#and that is SO fun to explore and examine

[currentfandomkick]

… okay so did this partially in the comments but for batfam options (sorry if these are too bat sons centric) for Batfam Era-wise to minimize the lazarus pitt impact and options, pre-damian is best (sorry duke you’re cool and can be folded in a civvie ally if anyone wants to go that route).

Reasons and such below the cut

Reason for predamian beyond the lazarus issue

Smaller batfam is easier to write if you want to include cass and stephanie and oracle babs

Dick can have an established beef with Slade that Slade has varied awareness of

Dick is often allowed to be more at odds with bruce during the Jason Run and Tim’s than he is during Damian’s, and honestly he deserves to be openly feral

Jason’s role is more up to writer, with other characters able to be folded in with Less Builtin Truama from his death, or in the midst of it

Personally, i like Jason Era Robin as we don’t do a lot with him from what i’ve seen that can include his death Not Happening. I love fan combinations of Red Hood and how Jason is often dissected in discourse, but this can be a place to play with Jason’s Robin and what that meant both to Gotham, and what being a ‘next gen sidekick’ means when most are too old to be your peers and younger ones have not stepped up yet.

Plus robin!Jason from what i remember ran on justice from the side of the victim, not the law, while being a kid more than willing to follow rules and preferring homework to patrols.

This can be an interesting foil to Danny as a child hero debating retirement, whose main adult support was Slade, a known mercenary, and who became a hero to fix his parents mistakes and try to bridge the ecto and carbon relations gap (largely so he can be allowed to exist without someone trying to kill him).

And once more, if anyone wants to fold in other batfam members, baby versions can be folded in during their civilian era and depending on how long it goes on, into their vigilante era (cass and stephanie are going to hero regardless. Tim is up to interpretation but i admit i do lean to the idea of Tim operating more like babs does and doing fieldwork as needed in this version under a separate alias. Possibly with Dani).

Dick is also allowed to be an undeniable bitch to Bruce and Slade during this, and we support it. Slade dealing with bruce ‘i am a better parent than you, i am taking the injured meta’ wayne ignoring the tirefire that is his relationship with Dick, while Slade is trying to keep Danny afloat and debating the merits of killing Bruce to get him to fuck off and leave his nephew alone while plotting a mass takedown of the GIW possibly with Dick or the Titans’ help is fun.

Themes you can explore are responsibility, community and peers, family ties, more fluff and retribution compared to the other options below, and straight up ethics and moral line discussions as well as boundaries in relationships and how to nurture social bonds and repair past damage.

However examining Danny landing during Tim’s Robin Era has two very different, but very interesting options.

Tim mid ‘i can fix him’ with Bruce only to find a meta kid that’s also ghostly like Greta and how does Tim hide this from Bruce or should he call Bruce for help as this happened in Gotham can be interesting. Slade may even try to take Tim with him to keep Tim safe from Batman if Danny shows signs of worry for Tim, triggering the fuck out of Dick and congrats, multiway custody battle of injured meta while Tim tries to help Danny fake an ID to get off B’s radar as Dick and Slade have at it.

Here Tim’s situation contrasts Danny’s on the surface with having support from others, but both have varied mentors that are not often easily accessible, largely run with a group of teens and have an adult who’s reachability and reliability for missions and such is a questionmark. Danny is a powerhouse that isnt the best at strategy with his powers and relies on them but is shown to have other avenues (ghost weapons and combat skills) available to him that he uses comfortably. But danny is in many ways the main hero of Team Phantom and struggles to balance anything… and was just vivisected. Tim is meanwhile hiding danny from Bruce (to avoid triggering Jason Memories and for Danny’s safety) with Danny pulled into Tim’s team’s orbit (used to fighting gov alone) and gets more peers and social support and time to work out how to handle the portal (possible titan help and raven now awkwardly mentoring the halfa)

Slade sets off everyone’s red flags but Danny doesn’t. Slade is shown as an involved uncle trying to undo the circumstances that forced Danny into teen heroics and help him get back on track for studying the stars and intergalactic diplomacy if nothing else will stick. Main themes can easily be exploring community, coming into your own, family of choice and even types of grief and how to tackle them

OR if we do this during Tim’s ‘collecting family like pokemon’ era, we can have established Batfam with Tim’s imposter syndrome loud for his relationship to Bruce as a mentee not family. Contrast this with Danny who is firmly Family to Slade, but not being mentored as ‘mercenary work is the last place i want you to end up’ but still taught basics of self defense by Wilson Standards (high standards tbh).

Tim finds Danny being carried by Slade and informs Dick privately as B has been moody about Red Hood since the reveal of Jason, and Dick has Stakes in Slade’s drama.

Cass and Stephanie can be in Black Bat and Batgirl era or Batgirl and Spoiler respectfully. Important part is Cass can read Danny and vice versa, and Stephanie bridges cultural gap via memes and hit first, question later attitude that Danny would find familiar.

Tim’s role here is more flexible, as while he could act as a foil, him being a catalyst for events and other batfam members taking spotlight while Tim manages B and his own team fits well.

Once more, dick and slade are not friendly, but Dick is aware Slade is a ‘slaughter for my family’s safety’ type. Dick is also not okay with the dimensional genocide prep via nucs attempt by giw.

Dick is civil with B but stretched thin and snappy. Hell, is you want this Dick is in a more stable place and may snag Danny and turn it into a Titan’s mission plus babs’ birds of prey for combat portion while emotional core can be co-existing with wildly separate standards and moral lines and working out when to respect what, how far is too far and even the theme of what makes a family a home rather than kin.

I will admit a large part of damian’s era not being included is how quickly we like to tune into the lazarus pit as a fandom and focus in its variations when we can just wave it away with ‘separate dimension, coincidental similarities in somethings’

Another part is depending on how ‘fresh’ out of loa Damian is, changes his behaviors wildly. I like angry assassin baby, but i can’t see him in early era being accepting of Danny being dragged into batfam shenanigans and while exploring jealousy and discomfort is fine, if a goal includes linking Danny to Batfam in anyway, an injured Danny would choose familiar uncle Slade over Bats over fruitloop bats everytime. If we go into damian’s growth era, that’s with dick!bats and that is a kettle of fish i dont want to play in given it was a crappy time for Dick and we are missing Tim and Bruce interactions, possibly Jason’s options too. If we go post Bruce return fro timeline nonsense, bats are Complex Relationships that are hard to track.

Duke’s major beats are still being written to my knowledge, so i’m not comfortable guessing storylines for his era in batfam. Best guess would be while he’s being fostered with Duke noting the kid is being taken away by Slade, hear the uncle comment and find out slade is handling the kid and asking Dick or Bruce for info on Slade as the base to build on

Walker-Wilson Family

DP x DC Prompt

Slade is the older brother to Maddie and Alicia. After their mother left their father, Slade had to stay with their father while their mother was able to keep Maddie and Alicia.

Slade wanted to find his sister's, but like in Canon, he couldn't afford to run away from their abusive father. He enlisted not only to escape their father but to hopefully be strong enough to protect his sister's.

After Slade's service, he eventually found his younger sisters after his marriage with Adeline. Soon, Grant and Jazz were born, both growing up as pseudo siblings. Then Danny and Joseph were next a few years later, and after Slade volunteered for the experimental ACTH procedure.

During the camping trip Slade had with his sons, instead of being stranded because Grant refused to sleep outside, the Fentons had camped with them, allowing the Wilson's to get home safely before Slade's next contract had come.

Another change is that Slade teaches his sons and his niece and nephew some of his fighting moves at the request of Maddie. Not long later is when Danny became a Halfa.

A couple of months later, Slade overheard Danny talking about Vlad to Sam and Tucker. This is where Slade learns that Danny is Phantom. And with the new Fenton brand equipment he got from his sister and brother in law, he's going to show Vlad that his family is not one to mess with.

A few days later, a Fenton Thermos sits in Danny's room, where a certain Fruitloops voice is heard within it. A (forged) will was found in Vlad's Mansion, stating that all his assets will go to his dear friends children, Jasmine and Daniel Fenton.

Slade is currently in Gotham, about to challenge Bruce to another battle. Except he finds his nephew, severely bleeding from an autopsy wound on his chest. Batman will have to wait. His nephew comes first before his wants.

[decks-writing-blog]

Undertale & Deltarune Drabbles: Frisk & Chara & SpamTenna - Once We Convince One Of Them

Summary: Frisk and Chara encounter Tenna and Spamton in the Trash Zone.

[A/N] And thus I'm officially doing Deltarune drabbles too, yay! I wanted to try writing UT Spamtenna because I'm very intrigued by the AU's potential. I did it in drabble form because it's low stakes and makes it easier to put less pressure on myself to do it right, more wriggle room and whatnot. I've seen a few people have UT Spamton speak in letters as his text quirk. That's what I went with here. I don't know if it works as well in a fic instead of a comic so I might change it if I decide to write more for them (which I am very open to, especially if anyone were to request anything ;) ) or I might keep it and just let it be a little awkward. (And maybe one day I will be brave enough to try writing his Deltarune form with that weirdass text quirk of his.) I am also experimenting with Tenna going by he/it in the AU because I've been vibing quite a bit with writing characters who use multiple pronouns. It's fun and there should be more representation for that kind of thing.

At the bottom, I included the artwork I made for UT Spamtenna. In part to give a clear picture of how I'm picturing them, if you want it, but also it because of how much I liked how that pieced turned out that prompted me to also want to write them.

Also, mild content warning, I wanted to mostly explore the Pacifist Route encounter with them but also put some thought into the Murder Route and thus Frisk has a flashback about that in this. It's not particularly graphic but it is there.

~

“The dump,” Frisk said out loud in a whisper as they stood up and brushed themself off. “Who all we gotta make up to here?” Not that they could ever really make up for killing so many people but they could pretend by being super-duper nice and befriending anyone who would let them do so. It’s not like anyone remembered that they’d been murdered anyway, not even Flowey seemed to. So it was almost like it was all a bad dream and none of it had ever happened

‘The TV thing, its weird looking small friend, and the dummy that was happy for some reason,’ Chara replied.

Frisk nodded before stepping off the flower bed and into the water. It was too murky to see through and quite cold as it found its way into her shoes – it’s not like their socks had had time to dry though so it was just a renewed discomfort. The fact that it was flowing, though slowly, hopefully meant it wasn’t too, too foul. Still it was probably best not to think about it.

They continued forward, making their way around heaps of garbage. Unlike last time, there was no urge to go out of their way to examine any of it. The Soul’s desire to have them look at everything hadn’t seemed odd at the time but in retrospect was quite strange. Why was something curious enough to desire an examination of each individual pile of garbage also so intent on mass murder? It was dead now so Frisk would never get to ask. Not that any answer it might’ve given would’ve likely made much sense anyway as the ‘mass murder’ part of that equation was inherently not something that could have a logical explanation.

Rounding the corner revealed large piles of trash to either side, creating a narrow tunnel for several feet. Attempts to make it look like the trash had piled like that naturally had been made but were unconvincing. Upon nearing the halfway point of the tunnel, the TV thing stepped out to block the way.

Even when leaning on the cane that was too short for it, it was tall. It’s broken TV face loomed over Frisk as they slowed to a stop in front of it. A crack ran through its smile, making it hard to read as anything other than menacing. All the rust and missing half its arm, didn’t help its general appeal.

“Greetings!” A loud showman’s voice underlain with slight static. “Welcome to the Trash Zone! A land of…” It (he maybe?) cut off as it went rigid. Something inside him clicked and whirred as he processed something. “Wait! Wait a minute! You’re a human!” The showmanship of whatever con it had been about to try was gone from its tone, leaving a raw emotion in its wake that Frisk couldn’t place.

This is where Frisk had attacked last time. They’d given its good leg a solid kick, knocking it into the water with a heavy splash. Before they could finish it off, its friend had jumped out to attack. It had been a valiant attempt to save the TV thing but he would’ve been better off staying hidden. After killing him, they’d bashed the TV’s head in with its own cane. They’d kept it as a weapon after.

There was no urge or compulsion, coming from themself or the long gone Soul, to repeat those actions but Frisk’s body still remembered what they had felt like. The way kicking the TV thing hard enough to knock him down had sent a painful jolt through their leg. The weight of the cane as they’d snatched it up out of the water. Smashing the little guy with it as he’d tried to dance away, perhaps an attempt to pull Frisk into a chase. The sound of shattering glass as they smashed the TV, three solid hits for good measure.

‘Want me to take control for a bit?’ Chara’s voice was a whisper in their mind, cutting through those awful sounds.

Yes, please. This wasn’t their first time getting stuck in a memory from before the big Reset. It probably wasn’t going to be the last either.

“Yep, I’m human,” Chara said with a smile. Not their evil one but the nice one.

The TV’s smile widened. “I haven’t seen a human in…” it wilted, “a long time. A long, long time. I don’t… remember how long. I should know that shouldn’t I? Why don’t I know that?” He trailed off, seemingly staring off into the distance. Suddenly he burst back into motion, smiling wide again. “But you’re here now! A real life human! Wow!”

“Yep, wow, indeed. May I go past?”

“Oh well,” he looked around as if just now realizing he was blocking the way. “I was supposed to… but you’re a human! I was created to entertain humans. Are you sure you don’t want to stay and…”

A fake cough interrupted it. The strange little guy with the pink and yellow glasses had crawled out of wherever he’d been hiding to stand atop one of the trash piles, allowing him to look down at Frisk and the TV. “Dear Tenna, I hate to interrupt but if this really is a human. A human with a human soul. This could be our big break. Our chance to make it, big, BIG. Don’t you wanna be BIG? Yours truly, Spamton.”

Tenna – cute name for a TV robot thing – froze again, its processing of those words audible as whirring inside its chest.“Oh! You mean we should kill them and take their soul. Either for ourselves or to break the Barrier and free all of monster kind.”

Spamton grimaced down at him in silence for a few seconds before replying. “Dearest Tenna, don’t say it where they can hear! I suppose its too late now. Whatever, we’re gonna kill them anyway. Signing off, Spamton.”

Tenna hesitated for a moment before looking back down at Frisk and Chara. “Sorry human. Now’s not the time for fun and games. We need your soul.”

‘Don’t worry,’ Chara said internally as they stepped back into a battle stance. ‘Once we convince one of them to be friendly with us, I’m sure the other will follow. My bet’s on the TV being easier to befriend.’

~

[camellcat]

it confuses me when people say they like willow or xander and then get all uncomfortable and condemning about, like... major parts about them. you don't like that they're wildly possessive of which often leads them to acting irrational and awful...... which is like one of their biggest traits? oh, and you hate that they're not fantastic friends to buffy............. which is also like. how they are. pretty much the entire time we know them. okay!

wow, you find xander to be annoying bc he's a dumb dude who seriously needs to unlearn some ideals and really outta treat his girlfriends nicer. I'm dismayed at his typical guy-ness. bummer, we don't enjoy that willow is like totally abusive when it comes to exerting whatever power can get over people. that sure is a bad thing she does.

I just. I like them BECAUSE of these things idk how the hell you could possibly separate these things from them and still enjoy these characters it boggles my mind

[seaweedstarshine]

“They engineered a psychopath to kill you.” “Totally married her. I'd never have made it here alive without River Song.”

Sources: Let's Kill Hitler, Diary of River Song: My Dinner With Andrew, Closing Time, The Husbands of River Song, Diary of River Song: The Furies, Diary of River Song: Animal Instinct, The Ruby's Curse, Time of the Doctor

[your-unfriendlyghost]

Watching Near Dark finally and I keep being thrown off cos from certain angles this Mae chick looks EXACTLY like this girl I know- like istg it’s freaking me out a little

[myrmonarch]

Just watched the sailing video and live stream and I'm super excited! But I honestly did a double take at the graphic for crewmates like

Who IS that little red man

[lavampira]

ngl I think I might change gabriel to my canon warden 🧍‍♀️

[mummer]

a good man goes to war probably the Most doc who episode of all time. The epic highs and lows of moffat. it’s possible that trying to combine your screwball high flying funky star wars homage episode with your self serious very important character and plot development episode is stupid and does not work… or maybe it does? But of course combined with one of the most insanely dumb plot reveals of all time, to have ever happened on this earth. But also karen gillan acting down. But also… flesh baby. Look how they impregnated my girl literally probably the most fucked up and evil thing to happen to a companion like whatttt is this? BUT ALSO THE INTRO OF VASTRA AND JENNY AND STRAX. But also flesh baby…..Unless flesh baby is secretly awesome? im coming around to flesh baby. But also amy trapped in a well george lucas gave his girls more agency in the 70s moffat you freak. Is this episode legendarically terrible is it Really cool and awesome and ambitious and doing the most all the time are there themes. Can we unpack this. No. Like it’s literally all in service of some stupid bullshit really.. But what if it wasnt

[brick-van-dyke]

// CW: gore, abuse, manipulation , CSA, trauma, horror content, dark and mature themes

Some perosnal thoughts about horror and trauma:

I've been realising lately just how much I really vibe with the concept of portraying real life traumas like abuse, accidents, etc. as literal Eldritchy/ monster horror elements in art, games and stories in general. I love portraying trauma as a physical manifestation of how it feels; as physically twisted, painful and distorted. Analysing these elements and showing them as terrifying in a physical way that emphasizes the psychological ways it haunts people/ us as people.

I particularly love to write my own trauma (both internal and physical) in this way, showing a literal manifestation of those individual feelings and sensations; shaking, freezing up, muscle pains and cracking of joints due to chronic pain, the feeling of dissociation caused from abuse, the way CSA makes us/ me feel "used up" and "hollowed out"/ "controlled". Using these elements to create a physical manifestation/ creature is very cathartic and, at least for me, helps materialise these things into something that I can make more sense of. It can also help educate others to empathize and understand what these sensations and feelings are like to experience. It's very interesting from an artistic and writing perspective, while also very helpful from a psychological perspective.

I think in the case of stories I'm already writing, I've already touched upon this to some degree. For Zorya, her arm is a manifestation of her grief, agony and self loathing as someone who's constantly suffered from the actions of others who've abused her or murdered those she loved. Her simultaneous natural love and kindness for other people that contradicts her desire or revenge and her bitterness towards the betrayal and abuse she's suffered is a very interesting mix. But using that also to create a literal manifestation of those feelings and what sensations she experiences as a result is very interesting and cathartic since her trauma is, in part, based off of my own. While she goes through much worse, the base feelings are ones I used to explain the frustrations and hurt caused by betrayal and being used by the adults in your life that you should be able to trust. Her story is about he unfairness of others and becoming a better person than they expected/ wanted you to be, while also exploring the trauma in and of itself of growing through those restraints and pains. It's interesting using the Kingdom Hearts universe to show this since it does exactly this; materialises people's darkness into physical manifestations. It creates a lot of possibility for showing, literally, what these feelings would look like as their own beings and what these sensations are like to experience for those who haven't been through them.

Likewise, the main characters of my story about the afterlife are able to physically manifest their emotions into a new living creature. Essentially, they're ghosts who can create life, but oftentimes those lives are distorted by what they experienced when they themselves were alive. Azalea, for example, experienced a very horrific death that twisted her a lot into a very unpredictable and colder person than when she was alive. While taking on the appearance of a young woman, her experiences are very dark and her demeanor is very mature. She keeps a lot to herself, but the creatures created from what she experienced shows just how much more there is to her calm, collected persona.

[harunayuuka2060]

Ace and Deuce: ...

Vinyl:

Ace: ...

Ace: Are you aura-farming?

Vinyl: What? *actually feels bored*

Deuce: You must be popular with girls.

Vinyl: And guys.

Ace and Deuce: ...

Vinyl: *sigh* I'm only joking.

Ace: Anyway, how long are these Diasomnia guys gonna follow you?

Vinyl: 24/7.

Ace: Dude, what?

Deuce: But why?

Vinyl: This short person said he can't lose me again.

Ace: Short— Lilia-senpai?!

Vinyl: Hmhm.

Ace and Deuce: ...

Ace: You know what, I think you should apologize.

Vinyl: For what? I didn't do anything.

Deuce: Do you really need a reason to?

Vinyl: ...

Vinyl: I'm sorry.

Lilia: ...

Lilia: For what?

Vinyl: ...

Vinyl: Now this is awkward.

Lilia: ...

Lilia: Levan—

Vinyl: Vinyl.

Lilia: ...

Lilia: You should hang out with Malleus.

Vinyl: ...

Vinyl: Because I look like his father?

Lilia: You are his father.

Vinyl: Alright, alright. I'm getting tired of this. *walks away*

Lilia: ...

Vinyl: ...

Malleus: ...

Vinyl: *clears his throat* What do you do for fun?

Malleus: I visit abandoned locations and examine gargoyles during my explorations.

Vinyl: ...

Vinyl: Hey, that's so cool.

Malleus: ...

Malleus: *smiles* Indeed. Gargoyles are truly fascinating, aren't they?

Vinyl: *chuckles* Yeah.

Malleus and Vinyl: ...

Vinyl: Now show them.

Malleus: If you would just follow me.

Ace and Deuce: ...

Malleus and Vinyl: *are having a great time talking about gargoyles*

Ace: Yeah, he's not gonna beat that allegation.

Deuce: I have to agree with you...

Lilia: *also watching them from afar*

[headspace-hotel]

Reading Bucky Barnes fan fictions like my life depends on it, part 2 (part 1 is here, and contains a lentil soup recipe) The first post was getting long so we have a new post now.

Another masterpiece: lilies with full hands. Another trauma recovery focused fic, where Bucky adopts a service dog, gets lots and lots of therapy, and learns what things like "consent" and "boundaries" are. Well, not what those things are, but that they apply in situations where others are touching him.

As with some of the other fics, this one portrays Bucky as a survivor of sexual violence, inflicted on him as part of his torture by Hydra, and delves deep into the feelings of self-blame and crushing shame he feels about all of the trauma he experienced, but especially the sexual assault. The way these feelings are shown in all their ugliness and complexity is hard-hitting and very powerful. It viscerally examines all the other traumas he went through as well: the whole nonconsensual human experimentation thing, getting his arm sawn off while he was awake, being forced to kill people, and being beaten and tortured in various other ways. As a whump enjoyer, I was Having A Good Time. We don't get, like, lengthy flashbacks, but there are some uhhh haunting details.

(except with the sexual assault stuff, which is more vague. Content warnings are provided nonetheless at the start of each chapter where this is discussed, though.)

I would say this was primarily fluffy, because most of the activities the characters are doing are things like bubble baths and game night and other chill and relaxing fun, but all of it is nonetheless a hell hole for Bucky because he is slamming back and forth from horrible flashbacks to humiliation and guilt to self-harm to being suicidal, and just when he is feeling better about one thing he's getting bodied by something else.

It is really, really hard for Bucky to accept that no part of what he went through was his fault. The most painful part is that after long enough of being brainwashed and tortured, he eventually stopped fighting back and just complied with his abusers' demands. It feels horrible that he ""let"" these things happen to him. But it wasn't his fault, even though he is physically super-strong and powerful and physically could have resisted.

A small spark of insight: no other character from the MCU or honestly from anything exudes such power and confidence in the way they move and inhabit their body as Bucky in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Everything about the character's physical presence on screen screams dominance, prowess and strength.

Therefore, it is compelling to write him as a rape survivor. If Bucky, a character who is pure power-fantasy-fuel, experienced sexual violence, then being a survivor of sexual violence doesn't define anyone or make anyone weak. The story evokes compassion for his feelings of humiliation, powerlessness, and self-blame, allowing the reader to explore these experiences along with him, to accept that he is not weak or at fault for what happened, and to feel that he deserves to get better.

Or at least that's my theory.

Can I just say something about these fics though? In every single one Steve decides he is Responsible For Fixing Everything and reacts VERY badly when realizing he triggered Bucky/otherwise fucked up, and goes on a whole internal I'm A Worthless Piece Of Garbage guilt pilgrimage, and at this point I just wanna fucking smack him hahah

[donaweasley]

Pale Blue Midnights

Pairing: MCU!Loki x Fem!Reader

Plot:

I, too, did a pollen story! That’s it. That’s the plot! 😆Except that it’s not exactly pollen but something else but ultimately strange flowers are at play. Well, simply put, it’s sm.u.t with a plot.

Warnings: Sm.u.tttttttttttt

Read time: ~32 mins

Enjoy half an hour of pure se.xua.l pleasure with the god of mischief!! 😉😏🫠 MINORS: Don’t you dare peek!! 🤨

“Careful now!” She warned Loki in a low but stern voice. “The last time Banner went on an expedition like this, he accidentally smelled a flower and…”

“And what?” Loki would never admit but he was half scared of even hearing the consequences.

“Well, … let’s just say that Nat and he didn’t get out of the room for three days straight!” She concluded with a chuckle.

Loki’s brows almost touched his hairline at the realisation. A part of him - the wild spirited part - immediately conjured up a forbidden image of himself tangled in sheets with his current mission partner. An image that had often haunted him in the darkness of the nights when his heart was restless or when his body yearned for her. This mischievous side now secretly wished to find an aphrodisiac that would put them in a similar situation.

But the logical side of him was scared to death. He knew that it would not be wise to be trapped in such a situation, not with the woman who trusted him with her life, the woman who addressed him as her BFF - a sweet but woefully distasteful Midgardian vocable, as he liked to put it.

A joke about Romanoff and Banner danced on the tip of his tongue but he dared not utter it lest it should come back and bite him in his royal arse.

Both of them were wearing safety suits, masks, safety goggles and gloves. So, there was almost zero chance of any contact with any toxic organism or pollen. But with ‘Mischief’ being his middle name, who knew what he might land up in!

He decided to divert the topic. “Why are we doing this again?”

“For the same reason we humans have been exploring Mars,” his mission partner answered without looking at him. “And because it’s better than running around and knocking people out or killing them,” she added with a smile. “Sometimes I get so tired of it!”

“Well,” Loki replied with a shrug, “that is the real fun!”

“Hmm,” the woman was deeply engaged in investigating a pale-looking, small blue flower that bloomed in bunches on a small plant.

“Found something interesting?” Loki waddled through the tall grass and weeds to where his partner was.

“Yeah, look at these…” Her attention was still robbed by the flowers. “I think I have seen them somewhere. They look very familiar. But…”

“They look harmless,” Loki extended a hand to examine a flower. The bottom of the pedicle was covered in what looked like tiny hairs that stuck to his glove. He tried to pull the flower off of him with his other hand but they just stuck to the other glove. No matter how hard he jerked his hand, the flower just would not come off.

Giving up with a sigh, he started to remove a glove.

“Don’t!” His teammate warned him once again.

“I am a god! These frail Midgardian things do not affect me.”

Before she could protest, he had already pinched the pedicle. What followed was a hiss, accompanied by a small jump, and a set of bleeding thumb and forefinger. What had appeared to be harmless hair on the stem, turned out to be a wrap of fine thorns.

“Damn!” Loki threw the flower to the ground.

“Damn you, you idiot!” His partner cursed him. “One day you’re going to get yourself killed because of your overconfidence!”

The said god shot her a deathly glare but it went totally ignored as she was busy squeezing the blood out of his wound.

“Do you feel anything pricking inside?” She asked. Concern veiled her face and wrapped itself around her throat.

It was her softness, her caring nature that always knocked the wind out of him. And it did so again. Loki whispered a soft ‘No’ as his eyes fixated on her countenance and her actions.

“Are you sure? Don’t hide your discomfort behind your ego.” A panicked (Y/N) pulled her mask down, and raised his fingers to her lips to gently suck the blood from the cuts one by one.

A shudder trembled down Loki’s body. Thankfully, she was too busy worrying about him to notice his wide eyes, dilated pupils and flushed face.

With a sudden jerk, Loki pulled his hand away from her. “I’m fine,” he huffed.

“Well, there is nothing to be disgusted about. The saliva kills any germs that might be lingering on your cut.” Though she narrowed her eyes in mock anger she certainly sounded hurt.

“I never said it was disgusting!” He protested.

“But your action said so!”

“I pulled away because-” How could Loki explain that he had to pull his hand away because her actions were doing unspeakable things to him!

With a frown, she silently waited for an explanation.

“Because I did not want you to accidentally swallow any poison or anything,” he concluded in a tone that was much softer than where he had left.

This time, it was her turn to feel butterflies in her stomach. Pushing all rosy thoughts down because c’mon!, the charming god of mischief could never like her back, she pulled her mask up along with her professional demeanour.

“Let’s finish this before you get yourself into more trouble,” she mumbled, and continued down the trail that they had taken before the blue flowers so temptingly distracted them.

—-

Loki woke up in the middle of the night to find himself covered in sweat, with his heart beating thunderously. At first he feared that it might be the effects of the flower that had pierced its thorns in him not many hours ago. But as the fog of sleep gradually evaporated, the reason became embarrassingly clear to him.

It was not any fever or infection that woke him up. The indecent scene that had popped up in his mind during the expedition, regarding his teammate, had morphed itself into a vivid dream, and had engulfed all his senses.

They were in the midst of a meadow. And while he knew that they should have been busy examining flowers, they were far, far from it. Pale blue flowers surrounded them, as if witnessing and spurring them on. And them?

Well, Loki was lying on the moist grass, the soft sun caressing the pale, sweat-glistened skin of his naked back. His mouth was busy sucking the slender neck of his teammate who was writhing beneath him in a stark state of nature, while his hands pinned her arms down to the ground.

Her bare legs had wrapped themselves around his own as he kept on rubbing himself against her plush wet folds, trying to find his release and hers. Their moans echoed in the trees encircling the meadow. The sky watched as he flipped them over. The wind tickled their aroused skins as she sat atop him like a queen perched atop her throne, and looked into his eyes like a huntress staring down at her prey. Loki’s throat went dry when she brought his hands up to her breasts. And when she started moving her hips - oh, the way she moved, like a dancer with a murderous intent - the grunt that left the sorcerer’s throat told the entire world of his pleasures…

These kinds of dreams about her weren't new to him, true, but this one was so detailed and realistic that he still could not wrap his head around what he saw. He had no idea his mind had the capability of conjuring up such a thing.

After helping himself to some water and breathing deeply to calm his nerves, the sorcerer laid down to try and get some sleep. But glimpses from his recent virtual activity kept flashing before him until he could fall asleep again, and then taunted him a little more after that, too.

—-

The next morning, after the entire team had almost finished their breakfast, (Y/N) pulled Wanda to a corner.

Hesitation was etched on her face as she fidgeted with the edges of her phone and looked around nervously.

After a little nudge of encouragement from the redhead, she finally asked but with a shaky voice, "Have you…have you ever had…uhm…dirt- uhm… indecent dreams about your…your coworker?"

Wanda's eyes widened at the question and a slender hand flew to her mouth to cover the prominent O and the giggle that was about to follow.

"Why, who did you dream about?"

Before the other person could answer, another woman slid into the conversation.

"Loki," Natasha confidently threw her answer to the duo.

"Shhh! Shh!" A panicked (Y/N) tried to keep things down.

Wanda's eyes became wider, if that was even possible. "And how do you know?"

"She has been fumbling and stammering around him since this morning. At first I thought it was her usual crush thing but heightened. But then I heard this question, and everything just…clicked!" She snapped her fingers and winked.

“I don’t have a crush on him!” (Y/N) protested in a hushed voice.

“You do!”

“You do!”

Both her friends opposed simultaneously.

Defeated, she hid her face in her hands, and mumbled almost incoherently, “Am I that obvious?”

“Well,” Natasha began, “your state of heart is as clear as a dazzling day to everyone in the compound.”

(Y/N) groaned.

“But not to Loki,” the spy added.

This made the former peek through her fingers.

“Yeah,” Wanda chimed in, “he’s a bit thick in the matters of the heart.”

“So, you’re saying he doesn’t know yet?” (Y/N) sat up straight.

Seeing her spirits, Romanoff rolled her eyes while a little red glow sizzled on Wanda’s fingertips. “Well, I can change that,” she lifted her hand and swirled her fingers.

“Or maybe,” Natasha joined, “I can go up to him and tell him everything to his face.”

“No!”

“Then tell him yourself.”

“No!”

“Coward!”

“M not!”

“Whatever! Just tell us about this “indecent” dream you saw, and we'll try not to pester you,” Nat tried a bargain.

"And that's why I did not want to tell you!" (Y/N) whisper-shouted.

“All the details, please!” Wanda’s face broke into a wide grin.

—

It took her more than just words to shake her friends off. They were having more fun watching her drown in sheer embarrassment than they were interested in listening to her story. In the end, however, she succeeded in keeping her secret to herself.

Grinning to herself, she was walking back to her room when she almost collided with someone. She did not need to look up to see who the tall person was. His scent engulfed her. As soon as it hit her nostrils, the air around her seemed to change into a feverish smoke.

“Sorry!” A sheepish smile was all that she could afford.

“It is alright. I was not looking either,” the (in)famous SilverTongue stammered through his words.

One look at her brought back all the scenes from his latest dream in technicolour, and he had to cough the awkwardness down his throat. It was only after his discomfort subsided that he noticed the red cheeks and ears of the other person.

“Are you feeling unwell?” His eyebrows knit together.

“What?”

“You look…flushed!...Do you have a fever?” Loki placed the back of his hand to her forehead.

Only the heavens knew the strength it took her to suppress the moan that threatened to escape her! Closing her eyes, she bit her lips to forbid any sound from escaping her.

Little did she know that this struggle of hers was making things difficult for the person in front of her. Loki removed his hand quicker than he had planned.

“You should… you should get yourself checked,” he advised. “Who knows what bug you might have caught yesterday.”

“I’m fine, really,” she cleared her throat. “Just… could not sleep well. I think I shall take a nap. Should be feeling fine by evening!”

Loki hummed in agreement.

“Are you well?” She asked after some hesitation.

“Yes! Why do you ask?”

“Well, you look… how do I put it? It’s as if some thought has been consuming you. You’re not your usual confident, mischievous self today. You okay?”

The trickster was surprised at how well she could read him. Almost choking with joy, he nodded, “I am fine. There is something going on in my head, yes. But it is nothing to worry about.”

“Good. Well then, I shall go get some rest.”

With a smile, they went their separate ways, each grinning like an idiot and praying that the other person does not know about it.

—-

Y/N was sitting by the window, reading a book when the knock on her door startled her. Keeping the book on the nearest table, she almost jogged towards the door to open it. On the other side stood her favourite teammate - the raven-haired god from outer space.

“Wanda told me everything,” he declared in a deep baritone. “Romanoff told me about the dreams you are having. Tell me,” he took two steps inside, making a stunned Y/N walk backwards, “do you dream about me often? Hmm? This innocent face of yours… these naive-looking eyes of yours… Oh! And all the dirty thoughts they carry! Tell me, pet, do you often fantasise filthy things about me?”

He had already won the game when he started speaking in that rich voice. And when he called her “pet”, she could not help but clench her muscles  and rub her thighs together.

Loki did not fail to notice that. When she did not respond but simply stared at him open-mouthed, he slowly nudged her chin to close her mouth, only to tantalisingly swipe his thumb across her bottom lip.

“Do you?” This time, his question was breathed upon her mouth.

“No!” She managed to croak.

Loki narrowed his eyes towards her, as though disbelieving her. It worked, for the truth spurted out of her in the form of a whimper.

“Yes.”

“Yes?* He asked again like a big cat playing its last game with its prey.

“Yes!” She breathed.

“Oh my poor little darling!” Loki purred. “You should have told me sooner. I would have loved to end your misery!”

With these words, he bent down to suck the side of her neck and mark her. When he released the bruised skin, his lips followed the trail of her jawline until they reached her chin. Taking it gently between his teeth for a while, he licked a long stripe from the hollow of her neck up to her panting lips.

“Do you touch yourself when you think of me?” His hot breath on her earlobes seemed to take the life out of her.

She did not want to reveal her secrets before him and yet her hazy mind kept betraying her.

“Yes!” She confessed.

“Mmh! Had thought so!” He growled. “Show me!”

“I-I… no… No, I can't!” Her face went beet red.

“Well then… I shall find out for myself. Do you touch yourself here?”

His long fingers found their way beneath the hem of her shorts to her inner thighs. There, they brushed the skin very lightly, stoking the fire within her core.

“Or is it here?” His fingers trailed upwards. 

“Here?” His slender, sinful fingers skimmed the surface of her bare mound while carefully avoiding the very spot that had her squirming.

“Loki!!” Her whimper was met with a triumphant smirk.

“What? I am only trying to find out where you touch yourself. Am I not on the right path?”

“Please!!” Damn! She was begging, against all the protests of her now-moderately sane mind.

“‘Please’ what, pet?” His lips were brushing the shell of her ear. “Tell me what you want from me. I am a benevolent god. I shall not deny you of your pleas. Not when you squirm and beg like that!”

Her tongue tried to hold itself but her body was on fire. It was only by giving in that she could find release from this torment.

She screwed her eyes shut. “Please touch me, Loki!”

“Well, I am touching you.” Loki continued his sweet, smooth torture. “Is there anywhere specific that you want me to touch, darling?”

Damn this god of being an asshole!!!

This time she looked up in his eyes, and spoke with a lewd confidence, “Touch my cunt, Loki. Make me cum.”

The growl that escaped him was enough to take her to the peak. As nimble fingers entered her, the god’s eye became hooded and his mouth parted, releasing a sigh that landed on her mouth, only to be chased by his hungry lips on them.

They buried their moans in the other's mouth. When Loki pushed her against the nearest wall, she tried to pull him closer. But Loki freed himself out of her hold. Worried, she opened her eyes to find the god slowly kneeling before her. Staring deep into her eyes, he pulled her shorts down with him. And when his knees landed on the floor, so did her shorts.

Sitting face-to-face with her dripping folds, he gently stroked his fingers along the length of her left thigh, all the way down to her calf. Slowly, he picked the leg up, and put it on his shoulder. Licking his lips in the most sultry way she could have imagined, he buried his face between her legs.

The delightful scream that forced itself out her throat was probably heard by all inmates of the compound. But that did not stop Loki from exploring every corner of his delicious treasure.

A loud knock on her door made her spring out of the moment.

“Maybe they did hear my scream,” she thought “Shit! But wait…what…the fuck?”

Loki was nowhere around. She was lying on the bed, her side-pillow tucked in tight between her legs.

So, was that all…another dream?

The knock on the door had now transformed into banging.

“Are you alright in there?” It was Steve’s voice. “Why did you scream?”

So, I had actually screamed while dreaming?? Shit! Fucking shit!!

“(Y/N), I’m going to come inside.” Steve was absolutely worried!

No no no!! He cannot see me in this mess! I shan’t be able to face anyone again!

“I’m fine, Steve!” She shouted back. “I…uh…I thought I saw a spider, and I screamed. It was only a small bug.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! Absolutely fine! Just got a silly little scare.” She forced a laugh.

“Fine then. I’m gonna…go” Steve sighed in relief although his words sounded hesitant.

“Yup! See you later!”

When she was sure she heard the captain walk away, she let out a long breath.

“Fuck! What the hell is happening? Why do I-”

Realisation hit her like a brick. It had all begun after their return from the plant-hunt.

“Those blue flowers…d-did they really affect me? … Did they affect Loki? He was the one who was actually pricked!” The scenes from that fateful day kept unfolding in her mind. “Damn! Is that why he has been behaving awkwardly? ... But wait, if this flower is indeed an aphrodisiac, why am I having troubles only around Loki? Is it because I like him or…is it because we were both affected by the same flower? Fuck! I must find out.”

—-

At dinner, (Y/N) observed Loki closely. Well, she had always “observed” him rather closely but this time it was more like analysing a target. She realised that he was fine with the rest of the team - even with the other women - but when around her, he fidgeted a lot. Even his glances towards her were hesitant. And yes! He did avoid physical contact - even the slightest possible brush of their little fingers.

There was definitely something going on.

“Sam,” her sudden approach startled the soldier who was busy looking for dessert in the fridge. “Hold my hand.”

“What?”

“Hold my hand!”

“But why?” He looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

“Just … I need to test a theory.”

A smirk surfaced on his mouth. “I knew you’d warm up to me one day.”

But the glare that he received for an answer made him quickly take his words back. “Just kidding! You know that well, don’t you!”

Sam curled his fingers gently around her extended arm.

“What now?” He asked curiously.

Eyebrows knit together, her eyes darted across the tiled floor, trying hard to gauge her body’s reaction. Nothing; she felt nothing.

Pursing her lips, she hummed. “Well, thank you, Sam!” With a pat on his upper arm, she walked off, leaving the man a handful of questions in his mind.

So, her theory was correct: it was only Loki who was affecting her. And apparently, it was only her affecting the god. She had been training with others; she felt nothing. Loki had been training with everyone else with ease. But when they were paired together, the air that they breathed seemed to turn into an erotic enchantment. The discomfort was evident on both their faces. So much that neither could focus during the session, thus resulting in a quick end to their sparring.

Once everyone had started retiring for the day, she decided to put her plan into action. She had wanted to stay behind or follow Loki down whichever corridor or floor he took; whatever it took to find him alone and confront him.

It had almost worked. Almost. But with Steve in the middle of a serious conversation with her, all she could do was watch out of the corner of her eye as the trickster walked out of the sitting area. Now, had it been anybody else, she could have excused herself without a second thought; she would have amended for it later. But this man - the captain - held an entirely different zone of respect in her heart. Never in her life could she interrupt him.

Luckily for her, the conversation ended soon enough - just in time for her to jog down the corridor where Loki resided but only to catch a glimpse of him as he disappeared into his room.

Damn!

But she had enough! She must know!

Cursing under her breath, she marched determinedly up to his doorstep.

But that was it.

That was where her confidence melted into a puddle. This was not any man that she had to talk to. This wasn’t Bruce or Tony with whom she could discuss the most embarrassing subject and yet turn everything into logic and science. No! This was the biggest crush of her life, staggering on the verge of becoming - perhaps - the love of her life! And she was going to ask him if he has been having filthy dreams about her just as she has been having about him! Could it be any more complicated!!

Fiddling with her fingers, she stood for a while in front of the closed door, replaying the plan over and over again in her head.

Okay. This is it. I’m going to do it. I’m going to ask him, and I’m going to solve this mystery once and for-

The door swung open before she could even tap on it! Loki stood at the other end with his brows scrunched up.

Her first instinct was to run. But she stood her ground. Afterall, she had some self-respect, right?

“You have been standing there for quite some time now,” Loki stated but it sounded more like a question.

“Well, I… I was…just passing by.” That weird, sheepish smile appeared on her face again.

Loki sighed. “First, they call me the God of Lies for a reason. And second, your feet are eclipsing the light from the corridor thus making them clearly visible under the door.”

Hanging her head low, she let out a long sigh. “You got me!”

If only she had seen the smile that broke out on Loki’s divine countenance. Or maybe it was good that she had not, for it might have increased her desires even more. They had already started weaving themselves in every cell of her body as soon as her eyes had landed on the god.

“Now, will you tell me what is going on or should I read your mind?” Loki urged.

She was surprised by his confidence! He sounded nothing like the person who had returned with her from the expedition.

Has the affects of the flower worn off of him?

“Loki, I need your help!” She tried to hold his hand in desperation, only to find her own pass through thin air with a green glimmer.

Her plan was to check Loki’s pulse in the guise of holding his hand for help. Had his heart rate been abnormally high, she would have asserted her doubts, and would have straightforwardly asked him if he had been having weird dreams.

What she never expected was to be met with an illusion. The Loki at the door now frowned in worry as she looked up at him in confusion.

Why would Loki create an illusion for talking to me? Why- Wait…

As she walked right through the facade, she saw it all evaporating, eventually revealing the real Loki who was standing near his writing desk. Distress was clearly written on his face. He looked so helpless that all plans and plots vanished from her mind. Her answer was right in front of her. She did not need to play games now.

“You should not be here.” There was an earnest plea in his eyes. “Please, leave!”

The sight of Loki leaning against his writing desk - fingers clenched on the wood so hard that it looked like the desk was going to split in two, face partially covered by hair that was dishevelled from running his hands through it, partially unbuttoned shirt, half-opened mouth and glazed eyes - made her visibly shudder from the electricity coursing through her veins. But that did not keep his desperate words - words which were more like a warning - from reaching her senses. It turned her on and yet worried her.

“Loki, you do not look good. You-you look like you’re in…pain!”

“I told you…” the god’s voice was more strained than before, “you…should not…be here!”

She took two careful steps forward. To avoid anybody else from accidentally walking in, she had softly closed the door behind her. They needed to sort this out between themselves first.

“Loki,” she called soothingly, “if this is about the flower, … you can tell me. … If it helps to know, I…I was…I am…affected by it, too!

The Asgardian’s eyes widened. He swiftly advanced towards her - well, almost did - but quickly retreated back to his safe circle.

“So, you must be-”

“In pain?” She did not let Loki finish his sentence. “Yes! Very much!”

“And,” he continued, “have you done anything to…get rid of it? Or-or soothe it?”

She shook her head slightly. “No.”

A nod, slight for most people to notice, accompanied a whisper of a breath released by Loki.

“And … you are dreaming of…?”

For a short while his question floated between them, searching for an answer. She looked deep into his eyes. Pleadingly. Hoping that he would understand what her tongue was too ashamed to confess.

He probably did. He looked like he did. But he needed assurance, for it seemed too far-fetched for even him to believe that his fantasies could come true in such a miraculous way! He could not be so lucky, could he?

When Loki did not say anything, she decided to say it aloud, all shame be stripped aside.

“You!” She declared. “It is you that I dream of, Loki!”

It took him all his godly strength to hold himself back. But he knew that his resistance was thinning out. The enhanced effects of the flower, her presence in the closed space, and now her confession - everything was making things all the more difficult for him.

“I’m burning for you, Loki!”

And indeed she was! All the things that were triggering the powerful god were affecting this human as well.

Loki inhaled deeply, only to be engulfed in her scent even more.

“I am sorry!” Her lips trembled. Her eyes betrayed her resilience with the first wave of tears. “I know this is all very embarrassing for you. I … I swear, Loki, I never wanted it to be this way! I-”

“I never wanted it to be this way either,” Loki’s words crushed her. Of course, he would never want anything to do with her, not even what could have been a shadow of a romance!

“I had wanted this to be very special,” he continued. “I had wanted to do it right. To court you first, to woo you, to steal a kiss or two from you, and then … and then make you mine.”

His voice was strained, just like before. But his eyes were feral now.

Damn, they scorched her! Loki’s words were killing her!! But her lust-driven-yet-dejected mind could not wrap itself around them. None of it made sense. Why would Loki want to court her, kiss her … “make her his” … ? Unless …

Oh!

The realisation left her shocked and elated at the same time. But she needed enough proof to believe it.

“Are you- What are you saying? Why would you- Loki, I think this is not you but the effect of the flower speaking.”

The god laughed. “‘Effect of the flower’? Darling, I have been having all kinds of thoughts about you for years now! Thoughts that would warm your chest with love. Thoughts that would make you blush crimson! … That wretched flower has only heightened it all And made it unbearable!!”

It was all too much to take in. Her state of disarray - limp shoulders, wide eyes and a half-open mouth - told Loki that she had not yet grasped the entirety of the situation.

“Oh darling,” he spoke with hope in his eyes and joy on his lips, “you do not yet know what the flower was, do you?”

She shook her head in a daze.

“It is called ‘Midnight’s Bane’. Or ‘Boon’, as some like to call it. I found out about it in one of our old books from Asgard.” He took a few slow, deliberate steps towards her as he spoke. “It has some … medicinal uses. But it is famous as a catalyst for … midnight’s activities, if you know what I mean.” The smirk that he wore would have made even an unaffected person’s knees go weak. “It does not make two people fall in love, no! The flower simply increases what one already feels for someone. … And if you are dreaming about me, if you want me just the way I want you, then it can mean only one thing.” Loki placed a gentle hand on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered in response. “That you love me … just the way I love you.”

She did not need further convincing. In one swift motion her lips were on his. Her arms had wound themselves around his neck, pulling him as close as possible.

The dam finally broke.

Loki held her face with both hands, greedily devouring every moan and whimper. In the miniscule break that they took to breathe again, they drank in the sight before them, further intoxicating themselves. (Y/N)’s finger’s began making quick work of the remaining closed buttons on Loki’s shirt. But he was impatient. Removing her hold on them, he pulled the cloth over his head.

If it was humanly possible to be more aroused, (Y/N) certainly had hit the next level. Placing a quick but deep kiss on her open mouth, Loki tugged at the hem of her blouse. The lifting of her arms over her head was permission enough for Loki to pull it up and discard it on the floor.

How and when the rest of the clothes got scattered around the room remained a haze. All they remembered later was that it was somewhere between heated kisses and lots of shameless touching.

Loki picked her up by the hips, and sat her on the writing desk. She probably landed on an old open hardbound. Neither cared.

While his mouth worked on her neck and shoulders, eliciting hisses and moans from her, his large hands travelled down her body, taking note of every curve and plateau, until he reached her thighs. There, they rested for a brief moment, kneading the satiny skin beneath his palms, before venturing towards the soft flesh on the inner side. Very slowly, he parted her legs open, and stepped inside. Her immediate reaction was to wrap them around his slender waist. With her bare heels pressing on his bare butts, she nudged him forward until his arousal was pressed against hers.

Both of them groaned loudly. With hooded eyes they looked at each other, trying to seek the obvious consent that had been there right from the beginning. When her hand wrapped around his length to line him up with herself, he almost swooned.

“This is going to hurt,” he warned her.

“I know, and I don’t care. Just take me, Loki! Please! Make me yours.”

He could have come right then simply from her words. With one hand on her back, and the other holding himself, he entered her slowly, passing carefully through the tight wetness.

Loki was aroused like never before, ready to devour the woman sitting brazenly naked in front of him - the love of his life -  and yet, a part of him could never forget to take care of her, to worry about her.

When he had buried himself fully within her, they both rested their heads on the other’s shoulder for a brief moment. It was an outworldly feeling - it seemed like the perfect end to all those years of pining, like the perfect beginning to their story of being together. It felt like the perfect cure to all the burning desire that they had been enduring for the past few days. Most importantly, it felt right. It had never and would have never felt so perfect with anybody else.

(Y/N) patted his backside lightly. As if afraid that he’d hurt her, Loki started moving slowly, carefully. The pace was sensual, romantic but excruciating as well! The drug running in their veins demanded more. Their bodies demanded more.

“Loki, please!”

She did not know what she was asking for but he understood. Steadily but quickly, he accelerated, earning himself sultry moans and breathy chants of his name as rewards. She felt like her body would have given away had Loki’s strong arms not been holding her.

“Oh (Y/N)!”

Hymns of each other’s names and repeated confessions of love brought them closer to release. When his movements started getting sloppy, he reached between  them and placed his thumb on her bundle of nerves. When she cried out and her back arched,he whispered with hot breaths in her ear, “Come with me, love. Please.”

It might have been his ministrations down south on her body or it may have been the way he rasped the word “please”. Some magic worked, and she came crashing down on him, flooding him, drowning him in her ecstasy. That was the final tug on the restraint that Loki had put on himself. He came inside her with a loud moan of her name, surrendering himself to his lust completely.

Thanks to the desk, Loki found some support for his limp body. As they rested on one another and kissed each other feebly, having experienced the most epic orgasms of their lives yet, she eventually came to realise what she had been sitting on. She tried to look but with Loki still buried inside her, it was impossible.

“I think I’m sitting on a book,” she admitted sheepishly.

“Oh?”

The moment he pulled out of her, she whined at the sudden emptiness inside.

Loki laughed. “Do not make the mistake of thinking that I am done with you, love! Give me a few minutes, and I shall fill you up again.”

The filthy look in his eyes, the promise in his voice, and his tender dominance made her walls flutter that very instant. Loki grabbed her butts and lifted her off the desk, while she wrapped her limbs securely around him.

As he carried her to the bed, his eyes landed on the tattered and soaked pages of the book that she had been sitting on. Pausing in his tracks, he tilted his head and smirked.

“What is it?” She asked curiously.

Following his eyes, she found the poor book - an open testament to their raunchy activities - and clicked her tongue.

“Can you fix it?” She looked back at him.

Stealing one look at her, as though accepting her simple challenge, he held her securely with one arm, and extended the other towards the book, reverting its fate with a subtle move of his open fingers. Once the pages were crisp and readable again, (Y/N) understood the cause of his amusement.

Staring back at them from the pages was a hand-drawn picture of the same flower that caused all these “fateful” events. Her eyes swept through the descriptions about the flower.

“Pale Blue Midnight’s Bane”, the title read. In smaller words, it added, “ Also known as Midnight’s Boon”.

Loki chuckled. “We gave the flower what it wanted. Literally.”

It made her laugh. “Well, at least it put an end to years of misery! We should be thanking it.”

“In a way that it likes?” Mischief was sparkling in Loki’s green eyes.

“Exactly my thoughts!” She resonated.

Loki was not gentle this time as he threw her on the bed and hungrily watched her curves jiggle. She was surprised to find that she rather enjoyed being manhandled by the trickster. He hovered over her like a hunter over his prey, and started his assault on her chest.

“Loki?”

“Mmh?” His mouth was full and his tongue busy.

“Shouldn’t we inform Banner about our discovery?”

“Later,” he exhaled right before shutting her up for the moment with a long and deep kiss that made both their heads spin.

***

Taglist!

@huntress-artemis @evelyn-kingsley @dryyoursaltyoceantears @modestlyabsurd @anukulee @eleniblue @foxherder @thesevendeadlycringes @mysterydiz @lloydmustache

[dragonakito360]

so I was wondering if you could wright something with trafalgar law where reader gets kidnapped and she gets hurt pretty bad and like it’s not just some cuts and bruises I’m talking like she’s at death’s door but she gets saved by law and the crew at the right moment. Happy ending and established relationship PLEASEEEEE I LOVE ANGST WITH HAPPY ENDINGS PLSSS!

Can't Risk Losing You

⋆｡°✩ Pairing: Law x Reader

⋆｡°✩ Summary: Law’s lover gets kidnapped by a vengeful pirate, and she almost dies.

⋆｡°✩ Content Tags: Afab!Reader, Use of Y/N, Kidnapping, Reader gets beaten up, Angst

⋆｡°✩ Word Count: 2,388 words

⋆｡°✩ Lorekeeper's Notes: I know I said Tuesday, but I was busy over the weekend and school is a pain.

The sun beamed down on the Polar Tang as it docked on a small island. It had been several days since the Heart Pirates had been out at sea, and upon seeing an island across the horizon, Law thought it best to head over for a resupply. Once the submarine was secure and tucked away, you head to the deck, feeling the warm breeze. Being cooped up inside always makes you grateful for the outside, even if the sun ends up too bright upon exit.

“The weather’s great, Law!” You called out behind you, seeing your captain step outside, followed by the rest of the crew. Law took his place by your side, examining the area as the crew took some time to stretch after the long travel. You giggled as you watched as Bepo lied down on his stomach, recovering from the heat that came with riding the Polar Tang.

“Oi, Bepo, get up, birds might think you’re a new floor rug.” Penguin joked, leaning on the mink with his arm.

“Sorry.” Bepo apologized, sticking his tongue out to cool off. Law turned around to address his crew.

“Everyone, we’ll be only staying here for a day or two. Be sure to get all necessary supplies we need and don’t cause any trouble.” He ordered, pleased as he heard a simultaneous “Yes Captain!” Law then turned to face you, meeting your gaze with a more softened expression. “Y/n-ya, will you go into town with everyone?”

You looked over to Bepo, seeing as he was still panting and struggling to cool down. “I’ll stay here with Bepo. You guys go have fun.”

“Ehh. Bepo will be fine here, come join us explore the island!” Shachi invited, nudging you playfully and snickering as he noticed Law glance his way with an annoyed look.

“It’s okay, besides, someone’s got to watch over the ship.” You walked over to Bepo, patting him on the back. “And Bepo.”

“Thank you.” Bepo smiled at your kindness, a breath of fresh air from Penguin and Shachi’s teasing. You returned his smile and sat next to him.

“You guys go on ahead, just be sure to bring back some snacks!” You assured. Law nodded and turned around, hopping off the ship.

“You heard her, let’s go.” He called as the rest of the crew followed suit, leaving the ship. He knew you could handle guarding the ship, and with Bepo around, he had nothing to worry about.

Soon it was midday, and the others still hadn’t returned. You and Bepo were still on the deck, Bepo was drawing a map as you lied down to enjoy the sun, arms behind your head. You were both startled as a den den mushi rang, coming from Bepo’s pocket. He reached into his pocket and answered the call.

“Hello?” He spoke into the microphone. You sat up to listen in, in the event that the call was for an emergency.

“Bepo! Go into town! They have a cheap price on all the fish in the market!” Shachi spoke, a hint of excitement in his voice. “Help us buy and carry them!”

“Fish…” Bepo’s mouth watered as he spoke in a dreamy way, already imaging all the delicious seafood in the market. You couldn’t help but laugh, despite being a trained warrior and pirate, he was still very much a polar bear mink.

“Go ahead, Bepo.” You gestured to the town. “Go find Shachi and Penguin.”

“Eh? But I’m supposed to guard the ship with you!”

“I’ll be fine here.” You reassured with a pat on his back.

“You heard her, Bepo, c’mon!” Penguin spoke up, sounding almost impatient, as if they had been waiting on him for a while. Bepo glanced back and forth between you and the den den mushi, ultimately giving in because of the warm, reassuring smile on your face.

“Okay.” Bepo got up on his feet, hanging up the call. “I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

“Be sure to get some good fish, I’ll cook us all a delicious dinner with it.” Bepo smiled and gave you a hug before running off, racing to the town’s market. You giggled and sat back down to continue relaxing.

You were caught off guard when you heard loud footsteps board the ship. Quickly scrambling on your feet, you notice several pirates surrounding you on the deck. You were quick to reach for your sword, drawing it as you assessed the number of enemies you’d have to fight. You grit your teeth, knowing there were too many for you to handle. The best choice was to run as soon as there was an opening.

You could hear the jeers and hurls of insults towards you, and toward Law. You tried to fight as they approached, taking them down with swordsmanship taught to you by your lover. You held your ground, putting up a fierce fight against the pirates, looking for any opening in their attacks. Scratches, bruises and cuts started to litter your skin from the relentless barrage of swords swung your way. Then, the path was clear. You raced down the deck, hoping to rush into town and get help from your crew. You stumble off the Polar Tang, scrambling to your feet to continue running.

“I don’t think so, lass!” You hear a gruff voice from behind roar. You feel a heavy impact to the back of your head, and your vision fades to black.

Law headed to the town market, noticing that the townspeople seem to be preparing for a fair. He took a look around, seeing the unopened stalls and the cheerful people all around. As he passed by one of the few opened stores, a trinket caught his eye. it was a jewel necklace that reminded him of your eyes. Before he could pick it up, a loud voice called out to him.

“Oi! Captain!” He heard Penguin call out. Law turned around, surprised to see Shachi, Penguin and Bepo together. Bepo had a huge tuna fish hauled on his shoulders as the other two carried a bag of groceries each.

“Bepo? Weren’t you with Y/n-ya?” Law asked, walking up to his crewmates.

“She told me I could go into town to help Shachi and Penguin buy fish for dinner.” Bepo replied, patting the fish he carried. “We were about to head back.”

Law stared at the trio, getting a bad feeling at the thought of you left alone on the ship. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that something had happened to you.

“I’m going back to the ship, tell the others to return as soon as they can.” Law turned to leave, brisk walking to the direction of the shore. The trio, though confused, obeyed their captain’s command and ran off to separate directions. They didn’t dare question their captain’s intuition, trusting his decisions wholeheartedly no matter how odd they were. They quickly gathered up the crew, heading back to the Polar Tang with haste. When the crew arrived, they found Law on the deck, a note tightly grasped in his hands. He crushed the note in his hands, an intimidating, enraged aura surrounding the Heart Pirates’ Captain. Clutching his sword tightly, he turned around and faced his crew.

“What happened, Captain? Where’s-” Bepo was cut off as Law hopped off the deck and back to shore.

“Y/n-ya was taken by pirates. They threaten to kill her if I don’t go to that mountain alone.” Law pointed behind them, to an odd mishapen mountain with a large cliff. “All of you wait closeby, at the foot of the mountain. I’ll save her, and if we don’t return by nightfall, you have my permission to climb up.”

“But it could be a trick-” Law cut off Penguin this time.

“Trick or not, I will not risk a member of our crew getting hurt. You will all wait for my command or if I don’t return by night. Am I clear?”

“Yes, captain!” The crew spoke simultaneously, giving a small salute.

“Good.” Law headed off, his crew trailing behind him a good distance away.

“Pipe down, lass!” The pirate captain yelled at you, throwing a punch to your face to quiet down your muffled screams. You were bloodied and bruised, mouth taped shut to prevent and cries from being heard. The captain had you tied to a chair, with it being close to the mountain cliff. The captain and his crew tortured you relentlessly, punching, kicking, slashing, every attack they could inflict on you was dealt. You had become numb to the pain as your blood started to pool by your feet. “What’s taking your captain so long? Abandon you, did he?”

You huffed, glaring at the burly man as you struggled in your restraints once more. The pirate captain merely laughed at your anger and plight, brushing it off.

“I said pipe down, lass. Scream all you want later when I throw you onto the jagged spikes below!” He laughed boisterously, shoving your chair to faces the large stalagmites below. Your eyes widen and you try to move away, to which the captain pulled you back forcefully. He shoved you to the ground, making your vision blur and mind dizzy. He set you back up, like a display for when the Heart Pirates’ captain arrives. “I’m going to make your captain watch you fall down there, lass.”

“I won’t let you do that.” Law’s steely voice called out from within the woods. He stepped out, eyes burning with a rage you had never seen before when his eyes landed on your barely conscious figure.

“So you finally arrive, Trafalgar Law! Do you remember me?” The rival captain smirked proudly, a dark gleam in his eye.

“I can’t be expected to remember every pirate I meet.” Law’s response angers the pirate, and he raised his cloak, revealing an empty space on the left side of his chest.

“You stole my heart, lad! Sold it to those damned World Government dogs to get your status as a Warlord!” The pirate captain madly grinned, with Law narrowing his eyes. “Rumour has it this lass is the one who stole your heart. An eye for an eye.” Law grew tired of the pirate’s tirade, raising his arm. “Careful, I placed a bomb on her! Move her from that spot and a bomb goes off!”

Your lover was unfazed by the captain’s threat, not that such an amateur could ever best him. “Room! Shambles!” In an instant, you were close to Law, but he was shocked to see there was not a bomb on you. When he realized it was a trick, it was too late. The captain had lunged and stabbed through you, piercing through your chest and hitting Law’s shoulder. If Law was angry before, he was furious now. He cut the enemy’s sword in two, shoving him aside and chopping him to pieces. Law pointed his sword to the captain’s neck, a silent threat on his life should he pull something like this again. He then heard your cough, to which Law moved to your side, untying the ropes and carrying you in his arms.

“Law…” You muttered softly, coughing onto his clothes. He looked down at you with a serious yet gentle expression. He pulled you close, bringing you out of the woods. The Heart Pirates were down below, standing by the defeated enemy crew.

They were about to greet the two of you, but stopped when Law gave a fierce. “Not now.”

You were swiftly brought to the Polar Tang, straight to the operating room. As he laid you down on the table, the crew prepared Law’s tools, bringing it over on a cart. Once you were hooked up to the necessary machines, he operated on you with care and precision, his heart heavy at the sight of how beaten you were. Once the operation was over, you were placed on an infirmary bed and brought to your shared room, where he could watch over you.

After a couple of days, you finally stirred awake. Your body felt weak and groggy, mind hazy as you tried to look around. You heard the door open as a tray drops to the floor. You hear a gasp, Bepo’s if you had to guess. You could hear him hurriedly leave and call for Law, who rushed to your side immediately. His eyes dart across your body, checking for anything amiss. Once it was all clear, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“How are you feeling? You were stabbed in the chest, and…” Law shook his head. “I’ll spare you the details, you’re weak, don’t try to move.” His expression became stern. “Do you understand what almost happened to you, Y/n-ya? You almost died, why didn’t you run? Or try to call me? Better yet, you could’ve gone with Bepo at the market!” He scolded, taking a moment to compose himself slightly. “We could’ve lost you, I could’ve lost you! Don’t you understand?! I can’t lose you too!” You flinch at his outburst, causing him to pause and take a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell at you. I’m just worried. I can’t risk losing you, not when I have the power to protect you.”

Your hand twitched, and you mustered all the strength you had to place your hand over his. The wordless action brought him the comfort he needed, what he needed to ground himself. It wasn’t right, he should be doing that for you, not vice versa. But it calmed him. You’re here. You’re safe. He could scold you all he wanted once you recovered, but for now, he needed to be by your side, be your rock, and let you know that he would be there for you. Placing a kiss atop your head, he sat at your bedside, promising to be there for you no matter what.

[nikyu0]

Are there any fun shenanigans that unfold after the bond in the avatar au? after the angst dies ofc

I actually still have a lot of ideas with the other arcane characters that happen before the bond! Although ldk lf I'm gonna be able to draw them all, because some of the ideas are very lengthy. So, I might as well practice my writing!

One of the ideas involves how Jayce and Viktor begin their relationship with the tribe in the first place.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Jayce and Viktor have been out on their research trips for a couple of days now. Sergent Caitlyn Kiramman, a fellow avatar driver with combat training, accompanies them for protection. Although they have been exploring the deeper forest for a while, all they have encountered so far was peaceful fauna, yet none of the natives.

"I wasn't expecting that we were so good at hiding our presence to not even spot one na'vi." Jayce remarks as he tries to keep up with Viktor's pace.

"They've known we are here the moment we got off the military base." Viktor assures him while looking down at his tablet. "Afterall, we are in their domain. Just because we don't see them, does not mean they are not here, no?"

The eeriness of Victor's comment made Caitlyn's ears twitch, she couldn't help but look up at the thick tree crowns and scanning through them. As they continued through the forest, she grabbed her firearm tighter.

The trio reaches a cliff that opens a view to the base of the Hallelujah Mountains. All of them in awe as they watch the floating rocks defy gravity right infront of their eyes.

Unfortunately, the devices that were helping them navigate the forest so far, start to act up because of the strong magnetic fields surrounding the mountains. The group begins to consider returning to the base to prepare for tomorrow, when they suddenly hear the sound of a cry, a na'vi battle cry.

They have been spotted by 4 na'vi flying their Ikran, the one leading the patrol being Ekko (in this AU refered as "Eko", is a young warrior na'vi from the tribe that Jayce and Viktor are going to be working with later on. Although smaller than his fellow tribe members, he is known for his skilled flying, amazing scouting and leadership qualities).

He was informed by Vi, who suspected that dreamwalkers started roaming around the forest but was unsure how deep they might enter. Confiming her suspicions, Eko spots the trio too deep for his comfort in the tribes territories, on one of his flying patrols.

He was about to descend to confront them when he noticed the outsiders strangly waving at him in panic and the one with the weapon aming past him. Eko turns back to the sudden calls of his fellow tribemates. That is when he sees the Toruk above him, who was diving straight down to Eko, claws ready to grab him. An air chase through the mountains happens and he finally loses Toruk when he flies through the dense forest which annoyingly results in him falling off his ikran. Although the fall was softened by the big leaves, it still results in him getting injured enough to not make it back alone. His Ikran and fellow tribemates not hearing his calls for help.

That is when he gets discovered by our avatar trio. In an attempt to scare them off, he tries to stand up and grab his knife but yelps in pain. Viktor and Jayce try to calm him down to get closer to examine his wound, but it takes a while, especially with Caitlyn and her firearm facing him. Eko does finally let the two scientists inspect him when they start speaking na'vi and tell Caitlyn to step back.

Viktor tries to create a temporary brace out of branches for Eko but is unable to break the thick wood, frustrated at the tools he has at hand.

"Ugh, we don't have the right equipment here! Only if the labs were closer..." "May I try?" Jayce squats besides Viktor, who states that it is useless but does not stop Jayce from taking the branch. Jayce inspects the thick stick while holding it in his gloved hands, determining how much force he would need to use. "Jayce, I really don't think-." He snaps it with ease before Viktor could finish his sentence.

"Oh! That was easier than I expected... You sure this works as a good support? Maybe I should look for another one?"

Both Viktor and Eko were baffled at what they just witnessed, it wasn't unrealistic but it was definitely surprising to see. The hardness of that branch could compare to a thinner metal rod, and there you have Jayce just snap it in half with no trouble. He continues to ramble about the branch unaware of Viktor's perplexion. Eko simply muttering a low "Tewti.." (translation "what the heck...").

(Turns out Jayce is much stronger than the average na'vi, his Avatar builds muscle much more easily. Similar to Jake Sully.)

The 3 help Eko back to the tribe, where they are already expected. A crowd forms around them, many wary but many curious about the dreamwalkers since this clan had no prior interactions with them, besides through stories from other tribes. Before the leader and tsahik aproaches them, a na'vi, Jinx (in the AU refered as Tsyensk, a peculiar but very creative and innovative na'vi with a strong connection to Eywa, she usually keeps her distance from the tribe in self-exile because of her emotional unpredictability) jumps down from above the trees to check on Eko.

Caitlyn furrows her brow and points out to the two scientists in english that the na'vi girl has been following them since the they found Eko, what none of the 3 expected is that Tsyensk would reply back in english!

[heartsriki]

A KEYCHAIN FOR TWO ⌇불꽃

pairing ᝰ ni-ki x fem!reader — featuring.. everyone but hee, srry pook :( | word count: 6.3k+

⌇ … warnings & genre ↺ highschool au, small love triangle, moving cities, a little rivals to lovers (sort of), riki is a jerk sometimes, kissing, fluff, a lil angst, misunderstood feelings, lots of bickering, cussing, drama vibes.

synopsis — after moving to a new city, you worry about the rest of your high school years being spent alone. your worries are immediately shut down as you meet a cute aussie next door and his chaotic group of friends. you all got along, well, everyone besides you and riki.

lee's ₊˚⊹ ᰔ comment ┊whoever knows where that keychain is from get a kiss... also this took so long to write bc I didn't know where I wanted it to go but I think it ended up cute??? hope you like it!

You never expected your high school years to go like this. It was nearing the end of your 10th-grade year, and out of nowhere, your parents decided to move far away from your hometown. You were afraid. You wouldn’t have your friends or family with you anymore, and the farther you drove from home, the more emotional you felt.

Your dad glanced at you through the rear-view mirror. “What’s with the long face, huh?” he asked, returning his attention to the road.

You didn’t respond. Even though you knew moving was better for your parents for reasons they wouldn’t tell you, you still felt upset.

“Don’t be too mad, sweetheart. You can start fresh here! The education in this city is one of the best!” your mom said enthusiastically as she turned around.

You rolled your eyes, huffing as you turned your gaze back to the view outside the window.

After the long drive, you finally arrived at your new home. The car pulled into the driveway, and you examined the house. It had two floors and looked brand new; the rising sun complimented the lush greenery around it. Your parents excitedly stepped out of the car to admire their home and immediately went to the trunk to unpack.

You stayed inside the car with your arms crossed, still feeling stubborn, until your dad opened your door. “The moving truck won’t be here until the afternoon, but you can go pick out your room,” he said with an encouraging smile and a nod.

That made you happy. You hopped out of the car and jogged to the front door. “Don’t get mad if I pick the master bedroom!” you yelled playfully, looking back before opening the door.

You didn’t spend much time exploring downstairs. Instead, you skipped up the stairs, humming, and made your way down the hall. The first room was small, and the second was way too big.

When you opened the door to the last room, you paused to look around. It was cozy and—

Your train of thought was interrupted by a thud against the window. Slowly, you crept toward it and looked out, spotting a boy halfway out of his window, waving at you. Raising an eyebrow, you opened your window.

“Hey! What’s your name?!” the boy shouted from across the way.

You glanced side to side, then back at him. He had long black hair, an accent, and probably the most gorgeous smile you’d ever seen. “Uh—it’s Y/N!” you shouted back, giggling.

He nodded. “Y/N… That’s cool! My name’s Jake! Are you new to the town?”

You laughed pointing at your parent unloading the car. “Yeah! Pretty obvious don't you think?”

He pouted as he looked at the car, putting a hand on his chest in embarrassment before turning back to you. “Want me to show you around the neighborhood!?”

From that day, you and Jake quickly became friends. You learned that he attended the same school you’d be going to after summer break. You were happy, though that happiness dimmed a bit when you found out he was a junior who is now becoming a senior, which meant he wouldn’t be around for long.

Still, you pushed that thought aside. Over the summer, Jake took you all around town—restaurants, parks, arcades, PC rooms, shops, and even the school you’d be attending. You were practically attached at the hip. He was fun, funny, and smart. You had to admit, he was quickly becoming part of your everyday routine.

By the end of the summer, your small town already felt less intimidating. Slowly, your resentment about the move started to fade. Jake made everything feel easier like the town wasn’t just a place you moved to but a place where you could belong.

When he wasn’t around, you’d find yourself wondering what he was doing. Would school change everything? You didn’t know, but you’d grown attached to him in a way you didn’t know yourself.

Everything went well—until the start of the new school year.

“There’s no way I have to wear this,” you said, picking at your school uniform.

Jake laughed, throwing his basketball up and down. “Come on, you look fine. Besides, every other girl is wearing it too,” he said, half truthfully and half mockingly.

You rolled your eyes at him and started to pack up. “Let’s go before we miss the bus,” you said, putting your headphones on.

Jake groaned from your bed, slowly falling off of it. “Being late doesn’t sound so bad.”

You glared at him, and he quickly stood up, grabbing his things as well.

The walk to the bus was quiet. When you both got on, he spotted one of his other friends and sat down next to them. He invited you to join, but you waved him off. You needed to clear your mind before the start of your 11th year.

You turned up your music and drifted away, watching the scenery pass by.

After a while, the bus neared the stop around your school. You were still out of it and didn’t notice everyone wearing the same uniform as you.

From the back of the bus, a boy in your uniform glanced at you for a second before walking toward the front. He didn’t wake you up until he reached the driver.

“Hey, kid, doesn’t she go to your school?” the driver asked, nodding toward the mirror.

The boy removed one of his headphones and turned to look at you. “How should I know?” he said with a shrug.

The driver made an annoyed face. “Just wake her up, will you? Hurry.”

He groaned and turned back. “Seriously, this is so annoying. Who falls asleep on a bus?” he muttered to himself.

He made his way to you and nudged you, but you didn’t budge. That’s when he grabbed your shoulder and shook you roughly. You yelped and looked at him, but he quickly turned around and got off the bus.

You looked around and realized what had happened. “Oh great, that’s just perfect,” you huffed, quickly adjusting your bag and sprinting to get off the bus.

Once you got off, you realized you had no clue how to get to the school from this area. That’s when you spotted the same boy walking in a direction. You noticed he was wearing the same uniform as you and quickly followed behind him.

“Hey, how do we get to school from here?” you asked, walking beside him.

He looked at you before turning away, ignoring you.

You scoffed and tried again. “Did you hear me?”

He ignored you once more and checked his phone. After glancing at the time, he cursed under his breath and started running.

That made you look at your phone too. You saw it was five minutes before curfew. “Oh shoot!”

You ran behind him, struggling to keep up with his long strides. You both ran until he suddenly stopped. You came to a halt beside him, ready to ask what was wrong, but then you saw it. The entrance monitor was holding a group of late students.

You almost freaked out, but before you could, the boy threw his bag over the fence and started climbing it.

You rushed to the fence and looked up at him. “Help me too!” you whisper-yelled.

He looked down at you with a squint, and you caught a glimpse of his name tag: Nishimura Riki. So that’s his name.

“Why the hell would I help you?” he clicked his tongue and hopped to the other side, leaving you stranded.

You almost got angry, but then you heard footsteps approaching. You knew it was over.

Jake laughed at you. “Are you serious? That’s hilarious! I’m surprised they let you off that easy.”

You glared at him, holding your head in your hands from your desk. Jake had come to visit you in your classroom, which caused a stir among the students. Seniors rarely showed up in this area.

“Haha, very funny. You just left me stranded, you jerk.”

He raised his hands in defense. “Whoa, hey, don’t blame me! Anyway, who was that guy—” Jake glanced at the clock. “Never mind. Class is starting, and I’m not in the mood to get in trouble. See you at lunch?”

You gave him a sweet smile and a small nod. “Sure.”

After he left, two girls turned around in their seats and looked at you. “Is he your boyfriend?”

Your eyes widened, and you shook your head. “No, no, no, of course not—he’s just, y’know…”

“Oh, whoops,” the girls giggled and turned back around talking about how cute he was.

You sighed, resting your head on your desk. Your first day was already a mess.

When the lunch bell rang, students quickly dispersed around the school. You wandered aimlessly, not knowing where to go until someone bumped into you from behind. He stumbled a bit before looking at you in surprise.

“My bad, I didn’t see you. Are you okay?”

You nodded, then noticed Jake beside him.

“Hey, man! Oh, Y/N! I was looking for you. This is Jay. Jay, this is Y/N,” Jake introduced.

Jay grinned and waved. “Hey.”

“Anyway, let’s go meet the rest of the guys. Come on—the stall might be out of snacks by now.”

As you walked behind them, you giggled at their silly arguments. Eventually, you reached a small, tree-shielded area where three guys were already sitting.

“About time,” said a blonde-haired guy. “Who’s this?”

“This is Y/N. Y/N, that’s Sunoo. The other two are Jungwon and Sunghoon,” Jake said.

They nodded and greeted you, and you waved shyly.

“Wow, there are so many of you,” you said with a smile.

Jake laughed, sitting down beside Sunghoon, who was already eating. “Well, one of us already graduated, and the other—hey, where is he?”

Jungwon shrugged. “Late as always—oh, there he is.”

Everyone turned around, but you didn’t realize what was happening until you backed up, startled by someone’s presence.

You looked up and saw him—the guy from the bus. Riki, wasn’t it? He was covered in milk.

You gasped. “I am so, so sorry! I had no idea you were—”

“It’s whatever. I’ll see you guys later,” he mumbled, turning to leave.

You winced and looked back at Jake, who seemed just as shocked.

“Don’t worry, he’s always like this,” Jake said, waving it off.

Since then, you got to know the group very well. They became your closest friends. You barely saw Riki, though, and the others said he was just shy. Still, you couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t like you very much.

A few weeks had passed since you joined Jake’s friend group, and while you’d grown close to most of them, Riki remained distant. Every time you tried to talk to him, he would brush you off or give one-word answers. At first, it annoyed you, but now, it just made you curious.

One afternoon, as the group sat together under the trees, you noticed Riki sitting off to the side, headphones on, scrolling through his phone. Sunoo was telling a funny story about something that had happened in class, and everyone was laughing, but Riki didn’t even glance up.

You leaned over to Jake and whispered, “Does he ever, like, talk to anyone?”

Jake chuckled. “Riki? Not really. He’s like that with everyone unless you’re Sunoo. They’re really close.”

You glanced at Riki again. He looked so unapproachable, but that only made you more determined. “I’m gonna go talk to him,” you said, standing up.

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Good luck.”

You walked over and sat down a few feet away from Riki, not wanting to invade his space. He didn’t acknowledge you, so you cleared your throat.

“What are you listening to?” you asked, trying to sound casual.

He slid one headphone off and looked at you, clearly unimpressed. “Music.”

You rolled your eyes. “Obviously. What kind of music?”

He sighed as if the question was the most exhausting thing he’d heard all day. “Why do you care?”

“Because I’m trying to be friendly,” you said, crossing your arms.

“Well, don’t.” He put his headphones back on and turned away.

You stared at him in disbelief. For some reason, his attitude stung more than it should have. Frustrated, you stood up and walked back to the group. Jake gave you a knowing look, “You'll grow on him, trust.”

Despite the occasional moments of civility between you and Riki, he still acted like you were more of a nuisance than anything else. Every interaction with him was a balancing act—sometimes he’d make a snide comment or ignore you entirely, and other times, you’d catch him glancing at you with an unreadable expression.

One day, during gym class, you were paired up with Riki for a partner relay. The teacher’s decision seemed to irritate him immediately.

“Seriously? Out of everyone here, I have to be paired with you?” he muttered under his breath as the two of you walked to your starting position.

“Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence,” you replied, rolling your eyes. “You’re not exactly my first choice either.”

He shot you a glare but didn’t say anything else.

The relay involved passing a baton and running a few laps. You were doing fine until it was your turn to hand the baton off to Riki. As you reached him, your grip slipped, and the baton fell to the ground.

“Are you kidding me?” he snapped, snatching it up and taking off without waiting for you to respond.

After the race, he stormed up to you, his dark eyes narrowed. “Do you even know how to hold a baton? Or were you just trying to embarrass me?”

“Relax,” you said, wiping sweat from your forehead. “It was an accident. Maybe if you weren’t so busy staring at me, you could’ve caught it better.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable.”

You felt your cheeks heat with frustration as he walked away, leaving you standing there, fuming.

Later that week, during lunch, you accidentally bumped into a senior in the crowded cafeteria, causing their tray to spill. The student glared at you, their voice dripping with irritation.

“Watch where you’re going,” they snapped, their tone loud enough to draw attention.

“I’m really sorry,” you said, bending down to help clean up the mess.

Before you could finish, the seniors crossed their arms. “Do you even know how expensive this food is? You better pay me back.”

You opened your mouth to respond, but someone beat you to it.

“She said she’s sorry. Let it go,” Riki’s voice cut in, sharp and cold.

You looked up to see him standing a few feet away, his hands in his pockets and his gaze fixed on the senior.

The senior sneered. “And who are you supposed to be? Watch who you’re talking to, I’m your senior”

“I don’t care,” Riki replied, stepping closer. “Just take the apology and move on.”

The senior hesitated, clearly debating whether or not to escalate the situation, but Riki’s icy stare seemed to do the trick. With a huff, they turned and walked away.

You stood up, brushing off your hands. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Don’t thank me,” Riki said, avoiding your gaze. “I just didn’t want to watch you make a fool of yourself.”

“Right,” you muttered, annoyed by his tone. “You’re such a hero.”

He rolled his eyes and walked off, leaving you standing there with mixed emotions.

That was the back-and-forth limbo you and Riki had. It slowly got better up until the end of the year. Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Jungwon were all graduating, and they decided they wanted their last hangout to be at a huge festival a good distance away from the city. With permission from your parents, you were allowed to go. You decided that after all this time, you would definitely confess to Jake since you admittedly had a crush on him ever since he showed you around the city. What other chance would you get? If you didn’t tell him before he left, you’d seriously hate yourself.

You were sitting in your room packing your bag when you heard the familiar thud of your window. You rolled your eyes and turned around to see Jake and, surprisingly, Riki too. Though Riki looked shocked to see you—maybe Jake hadn’t told him that you were neighbors. You opened your window.

“What is it, Jake?” you asked.

“Everyone’s done packing. Are you ready?”

You looked around your room. “Yeah, I just finished. Are we seriously taking the train?”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Do you prefer we take a million buses instead?”

Riki groaned at the playful bickering Jake was having with you and checked his phone. “Let’s go.”

Jake nodded and yelled something at you before closing his window. Then he turned to Riki. “Hey, real quick, let me ask you something.”

Riki raised an eyebrow and stopped in his tracks. “Okay?”

Jake took a deep breath. “Do you like Y/N?”

Riki’s eyes widened, and then he scoffed. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Jake awkwardly laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “My bad. It’s just… it’s been months now, and you still act… weird around her. I thought something was up.”

Riki stayed quiet, looking at Jake.

“You should give her a chance. She’s cool.”

Riki remained silent, examining Jake before turning around and leaving.

Everyone met up at the train station and hopped on, finding seats where they could all fit. Everyone paired off, and you hoped to sit with Jake, but as you walked up to the last person without a partner, you realized it was Riki, not Jake. He looked up at you and exhaled, realizing the same thing. He sat up and put his headphones in.

You sat down next to him and did the same, turning on your playlist for the ride and opening a book to pass the time.

Eventually, you nodded off. Riki didn’t notice until he felt a soft nudge on his shoulder. He glanced at you and saw you sleeping soundly against him. He was about to move you off when you adjusted yourself, getting even closer. His ears turned bright red, and he coughed, looking around to make sure no one was watching. He looked back at you and smiled for a brief moment before catching himself and nudging your head away.

When you arrived, everyone was excited about exploring the new city. You went sightseeing, exploring the beautiful greens and skyscrapers when you walked around. That was until you found the famous amusement park and headed inside. Everyone stopped at the gift shop by the entrance to browse. Jay and Jungwon got matching headbands, and Sunghoon and Jake argued over accessories in the corner while Sunoo was adjusting his hair in the mirror.

You looked around for something to buy and ended up spotting a keychain that matched the color of your bag. You loved it, It was perfect but you checked the price and immediately put it down, opting for a headband instead. You looked back at it and pouted. You should've brought more money.

After leaving the gift shop, the group decided to split up again to explore the park more efficiently. Jay, Sunghoon, and Sunoo ran off to check out the go-karts, while Jungwon and Jake insisted on getting on the water ride. That left you and Riki standing awkwardly near the haunted house.

“Guess it’s just us,” you said with a small shrug.

Riki shoved his hands into his pockets, looking thoroughly unimpressed. “Yeah. Great.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “You know, you could at least pretend to enjoy hanging out with me.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” he said flatly.

You sighed, deciding it wasn’t worth arguing. “Fine. Let’s just go in.”

The line for the haunted house was surprisingly short, and soon you were walking into the dark, eerie entrance. The atmosphere was perfect—dim lighting, fake cobwebs, and eerie sound effects played from hidden speakers.

The first jump scare came from a man dressed as a zombie who popped out of a hidden panel in the wall. You screamed and instinctively grabbed Riki’s arm. He froze at the contact, glancing down at your hand before quickly pulling his arm away.

“Scared already?” he teased, though his voice lacked the usual bite.

“I wasn’t scared,” you lied, brushing it off as you continued walking.

The next scare involved a ghoul lunging out from behind a curtain. This time, Riki flinched slightly but tried to play it off. You noticed and couldn’t help but smirk.

“You sure you’re not scared?” you asked, mimicking his earlier tone.

“I’m not,” he grumbled, but his defensive tone made you giggle.

As the haunted house went on, the scares became more intense. At one point, a person dressed as a ghost followed you for what felt like forever. You clung to Riki’s sleeve without realizing it, muttering under your breath about how creepy it was.

When you finally made it out of the haunted house, you let out a relieved laugh. “Okay, that was actually terrifying.”

Riki didn’t say anything at first, his gaze focused on the ground. When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter than usual. “You weren’t much of a wussy as I thought you’d be”

You tilted your head, confused by the comment. “What? I screamed, like, five times in there.”

“Yeah, but… you didn’t freak out as much as I thought you would.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?” you asked, laughing softly.

Riki shrugged, but there was a faint flush to his cheeks as he muttered, “Maybe.”

That moment with Riki was shortly lived as the others found you. You guys were wandering around the park for a while, someone suggested riding the biggest roller coaster there. The excitement in the group was palpable—well, for everyone except Sunoo.

“I’m not doing that,” Sunoo declared, crossing his arms as he looked up at the towering, twisting structure. The screams of riders echoed across the park. “That looks like a death trap.”

Jay smirked, nudging him. “What’s the matter? Afraid you’ll mess up your hair?”

“I’m afraid of dying, genius,” Sunoo shot back, glaring.

“Come on, Sunoo, it’s just one ride!” Jake encouraged, grinning.

“I’ll sit this one out, thanks.”

Jungwon groaned, rubbing his temples. “Fine, you can hold our bags. But we’re not letting you skip every ride.”

The rest of you got in line, Sunoo begrudgingly following along to take everyone’s belongings. While waiting, Jake kept the energy up by teasing Sunghoon, who was unusually quiet as the ride loomed closer.

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” Jake grinned. “Sunghoon’s scared!”

“I’m not scared,” Sunghoon grumbled. “I’m just… mentally preparing.”

“You mean mentally panicking,” Jay quipped, earning a laugh from the group.

When it was finally your turn, you all piled into the cars. You ended up seated next to Jake, while Riki sat with Sunghoon, and Jay and Jungwon paired up behind you. The car began its slow ascent, the clicking of the chain pulling it higher and higher.

“Why do I let you guys talk me into this stuff?” you muttered, gripping the bar in front of you.

Jake laughed. “Because you secretly love it.”

Before you could respond, the car reached the peak, pausing just long enough for you to see the entire park stretched out below. Then, it plummeted.

The screams were deafening. You yelled along with everyone else as the car whipped around corners, climbed steep hills, and dove into sharp drops. In the spur of the moment, Jake grabbed your hand in fear but you took it in another way.

Somewhere behind you, Jay and Jungwon were whooping loudly, while Riki’s distinct “What the hell?!” cut through the chaos.

When the ride finally screeched to a halt, you stumbled off, legs shaky but adrenaline pumping.

“That was insane!” Jake said, practically bouncing.

“I think I lost my soul back there,” Sunghoon muttered, his face pale as he leaned against a nearby railing.

“Riki looked like he was about to cry,” Jay teased, earning a glare from him.

“I did not,” Riki snapped.

You couldn’t help but laugh at their bickering as you all regrouped with Sunoo, who had been watching from a safe distance.

“Did you see Sunghoon’s face when it dropped?” Sunoo asked, laughing as he handed everyone their bags.

“Don’t even start,” Sunghoon grumbled, still recovering.

Despite the teasing, everyone was in good spirits as you walked to the next ride. It was one of those rare moments where the whole group felt completely in sync, the laughter echoing between you all as the sun began to dip lower in the sky.

The night sky began to settle over the park, casting a soft glow from the flickering lights of the rides. It was unanimously decided that the last stop for the group would be the Ferris wheel. Everyone paired off, and once again, fate (or misfortune, as Riki would claim) left you with him.

“Seriously, this is getting creepy now,” Riki muttered as he stepped into the cart, his hands shoved into his pockets.

“Shut up,” you grumbled, climbing in after him and sitting as far from him as possible.

The ride started with a lurch, pulling your cart upward, and with it came silence that neither of you dared to break. You both sat with your attention fixed on the window, the glowing lights of the amusement park sprawling below like a dream.

Your mind raced, running through the confession you’d been rehearsing for weeks now. After this ride, the fireworks would begin, and it would be the perfect moment to tell Jake how you felt. You could already picture it: the brilliant colors of the sky with fireworks, the spark in his eyes, and—hopefully—his mutual feelings.

Riki, on the other hand, was struggling with something of his own. His fingers fidgeted with a small keychain tucked in his palm, the same one he saw you admiring in the gift shop earlier. He wasn’t sure why he bought it, but the idea of giving it to you now felt almost unbearable. What was he supposed to say? Why did he even care?

The silence stretched on until he noticed you pulling a crumpled piece of paper out of your pocket.

“What’s that?” he asked, breaking the quiet.

You glanced at him briefly before looking back at the paper. “None of your business.”

He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. “Seriously? Just tell me.”

You hesitated, chewing your lip. “Promise you won’t tell?”

He shrugged but gave a quick nod.

You sighed, holding the paper tighter. “It’s… my confession speech. To Jake.”

Riki froze, his gaze flickering from your face to the paper in your hands.

“I was planning to confess after this ride,” you admitted softly, a small, nervous smile playing on your lips. “I’ve been working on this for weeks. It’s kind of embarrassing, but… I just thought it’d be the perfect time, y’know?”

Riki stayed quiet, his chest tightening as he clenched the keychain in his hand. You went on, explaining your plan in detail—the timing, the words, how you’d muster the courage to pour your heart out. But his thoughts drowned out your voice.

Why Jake?

He snapped back to reality when he noticed your voice falter. Following your gaze, he leaned forward to see what had caught your attention. Down below, standing near one of the snack stalls, was Jake. But he wasn’t alone.

You froze.

Jake leaned in, pressing a kiss to another girl’s lips, his hand resting casually on her waist.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. You stared, unable to look away, your chest tightening painfully as reality crashed down.

“I should’ve known,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “Of course…”

Your vision blurred as tears began to well up, but before they could spill, a hand gently grabbed your face and turned it away.

“Look,” Riki said softly, guiding your gaze to the horizon.

The first firework burst into the night sky, a brilliant explosion of color that lit up the cart. More followed, painting the sky in shimmering reds, blues, and gold.

Riki didn’t let go of your face for a moment, watching you instead of the display. He hoped the fireworks would be enough to distract you, to erase the image of Jake. But when your shoulders began to shake, his breath caught.

Tears silently rolled down your cheeks, and Riki froze, unsure of what to do. His arms twitched, hovering awkwardly as if he wanted to comfort you but didn’t know how. He moved his hands from cleaning your tears to your shoulders, now rubbing them.

“Don’t cry,” he mumbled, his voice unsteady. “It’s not worth it.”

You didn’t respond, wiping at your cheeks hastily as the cart slowly descended. By the time the ride ended, your tears had dried, and you stepped out without a word, walking back toward the group as if nothing had happened.

Riki followed behind, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, the keychain still tucked tightly in his fist. He didn’t know why it made him so angry seeing you like this, but it did. For the rest of the night, he watched you from a distance, wishing he could say something—anything—to make it better.

But he stayed silent.

And the keychain stayed hidden.

After the happy persona you displayed in front of the group that night, you stayed tucked away in your room. Occasionally, your friends would text, asking where you were and if you were okay. In reality, you weren’t. Nobody knew what you saw on the Ferris wheel or how it made you feel—except Riki. It was mortifying, honestly. You felt so stupid.

Sometimes, you’d hear the familiar sound of pebbles hitting your window. You didn’t need to think to know who it was. How could you face him now? Could you even say anything? Hopefully Riki didn’t tell him, he wouldn’t.

As you lay in bed, slowly succumbing to your thoughts, you heard a soft knock at your door. You assumed it was your mom—she’d been trying to get you out of your room for days, though nothing had worked. That’s what you thought, anyway.

The door creaked open slowly. Instead of your mom, a familiar face peeked in. “It’s me.”

You jumped at the sight of him and quickly straightened up in bed, fixing your hair and rubbing your eyes. “Riki? Why are you here?”

He smiled softly and stepped inside, his eyes wandering around your room, taking in the unfamiliar space. Finally, he looked back at you.

“You know why,” he said, sitting down beside you. He placed a paper bag on the bed and began to open it.

The bag was filled with snacks and your favorite meal. Your heart swelled at the gesture. “Riki…”

“You like this, right? You always ate it during lunch,” he said, shoving the bowl toward you and looking away slightly, his ears tinged red.

A small laugh escaped your lips, and his eyes snapped back to you, his expression softening at the sight of your smile. As you opened the bowl and settled more comfortably, he cleared his throat, as if preparing to speak.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently.

You stiffened but forced a small smile, poking at your food with your fork. “I don’t know. It was pretty dumb of me to start crushing on our senior, right?” You laughed nervously, trying to play it off.

“I don’t think so,” he replied, opening a snack. “Feelings are complicated. We can’t control them.”

His eyes found yours, holding your gaze with an intensity that made your breath hitch. “I would know,” he whispered.

The sincerity in his voice and the way his eyes softened in the warm glow of your room made you quickly look away, your face heating up.

The two of you sat in comfortable silence. Unlike others who tried to console you by distracting you, Riki stayed, grounding you with his quiet presence. He didn’t try to fix anything. He simply let you exist, and it was exactly what you needed.

His eyes wandered, landing on a piece of paper on your desk. Curiosity piqued, he leaned forward to grab it.

“Don’t touch that!” you yelped, grabbing his arm to stop him.

In your haste, you accidentally pulled him toward you. He landed on top of you, and the room fell silent as the weight of the situation settled over you both. You expected him to pull away immediately, but he didn’t. Instead, his eyes met yours, searching, as if trying to understand what you were thinking.

Moments later, he lowered his head onto your shoulder, wrapping his arms around your waist in a loose hug.

“Riki…?” you whispered.

“Hm?” he hummed, his voice muffled.

“You’re squishing me,” you muttered.

He quickly sat up, brushing himself off and clearing his throat, his face flushed. He ran a hand through his hair before glancing back at you.

“Sorry—I don’t know what that was,” he said, his voice awkward as he got up. “I’ll, uh, head out so you can enjoy the food. No more skipping school, okay? They—we—miss you.”

He walked toward the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. “You left something in the bag,” he added with a small smile before stepping out.

Raising an eyebrow, you checked the bag again. At the bottom, you found a small blue box. Your heart raced as you picked it up, inspecting it carefully before opening it. Inside was a keychain you’d desperately wanted from the gift shop.

Underneath it, a folded note read:

I didn’t know how to give this to you, so yeah. Don’t lose it or I’ll beat you up. – N.R.

Your heart sped up as you held the keychain. How had he known you wanted this? You stood, conflicted thoughts swirling in your head.

At first, you thought Riki was cold and distant. But now, looking back at the past few months—the festival, the Ferris wheel, the way he held your gaze under the fireworks—you realized just how wrong you were. Riki… You overlooked him for too long.

Without another thought, you grabbed a coat and ran out the door. Had he really walked home in this weather without a jacket?

The icy night air stung your exposed skin, but you didn’t care. You sprinted down the street, your breath visible as you called his name in your head.

Riki walked slowly down the street, his thoughts lost until the sound of hurried footsteps pulled him back to reality. He turned, wide-eyed, as you stopped a few feet away, breathless and disheveled.

“Riki… it’s freezing. Are you an idiot?” you panted, draping your coat over his shoulders.

He blinked, startled, before laughing softly. “You chased me just for this?”

You pouted at his teasing, pulling the keychain from your pocket. “How did you know I wanted this?”

He froze, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I-I don’t know.”

“You do know. Why did you get it?”

“I… don’t know that either.”

“You know that too,” you said quietly, stepping closer. Your eyes flickered to his lips before meeting his nervous gaze.

The cold night air bit at your skin, your breath visible in soft clouds as you stood beneath the flickering streetlight. Riki’s hands found yours, his fingers warm despite the chill, and for a moment, he just looked at you—his gaze intense, pulling you in like gravity.

Without a word, he leaned in, the world falling silent except for the faint crunch of leaves under his shoes. His lips pressed against yours, soft and unhurried, yet full of unspoken emotion. The cold melted away in an instant, replaced by the warmth of him, his touch grounding you as his hand gently cradled your face.

Time felt like it stopped. It wasn’t rushed, it wasn’t tentative—it was deliberate, like he wanted to make sure this moment stayed with you forever. When he pulled back, his breath mingled with yours in the cold air, his forehead resting against yours, leaving you dizzy and breathless.

“Here, open your hand,” you said pulling away and he did questionably. He felt something being placed in his hand, he stopped admiring you and looked at his hand to see a keychain, similar to yours but a different color.

“When did you—“

“I returned my headband and bought it after the festival as a thank you for the incident in the ferris wheel, look, we can match!” You said grabbing his keychain and holding it next to yours.

He grinned at you, putting an arm over your shoulder to drop you off back home.

His keychain ended up being a keychain for two.

BONUS 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

“Ha! I told you, where is my money sunghoon~“ Sunoo exclaimed clapping his hands.

They promised Riki they would drive away after he was dropped off but.. Sunghoon decided to place a bet.

Sunghoon deadpanned as he watched you run out of the house to chase after Riki. “Okay, how was I supposed to know they liked each other with the way they were acting.” He grumbled giving Sunoo money.

Sunoo flapped the money in his hands smiling. “It was very obvious if you looked closely.”

[mr-laveau]

Ok so no one gets the appeal of a pack of werewolves all being in a poly relationship with each other and I need them to get it for me for like a hot second.

Sit with me, let's disregard the very enjoyable factor of all them getting real freaky with it. Let's put that aside FOR NOW.

I just think that the idea of having a bunch of partners who you rely on, hunt with, live with take care of the pack's pups with (if that's your thing), care for and build community with-that shit's fun to me.

Like yes, packs as an allegory for family is also fun, no one's saying it's not. But I wanna lock in on the idea of a non-traditional unit of werewolves who aren't built from familial ties but are just a bunch of people from different backgrounds who come together, love each other and are werewolves.

Like doesn't it tickle your brain just a little? Doesn't the notion of having a polyamorous pack of werewolves not feel fun? Do you not want to examine how that pack functions? Piece them together? Put together their lil dynamics?

Like yes, poly werewolves getting nasty in the sheets or den because that's very fun, but also the exploration of a group of people being together in a non-traditional sense for human standards and the genre is very intriguing to me