#since he would have someone that wouldn't judge him

[blitzwhore]

That's an interesting question! After giving it a bit of thought, I personally think there wasn't precedent for either thing—a Goetia being spared, or a Goetia being executed.

Firstly, because as Andrealphus said, "a Goetia has never behaved like this before". No one has stepped out of line/out of their intended role before the way Stolas has. That doesn't mean they've not committed what we the audience would consider crimes (eg. Killing, abusing the lower class, etc); but to me, it does mean that they've only ever stuck to crimes that the rest of the upper class could happily ignore, because they were unaffected by it, or even benefitted from it.

And secondly, because I believe the story at large is pointing at how Stolas and Blitz are both outliers in their own worlds, both achieving things that someone of their social status has never achieved before. They're the ones setting the precedent and breaking the chains. Blitz by surviving Satan's death sentence, and Stolas, in this instance, by being judged for a crime in the first place. I think both of these situations are completely unheard of to all Hellborn.

I think the three of them had reasons to believe Stolas could be executed—but those reasons had nothing to do with other Goetia having been executed in the past.

Stolas, being young (for a Goetia), and sheltered, and a kind and loving person who also thinks very little of himself, genuinely believed himself equal to Blitz. In fact, he believed Blitz's life was worth more than his own. This all made him blind to his own privilege when facing Satan.

Blitz, as a few people have pointed out in their reblogs, is not blind to their class difference, but he is very aware of Stolas' mortality now because of Striker. Every thought he's ever had about how Stolas is invincible and unable to be killed has already been shattered. If a situation as absurd to Blitz as an imp almost killing a Goetia can (and did) come true, then anything that would seem impossible and absurd could happen to Stolas. Add to that Blitz's trauma around being the reason his loved ones end up dead or badly injured, and any flicker of rational thought is fully out the window.

As for Octavia, ever since Loo Loo Land, the fandom has speculated that, from a very young age, she's had prophecies where Stolas died, or left her. Yes, she's a Goetia, she understands her father's privilege to some extent—but she is also intimately familiar with the notion of losing him. He even addressed it in his lullaby to her, trying to get her to accept and normalise his absence: "when I'm gone you'll be okay". Not if—when. She's not thinking "oh, my dad is royalty, he's clearly not going to get the same treatment as his imp boyfriend"; she's thinking "so this is it. This is how I lose him. No no no no please this can't be it, please this can't be how I lose him, please say this is how he leaves me behind— he promised he wouldn't!"

The three of them are stuck in their own inner worlds in that moment. And the three of them, up to Mastermind, had spent a significant amount of time grappling with Stolas' mortality. Via through her prophecies and nightmares of losing him, which impacted her enough to still be her biggest fear in her teenage years. Stolas through those same prophecies, through his own suicidal ideation, and through the notion of needing a precautionary heir at all. And Blitz through Striker's attack, and being confronted about it at the beginning of Apology Tour, and then being faced with Stolas' emotional vulnerability afterwards.

I think the topic of Stolas' mortality has been one of the main themes of the show since the very beginning, and will continue to be one for the remainder of it. And one of the reasons it holds as much weight as it does is because, as far as we know, no other Goetia's immortality has ever been disputed, or questioned, or threatened before. Stolas is different. Stolas is queer (in both senses of the word), and just by existing and being himself and having his own needs and wants and desires (and acting on them), he's going against a system no one has ever questioned or pushed back against before.

And the message the show has clearly sent so far is that Stolas is very much capable of being hurt and even killed, but—narratively speaking—that doesn't mean he gets to die. Not yet. Not without being loved. Not without healing from all the hurt he's gone through. Not without learning what it's like to live with his choices, good and bad; not without learning how to keep going even when it hurts, how to lean on others when he can't hold himself. Not without knowing what it's like to belong. To be cherished, and loved, and wanted, and needed.

We don't know what will happen to him, how his story will end, but personally, I think it's possible he'll eventually choose to give up his immortality to grow old with Blitz. But for him to choose that, Octavia would have to accept and support this choice; he would never leave her behind otherwise. And right now, she'd never want something like this. So, we'll have to wait and see!

I wholeheartedly agree with everyone who has pointed out that Stolas believing he would die in Blitzø's place highlights how oblivious he is to his own privilege.

But I also want to talk about how Stolas wasn't the only one who genuinely believed he, a Goetia, could die in Blitzø's place.

Blitzø's agonised cries are not the cries of someone who thinks their lover is making it out alive 👀

[bluektw]

You know, I've been thinking about the CK family (Tory, Robby, Kenny and Devon) and how the dynamic will probably not change in the next season but it should change.

I mean, if you think about it, right now, Robby is not the best person to talk to Kenny about Cobra Kai, to Robby, his stay in Cobra Kai was kinda of a way to an end, so he doesn't have/doesn't understand this deep and even kinda toxic relationship Kenny has with not only Cobra Kai the dojo, but Silver himself.

And guess who mirrors this exact experience? Devon.

She had a connection with Tory, not with Cobra Kai the Dojo, and she didn't even have a deep enough connection to Kim, in any way, to her too, the relationship she has with CK was kinda the same, a way to an end, she wanted to learn from the person who won her.

Robby and Devon would understand each other a lot better right now, mostly cause to both, not only CK was just a means to something, and also it wasn't as deep as the connection they had with their previous Dojos. They don't understand what is like to have this toxic dependency to CK and one of their Senseis.

Now, Kenny had a different experience, it was his first Dojo, and he developed a (rather toxic) relationship with Silver, he became his Sensei (especially after Robby left CK) the person Kenny can rely on, the person that will push him forward (even if it is a bad thing), someone he feels like understands him in a way others don't. He felt the power CK had, and he relished in it.

Kenny has a deep connection with CK dojo/Sensei/Philosophy, and who has the same exact connection? Tory.

They have some of the deepest connections (If not the deepest ones) to a Dojo/Sensei. They felt they had someone they could count on, but later had been betrayed by them, by the person they thought had their back.

Tory also has been in only one dojo, has a connection with Kreese (while slightly less toxic) that is pretty much identical to Kenny and Silver, someone they could relate as they went through the similar shit, someone who had her back, who helped her with stuff (The landlord and Amanda in a way) and who seemed to understand her struggles better than anyone

Tory's connection with CK philosophy has been getting weaker, but is still there, and Kenny's, mostly cause Silver lied about the tournament, is also beginning to crack. They both are going through the same feeling of hollowness after losing something that meant the world to them (Tory since the All Valley and Kenny by the end of Season 5), they basically lost their Dojo and their Sensei all in one bat, both feeling like no one has their back now.

So, if anything, I wish we could see the different dynamic here, making Kenny get closer to Tory in a way, maybe she can be the one to "bring him back to the light side" or at least be the one bridge between him and Robby, because she can understand and relate a lot with what he's going through in a way Robby can't.

But I'm not abandoning my hc that Devon doesn't like Robby, so I imagine that with time they would realize that they had the same experience with CK, but not before some argues.

(I've seen people saying that Devon will want to learn from Sam in S6, and while I can see where this comes from I don't think it will happen, if she does end up wanting to learn Miyagi Do like this I would like to be with Robby)

[cheapshrimpysheep]

Dating in a Dream - Floyd Leech

SUMMARY: What would his dream be like, exactly the same as in the original story, but with the small detail that he is dreaming that you two are dating? Or rather, dated.

CHARACTERS: Floyd Leech x Reader 🦈🦐

TAGS: Fluff; GN Reader; In a Relationship (kinda, actually an ex-relationship); Kiss

WARNING: Spoilers from Book 7 and Floyd’s dream (Eng Server) and a reader with attitude.

WORD COUNT: 3.150 words

COMMENTS: This was written as a companion piece to the original dream story, so the parts that are the same as the game are just summarized.

This Yuu/Reader has a strong personality because I believe is what fits and makes sense in this dream.

I hope you enjoy 🦈

Dating in a Dream: Idia / Epel / Rook / Vil / Kalim / Jamil / (Floyd) / Jade / Azul / ...

“Aether signal tracking successful.” Ortho announces. “We have arrived at the designated coordinates.”

You, Grim, Silver, Sebek, and Jamil were all holding on to Ortho, so you needed a place to land. But there was no land in sight, just a vast ocean. Jamil froze the seawater into a boat with seats for everyone and Silver formed the oars. You all get on the boat and sit down.

“The sea brings to mind a couple of people.” Jamil says. “And what they have in common is-”

Something slammed into the boat. And again. And again.

“Mraaah! The boat's rockin' and rollin'!” Grim worries. “I'm gonna fall overboard!”

“I'm getting an enormous aether signal reading from under the boat!” Ortho warns. “It's closing in again at high speed!”

“Is it trying to tip the boat over?!” Jamil realizes.

The thing keeps hitting the ice boat violently until it finally capsizes and you all fall into the water. Fortunately, Idia was prepared for that and used technomantic nanomachines to create a kind of giant bubble around each of your bodies.

“Thank goodness!” Silver says. “Now we can fight whatever attacked our boat.”

“Ah! Aether signature reading 10 meters ahead. Estimated length, four meters!” Ortho informs you. “Judging by its size, it must be the creature that knocked over our boat.”

“Four meters? That's pretty big. We'll need to take it down with magic! (Y/N), you get back.” Jamil asks you.

Everyone gets into position, ready to defend themselves from a possible next attack and to attack the creature with magic.... But...

“Nothing's comin'.” Grim says, kind of disappointedly.

“I'm still getting that reading 10 meters ahead...” Ortho reiterates. “But it's not budging at all.”

“If it won't attack, we should attack instead.” Silver says. “Let's close in carefully and...”

Silver is interrupted by an oddly long sigh.

“Boooriiiiin'...” Floyd appears, more apathetic than you've ever seen him or even thought possible. “I was hopin' for some decent excitement... But nah, it's just land peeps...” You see the dreamer's silver bird around his head.

“Floyd?!”

“Mm... You guys know me? People from land kinda blur together for me... Mm... Wait.” He looks at you, without changing his bored expression. “Koebi-chan? Were you takin’ a boat trip or somethin'? Sorry ��bout that.”

“You recognize (Y/N).” Jamil says, although he found it strange that Floyd apologized to someone without being ironic. “Does that mean you recognize us as well?”

“Mm... Oh, yeah... but whatever. I ain't interested in school or anythin' up on land anymore.”

Silver asks Floyd where Azul and Jade are. The three of them were always together, right? Floyd tells him that the three of them are not a package deal and that the two are probably still on land since Azul's business was going so well.

Jamil asks him if he came back to the sea by himself and Floyd says he was bored as an explanation, that things go great no matter what he does.

“See, I figured there were entertaining people up on land, kinds you wouldn't find under the sea.” Floyd explains. “But they're all so weak. Just a buncha small fry not even worth botherin' with. And they all get suckered by Azul, hook, line, and sinker... He's got so many anemones at this point, he doesn't even need more. We had a second and third Mostro Lounge branch open in no time flat...” he ends with another long sigh.

Besides people getting ‘suckered by Azul’ being concerning, Sebek says that all that sounds like perfect smooth sailing, and asks what exactly is the problem.

Floyd says that all of that was just boring and he got totally checked out. So he left to take a solo trip around the world. He went to the Shaftlands, where he was found by a man who offered him a spot as a model in a fashion show which he accepted because it sounded cool. Then the man offered him an exclusive contract with their brand, which he refused because it would be boring to always wear clothes from the same brand.

After spending all his money in the Shaftlands, he went to the Sunshine Lands to find some part-time gigs. He was immediately hired by a famous restaurant. On the third day of work, he threw together something for a staff meal that the chef totally loved and asked him if they could serve that to customers. Floyd accepted and it was such a huge hit that it had people lining up out the door.

Grim wanted to try it, but Floyd had forgotten the recipe because it was something he simply made depending on what he felt like at the time.

It was turning into a hassle so he quit and went to another country, this time the Scalding Sands. Where he rode a camel through the desert and found the legendary genie's lamp. But he used all three wishes to ask for fresh drinks and food because it was hot and he was hungry.

After that he went to the Sunset Savanna, the Queendom of Roses, and Briar Valley. But once again, everyone was so weak that it was just boring. Sebek protests that it's impossible for someone from the Briar Valley royal family to be weak, but Floyd basically says that he's not stupid enough to just walk into the castle and ask to fight with the royal family.

“So yeah. I got bored of bein' up on land and came back to the sea. Not that it's any less boring here... I saw a disturbance in the water up on the surface so I came to see if somethin' interesting was finally happening... But when I flipped the boat, all I found was my ex and a buncha guys I already know.”

“Y-your EX?!” Everyone asks, including you.

“Huh?” Floyd looks directly at you. “I thought you realized I broke up with you when I dumped you at my parents' house.”

“Wait, you are talking about (Y/N)?” Jamil asks. “You're saying that you dated and then you broke up with them at your parents' house?”

“Yeah. We started datin’ on land and one day they said they would like to visit the Coral Sea and meet my parents. I gave them the potion for them to take on a mer-form and even that got borin’ after a while.”

“What do you mean?” Jamil keeps asking, after all if it were you it would be strange. “What were they like in mer-form?”

“Beautiful.” Floyd says without any emotion in his voice. “Everyone was like ‘Aww, you shrimp tail is sooo adorable!’ And they always have a buncha merfolk fallin’ for them. But Koebi-chan never even looked at them.”

“And isn't that good? For them to be faithful?”

“Well, yeah... but our relationship was so booorin'. We never argued, they were always so nice and kind to me even when I tried to mess with them. That was so annoyin'. They never got mad at me and always did whatever I asked. I realized how borin' they really were after my parents met them, so I told them to take Koebi-chan back home after I left on my solo world trip. I don't even remember why I fell in love with them. Ouch!”

Suddenly Floyd was hit in the chest by a small rock. Everyone turned to you, who was the one who threw it, and you were looking at Floyd furiously.

“You son of a... whatever the stupid fish equivalent is!” You shout at him.

“Fish equivalent?” Floyd looks at you a little surprised. “Was that supposed to be a racial insult, koebi-chan?”

“No, I was just trying to say it in a way that you would understand.” You say smugly.

“Heh? Are you sayin’ I'd be too dumb to understand if you used your own words?” Floyd gave you that mocking smile, and then he looked at you with that scary serious face. “Say what you want if you have the guts.”

“(Y/N), I know this is a complicated situation but-” Jamil tried to calm you down but was interrupted by Grim.

Grim was looking at you like a child seeing one of those rare moments where they see their mother angry and doesn't want to get involved. He convinces everyone to let you handle it.

“If I have the guts?!” You continue. “You were the one who wasn't merman enough to take me back to land and broke up with me properly!”

“Oooohh... now you’re usin’ puns?” He smiles smugly. “After all, you really are more interestin’ single. Heh heh heh!” He laughs for the first time.

“Indeed. Maybe the problem has been you all along.” You smirk.

Floyd gets that frighteningly serious look back when he looks at you.

“Yeah, you heard me.” At this point, you were either serious or you had some sort of plan, or both. “Maybe the problem is you. Maybe no one wants to entertain you. After all... who wants to be around someone so boring that they can't even entertain themselves?”

The others ask you, almost stuttering, if you are sure that irritating him is a good idea, especially seeing the way he was looking at you.

“You have a lotta nerve for such a tiny shrimp.” Floyd says menacingly. “And especially for someone who would drown if I burst their little bubble.” He smirks.

“Do it if you have the guts.” You provoke him.

The others try to warn you to stop, that you could really be in danger, but you don't cower, nor does Floyd. He attacks you, bursting your bubble and taking you away from the others.

“(Y/N)!” Everyone shouts, but none of them can reach you underwater, Floyd is too fast.

When he stops, your cheeks are puffed out to hold your breath, and he's hugging you, not squeezing you.

“What about now? Heh heh heh. You can't talk under water.” He smiles amusedly.

You blow air bubbles in his face, the equivalent of spitting out the water you would have in your mouth if you were on land.

“Aha ha ha, That tickles. You idiot, you're runnin’ out of air.”

But you don't seem worried, even with him holding you down there under the sea. But he was right, you were running out of air. He notices when your expression starts to become less intense.

“Silly little shrimpy.” He says in a surprisingly affectionate tone before swimming quickly toward the surface with you.

When you reach the surface you take a deep breath and Floyd keeps holding you. You call him stupid or idiot one last time and he starts laughing heartily.

“THAT WAS FUN!” He says with that joy that you were already missing. “I'm pretty sure this was our first argument, but for some reason... Me in mer-form facin’ you in your human form underwater is givin’ me a déjà vu.”

“Probably from that time you and Jade tried to stop me and the others from getting to the Atlantica Memorial Museum.” You say.

“Atlantica Memorial Museum? Oh, yeah. ‘Cause of that contract with Azul. You needed to get that school photo. Well, too bad you never got it.”

“Yes, we did! While Leona destroyed Azul's contracts.”

“What? You worked together with Todo-senpai (sea lion)? No way. There's no way we'd lose to a little shrimp like you... Hrgh?!” He remembers the moment in front of the museum when he and Jade had to leave because something was happening with Azul in Octavinelle.

The world begins to distort as he remembers. Because of the headaches, Floyd ends up letting go of you. The others finally catch up to you, Idia takes the opportunity to restore your bubble and you two go back underwater

They saw the world distorting and asked what happened. You tell them that Floyd began to remember when he was defeated by you and the others. They come to the conclusion that in that dream world Floyd was always living a perpetual winning streak. So maybe the formula for waking him up was reminding him of all the times he didn't win.

Silver reminds him of Orientation day, where he saw Floyd on fire flying through the air after hearing an explosion nearby. And the person who did that to him was Riddle. Jamil says that Jade was laughing so loudly it echoed through the whole Mirror Chamber, and Azul was acting like he'd never seen Floyd before in his life. Silver found out what happened from Riddle himself at the Equestrian Club. Floyd suddenly grabbed Riddle's hair and remarked, 'It's red, but it ain't hot.'.

Floyd thought this story was better than his dream and this made the world distort again. So the others continued.

Idia remembered one time Floyd got easily shut down during a joint defensive magic lesson with the juniors. More specifically by Cater, Leona and Malleus after underestimating them. Jamil says that in their practice basketball games, Floyd hardly ever break past him when Jamil is blocking him. And tells about that one time that Floyd snuck into the gym at night because he wanted to practice slam dunks and broke two hoops. The headmage punished him with a week of gym-cleaning duty.

“Dude, what the heck? I sound like an idiot in these stories!” Floyd says. “But hey... That sounds better than bein' able to breeze through anything...”

And finally, you remind him of the conversation you were having earlier and whether he remembered what had happened during midterms.

“Midterms...? Guh... Aaagh!” The world distorts again as he remembers. “Oh yeah... We screwed up big time, and Azul... I shouldn't know any of this, but I do... Where are these memories comin' from?!”

The goopy darkness begins to form around you until it transforms into two figures: Jade and Azul in their mer-forms. These figures created by darkness tried to convince Floyd not to believe you, praising him about being a strong predator and saying that the three of them could have fun together as friends. They were so out of character that they couldn't fool Floyd at all. This angered Floyd so much that he woke up and attacked the fake Jade and Azul himself.

“Floyd, how could you...?” Were the last words of fake Jade.

“I thought... we were... best friends...” Were the last words of fake Azul.

“Tch, you're STILL puttin' words in their mouths.” Floyd says, still beside himself with rage. “I'd better not see your fake faces again, you little minnows.” He started slamming his tail into the sunken ship and smashing it apart.

Someone needed to stop him so you all could talk to him. And Jamil said the best person to do it would be the person he apparently liked enough to dream about dating them. You go over and call out to him, telling him you're glad he's awake.

“Huh? Why're you guys still hoverin' around?” Floyd looks at you furiously. “I'm not in the mood, koebi-chan. I'm REALLY ticked off right now, y'know. Unless you wanna get squeezed and turn into squid ink too.”

“I'm not one of them, Floyd. I'm the real (Y/N).”

“Oh yeah? And how can you prove that?”

You need a moment to think, but then you say something like: “You are a poor unfortunate soul who doesn't even have the courage to break up with an imaginary partner properly.”

Everyone is scared for you.

“Those NPCs are supposed to praise you, and I can only imagine my NPC would say something about true love, but I just insulted you. I'm going against their nature. And if you don't realize that then you're really dumb." You smirk.

The others comment on you having some desire to be killed by Floyd, as he slowly approaches you with an extremely threatening face and posture. He covers you with his shadow and opens his mouth as if he were going to eat you.

“Heh... Heh heh... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!” Floyd smiles and hugs you tightly. “Yay! That’s my Koebi-chan~!”

He's not hurting you, but you tell him the hug is still too strong. He loosened his hug a little and suddenly he kissed you passionately on the lips. Everyone else is startled, but you return the kiss. Jamil's reflex was to cover Grim's eyes.

It started out as just a kiss, but you returning the kiss made him get in the mood for making out. If you don't stop the kiss, it will be the group clearing their throats behind you doing it.

If you continue to the point where others are clearing their throats as a request for you to stop: You both break the kiss and Floyd looks at them with an extremely smug smile.

“What? I'm not forcin' you to watch... pervs.” Floyd mocks them.

If you are the one who breaks the kiss: Floyd won't move his face too far away from yours and will look at you with a pout.

“Own, why did you stop now?” He asks in an overly seductive, pleading voice. “Is it ‘cause you don't like audience? I can take care of them for you... Koebi-chan~”

You two may have interrupted your kiss, but Floyd didn't want to let go of you for anything. Your only two options were to stay like that, or turn around and have him hug you from behind. Floyd asks what's going on, the others explain that it was a dream and Ortho shows him the explanatory video.

When the video ended, to your surprise, Floyd let go of you. You look at him, confused, and his expression is that... neutral, but serious one.

“What's wrong?” You ask.

“We never dated, did we? When I kissed you, I thought you were the same (Y/N) from my dream.” Yes, he called you by your name. He's silent for a moment to see if you understand what he means, but it seems like he has to continue explaining. “I thought I had your prior consent as your ex, but since we never dated...”

“You are concerned about consent?” Jamil says, doubtfully. “I don't mean to insult you, but I wasn't expecting that from a guy who tries to squeeze everyone who bothers him.”

“Beatin’ up annoyin’ guys is one thing.” Floyd explains, still strangely serious. “And I always do that after a warning. This is different.” His expression becomes threatening. “And none of your business.”

You turn Floyd's attention back to you and tell him that you also like him. You understand and if that is an apology you accept it. And you even reveal how much you actually enjoyed it.

“Hm~ Really~?” Floyd looks at you with a seductive smile and gets closer to you, holding you by the waist once again. “Are you askin’ for more, koebi-chan~?”

“Oh please, not again!” Idia begs. “I can't handle such high levels of PDA!”

If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX

P.S.: Don't question how the air bubble bursts once but doesn't burst again when he hugs and kisses Yuu. This is a fanfic for fanservice purposes only 😝

[deadtired-highkeyenergetic]

Secret No More

Summary: The rest of the Thunderbolts* find out that you and Bucky are married.

"So…are they?"

"It definitely seems that way."

"But they could just be really good friends."

"They're far too close to be just really good friends."

You quietly laugh to yourself from the corner where you're hiding, slipping into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. All your morning blues have been lifted by the conversation you've accidentally stumbled on, and you couldn't be more grateful to the duo for it.

"They're definitely together. There's no way they aren't." A new voice sounds from the dining room where the conversation is happening. "Have you seen the way Bucky looks at them?"

"I'm sorry I don't stare at the Winter Soldier all day 24/7." You're pretty sure Ava rolled her eyes after that because John lets out a snort of annoyance.

"Careful." A low voice murmurs softly next to you, followed by the warmth of a familiar hand. "Wouldn't want them to find out you're eavesdropping just because you spilled hot coffee all over yourself, would we?"

"Hey Buck." You lean in to press a quick kiss to his cheek after checking that the coast is clear. "Want some?"

"Can't say no to good coffee this early in the morning." He takes a carton of milk from the fridge, pouring in just the right amount in your cup. You pour some coffee in his cup, pushing the packet containing today's beans at him so that he can read what flavours are in the dark liquid before adding sugar to his cup. Two teaspoons, like always. It used to be more but you've been trying to curb his sweet tooth so he's been sulking lately. You would pity the villains he's been fighting but he has been far more effective in bringing them down ever since you cut down his sugar intake so you're not complaining. However, because of that, Bucky has been more picky about what flavour of coffee he drinks, which has made your coffee bean shopping harder.

His arm gently brushes against yours as he takes his cup from you, giving you a soft smile before heading to the dining room , presumably to scare the living daylights out of the group gathered there. You decide to hang around the kitchen first and take stock of what supplies need to be bought, a good move judging from the commotion that's happening in the dining room right now.

"I wasn't informed about any team meeting today." You detect a hint of amusement in Bucky's voice.

"Bucky?!" John exclaims followed by incoherent shouts from the others. "We were uh —"

"Are you and Y/N together?" Bob casually asks, eliciting more exclamations from everyone else. You're pretty sure Yelena just covered Bob's mouth in an attempt to stop him from asking any more questions since his voice becomes muffled but Alexei just continues asking on his behalf, clearly curious.

"Comrade, it is a beautiful relationship, you and Y/N. Why so shy? They are strong, kind, and very hard to replace."

"Alexei! You can't just say someone is hard to replace!"

"But they are! There is no one like comrade Y/N, even if you go to the ends of the world!"

Bucky can't help but chuckle, then he calls for you. "Babe, do we tell them?"

"I don't know, do we?" You step out of the kitchen, trying not to laugh as everyone dissolves into more hysterical screaming. "They don't seem ready for it."

"How long has it been?" Yelena asks. John groans in the background, muttering something about how he should have noticed it earlier with how defensive you were over Bucky back when you first met.

"I think it's been a good few months since we got married?" You frown, pretending to be deep in thought. Bucky bursts out laughing as the rest of the team erupts into even more chaos somehow, with Ava screeching at the top of her lungs, Bob exclaiming about rings, Alexei shouting about how marriage is a beautiful thing, and John face plants the nearest wall. Yelena looks stoned for a while, and then gives up.

"Wait, then why have we never seen your wedding rings?" Bob asks, gesturing wildly at the both of you.

"I can turn things invisible, remember?" You touch Bucky's neck and a gold chain shimmers into view. Bucky lifts the hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to your knuckles before untucking the chain from underneath his shirt, revealing the ring that hangs from it.

"That is such a boring ring," Yelena deadpans. "Couldn't get anything fancier with your Avengers paycheck? How much does Tony Stark pay the Avengers anyways?"

"We decided to keep things simple, or it might get in the way during a fight." You take yours out, letting out a yelp as Bucky yanks you down onto his lap.

"We're going to be here for a long time, might as well get comfortable," he sighs, nuzzling into your hair. You lean against his chest and feel his arms automatically wrap around your waist, securing you to your new spot. "I hope you have more of those coffee beans because I'm going to need more coffee after this interrogation session."

"You don't want to try the other beans?"

"I like the lavender taste," he hums, the sound vibrating in his chest.

"They're so cute together, how did we not notice?" Ava hisses. Yelena shrugs in response. Alexei forces John into a chair and Bob happily takes a seat, clearly excited about the gossip that's to come and your interrogation begins.

"So, when did the two of you first meet?" Bob asks the first question.

"It was when Steve brought me to the safe house you were hiding in during the UN bombing, right?" You turn to face your husband.

"Mmhm." He fiddles with your ring, clearly not paying attention to the interrogation going on.

"Hey, you're not allowed to leave me alone to face all their questions!" You give his cheek a poke and he gives a dramatic groan.

"I signed up for this when I married you, didn't I?" He sighs.

"Yes you did." Your cheeky grin causes the corners of his lips to curve upwards and he pokes you back.

"I suppose there's no escaping this."

The team eagerly lean closer as you detail your first encounter with Bucky, followed by your first date with him and the wedding itself. It was tiring, answering every single question, but fortunately Bucky stepped in every now and then, helping to answer some of them. His ice blue eyes would crinkle in amusement whenever he recounted a funny incident, followed by a teasing poke to your ribs which would cause you to squirm but you can tell he's enjoying himself, remembering all the little moments of light in his life.

You would give anything to make him smile like this more often.

Once the interrogation is over, the team split up, mulling over the new cascade of information they've just received. You, meanwhile, remain in your spot on Bucky's lap, feeling his hand run through your hair.

"I can't believe we managed to hide our marriage from a Widow, a Walmart Captain America, the Russian Captain America and a spy who can phase through walls." You laugh, snuggling against his chest. His steady heartbeat reassures you, reminding you that he's right here, by your side.

"I can. After all, we're the world's greatest assassin and a spy who can turn anything they touch invisible." He smiles softly, turning you around to face him. His hands cup your cheeks, cradling your face and he leans in to kiss you on the lips. "I can finally do this without having to worry about anyone catching us."

"I like that." You pull him into another kiss, savouring the taste of his lips. "Makes mornings less stressful."

"It also means I can constantly hold your hand now." He presses his forehead against yours, closing his eyes. "And tell you how insanely perfect you are."

"Does this mean I can tell you how extremely handsome you are?" You whisper teasingly, unable to contain the smile on your face.

"Always, love. I'll never grow tired of hearing that."

"Get a room!" Bob yells from his hiding spot around the corner. Ava anxiously shushes him but it's too late. You and Bucky turn to see three heads disappear behind the wall, and you scramble to smack said heads but Bucky tugs you back down onto his lap.

"We're claiming the dining room!" He hollers, then gives you a peck on the cheek. "Go find another room!"

"Buck!"

Your husband only laughs in response, hugging you close. "I'm not letting this opportunity go. I already have you here, I'm not moving anywhere."

"Just admit you're too lazy to move back to one of our rooms."

"And risk spilling coffee on the sheets? Never!"

"Oh, but it's fine to spill coffee on your metal arm?"

"That only happened once! And there's always the dishwasher —"

"No! If I ever see your arm in the dishwasher again, I will personally slap you with it!"

"Fineeeeeee." Bucky sighs. "No more metal arm in the dishwasher."

You let yourself flop back onto his chest, basking in his secure embrace as he finishes his cup of coffee and picks up his book to continue reading.

"I like this coffee." He presses his cheek against yours, purposely rubbing the stubble on your skin because he knows he can irritate you like that and get away with it.

"More than me?" You're not sure why you're feeling so playful today, maybe it's because of the weight that has been lifted after telling the rest of the team about your marriage to Bucky.

"Nothing will ever come close to stealing your spot as my number one favourite." He boops you on the nose, dodging your return attempt with his super soldier reflexes and a wide grin. "Try harder, love."

"You're asking for it, James Buchanan Barnes! Now take it like a man!"

[tarnishedxknight]

Xenos nodded along with what Wanda was saying, for she had the basic sense of things. "Yes, exactly," he said. "But... who is to say... we are... always r-right? Maybe... we have made... big mistakes... at times," he admitted. The Occuria were far from infallible. Humes may think them to be gods, but Xenos knew they were simply beings like any other. The only difference was that they were immortal and aware of the cycle of time. Other than that, they were capable of making mistakes just like any other races.

He smiled as she said he wasn't alone. Yes, it appeared that he wasn't anymore. Wanda wanted to stay with him and help him, and that counted for so much in his opinion. It was more than anyone else had done for him since he was originally captured and imprisoned over six centuries ago. Maybe it wasn't the same as having several of his kin inside his mind at all times, but this new friendship with Wanda was its own thing entirely. Maybe he could heal his loneliness in a different way with her, simply by spending time with her. It was a lovely thought.

Once again he was nodding along with her words, his eyes welling up, as she said he was very much a living being. He was. He was. And it made his heart ache in a good way to hear someone kind say so. "Hope so. Hope... they listen," he whispered. Xenos wasn't sure at all about that, though. The Archadian Empire was often cruel, and maybe slavery was something that happened frequently within it. He didn't know anymore, being out of the loop with regard to omniscient information for so many centuries. Wanda seemed optimistic, though, and that gave him hope.

It was tempting to lie next to Wanda in the bed, but even after she'd given him permission to do so, Xenos hesitated. Was that too forward? Would he be invading her space too much? Given how open and honest she'd been with him thus far, he supposed she wouldn't be offering if it was really something that was going to bother her. "Do not mind?" he asked just to be sure before he got up and went to the bed. "Thank you," he said. It was much softer than the chair, and he'd much rather be close to Wanda. He laid down nearby, careful not to crowd her, and was quiet as she rested. The silence of the night, the softness of the bed, and the sounds of Wanda's breathing put Xenos in a very peaceful place in his mind.

Unfortunately, it was too nice. He was going to fall asleep if he stayed here, and the point was to keep watch. "Have to move back," he said to Wanda apologetically as he unintentionally jostled her getting out of the bed. "Going to sleep... if I stay," he admitted. "Must keep watch."

- - - - -

Xenos' heart began to beat wildly the moment he heard Gabranth's voice. The man sounded stern and unforgiving, and indeed the Judge Magisters of Archadia were known for as much. He nodded as she told him to stay there and let her greet Gabranth first. Doing just that, Xenos did remain vigilant and alert, though, just in case things escalated quickly. He was not about to be captured again.

Gabranth waited patiently for Wanda to come to the door, but when she did, he noticed the way she barely opened it. What she said next only added to his suspicion. "I came alone, my lady," he said. "Why do you ask? Is there a problem?" Was it just that she'd just woken up and didn't quite feel decent yet to receive anyone, or was there something else going on here...?

"Who are you? I do not believe we have met." (for Xenos because reasons)

It had been Gabranth's duty to show the Emperor's new sage around the palace and the capital city, helping to familiarize her with important locations she may need to know during her stay. If she was to assist His Eminence with war strategies and grant him advice on what direction to take the Empire in the future, she would need to know what was going on there. Thus, one of the stops on their tour was the Draklor Laboratory.

The Laboratory was a massive seventy-floor building within which all sorts of research important to the Empire was conducted. Everything from airship design, to weapons development, and magical pursuits were studied there, and at some of the topmost floors were the offices and lab of Dr. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa, known by most as Dr. Cid. He was not only the head researcher of Draklor Laboratory, he was also the chief writer of science, technology, and magical policies for the Archadian Imperial Army, which funded the Laboratory. Dr. Cid was also one of Vayne Solidor's main go-tos for secret nethicite research serving the prince's agenda.

Gabranth took Wanda up to Dr. Cid's offices, but the man was not there. This was typical, for Cid was always something of a free spirit, and he often went out in search of materials for his experiments. He took Wanda on to see Cid's laboratory anyway, explaining to her that this was where the Empire was attempting to safely study the effects of nethicite. Even as he said it, though, he scarcely believed his own words. Cid was anything but safe. If rumors were true, and Gabranth had at least some evidence in support of them, then Cid's might was slowly beginning to slip. Regardless, Gabranth gave Wanda a superficial look at the lab, for she mostly just needed to know where it was, in case she needed to talk to Cid at some point, and not so much its intricate inner workings.

When she seemed to stop by a rather ornate looking set of double doors - doors with a strong magical ward for a locking system - Gabranth was soon tasked with explaining that, no, Cid did not experiment on living beings. His research was mostly chemical, magical, and technological. He wondered why Wanda would fixate on the doors and ask such a question, but none of his spies or his own reconnaissance had indicated that Cid was experimenting with live creatures. "It may be a storage room for nethicite or other highly dangerous magical components," he explained, feeling the Mist within him stirring, and not just because of the magical lock on the doors. In his mind, that was the only explanation that made sense.

Oh, but there was a living being inside the room, and he was quite tortured, frightened, and sad. His emotion was so thick and heavy, it came off him in waves to one who was even mildly empathetic like Wanda. Even through a magically locked door, the imprisoned and enslaved being Xenos gave off a heartbreaking and desperate amount of suffering that permeated the room and even beyond it. His magical power also branched out into his surrounding environment, even magically bound such as he was.

When Wanda returned later without Gabranth, that same energy and emotion was apparent the moment she got within the near vicinity of the doors. For someone with magic as unique and versatile as Wanda, the magical locking glyph placed on the door was certainly no match. Once the doors were unlocked and opened, a sorrowful sight met her eyes.

The room was bare, sterile, with no sign of warmth or kindness. A marble floor, two pillars made of a different type of stone, and a man kneeling between them, slumped where he sat, a mess of chains tethering him to the pillars. He was barefoot and shirtless, wearing only a pair of linen pants and a tattered cloak, the hood of which was draped over his head. His wrists were shackled, connected to chains that were rooted in the stone pillars on either side of him. Those shackles were then also chained to a third shackle around his neck. Small glowing glyphs of warding, suppression, and control glowed on each of the shackles.

When Wanda entered the room, Xenos slowly lifted his head, feeling her presence even if he hadn't heard her first. Her magic was significant, he could feel it, but he didn't know who she was. Was she here to hurt him? Probably. Everyone else here was. He shakily rose to his feet and backed away slowly, until the chains pulled taut and he couldn't go any further. Trembling and a bit folded in on himself, Xenos stood there, clearly afraid of Wanda.

He was very lean, probably too thin for a man of his height. And there was an unnatural blackness to his hands and feet, continuing up his arms and likely his legs too if they could've been seen under his pants, until it brightened into a bronze skin tone. Red glowing eyes could be seen peeking from underneath his hood.

Her question, though... was strange. Usually people just came in and started ordering him around, inflicting pain with magic if he did not comply. They didn't usually want to chat with him, or ask his identity. Did she not know who he was? Was she not told? If she didn't know, then why was she here? Maybe she wasn't here to hurt him after all.

Xenos slowly moved to one of the pillars, his left arm being harshly pulled in the direction of the other pillar by the short chain even as his right hand softly touched the pillar before him. He huddled against the stone, partially obscuring himself with it, feeling safer when he wasn't standing entirely out in the open. "Xenos..." he answered her, his voice a raspy whisper from lack of use. "I... am Xenos..."

[cocastyle]

I See You

Pairing — Bob Reynolds x reader

Word Count — 4k

Warning — SPOILER WARNING FOR THE THUNDERBOLTS* MOVIE I REPEAT SPOILER WARNING FOR THE THUNDERBOLTS* MOVIE!!

A/N — breaking my two years of not posting in honor of this amazing movie and character. the Thunderbolts* has reawakened my fire to write and I couldn’t ignore it. so here you go! this will be a bit of a short series. i kind of envision around three parts or so? anyways, i really hope you enjoy this and know this is your last warning before you continue on!! so if you haven’t seen the Thunderbolts* please save this for later <3

also, did you all notice the easter eggs i included ?? 👀

Part One Part Two Part Three

SPOILER WARNING FOR THE THUNDERBOLTS* MOVIE! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Bob Reynolds wasn't quite sure how any of this had happened. One minute he was pretty sure he had been dying and the next he was trapped in a series of never ending nightmares. Except it wasn't just his nightmares, there were other people's too.

He knew he had been having these moments where he didn't remember things, knew that there was something going on at a deeper level than he wanted to admit. He thought with Valentina explaining this power he had been given that it would explain everything he had been feeling, that the darkness wasn't truly his but something brought on by this experiment.

But he knew the truth and walking through these endless nightmares only proved that. The darkness was his. It was a culmination of everything he was feeling, everything that had been consuming him, and it had only taken more of a physical form thanks to the Sentry project.

Bob had no way of fighting this thing, no way of taking back control of his body. And at this point he wasn't even sure if he wanted control. After all, he was just Bob. He was useless. He was nothing. Everyone would be better off without him.

So now he was trapped with no where else to go but to walk through the thousands of rooms of everyone's deepest regrets and shames.

It had been an accident at first, but sometime after his own meth chicken nightmare was when he first started stumbling into the other rooms. He saw so many things, felt the guilt and weight that everyone else felt. One in particular had stuck with him when he had ended up watching the loop of a blind lawyer watching his friend die over and over. Bob couldn't watch that for very long before he was hurriedly trying to get to any other room but that one, the blind man's cries still rattling his bones.

Bob didn't know how long he walked for or how many rooms he went through until he got to one that made him pause as he came face to face with Tony Stark. It had been a while since the hero's death, but still seeing the face of the man that had helped bring everyone back from the Blip made Bob falter slightly.

Someone's biggest trauma was Tony Stark?

Bob took a couple steps back, his eyes scanning over the room as he tried to ground himself in what was going on. He seemed to be in someone's apartment. The place would've been nice if it weren't for the fact that whoever was living here clearly hadn't been picking up after themselves in quite some time. And by the look Tony Stark was making as he glanced at the dirty dishes in the sink, it seemed he was thinking the same.

Bob knew the signs before he even saw her. It wasn't just the state of the apartment, but it was the feeling in the air. That feeling of despair, sadness, and nothingness. That feeling of knowing you were alone and there was nothing you could do about it. It clung to everything in the apartment and Bob's heart ached slightly at the sight. After all, he knew what this was like. He knew it too well.

"I can feel you judging me," a voice said, instantly pulling Bob's attention to the couch where a girl was sitting with a blanket wrapped around her and a bottle of vodka in hand. She wouldn't meet Tony Stark's eyes as she stared at the bottle, her fingers numbly fiddling with the label. "I didn't ask for you to come over and judge how I'm living. Hell, I didn't even ask you to come over, so you might as well go."

Tony let out a soft sigh, "Kid, you were ignoring my calls. Of course I was going to come check on you."

"Ever think I ignored them for a reason?"

Tony huffed and grabbed a chair from the kitchen table before dragging it over in front of the couch. He sat down in front of the girl, tilting his head slightly as he watched her before saying, "You can't keep living like this."

"You think I don't know that?" she asked, her voice bitter. “Why are you here, Tony?”

Tony just watched her in silence before saying, "Listen, Steve and Natasha came to see me yesterday and—"

The girl slammed the bottle down on the table so hard Bob thought it would break. Her eyes were red rimmed as she glared at the man and muttered, "No. We're not doing this. You're not going to sit there and try to rope me into some crazy plot to try and bring everyone back. It's been five years and I'm done, okay? I have nothing left in me anymore and I don't give a shit, so just leave."

"Kid—"

"I said leave!" she exclaimed, her eyes beginning to glow white with a power that Bob could almost feel beneath his own skin. "I'm not some sob story for you to try to fix, okay? I messed up and didn't kill Thanos in time and half of the universe had to pay for it. I'm done trying to help. All I ever do is hurt people."

She looked away, her voice rough when she whispered, "You're all better off without me anyways."

Bob sucked in a breath at that, understanding washing over him as he watched the broken girl do everything she could not to cry.

"Y/N," Tony began but the girl simply shook her head.

"No, Tony. I'm done. Just leave and go ahead and do yourself a favor and never come back. It's not worth your time or energy and I sure as hell don't want you here," she said, her head still turned.

Tony stilled slightly at her words. "You don't mean that," he told her, but before he could even blink, Y/N had used her telekinesis to pick up the bottle of vodka and send it hurtling in his direction. The man barely had time to duck out of the way before it flew right past where his head had been and shattered against the wall. Tony turned to her in surprise but the girl was already getting up and walking to the door of what had to be her bedroom.

"I miss him too you know," Tony called after her causing the girl to still.

"Stop," Y/N warned him, but Tony ignored her and instead stood up, his eyes not leaving her as he clearly made no move to leave.

"Y/N, he wouldn't want this for you. That kid loved you so much. He would be devastated by—"

"I said stop!" Y/N yelled and before anyone knew what was happening, a force was suddenly throwing Tony across the room. The man thought fast and his nano suit had wrapped around him before he could even hit the wall and Bob watched as the color drained from Y/N's face at what she had done.

She was shaking as she stared at Tony, but by the time he was looking back up at her, the Iron Man mask sliding away from his face, she was cold once again. "Get the hell out of my apartment," was all she said before turning and walking into her room, slamming the door behind her. Bob watched her go, frowning slightly as the scene began to play again.

"That was before they won against Thanos," a voice said causing Bob to flinch in surprise. He quickly turned around to find Y/N a little ways behind him, sitting down at a chair in the corner of the room. Her eyes continued to watch the scene playing out in front of her and Bob was almost beginning to question if she had spoke in the first place when she muttered, "That was the last time I saw him before he died."

Her eyes met his then and Bob stilled under her gaze. She was a couple of years older than the version of her from the memory, a little more put together but in the kind of way that screamed help more than her younger self's look had. She had learned to mask it more, that much was clear. Or maybe it was just that Bob knew where to look, that he saw himself when he looked at her and knew in more ways than one just how tired she was.

"Who was he talking about?" Bob asked, silently cursing himself for that being the first thing he said but knowing he now had to just go with it. "The guy?"

Y/N hesitated, her eyes glazing over as she got lost in thought. There was a tiny moment of utter sadness that flashed across her face but it was gone so quickly as she muttered, "I don't know." She let out a sad laugh. "Isn't that sad? It's like there's blanks in my memory. All I know is that there is this immense feeling of loss not just once, but twice. Every time I try to think of him it's like the image of him only gets fuzzier."

Bob was silent for a moment. "I have trouble remembering things too," he admitted. "There are these moments where it's like I'll wake up from a dream I don't remember having and that time is just gone."

Y/N's eyes flickered his way, her gaze shifting over him in a way that made him stand up a little straighter. "I walked through a lot of rooms before ending up here," she told him, her eyes still studying him as though she were trying to piece him together. "This was the only one I couldn't leave."

"Why?" Bob questioned.

"Why did you stop in this one?" she retorted and Bob blinked in surprise. Her head tilted slightly as she stared blankly at the boy. It was a moment before she looked away and back at Tony who was watching her past self slam the door shut behind her as the memory started back up again. "I just wanted to see him again, I guess," she whispered. "I always hated this moment, hated that I pushed him away like that and left him to fight Thanos without me. Sometimes I wonder..."

She trailed off before shrugging slightly and looking back at Bob. "Guess I was as shocked by seeing Tony's face as you were when you walked in," Y/N said. Bob barely even thought his question before she placed a finger against her temple and let out a small sigh of exhaustion. "Telekinesis," she stated. "Just a fraction of the power I was born with, but it comes in handy from time to time. I knew who you were the second you walked into this memory. Your mind is very loud, but not in the way you'd expect it to be."

Bob wanted to ask her more, but it was clear she didn't want to expand on that comment. Instead she merely tapped her fingers against the arm of the chair she sat in and said, "So you're the one doing this."

It wasn't a question. She said it as though it were fact. Not that she was wrong, but something about the way she said it still made Bob's throat constrict.

"It's not. . .it's not me. It's—" Bob broke off and he could see the way she stared at him, knew that she was reading his mind. She blinked and quickly looked away. "Sorry," she whispered. "I can't help it sometimes. You lock yourself away long enough and you'll find it harder to control what once was so easy. But I get a sense that you know that."

Bob let out a small sigh, his eyes flickering over the past Y/N who sat on the couch with a haunted look in her eyes and a tight grip on the bottle in her hand.

"We've all done some bad things," Y/N told him, answering the questions flying through his mind. "I had the unfortunate experience of being the reason half the universe died. I was there that day that Thanos went to Wakanda to take the Mind Stone from Vision. I was the last one there before he snapped. I could've stopped it, but I let his words get to me and . . . well, you know the rest."

“The Blip,” Bob muttered and Y/N nodded solemnly. He could see her trying to keep it all together, but the tension was practically radiating off of her as she avoided his gaze.

“Go ahead and say it,” Y/N told him, her gaze locked on her past self who was busy hurling the bottle at Tony’s head. “You probably lost someone in the Blip, right? Had to suffer five years without them? Who was it? Family? Friends?”

Y/N didn’t even give him time to respond as she let out a sigh as if everything were pointless, “It doesn’t matter. Everyone still thinks the same thing, but I don’t blame them.”

“It’s my fault,” she admitted. “I caused everyone so much pain and suffering and then, when I had the chance to make things right, I pushed everyone away and locked myself in my room. Then Natasha died. Then Tony. And eventually Steve followed. And where was I? Drowning my sorrows in a bottle like the asshole that I am.” Y/N scoffed slightly at herself, the fury in her eyes something most people would probably flinch at but all Bob could do was soften at the sight. “So go ahead and say what you want. Call me names. Shout at me. Tell me how much of a monster I am. I deserve it. I’ll always deserve it.”

Bob didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what he could say. Not because it was all too much to process, but because he understood it. He understood what she was feeling. The pain and the anger. The guilt and regret. The shame. He understood it in ways he couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

But the silence was loud and Y/N wouldn’t meet his eyes. She just stared at the scene in front of her as her past self’s voice filled the silence between them, her voice rough as she whispered, "You're all better off without me anyways."

Y/N flinched at those words, her face crumbling slightly as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Bob felt his heart ache at the sight and for a moment, he saw himself sitting there in that chair. But more importantly, he saw her. He saw Y/N for who she truly was. He didn’t know what to say to her to make her better, so instead he just thought it.

I see you.

Y/N's eyes snapped up to him and Bob knew he hadn't had to say that out loud. She had heard him loud and clear.

She stood without another word, her eyes never leaving his as she walked towards him. She was quiet as she stopped in front of him, her gaze turning questioning as she studied him.

You do see me, don't you?

Bob let out a small gasp as her voice echoed in his head. He stared at her with wide eyes, but didn't flinch away not even when she took a step closer so that they were only a breath apart.

I can feel it, you know? That darkness. It calls to me.

"You know where he is?" Bob asked and Y/N quickly shook her head.

"I'm not talking about the Void," she whispered. She gently lifted her hand and placed it on his chest, right above his heart. "Here."

Bob's breath stuttered and he tried to keep his heart from racing as he whispered, "W-what does it say?"

"That it understands," Y/N replied. "That it sees what’s inside my own heart.” She hesitated before giving him a sad smile. “Like calls to like after all."

Bob stared at her, his eyes flickering over her face. He had thought she was pretty before, but up close she was even more beautiful than he could’ve imagined. Her eyebrow quirked slightly as if she had heard that thought and maybe she had, but Y/N was already moving on which he was silently thankful about.

“You feel it too,” she said and Bob didn’t need to say it out loud to confirm her thoughts. After all, he knew what she was talking about and she was right. Ever since he had emerged into this room, he had felt a sort of tug. It was the reason he had stayed. He thought it was because of seeing Tony Stark, but it was because he had felt her from the moment he had stepped foot into that room.

It was because he had seen her before ever laying eyes on her and it seemed she had done the same.

“I don’t know what to do,” Bob admitted, his words strained. “Every time I think I’m getting better, that I’ve finally pulled myself out of that darkness, I just. . .”

“Get pulled back under again?”

Bob was quiet for a moment, his gaze dropping to the floor as that same feeling of shame that always crept up when he thought about his problems beginning to rise in the form of a blush on his neck, “Yeah.”

There was a gentle touch against his chin before Y/N lifted his head so that his gaze met hers once more. Her touched lingered for just a moment, but then her hand was dropping back down to her side. Not once did she move the one that was still resting on his chest and above his heart, the only source of comfort either of them seemed to need.

She gave him a sad smile, her eyes getting a sort of far off look as she whispered, “Sometimes the hardest battle you’ll ever face is with yourself.”

Bob felt tears prick his eyes at those words and for a moment, he even felt a sense of comfort. Someone knew what he was going through. Someone understood.

He had never had that before.

“How do we beat it?” Bob’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Y/N seemed to come back to herself at those words, her eyes locking with his once more and her hand tightened on his shirt. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I’d like to figure that out. Together.”

Bob swore he stopped breathing at those words.

“Together,” he repeated, tears filling his eyes slightly out of disbelief.

Y/N merely nodded and she gently reached up, her thumb quickly swiping under his eye to brush away a stray tear that had fallen. Her own eyes were lined with tears as she whispered through a soft laugh, “Yeah, together. As long as you’re okay with being friends with the girl who does nothing but screw everything up.”

Bob couldn’t stop the small grin that began to peak out, the corners of his lips twitching up slightly as he opened his mouth to respond.

It was then that the doors to the room flew open, darkness flooding in and covering the walls and floors with black tendrils as it raced towards the two. The two stumbled back and away from each other as they tried to avoid the darkness creeping in and Y/N let out a small shout when her past self and Tony dissolved into nothing but shadows.

“Bob,” Y/N called out, but the boy was already reaching for her. He had ahold of her arm within a second and he pulled her to the one corner of the room not covered in darkness just yet.

His eyes were wide as he scanned what was left of the room, his grip tightening on Y/N’s arm in slight panic and confusion as he tried to process what was happening.

The darkness had never come after Bob before.

Not like this.

Something had signaled the Void. Something had scared him.

Bob’s eyes flickered to Y/N who was leaning into his touch, the tips of her fingers already beginning to glow white as she clearly analyzed the situation. His fingers felt warm against her forearm and for a moment he let himself remember the feel of her hand on his chest, the way her breath had fanned his face, and the way her words had wrapped around his heart like a hug he hadn't know he had needed.

And he knew.

The Void fed off of his sadness and loneliness and whatever Y/N had been making him feel was the opposite. The Void would do whatever he needed to crush this feeling, to stay in control. Even if it meant there were casualties along the way.

Bob’s heart ached at that thought and he quickly turned to Y/N who was backing closer to him as they were pushed further into the corner of the room and her memory. She moved her arm out of his grasp in order to hold her hands up, a white light emitting out against the darkness as she tried to hold it at bay.

"Bob, what's going on?" she asked. "What do we do?"

"I—" Bob was panicking now, the thought of Y/N getting hurt making him feel so many emotions that he hadn't felt in a long time. It scared him how much he felt towards the girl within just one conversation. He already knew he would do whatever needed to be done to save her and that thought alone scared him in more ways than one. Even more than the plan that was beginning to develop in his head, the plan that would save Y/N but would mean leaving her at the same time.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Y/N's head whipped in his direction. "Bob, no. You can't run. You have to fight this thing. If you don't, the darkness will only continue to consume you," she said.

"Cause you know what that's like?" Bob retorted, his panic and fear making him sound bitter. "We just watched the same memory over and over of you letting the darkness take over. If you can't fight it, what makes you think I can?"

Y/N's eyes softened slightly. "Bob," she started, but the darkness pushed closer towards them and she let out a strangled sound as she strained to keep her powers in check.

Bob watched her for a second, his eyes flickering over her one last time before he leaned forward. His lips brushed gently against her ear and he felt her shiver slightly under his touch. His breath came out shaky as he whispered, "I would've liked to be your friend."

Then, before she could do or say anything else, Bob had pulled back and thrown himself against the wall of the memory. His body broke through the barrier and into the next room, the darkness leaving Y/N behind in favor of chasing the boy.

"Bob!" Y/N cried out as she attempted to lunge after him, but the darkness threw her back and by the time she was up on her feet again, the memory had sealed itself around her, forcing her to relive the same moment with Tony while Bob got away.

- - -

Bob didn’t know how long he ran for. All he knew was that it took forever for him to get back to his own rooms. He almost cried when the meth chicken scene appeared before him, but he didn’t stop there. He continued his trek even after the darkness eventually faded away, now satisfied that Bob was back where he belonged.

Everything was just too loud, the memories too much for Bob to withstand while that feeling of utter loneliness crept up on him once more. It was foolish of him to think he could ever have someone understand him, that he could ever have someone in his life without hurting them in the end. He had done this to himself.

He deserved to be alone.

At some point Bob eventually managed to find the attic of one of his memories, the only quiet place in this miserable void, and he was quick to tuck himself away in there, away from all the noise and the darkness that he could feel feeding off of everyone's chaos.

It was only then that he sat down and curled in on himself, his breathing shaky as he tried to push every last thought of Y/N out of his head.

"She's better off without me," Bob whispered to himself like a mantra, his head tucked close to his knees as he let the stillness envelope him in a hug much different than the one Y/N’s words had given him. “She’s better off without me.”

“Everyone is.”

[nemesyaaa]

a long way from the playground // rafe cameron x reader

summary ; when you met rafe on the playground of the school, he was such a crybaby but you were there for him as his most beloved (and unique) friend until that accident which happened in high school.

seven years after that argument, you met him again. and mostly, seven years after, the crybaby that you know became the big boy that everyone knows.

genre ; childhood bestfriends to strangers to lovers (literally my favorite trope of the world), slight of angst, fluff, and smut. he fell first (and alone at first lmfao...)but she fell harder trope. one-shot.

warnings ; argument, family issues, mentions of cheating, smut, miscommunication, mentions of anger issues, fear of abandonment/being alone, jealousy, first time/virginity, past/present, violence ?( reader slapping rafe), being pogue/kook is not a big deal, mentions of rafe's mother.

author's note : it's 4k. was inspired by eighteen by one direction and to build a home by the cinematic orchestra. trying myself on something soft and kinda angst (but more in a bittersweet way.)

rafe was not always being the big boy everyone knew. it had taken seven years between the two of you for him to become stronger and more mature. when you met him, he was a whiny little boy who loved to fight, but cried every time you treated his wounds. you always managed to make him smile when you placed a bandage on the bleeding bruise and promised him that if he calmed down, the injury would disappear.

you started being there for him from the moment you were just seven years old.you understood that rafe needed someone in his life, because no one was there for him. you never understood why, but people loved to say, even the teacher and his family that there was something weird about him.

you heard the others spreading rumors about it a couple times. it was so easy to criticize others rather than judge yourself. at that moment, rafe didn't scare anyone. it was not because he had the prestigious cameron name that it made his classmates fear him.

he was like everyone else, there was no kook or pogue. everyone was too young to be different, the prey could be anyone in the group, but the leader always remained the same.

the first time you and rafe cameron were really close was on mother's day. the whole class had been assigned to make a gift and in the most saddest way possible, everyone had a mother to give their present to. everyone except Rafe, but you didn't know about that before the accident.

having finished making your own gift, you surprised your friend from behind and he dropped his vase on the ground. you had never felt so sad in your entire life when you saw the broken glass on the floor. you could clearly feel your heart cracking in your ribcage, your veins freezing, and your breath dying in your throat, the hot rush of tears inside your eyes.

"rafe, i'm really sorry. I...really, I didn't mean to..."

“it’s okay, y/n. I didn’t have anyone to give it to anyway...”

his voice cracked slightly in his knotted throat as he managed to not show you how hurt he was. he was trying to be strong, and not a crybaby — that nickname that you given him every time. and his eyes had become so full and wet with tears, the blue ocean of his eyes drowning in the hot little boy whines.

rafe cameron was a broken child, not just since you broke his vase. no, always. since he no longer had his mother. and you realized it in such a cruel way that you wanted to disappear.

he had so many tears, and you felt like they could flow down his cheeks forever, that even an eternity wouldn't be enough to wipe them away. and even if you had been a siren, you would never have been able to swim in water as salty as his present sadness.

"my mother...left me..." he admitted softly between sniffles, his nose red and leaky.

you felt bad but you took him against you in a tender hug, and placed your hand on his back to start caressing him gently, until he was soothed. "but you have me. and i will not leave. you know rafe, when i love someone, it's serious. i sincerely would like to make sure that you never feel alone again."

you looked into his eyes. you couldn't be more sincere.

and maybe it was from that day that rafe cameron fell in love with you, and he had never felt so good because he never thought that love could be so heartwarming and kind.

if you thought he would be the type to hide his feelings, or run away from them, you were wrong. it was the first time he felt this comfort, this happiness and he needed to show it to you. even for his family he did not have such great affection.

he loved giving you gifts. he had seen and heard that the girls really liked those kind of things so every day since Mother's Day, you received flowers, boxes of chocolates, photos of yourself accompanied by notes, volumes of your favorite book saga, CD's of your favorite singers. rafe couldn't let go of you.

since you didn't love him back, he fed on the affection and attention you gave him.

rafe took everything you had to give him - a look, a smile, a kiss on the cheek, a hug, an earphone for the two of you to share, a day in your room watching movies, a ride on the bike of your big brother, an afternoon playing in the sea.

there was nothing strange about him, nothing like the rumors could say.

“rafe, you didn’t have to give me that.” you exclaimed when you saw a necklace with his initials.

“but I wanted to. Don’t you like it?”

"I love..."

Rafe would have loved to hear that you were talking about him saying those words but he was also so impatient. every boy his age had a girlfriend, and he wanted you to be his. he was not an exception to the eager youth.

what was the point of being rich, of being able to have everything if you weren't included among his treasures? he wanted you, his only friend and the only girl who mattered to him.

But also, he was lost because he was experiencing one-sided love, because above all, it hurt so much not to be loved in return, to be in love with someone to love them to a point where it mattered more than himself.

the first time you kissed rafe cameron on the lips was in high school. you were drunk, you hadn't done it on purpose.

you threw up right after, but he never blamed you. he knew it was the alcohol, not him. he even held your hair while you vomited everything into the bowl. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I..."

"I'm not mad. you're just drinking too much. I should have been more careful. you know i can't be angry with you."

yes, rafe had anger issues, serious problems managing his hard feelings. sometimes he even scared you. sometimes you even felt like he would be able to kill someone.

rafe’s hands could be deadly but whenever they were on you, pressed to your cheeks, against your hips, on your thighs, inside your hair, on your neck, they were always calm and gentle.

after that, you would never have guessed that the first time rafe cameron had touched himself, it was thinking about your lips on his mouth, something so small and pathetic but it was enough to make him so vulnerable and unable to think about anything else.

he imagined your pretty lips around his cock instead of his useless large hand, your wet open mouth pumping him as your tongue covered every inch of his growing girth. and he hated himself for having impure thoughts about you, because you looked like an angel. he had no desire to make you dirty but oh fuck — he had cum on his stomach, spurting the warm loads painting his flesh. and god he wished you were there to make him pure again.

after that, rafe had tried many times to get you out of his head. he thought of porn. but he imagined your body, your voice, your moans in place of all these actresses, and that was the only way he could come.

dating girls but it never worked. you were always the one he wanted out of all the ones that existed.

distance from you but he always came back, because without you it had always been like being in the dark. and how could he lives in darkness without the one who gave him light?

but above all, you were the one who understood him best, who always managed to soothe him, and above all who never judged him in his moments of weakness.

you were his home, where he took refuge when he had a problem with his father, when he could no longer stand Sarah's presence, when Rose was getting on his nerves, when Topper and Kelce were behaving like idiots. because you were the only person who couldn't make his existence even more shitty.

— now it's been over ten years since rafe cameron was in love with you, but only seven since you disappeared from his life.

you had another life now, a boyfriend who cheated on you and who was always angry with you, and pushing you under and under. you were stuck with the wrong guy.

you had always dreamed of being an artist, you had specialized in painting in college hoping to pursue your dream.

rafe had always accompanied you in that dream, volunteering as a model for all your portraits but you always ended up throwing all the drawings away because you were too perfectionist. for you, it was never good enough. but for your best friend, it was a masterpiece, the work of a true painter.

you drew in your spare time, but each time, you ended up drawing rafe's face. you had no idea why he was your only inspiration even though you had a boyfriend, why it was always him who motivated you to continue painting.

it was strange how rafe had made a huge impact in your life, the only boy you actually had.

— a year later, on a huge impulse, you offered your art to a museum that regularly held exhibitions. you had made arrangements with the director and tried to find rafe's contact two nights after.

you searched for his social media, last names in the directory, asked his friends but nothing had helped you. you had spent a week trying to find it but it felt like you had lost him forever, that it was like a flower that you should have cherished instead of letting it perish.

you had been a monster. you abandoned him...like his mother. like everyone else.

every time you thought about him, you always ended up crying. if it wasn't love because you were sure you didn't love him, why did it hurt so much? why did it kill you so much?

rafe had never been capable of hurting you, and yet you had stabbed him without even looking at him. you had let him give you his heart, and you had stepped on it. and maybe that was why he couldn't fall in love anymore because you had ruined all his chances of being with someone else.

rafe had confessed his feelings to you while you were in his room, talking about everything and nothing, the future and the past like children. he had grown up. he was no longer the little whiny child you had known but a big boy, the one who now had big arms to protect you, hands to dry your tears, body to warm you.

“i feel like you want to tell me something, big boy. so say it, don't make me wait or beg for it.” you teased him by stopping the movie you were watching under the blankets.

"If you weren't so blind and stupid, I wouldn't have to be so embarrassed. i really have to do all the work all the time. "

“Come on, confess it. Do you want me to close my eyes?”

“ close that eyes, and shut that mouth too. ” he nodded, and the minute you closed your eyes, his mouth found yours to kiss you.

“what does that mean?”

“are you being stupid on purpose?” he replied. "It wasn't a mistake for me in the club...I mean, I really liked it like now. Don't make me say it, y/n. "

you were embarrassed. you didn't like rafe. finally you loved him like a best friend. he had always been the friend you dreamed of, not the one you wanted to end up with.

In contrast, rafe always believed that a girl could never break his heart. but you had shown him today that he was wrong, because you had managed to hurt his feelings, to make them so depressing.

you had this control on him that he had exactly over everyone else.

"Am I still the crybaby I was to you? I've changed. "

"that has nothing to do with it. rafe, you can't love someone and think that they will love you back. love doesn't work like that, and sometimes it doesn't even work. "

“you love someone else, right?” his tone was now louder, becoming more aggressive.

"I...n-n..."

"you love someone? who is it? tell me who it is? or don't tell me, I'll find out eventually. do you think that guy deserves you more than me ? "

“rafe, you’re scaring me. don’t yell at me.”

"why? you have the right to reject me but I don't have the right to raise my voice with you... let me laugh...since you like joking with me now.” there was a sick smile on his face that you hated, and made you shake.

"Rafe, I'm not rejecting you..."

“oh, y/n, please don’t lie to me. you’ve never been a hypocrite, so don’t be one now. don't be mean sweetheart because i would die rather than hurting you. just admit that you have someone, that you like playing with my feelings. do you think you're superior to me ? well, don't forget that i'm the only guy that give you attention so you're not that special. i made you special.”

"you win, rafe cameron. congratulations. i'm leaving."

you stood up towards the door but he rushed toward you and blocked your way.

“rafe. move.”

"asking like that? oh no, sweetheart. I've seen you be nicer than that, so you're going to give me the pleasure of asking me with better words."

“don’t make me push you. ”

he laughed so hard that your ego had been hurt. "because you think i'm still the weak, whiny cameron from the past that you used to manipulate ? tskk tskk, wrong. it's over. i hold the power in the relationship now. "

“rafe, I don’t want us to argue.”

“ oh yea ? so why do you want to leave? give me just one good reason at least !”

“you have to let me go.”

"and if I refuse? ah yes, I forgot, my family probably loves you more than me so they will surely come and help you if you cry or scream. so, please, show me how much my family hates and doesn't care about me. ”

you felt the sadness in his voice despite the loud tone, and the condescension.

"you can't leave. what kind of girl are you? the kind who likes to break hearts?”

it was your turn to be mad at rafe so you slapped him. louder than you expected because his face had turned against the door, and a red bruise had marked his skin. you regretted your action but you didn't apologize. because rafe had to learn to respect you.

" excuse me ? I was always there for you, when you were in pain, when you were angry with the whole world, when your father was so cruel to you that I had nightmares because I was afraid that will be the reason i will lost you one day, when you were crying, when you were fighting, I was there when there was absolutely no one for you, I was there when you were the little boy that no one wanted. You have absolutely no right to blame me for anything and consider this slap at the end of my sentence because I will not apologize. I have always been nice to you. so don't make me regret this. so yes, well done rafe, you managed to ruin everything. I'm sorry that you are in love with me and unfortunately I don't have this feelings for you, but now you lost me, and all the chances you had for us to end up together so you can sequester me here if you want, but know that even if I stayed in this room until the end of my days, I would still have no feelings for you, not a fucking single one. “

he was angry, his nostrils were flaring, and his fists were clenched against his thighs. you only had to see the swelling of his veins around his temples and around his neck to feel that it was literally boiling inside his body.

"you haven't changed. you've just grown. you'll cry when my back is turned.”

— back in the present, you wore a pretty dress to your art exhibition. you chose "blue eyes" as a subject with multiple paintings representing Rafe's gaze in different expressions. you had even managed to capture his look when he was in love with you.

so, you hoped that this evening he would come, that he had accepted your invitation, that your letter had arrived safely at its destination. you had received so many compliments but none had made you happy, none had managed to really make you smile, even those from your boyfriend who you had found in the hallway kissing someone else.

you didn't even cry because you knew it. it was just more horrible to see him in real life because he looked so happy.

“get out of here.” you reacted without even shouting.

“baby wait, I can explain everything….”

"explain what to me? your explanations are stuffed in this girl's mouth right now."

"I'm not going to leave." he replied.

“ oh yes you will leave. and if I see a single tear on her face, surely not alive. but yea, dare you to stay.” a cold voice growled and warned behind your back that you recognized it by heart.

you turned to admire rafe who stood in front of you, still just as handsome, and above all taller. you wanted to be a pure and shed tears just to see your ex-boyfriend suffer but you were too busy rejoicing in rafe's presence.

“Who are you?” your ex-boyfriend replied.

"oh if I told you, I think it would break your heart but you don't seem to have one so I'll be honest. I'm definitely the only boy she likes. i'm sorry if she made you think that she has something for you. but believe me, will be nothing contrary to what i will do to you if your ass is still here in those free seconds i let you run.. "

“raf…”

he shushed you with his mouth. "You'll have your moment, but wait. this is a conversation for boys, and unless you're hiding a dick between your legs, you're not in."

you smiled at his stupidity. the two boys had gone out, and Rafe had returned a few minutes later.

“Oh my god, you didn’t cry,” you teased him gently about his whiny past, clapping your hands.

“Was I crying that much?”

“Like a baby.”

"but I have changed...and..."

you felt like the words were really struggling to come out. his voice was blocked and he didn't look you in the eye. he scratched the back of his neck. "I'm sorry. I was totally stupid."

“apology accepted.”

“does that mean I have the right to a kiss?”

When you were little, you always gave Rafe a kiss on the cheek when he apologized. the memory made you smile tenderly.

you stood on your tiptoes to reach his lips with your mouth, and he lifted you by your ass to help you.

“you were always mine, baby. even when you left, even when he was here.”

“ because it’s as much to love you as to hate you, rafe cameron.”

“Is that why you dedicated this entire exhibition to me? I’m flattered.”

“you didn’t leave my head even though you left my life.”

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you either. and I still think of you now. "

“ah yes? and what do your thoughts say about me?”

"that I finally have the girl I've always waited for. and that I still want her just as much."

"How about you show me how much...I mean...not with your lips, big boy. It's time to show me how much you've grown.”

you had gone to his hotel room after the party. he had accompanied you during the rest of the event, never taking his eyes off you as if he was afraid of losing you again. he even felt himself tighten his arm around your waist. he didn't keep his hands in his pocket, because you were there. and above all that you finally loved him.

it was beautiful. you had been the first person rafe cameron had loved, the first person he had broken his heart, and also, the first person who had loved him. you were destined to each others.

in his room, you were surprised to see how gentle he was with you, that he had softly placed your body on his sheets like a princess. he took off his t-shirt and you salivated just seeing his muscular chest, his arms turned into huge biceps, his flat stomach turned into voluminous abs with a magnificent v-line. “ It seems like you worked hard to please me. ”

“ oh babe, don't waste your drool on yourself when you can literally splash it on my dick. but maybe my girl wanted it dry”

“ you're really big now. ”

“ wait, something bigger is coming at you. ”

you were in love with the way your boy had become a man. you were proud of him, you undid his belt, and pulled him by the leather of the accessory before sliding it down and wrapping it around his neck to push him towards you and kiss him again. rafe was so desperate for you, he was hard in his pants to the point where it was painful, and even his tongue against yours was lost in a messy burst of both of you saliva.

he had spread your legs, and removed his pants, before pulling you against him by the thighs to bring you back against his hips.

“spit.” he held out his hand to let you spit on his palm and coated his hard cock with your drool, using your saliva as some kind of lube.

he started touching himself quickly, slowing up and down, a tight grip around his veiny and rocking length. you placed your fingers against his to accompany him in his movements, while devouring him with your eyes.

“fuck, you’re too good for me.”

“so make me as bad as you.” you responded by separating the two lips of your cunt with your fingers to show him the way. “fuck me. now.”

“did you have sex with him?”

“no…” you admitted shyly. “I’m still a virgin. Does that bother you?”

“I’ve already had sex, does that bother you?”

"no, because I'm sure you've never been able to cum without thinking about me. You're so obsessed with me.”

he pushed his leaking and wet tip against your soaked folds, rubbing himself lightly on them. “can I ?”

“oh rafe, it's only if you don’t do it that we’re going to have a problem.” you laughed gently.

and it didn't take more for him to split your pussy with his throbbing dick to startly making his way inside you. he had done it gently, partly because he didn't want to hurt you, but because you were incredibly tight. he held your hands, before placing his lips on yours, and driving you crazy with slow thrusts, his hips gently bucking against yours.

his cock stretched you softly, moving back and forth and sliding inside your canal that surrounded every inch of his dick. once he felt your body relax, he fasted up the pace, your moans automatically becoming louder. you had never been fucked until now, but you understood now, why people liked it.

rafe was completely buried in you from his tip, to the pelvis which was slamming against your thighs and the mattress. he couldn’t be more in love with you. you were perfect.

he loved hearing your screams from across the room, knowing that he was the only one to make you moans like that. you were completely wet, and your dripping pussy helped him pound you quicker, and especially harder. he couldn't get enough of your face completely ruined by tears and pleasure, but especially of your walls squishing him until he felt his own stomach twitching by your trembling body sticking to his, the way your part convulsing around him as the strokes went deeper and deeper.

the bottom lip of your mouth was covered in your own saliva, your back arched against the sheets, and your entire body stimulated, spasms covering it, and forcing you to squirm in every direction.

his blue eyes were lost in your gaze. you didn’t know how but he always managed to go further, hitting every sensitive gummy and soaked spot only to ram it again.

you let out a muffled and depraved sound when his cock slammed into your insides all the way to your stomach. you threw your head back, completely losing control.

“I'm never going to stop and you never going to leave if you keep giving me those eyes. don't feel dizzy now, it's just the beginning. ” he blurted out as he continued to pound you, making your pussy dripping even more all over him, leaving him no choice but to speed up his movements to avoid any waste of your fluids. “ i really want to fuck you all the night. don't make that face, you made me wait for more than fucking ten years, it's just now so fair. ”

you had already had an orgasm, but his energy had doubled. you didn't know what time you stopped, but when you woke up, you were completely exhausted like your body had been used all night.

you wondered how different your relationship was going to be now, and if rafe was going to take responsibility for everything he did last night. you had too many questions, and not enough answers. you took a shower while waiting for him to wake up.

when you finally had the chance to have the famous conversation, you asked him. “do you regret it?”

"that you didn't let me do this way before? yes. for doing it last night? no. another question, babe?"

"yes. well, it's not a question. I don't really know how long I've loved you. I mean, you know the day you fell in love with me. whereas I realized that when I didn't stop painting your face I thought it was your absence but it was stronger than that. when we were young, we were dumb and clumsy. but thank you to let me come back because we finally found the right moment."

“you know very well that you never had to ask for anything to get everything you want from me. all is yours. ”

— tysm for reading 🫶🏿‼️

[bluemoonbun]

what if there was a yandere batfam x villain!mom!reader. More specifically, I'm thinking of this (Fem reader);

Reader is a (technically) small threat. They're well known, but they mostly go after the rich and police. Unfortunately, that describes everyone in/closely involved with the Batfamily. Attempts at capture are futile, however, since they seem to rival Bruce in contingency plans.

Eventually, Jason steps up to bat and tries to catch them. However, there's one thing that Jason picked up from Bruce; his type is crime.

You and Jason have Batman-and-Catwoman-esque chases throughout Gotham, Jason blaming your escape on you being too crafty while denying any help. You see Jason's scars and admit that you have a pretty bad one on your side, eventually showing it to him when you feel comfortable taking your clothes off. Jason has had to hide more hickeys, bite marks, and scratches on his back than anyone would hazard to guess.

One day, however, you disappear. The Batfam is relieved that you've finally stopped your reign of terror over Gotham, but Jason is worried.

The Batfam all go out for ice cream a few months later for something unrelated, when Jason catches sight of something familiar.

A scar winding up someone's side. A scar he's seen before. A scar that's stretched due to a bump.

Dick walks into his back when Jason freezes. Judging by the size, you've been pregnant for about as long as you've been off of the streets. So that's where you've been...

Why didn't you tell him? Did you think he didn't love you enough? Did he not show you enough times that he loved you? Did you think that it wouldn't work because he was working with Batman? He wasn't that close with him! He'd help you find a nice apartment in Crime Alley, or, hell, you could move in with him! He wasn't sure how good of a dad he'd be, but he'd try! Isn't that what parenting is about?

Oh god, he hasn't been around for so much of your pregnancy already. He needs to talk to you!

"...Jason. Earth to Jason Todd? Hello?" Dick says, waving his hand through the thoughts swirling in front of his eyes. Jason starts slightly as he remembers where he was. Damian begins walking towards you. Or rather, the ice cream store you were in front of.

While you were out of earshot, he saw as you looked at Damian. You smiled, probably asking where his parents are, because he gestured behind him. He watched as your smile fell into shock as your eyes landed on him, hand instinctively going to your stomach before you glanced at a nearby alleyway before looking back at him.

He took the hint. Now you're facing each other, unasked and uncountable questions floating between the both of you. Jason, however, asked the worst question possible in that moment.

"Is it mine?"

The slap was warranted, honestly.

The next few questions come more easily. You're around 24 weeks along, you've been living alone for the most part, you've obviously taken time off to avoid any injuries/toxic exposure to the baby, etc. Eventually, he asks why you never told him, and the reason was twofold. On one hand, telling him would've required doing some sort of crime for the batfamily to follow and him being the one that caught you, which you had known was debateable since he mentioned how Bruce and the Robins offered to tag along. On the other, the chance of everything crashing and burning because of this was too great. You were too willing to accept that it was truly just like what Batman and Catwoman had, something fun and fleeting but nothing deeper than that. You weren't going to risk your child because you felt loved.

Jason takes your hands and tells you his full legal name. At first you're confused, but he tells you more. He tells you how long he's been a vigilante, where he lives, even the code to his apartment. He doesn't see any of this as fleeting. This, to him, was a relationship that just needed a full push to become a "proper" one.

He places his hands and yours on your stomach.

"My name is Jason Peter Todd, I'm the vigilante Red Hood, son of Bruce Wayne, and... I'm gonna be a dad if you'll let me."

You smile and hug him, unable to talk around the lump in your throat.

"Jason...? What the fuck are you doing?" says Dick.

He turns around and realizes that the entire batfamily had heard him.

"So, she's pregnant with your child?" Damian glances around, trying to get another look at your belly.

"Of everyone I thought would get a villain pregnant... you weren't high on that list." Barbara chimes in.

"I'm gonna be a grandfather?" Bruce asks

---

So yeah, gist of it is that Jason gets Reader pregnant, Reader gets some information that Batman uses to justify keeping you in the manor, along with the half truth of "keeping appearances", since the tabloids would eat you alive if they caught evidence of a member of the Wayne family being a deadbeat dad, and over time, the family becomes more and more suffocating until your baby is born, in which they somehow make themselves a nuisance in child rearing.

Asks are welcome!

[ssahotchnerr]

Hotch request ♡ for pre-relationship Hotch and Reader where he takes care of them on a case where they don’t feel well (maybe giving them his jacket when they have to investigate somewhere chilly at night, or keeping an eye on them!!) I thought this would be a cute one !!

if you only knew

cw; fem bau!reader, mutual pining, no established relationship, touch starved aaron, sick descriptions, fluff <3

After being out with the flu last week, color was just beginning to return to your face. Liveliness was present, contrasting the dull pale Aaron had witnessed when you attempted to come into the office. One look at you, and he sent you straight home.

You were on the upswing, otherwise he wouldn't have let you travel. Your fever had gone, you were on antibiotics, you promised you felt better - pinky-promised even.

But now he was beginning to think he should've momentarily grounded you back at Quantico, aiding Garcia rather than being in the field with the rest of team.

The further you ventured, the further the temperature plummeted. Surely it wasn't good for your vulnerable immune system, especially since your symptoms had yet to fully disappear, and why had he insisted you come? Prentiss could've accompanied him to the crime scene. Or JJ, Reid - anyone else.

He knew the answer already though; after not seeing you for nearly a week, he was guiltily needing to make up for lost time.

Aaron did, however, have a set of tissues waiting in his pocket, which - judging by the increasing rate of sniffles exiting you - would come in handy soon. He had to subtly conceal retrieving the items (he packed cough drops also) as the two of you left the precinct, knowing the cheeky grin or words Dave would offer him if caught.

"How are you doing?"

You considered saying you were fine, but lying was pointless - he’d see right through it before the words even left your mouth. And you couldn't lie to him.

It was nice, having someone know you so well.

Your voice was hoarse, barely more than a rasp. "Honestly, not great. My head is so congested it feels as if it's going to explode."

He grimaced in compassion, meeting your eyes with sympathy - which deepened at the sight of your red nose. Induced by the cold or your cold, he wasn't sure, "I'm sorry."

"I can't tell if I'm shivering because of post sick chills," you admitted, and right on cue, a quick shudder overtook your body. "Or I'm just freezing."

"You could head back to the car. Warm up a bit."

As tempting as the suggestion was, you gave him a look. Wittiness danced in your eyes and it eased his tense shoulders; if you felt that bad, you wouldn't have bothered with such a display. "And leave you here alone?"

Aaron chuckled gently, "I can manage."

"I know you can." You responded simply but picked up your pace to lead the way, as if to prove to him you were more than capable. Unbeknownst to him, you were making up for lost time too.

Spending solo time with Aaron, or cooped up in a stuffy police department? The choice was obvious.

"Wait-" you paused, and he took a few strides to catch up. "Take my jacket then, at least."

"Hotch-" You began to protest, but Aaron shrugged his puffer off his shoulders anyway, ignoring your concerns of him now being susceptible to the frigid air, and how you'd hate to be the reason he'd succumb to hypothermia.

He couldn't care less, as long as you were warm. He persuaded your arms through the sleeves and pulled the zipper up, fastening it snugly at your chin to preserve warmth.

"This shouldn't take long," Aaron promised, a brisk burst of wind hitting the two of you. It caused a strand of your hair to fall in front of your face, and he immediately had the urge to tuck it back behind your ear. Get a grip, Hotchner.

He withheld his temptation for a moment, but then came to the conclusion - fuck it. While brushing it out of the way, his finger touched your skin. Briefly, but your cheek wasn't flushed, confirming your fever had definitely gone. But then again, the weather could've been contributing. "We'll take a look around, make sure CSI is taking adequate photos, and head out."

Your response was delayed, partially convinced you hallucinated his actions as your heart fluttered in your chest. Maybe your fever was returning. "Okay."

"Once we get back to the hotel, make some tea for your throat." How did he know your throat killed? Was it that obvious? "Take a hot shower, bask in the steam. And most importantly, get some sleep."

"Is that an order?" You countered, a weak smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

"If that's what it takes, yes." He answered playfully, but the expression on his face indicated he was serious. Lips pressed into a soft line, eyes steady and clear with quiet determination.

Aaron was walking alongside you now, the back of his hand brushing against yours. While you weren't touching - only a few centimeters separated the two of you - it was electrifying.

Right before you reached the victim, a sudden sneezing fit seized you, and without thinking, his hand settled at the small of your back in support. It comfortably stayed put until you finished.

You peered up at him as your hand hid your snotty nose, eyes watery and quite pitiful. It broke his heart in the sweetest yet saddest way.

"Do you have tissues?"

"Check your pocket."

[one-green-frog]

Hi!

Can I request your yandere platonic batfam with a reader who gets bruised easily (bc i bruise so easily and it freaks everyone out) and what happened when they see them ♥️

Held Tight

The first time the family noticed a bruise on your arms they were ready to burn the world down. There was a bruise on your wrist, as if someone had hit you. It was strange, since usually someone was with you at all times, no one from the family would hurt you and they regularly made sure that you didn't have any mental health problems.Did someone break in? Was it one of their enemies. You're probably too scared to tell them.

Oh how it pained them to know that you are hurting, but too scared to tell them. Have they not been trustworthy? Had they now shown you that they loved you so deeply, they would never judge you? And they couldn't just ask, no, it would make you uncomfortable, maybe lead you to shut them out. That would be the worst case.

You noticed a shift in the family. Before they were already clingy and constantly showering you with love, but now it was even worse better. Nearly every minute they reminded you how important you are and that no matter what, they would always stand by your side. You didn’t mind, not really. In all honesty you loved the attention, but you also noticed their Desperation. Something was wrong.

Dick looked at you with such pity behind his eyes, yet he would never say anything, silently suffering. He was also the one to constantly remind you that you are family and the most treasured member, that they all cared and would always listen if you ever have any troubles. It was sweet, being reminded that the family loved you, but you noticed that he wanted to tell you something without outright saying what. Dick was always the supportive big brother everyone needed.

Then came Jason who now constantly patrolled every area you were in. He was looking for something or someone, yet he wouldn't tell you what it was. Not only that, but he was also way more physical. Jason was, unlike the others, a bit more repulsed with physical touch. You knew it was because of some scars and juts the way he thought of himself. This change was something you could accept with open arms and oh did you miss out before. You were constantly wrapped in his arms, practically swallowed by his stature, hiding in his arms while he hugged you. You soaked up every single second you could spend cuddling and snuggling him. Jason looked as if he was trying to protect you from something, clinging to you, a slightly tighter grip around you, small things you noticed, that set you off, but small enough to not bring it up.

Tim also changed. No longer would he spent hours upon hours in his room behind a monitor. Now he actively sought you out, even joined you on daily walks. Normally you would be extatic, Tim was often busy with Wayne business, be it important meetings our just paperwork, and you would have loved to think that a stressful period was over, but you noticed his looks. His even more sunken eyes, dark circles under his eyes and the way he would seemingly drift off into space during a conversation. It was obvious to you that he forced himself to stay awake to be with you, and while you loved your brother very much, it hurt worse to see him in such a bad state.

Damian didn't change much, in all honesty. Before he was a little brother who loved to cling onto you, now he was your little brother clinging onto you even more. It was once every blue moon that he would "sneak" into your bedroom to snuggle with you, now it was practically every night. You were usually awake reading a book when the door would creak open just slightly, Damian would peek inside and just look at you expectantly, waiting to be invited in. You scooted over to one side and lifted your blanket and almost in the same instant he would lay in your bed beside you. Whenever that happened you usually went to bed, not wanting Damian to lose any sleep. Together you laid there, Damian climbing into you like a cat seeking every bit of warmth you fand of. You like these social little moments with your younger brother, so it came as a surprise when suddenly he came to you nearly every day. You also noticed how he was on the lookout, trying to find some sort of intruder or something. It really freaked you out at first before you simply thought of it as his child mind.

The weirdest one was Bruce.

Bruce just hovered. That's it. Whenever, wherever, he always seemed to just be there looking at you. It was weird. He too looked at you with an almost pleading look, almost begging you to do something, but you simply didn't know what. What everyone was suddenly on to act so weird.

Bruce was also the one to bring "the problem" up. One day, he sat you down, he had this devastated look on his face. It was obvious something troubled him and at first you thought he had some bad news.

But then he started to talk about how he noticed some bruises on your arms. He went on a rant about how sorry he was that he couldn't protect you, that he just wanted what's best and that if someone hurt you to tell them. For your defense, you didn't mean to chuckle, the whole situation just made sense. Their sudden change their strange behavior, because they thought someone hurt you.

"Oh, I just bruise really easily," you explained, "it just happens sometimes"

To say Bruce was shocked was an understatement. Never had the thought crossed their mind that it was just such a small thing and not one of their enemies trying to take away their most precious family member.

After the talk everyone's behavior changed again, this time for the better. You noticed how everyone seemed more relaxed, no longer on edge and looking for something. You also noticed that they were more careful whenever touching you. Hugs are now more gentle, dragging you around was now just leading you by your hand. You didn't mind either thing. It showed how much they cared, immediately noticing something and trying to fix it, never once trying to make you uncomfortable in any way.

Words could never describe the care that went into everything they did for you.

Taglist: @lilyalone

Thank you so much for requesting!

My inbox is always open for you, so please don't worry about sending too many request :) ❤️

[demonic0angel]

Dan opens a bar in Gotham and has a few rules

1. No minors

2. No clowns

3. No vigilantes

4. No bringing outside condiments

5. Pay your tab

6. No gang wars

Dan makes two exceptions to rule 3. One for Nightwing because he saved him from muggers and he thinks he's cute. One for Red Hood because that man needs some serious ecto therapy to treat his ectoplasmic rot

Dan watched in slightly baffled silence as Nightwing opened the door to his bar with an injured, helmeted man over his shoulder.

"... and who is this?" He asked slowly.

Nightwing smiled apologetically. "This is Red Hood. He's... basically like family. He's injured, so would it be alright if we stay here for a little while so he can recover?"

Dan stared at the man who had an extremely rotted soul, looked at Nightwing's hopeful expression, and then sighed to himself. "Do you know about his ectoplasmic rot?"

Nightwing blinked from behind the mask. "His what?"

After a short explanation, Dan eventually handed Nightwing the medicine for Red Hood's ectoplasmic rot. "You should probably mix it in something," he explained. "It masks the taste. It's not too bad, but when liminals try it for the first time, it can be jarring."

Nightwing hummed in thought. Before he could say anything, Dan slid over a cup of coffee in silence, clearly already knowing what to give. Nightwing smiled at him in amusement before taking it, dumping the concoction inside, and then handing it to Red Hood.

Dan also beckoned Nightwing over with another cup of coffee and he obediently came over and sat down at the bar with him, both of them sharing a cup of espresso as they usually did when Nightwing visited him.

Dan was inwardly pleased by Nightwing's easy companionship with him now, as they used to be extremely hostile when Nightwing had been investigating his bar.

Now, they were sharing coffee on late nights, talking to each other easily, and just basking in the shared closeness of having someone who wouldn't judge.

Red Hood stared at them and the coffee with hesitation before he reluctantly took a sip and the frown on his lips eased. He licked his lips and then said, "Huh. Tastes like how my assistant makes them."

Dan blinked. "Pardon?"

This blend was something that would best suit the taste of added ectoplasm and it stayed within the family since Jazz and Danny liked the taste. There was no way it could taste similar to a random stranger's made coffee.

Red Hood nodded slowly.

"Yeah. She makes coffee like this. Extra milk, a little bit of sugar, and it also gives me the tingles. Weird."

Extra milk, little sugar, with the taste of ectoplasm??

Warning sirens rang in Dan's mind. The air began to chill and both vigilantes looked at him with sudden wariness as he leaned forward with a dangerous snarl, his hackles rising.

"Describe her."

[comicaurora]

Do you think ethics are just an attempt at being a healthier form of selfish?

In one of your Detail Diatribes where Batman confronts Catwoman and tries to stop her from killing Falcone, you highlighted the fact that his reasoning was not to protect her father, but to try and save her. Ever since, some very strange ideas about the nature of selfishness and selflessness have been rattling around my head.

It only started coming into focus when I tried to put into words why it was a bad thing that D-16 killed Sentinel Prime. My best answer right now is because it made D-16 into Megatron. Orion wasn't trying to save Sentinel, he was trying to protect the cybertronian people. Maybe if Orion focused more on saving D-16, they wouldn't have lost their friendship and all of Cybertron would be better for it. Of course, in the end, Megatron was the deciding factor in making himself, caring more about his pride than his current identity, but this highlights a strange selfish quirk in sustainable selfless behavior.

If you are purely selfless you suffer from spending more of yourself than you have to give. If you're too selfish you can't maintain the human connections that are a requirement for being a complete and healthy person. It leaves the best options as being selfless to make your environment an easier one for you to live in. Where your actions for others are repaid by the selflessness from your community. Or, being selfish with your charity. Taking care of what you care about because their well being positively contributes to your own.

To be fair, the opening sentence now looks like an incomplete thought. It probably should be asking if you think ethics is just an attempt at being a more healthy form of selfish and selfless. Really, just asking if ethics is meant to make you better at being a person, which seems like a question that can answer itself. Still, it feels like an important insight to highlight that to be ethical isn’t about how much of your own life you're willing to sacrifice. It's hard to be a good person when you're not a person anymore.

This is a fascinatingly deep question, and I'm very tickled that our two touchpoints in it are a transforming robot tank and Batman.

My personal opinion is that ethics and morals are not reflections of some universal truth of Justice and Goodness, as they are often framed, but are instead best-practice guidelines on how to function in the big, messy world without causing undue suffering to yourself and others. A facet of this is determining, case by case, how much you need to prioritize yourself vs how much you can afford to help others - in the framing you've proposed, selfishness vs selflessness.

Taking the specific examples we're focusing on - two cases where someone attempts to prevent a revenge killing for the benefit, not of the victim, but of the avenger - I think they reflect this worldview, that the killing is not seen as some innately universally-judged evil act that must be prevented for its own sake, but that the act of killing will harm the killer in a way the person trying to stop them doesn't want to see.

For Catwoman, committing premeditated murder wouldn't solve any of her problems in any way that arresting Falcone and having him legally unraveled would. It'd just park a first degree murder charge on someone who'd up til this point only dealt with petty larceny, and it would potentially weigh her down with misery and regret as she grappled with the trauma of taking a life.

For Megatron, killing Sentinel Prime wasn't a bad action because he deserved to live. They just spent that whole fight scene tearing through enemies. They're warriors on track to spend the next four million years killing each other; the whole "taking a life" ship has already sailed. The problem is that Sentinel is a symbol and a structural part of the political narrative in the founding of the next stage of Cybertron's society. If the first thing the new regime does is bloodily avenge itself on the face of the old regime for the personal wrongs it did them, that proves that the only thing they care about is personal satisfaction of their individual desires - just like Sentinel. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. If they can instead take a step back, think of the good of Cybertron as a whole, enforce a rule of law and a fair system of justice that applies equally to everyone, even on someone they personally loathe, that would signify integrity and credibility and the hallmark of wise, just and fair leadership capable of setting aside personal feelings for the greater good. It's not about Sentinel; it's about whether the satisfaction of killing him is worth the price of enforcing forever that personal vendettas are more important than the well-being of the people of Cybertron. Which makes it really obvious which one Megatron is going to pick.

My hottest take, and I mean this very genuinely, is that most of the human perception of what constitutes goodness and justice is one thousand percent based on vibes, and is extremely susceptible to narrative reframing. We see an unsympathetic victim (Sentinel Prime, Falcone) who has gleefully caused suffering to innocent people (so judged because they are framed sympathetically, not because we've actually enumerated their lifelong actions to determine they've never done anything wrong) and we feel (feel) that it would be right and just for them to suffer consequences (emphasis on suffer) because that would balance the scales on this vibes equation and that would make us feel like justice had been served. Would this suffering lead to any material good? Not inherently. Would it heal the victims? Not usually. Would it remove the source of the problem? Categorically not, what with how negative reinforcement works (or rather does not work.) It also wouldn't do anything about the other people empowered by the same system to be just as shitty in just as many ways that just happen to be offscreen from our POV. But it feels fair. So what is justice, if it reduces down to "I want them to hurt for the hurt they've caused me"? If it can be sated with a spectacle or distracted by a long nap and a good joke to let the feeling fade? What purpose does this justice serve if it is devoted wholly to the satiation of a bone-deep chordate-brain hunger for Retributive Violence rather than towards actually ensuring that the lives of those harmed are healed and supported and built up again after being broken down? (This is the entire core character arc in The Batman, btw, I'm not just monologuing for no reason here. He calls himself Vengeance for a reason, and the reason is he's doing Batman wrong)

That feeling - that white-hot burning core of Righteous Fury - is the unexamined heart of many systems of morality that focus, not on doing good, but on exacting satisfying retribution on Bad People Who Deserve It, categorized as People Who I Can Hurt Without Feeling Bad Myself. It's a very tempting concept for people who have suffered at others' hands. That feeling, that powerful instinctual understanding of "that's unfair," is incredibly strong. In my opinion, most systems of ethics are built, not around relitigating what is Good and what is Bad per se, but in trying to shape and curb that bone-deep, unbelievably powerful desire to rend the flesh from the bones of your tormenters.

But I mentioned that feeling is susceptible to narrative reframing. This is, as I understand it, a huge part of lawyering. Tell the story of what happened using true events and adding no falsehoods, but highlight the parts that make it feel like your client is the one who is being treated unfairly. They're not an unsympathetic wrongdoer who you can punish without personal moral stain - they're a loving spouse, a parent of three adorable children, they have a really cute puppy, they donate to charity, they're a wonderful conversationalist, a kind friend, etc etc. All those things can also be true of people who do terrible things, but thinking about them defuses that White Hot Core by making us sympathize with the sympathetic parts of them.

This is incredibly well-understood in fiction. It's the whole reason the tropes Kick The Dog and Pet The Dog exist. When you want the audience to root for a character's destruction, leave aside any of their potential quiet moments of sympathy - their tragic backstory, their cute pet, their adorable relationship with their mom - and instead show them going out of their way to commit some minor act of petty cruelty, say Kicking The Dog. The audience will infer that this badness is 24/7 and they have no reason to curb their enthusiasm for Righteous Vengeance. But if the writer wants the audience to see a spark of good in them, to sympathize, to believe they can be redeemed, they'll highlight one of those small moments of charming kindness, and allow them to Pet The Dog instead.

Neither of these acts, in the grand scale, have any bearing on the morality of this person's actions. A pet dog doesn't counterbalance a razed village; a kicked dog doesn't negate a generous contribution to the local soup kitchen. Goodness and badness is not a linear scale added or subtracted to by opposing deeds. BUT showing them to an audience reframes them narratively, and THAT is what shapes the judgment of the White Hot Burning Core. In the space of fiction, this form of bottom-shelf emotional manipulation is one of the cleanest ways to get the audience to root for the messy destruction of what is ostensibly, in the universe of the fiction, a wholly complex and living person who definitely has reasons for everything they've done, even ones that could be framed sympathetically when shown.

Meanwhile, in the real world, ethics are an attempt to judge what is best in a given situation without trusting the White Hot Burning Core to make the call, no matter how compelling "but it would feel really good though" might seem. They try to give someone perspective, context, other priorities to consider. The White Hot Burning Core might want you to rip someone's arms off for driving slow when you've got important places to be, but Ethics can present a number of compelling reasons not to do that - even if it's just "ripping their arms off will definitely make me even more late." And yes, this can be a balance of Selfishness Vs Selflessness. You are one of the people whose wellbeing ethics is designed to make you prioritize improving even if it feels weird, and when all other things are equal, your own health and happiness can be the deciding factor. In a world with an overarching Moral Force that weighs the goodness of your soul by sifting through every grain of action and intent seeking negativity to punish you for, absolute selflessness to the point of self destruction would still probably be seen as Morally Wrong, simply because the universe is a better place with you in it trying your best.

Anyway, if doing the right thing was simple, easy and painless, we probably wouldn't have so many thousands of years of arguing about what it looks like. Good luck out there everybody 👍

[evqa3]

'𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓯𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓪 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓮..' ✮

summary: after you best friend suho slipped into a coma, you shut yourself off from everyone including your boyfriend sieun. you disappeared without a trace. months later, while visiting suho at the hospital you run into sieun for the first time in months.

pairing: yeon sieun x female!reader, bestfriend!suho x female!reader.

warnings: none!

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The only sound in the hospital room was the soft beeping of suho's heart monitor. you sat right beside his bed, hoping and waiting for him to just randomly wake up and ask if we can get food. it had been six months since the accident, six months since you last saw suho awake and annoying you, and six months since you disappeared.

ever since suho slipped into a coma you became horribly depressed, you couldn't contain the grief of losing your best friend by someone who you had considered a friend. so you stopped answering calls, you shut yourself off from everyone. you didn't even say goodbye to sieun.

especially not sieun..

you never stopped thinking about sieun tho. you would remember the way he would read through you, the way he would knew if you were upset or mad without even saying anything, the way he would wait for you by the entrance after school so you guys would walk together. but the one thing you never forgot was his warmth. the way he would wrap his arms around you at night when it was just the two of you alone.

but now you wonder if he hated you. hated you because you left him without a word. hated you because you left him while he was also grieving.

you push those thoughts away as you stood up quietly and collecting your things, before leaving you look back to suho who was still lying down in that hospital bed motionless, "i’ll see you tomorrow gremlin." gremlin was a nickname you would call suho growing up because of the way he would eat his food like he hasn't eaten in years.

you smiled softly as you turned around opening the door quietly and stepping out has if suho was fast asleep after a long night of deliveries. as you turned around you froze. there sitting on a bench in front of suho's room was sieun.

he looked the pretty much the same. his hair was little longer, his eyes were a little heavier as if he hasn't spelt in weeks. his eyes widen a little when he saw you, his breath caught up in his throat.

"y/n.." he said softly just liked he used to when you would be tangled up his arms at night, just like he used to when things were good back then.

guilt rose up pulling your words under like a tide. you didn't know what to say so you just stared at him, eyes widen a little as well. your fingers slightly shaking inside of the pocket of your jacket.

he slowly stood up from the bench, taking a step closer towards you. "i came to see suho." he said quietly. "i didn't think you'd be here.."

"i come when it's late and quiet or whenever i have the time.." you murmured softly.

he nodded as his gaze dropped down before looking back up. "i missed you. i never stopped looking for you.."

your throat tightens as you felt the guilt lingering around you. "i know." you said quietly while looking down. "i'm so sorry i left you without a word.." then you felt his arms wrap around you softly, you froze for a second before wrapping your arms around him as well.

his warmth finally wrapped around you after so long of not being in his arms. he slightly nuzzled his face against your neck before murmuring, "i’m just glad you're here now.."

for the first time in months, you let yourself breath. a sense of relief finally hitting you. you sighed deeply before letting your head rest against his shoulder. this was what you have been craving for, his warming touch against you. both hoping that everything would be okay now and that this wouldn't be the end of it.

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word count: 758!

a/n — this is my first time writing.. so don't judge if its bad.😭 i don't know... so lmk if there is any mistakes or something!! ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶

[writingwisterias]

Just can't help myself

Incel Roommate!Leon Kennedy x AFAB!Fem!Reader

Warnings: SMUT, MDNI, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Non-Consensual Somnophilia, Non-Consensual Sex, Pervy Leon, Panty Stealing, Masturbation, Edging, Incel Leon,Thigh Job, Virgin Leon

Summary: Tainted desires get the best of him

thank you @kuntprodukt for listening to my rambling and proof reading...it's been a while since I've done something Dead dove and she is the queen of Non-Con after all...

Being roommates with Leon was like living with a ghost, his presence haunted the apartment but you rarely saw any trace of him. The smell of his aftershave lingering in hallways as he moved around or the bathroom mirror fogged up with steam from the shower was sometimes the only signs that he was even home. It was nice having someone that respected your space, allowed you to decorate the home as you pleased with no arguments or care about what it looked like. “A cushion is a cushion” he would say. 

You didn't have to fight over the TV remote or consider what he wanted to eat. On the rare few occasions you saw him or he opted to spend time with you he was kind, funny and entertaining. Telling you stories over his adventures, always making sure to sugar coat them to hide the true horrors he has faced. He was a part of the government that much you knew, something to do with the field judging by the heavy boots he left at the door as well as the duffle bag in the hallway closet. Claiming he was leaving it there in case he needed to leave quickly. 

It was easy for him to forget about you whilst he was away, seeing you at home in nothing but an oversized T-shirt and sweatpants the majority of the time. It rarely gave him something to think about during his absence. That was until one night he caught you getting a late-night snack. Your silhouette outlined by the tank top you wore along with the pretty pink thong you were sporting. 

He just couldn't help himself then, the image of you smiling at him greeting him in what should have been an awkward encounter buried into his mind that night. You offered him the perfect few of your ass, your thighs, your tits covered only by the thin material without complaint. The sight was all he needed to get a boner, his cock thumbing against his boxer prison, finding himself thankful for the low lighting and limited visibility so you couldn't see it as you walked past. Your shampoo and perfume leaving a trail for him to follow back to your closed room. 

He wouldn't do that though – no. Leon was a nice guy, not like the other men that would have followed you into your room and taken what you were clearly offering him. Instead he went to his room, his hand clenching around his now pulsing cock and starting a painstakingly slow rub. Playing with the tip as he lost himself in thought. His eyes staring at the dark ceiling above him, thinking about the soft curve of your thigh, the way the light bounced off the shape of your ass. His other hand gripped the sheet tightly, the soft fabric spilling between his fingers like he thought your ass would. You must be trying to tease him into craving you. After all, who walks around dressed like that? It’s not like you didn’t know that he was home – you knew the risk of him seeing you like that. 

It only got worse for him after that night. He suspected that because he didn’t react to visibility of your clothing you became more comfortable, sporting oversized tees and a thong. He’s probably seen every colour you have to offer at this point, the white ones being his favourite. All it would take is some proximity and flirty words and they would become see through with your arousal. It worked with all the other women he had seen in the porn videos, his plump lips would only need to graze the side of your neck and you would be on your knees for him. Right?  

Maybe that's why he acted on a simple thought, he was being kind after all doing your laundry as you were swamped at work. It was a reward, that little white thong. When he found it whilst separating the laundry into piles. The lace was soft against his fingertips as he traced the floral designs. It looked so delicate and innocent up close, a small little bow at the front. Completely untainted despite the lingering smell of you, it was instinct to pocket them as he finished loading up the washing machine. 

To then escape back into his room and admire them further there, his cock thumping as he held them out by the waistline. Trying to imagine that first night he saw them on you, how soft it made you look. You wouldn’t notice any marks surely, the fabric was white…his spend was translucent most days. His balls began to feel heavy, his fingers gripping the fabric as he itched for release. You were out, there was no risk for this. Your shift today was long and the day had barely started, it was the perfect time to do this. 

Leon sheepishly moved to his headboard, placing the underwear on the pillow as he settled himself, hissing once his weeping tip was exposed to the air. He was unsure on how to use them, on what would feel the best as he rubbed himself against them. So he opted to follow along the seam, the stitching feeling harsh as it dragged between his sensitive tip, his pre cum smearing against the pretty flowers. The whimper he gave off was embarrassing as the softer part of the lace finally pressed against the red tip. Leon repeated the motion, watching as the redness of his tip began to appear the more fluid he provided. 

He thought of you wearing them about how perfectly they exposed the soft flesh of your ass. How the lace accentuated your hips and drew attention to the pussy as you walked passed him. He craved to know what your cunt would feel like or what it would feel like to be inside anyone at this point. Would you be nice and tight like the porn videos describe in their dirty talk? 

He needed to have your warmth clench and encase him just like his fist was doing right now. His hand moved to grip the fabric around his cock now moving it slowly, whining at the added heat from the friction. Leon watched as the white fabric became a blur along the shaft of his cock, his movements now faster as he felt the incoming promise of his release. His cock twitched at the thought of tainting the innocent underwear that you would wear again, unknowingly of what he did. 

The thought of seeing you in them again was enough for the vein to pulse in his grip, his cock standing stiff and tall as the cum shot from it. It was by far the messiest he had been, no porn had made him feel like this, made him produce this much. He used the last few dry parts of the panties to mop up his mess before adding it back to the wash pile. He finished his act of kindness, watching as you sighed in relief at the sight of it neatly folded in the laundry room. 

He smiled at your relieved face watching as you slowly began to trust him…maybe even want him further. He could tell how comfortable you were becoming with him. That must be why you came into his personal space and left a kiss on his cheek before bidding him a goodnight. You then wouldn’t have come out in a shirt and underwear moments later to wash up in the bathroom if you didn’t want him to look. 

It had been a few days since he started doing smaller things around the house in favour of pleasing you. Often finding his hand wrapped around his cock with the underwear you wore that day thinking about how he could pleasure you further. Spent his time watching porn videos to educate himself further so he was prepared for when that day would finally come. 

Maybe it was foolish of him to not think it would come so soon. 

It was late in the evening, the warm glow of the lamps you insisted replaced the blinding white ceiling light filtering out from the living room as he walked past. The lighting change grew on him eventually, soon following the rule you put in place blindly despite his original protests. However, after one peak through the doorway he faltered, his foot thumping on the carpeted floor as he observed you. Your ass perked up slightly as you laid on the sofa, the book you were reading now a mess on the floor from where you had clearly dropped it. 

You must have been really tired to pass out like this, the long hours at work you complained about finally catching up to you. You didn’t wake at the sound of his approach, didn’t complain as he eased your head to the side. You stirred slightly though, your hips moving in a slow grind as you found a comfortable spot. He watched your ass bounce slightly at the movement. The white underwear he had used the first time decorating your hips once more. 

Leon observed further, listening to the slowed breathing that left your lips waiting for you to stir awake. He found himself growing harder, his cock now tenting in his sweatpants, producing an embarrassing amount of pre-cum to stain through the fabric. His fingers itched for exploration, to finally feel the intimate areas of your skin that you constantly showed him. Willingly.

You wouldn’t mind if he squeezed your ass surely? Felt the flesh spill between his fingers for just a second. Maybe if he squeezed it hard enough his grip would imprint a mark on your skin. He was gentle at first, feeling the softness of the skin before sighing as he used it like a stress toy. His mind ran wild with thoughts of you on his lap, kissing up every inch of skin as he kneaded it.

Leon whimpered as his sensitive tip rubbed against his sweats, jerking about the more he thought about you, about what he could do with you. He freed himself from the boxers, playing with the sensitive tip absentmindedly as he looked over you further. His clothing becomes a pile on the floor at his feet. Leon didn’t even think about his next moves, acting on pure desire and his own will for pleasure as he hovered over you. His knees trapping yours together, his cock leaking against the back of your thighs. Leon waited…watching for movement, for rejection. 

Your silence was a confirmation for him as he slowly dragged his tip between the gap of your legs. Imagining the small gap was your tight pussy. Your skin was so soft against him, welcoming him in the soft warmth your thighs produced the more he smeared himself along them. His hand gripped the headrest of the sofa as he pushed his cock between them, watching it run between the length of your thighs. His puffy veins angry as his cock prepared for his early release.

Leon groaned as his tip brushed against the thong that ran through your ass cheeks, the change in texture making his brain go fuzz. He wanted to grip your hips, drive you back in your sleep to meet his needy thrusts. To manhandle you in the positions he had seen, but that you break your trust and drive you away from him. You’d hide this view from him, leaving the past times a memory. You’d go back to doing your own laundry if you found out, if you heard what he did. 

Leon gripped his own mouth, silencing his sounds as he grew closer. The taste of his own blood filling his mouth as he bit his lip harder. He didn’t have to wait long as he felt his cock twitch once more before his cum shot up your thighs decorating them with him. It glistened against your skin, standing out in thick ropes. 

On shaking legs he stood again, digging through the pile of fabric on the floor for his phone. He snapped a few photos and one video zooming in at the mess he had made for later use not knowing when he would get the chance to do this again. He debated on cleaning it up but after an inner argument with himself he grabbed his boxers, wiping the fabric over your skin mopping up the load. As much as he wanted to leave it he was worried that the smell of his release would cause you to grow suspicious. 

He dumped the clothes in the laundry basket, his semi hard cock swinging as he walked back to his room. Smiling to himself as he swiped through the photos wondering when you would eventually give him the chance to bury his aching cock inside your pussy. Not an ouch of guilt coursed through him as he worked himself hard again, whimpering at the thought of how soft you were against his skin. Not a care in the world at how sensitive he slowly became or how much more needy he became to claiming you. After all…you wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t want him. He was a nice guy that just couldn’t help himself.

[sei-rq]

about that latest oneshot you wrote... how do you think rin will react when he found out that his best friend and his big bro is now a thing? will he actually start crashing out or will he just go "wow you're stupid for falling for my brother"

pt.1

best friend, itoshi rin has noticed some changes in your behaviour as of late, normally he'd just assume it's because of a new show/series/character that you're choosing to obsess over.

but no, this is different, you've been distant, more secretive, less talkative, always looking at your phone, grabbing it the second it beeps with a notification, smiling at your phone more often, and rin— rin is not okay, at all.

because as much as he would never admit it out loud, he misses you, this is so sappy because you're right here, next to him, but at the same time you're not.

he misses your constant chatter about what you did for the day, the constant 'ding' in his pocket coming from his phone due to your daily messages, he misses the occasional late night calls when he's too pent up from soccer to fall asleep, or when you're too stressed about an exam that's due the next day, listening to your whining about how you're sure you'll not make it this time around.

but you always do, because rin is here.

he wouldn't let you slip away, not when he's around.

so, why was he feeling off about all this, you've been closer to him ever since you first came to his house, you come over more often now, the routine goes like this:

dinner, rin dragging you to watch movies, some video games, random talking until he ends up falling asleep and you're gone by the time he wakes up in the morning.

something is off.

and then he starts to have his suspicions, sae has been acting strange, far stranger than you. it's weird because ever since his brother came back from spain, they haven't spoken much.

but everything feels different.

he notices instantly.

ever since sae started to put more effort in his looks, his clothes, he's wearing his hair down more often, he's always in a good mood not that his face says anything different, it's just— he looks happy.

and rin? he'd be glad, because sae has been treating him like he used to, slowly but surely they're going back to their old ways, starting with those popsicles they used to get when they were kids.

this time, rin's luck doesn't play by his side.

you lose.

he looks down at the stick in his hand and then towards his brother, who takes the finished popsicle out his mouth to see the text engraved on the stick.

...

you win.

rin expects sae to scoff at the stupid thing and say how something so insignificant can't judge his luck like he used to do.

but no.

it's there, so, so, so fucking faint, but it's there— a smile on his lips.

"i'm going to put this away, be right back." the older itoshi says as he gets off the couch, leaving rin with his thoughts.

just what has gotten into the people around him?

his question answers itself, when he hears a 'ding' next to him, he grabs it thinking it's his phone, probably something from you, he doesn't have notifications on for people other than his family and you.

it's not his phone.

but he can't be bothered to care because—

you [11:47pm]:

hey, come over today? i got your favourite chocolate and i have practice in a few days so i'll probably be busier, i need my fill of someone stupid til then.

cariño [12:29 pm]:

hii

i think i can!!

i'll ask rinnie if he can hangout tonight then >:D

also bribing me with chocolate isn't fair <\\3

you [12:36 pm]:

i simply made a request with no ulterior motives.

spoiling my partner is seen as a crime these days?? how bad has society gotten.

cariño [12:40 pm]:

suree, keep telling yourself that..!

see you tonight, I love you <33

...

he shuts the phone off as soon as he hears sae's footsteps coming back to the room.

and before he knows it, he's back in his room, the door locked and his ears hot and ringing. he grabs a pillow off his bed, tossing it to the picture he has of him and sae on his desk, which is childish but rin's vision is blurry and his eyes feel hot.

it's not fair, not fair, not fucking fair.

his chest hurts, physically hurts. it feels awful and he feels nauseous and his head is ringing loudly.

why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why?—

he knows, it's you. not that the stupid nickname sae has saved you as gives it away, that's far from it. it's not even the profile picture, you under soft white sheets where only the upper part of your face is apparent, eyes closed as though it's the safest place on earth, with not a care about anything else but your slumber. and the worst part is, he recognises the background, the bed, the sheets.

and it's not even the familiar texting style. it's the pet name that you've insisted on calling him since you've been friends. rinnie, the name he hates so much but doesn't comment on because he likes hearing you say his name. he recognises you instantly.

why the fuck does itoshi sae get everything? does he not have enough of his own things? why is he stealing away the one thing rin had kept to himself, the one thing rin had allowed himself to be selfish over. it's not fucking fair— why his best friend?

he was planning on taking it slow, he thought he had finally found someone that understood him, someone that he could trust with ease and he doesn't do feelings, but he was willing to try, so why?

why now? when he has realised his own feelings? when he was planning on asking you out? right after he finished with blue lock and the u20 match, when he was waiting for the perfect day to finally have you? to make you his?

and if it isn't already enough, his phone buzzes on his desk.

and the universe mocks his existence.

stupid owl [12:40 pm]:

rinnieee.

can I come overrr :000

stupid owl [12:47 pm]:

rinrin?

rinniepoo

loml, star of my eyes rinrin !!

we can even watch that new thriller that came out recently !?

stupid owl [12: 55 pm]:

rin? you good? you're not even 'seen' zoning me like you normally do, woah! :((

...

okay, if itoshi sae wants to play like that, so fucking be it. rin isn't a kid anymore, he can be mature about this— and by mature he means..

you [1:00 pm]:

sure.

why don't you stay the night?

[muwapsturniolo]

Cupids choke hold જ⁀➴ᡣ𐭩 C. Sturniolo

"dad, i think i finally found the one."

⟢Fluff really, Chris just being in love with bun

@bernardsbendystraws for credit

The sun was setting over the city of angels, and Chris was entranced by his own angel.

Bunny.

He stared down at his lock screen, smiling softly to himself as the picture brought warmth to his chest. His admiration was interrupted by his phone ringing, a name popping up that he hadn't spoken to in a while. He answers the call and puts it on speaker, instantly feeling comforted by the voice on the other end.

"Hey son, where have you been?"

The question makes him feel guilty. He was always a mama's boy despite his harsh exterior, his mother being his rock and safe place, and she loved it. The mother and son duo knew to a degree it wasn't fair, but they were each other's favorites, and everyone else knew it too.

"Hey Ma," he says softly, inhaling a bit of the joint before tapping the excess ashes off. "I know it's been a minute since we last spoke...I have so much to tell you."

He begins to feel nervous like he is about to be judged. He knew it was an irrational fear, his mother would never judge him, even when he did something wrong.

"It's going to sound like a bad joke, but Ma...I fell in love, I found the real thing. I got a girlfriend and she's amazing."

A bit of shuffling is heard on the other end before she responds to him, "A girlfriend? Is the same one that- No." Chris instantly cuts her off, not even wanting to bring up the last girl. She was never his girlfriend. He would never say this to his mother, but she was nothing more than a quick fuck to him.

"No no, this...This is someone new and she's the best thing to happen to me. I probably sound like an old person, but Cupids got me in a chokehold. You know me, I've always been scared to let people in, especially girls, but she made it so easy that I threw the towel down. My white flag is waving, and I'm okay with that."

He couldn't help himself, instantly going on a long ramble about the girl he found himself to love so much.

"-I mean, she cooks me pancakes in the morning, the blueberry ones that you make me when I'm back home. God, and I'm starting to think you two use the same ingredients."

"And what are those ingredients?"

He smiles dopily to himself, looking down at his beat-up Nike slides,

"Love."

Mary-Lou finds herself smiling. She had been worried when her boys finally left the nest they call a home that they wouldn't be ok, but it seemed as if they were doing just fine, finding the right people to have in their lives and keeping their heads straight.

"Tell me more." She urges gently, not wanting to scare the boy into retreating his feelings, but also wanting to know more about the special girl who managed to capture her youngest attention and heart.

"When my stomach hurts, she always gets me Alka seltzers. When I'm sick she goes above and beyond to make sure I'm ok. If that ain't love then don't know what love is, it's like we're married."

"Well, it is through sickness and health, they say during the vows."

He chuckles to himself and continues, "We have this secret handshake, we came up with it on our fourth date when I learned she didn't know how to dapp people up. We're always doing it before she goes to practice and it just brings me so much comfort. Oh, and she even gets along with Matt and Nick! You know how close we are, and I don't think I could date someone who doesn't respect them. She even supports the YouTube shi- I mean stuff we do! I know I'm not that much involved, but she's pushed me to participate more, to be something more."

"...You sound in love..." Mary-Lou states softly, trying to hold in her excitement.

Chris chuckles to himself, nodding along despite Mary Lou not being able to see him.

"I am...I really am. If I had to pick her or the sun, Ma, I'm telling you I'd be a nocturnal son of a gun."

She laughs at his statement, soon urging him to send her a picture of the girl.

"Oh Chris, she's so pretty! And the way you look at her, it's the same way your dad looks at me. You have to bring her to Boston soon!"

So he did.

His chest was ready to burst with excitement and joy seeing the girl he loves so much getting along with his parents and older brother. She fit right in, doing crossword puzzles with his mom, playing Just Dance with Justin, and even going fishing with his dad.

It was late into the night, Chris sitting outside on the back porch, smoking with a glass of water in his hand. Bunny had fallen asleep on the couch with Trevor, both she and the dog snuggled up into a ball and sleeping peacefully. He looks up hearing the door open, smiling gently when he sees his dad.

Jimmy takes a seat in the empty chair next to Chris, settling down and letting out a deep breath. They sit in silence for a minute before Jimmy speaks.

"Tell me about her."

Chris immediately dives in, never missing an opportunity to talk about his girl.

"Dad, I think I finally found the one, the one that makes me a better person and will make you proud of me. She's like Mom, she's the best... I know there have been other girls; you've heard about them, but she's different, she's on a whole different plane. Just the way she says my name, it makes me want to give her the world, hell, even the universe."

Jimmy listens intently, watching how he talks with such passion about the girl sleeping on the couch.

"I love it when she calls me. I feel like an elementary school boy getting excited about his crush talking to him on the playground. She even has her own ringtone so I know its her calling! We used to sit on the phone for hours, doing nothing but breathing most of the time."

"She's a good girl, a real catch. I can see the love you two have for each other, I saw it when we picked you up from the airport. You two are in love and I hope it lasts."

Chris takes a sip of his water, staring out into the backyard with a smile and eyes full of love.

"I know it will, I'm not letting her get away."

He creeps back into the house softly, approaching the living room and chuckling to himself when he sees both Bun and Trev drooling in their sleep.

He goes to pick her up but stops when Justin enters the living room.

"You went soft on me," Justin voices playfully, gently pushing Chris's shoulder. Chris rubs the back of his neck, sitting down on the arm of the couch and placing a hand on the sleeping girl's shoulder.

"She's the reason, she makes it so easy to be...I don't even know. She could make the most annoying, oldest, senile man bite his tongue and talk calmly. Her eyes are so soft and comforting, it's like the sunrise on a summer day, I could stare into them for hours."

Justin watches with a knowing smile on his face. He can tell from how animated Chris gets when talking about her, that he will continue to do so forever. He's in love, and Justin knows the two will end up happily married, and he can't wait.

" She's a complete ten, the most gorgeous and graceful girl I've ever seen. She has me hooked, and I'm not complaining. She has the best laugh ever, and she laughs at all my jokes, even my dumb ones that usually piss Nick and Matt off. Like I told Dad, before we moved in with each other, we'd sit on the phone for hours not saying a word sometimes. We just wanted to be around each other and it was comforting. "

He looks down at the girl once more, toying with her curly strands gently in an attempt to not disturb her slumber.

"It may be too soon, but when I think about my future, when I think about what I want it to look like, it all surrounds her. I want to be the best version of me for her, and I want her to be happy...Call it dumb, call it luck, call it love, or whatever, but everywhere I go and do, I keep a picture of her in my wallet. I want to remember what I'm working for."

Justin walks over and plants his hand on Chris's shoulder, "I can't wait to call her my sister-in-law."

With that, Justin walks out of the living room, leaving the couple and Trevor alone. Chris is gentle when he lifts the girl off the couch, one of his hands caressing her back while the other holds her bottom. He walks up the stairs and into his room, laying her down gently on the bed.

He strips out of his hoodie, kicking off his slides, and crawling into bed, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.

Despite her being asleep, he proceeds to whisper softly.

"I love you so much, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

She opens her eyes softly, smiling at him in a sleepy haze.

"I love you more."