to his words.

"I missed you too, you screwball", I kid,

Getting back on my feet and finally embracing him. At first I felt his body stiffen against my touch, but he eventually melted into me and his arms go around the small of my waist.

We pull away and our lips were merely inches apart. It felt like time stopped and everything else disappeared around us. In that moment, we were the only people to exist.

"(Y/N)?"

"Shaggy?", I whisper,

Feeling the magnetic current pulling me closer towards him. Just as we were about to close the space between us, we were interrupted.

"Oh my god", Daphne says,

Carrying my food in her hands, watching us leap out off each other's arms.

"Shaggy?", she calls out,

"Oh, like, Hi, Daph!", he says,

"What are you doing here?", she chuckles,

Walking closer towards us and handing my the paper bag and drinks.

"Well, Scoob and I got this super creepy invitation to solve a mystery on-."

"Spooky Island", they both say in unison,

"Like, how groovy, man!"

My head snaps in his direction.

"Wait, you got invited too?", I ask,

"Well, yeah! Didn't you hear about the all-you-can-eat buffet they're hosting?", he questions,

Making me laugh to myself. Of course, he would go for the food.

"Well, let's hope we're the only ones who got the invite", Daphne says,

Walking into the airport. We take a moment to look back at each other, before shrugging and picking up my belongings. We trail behind her and made our way through the bustling crowd. I take a bite of my burger, before looking over and finding Shaggy ogling at it.

"Hm?", I hum,

Offering him a bite.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly-"

"The plane won't be serving food till three", I interrupt,

"Who am I to deny such a gracious offer?", he jokes,

Making me chuckle to myself.

"Wanna go halfsies?", he asks,

"Sure", I agreed,

Watching him split the burger in half and handing me the bigger piece.

"Thank you", I say,

Continuing to enjoy my share, along with the fries I was already sharing with Scoob. I throw a fry in the air and laugh as the pooch jumps up to catch it.

While walking, Scooby grabs the dufflebag Shaggy was holding and made his way to the bathroom.

"Where's he going?", washing down the last bite down with my drink,

"Oh, you'll see", he replies,

It takes us a while, but we finally get to the check-in, where Daphne proceeded to argue with the man behind the desk.

"What do you mean I can't have seven carry-on bags?! That is so economy!", she complains,

"Yeesh", Shaggy muttered to me,

"Oh, that's just her makeup. You should see the suitcases full of costume changes and hair products", I say,

Making the tall geek laugh at my joke. I look around and my eyes fall on two very familiar faces.

"Daph?", Fred called out,

Catching my sister's attention.

"Crap", Velma muttered to herself,

"Oh, no. I'm not talking to you guys", she snapped,

Pretending to zip her lips shut and throwing away the key, but alas, she could not control her anger.

"What the heck are you doing here?", she questioned,

Watching the pair make their way over to us. That's when Fred eventually notices me and Shaggy.

"Oh, hey, you two", he greets,

We couldn't do anything but wave awkwardly.

"Isn't it obvious? We all received the same letter from one Emile Mondevarious...the reclusive owner of Spooky Island", Velma explained,

"It's not fair! I was gonna solve the mystery all by myself for the first time ever", Daphne argued,

As Fred scoffed. Oh no.

"How are you gonna save yourself when you get caught?", he poked fun at Daphne's past of always being the damsel in distress,

"I'm a black belt now. I've transformed my body into a dangerous weapon", she answered,

As him and Velma laughed at her response.

"It's true!"

"Far out! I guess we're, like, all going to Spooky Island, man!"

Daphne rolls her eyes and returns her attention to the check-in employee.

"Hey, where's Scooby?", she asks Shaggy,

Just then, the Great Dane, or should I say, Great Dame, emerges from the crowd. All dressed up in an long-sleeved dress, cheetah print reading glasses and a straw hat.

"Hello, sorry", he says,

Navigating his was through the fellow airport patrons.

"They don't allow big dogs on the plane", Shaggy explained nonchalantly,

As I let out a shocked laugh.

"You've got to be kidding", Velma protested the ridiculous disguise,

"No one is stupid enough to believe that", she added,

"Who's the ugly old broad?", Fred asks,

Leaning over to Shaggy. Velma shakes her head at Fred's naiveness and folds her arms over her chest.

"Say hello to Grandma", Shaggy announced,

"Attention. Flight 3774 to Spooky Island is now boarding", the announcer alerts through the telecom,

Everyone, besides Shaggy and I, groan before heading towards our terminal.

SHAGGY'S P.O.V

"Shall we?", I move over and gesture for her to step in front of me,

"My my my, what a gentleman. Just like I remember", she smiles,

Walking ahead.

"Nailed it", I sing to Scoob,

Before following behind her. We arrive inside the plane and take our seats. A moment passes and Scoob nudges me, before holding up the neck pillow we brought.

"Aaah"

I quickly picked up what he was putting down.

"Say, (Y/N)", I call out,

She turns back to me.

"Could I interest you in some in-flight comfort?", I ask,

Offering it to her. She grins to herself, before taking it.

"Why, thank you, Shagwell", she says,

Putting it on. I turn to Scoob and he raises his eyebrows at me.

"Butt out, Scoob", I scold in a whisper,

Before looking back at her. I swear heaven was missing an angel. Like, how could someone be this perfect? I could feel the blood rush up to my cheeks every time she spoke. It always felt like that one time with the cherries. Oh, man, did it make my heart go all squirrely.

I was never man enough to tell her how I really felt back then, but those two years without her was pure torture, man. It made me realize that I couldn't put myself through that again.

So, I take a deep breath and finally plucked the courage up the guts to come clean.

"(Y/N)?"

"Yes?"

"If we ever make it out of this, you know, with our head still attached to our necks"

Making her laugh. Gosh, were her little giggles music to my ears. Focus, Shaggy, Focus! I shake myself out of my distracting thoughts.

"Would you maybe wanna...I don't know...like...go out with me?", I ask,

Cringing in anticipation for the let-down of a lifetime.

YOUR P.O.V.

Was I hallucinating? There was no way on God's green earth was the man I'd been crushing on for literal years now actually reciprocating how I felt.

I pinch at my arm and hiss at the pain that brought me to the realization this wasn't just a scenario I dreamt up.

"Ow!"

"Like, what was that?", he yelped concernedly,

"Uh, nothing, it's just...", my sentence trails off into an awkward silence,

"I would love to!"

"Really?", his eyes widen,

"Really?", Scooby repeats,

"Really! I mean, I don't know if you've ever noticed, Shaggy, but, I've always liked you", I admit,

"...Get outta here, like, me too!", he responds,

"Wait, what?! Why didn't you say anything?!", I questioned,

"Well, I mean...look at you", he blushes,

Making the heat rush to me cheeks too, as I pout in awe.

"You're so pretty and smart and nice...and you share your food with me! I mean, that takes a whole lotta moxie!", he explained,

Gosh, was he freaking adorable.

"That totally puts you out of my league!"

"Oh, Shaggy", I sigh,

Taking his scruffy face in my hands.

"You're the best guy I know", I reassure,

"Which is why I'm gonna do what I should've done a long time ago", I say,

Closing the gap that wedge us apart for years by pressing my lips against his.

[notiddygothgf]

20. Leaving

★ pairings: aki hayakawa x fem reader

★ ❝ I'll fucking kill you. ❞

★ c.w.: violence, drinking, aki being his canonical kick-ass self, the most satisfying ending ever.

★ a/n: HELLO HELLO MY BABIESSSS!!!!! its here omfg. the chapter i have been itching to release since this past summer! I don't wanna say too much so I'll keep it short -- strap in! It's a ride. Y'all have been waiting for this one. (COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT AWAY PLS i crave ur validation)

★ w.c: .7.2k

shameless ; chapter index

THE FIRST PERSON you saw when you arrived, again, was Himeno. She was wearing a black dress tonight – not entirely unlike your own, but certainly a hell of a lot more conservative. When she saw your head peeking out through the crowd, she grinned, waving her arms around in recognition.

Quickly, you and Aki made your way over to her. She reeled you in with a gloved hand, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

"Thank God, you're here. I was beginning to die of boredom," She chuckled. Giving Aki a pat on the back, she added, "You two look dashing tonight."

Somewhere behind you, Denji straightened up, asking, "What about me? Am I dashing?"

Himeno regarded him with a familiar laugh – truly, the only appropriate response to anything Denji said, "Yeah, little dude. You look like a mini version of Captain Hardass over here."

Denji grinned, clearly taking the comparison as a compliment. Aki shot Himeno an unimpressed look, though it quickly softened as his gaze landed on you.

"I just spotted someone I know," Aki explained, adjusting his tie. "One of my old coworkers is here, and I should go say hello."

"Go on, then," Himeno teased, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't let us hold you up. I'll keep her safe."

Aki ignored her entirely, stepping closer to you instead. His hand brushed against your arm as he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. It wasn't long, but it carried the quiet affection he always managed to express, even in public.

"Ooooh," Himeno cooed, her grin spreading wide as she placed a hand dramatically over her chest. "Someone get the two lovebirds a room."

Aki sighed, pulling back with a hint of exasperation. "You're insufferable." He cast you a final glance, his voice softening. "Might be a while before I'm back. He can chat quite a bit."

With that, he turned and strode off into the crowd, his sharp silhouette disappearing among the throng of guests.

Himeno turned to you, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "You're good for him, you know. He's so... uptight. It's hilarious to watch him let his guard down around you."

You chuckled, shaking your head. "Maybe. Or maybe he's just tired of you calling him Captain Hardass."

"Never," Himeno replied with mock solemnity, before her grin returned. "Anyway, speaking of missing men, you'll be glad to know that your husband will not be in attendance."

You laughed. "That's a relief. I was dreading running into him."

"Understandably," Himeno said with a smirk. Then, she sighed. "These things are boring as hell without a little something to spice them up. Speaking of..." She looped her arm through yours, steering you toward the bar. "Let's liven this up."

The bar was crowded, but Himeno had no trouble making her presence known. "A round of shots!" she declared, rapping her knuckles on the bar. "Something that burns on the way down. Vodka."

"You're going to regret this tomorrow," you teased, shaking your head.

"Maybe," Himeno replied, shrugging as the bartender lined up the glasses. "But at least I'll have fun tonight. Cheers to that, huh?"

She handed you a shot, raising hers high. "To alcoholism."

You grinned. "To surviving this party."

The glasses clinked, and you both downed the shots. The fiery warmth spread through you immediately, and you couldn't help but laugh as Himeno slammed her glass on the bar with a triumphant grin.

"That's the stuff," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Now let's see what kind of trouble we can get into before Aki comes back to ruin the fun."

Her wicked grin was contagious, and you smiled back, already knowing the night was about to get a lot more interesting.

Somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes later, you and Himeno were slumped over the bar, indulging in a hushed conversation about your personal lives.

"I've been crashing with Aki for a while now," You drunkenly rambled, waving your hand in the air while the other one cradled a vodka cranberry. "Mostly just to avoid the situation. But– hic– I know... I know I have to go back for my shit eventually, you know?"

You recognized this bar – this venue. In this very same spot, what seemed like eons ago, this was where you had spoken to Aki alone for the first time.

"Is he here with you tonight?" He asked.

You felt your eyes widen. "No, he's in Kyoto..." you muttered, taking a few more much-needed chugs of the wine.

He hummed. If he thought something about that, he didn't say anything. "The wine matches your lipstick."

He hesitated for a moment before leaning in, his tongue flicking out to taste the salt on your skin. The muscle was hot and wet, drawing a line from your knuckles to your wrist. Perhaps it was the warmth of his mouth on your hand, or the way he peered up at you through his half-lidded eyes and lowered lashes so shamelessly. Perhaps it was the wine in your system doing its work already. Either way, you couldn't help the heat that spread over your neck and your face – the stir in your chest that you tried to ignore.

"Because," He said, "You were dancing with someone else."

Your face was alight, on fire – you blamed it on the booze. 

"Jealous?" You asked, only partially joking.

You should have known better. You should have stopped drinking about thirty minutes ago. No, better yet; you should have walked away the moment he offered to buy you a drink. You should have done the right thing from the start – turn away from the captivating Devil Hunter and his soft lips against your hand, the desire in his eyes – but you didn't.

"Maybe I am," He replied, voice deep and velvety and – fuck .

"Stop, just–" You interrupted him. You sounded a little breathless when you said it. "Stop it. Go back inside. Go–" You swallowed, voice trembling only slightly as you finished, "Go back to Himeno."

His eyes were unwavering pools of passion – ocean waves crashing against the sandy color of his skin, luring you deeper into the abyss. He lifted a perfectly arched brow, uttering innocently, "Why? I want to be where you are."

"Wow... So... It's really over between you and Tanimoto, huh?" Himeno inquired, finger tracing the rim of her fourth beer (the one that followed 3 shots).

You sighed, laying your head down on the cold, comforting surface of the bartop. "I'm looking into divorce attorneys."

"Now you sound your age," She smiled at you, drumming her fingers on the glass. 

Playfully, you shoved Himeno, though it took a great deal of effort – and laughter – for her to stay upright on her stool.

"Your husband would flip if he saw you in that dress," She continued.

"Good," You chuckled back.

The two of you sat there for what may, perhaps, have been a moment too long, melting into puddles of giggles. It was undeniably childish, sure, but you couldn't help but feel, for a moment, as if you were transported to the past once more – like the two of you were 20 instead of 25, eyes still bright, dreams still intact. Still just girls, instead of grown women with a missing eye and a missing marriage.

Furthermore, you were undeniably tipsy.

And, of course, that was the moment Aki decided to come back. You caught a whiff of his signature aroma first, that deep, masculine cologne of his, the scent of nicotine lingering faintly in the air, as if he had just stepped out for a smoke. Then, he took a seat behind you, placing a kiss on your shoulder. 

"Sorry I took so long," Aki sighed, smoothing his hands over the top of his ponytail. "Are you two... drunk?"

You and Himeno looked at him, then back at each other, then broke out into another fit of laughter. 

"I was gone 30 minutes," He quirked a brow. His tone was so deep, so commanding that you couldn't help the shiver that went down your spine. When the bartender came by, he added, "House beer, please."

"Finish my vodka cranberry?" You grinned, sliding the red-filled glass over to Aki.

Aki took a taste test from it. When he decided he didn't hate it, he downed the rest of it in one go.

"I missed you," You sighed, laying your head on Aki's shoulder, suddenly caring a whole lot less about who could have been watching now that you knew your husband wouldn't be showing up.

And, even though he knew you were only drunk, Aki smiled at you and replied, "Missed you too, troublemaker."

The bartender slid Aki's beer across the counter, and he caught it with practiced ease. He didn't hesitate, lifting it to his lips and chugging nearly half of it before setting the glass back down.

"You wouldn't believe the stuff she used to pull," Himeno began, pointing at you with a lazy, lopsided grin. "Like this one time—this absolute genius—decides she's gonna face a Devil solo because, and I quote, 'I'm too cool to wait for backup.'"

"Himeno," you groaned, burying your face in your hands. "I'm trying to leave that in the past."

Aki raised an eyebrow, already intrigued. "What happened?"

"What happened?" Himeno snorted. "She got yeeted into a tree like a rag doll. Spent a week limping around HQ and blaming it on bad shoes."

"It was the shoes!" you protested, though your laughter was already betraying you.

"Oh, sure, blame the footwear," Himeno teased, giving you a playful shove. "Meanwhile, I had to haul your sorry ass out of there before the Devil could finish the job."

"You could've let that out," you muttered, shooting a half-hearted glare at her.

Aki smirked over the rim of his glass. "You've always had a talent for biting off more than you can chew."

"Oh, like you've never done something reckless?" you shot back, narrowing your eyes at him.

"I think you're the most reckless thing I've ever done," Aki admitted, leaning back slightly, his tone as smooth as his cologne. 

That earned a loud laugh from Himeno, who slapped the bartop in delight. "Damn straight!"

You rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at your lips despite yourself. The three of you fell into easy conversation, the kind that came naturally when years of friendship had already worn down the edges of formality. Himeno was in her element, weaving stories that had you cringing and laughing in equal measure.

As Aki drained the last of his beer, you glanced around the bar, and a quiet realization washed over you. It was the same place where you'd first met him, back when everything felt more uncertain and yet somehow lighter. You didn't mention it, though. It wasn't the kind of thing that needed to be said.

A new song blared through the speakers, upbeat and infectious, and Himeno perked up immediately. "Alright, no more sitting around," she announced, hopping off her stool with surprising grace. "You two are dancing with me."

"What?" you blurted, but Himeno was already grabbing your hand and Aki's, tugging you both toward the tiny dance floor in the center of the room.

"Himeno, come on," Aki groaned, though he made no real effort to stop her.

"No excuses!" she declared, her voice cutting through the music. "You're both dancing, and that's final."

The three of you stumbled onto the dance floor, surrounded by a scattering of other bar-goers who were equally uncoordinated but didn't seem to care. At first, you felt ridiculous, but Himeno's infectious energy was impossible to resist. She twirled you around dramatically, nearly sending you both into a fit of giggles, while Aki stood stiffly to the side, his awkward attempts at movement making you laugh even harder.

"Come on, Aki!" Himeno called, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the fray.

He sighed but finally gave in, his usual stoicism cracking as he attempted a halfhearted spin. It was terrible, and you couldn't stop laughing.

"You're the worst dancer I've ever seen," you teased, clutching your stomach.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm trying," he shot back, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

The three of you danced like fools, uncoordinated and carefree, the kind of reckless abandon you hadn't felt in years. You tilted your head back at one point, looking up at the ceiling with a wide, flushed smile as the lights blurred above you.

This is bliss.

"I'll be right back!" Himeno offered over the music, excusing herself with a curt little nod. Then she was off, and it was just you and Aki alone with a dizzying amount – or lack – of space between the two of you.

You turned your gaze back to him, only to find his eyes already on you. He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing something, before extending a hand. "Dance with me?" 

You blinked, startled. Aki's tone was soft, quieter than usual, but there was something steady about the way he held your gaze. Your chest tightened, your pulse quickening, and before you could second-guess yourself, you slid your hand into his. 

He tugged you gently closer, his other hand finding its place at the small of your back. The warmth of his touch seeped through the fabric of your dress as the two of you began to sway, the soft, lilting melody guiding your movements. 

For a few precious moments, it was just you and Aki, the world outside fading into an inconsequential blur. You leaned into him, your head resting lightly against his shoulder. His cologne lingered faintly in the air between you, mixing with the subtle scent of smoke that always seemed to cling to him. 

"Do you remember the night we met? We were dancing, just like this," he murmured, his lips curving into a slight smile. His voice was low, intimate, as if the words were meant only for you. 

You snorted softly, your cheeks warming. "Of course I do. You complimented my lipstick like you didn't give a damn about me being married" 

"I didn't" he said, his tone teasing but sincere. He glanced down at you, his dark eyes catching the dim light in a way that made your stomach flip. "As far as I'm concerned, you were mine from the moment I first saw you." 

Your breath hitched, the warmth in your cheeks spreading through your chest. You tilted your head up slightly, meeting his gaze. "You're a devil." 

The moment hovered on the edge of something unspoken, something neither of you seemed ready to give words to. But just as you opened your mouth, something caught your eye across the room, and the fragile stillness shattered. 

Your gaze snagged on a figure near the entrance. Familiar. Too familiar. 

Your stomach lurched. The room seemed to tilt, the lights and music warping into an overwhelming rush. It was him. Your husband. Tanimoto. His sharp, cutting eyes were scanning the room, and you could feel your pulse roaring in your ears. 

You gasped audibly, your body going rigid in Aki's arms. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice immediately dropping into something low and protective. His hand instinctively tightened on your waist, as if to anchor you. 

"It's him," you managed, the words tumbling out in a shaky whisper. "Tanimoto. He's here." 

Aki followed your gaze, his brows knitting together as he caught sight of the man in question. His expression darkened, the calm detachment he usually wore giving way to something sharper, more dangerous. 

"It's okay," he said firmly, his voice like a steady current pulling you back from the brink of panic. "Just stay with me. He can't do anything." 

"No." The word came out too fast, too forceful. You pulled away from Aki, your movements jerky and uncoordinated. "I... I can't. I need to go. I need—" 

Before he could stop you, you reached into his jacket pocket and yanked out the carton of cigarettes and lighter you knew he always carried. Your hands were trembling, but your grip on them was firm. 

"Hey," he said, his tone sharpening with concern. "What are you doing?" 

"I need a smoke," you muttered, already turning toward the door. Your heart was racing, your chest tight as the need to escape consumed you. "Just... leave me alone, Aki." 

"Wait—" he started, but you were already moving, weaving through the crowd with single-minded determination. 

The cool night air hit you like a slap as you pushed through the heavy door. You stumbled a few steps forward, your breath hitching as you fumbled with the carton in your hands. It took a few tries to get the lighter to work, the trembling in your fingers making it harder than it should've been. 

Finally, the cigarette caught, and you took a shaky drag, the acrid taste burning your throat. You exhaled slowly, the smoke curling upward and disappearing into the dark sky. 

The world outside was quieter, the distant hum of the city a stark contrast to the pounding chaos inside the bar—and inside you. You leaned back against the cold brick wall, the rough surface biting into your bare shoulders as you stared at the cigarette between your fingers. 

Your chest still felt tight, your thoughts spiraling as you tried to push away the image of Tanimoto's face, of the way his eyes had cut through the crowd. You closed your eyes, pressing a hand to your temple. 

He's not supposed to be here.

He wasn't supposed to come.

What the fuck.

The cold air brushed against your skin as you leaned against the brick wall, the faint hum of the city around you. Your hands trembled slightly as you took another drag from the cigarette, the acrid taste burning your throat. You exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl up into the dark sky, disappearing into the night. It was oddly calming, the rhythmic motion of pulling in and releasing air grounding you, even if it did little to quiet the chaotic storm swirling in your mind. 

He's not supposed to be here. 

The thought repeated itself in your head, a mantra that was both defiant and helpless. He wasn't supposed to show up. You were supposed to be free of him—of that life. Tonight wasn't about him. 

You'd come here with Himeno, to have a little fun, to laugh, to forget. You weren't supposed to be thinking about him. You weren't supposed to be thinking about the years of your marriage—the hollow, suffocating years that had stretched on long after the love had faded. 

You felt the weight of that thought settle in your chest. What had you been thinking, all this time? That he would just let go? That the pieces of your life could be so easily swept away like dust? 

The cigarette burned your fingers as you took another drag, the heat in your hand reminding you of something else—the way your skin had burned under his touch, how easy it had been to fall for the lies, the promises. 

Had he ever really seen you? Or were you just another thing to control? 

You shuddered slightly, the cold air biting at the back of your neck. You couldn't bring yourself to think about it too long. What had been done was done. And yet, it felt like there was still so much left unsaid, so much unfinished. 

You tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the now, on the present. On Aki. 

Your eyes closed for a moment, and you could almost feel the warmth of him beside you, the way he made everything else fade into the background. He makes me feel alive, you thought, the words coming almost involuntarily. Aki had always been the one who could make you forget about everything else—the past, the pain, the weight of your choices. 

But then, that voice. 

The familiar sound of his voice was a sharp intrusion on your thoughts, cutting through the fog of alcohol and the haze of cigarettes. 

"I thought you quit?" 

Your heart dropped into your stomach like a stone. The sudden jolt of recognition was enough to make you stiffen, the cigarette almost falling from your fingers. The sound of his voice—so steady, so familiar—was the last thing you'd expected to hear at that moment. 

You didn't even need to look. You could already feel his presence, heavy and oppressive, before you even turned your head. And when you did, there he was. 

Tanimoto. 

The man who had once been your whole world. The man you had promised forever to. The man who, somehow, had never stopped haunting you. 

His eyes were sharp, scanning you with a cold intensity that made your stomach twist. His gaze dropped to the cigarette between your fingers, the slight furrow of his brow telling you everything you needed to know. 

You had to fight to keep your voice steady. "I thought you weren't coming tonight?" You asked the question before you even realized it. The anger came faster than the fear, but it wasn't real anger—not yet. Just the rush of adrenaline from being caught, from seeing him when you hadn't expected to. 

Tanimoto didn't answer right away, but you could feel the weight of his gaze on you, as if he was trying to figure you out, like you were still the same person he'd left behind. But you weren't. 

Not anymore. 

"I wasn't supposed to, but, I..." He paused, swallowing, and the tension between the two of you was so thick that you could have cut it with a knife. "Honestly, I just wanted to see you. You haven't been answering any of my calls, and I– I don't know..."

"It's for a good reason," You retorted, still not quite meeting his gaze even though you could feel him staring at you. Slowly, you pulled a long, deep drag from the burning stick between your fingertips.

He sighed. Then, stepping closer to you, on the same sidewalk where you had told Aki to go back to Himeno, that you were married so many nights ago, he added, "I think we should talk about this."

You visibly bristled at the words, his effect on you undeniable, but chose not to show your fear. "What's there to talk about?"

"The divorce?" He answered, like it should have been obvious (It was).

Your heart dropped. Clearing your throat, you ducked away from his request. "Again... what more is there to say?"

He was closer, now. Close enough that you could hear the calculated breath he took, smell the beer on his breath. Though you hadn't seen him at the bar, you couldn't help but wonder if he had gotten drunk before coming tonight. Hell, knowing him, it was probably his drunkenness that led him to show up in the first place.

"I think you should reconsider. We had a great life together. I mean, we fought, but..." He trailed off, "Everyone fights. That's not... you can't just... leave because of that."

He was drunk. Still, you winced at the words. He really doesn't know why I'm leaving him.

Instead of honoring him with a reply, you continued to smoke in silence, taking another hit of your cigarette and then holding it this time – really feeling the ache of it, the burn of its tendrils wrapping around your windpipe. Then, like nothing had happened, you breathed out.

"I love you, you know," He slurred on, "More than anything."

Apparently feeling a burst of bravery, he reached for your spare hand. "Come home."

Come home.

Come home?

You withdrew your hand from his reach just as quickly. "I'm not– I'm not coming home, Tanimoto."

Hold your ground.

He can't control you.

Not anymore.

He stumbled backward, grumbling, "It's because of that fff-fuckin' captain, isn't it? What's his name again? Haya... zawa?"

"It's Hayakawa," You replied easily – and it was funny, really, how quickly the mere mention of his name breathed life back into your lungs, made you feel just a little bit stronger.

My love.

"Look," Tanimoto sighed. It was cold outside again, cold enough that his breath materialized in front of him. It was just the two of you outside – no one else. "I don't... I don't even care if you have an affair, just–" He hiccuped, "Come home. I'll take care of you. Promise."

He had never taken care of you before. It took you cheating on him for him to figure out how to do it? Or was it all a lie?

Just like everything else...?

"No, you won't," You replied, a half-smile crawling its way onto your face at the mere thought of Aki. "Not like he has."

He rolled his eyes. Leaning forward, then back – swaying a little in the wind – he groaned, "You don't know what you're talkin' about. That's not love, it's an... an infatuation."

That's not love.

What the hell would he know? You thought. For years, you had begged him for the bare minimum, begged him to take care of you, begged him to see you as a person, and he wanted to lecture you about what love was? You could have laughed right in his face.

Instead, you snapped, "Don't tell me what love is. You had years to figure that shit out, and all you ever managed to do was hurt me. That's not love."

Tanimoto froze, his eyes wide, as if he hadn't expected the venom in your words. For a moment, he was silent, blinking as if processing what you'd said. But the moment passed quickly, and he leaned in again, a flash of frustration crossing his face.

You didn't back down. Instead, you went on, the alcohol giving you a strange kind of courage, making your words tumble out before you could stop them. "He's tender with me. He listens, he cares, he sees me. He picked up the pieces you left behind. I have nothing more to say... We're in love."

Tanimoto's expression darkened, a flash of something between anger and disbelief crossing his features. He shook his head, disbelief etched across his face. "He can't give you what I can."

You scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping your lips. You shook your head, your smile more mocking than anything else. "Please," you chuckled, the alcohol making everything feel like a game. "You're about an eighth of the man he is. He's patient and loving, and– and he never makes me feel like shit, and the sex is fantastic. You could never please me the way he could."

The words were out before you could stop them, and you didn't even feel guilty. You just wanted him to know.

The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. For a split second, you thought you might've won this round. But Tanimoto's face twisted into a mask of rage, his hand snapping out to grab your wrist, his fingers digging into your skin with a force that made you wince.

"Say that shit again," he growled through gritted teeth.

A surge of adrenaline shot through your veins as you struggled to pull away from his grip. "I said–" you hissed, the words barely audible over the pounding in your ears. "I said you could never... please me the way he could."

And just as you thought you couldn't take any more of his hold, a voice rang out behind you, calm but commanding – a call of your name.

The moment you heard it, your pulse skipped a beat. You didn't have to look. You knew exactly who it was.

Aki stepped forward, his presence immediately shifting the air around you, the tension palpable as he squared off with Tanimoto. His eyes locked on the other man with a coldness that made everything else fall away.

"Let her go," Aki's voice was low but unmistakably firm, every word carrying weight.

Tanimoto didn't immediately release his grip, his eyes flicking to Aki, sizing him up. The tension between the two men crackled in the air, an unspoken understanding that neither of them were backing down. But the thing was, Aki wasn't giving in either. He stood his ground, the power in his stillness enough to make Tanimoto pause.

It was like a silent challenge between them.

"You're done here," Aki continued, his voice steady. "Let her go."

"So this is the dick you've been suckin' off while I've been gone," Tanimoto slurred, jabbing an accusatory finger in Aki's direction. "You happy knowin' you– hic– you broke up a home?"

Aki didn't flinch, didn't even blink. His stare was cold, like a stone, his gaze never leaving Tanimoto. He was so still it was as if time had slowed, and the world around him disappeared. The only thing that mattered now was you and the man who dared to lay his hands on you.

"I won't ask you again," Aki's voice was low, like a growl, but it was clear he wasn't backing down. "Let her go."

Tanimoto, with all the confidence of a man who had long forgotten how to lose, slapped you. The sting was immediate, hot, and sharp, burning against your skin. You barely had time to process it before his face was inches from yours, his breath foul and laced with whiskey. "You're mine, bitch," he hissed, his words thick with spite. "You always will be."

You recoiled, your skin crawling with the venom in his voice. But Aki's reaction was instantaneous.

In one smooth motion, Aki stepped forward, his hands gripping Tanimoto with the precision of a man who had already calculated his every move. He wrenched Tanimoto away from you, pulling him back like a ragdoll. The scream you let out was involuntary as you watched Tanimoto's body snap against the force of Aki's grip.

Everything seemed to freeze for a moment, and then Aki's fist connected with Tanimoto's face in a brutal, merciless punch. The sound of bone meeting bone was sickening, a sharp crack that reverberated through the night air. Tanimoto staggered back, his eyes wide with shock, blood already trickling from the corner of his mouth. He collapsed, unable to regain his balance, and hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Aki wasn't done.

Without even pausing to let Tanimoto recover, Aki grabbed him by the collar, lifting him effortlessly from the ground. The sheer strength in Aki's arms was enough to make Tanimoto's body hang limp in his grasp. Aki didn't hesitate—he drove his knee into Tanimoto's stomach with force, the sickening sound of impact echoing around the empty street. Tanimoto gasped for air, clutching at his midsection as he crumpled again, unable to stand.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a man," Aki's voice was ice-cold, dripping with disgust. His eyes burned with an anger that was unfamiliar to you—this wasn't the man you had come to know, calm and composed in all situations. This was someone else, someone who was willing to tear Tanimoto apart to protect you. Aki's foot came down with brutal precision, landing a punishing kick to Tanimoto's groin. "This is the least you deserve," he spat.

Tanimoto let out a choked gasp, crumpling further to the ground. His body was twitching in pain, but there was nothing he could do. He was too weak to retaliate, too humiliated to stand.

Aki took a step back, his chest heaving with heavy breaths, his fists still clenched in anger. He looked down at Tanimoto like a predator about to finish the job, his eyes filled with contempt. "Putting your hands on a woman," Aki said, his voice low but intense, his words cutting through the air. "I should kill you right here."

Tanimoto tried to rise again, his hands shaking as he pushed himself to his knees. His face was a wreck—bruised, bloodied, and his pride shattered. But even as he struggled, there was still rage in his eyes. With one final, defiant growl, he lunged at Aki, desperate to get one last punch in.

But Aki was faster.

Without hesitation, he stepped to the side, grabbing Tanimoto by the arm and twisting it behind his back with ease. Tanimoto let out a strangled yell, his face contorting in pain as he fell to the ground again, this time unable to rise.

Aki stood over him, his breathing still heavy but under control now. He was still seething, but he wasn't finished yet.

At this point, the rest of the crowd from inside the bar began to filter outside, drawn by the noise. Some looked on in surprise, others in confusion, but none of them dared to intervene. A few people approached you, checking on you, but your focus was on Aki—the man who had just shattered the last remnants of your past.

Tanimoto groaned, struggling to sit up, but his pride wasn't enough to hold him together anymore. He wiped blood from his mouth and staggered backward, his body shaking from both pain and the humiliation of being brought so low.

Aki's body was a wall between you and him, like a shield that wouldn't let Tanimoto come any closer. As Tanimoto finally stumbled to his feet, his eyes locked on you with pure malice. "Get away from my bitch," he hissed, the words thick with contempt.

Your heart slammed in your chest, a fire igniting inside of you as the word hit you like a slap. But before you could respond, Aki's voice cut through the night. "I'll break your fucking nose if you call her that again," he growled, stepping forward, his body a perfect wall of muscle and fury.

But this time, you weren't going to let him have the last word. The anger that had been simmering in your chest finally broke free, your voice loud and clear as you snapped, "Don't call me that. I'm not your bitch."

Tanimoto sneered, his lips curling into a venomous grin. "Like hell you aren't," he spat, his voice filled with a twisted sense of ownership.

Aki's presence next to you was solid, unshakable, but for the first time, you felt the power in your own words too. Tanimoto, though broken and beaten, didn't want to let go of the last bit of control he thought he had. But you were done with him—done with the lies, done with the manipulation, done with the abuse.

"Are you drunk?" Aki's voice was low, a quiet growl that barely masked the anger bubbling underneath. His words were clipped, measured, as though he were trying to keep himself from exploding. "Go home. You're embarrassing yourself."

Tanimoto's laugh was harsh and jagged, a hollow sound that made your skin crawl. "It's not fucking over until I say it is," he spat, swaying on his feet, his face flushed with the effort of staying upright. "Baby, come home. Please. This isn't over. You remember what we had, right? I love you. We built a life together."

You could feel the bile rising in your throat, his words a twisted version of everything you had once believed. "What life?" The words escaped before you could stop them, thick with bitterness. "What fucking life?" Your voice shook, but the defiance in it was sharp. "There's nothing left here, Tanimoto. Nothing."

For a moment, he just stared at you, disbelief spreading across his face like oil on water. The anger that had flared in his eyes faltered, replaced by something more dangerous—something darker. It was like he couldn't comprehend what you were saying, like he hadn't even realized how far gone things had truly been.

But then his expression twisted into something cruel, his grip on your arm tightening until you thought your skin might tear. "You don't mean that. We had something real, Baby."

The words burned your insides, but you stood tall, shaking your head. "Bullshit! That's not love, Tanimoto. Not even close."

A voice cut through the rising tension, startling you. "You lost, man. Get a grip." Denji's voice was casual, but there was a new edge to it, a calm confidence that sent a ripple through the crowd. 

You hadn't noticed him until now, his presence suddenly as solid as Aki's, his eyes hard and unblinking as he faced down Tanimoto. You had no idea how long he'd been there, but now, as he stood beside you, it felt like you weren't so alone.

Tanimoto swayed in Denji's direction, his lips curling into a sneer. "Stay out of this, kid," he slurred, his voice thick with contempt. But Denji didn't flinch. Didn't even blink. He just stood there, unmoving, like a wall Tanimoto couldn't break down.

You turned your head slowly, your eyes scanning the crowd that had gathered—Himeno, Makima, so many familiar faces, all of them watching. You felt like you were in a fishbowl, the eyes of the world suddenly too close, too suffocating. Aki wasn't paying attention to any of them. His eyes were locked on Tanimoto, burning with an intensity that made your heart skip a beat.

"Is she okay?" Aki's voice dropped, barely audible, but you could hear the undercurrent of rage there. "Did he hurt her?" The question was simple, but the way he said it—the way his jaw tightened as he took a step toward you—made you feel like the ground under your feet was shaking. Like everything that had been calm about Aki was unraveling before your eyes.

Denji spoke before you could answer. "She has a cut on her cheek. Looks like it's from his ring," he muttered, disgust clear in his tone as his gaze flicked to Tanimoto. "What a fucking joke."

The shift in Aki was so sudden, so terrifying, that for a moment, you couldn't breathe. His body tensed, every muscle pulling tight like a coiled spring. His face—his eyes—were nothing like the Aki you knew. This wasn't the quiet man you'd always relied on. 

This was someone else entirely.

He stepped forward, his voice low, rough with barely contained anger. "I'll fucking kill you." 

Tanimoto's face went pale, the bravado slipping from his eyes as his drunken haze flickered in and out. He opened his mouth to respond, but Aki didn't give him the chance. Before anyone could move, Aki's fist was flying through the air, landing with a sickening crack against Tanimoto's face. The sound of the punch echoed through the night, a brutal, unmistakable noise that left Tanimoto gasping for air, stumbling back.

"I'll put you down like the mutt you are–" Aki's words hit the air with a finality that sent a tremor through the crowd, his anger so palpable it was almost a living thing. Without hesitation, he was on Tanimoto, a force of nature in human form. His hand gripped Tanimoto's collar with the kind of cold precision that made the other man flinch before he was slammed hard against the brick wall. The sound was deafening—a crack that seemed to echo across the empty street.

Tanimoto's breath was knocked out of him, his wide eyes darting from Aki's face to the unforgiving wall behind him. Shock twisted his expression, his drunken stupor no match for the raw fury that burned in Aki's gaze. But Aki wasn't done. No, this wasn't some fleeting burst of anger; this was controlled, purposeful rage.

With a brutal shove, Aki sent Tanimoto stumbling forward, and in the same fluid motion, his knee drove into Tanimoto's stomach, the sickening sound of bone against bone making you flinch. Tanimoto let out a ragged gasp, the air torn from his lungs as he doubled over, crumpling like a ragdoll. But Aki wasn't done yet. No mercy. He wasn't going to stop until the man learned the gravity of his actions.

Tanimoto tried to push himself up, the effort weak and desperate, but Aki's boot came down on his ribs with the force of a freight train. The crack of bone was loud, sickening, and Tanimoto crashed to the ground with a pathetic groan, the fight drained out of him.

The crowd had gone silent. No one moved, no one breathed. The only sound was Tanimoto's labored breathing, his body a crumpled heap on the concrete. You stood frozen, your heart pounding in your chest, every beat a reminder of how quickly everything had spiraled out of control.

Tanimoto groaned again, weakly trying to crawl away, but Aki's glare pinned him in place. His face was a mess, bruised and swollen, his lip split and blood trickling down his chin. He gasped for breath, struggling to stay conscious, the remnants of his bravado crumbling beneath Aki's wrath.

Just as Aki stepped forward again, his eyes burning with more violence, a voice cut through the tension. 

"Aki," Himeno's voice was firm but not without concern. "Enough. You're making a scene." She stepped in between them, hands outstretched, but her words barely seemed to register in Aki's furious mind.

He wrenched his arm from her grasp, chest heaving as he caught his breath. In the heat of his fury, he didn't care about the eyes of the crowd, the murmurs, the stares. He only cared about one thing: making sure Tanimoto understood just how badly he had fucked up. His fist clenched, and with a final, disgusted snarl, he leaned forward, spitting on Tanimoto's prone form. The insult landed with as much weight as his earlier blows, his contempt for the man evident in the cruel gesture.

And then, finally, Aki turned to you. His hand reached out, steady and gentle, and though his body was still tight with anger, his touch was a grounding force. He didn't say anything at first—he didn't need to. His gaze was enough, a silent promise – Stay by my side. I'll protect you.

"Let's go," Aki's voice was lower now, still heavy with the remnants of his fury, but softer. "I'm taking you home."

You looked up at him, your heart still racing, the ache of the last few hours threatening to break through the dam you had built around it. You shook your head, the words spilling out before you could stop them. You whispered, a soft whimper in your voice, "No, don't... don't take me back there, he's—"

"My home," Aki interrupted, his voice firm, unyielding, a wall of strength you could feel in your bones. "If I stay here another minute, I'm going to jail."

His words settled over you like a shield. They weren't an offer. They weren't a plea. They were a statement. And there was no room for argument, not now. His grip on your arm tightened, not painful, but firm—reminding you, making sure you knew, that he wasn't letting go. Not of you. Not of this.

"Come on," Aki said, his voice taking on that quiet authority that always seemed to make the world around you fade just a little. "We're leaving."

You nodded, your breath catching in your throat. You couldn't even look back at the wreckage of your past, the life you had left behind. The crowd of familiar faces, the horror in their eyes, all of it seemed miles away now. All that mattered was Aki and the safe, unwavering calm he provided amidst the chaos.

With one last glance at the man who had once been your husband—crumpled on the pavement, humiliated and broken—you walked away. Away from everything you had tried to escape. Away from the life that had suffocated you for too long.

And for the first time in ages, you allowed yourself to revel in the feeling.

a/n: IT HAPPENEDDDDDD!!! FINALLYYYYYY!!!! OH MY GOD I was so fucking happy, i had to get that out. the moment we have all been waiting for. talk to me yall... what did we think. did i please u my bbs.... lmk..... ANYWAY!!!! this semester im bringing a new me, im so excited, and im also SO SAD BECAUSE shameless will be coming to an end in a few chapters!!! OMG!!! im so devastated.... but dw im sure i'll have another fanfic up to take its place (You know i love me some aki). Stay tuned! Comment! I love u all bunches x

credits: UNKOWN ATM. I found the cover pic on pinterest unfortch. If you know the artist, please let me know, so I can credit them properly for their work!!! This is NOT MY BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGGG. I obviously do not own csm or anything related to it. please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

also: come find me on my wattpad if u wanna interact more!

taglist: @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505 , @acethebrave , @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505

wanna join the taglist? | shameless ; chapter index

[oneforthemunny]

FUN GAME MY ROLL IS:

5,E,$

yay!!! your roll is: rockstar!eddie, all fours, and paddle ;)

for those wanting to know where this falls in the lore timeline of nepo baby!reader and rockstar!eddie, i'm thinking newly weds lol. as always, minors dni. dom/sub themes, spanking, nipple clamps, .

"How do you want me?"

"All fours," Eddie looked over his shoulder, standing in front of his 'wall of weapons' as he called it- racks of canes, crops, cuffs, clamps, and everything else he needed to play. It was an upgrade from the torture trunk he used to take with him everywhere, a must have when he built the house and added the sex dungeon.

You slid over the silk sheets, onto the edge of the bed, turning towards the mirrored wall that met the matching ceiling. You knew Eddie would want you facing that way, in the mirror so you could see yourself, see him. He'd blindfold you if he didn't, but he always preferred it this way.

"Mm," Eddie groaned, pulling you from your thoughts. You looked at him through the mirror, his tongue running over his lip hungrily, taking in your bare and exposed backside. "Look at you, baby."

Your body burned with pricking heat, spreading like wildfire down to your core. "What?" You giggled coyly, hooking your chin over your shoulder, lashes batting towards him. "What's wrong?"

Eddie's lips pulled in a grin. "Nothin's wrong. You just look good." His calloused hand smoothed over the soft skin of your thigh, up to grab a firm handful of your ass. "Look so good for me. I've just missed this." He sighed contently, nearly lovingly.

You blinked at him, hips swaying a little. "It's been so long since we've gotten to do this. Been away for so fuckin' long, felt like forever." Eddie muttered, his hand gliding up your spine.

"I know," You hummed. "I've missed you, too." You added with a playful smile that made his own heart swell.

"Good," Eddie hummed, reaching in the back pocket of his jeans. "I picked your favorite." He twirled it around, showing off the flimsy, leather paddle. Black and rounded, he got it in Amsterdam a few years ago. Eddie drug you into this lewd yet snooty sex shop, let you pick it out. An early memory of your relationship, that was just starting to bud and bloom at the time.

"Ooh," You giggled. "Are you going soft on me, Munson? Getting mushy with age?" You teased, biting your bottom lip seductively.

Eddie snorted lightly, lips twitching in amusement, spinning the paddle around. "Yeah? We'll see if you'll think that in a little bit." He smirked, patting your hip a little firmer than he usually would, a foreshadowing of what was to come.

He opted for the softer nipple clamps, adjustable and without the weight, a small chain hooking between each. You writhed in pleasure filled pain when he fastened them on, rolling your nipple between his fingers before hooking the clamp onto the hardened bud, grinning when you whimpered.

"Still feel like I'm going soft?" Eddie asked, gently dragging the leather paddle up your thighs, over your backside, between your legs.

"Well, you didn't use the clamps with the weights on them," You quipped, eyeing him challengingly. "So maybe."

Eddie grinned, softly tapping the paddle to your left cheek. "Oh, I see how you're gonna be." He couldn't even feign disapproval, much to excited for your little bratty demeanor. "Better keep those eyes forward, or I'll get the cane. Understand?"

You nodded, head moving to look at yourself through the mirror. Your pussy throbbed, squeezing around nothing but an aching need to be filled when Eddie softly tapped the paddle to your ass. The room fell silent, the paddle lifting, before cutting through the air with a faint whistle, a loud clap of impact shocking you before the searing pain did.

You gritted, back arching only a little, clamps wiggling and tugging at the impact. You lifted your eyes back forward, watching Eddie lift the paddle again. "Oh!" You grit, the next two strikes of the paddle, one to each cheek making you ache, beginning to build the painful pressure.

Eddie brought the paddle down again and again, building a slow rhythm that began to crescendo, alternating from cheek to cheek, to your sit spots, the top of your thighs. Your nails dug into the silk sheets beneath you, legs wobbling and burning with the straining urge to clamp together. A final spank had you sliding forwards, body shaking with pleasure, glassy eyed and mind numbed with aching need.

Eddie grinned, watching you tremble, falling apart in front of him. Oh, how he'd missed this- how he'd missed you. Sliding his jeans off, he crawled onto the bed, slotting his body between yours, pulling at the chain on your clamps, mouth hot and taking in your own. He pushed your leg up, hooked it over his hip, a wolfish grin spreading over his features when you whimpered, sensitive skin making contact with the sheets. Clawing to him, he pushed into you, head falling into the crook of your neck, a much more loving fucking than what you usually got after playing like this, but one you didn't mind- you'd missed him.

[anundyingfidelity]

YES, MA’AM — Sam Winchester/Sam Wesson ft. Dean Winchester/Dean Smith (Chapter I)

Summary: Sam is the new tech support guy at Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc., and he thinks you, his supervisor, are related to him in ways more than professional. He not only dreams of ghosts and Dean Smith, the sales and marketing director, but you, the pretty boss who seems very fond of him, maybe a little too much.

Word count: 1.3k.

Pairing: Sam W./Sam Wesson x female reader (main), Dean W./Dean Smith x female reader. Situated in 4x17 - It's a Terrible Life.

Warnings for this series: smut with plot, sexual tension, sub!Sam, dom!reader, switch!Dean, co-workers with benefits with Dean, boss/employee dynamics, canon violence and stuff. Slow updates oops.

Notes: welcome to my very first spn fanfic, hope you enjoy this short series of Sam and Dean!

If you'd like to be added, the taglist is here!

☕ if you like my writing, support me with a ko-fi !

GEN MASTERLIST!

Chapter I | Chapter II

Chapter I: A Boring Life

Taking a quick look at the clock on the corner of the screen of his computer, Sam let out a long sigh. Lunch hour was far from near. He continued drawing the monsters he saw in his dreams on the notebook, those who wouldn't let him continue his abnormally boring and stupid life.

"Hey, Sam," a voice called, making him jump slightly on his seat.

He cleared his throat shutting the notebook and sitting right this time as he took in your figure towering over him in the cubicle with a smile on your lips.

"Hi, uhm... Is something wrong?"

You chuckled slightly. He wanted to slap himself for saying that. For Sam, bosses coming to him meant he might have done something wrong. He didn't want to know what he screwed up. Barely three weeks have passed since he started working there. As much as things were strange and weird around, Sam just wanted a quiet life.

"Not at all," you answered in a friendly manner. "Actually I just wanted to give you kudos. I've received good compliments from customers who called for help, you're doing excellent!"

Sam breathed out, feeling a heavy weight on his back dropping. He smiled. "Well, thank you. It feels good doing that."

But a raise or something would feel absolutely better, he thought.

"Sure! You're brilliant, have you ever been told that?"

"Uhm, not here. I mean- I want to say you're the first one. Sorry, the first one to say I'm brilliant, I- uhm I never really got kudos before? I don't think so but it does feel great."

He stumbled so much with his words that it made you laugh a little but he noticed you tried to suppress it. So you gave him a nod.

"Yeah, of course. I also see you're very organized with your stuff and reports," you remarked before taking a quick glance around and leaning a little bit toward him, your face morphing into a shy look. "Probably I shouldn't but could you help me with some reports today? You'd be off the phone, I just really need to send them by the end of the day and I'm extremely busy."

You bit your painted lower lip with big doe eyes, waiting for an answer. Since the first day he saw you around the company, he thought you looked extremely familiar. Like he had seen you before. Hell, it was like he knew you ages ago. But he wouldn't say it out loud, he might look like a creep.

You'd usually come like this to his spot just to talk and get into business, sometimes he'd go to ask you something he wasn't sure about from a call, but he never, ever herd from a complaint or that his work was shit from you. In fact, you were very kind and smart, always letting him know you were there if he needed anything. And you were pretty. So damn beautiful that you got his heart agitated and his body aching when you bent over a desk wearing tight black pencil skirts and those matching high stockings. He began to think probably you liked him but you used to get close to all of your employees on the tech support floor. You were just being nice to everyone.

"Uh, sure. I can do that," Sam curved his lips into a smile.

"Thank you, you're a lifesaver! I'll send you those in your email, ask me anything if it's difficult, okay?"

You responded with happy demeanour and quickly walked away back to your office, leaving him alone before he had the moment to say something. Just two minutes later he received an email from you with a bunch of reports and data to organize.

Sam scanned the files quickly while hearing the sounds of a chair rolling to his side.

"I think she likes you, man," Ian, the messy and chill coworker of his, teased. Sam chuckled.

"Nah, she's just nice to everyone. Besides, she needs help."

Suddenly, a notification popped from the side of his screen on the computer.

It was a message from you. It read:

Put on the headphones and listen to some music if you want ;)

"You were saying?" Ian joked again.

He smiled. Well, at least he'd be off the phone. Shouldn't be that hard, right?

The night fell and Sam found himself alone on his desk at eight o'clock working on your reports. Seeing the long reports and files he thought could make it on time to finish his shift at four and leave on time. It was fucking Friday. Poor him.

At least you ordered delivery for dinner for both of you. The good thing was that he wasn't really alone on the floor, you were in your office but soft music played as you worked on your stuff. Moments later, you found yourself sitting by Sam's side as he worked the final things on the last report.

"It's done," he announced, his body falling to the backrest of his chair.

"Thanks," you whispered shyly as he sent the finished files back to you. "I'm so sorry though, it's so late."

"Well, didn't have anything to do either."

"Really?!"

Your surprise made his eyes fall on you. He shrugged. "Just sleep."

You raised your eyebrows. "I thought maybe a girlfriend was waiting for you or something?"

He shook his head, pressing his lips together. "No, nothing like that."

The question was odd coming from you, so he decided to play a little.

"What about you?"

This time you shook your head. "Just my books and my TV."

Sam hummed. "It's a boring life, isn't it?"

"Yeah, well I get to pay my bills by the end of the month... And I meet nice people here... And I see you- Sorry."

You cut off your words all of a sudden, your eyes blinking rapidly saying you realized what you just said.

"My bad. We should get going."

You gave him a smile to try and brush off your words, but they were strong enough to get in Sam's head unnoticed. He watched you walk away, turning your computer and lights off on your office as Sam did the same on his spot. Once done, you walked out the floor together in silence.

"Thank you again. I don't think no one would ever do this for me here," you admitted with a deep exhale.

"Yeah, no problem," Sam smiled kindly as you got closer to the elevator.

"Really, I owe you. Do you have a car to get home or something? I can give you a ride if you need."

"I do, don't worry," he said as you stopped in front of the elevator, the doors opening.

"Great, so I think this is it," you grinned at him. "Have a good night."

"Thanks. I hope you have a good weekend, boss."

You nodded. "You too, Sam. Take care."

He saw you disappearing inside the elevator with a wave of your hand and a beautiful smile on your face. With a sigh, he made his way to the locker room and took his briefcase and stuff out. It was just a couple of minutes that he saw you leaving when he went back to the elevator. Checking his watch, the lift arrived and before he could get inside, he got a shocking picture in front of him.

Dean Smith, the marketing director, had you pinned against the wall and kissing down your neck. Your blouse unbuttoned, skirt up, lips open and eyes closed in bliss. Dean noticed the doors were open, pulling away his plump lips from your skin.

"Sorry buddy, wrong floor," he beamed and pushed the right button.

When you opened your eyes once again, you met Sam's open mouth and wide eyes as the doors closed. Great, now he might think you're a slut. 

[daengtokki]

✶ spotify playlist ✶ youtube playlist ✶ DEITY ML ✶

Parts 1—6…starting with the song that named the series. Parts 7—11 will be added soon!

Thank you to all of my lovely and patient readers ♡ music has been a massive part of the inspiration for this fic, and even though it’s changed and evolved a lot over the last eight months, a handful of these songs have been there since the very beginning. They definitely won’t be to everyone’s taste, but they are Seungmin and Tokki, and they are the overall vibe I try to bring. I hope, at the very least, it makes some good background music for someone ♡ ˎˊ˗

✶───────────────────

intro | part one

Deity / dir en grey

“It’s alright.” Both hands close around your neck and squeeze, softly at first, "the ending will still be the same.” Little by little his grip tightens, and you begin to squirm.

Wandering star / portishead

Just as he moves to approach you, you lift your gaze, and your eyes find his. Seungmin freezes for a moment, then slowly takes the cigarette from him lips. “Hello,” he smiles and turns away a little to blow out his smoke.

Blue sky / art school girlfriend

If there’s something you can do to save yourself, you can’t seem to think of it, so you give in and let him put his arms around you.

─✶──────────────────

part two

And all that could have been / nine inch nails

"I'm sorry I fucked everything up, but if you leave, you'll be happier, and safer" "Safer from you?" Once again, you're stuck in this room, only this time, it's your own fault. The door is wide open, but you can't move. "Maybe"

Every single night / fiona apple

It was stupid to expect him to just be okay, but he was okay. He was himself when he brought you back, and when he made you a bath. When he cooked for you.

──✶─────────────────

part three

✶ Seungmin's driving playlist Street Spirit (Fade Out) / radiohead Jesus Christ / brand new Further ahead of warp / envy ✶

艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み (A charming repose, a hesitant smile) / dir en grey

Seungmin is always careful about how much he cuts and where he cuts from. Some blossoms seem brighter than others, and those are the ones he knows he can take. But before he does anything… “how have you been?”

Take the blame so I don’t have to / spooky black

You don’t bite yet, but you kiss him again, lick, and graze your teeth across his skin. “Right here?”The sound he makes is small, and desperate, like he’s afraid you might not do it. “Please.”

───✶────────────────

part four

Daydreaming / radiohead

It feels good; the soft warmth of the couch, and the silky pillow under his head. And he can see you from here, moving back and forth in his vision, disappearing and reappearing as you…well, he’s not sure what you’re doing. He likes watching you, though.

Skin to skin / movements

Seungmin wonders if that’s how it usually feels—like you’re going to explode from the pain. That’s how it feels when he’s kneeling in the dirt with his flowers, and that’s how he feels when he remembers too much all at once. But this was a different type of pain.

────✶───────────────

part five

Sour times / portishead

“What have you done?” He whispers and kisses the corner of your lips. “Hm?”“I’m sorry”“No.” He kisses you fully, and brings you close enough to feel every aching inch. The grip on your neck tightens, he can’t help it. “Have you been here the whole time?”

Intro / alt-j

“Are we ready?” He looks at the bag you packed for him, and only adds a few more things.“I think so. Where are we going?”“We’ll figure that out after we get rid of the body.”

────✶────────────────

part six

Moonstruck / enhypen

The words in your head don’t seem big enough, and at the same time, your head is making you feel silly for feeling the way you do, and as much as you do. Seungmin feels it, too, and he can’t look you in the eyes when he tells you. It’s still too much for him.

Afraid / day6

“I’ll take care of you, whether you’re sick or not. Whether you can handle it, or you can’t. You come first.”

─────✶───────────────

TAGLIST:

@kkamismom12/ @r0tt1n/ @heluvschibi / @feckinbecky / @missystay / @seungluvr / @babrieeee / @curiouscocoabean / @feelikecinderella / @carpioassists / @soulsbbg / @san-axa0 / @vixensss / @keiizzx / @xyliskz / @reignessance / @velvetmoonlght / @ghostedgameplays / @pochaccochacco / @lashaemorow / @eastjonowhere / @fackeraccount / @felixs-voice-makes-me-wanna / @maddycline / @smilefordongil / @lolniall / @caughtinthemoment163

[imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul]

Sleep - Poe Dameron

A/N: Hi! I wrote this in a sleep-deprived fugue at work, while trying not to fall asleep in my office. I hope you enjoy!

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader Word Count: 1.5k Synopsis: Poe and the reader both work too hard, and need to catch up on their sleep. Fluff!

Poe stretches the moment his feet hit solid ground. For all his years of flying, he figures he'd be used to the cramped area, the long hours. He shakes the tension from his neck and shoulders.

The crew slowly makes the way to their own quarters, saying their goodbyes. Each of them is probably fantasizing about falling into bed, and he is no different. After the mission they'd had, Black Squadron had earned some respite.

BB-8 follows Poe to the chambers the two of you share. When he walks inside, the space is quiet, but there is a soft light coming from the bedroom. Once he makes sure BB-8 is loaded into his docking station, he pushes the bedroom door open with a sigh.

You are sitting at your desk, which comes as no surprise to him. Your brow is still furrowed in concentration when you look up at him.

"Poe," you say on a sigh, standing up to greet him. When you fall into his arms, you hold him tightly. He knows why he is squeezing you so tight, but the fact that you are doing the same worries him. It has been a few days since either of you spoke or sent messages.

"Hey baby," he says, pulling back so he can look you over, still holding you in his arms. "Everything alright?"

"Now that you're home, yes," you say, wrapping your arms around him again. You let out a breath in his hold.

"I missed you so much," he says into your hair.

"I missed y--" Your PADD chimes with a new message and you snap your head towards it.

"I'm sorry," you say, already moving back to your desk. "Work has been crazy this week."

"That's alright," he says, studying you, the exhaustion that weighs on your shoulders. Your attention is fully on the PADD, typing quickly. Poe sighs and sits down on the end of your bed.

"You sure everything's alright?" he asks again. You don't look up, just let out a small 'mhm.' He starts to take off his boots, still watching you carefully.

"You know, not once have I come home and found you in bed," he says. You keep typing for a whole minute before looking up at him.

"That can't be true," you say, watching as he comes back to your side, kissing your shoulder.

"It is," he says, looking down at you. There are bags underneath your eyes and according to the cups of coffee littered across your desk, you've been up for far too long.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asks.

"I don't know, maybe a day?" you say, making him sigh in disappointment. "You're one to talk. You were flying for at least two days."

"I know, and now I want to get into bed with my equally exhausted wife."

"Give me just another minute."

"You always say that," he says with an affectionate roll of his eyes. He leans down to kiss the top of your head. "I'm going to get in the shower, and seems like you could use one, too." You scoff at him, turning back to your work.

"Come with me," he says.

"I can't," you say, your attention drawn even then as your eyes flick between him and the screen.

"You better be off when I get out," he says.

"Promise," you say looking back at him with a strained smile.

He gets into the shower, adding your stress to his. The steaming water relaxes some of the tension in his muscles, but he wishes you were there with him.

When he turns the shower off, he sees the distinctive glow of your PADD in the gap along the bathroom door.

"Y/N," he says with a sigh, dripping back into the bedroom, a towel slung low on his waist.

"You shower too quick!" you say, looking up at him. You have the decency to appear guilty.

"Baby, I know you are always on a mission to save the galaxy, but the galaxy can wait until tomorrow. You cannot," he says, putting his hands on his hips.

"I'm fine, Poe."

He starts to say something, starts to argue with you, but the exhaustion of the day seems to be winning out. Before your name is even out of his mouth, he sighs and shakes his head.

"I've been fighting for the last two days, I'm not going to fight with you," he says, meeting your eyes as yours widen.

"Poe--"

"Just, promise me you'll get to sleep soon?" he asks, walking back into the bathroom. He changes into his sleep clothes quickly, and doesn't even blink when he sees you still typing away at your desk. The lights were off when he came in, so he doesn't have to do much to prepare for bed, save for climbing in.

The bed creaks familiarly as he lays down, the sheets cool to the touch, the way he knows you like. He is about to tell you how good it feels, as a last ditch effort to get you into bed, when he hears the click of your PADD turning off. He lifts his head just as you appear at his side.

"I'm sorry," you say, running a hand through his wet curls.

"You don't have to be sorry," he says, trying to sit up fully. You stop him, a hand to his chest.

"Rest," you say. "I'll be back in a few."

Poe lays down as you walk into the bathroom. The room is completely dark now that the PADD is turned off. The only light is the small strip coming through the bathroom door. He wants to keep his eyes open for you, but sleep pulls him in faster than he expects.

When you get out of the shower, the air is cool on your bare skin. You wrap a towel around yourself, stepping into your bedroom to quickly grab a pair of pajamas. Poe's steady breathing fills the quiet room, and you hate that you missed out on spending time with him once again.

The moment your pajamas are on, you slide into bed next to him. The sheets are cold, too, making you crawl closer to Poe's warm side. He hums as you wrap your arms around his center.

"Your hands are freezing," he says, his voice thick with sleep.

"Sorry," you say, pulling them back. Poe stops you before you can, placing your hands back around him. He rolls onto his side so you are both facing each other.

"I didn't say to stop," he says, giving you a small smile.

"I didn't mean to wake you," you whisper.

"I'm glad you did. I wanted to stay up for you, anyways," he says. You smile at him, suddenly feeling like you could cry. You lean in and kiss his lips softly.

"I missed you so much," you say.

"I missed you, too," he says, pulling you in closer. "Tell me the truth, is everything alright?"

"It's the same as always," you say with a shrug. "Just too many long nights."

"You need to take care of yourself, or you're not doing anyone any good," he says. With a hand to your cheek, he pulls you in for another kiss. You close your eyes on instinct, but the longer the kiss goes on for, the longer your eyes are closed, and soon you start to drift off to sleep.

"Goodnight, Y/N," Poe says with a laugh, breaking away. You whine, tugging on his shirt to bring him back to your lips.

"Come back here," you say, "I want to keep kissing you." He chuckles again but kisses you again.

"You're barely kissing me now," he says. He shakes his head and kisses the tip of your nose. He tucks you into his arms, and you really are moments from falling into a deep sleep. The sheets are cool and comfortable, and with his steady breathing and arms around you, it won't be long.

"You didn't tell me about your mission," you say sleepily.

"That's okay," he says, his voice groggy.

"Poe," you say, shaking him gently. He laughs, hugging an arm around you tighter.

"It doesn't matter," he says, "It's over now."

"It matters to me," you say. He sighs deeply, your head on his chest rising with the movement.

"I'm just glad to be home. Glad that I have a home to come back to, and glad that you are here and safe."

"Baby," you say softly, wrapping your arms around him tighter.

"I'm sorry, I--"

"You never have to be sorry for sharing things with me. I want to know them, want to know you. Especially the heavy stuff."

"I love you," he says, kissing the top of your head. "And your hair smells much better." You laugh softly, squeezing him.

"I love you."

"Goodnight, Y/N," he says. You wrap every part of your body that can touch him around Poe's body, settling into his warm embrace.

"Goodnight."

[scriptorsapiens]

Classicstober Day 13: Arachne (𐀀𐀨𐀏𐀕)

Arachne was a mortal woman and a weaver beyond compare. She claimed that her skill surpassed even the gods'. An old woman warned her in a cracked voice:

"Be careful what you say, child; the gods loathe hybris."

"I'm not afraid of the gods. Even if Athena, goddess of weaving herself, appeared before me I know I can make a better tapestry than her!"

Arachne clearly had no idea she was living in Bronze Age Greece, because when an elder warns you about the ways of the divine it is ALWAYS a god in disguise.

Long story short, she is the reason spiders can weave so well.

Those of you who know me, and those of you who take the time to read these 'behind the scenes' things know that I do lots of research, but sometimes there just are no resources for me to draw on. Case in point, we know that the Mycenaeans had looms like the one I depict here, but as far as I know no Mycenaean tapestry has been preserved. This is not unexpected, since perishables like cloth can't really survive 3000 years without lots of luck and/or intentional preservation, but it also left me with a question of how Arachne's tapestries might have looked.

While we have some preserved Mycenaean and Minoan frescoes, I decided to not really draw from those for Arachne's tapestry. Her art was supposed to be breathtakingly realistic, so I opted from a more naturalistic, if a mite stylized, rendering of a woman. Perhaps a little anachronistic, but Arachne was a prodigy.

Speaking of which, Arachne is wearing a typical Mycenaean skirt and tunic but this piece finally gave me a good chance to show off Mycenaean makeup. Women, when depicted in Minoan and Mycenaean art, are often very pale and sometimes their faces are decorated with red florets on the forehead and cheeks. Arachne is not royal, but she is incredibly proud. Therefore I decided she would powder her face and rouge her lips, almost making herself look royal. The florets are just dots on her face, but the extras added to her forehead let me evoke the spider eyes she will bear in the near future.

Gods often take the appearance of the elderly (Zeus, Hera, and Athena all come to mind taking this disguise), and for whatever reason I have always had a vivid image of what Athena's mortal guise would look like. I know black was usually a very difficult color to dye, making it reserved for the wealthy, but maybe because of the old women in Portugal I grew up seeing the archetypal Old Woman is wearing black and using a shawl.

I would also like to formally apologize for not including the Linear B name for Athena, which is preserved: 𐀀𐀲𐀙

[honorarysimp]

Interlude: The Diner

series masterlist

Out of everywhere in town you’ve been since you arrived two weeks ago, this is the only place you’ve truly felt safe.

The diner was a blast from the past, a relic of a time long gone. The checkered linoleum floor worn and scuffed in places, and vinyl-covered booths gave the place a retro feel, while the crackled and faded wallpaper added a touch of nostalgia.

The smell of stale coffee and fried food hung in the air, adding a distinct atmosphere to the place.

The diner was dimly lit, the fluorescent tubes above the counter casting a harsh, almost clinical light over the small space. In one corner, an old radio played quiet music, the sound barely reaching a few booths in the room.

You are currently sat in a booth towards the back, visibly exhausted beyond measure as you nurse a cup of black coffee.

Coffee is suppose to be the answer to everything, but you’ve had to reconvey your initial claim the last week.

Your phone suddenly rings loudly in the quiet diner, the sharp sound causing you to flinch, jarring and breaking the ambiance like a hammer against glass. You glance down at the screen, expression darkening as you saw the word "Mayor" flash across the display.

With a heavy exhale, you let the call ring through to voicemail. The Mayor was the last person you want to deal with at the moment. You’re frustrated and exhausted, as this investigation seems to be leading nowhere.

Why answer her when you have nothing to report? She knows where to find you if she’s that desperate for results.

You reach into your coat pocket and retrieved your tape recorder. You lay it on the worn tabletop and looked at it for a moment with a slight grimace.

You hesitate before starting the recording, the weight of your lack of progress weighing heavily on you. With a weary sigh, you hit the record button and began speaking, voice low and tired.

"It's been two weeks since I arrived here, and so far, I've got nothing. No leads, no suspects, just a whole lot of dead ends."

You continue, your voice growing more frustrated as you detail your efforts thus far.

"I've tried everything," you admit, hand running through your hair in exasperation. "Witness interviews, forensic analysis, even digging through records going back decades. But every time I think I'm onto something, it just leads nowhere."

You lean back in the booth, shoulders slouched in exhaustion. "It's like this town is intentionally keeping secrets."

You pause for a moment, expression thoughtful.

"The people here," you begin, voice a bit softer. "They're just as much victims as anyone. I've started to get to know some of them, and they're just trying to live their lives. But then there's this..."

You trail off, expression conflicted. You knew you’ve always tried to be logical and professional when it comes to your job, ruled by rationality and evidence. But this case is pushing your boundaries, forcing you to question your own beliefs.

"Maybe... maybe there's no logical explanation," you admit, voice barely a whisper “the only thing that’s consistent is the fact one person goes missing a month, but even that doesn’t make sense because it stops and starts randomly- goddamn it.”

You hit the pause button on the tape recorder, frustrated. You sit back, the silence in the diner somehow making the weight of the case even heavier.

You sat for a moment, eyes unfocused as you mull over everything that has happened in the last two weeks. The disappearances, the dead ends, the strange events... everything about this case was slowly chipping away at your certainty, your usual rational mind struggling to find footing.

You start the tape recorder again, voice weary but determined.

"The attack in the woods," you began. "I've tried to make sense of it, but it just doesn't add up. The masked figure came out of nowhere, silently and unexpectedly. The knife cut me, but there was no blood, no trace of any kind at the scene. And even after searching, there were no footprints or tracks of any kind. Nothing."

You trail off, eyes fixed on the tabletop. "It's like the assault never even happened."

You again continued, tense with disbelief. "And then there's Wes," you say, shaking your head. "He just vanishes after walking into the lake. We've searched the lake more times than I can count, and we haven't found a body. Nothing. It's like he just vanished into thin air."

Your frustration and confusion becomes more and more evident the more you spoke, the mystery of the case growing more complex with each passing moment as you verbally try to debunk it aloud. "It makes no sense," you mutter, raking a hand through your hair once more, knee bouncing in a fidget underneath the table.

You pause for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm your frustration. "The disappearances, the attack, the lack of any solid evidence... everything about this case just feels wrong. Like there's something bigger going on, something just out of my grasp.”

You look down at the tape recorder, brow furrowed. "But how do I solve something when I can't even see all the pieces? How do I find answers when everything I've tried leads to more questions?"

You sat slumped in the booth, gaze unfocused as you wrestle with your thoughts. "I need... I need..." you repeat in a low voice, frustration and desperation mingling in your tone.

I need a fucking cigarette.

You clench your fists, refocusing on trying to piece together the elusive clues in your mind. "I need something decisive, something concrete," you continue, eyes sweeping over the steam rising from your mug as if the answers were etched within the small bubbles resting on the liquid’s surface.

You let out a heavy sigh, the frustration etched on your face. You reach out and hit the pause button, shutting off the tape recorder.

You lean back in the booth once again, taking a moment to gather your thoughts. The weight of the case hung heavily on you, the lack of progress a crushing disappointment. Never has a case had you so in the weeds before, you should have something by now.

"I need to find something," you mutter to yourself, jaw clenched. "I can't keep spinning my fucking wheels like this."

You rest your elbows to the table for a moment, rubbing a hand over your face as if trying to scrub away the fatigue and temporary defeat. Everything about this case was getting under your skin, the lack of progress wearing on your already frayed nerves.

The Diner's bell jangled as someone entered, causing you to look up from your thoughts. Your gaze lands on Tara of all people, who had just walked in.

You register the first responder uniform she is wearing, coming to the conclusion that she must be working the night shift. Or just got off it, depending on what time it is, that of which you aren’t sure. Your eyes lingered on her for a moment, taking in her tired but determined expression.

Her head turns and you’re already meeting her gaze, a pause between you, and then you silently gesturing for her to join you. You see the hesitation on her face, the fatigue and worry that mirrored your own. But after a moment, she relents and walks over to the booth, sliding into the seat opposite you.

“Hey” you start softly, watching her take your coffee mug off the table and take a small whiff before taking a sip.

You don’t question it.

“Nothing yet on our end, you?”

You shake your head, “even if we did, I’m sure Sam would be the first one to let you know.”

Tara nods, and you both fall silent.

The one waitress that seems to be working tonight walks over, she gives you both a kind smile.

“You’re working late tonight, Cici” Tara says politely, which makes the woman laugh good naturely.

“I could say the same to you, coffee?”

“Please.”

She scribbles it down, glancing back up “and the usual?”

Another nod from Tara, which then has Cici’s gaze going to you expectantly.

“I’m still doing okay with just coffee-“

“The Detective will have what I’m having Cici, thank you” Tara cuts you off, making Cici glance between you knowingly as she jots the order down and heads off without another word.

You look to Tara and narrow your eyes, but she beats you to it before you can speak.

“I wish you’d stop making assumptions about me, you know.”

A pause, you reach across the table for your mug but she pulls it from your reach.

There’s a good chance Tara is talking about the last conversation you two had before you found Wes and Chad, but of course you’d hate to assume.

So you wait for her to continue, after a moment her expression softens slightly and she nudges your coffee mug back across the table to you.

“For what it’s worth, I’m rightfully in the same boat. Worrying certain people are only around for information, for wanting to know things rather than-“ she stops, clearing her throat.

That’s when you get it. The hot and cold.

“Look… I’ve never once been dishonest with you, I’ve got no reason to be” you start slowly, giving your still aching shoulder a little roll before reaching across the table to accept your mug back.

“But-“ you pause, as your fingers brush against hers, neither of you acknowledge it as you pull the coffee mug back to your side “unfortunately that’s the one thing I’m under contract not to tell you, which is who hired me. You already know why I’m here, and if there’s one thing I can promise you is that I’m not using you for any reason.”

She is clearly skeptical, you can tell by the way she looks at you. But you can also see that slight softness between her brow, like she wants to believe you.

You sip your coffee, sitting it to the side before placing your palms flat on the table top, “ask me anything you want, no pool games, no deals, no trades, no bullshit. And then I’ll do the same.”

That look returns, the one Tara gave you a week ago when you’d asked her out for drinks.

“You still are trying to pick my brain” Tara says with an amused tone, you offer a smile and shrug.

“I wanna know you, is that so hard to believe?” You say as you nudge your coffee mug back over to her, a silent offer.

Tara eyes you, then the mug, then you again. She’s fighting back a smile, something you’ve noticed she does a lot with you. In a way you consider it a win, because it means she’s starting to like you even when she doesn’t want to.

“Fine” she agrees, pushing the coffee mug back across the table to you before crossing her arms, “but you’re on thin ice hot shot.”

You grin, trying not to feel triumphant for finally managing to somewhat get through to her.

“First things first, what’s your favorite scary movie?”

The disapproving look Tara gives you makes you laugh harder than it should, which in return, makes her smile more than she should.

And for the first time in a while, a sense of normalcy envelops you both. It won’t last, but for now, it’s nice.

previous, next

[visionsofmagic]

Hello

Could I get a song lyric story with Billy Butcher with either song lyrics #1 or #13

Fluffy or sexy your choice.

⎯ better than him. [billy butcher – 1/2]

྾ summary: being denied by your crush, you find yourself at the door of butcher, only to get better since his your only company but it ends different than you thought. ྾ lyrics: #1, A little bit older. A black leather jacket. A bad reputation. Insatiable habits. He was onto me, one look and I couldn't breathe. Yeah, I said, “If you kiss me, I might let it happen.” ▸my oh my, camila cabello; #13, I could be a better boyfriend than him. I could do the shit that he never did. Up all night, I won't quit. Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him. I could be such a gentleman. Plus all my clothes would fit▸boyfriend, dove cameron

wc: 1.4k ྾ notes/tags: fluff, mentions of nsfw content (a little) – part 2 will be the nsfw one, reader discovers inner facts, kind of mean butcher, kissing, biting, confessing, nicknames, cursing. ^^ ALSO, lots of thanks to @butchers-girl for the request! 💌 I know I made you wait for a while but I hope this one will make you happy. enjoy! *lots of kisses and hugs* [masterlist]

“You look like shit.” He says, rolling his eyes at your mess yet he leaves his door open behind him to let you in after he understands you are waiting in front of his door for a while now from the way you sit on the ground, no tears but sadness washing over your face.

“Yeah, got it from you.” You tease even though he can make you leave his house anytime soon. A voice tells you that he will let you because contrary to his common cold manner, he’s soft – for you. This was the reason, maybe not the main one, you came to him after feeling so down due to having a crush, ex-crush now, who said how he could never imagine liking someone like you. Well, it shouldn’t hurt but it did and you had only Butcher to make you feel good since he was your only close friend.

“Stop being a brat,” Not using the word ‘cunt’ with you, no, you were so delicate to hear that, Huggie wasn’t though. “I let you in, yeah, be grateful.”

Following him into the couch, you put no mind to the mess of his house. You know he nearly comes to his house and today was your lucky day that he finally came. You watched him as he took off his black leather jacket, only leaving with a black sweater, making him look more mature and older – he’s indeed a little bit older than you, enough to make you watch him for a while before he remarks with a smirk on his attractive and cocky face, “Liked what you see the princess?”

Rolling your eyes, you look at the closed TV in front of you and hide your face from him – probably already understood how he made the heat rush to your face. You knew you were like an open book for him – he knew you maybe more than you know yourself, and that was another reason you came here – not the main one still.

“Just open the TV.” You say after seeing your own reflection on the black screen of huge TV; you have a messy posture while he’s looking so good as always. His wide open legs make you focus on there for a moment before catching his eyes on the reflection, seeing how he smirks and puts his left arm on the couch’s edge, right above your shoulders, caging you with his body like your small body, comparing to his bigger one, means nothing.

Without saying anything, he opens the TV, some ads playing while he drinks a bottle of beer which you didn’t see until that moment. How he got that even? “Want some?” He asks, pointing to the bottle.

Shaking your head positively, wanting nothing but forgetting about everything, you take the bottle from his hands, fingers brushing into each other. Feeling hotter each second beside him, you take a few gulps of cold beer and put your head on the edge of the couch, making his arm behind you a pillow for you to sleep on. Closing your eyes, you say after a moment of peaceful silence – something you like about Butcher; he always knows when to talk or let you go while being in silence. “He said he would never be with someone like me.” You leave a sad chuckle, feeling insecure even if you want to deny it.

It takes a few seconds for Butcher to say after you feel his piercing gaze on your face. How you wish to open your eyes and watch his beautiful eyes, attractive face, and sharp gazes but you can’t – not yet. “I said that he was a bastard, didn’t I?”

Opening your eyes, you look at his face, rolling your eyes at his cocky attitude inside your brain. “At least say something – uplifting you cocky bastard.”

Your swear makes him smirk, shrugging, he points to the door, “You can leave if you need a fucking therapist, ya know. I ain’t one.” Knowing he will not let you leave, you chuckle, drinking the remaining part of the beer as he watches your face, not even taking any permission to do it – he doesn’t need it anyway.

“Rude.”

“I speak the facts darlin’, the cunt is a bastard, so, let it go. Not worth it.” – Not worth crying, not worth thinking about his words but it’s nearly impossible when his words flow in your system like venom and you want Butcher to make you find your own medicine for it – you know your worth but still, being a broken one now, you need him.

“Butcher,” you say, taking his full attention on you because your voice comes so low, revealing how bad you are feeling right now. “What’s the meaning of ‘someone like me’? Am I that bad? I am, right?” You leave another weak – sad chuckle, making Butcher swear to the guy before looking at you deeply, with sympathy and affection on his expression.

“Fuck the guy,” He says, his arm behind you now holding you by the shoulder, pushing you closer to him, his hot breaths hit your face. “Fuck them all, y/n, you don’t need them to see your worth.” Surprised by how he talks – so openly, you become breathless because of both his words and the proximity between you.

Putting your right hand on his bearded cheek, you say, “Being soft now, are we?” Teasing him makes you giggle.

“Only for you, darlin’.” He confesses, leaving you surprised at his words. Looking at him, you gain great confidence by the way he looks back at you, and your hand moves on its own, caressing his beard as one of his hands find your back, pushing you closer to him, earning a low, “Butcher –“ utter from you.

“Yes, love?” He asks; a cocky smirk on his attractive face. Rolling your eyes, you leave a chuckle, playing the game he’s up to.

“Will you show me my own worth? In your eyes –“ You say, trying to understand his motives; just to take away your sadness or express something he wants aloud. You know that if this moment, he kisses you, you will let it all go, and like he hears your own thoughts, he smirks, holding your cheek with his free hand, pulling you closer until your lips touch his – fireworks blow in your stomach at the sudden but waited, for a long time, action.

First, you stay without moving, then, when he bites your lower lip to get your blank mind working again, you let a soft moan out, closing your eyes, and you kiss him back – as passionately as he does. Lips trying to eat the other’s lips, hot tongues enter each other’s mouth. As you and Butcher kiss each other as your lives depend on it, the world under your feet seems to be disappeared, only leaving Butcher and his presence knowledgable to your mind – reality. He’s neither fast nor slow with his actions. He acts as if he knows every nerve of you, which to push, which to pull, which to touch.

He slowly, and gently – contrary to his common attitude, rises, making your back touch onto the surface of the couch. Pushing your legs apart with his knee, he finds his place between your thighs, hands positioned on the left and right sides of your head. You can’t help but feel small against his big body, not that you complain, not when he breaks the kiss – both of you need air, a necklace which you gave him swing, you pay attention to it for a moment before looking at his eyes, seem to have more sparkles now. “At the end of the night,” He begins, sounding both confident and assuring, “You will know your own fucking worth, doll,” He kisses your lips again, rough this time, leaving red marks on them due to biting. He’s so possessive, you can see that. “The most precious girl – my girl is the most precious girl. So fucking precious. That cunt – oh, that cunt will kick his own ass after he finds out what he missed, I’m telling ya – ”

“Butcher,” You say before holding his necklace and pulling him into you powerfully. You need him now – more than anything, and you know you have needed him for a long time now. “Just forget about him and kiss me. I only need – you.” He smiles, genuinely, then, the smile turns into a devilish smirk, leaving you breathless.

“Damn sure you need me. Will make sure the only man you can think of will be me at the end of the night, my girl.”

[luxheroica]

under your tree (2/3)

Part 2/3 - our Ekko, Jinx, and the tree.

Part one

Also on AO3

---

He drags her off that ledge by stealing seconds and finding the right words, and once he’s pretty sure she won't blow the both of them to smithereens he holds out his hand to her. 

Ekko doesn't think it's possible but Jinx takes it. Holds onto it. Her grip is so slight he thinks she might slip away, but as long as he's holding her hand it means she's still here. 

“Come with me?” he asks. 

She doesn't protest. He isn't sure if it's assent or empty resignation. He's not sure if she knows which one either. 

He doesn't know what's happened to her while he was gone. He hasn't seen her since the fight on the bridge, and the only reason he knew she was still alive was the Enforcers were still looking for her. If she were dead it would have been sung from the rooftops. 

Jinx is… broken. Not in the way she usually is, mad and manic and dangerous and wild and the creature who replaced the girl he once knew. She is silent, and her cheeks are streaked with black tear tracks. 

Ekko takes her to the only place that makes sense. The place that has always represented healing and light for the undercity for him. 

He takes her to the tree. 

Nobody stops him–he’s Ekko, and he’s returned from the dead, and nobody wants to question him– but the other Firelights scatter when he walks in with Jinx. 

This raises the first reaction he's had out of her in their long walk. She snorts. “So, this is your little hideout,” she says, looking around. “Aren't you worried I'll come and blow it up?” 

Ekko looks at her sidelong. Maybe before he left and came back. Maybe before he found her like this, with her eyes bruised and her voice faint. “Nah. That's not gonna happen.” 

That earns the ghost of a smile from her. “Just wait– the day’s still young.” 

He leads her further into the Firelights camp, and she takes it all in with a wide and hungry expression. Her gaze roams over the tree, green and live giving and towering over everything. Her fingers intertwine stronger with his as she takes in the camps all around. 

She stops dead when she sees the memorial wall. 

Ekko can see her tracing each of them with her eyes and her lips. Claggor. Milo. Vander. Benzo. Vi. 

Powder. 

He doesn't say a word, and for a long time she stands there in silence. Just staring and taking it all in. For a moment he wonders if he's sent her on another spiral, if he's going to have to play another game of chicken with a bomb meant to end the both of them. 

“You really think I'm dead, huh?” 

Her voice is light and contemplative and whatever reaction he was expecting it wasn't this. He’s wondering if it would be better to apologize or try to explain, when Jinx blows out a breath. 

Her hair runs away from her exhalation. “Not that I would disagree.” 

“Powder’s gone,” he says. “But you're still here, Jinx. And I'd like you to stay.” 

She hasn't taken her hand from his. Jinx’s fingers curl. “Huh.” 

He’s willing to stay there as long as she needs, hand-in-hand and staring at the memorial wall. He meant it when he said that he gave up on her once, and he isn't going to do it anymore. 

“Would you mind?” she asks at last, looking up at the painted faces. “If I added to it?” 

Ekko is surprised, and reluctant to leave her alone just now– but he nods. “Sure,” he says. His fingers slip from hers and she doesn't move. “Let me go get some paints. Be right back.” 

She doesn't even nod. He's not even sure she's listening. But he goes as fast as he can to gather up his paints and brushes and run back. He's not entirely sure she'll be there when he gets back or whether he’ll find a black scar on the ground. 

Jinx is still standing there transfixed by the wall when he dumps the painting supplies at her feet. 

“Thanks,” she says, and she spends some time picking out the paints she wants and then hoisting herself up and picking an empty spot on the wall and starting to sketch. 

Ekko watches until she turns back to him with a roll of her eyes that's the most normal thing he's seen from her all day. “You can stop hovering like a weirdo, you know. I promise not to blow anything up.” 

Thus (mostly) reassured, Ekko leaves her to her painting. A couple of the other Firelights express concern at her presence, but he talks them down. She's not a threat to them, not like this. 

And it's time he started trusting her. 

Jinx is still painting when exhaustion overtakes him and Ekko at last can't keep his eyes open and longer and he falls into a much needed sleep. 

Hours later he starts awake. He's sure that Jinx is going to be gone when he rushes to the memorial wall, but she's there and sleeping under a thin blanket she scavenged from somewhere. Ekko lets out the breath he's been holding. 

There are two new figures on the tree. Both are drawn in bright colors– clashing and complimenting his realistic style with neons that nearly hurt the eye. Both figures are nonetheless unmistakable. 

One is Silco, and for a moment it feels wrong to see his face on a memorial alongside so many of his victims. But, he thinks, Silco was no less a victim of the undercity. He had hope for a bright future once. Who is this paint depiction hurting? 

The other one is a young girl Ekko doesn't recognize. At first he thinks that it is Powder, that Jinx put herself on the tree– but no, it’s someone else entirely. There's brown mixed in with her violently blue hair, and he never saw Powder wear that helmet. 

He traces her lines, wondering who she was. Why Jinx felt compelled to draw her on the wall. 

“Her name was Isha.” 

Ekko turns around to see Jinx waking up and watching him with wide eyes. He steps away from the wall and towards her. 

“Who was she?” he asks gently. 

At first he thinks she won't answer. That she can't. He won't press her if she doesn't want to. 

“A friend,” she says at last. “Just this kid I knew. She followed me around like… some lost puppy. I ran with her for awhile. Begged me for the blue hair like she wanted to be me, like being me was so great. And then she…” 

Jinx clutches at her wrist, her fingernails digging deep into skin. 

“I'm sorry,” Ekko says, approaching gently. 

“Yeah, well, I shoulda known it was coming. Everyone around me dies, remember?” 

He thinks that she will stop him when he takes her hand and gently prises her fingers from where they are digging deep furrows in her wrist. Instead she just stares, eyes wide. 

“I'm not going anywhere.” 

Jinx looks askance at the time travel device resting on his hip. “Yeah, well it helps when you can cheat.” Then her eyes fix on it like she's really seeing it for the first time, and her gaze narrows. “Who was it, this person who taught you there was something worth building?” 

Ekko chuckles. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.” She folds her arms over her chest in open challenge. 

“Sit down,” Ekko says, and to his amazement Jinx obeys by flopping down next to him. He joins her in a cross-legged position as he thinks about what how to begin this story. He hadn’t planned on telling her– there's parts of his journey to that other world that are too personal. “She was you– or, well, another you. From an alternate universe.” 

Jinx snorts. “Yeah right.” 

“I told you you wouldn't believe me.” 

“Oh, I believe you about the alternate universe part. That's just the kind of wild shit that happens in this city. But me, helping you? That's rich.” 

Ekko wonders how to explain that other Jinx who never became Jinx, who still went by Powder, who still had most of her family. “Vi was dead, in that other universe. She died young, before everything that happened. And it changed a lot of stuff– Zaun was finally independent and standing on its own, Vander and Silco made up– they were married and running the bar together.” 

Jinx makes a face. “Eugh.” 

Ekko laughs. “Believe me, it was weird.” 

A ghost of a smile flits across Jinx’s lips. “It makes sense though. Vi created the Jinx, so if she died before she could do that…” 

Ekko doesn't bother untangling whatever's going on in her head. “And you were– happy. Two dads who loved you, and you had friends, and we were all gunning for this science contest. And you were helping me– or well, she was helping the other Ekko, actually– to build an energy device.” 

Jinx tilts her head at him, disbelieving but still listening. “Science contest? And I was in it?” 

“Yeah.” Ekko strokes the edge of his time travel device. “Trying to invent something that would help the world. Milo and Claggor had this plant thing that was cleaning up the air, and the other me wanted to build an energy device, but he couldn't do it without your help. She– you– ended up doing like half of the work.” 

He sees the way her eyes trace him hungrily, like she doesn't quite believe him but desperately wants to. 

“Why'd you leave?” 

Ekko turns to her, surprised. 

“I mean it sounds perfect– other than Vi, I guess. I wouldn’t have wanted to come back to this shitty universe, except I guess I would have probably fucked that one up too.” 

“Because you needed me,” Ekko says. When she raises a skeptical eyebrow he realizes what he said, what it implies. He flushes. “I mean, you all– this universe. And that place, it wasn't mine. I was just borrowing it for a while.” 

“Smooth, brain-boy.” Jinx snorts. Then she rocks back so she's staring up at the murals. “What was she like, the other me?” 

“Like you,” Ekko says, and she blows out a breath in disbelief. “I'm serious. Maybe she was more stable– she had people around, people who loved her– but she liked to mess with people, and she liked bright colors and tinkering with things.” 

“Lucky her.” 

“There was a dance, and she wore all this bright makeup, it was neon blue but then there was like this gradient of colors, and… I couldn't help but think, Jinx would totally wear this, if she ever had an occasion she wanted to dress up for.” 

Jinx levers herself up on her arms. Scornfully asks, “Ok, was I like your date to the dance?”

“Uhh…” 

“Seriously Ekko, what the hell? Did you ask me out in another universe, who does that?” 

“You were my girlfriend so it's not like I had much choice!” Ekko defends himself without thinking. Then he cringes. “I mean she was his– the other Ekko’s– girlfriend.” 

Jinx taps her fingers on the metal of the platform, thinking. She looks at him askance and he can’t tell what’s going on in that head of hers, but he feels like she’s sizing him up. “You don’t say.” 

“I didn’t mean to bring it up,” Ekko says. “I didn’t want you to think I came looking for you only because, well– of her. I came looking for you because it’s you. I gave up on you once, Jinx– I’m not going to do it again.” 

She tilts her head at him. Considers him for a long time. “Would you kiss me like her, Ekko?” she asks, almost too quiet to hear, but the words reverberate in his chest. “Like I’m someone who deserves–”

He cuts her off, surging forward to smash his lips to hers. Jinx is surprised, her eyes wide and her whole body tense. Ekko presses, cradling her face like she’s something precious and hard to hold, and she is– his explosive girl, always slipping through his fingers. 

Jinx responds at last, surging forward and nipping his upper lip with her teeth. He responds by opening his mouth so she can tease him with her tongue. 

At last they break apart, although Ekko doesn’t let go of her face. He only stares at her, amazed that out of every possible universe they’re here. 

“You know, I always kind of liked you,” he admits. 

Jinx smirks. “Did you now?” And she pulls him in for another kiss.

[kxsagi]

hiyaaa, kura!!! 🌫️😶‍🌫️💥👻🤪 🤗👋

sorry, i kinda sorta mostly dropped off tumblr for the past few days... 😣😣😣

(i mean, i have a good reason, like two papers due last night 😭😭 + 3 more due within the next 2 weeks🥲 + 2 final exams the week after that😑, i'm literally dying... 🫠🫠🫠 i'm never signing up for 4 accelerated summer courses again. i just wanted to get my gen-ed reqs that have nothing to do with my degree out of the way, but it's killing me.... like, think the normal 4-5 months worth of classes, but supercharged into less than 3 x 4 classes, fuck me, for real😩)

but i didn't come here to rant lol 😅

i came here to share this art, which i'm sure you've already seen, but since i loved it every time i saw it, i thought i'd share it again. behold, the new isagi and kaiser art: 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

as always, nomura-sensei's art serves!!!! i just wanna lick it all up 🤤😛😋 (i also hate to admit this, but i def think isagi looks better than kaiser here. there. i said it. even my simping can't stop me from liking characters in motion over stills (a little scared if this is commentary on their progress in the japan vs germany match) + the lighting slaps + blue is still my favorite color, why is kaiser's this mix of fuschia, salmon, magenta, and violet, which, dgmw, is a beautiful color combo, it's just not blue......)

there is just so little official kaiser art 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 like, here, i'll list them:

this one ↑, obviously, which just makes me wanna be in japan, just to walk past that window display and get the surprise of a lifetime

the bllk exhibition one with him in the deep red suit, black shirt and olive green tie (which, mmmm, delicious 💋😋, hence, my pfp)

the one with him and isagi in their bastard uniforms on the couch where he has that beautiful royal fur-lines throw, a bouquet of blue roses and then some, and his tattered, taped-up, all-white soccer ball 🥲, while isagi has his ichinan uniform, school bag, and a brand new, standard soccer ball (my blog banner, lol, i am nothing if not consistent)

the one with him, isagi, and rin in that sea of fallen, crimson leaves, where he's in a german ww1 uniform (pointing this out, cuz it's not a nazi uniform, at least not completely), with a gun (with puzzle pieces 🧩 on it!) and a sword, isagi's in a haori, hakama, and kimono combo with two guns (with rose 🌹 thorns!!), and rin is in what is essentially a potato sack (it's actually worse than that iirc, i'm pretty sure they were literal rags) holding an odachi while crouched down with his tongue out, separated from the other two with that tree in the foreground

honestly, with how short this list is, i'm adding his volume (19) cover, with that beautiful crystal / glass chain, and him showing off his tattoos 🌹👑🔒 as per usual, just so that i can get this list over the five mark, bc there's seriously so little... 😭😭

okay, so maybe i ranted a bit anyway. sorry, i can't help myself when it comes to this stupid genius, arrogant charismatic, rat-tailed gorgeous menace that has consumed my life

anyway, all this to say, i'm back!! and that your writing is a delight to read as always!!!! ❤️❤️🩷🩷❤️🩵💕💞💞💖💝💕💓❤️💕🩷💞💙💚❤️💞🩷💕💓💝💜💘❤️‍🔥💕❤️‍🔥(which, btw, my fave from while i was away is the bllk boys help reader eat more one, bc i do actually have a problem with not eating, mainly bc i'm kinda a nagi kin, not to the extent of thinking even chewing is a hassle, but, let's just say that living on my own (well, i have housemates, but we don't eat together) and thinking that cooking is a hassle, doesn't mix well, so the fact that it got me to get up and get a snack was very nice)

also, irt the crush thing, i wish i could help but, i'm kinda irl aroace-spec (fiction is a whole different story, though), so i doubt i'm of much use. plus, honestly, i love a man who knows how to communicate his needs properly, so i can't even pretend to be mad at him, sorry. on the other hand, i can totally hype you up, bc, like can we just pause for a second and talk about how completely and utterly radiant you are? seriously, every time I read one of your fics, I'm just blown away by the sheer beauty of your mind. the way you weave worlds and emotions with your words is actual magic, and it's proof of the gorgeous, brilliant soul you have. and let's be real, it makes perfect sense that you're married to isagi, because a man with that kind of vision would absolutely recognize the once-in-a-lifetime treasure that you are. he is the LUCKIEST man in the whole world, no question. you are just stunning, inside and out, from your incredible talent to your amazing personality. don't you ever, ever forget what a masterpiece you are. (well, if u ever forget and isagi ain't doing his job right, aka spoiling and pampering and loving you to the moon and back, then i'll be right here to remind you.)

with so much love ❤️🩷🩷❤️, silver, signing off and finally going to sleep now 😴💤 (i shoulda gone to bed like two hours ago, but shhh, i'm going now, not your fault, though, i just hyperfixate a lot (my adhd's just like that) and forget to sleep until i'm come out of that blur lol)

HIIIII BABY 🤍

NO BC GEN ED CLASSES AND REQUIREMENTS AND EVEN SUMMER CLASSES ARE SOOO STRESSFUL 💔 pls take your time with your priorities and never apologize for it! i understand that other people have a life and i don't expect you to be active on here all the time 🙂‍↕️

BROOOO THAT NEW OFFICIAL MANGA ART IS BEAUTIFUL, LIKE NOMURA COOKED WITH THIS ONE AND MY MAN LOOKS SO FINE WITH YOURS AHHHHHHHHHHH CREAMING- I MEAN SCREAMING 😍 (yes my man looks better than yours but all love ☺️🫶🏻)

i love your ranking of the official arts, please rank again. like the hottest guy a man can wear is definitely a hakama, i said what i said (as a japanese girly too). and kaiser's volume cover is actually my favorite volume cover (sorry isagi) because i love the glass chain detail.

i'm so happy to hear that my writing even helped you get up to go grab a snack, you deserve to feed yourself and not see it as a hassle 🥰

but omg yeah, regarding the crush stuff, i can't get mad at a man who knows how to communicate his needs properly so i'm not mad, i'm just really grateful that he's such a good guy, yk? (no glaze 💀) it says a lot about his character and i can just move on from him peacefully.

THE HYPING YOU WROTE FOR ME THOOO, I AM LITERALLY ON THE VERGE OF CRYING HAPPY TEARS 😭😭😭 FUCK MEN, I'M LOVED BY THE PRETTY PEOPLE ON TUMBLR RIGHT HERE 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

also isagi is literally my motivation for almost everything these days, because i love how self-disciplined, ambitious, and driven he is. he's also very communicative, kind, and knows what he wants, what he needs to do to get there, willing to adapt, all while being friendly (off the field ig). i strive to be like him, and be the girl that he would be proud of 🥰

[jerzwriter]

Thanks again, Nonny, for this ask! I don't know why, but I just love Ethan and Kaycee at carnivals, so this was just perfect! I hope you enjoy it!

Book: Open House Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC) Rating: Teen Words: 698 Summary: Ethan and Kaycee spend the day at the state fair with her friends, but when Ethan suffers a bruised ego, Kaycee's there to make it all better.

A/N: Participating in @julychallenge Pink: Nurturing, Calming Black: Protection

Kaycee glanced over at Ethan, pursing her lips to stifle a smile. Not that he would have seen it—if avoiding eye contact wasn’t enough, he had put on his dark sunglasses as a second attempt to hide. She glanced at her watch; twenty minutes had passed, and that was long enough. She scooted closer to him on the bright red bench as the sounds of children screeching and carnival music swirled around them.

“Babe,” she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. “It’s all right, you know. We don’t have to go on any more rides. In fact, we could leave if you want.”

“We’re not leaving,” he said firmly. “How would everyone else get back to Boston?”

“Well, there’s this thing called Uber. I’d even be happy to give them money toward it.”

He turned to Kaycee, removing his sunglasses to look her in the eye. “If we leave, it’s adding insult to injury. I’d rather wait and show I’m still capable of driving them home.”

“All right,” she said, lacing their fingers together. “Then why don’t you and I walk around the fair? We can still have fun and no more rides.”

“But you love rides. Why don’t you meet up with your friends? I’ll be fine.”

Kaycee smiled sympathetically as she jumped onto his lap.

“What are you doing...” he started, but she quickly silenced him with a kiss.

“I do love rides, but not as much as I love you. Besides, this is the perfect time for you to try and win a stuffed animal for me!”

“Is that what you want?” he smiled softly.

“Mmm hmm. I mean, you could buy me a cotton candy first.”

��Cotton candy?”

“And a corn dog.”

“You don't come cheap," he teased. "It would probably be cheaper for me to take an Uber back to Boston and let you stay with your friends.”

“Shut up,” she said with another kiss, extending her hand to him when she was done. “Come on. I have no doubt we can find ways to have fun that have nothing to do with rides!”

He looped his arm around her waist as they walked toward the concession stand, a sad look on his face.

“I don’t know what happened to me today. I always did good on rides.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s been a while since you've been on one, and it's not like you're getting any younger, sir.”

He shot her a dirty look, and Kaycee quickly corrected. “What! Our equilibrium changes as we get older; it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Am I in for another old man joke?”

“Nope,” she smiled, looping her arms around his neck as she reached up and gave him a kiss. A kiss so tender and sweet, Ethan forgot all about his embarrassment, and by the time their lips parted, all he wanted to do was show his beautiful girlfriend a good time at the fair.

“No one gets to make old man jokes except me,” she smiled. “And you’re my old man, so I'll have none of that.”

He rested his head on her shoulder after pulling her into a loving embrace. “I love you, baby," he whispered.

“I love you, too," she beamed.

"I'm glad," he smiled. "But can I ask one favor?"

“Sure, anything.”

“When this story gets relayed to Tobias and Harper tomorrow at work, can we say I got sick on the roller coaster and not the merry-go-round?”

Kaycee snorted but stopped full-on laughing. “I’m fine with that, but you may need to bribe my friends.”

“Bryce?” he asked.

“All of them, especially Jackie, if we’re being honest.”

Ethan let out an exasperated sigh. “What do I have to do?”

“A few drinks, maybe dinner... they’ll forget all about this little incident.”

“Sounds like money well spent to me.”

Kaycee grinned, squeezing his hand. “Come on, let’s find that cotton candy.”

"Hey," Ethan said. "It's been a long time since I've been on a date at the state fair. Do people still sneak behind the tents to make out these days?"

"I don't know about people," Kaycee smiled. "But we sure as hell are...after the cotton candy!"

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately

[accordingtodumas]

A maybe not-so-brief opinion on tennis kits: Roland Garros 2025 edition! Part 1.

Clay season reached its peak. The biggest tournament on this surface (which we all know is the best one) and the second grand slam of the year, Roland Garros is already showing us long battles, shocking upsets, loud and passionate crowds and, of course, debatable fashion.

This list is absolutely arbitrary and I'm no specialist in any of the aspects in question here, so this is just my Opinion™. I'm not looking at every single kit because there are too many players and brands, but let me know if I'm missing something noteworthy!

Photos are from Pinterest and Roland Garros' website.

Nike tries to be vintage

The Pretty Little Baby Yeah Yeah

I spent the whole match waiting for Jannik to pull a giant lollipop out of his pocket and say "yipee yipee doo!" or something like that. I don't know if the colors that screams the cold war kid from the West vibe, or if Jannik himself it's kinda cartoonish, but either way he looks silly in a cute way. It suits him, don't you guys think? And I like a good polo on a tennis court, so the number one's kit is approved!

The Energetic Tiger

Oh I like this! I already said this before and I'll repeat as many times as needeed, but blue and orange make such a good combo! So far I've only seen Aryna wearing these colors (if we think about Nike, I mean), and I think fits her super nicely; it's vibrant, strong and fun just like Sabalenka's game and personality. Also these different shoelaces? Just cool. It's approved for sure.

The Pajamas Boys

I'm divided between finding these horrendous and fun. Since I'm a colorful person, I have to admit that I enjoy the combos here and ok, I get that the stripes adds some frenchness to it, but at the same time looks so lazy and awkward, I don't know how to explain. This kit bothers me and I can't say it's super approved since it looks like pajamas you would see in any fast-fashion store. The blouse is gorgeous tho:

Really, I want one of these to myself.

The Classy Ladies

The colors. The shape. Chef's kiss. I really like the details on the skirt on both types of kits. I wish Qinwen had a more beautiful shade of lilac tho, but I like this tank-polo-top; I suppose Nike wanted to go for a more classic look, and while they made the men look silly, they nailed with women's in my opinion. Maddy's and Olga's (and Aryna's) kit have this nice detail on the back that adds some personality to it:

So the ladies kits are approved!

The Sailor Naomoon

Cute af. It's a shame this kit had such a brief life in this tournament, but I love Naomi's personalized kits overall. I think there's not much to be added because the pink magic girl from the 90s vibe speaks for itself. Approved with a small tear in the corner of the eye.

Adidas gave up

Ok, I'll just get Elina and Foki here as an example because honestly that's all Adidas is giving us at the moment. At least I've seen the ladies wearing only this black dress - which, ngl, looks good. It's impossible to fail a classic black dress. It's chic, functional, everybody likes it, great. On the men's side, however, we're seeing this kit since clay season started and I'm super tired of this combo. Come on Adidas, is this bankruptcy or just lack of creativity? Do they think that adding a tiny detail on the back will trick us to the point we're not going to notice their lazyness? Sorry, but no. We're in Roland Garros, for God's sake!! For this reason, these kits receive a not approved seal.

Tsitsipas is really just a Sharpie pen at this point.

Uuh Lacoste (?)

I didn't notice a pattern by Lacoste so we're going to take a look individually by players I've seen:

The Sweat Shirt

We all know athletes are always sweating but I'm not convinced that we needed a shirt that already looks like sweat. I don't know if it's a strategy that I'm not getting here, but uh. No. The colors have potential, I enjoy this kind of silver-grey-blue with white, but it could be better. This print is disapproved unfortunately.

The same tennis court shirt but it's Red

Djokovic is wearing the Djokoshirt. Dude has 100 titles so I guess he has the right of wearing whatever he wants, but that's exactly the reason I'd expect something way more interesting than this. Meh, not approved.

The Oui Oui

Here we see Elsa Jacquemot wearing both variations, with a skirt and a shorts, and I really enjoy both of them! I admit that I'm biased towards pink (and that I didn't know who Elsa was until I saw this kit, sorry girl), but I think this one is pretty good by itself! The small RG pink logo, come on, super cute. I like the details on the top too, looks fresh and classy. Approved!

The We've could've had it all

Daniil's version of The Oui Oui, but given the tragic result of his first round match, it's more like The Non Non. Is it the same kit he was wearing the whole clay season in different colors? Yes, but it has a pink detail and nice socks and shoes, so I'd approve it if Daniil had stayed with us longer.

On gets dreamy

It's magical, ethereal, it's purple and colorful at the same time, it shines. I simply love this so much! I think it would look way better without this wide white stripe, I don't understand why On insist on the white gradient when the rest of the colors is so pretty. Also I find a bit funny how it looks like João fell on his ass in a puddle of yellow paint, but the socks matching with the shoes make up that detail for me. Gloriously approved!

Asics after the A.P.C. collection

Spoiler: not that interesting, but there are some highlights. Here they are:

The blue Jasmine

There's nothing too much special about it, but I like the shades of blue and yellow. Simple, yet good and efficient. Approved.

The guest that took the theme of the party too seriously

Alex wanted us all to know that he was really playing at Roland Garros. He was there, you see? He's wearing the slam's colors! Jokes aside, I think I like it. The orange stripe on the shirt looks a bit ~rushed~, but it's ok - and I have deep respect for someone who respects the theme of an occasion and assume its tackyiness! Approved without much enthusiasm.

The Tired after glory

I was one of the people that absolutely LOVED that polemic white sleevless kit Lorenzo wore for clay season. So cool kid, so different, so stylish, wooww. Then we have this. Not bad, but boring honestly. Not approved only because we've seen better days.

Minty and Elegant Yonex

I like it! Again, I feel there's not much to say. I guess the element that make me nod in approvement is the color. Both options, the minty and the darker blue, have a nice contrast with the orange of the clay. It's pleasant and fresh to see. Approved!

(at any moment there will be a part 2)